[ Re Wayne Finger in MMD 001105, 15.5" Polyphon Has No Dampers ]  I have a similar, but smaller, machine and I have sketched the dampers in the attached image files.  I also enclose a scan of the metal cover which protects the damper assembly.

The cover is the same size as the top of the comb, except a bit short of the tips to clear the starwheels.  At the end opposite the tips of the teeth, the cover has a 90 degree bend downward so that it can be screwed (2 screws) to the vertical face of the comb base.  It appears to be plated with a notice of patent in several languages; sorry for the shiny picture.

The damper assembly is also the same size as the top of the comb and mounts with 2 screws into the top of the comb.   It is shaped like a comb with equal length teeth, made of thin copper (by the looks of it) -- like a template of the longest bass tooth in the musical comb repeated many times such that one finger is located directly above each tooth in the comb.

As someone else stated yesterday [001108 MMD], the starwheel first touches the damper finger and pushes it down until the soft pad (leather or felt)  touches the top of the tooth directly below it.  It is released just before the starwheel touches the comb and plucks the corresponding tooth.   There seems to be a pad on top of the damper so that it doesn't click against the bottom of the cover when it springs back up.

Hope this helps.

Craig Smith
Sat, 11 Nov 2000 09:21:02 -0500