US1051468A - Automatic piano-player. - Google Patents

Description

M. VERSTRAELEN.

AUTOMATIC PIANO PLAYER:

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 26, 1910.

Patented Jan. 28,1913.

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AUTOMATIC PIANO PLAYER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 26, 1910.

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AUTOMATIC PIANO PLAYER.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 26, 1910.

Patented Jan.28,1913.

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M. VERSTRAELEN.

AUTOMATIC PIANO PLAYER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 26, 1910.

Patented J an. 28, 1913.

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M. VERSTRAELEN. AUTOMATIC PIANO PLAYER.

Y APPLICATION nun) NOV. 26,1910. 1,051,468, Patented Jam-28, 1913.

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f CUNITED 'srrAtrEs PATENT OFFICE.

MICH EL VERSTRAELEN, or NEAR INGLEWQOD, CALIFoRNIA; ASSIGNOR or ONE- HALF To J. H. BURTON, or OCEAN PARK, CALIFORNIA.

AUTOMATIC PIANO-PLAYER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 28, 1913.

Application filed November 26, 1910. Serial No. 594,258.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that'I, MICHAEL VERSTRAE- LEN, a citizen of the United States, residing near Inglewood, county of Los Angeles, State of California, have invented new and useful Improvementsin Automatic Piano- Players, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates primarily to pneumatic mechanism for installation in any standard upright piano with a Boston fall,

whereby the same may be playedautomafically and more particularly to certain details of construction, whereby improved execution is obtained; and to the arrangement of the small pneumatics which .operate the hammers; and to the construction of the valves controlling these pneumatics, whereby a greater range of action is obtained than is possible without a case especially constructed for the piano to house the playing attachment; and also to the arrangementand construction-of the mechanism for controlling or giving expression to the music played on the instrument, whereby a greater and more effective control and better ex pression is obtained than in the ordinary "piano players; and also in other details of construction hereinafter set forth; and the object thereof is to provide mechanism adapted to be built into any standard uprightpiano havinga Boston fall, now on the 'market, without changing the external case thereof, and which will not interfere with the ordinary use thereof, and which will enable an operator toautomatically play such piano with as fine expression'as can be obtained-by a skilled musician from such instrument by tln ordinary use of the keys thereof. I accomplish these objects by the mechanism described herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a frontview o fmy improved playing mechanism in place in a piano, with certain parts of th case thereof removed for clearness of illustration and with certain parts of my improve-d mechanism in section.

Fig. 2,is an end elevation of my player mechanism in place in a piano, the case of the ipiano being in cross section. Fig. 31s an enlargedsectional detail of the pneu matics and valves controlling the same. Fig.

' 4 is an enlarged fragmentary front elevation with parts in section of a portion of thepneumatics and valves. Fig. 0 1s a top plan view of the valves controlling the pneushown in Fig. 7 on the line 1010 thereof.

Fig. 11 is an enlarged detail to show the construction of the expression levers and connected mechanism. Fig. 12 is a section on the line l2l2 of Fig. 11'. .Fig. 13 is a sec tion on the line l313 of Fig. 11. Fig. 14; is a sect-ion on the line 14-14; of Fig. 11. Fig. 15 is a sectional detail of a pneumatic like that shown in Fig. 1-1: in its collapsed position. detail of the upper portion of the expression controlling mechanism, with the valve open.

In the drawings 20 is the case of an ordinary upright piano and 21 is the Boston fall covering for the keys 22 thereof. This cover is a wellknown type and comprises a cover for the outer ends of the keys formed of two leaves hinged together, one leaf being adapted to fold on the other and then both leaves to be turned under a shelf forming a part of the case andis illustrated in Patent No. 801,270 issued to J. Sampere', Oct. 10, 1905, and known to the trade as Boston fall cover. Over the rear portion of the keys are the pneumatic holding bars 23.

