The Probert Encyclopaedia of Music

MUSICAL BOX

Musical boxes are automatic instruments developed from the 18th century musical snuff-boxes. The sounds are generated by the vibrating teeth of a steel comb. The teeth are tuned to produce the notes of the musical scale, and their points are in juxtaposition to a revolving brass cylinder, which is set in motion by the winding of a spring. The surface of the cylinder contains small projecting pins, so arranged that as the cylinder turns they impinge upon and set in vibration the respective teeth which produce the desired combination or succession of sounds. A single cylinder may be 'noted' to play as many as thirty-six tunes, the change from one to another being produced by altering the position of the cylinder so as to bring a different series of pins into action.
Research Musical Box