Rolmonica

This instrument, highly sought after by collectors, was patented in the USA in by Joseph Le Roy Banks, of Baltimore Maryland, USA. in 1929.
under U.S.Patent1720991.
It has on it Patd. 11-3-25 & 6-5-28.
It consists of a harmonica of 24 reeds, in pairs of the same note, so that blowing or sucking produces the same note. A roll of paper is drawn across the holes in the harp in such a way as to play any tune pre-punched into the paper roll. The paper is driven by a hand crank and rewound in the same manner. The whole contained in a case with a single mouthpiece to direct air over the width of the harp.
Patents can be seen at bottom of this page.

The instrument depicted here was in reasonable condition when obtained,
although the rewind crank was missing and most of the reed valves were off or rotten and loose inside the harp.
There was rust and corrosion on the plates and covers. Although the harmonica itself is of an unknown german make, it is of very poor quality,
being a softwood body.The pin holes for plate fixing had to be moved to secure the plates. All of the valves were renewed using mylar cut to size and glued. A new crank was made for rewind and the plates lacquered to prevent further corrosion. (It now gets used a lot for demos!)

Here you can see the instrument stripped down ready to restore. The old material valves can be seen. Poor design left little wood at the rear of the body to retain the plates.

The plates (Brass) cleaned of corrosion and rust and the reeds centred and checked, ready to have the new valves fitted. (These are to prevent air loss through opposing reeds )

Plates after reassembly to body, note coarse wood grain in softwood body and extra pins to retain plates to body. Five extra pins each side were fitted

The original rewind crank was missing so a new one had to be made. Each roll has a small slot in the centre of one side, which is engaged by the crank. This was made from a 2 inch panel pin, having a cast head that was flattened and file to fit the slot in the roll, then fitted into the bearing, bent to crank shape, and a suitable knob fitted. I will make a matching wood one later on.
The round lever shown ,under spring tension, withdraws the crank and bearing, allowing the roll to be removed/changed.

I think something this special deserves its own box, so I fitted this one out for the Rolmonica.
This should keep it safe for the next 80 years!.

Below are photos of a second one I now have, a bit earlier than the first. As can be seen from the Patent marks. This one has only the 1925 patent listed.
Again with this one, all the valves had to be replaced.

Photos show strip-down and old dried and bent valves. These were a material like thin leather, but not sure. Replaced with Mylar ones, seen in 3rd photo, ready to be trimmed.
The single patent can be seen in photo four. The harp is still of poor quality and of the same design as the first, but I have seen other cover designs used.