Fig. 16 is an enlarged sectional In an ordinary piano there are 88 keys,

and I have found in the construction of my piano player and in the operation thereof that three bars are sutlicient to provide mountings. for a sufficient number of pneu matics to operate all the keys. These bars are super-imposed with spacenblocks 2 f inter-posed at the ends thereof-as bestshown in Figs. and at. -These.bars have longitudinal channels '25. and .253 (seev Fig. l)

whichextendfrom nearly-the ends of the bars to near the centers and at their outer. ends open into -Y6ltl0ill channels, .one. of

. which 26'is shown in Fig. 4. These bars are preferably thicker at their outer than at their inner faces, being beveled on their under surfaces as best shown in Fig. 3. To the under surfaces of these bars are secured pneumatics 27, of which there are as many as there are keys on the piano. The pneumatics on one bar are preferably placed staggered as to pneumat-ics on the adjacent bar, so as to provide greater freedom of action, as best shown in Fig. 4. The base 28 of each pneumatic is secured to the bar, preferably by being glued thereto, and is provided with a port 29 therein, as bestshown in Fig. 3, which registers with an L- shaped channel 80 which extends upwardly and then inwardly with respect to the bar 23. The upper portion of this channel is reduced in size and terminates in a port 31., which opens into channel 25. The upper portion of this portorchannel is larger than the lower portion, as best shown in Fig. 3, and in the enlarged portion is received a valve 32, which covers the lower or narrow portion of the port. This valve has a wing guide 83 atiixed to the bottom thereof, which has a vertical movement in the lower narrow portion of the port, so as to guide the valve as it moves offend on of its seat, as hereafter explained.

The top of the port is covered by a plate 34 having a central aperture therein, as best shown in Figs. 3 and-6. This cent "a1 aperture is a little smaller than valve 32, so that when the valve reaches the limit of its upward movement, it closes the aperture in the plate thereby establishing a closed communication between the interior of the pneumatic and channel 25. Upon the base of the pneumatic is secured a bar 36 which extends beyond the end of the pneumatic as best shown in Fig. 3. In this bar is mounted a regulating screw 37, which is adapted to be enga ed by bar 38, secured to the movable leaf 89 of the pneumatic when the pneumatic is collapsed. By means of these regulating screws an absolute uniformity in the throw of movement of the movable leaf of the pneumatic is obtained, thus rendering it possible to regulate the movement of the movable leaf of the pneumatic and give to each pneumatic the same throw. Bars 38 also engage brackets 40, which are adjustably secured to the sticker or abstract bars 41 of the ordinary piano action, and thereby move the abstract in'the same manner as if it were moved by the ordinary key action when the pneumatic is collapsed. Each ab stract is provided with a bracket and the ends of bars 88 engage the bottom of the bracket as shown in Fig. 3. Located above the pneumatic holding bars and secured to the ends of the case are valve bars '42. These bars arespaced apart by spacer blocks 43, at the ends thereof, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. These valve bars have'longitudinal channels 44 extending from nearly one end thereof to a central partition. They are provided with ports 45 extending from the channel, through the upper portion of the bar above the channels. There are as many LOSI 468 of these ports there are neumatics. Extending through these ports are valve stems 46, which carry upon their outer ends valves 47, which are adapted to close the ports normally. On the inner ends of the stems are valves 47, which are adapted to close the inner ends of the ports as shown in the upper valve bar of Fig. 3 when the pneumatics are collapsed, as shown in the lower pneumatic in Fig. 3. Extending outof channels 44 and directly below each valve 47 is av small shallow diaphragm chamber 48 which ispreferably round, as shown in F ig. 4. These diaphragm chambers are close together, and are provided with a flexible diaphragm 49, which is preferably thin sheep skin. Immediately below valves 47 and secured to the diaphragms are thin felt punchings 49*, which when the air is exhausted from. channels 44 engage valves 47 and raise them to their seats, thereby closing the inner cndsof ports 45. Before the air can be exhausted from channels'44 tracker channels 52 must be connected to atmosphere which is done when a perforation in the music roll passes into register with. the outer end of the channel. An L-shaped channel 50 extends from the diaphragm chamber to the front face of the valve bar,

