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Musical Box Society International

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waldfl ote pipe

German term meaning "forest flute," used by Welte for an open wood flute pipe, very imitative of the orchestral instrument. An important voice in many Welte orchestrions often characterized by a wedge-shaped cap forming the lower lip of the mouth, and a round hole forming the upper lip.

wallbox

Small box with a coin slot, connected to an electric piano, orchestrion or jukebox by wires. When a coin is deposited, an electrical contact is made which causes the instrument to play. An effective way of providing many coin slots throughout a business establishment, thus increasing the receipts of a single instrument. European coin pianos and orchestrions were rarely equipped with built-in coin slots but almost always contained electrically-actuated start mechanisms; a single wallbox was often attached to the outside of the case of such an instrument, or on a nearby wall.

Walze;

plural: Walzen. German term for barrel.

water motor

Water-driven motor, connected to a water main, used mainly 1870-1905 to power automatic instruments in a time when electricity was not available in many areas.

weight drive

Power system used to operate organ clocks, early barrel orchestrions, and other instruments. A heavy weight (several hundred pounds or more in large instruments) is wound up to near the top of the instrument. As it falls, it powers the instrument through an escapement.

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