US1018791A - Transforming and transposing device for automatic instruments. - Google Patents

Description

B. T. TREAHY. TRANSFORMING AND TRANSPOSING DEVICE FOR AUTOMATIC INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED 11111.22, 1910. 1 ,01 8,791. v Patented Feb. 27, 1912.

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B. T. TREAHY. TRANSPORMING AND TRANSPOSING DEVICE FOR AUTOMATIC INSTRUMENTS. 1 ,O 1 8,79 1' APPLICATION FILED JAN. 22, 1910.

Patented Feb. 27, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BARTHOLOMEW T. TREAI-IY, 0F DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

TRANSFORMING AND TRANSPOSING DEVICE FOR AUTOMATIC INSTRUMENTS.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, BARTHOLOMEW T. TREAHY, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Detroit, in'the county of \Vayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Transforming and Transposing Devices for Automatic Instruments, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to automatic musical instruments, such for example as automatic piano players operated by pneumatic means.

An object of the invention is to provide improved means for transposing, that is for varying the key in which the music is played.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved means for adjusting the instrument to accommodate the same to note sheets of different kinds, as for a sixty-five or an eighty-eight note sheet. The invent-ion serves these two functions, that is transposing with respect to key and adjusting with respect to note sheet, in a single mechanism, which may be manipulated to effect either or both of said purposes.

The transposing devices are applicable to an instrument using only one kind of a note sheet; and the adjusting devices are applicable where no transposition is desired.

As illustrated, the tracker is shown provided with two sets of holes, suitable respectively for sixty-five or eighty-eight note sheets, and ducts lead from each set of holes to the transposing and adjusting devices, which devices are located between the tracker board and the primary pneumatics, and include members which can be shifted lengthwise, or across the instrument to transpose, or laterally back and forth to con nect or disconnect the respective ducts of the two sets of holes in the tracker.

The devices may be used upon instruments where two different trackers are used or where there are two sets of holes of a different size and spacing in the tracker, and either tracker or set of tracker ducts can be made to register with the passages to the primary pneumatics according to the different kinds of note sheets used.

The invention will be more fully under- Speeification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 22, 1910.

Patented Feb. 27, 1912.

Serial No. 539,531.

stood from the following description and the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is a front view of the tracker and spool box. Fig. 2 is a left end view of the same. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the device, removed. Fig. 4 is a section on the line l4: of Fig. 3.

Referring specifically-to the drawings, 6 indicates the frame of the spool box, 7 the spool therein, 7 the note sheet roll, and 8 the tracker. This is shown as provided with two sets of holes, 9 and 10, the former being suitable for a sixty-five note sheet and the latter for an eighty-eight note sheet. Obviously this may be varied according to the note sheet used, or substitute trackers may be employed for different note sheets. The ducts 65 lead from the holes 9, and the ducts 88 lead from the holes 10, these ducts being flexible.

Each set of ducts leads to a corresponding set of ports 11 and 12 in a slidable plate or bar 13 which is made-in sections, and which as a whole constitute a shiftable plate or valve bar by movement of Which the transposition and adjustment are effected. The bar is made in blocks or sections to insure a close fit and provide against objectionable results of possible warping. Each block is connected to ametal bar 14 by means of pins 15 which work through holes in the bar at a nice fit, and spring 16*, between the bar and blocks, press the latter to close contact with the cooperating bottom plate 16 which is provided with openings to operating or action ducts 17 which lead to the primary pneumatics (not shown). The bottom plate 16 constitutes part of a box or casing which is completed by side strips 18.

The metal bar 14 is connected at each end the bar 14 and the sectional plate 13 in two directions, that is, both lengthwise and transversely.

The rear ends of the cross pieces 19 are articulated to a shifting and turning rod or rock shaft 22 by means of arms 28 project ing from said rod through enlarged holes 24- in the cross pieces 19. Said rod 22 has longitudinal and turning movement in brackets 25 fastened to the box. The rod 22 is turned by means of a lever 26 which is connected by a link 27 to a bent lever 28 which is fulcrumed at 29 on the side 6 of the spool box, the front end of the bent lever projecting into convenient position for manipulation by the operator.