-as best shown in F igs. 8 and 4. L--shaped channels 137 open upwardly from channels 50 and terminate in bleed holes 138 which communicate with channels 44; A channel 51 extends from the front face of the-valve bar and opens into port 45 as best shown in Fig. 3. Channels 26 also connect with channels 44, as best shown in Fig. 4. Channels 50 are connected by tubes with ports 53 in the tracker board 54- Channels 51 are connected by tubes 55, with channels 56, which last channels extend from the front of the pneumatic holding bar, into diapl'lragm chambers 57. These diaphragm chambers are preferably round and shallow and are covered by a flexible diaphragm 58. Diaphragm chambers 57 are very close together and are covered by a thin flexible material, which is glued to the parts surrounding the tops of the chambers. Channel 26 is connected by tube 59 with the interior of pneumatic 60 of expression box 61. to the pneumatic, the expressionbox consists of the regulating chamber 62, which is connected with the pneumatic by ports 63 and 64, which are located in partition 65, which separates the interior of the pneumatic from the chamber and forms the fixed wall of the pneumatic. Within the pneumatic and adapted to control port 63 is a valve 66, which is preferably formed of a body of wood, beveled at one end and covered on the under or port side with a strip of sheep skin, or other flexible material 67, which is 'glued at 68 to the partition 65. There is only enough of the leather glued to the partition In addition to hold the valve in place and to allow it to turn on the glued portion as a fulcrum. A

that spring 69 bears upon the back of the as shown in Fig. 7. The movable leaf ofpneumatic 60 carries closer block 7 0 upon the inner side thereof, which is adapted to strike upon the back of valve 66 when the pneumatic is collapsed and cause the valve to close port 63. Port 64preferably has a metallic lining, consisting of a tube 73 which projects slightly above the partition into the regulating chamber. Immediately above this port is a diaphragm chamber 74 which is covered by a flexible diaphragm 75, con sisting preferably of thin sheep skin. This diaphragm carries a valve 7 6 of felt or other suitable material, which is adapted under certain conditions to drop and close port 64.

Extending through the upper wall of the regulating chamber is a port or channel 77,

through which extends a valve stem 78. 1 On the outer end of this valve stem is a valve 79 which normally closes the outer end of the channel'as'shown in Fig. 8. On the inner end of this valve stem is a valve 72,

- which is adapted to close the inner end of port 77, when the valve is raised to its up per position. Immediately below valve 72 is adiaphragm chamber 80, which is covcred by a flexible diaphragm 81. A fiatheaded screw 82 is screwed into valve 72 and whenthe valve is in its normal position as best shown in Fig. 8, holds the diaphragm depressed. Leading from the diaphragm chamber 80 is a channel or port 83, which is connected by tube 84 with channel 85, in bar 86 of the piano case as shown in Fig. 16. A "alve 87 is hinged to bar 86 by a piece'of flexible material 88, preferably sheepskin. An expression key 89 extends through bar 86and engages valve 87 to open the same. In Fig. 16 the valve is shown depressed. A spring 90 normally holds the valve closing channel 85. Pneumatic 60' is provided with a spring 91, which "normally holds the pneumatic in its expanded' condition. a port'92, which is connected by a pipe 93, with channel 94 in bar 95. This channel runs toand opens into control box 96 back of a slide-valve 97 as shown in dotted lines in"Fig. 11*, and. in 'full lines in Fig. 13. Leading out of the other end of the control'box is' 'a port or channel 98, which is connected by a pipe 99, to the motor 100,

which; operates the playing roll 101 and the revvinding roll 102. in the usual manner.

