GB1139468A - Device for automatically controlling water jets of artificial fountains in synchronism with musical sounds - Google Patents

Abstract

1,139,468. Controlling water fountains. K. KAWAMURA, Y. KAWAMURA and K. KAWAMURA. April 12, 1966, No. 3479/68. Divided out of 1, 139 467. Heading F1X. [Also in Division G4] In an automatic control device, for controlling the operation of water fountain jets in synchronism with music, the operation and coloured illumination of the water jets is varied in accordance with variations in the frequency and musical characteristics of the music. The device comprises selectively operable jet control means and coloured illumination means, transducers operable to convert sound into electrical signals, filter circuits to separate the signals into band frequency signals, musical characteristic detectors connected to the transducers to provide respective musical characteristics signals and means for combining the band frequency signal and musical characteristics signal into a combined output signal which controls the water jets and illumination means. Sound from voices or musical instruments 1, is converted by microphones 2, 2', 2" into electrical signals to input terminals 3, 3', 3" which are amplified at 8, 8', 8" and filtered at 4, 4', 4" to produce filtered signals a 1 , a 2 , a 3 ... to elements 19 ..... 30 of matrix circuit 5. The output signals from amplifiers 8, 8', 8" are applied to a musical discriminator circuit 7 to produce output signals responsive to the music rhythm and volume. The mean level of sound volume is detected by a discriminator circuit 9 by applying the input signal through a rectifying circuit 10 and an integrating circuit 11 having a large time constant to produce an integrating signal to operate a switching relay 12. When the integrated sound volume in a given time exceeds a predetermined level a signal C 1 is applied to the matrix circuit 5. The rhythm discriminator circuit 14 consists of a rhythm-responsive pulse-forming circuit 15 supplying a pulseintegrating circuit 16 which operates a relay 17 through condenser 16. When the relay is not operated a signal C 2 is generated and when operated a signal C 3 is generated. Filtered signals a 1 , a 2 and a 3 for each frequency band are combined with the order signals C 1 , C 2 , C 3 in matrix circuit 5 which has multiplying circuits 19.....27 and summing circuits 28, 29, 30. The output signals b 1 , b 2 and b 3 control water jet regulating valves 32 through relays 31. Colour lights 35 are controlled by selectively actuating time-lag relays 33, 33', 33", the individual colours being controlled through relays 31, 32 by order signals c 1 , c 2 . The relays 37, 38 may be actuated by signals from the filtering device 4 (and the musical discriminator circuit may be replaced by additional filtering devices). The sound outputs from each instrument may be combined into a single signal and applied to the filters. A vacuum tube is used for the multiplying circuit Fig. 2 (not shown) each input signal a and c is applied to the terminals (G 1 ) and (G 2 ) of the tube (V) and the product is taken out of the plate (p) as an inverted output signal. Vacuum tubes are used for the summing circuit Fig. 3 (not shown) wherein plates (p1) and (p2) of respective vacuum valves are connected in parallel and the inputs (i 1 ) and (i 2 ) are applied to grid G 3 of vacuum tube (V 3 ) to give an output b.