The rod 22 is shifted lengthwise by means of a lever 80 fulcrumed at 31 on a suitable bracket at the end of the box, and having a fork at 32 which engages in a groove 83 in the shifting rod. The lever 80 may be operated by any suitable connection to a button 34 at the front of the instrument. Transposition is effected by shifting the lever 30 and the rod 22, the latter moving lengthwise. Adjustment with respect to note sheet is effected by turning the rod 22 by operation of the lever 26 by the means described.

In Fig. 2 the device is shown with connection established to the eighty-eight note sheet tracker. By swinging the lever 26 backwardly the rock shaft 22 will, by means of the arms 23 connected to the pieces 24, carry the bar 14C and the blocks 18 rearwardly to register the passages 11 with the passages 17 leading to the primary pneumatics, thereby establishing communication between the holes 9 for the sixty-five note sheet and the operative mechanism. By shifting the lever 26 forwardly the rod 22 is turned and the communication is established between the ducts 17 and the eighty-eight note sheet holes. For transportation, the lever 30 is shifted, causing lengthwise movement of the rod 22 and consequently of the sectional plate 13, this section being permitted by the flexibility of the tubes 88 and 65. Accordingly the ducts 11 (or 12) are registered with ducts 17 corresponding to the extent of longitudinal movement of the plate 18. In order to permit these actions in a minimum of space the mouths of the ducts 11 and 12 may be enlarged or cupped, as shown at 50, so that the connection may be effected by relatively small movement. The cupping can only be made transversely or to accommodate the adjusting movement. To position the sliding rod 22 as it is shifted one way or the other, it is provided with a series of notches 51, the distance apart of which corresponds with the distance between the ducts 17, and the flat spring 52 will snap into these notches in the different adjustments. The amount of transposition is controlled by the movement of the lever 30, and half a tone up or down will ordinarily be sufficient, although the movement may be increased if desired. Obviously the arrangement and connection of the levers may be varied to operate the parts in a different way, and various other modifications may be made within the scope of the invention. hen the blocks 18 are shifted to either position, the unused ducts therein are covered or disconnected from the operative devices of the action.

What I claim as new is 1. The combination of a relatively fixed set of action ducts, a relatively fixed tracker having two sets of holes, a set of flexible ducts connected to each set of holes, and a valve attached to said sets of flexible ducts and movable in one direction to register either set of flexible ducts with the action ducts, and movable in another direction to change the registration of the ducts of the selected set of flexible ducts with those of the action set.

2. The combination of a set of action ducts, a plurality of sets of tracker ducts, and a valve with sets of ducts corresponding to the sets of tracker ducts and arranged to register with the action ducts, said valve being movable in one direction to connect the action duets with a selected set of tracker ducts, and in another direction to vary for transportation the connection between the ducts of the action set and those of the selected set of tracker ducts.

8. The combination of a set of action ducts, a plurality of sets of tracker ducts, and a valve between said sets, comprising a sliding bar with sets of ducts connected respectively to the sets of tracker ducts and arranged to be registered respectively with the action ducts, said bar being slidable in one direction to connect the action ducts with a selected set of tracker ducts, and slidable in another direction to vary for transposition the connection between the action ducts and those of the selected set of tracker ducts.

4:. The combination of a plate having therein the terminals of a set of ducts, a tracker, and a valve bar resting against said plate and having therein rows of terminals of a plurality of sets of ducts leading to the tracker, the said bar being movable sidewise on the plate to register the terminals of either of said sets of ducts with the terminals in the plate, and lengthwise to vary for transposition the registration of the terminals of the selected set with the terminals in the plate.

5. The combination of a plate having duct terminals therein, a bar, a series of blocks carried by the bar and having duct terminals therein arranged to register with said terminals, and resting against the plate, springs in compression between the bar and and means to shift the valve, including a 10 longitudinally movable rock shaft connected to the valve.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses BARTHOLOMEW T. TREAHY. WVitnesses:

W. B. WHITELY, FRANK HOUP.

said blocks, to press the latter against the plate, and means to shift the bar and blocks to vary the registration of the terminals.

6. The combination of a plate having duct 5 terminals therein, a slide valve movable laterally and longitudinally and resting against said plate and having a plurality of rows of duct terminals arranged to be re spectively registered with said terminals,

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

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