​​How does a wind up Musicbox works? A wind up music box is a | Curiosity Tea

​​How does a wind up Musicbox works?

A wind up music box is a music box that requires a lever to be spun to propel the inner mechanisms, most likely a cylinder or a disc, to turn. This is made possible by a spring that stores force as the level is spun by an outside force. The resulting spinning motion will then result in music or sound being produced by the machinations inside the casing.

A music box works by rotating a metal cylinder with protruding pins that pluck the individual prongs of a steel comb. The sounds that resonate from the vibrating prongs are the notes we hear lower notes from longer prongs and higher notes from shorter ones. Some more complicated music boxes even contained a small drum or little bells.

Music boxes have been around since the 18th century. Some were the size of a loaf of bread, others as big as a dresser. Back then, music boxes were actually used to enjoy some nice parlor music, unlike the little twirling ballerina box you might find in your grandmother's attic. In the 19th century, Swiss artisan watchmakers continually refined the design. What we have today is the result of hundreds of years of tinkering with gears and bells and pins and steel combs.