The Threshold of Science — The Hydrogen Harmonicon
Charles Romley Alder Wright
The Threshold of Science
Charles Griffin and Company
London 1891
Expt. 209. To produce Musical Sounds by means of a Hydrogen Flame.—Arrange a hydrogen generator with an upright jet so as to burn the gas
experimented with, as in fig. 81. Hold over the flame and surrounding it like a lamp chimney a glass tube half an inch internal diameter and a foot
long; if the size of the flame is properly proportioned, the flame will be thrown into a state of vibration by the current of hot air and steam
passing up the tube, so that the hydrogen issues from the jet in a series of pulsations, instead of a perfectly uniform stream. The effect of this is
that the column of air in the glass tube is thrown into vibration too, like that in an organ pipe, and a musical sound produced, the tone of which
depends on the length and diameter of the tube used, being generally the shriller the shorter A musical instrument, called the hydrogen harmonicon,
has been constructed on this principle, furnished with a keyboard like a piano, so arranged that when a key is pressed down a current of hydrogen is
turned on to a jet in a suitable pipe, and at the same time is lighted by means of an electric spark, so as to develop sound; a separate jet and
properly tuned pipe is of course required for each note. As yet, however, this instrument has not found its way into musical orchestras, the reason
for which will doubtless be appreciated by the experimenter whilst trying different sizes of tube, some of which are pretty sure to produce most
doleful wails and squeaks, reminding one of the effect of a "cat concert," where each performer takes a cat in his or her arms, eliciting a note by
judiciously pinching the tail gently, or otherwise coaxing pussy to emit a yell or a growl as the case may be. Fig. 82 represents a series of four
tubes, any of which can be used simultaneously, hydrogen being supplied to the central tap from a generator or gas bag, and thence to the four
burners; the lengths of the tubes are so proportioned as to give the 3d, 5th, and octave of the note yielded by the longest tube.
Fig. 81. Singing Tube.
Fig. 82. Hydrogen Harmonicon (4 Pipes).
Can be DL's from Google.com/books or for < US $30 an original
copy or a Kessinger Publishing, paperback reprise.
For convenience I would use plastic pipe. Comes also upon my
mind... make sure the H2 is flowing long enough to purge any
air in the system, a H2 explosion produces a good snap.
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