GB190612738A - A New or Improved Attachment for Mechanical Piano-players. - Google Patents

Abstract

12,738. Howard, S. June 1. Pianofortes; automatic instruments.-An arrangement for enabling "solo " or like effects to be obtained i n automatic pianos or piano-players comprises a series o f levers mounted inside the piano, and adapted to soften or mute individual notes or series of notes, and slides for operating these levers. The bent levers a, carrying small muting-flaps d, are mounted in grooves in a board b in front of the strings. By their own balance, or with the aid of weights e, the levers normally hold the flaps d clear of the hammers. The upwardly-bent rear ends of the levers are arranged within a space corresponding to the length of the tracker bar of the playing-mechanism, and are acted upon by slides g<1>, g<2> with bevelled or rounded ends. The slides may be arranged in different planes to pass each other, but preferably their meeting ends are arranged to overlap. The slides are connected by pins j and links i to sliders k<1>, k<2> on a rod l in front of the piano or above the tracker of the player. To facilitate manipulation, the sliders may be fitted with pegs moving in graduated slots. In modifications, the slides may act upon an intermediate set of levers, controlling the muting-levers ; the levers may be arranged so that the notes are normally muted, the slides effecting the removal of the mutes so that the middle note or notes of a chord may be muted ; the levers a instead of carrying muting-flaps may regulate the stroke of the hammers, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3. The range of the appliance may be restricted, or separate apparatus may be provided for treble and bass. The muting may be such as to silence the notes. The slides may be moved by pneumatic or electric means, and, according to the Provisional Specification, the tune-sheet may be specially marked to indicate the movements, or may itself operate the slides.