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Modern Magic: A Practical Treatise on the Art of Conjuring
·
Professor Hoffmann
691
CHAPTER
II.
KEMPELEN.
Kempelen’s
Speaking
Machine
has
been
thus
described.
It
was
of
simple
structure,
and
consisted
only
of
five
parts--viz.,
the
reed,
representing
the
human
glottis;
an
air-chest,
with
internal
valves;
the
bellows
or
lungs;
a
mouth
with
its
appurtenances,
and
nostrils
formed
to
resemble
those
of
the
human
body.
The
reed
was
not
cylindrical,
but
formed
to
imitate
the
reed
of
a
bagpipe
drone.
The
hollow
portion,
however,
was
square,
and
the
tongue
of
the
reed,
which
vibrated,
consisted
of
a
thin
ivory
slip
resting
upon
it
horizontally.
This
hollow
tube
was
inserted
into
the
chest,
and
the
discharge
of
air
occasioning
a
vibration
of
the
ivory,
the
requisite
sound
was
produced.
To
soften
its
vibration,
the
part
supporting
the
slip
was
covered
with
leather,
and
a
movable
spring
shifting
along
the
upper
side
of
the
slip
brought
the
sound
of
the
reed
to
the
proper
pitch.
The
sound
was
more
acute
as
the
spring
was
moved
forward
to
the
outer
extremity,
because
the
vibrations
then
became
quicker,
and
when
shifted
farther
from
the
anterior
extremity,
the
sound
became
more
grave,
as
the
vibrations
were
then
slower.
A
slight
curvature
of
the
ivory
slip
arose
from
the
pressure
of
the
spring,
which
was
enough
for
the
object
desired.
One
end
of
the
air-chest,
which
was
of
an
oblong
figure,
received
this
voice-pipe,
containing
the
reed;
and
into
the
opposite
end
was
inserted
the
mouth
of
the
bellows.
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