In" the control box is a slide valve 103, which is coupled by. pin 104 to slidevalve 97 and" moves with it. Valve 97. has a stem 105 consi'stin'gjof two parts adjustably connected together by the coupler block 106. This stem is pivotally connected to lever 107,

Regulating box 62 has I pression key 125- which lever is pivoted to avblock 108 secured upon bar 95. The other end of lever 107 is connected by rod 109 to operating lever 110 pivotally mounted in bar 86.. Opening out of the control box, is a speed port 111 7d which opens into pneumatic 132 (see Figs. '14 and 15). Opening out of pneumatic 132 is a port or channel 133 which opens into channel 98. A valve 134 is mounted in pneumatic 132' and is normally'held open by a spring 135 as shown in Fig. 14-. The

movable leaf is provided with a striker block 136 which engages valve 134 and forces it to its seat when the pneumatic is collapsed as shown in Fig. 15. The purpose of this valve and pneumatic is to equalize the Wind pressure upon themusic moving motor when. the operator operates the main bellows strenuously to produce a forte or fortissimo effect. This pneumatic and valve operate as an equalizer on the music moving motor mechanism, as it prevents undue suction on the motor bellows.

A slide valve 113 is mounted in the'control box and has a stem 114, consisting of two parts united by coupler block 115. Stem 114 is connected to the speed lever 116, which lever is pivotally mounted in bar 86, which. forms a part of the ordinary case of the piano. In the control box and open- 95 ing out of the same, between valves 97 and 103 is a port or channel 117 which leads to and is connected to longitudinal channel 118 in bar 95 below channel 94, the course of said channel being shown in dotted lines 160' in Fig. 11. Channel 94 has a port 119 opening out of the same, shown in dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 11, which is connected by a pipe 120, with expression box 121. Expres .sion box 121 is constructed in all respects 106 like expression box 61 and tube 120 connects with a pneumatic thereof, the same as tube 59 connects with pneumatic'60 of expression box 61. Tube 122 connects ex pression box 121 with a vertical channel like channel 26, which vertical channel is con-. nected to the channels 25 and channels 44- in the same manner that channel 26 is connected to channels 25 and to channels Expression box 121 has a diaphragm chamber'similar to chamber 80 with a port or channel leading out of the same similar to port 83 of expression box 61, this last channel or'port is connected by a tube .123 with a channel in bar 86 similar to channel 85 therein. This last channel is controlled by a valve 124, which is operated by an ex Va-lve 124- is similar in construction and operation to valve '87.

Suitably mounted upon the frame of the 125 piano are pedals 126 and 127, which operate the main exhaust bellows 128 and 129. These bellows are connected by suitable ports and passages with channel 118, which channel is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 130 and the port 130 which connects bellows 129 to said channel is shown in full lines, a portion of the bellows broken away to show said port. An auxiliary bellows 131 is mounted upon the case of the piano and is connected by suitable ports and passages with channel 118, as shown in dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 11.

In the operation of my piano player, the same being mounted in the piano as hereinbeforc explained and a music roll being secured therein as is customary, the operator would move lever 110 to open channel 9 1 and close port 98. Lever 116 is moved to give port 111 the required opening to give the motor the speed designated for the play ing of the piece of music. It will be ob served that port 111 is irregular in .shape being smaller at a point farther away from the lever than next to it. lVhen the port is fully uncovered as shown -in Fig. 11, the motor would have its maximum speed which would cause the music roll to move at maximum speed. said port it gradually closes the same thereby lessening the speed of the motor and causing a corresponding decrease in the speed of the music roll; Should it be desired to play the bass notes very softly, the operator depresses expression key 89 to its full limit as shown in Fig. 16, thereby unclosing channel to the atmosphere, which breaks the vacuum below diaphragm 81, which is immediately raised by air entering recess 7-1 thereby seating valve 79 and opening channel 7:! to atmosphere. Atmospheric pressure then causes diaphragm 75 to descend and carry valve 76 to close port (3 1 and thereafter the exhaust from the action by way of tube 59 must act through port 63. Port has not sufficient clearness for the full exhaust, which. before passed through ports 63 and 64, and pneumatic (l0 collapses and causes valve 66 to flutter and close and unclose port 63, thereby shutting off the exhaust andopening theexhaust according to the demands of the action to the pneumatics which operate the bass abstracts,

.t'hus giving as soft a tone as in the ordinary piano action by the use of the pianissimo pedal. In a fractional part of a second valve 06 opens owing to leakage and the operation is repeated. If a very soft expression of the treble is desired expression key 125 is depressed when the action is the same as 'betore described as to the bass notes. By the use of these expression keys any desired tone can be produced between very soft and loud. By using three banks of pneumatics, every key in the piano can be playcd'and by separating the primary control valves of the pneumatics and placing them in bars detached from the pneumatics and placing the same over the pneumatics a more compact mechanism is provided, be-

As valve 113 is moved over cause the valves, which control the pneu -matics can be placed closer together than when they are on the same horizontal plane with the pneumat-ics as found in the usual construction. In this construction it' will be observed, that the pneumatics of each bank lie in a plane parallel with and above the inner ends of the keys of the piano and that the secondary valves which control the pneumatics lie in a horizontal plane above the pneumatics and are located in bars which are thicker at their outer edges than H at their inner edges which bars also support the pneumatics; that the thinner inner edges of the pneumatic holding bars leave room for actuating the movable leaves thereof; and that the primary valves are in bars lying in planes parallel to the piano keys but above the neumatics, thereby providing an exceedingly compact construction, which enables me to use as large and powerful hammer actuating pneumatics as may be required in any player construction for operating in a piano, and enables me to put}. a player action into any piano having a case with a Boston fall and which has not been built with a view of putting a player action therein. By combining the elements in this peculiar manner space is utilized that in other players is wasted without interfering with the ordinary action of the piano.

Having described my invention what I claim is :v

1. An. upright piano ha ing keys and ham-' mers, and abstracts and strings and a case not especially constructed for a player attachment and in which the distance between the upper portions of the front of the case and the action is insullicient to accommodate the usual primary valve construction, said case having a covering for the outer ends of the keys consisting of leaves hinged together with one of the leaves hinged to the case and commonly called a Boston fall; in combination with a player attaclnnent comprising three banks of secondary valves arranged in bars and having their front ends lying under the piano shelf, said bars being thicker at theirouter' than at their inner edges and being located above the inner ends of the piano keys between the abstracts and the front of the case; pneumatics secured to said bars and operatively connected to operate the hammer mechanism of the piano; means to actuate said pneumatics, two banks of prii'nary valves arranged in bars and located above the secondary valves and located between the abstracts and the front ofthe case; connec tions from the prinn'n'y to the secondary alves; a tracker board; connections from the t *ackcr board to the primary valves; and means to cause asheet of perforated music to travel across said board.

2. An upright piano having keys and hammers and abstract and strings and a case not especially constructed for a player attachment,' and in which the distance-between the upper portionof the front ofthe case-and the action is insuflic'ient to accommodatla' the usual primary valve construction, said piano having a covering forfthe outer ends ofthe keys consisting of-leaves: 1 hinged together and one leaf hinged to the shelf and commonly known as a Boston fall cover 'ili'comblnation with a p1ayer attach ment comprising a, tracker board, adapted to be placed in the case above the hammers;

:means to cause a perforated sheet of music to travel across and over said board; a 35111- rality of banks of. primary valves arranged in vertical rows between the hammers and the. front'of the case; a plurality of banks of secondary valves operatively connected to a the primaryvalves, arranged in vertical rows; a" plurality of neumatics for operat- I the case; and means to actuate said pneu- 1 matics, a

In witness that I claimtheforegoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 18th day-of November, 1910.

MICHAEL VERSTRAELEN.

Witnesses:

G. E. HARPHAM, C. M. AUs'rIN.

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