US1058847A - Pneumatic motor. - Google Patents

Description

W. I'. COOPER.

PNBUMATIG MOTOR. AP'PLIOAT'IU FILED AUG. 12, mz.

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M m l mm 5 w w E F El! llll IIIHIWMIM l i@l IMIIIIII Ik 3M m/ PLANo'unAPH cu W. P. COOPER. PNBUMATIG MOTOR.- APPLIOATION NLBD AUG.12, 1912.

Patented Apr. 15.1913.-

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM F. COOPER, or NORWALK, OHIO.

PNEUMATIC MOTOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.'

Patented Apr. 15, 1913.

Application filed August 12, 1912. Serial No. 714,607.

tion.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in pneumatic motors and particularlythat type which are employed in connection withy pneumaticallyoperated self-playing pianos and like keyed instruments, the primary object of the press ent invention being to provide a motor of the requisite power of such construction that the same will be comparatively flat, or in other words, have a relatively narrow width so that the same will occupy a correspondingly narrow space within the instrument to which the player mechanism is applied. l

A further object of the invention is to simplify the construction and increase the effectiveness of motors of this type by providing an improved arrangement of the pneumatics and valves, together with an improved construction of motor base readily separable so that access may be had to any of the parts desired for repairs or other purposes.

A still further object of the invention is to provide 1n a motor having a wood slide face for the valves to work upon, a nonwarpable metal base to hold the wood slide face true, and prevent any twisting or other movement in such slide faceas would interfere with the free and easy working of the slide valves. y,

A still further object is to provide an improved arrangement in motors of this type of the pneumatic arms connecting the crank shaft with the slide valves whereby the dimensions of the motor are maintained with in a comparatively small compass.

Vith the above and other objects in view, the invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described and then claimed and in describing the in` vention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and wherein like numerals` of reference will be employed to designate like parts throughout the several views, in which Figure 1 is a top plan view of a motor in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is an end view of the same with the supporting straps thereof in section.' Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view on line 33 of Fig. 1, the' slide valve and supporting strap however being in side elevation. Fig. l is a View in plan of the removable section or back of the motor base, showing the inner face of such section, and channels provided therein, and, Fig. 5 is an underneath plan view of the motor with the section or back shown in Fig. 3 removed.

It is very desirable in installing playermechanisms in pianos or other keyed-instruments that the mechanism be such that installation may be made without alteration provided, and to such type of player my improved motor is particularly adapted, though not confined to use with such type of player. Also, I do not confine myself to a motor of a four-point type which specific type has been arbitrarilychosen for illus- It is essentrative purposes, since obviously a motor of the same principle but of a greater point type would be within the scope of my in vention. 4The motor used with the player mechanism of the type referred to in above mentioned Patent #833,026, lies in a at horizontal position under the key board of the instrument and obviously it is desirable that the motor be as flat as possible and also of the least possible thickness. The principles of operation of motors of this type are well known to those skilled in the art. It is also well known that practically all motors of this type employ motor pneumatics and slide valves, many of the prior devices having the valves operating to shut Off the embodying that type of motor in which the slide valves operate to shut olf the air from each end, I provide a base comprising two members, one of which I will herein term the face-member designated 10 which is made of wood, and the other of which members will be herein termed the lower back or base member designated 11 formed of nonwarpable material and has channels cored out in the same. The face-member 10 carries the motor pneumatics 12 which are of the usual and well known construction, and which may be secured to the front or upper face of said face-member in any desired manner, for instance, as shown by screws 14 passed through the face-member, and into the backs of the motor pneumatics (Fig. 5). While the motor pneumatics are of the usual construction, their arrangement or mounting on the face-member is, so far as I am aware, new, and with a four-point type of motor as shown, these pneumatics are placed two close together at the center of the face-mem` ber and one at or near each end, this arrangement providing what I term two center pneumatics, and two outside pneumatics, slide valves 15 being mounted between the center and the outside pneumatics. Said valves are preferably formed of glass and operate upon the wood face-member 10 as disclosed in Lett-ers Patent #1,028,863, slide valves for motors, granted to E. l?. Chase and myself June 11, 1912, the slide valves and the motor pneumatics being mounted on the same side or face of the face-member 10. Said valves 15 reciprocate on the face of the face-member 10 in suitable guides 16 provided therefor. The face member 10 is pro vided for each slide valve with the upper inlet port 17 and the lower inlet ports 18. Also lwith the exhaust ports 19 located midway between each pair of ports 17-18, and constantly covered by the slide valves 15. Each bellows or pneumatic 12 exhausts through ports 2O in the face member, those for the center pneumat-ics being located near the upper edge of the board and' the exhaust ports for the outside pneumatics being located near the lower edge of the board or face member 10 for a purpose as will more fully appear hereinafter.

The lower or base member 11 of the motor base or body, is, preferably formed of cast metal. It is firmly secured against t-he under face of the face-member in any suitable manner as by screws which enter openings provided therefor in both the said lower member and in the face-member 10. The lower member is made air-tight in any suitable manner preferably by the interposition of a sheet 21 of suitable material between the two members, such sheet being provided with ports 17 to 20 as in the face plate 10.

This lower member 11 is cored to provide the main exhaust channel 22 which at one end communicates'with the integral exhaust conduit 23 connected in any suitable manner (not shown) with the controller box (not shown) of a player mechanism. In the lower member 11, there are provided channels 24, one for each port 18 and the ports 20 for each outside pneumatic, and channels 25 are also provided, one for each port 17 and the ports 2O for the center pneumatics. The coring of the back-member provides the walls 2G which separate the different channels in the said back-member through which walls the securing screws are inserted, the walls being flat-faced so as to effect a perfect air-tight lit with the face-member 10. The hangers or supporting straps 27 by means of which the motor is supported in position are preferably secured to the back member 11 as shown, and in practice, these brackets are attached to the top action rail (not shown) of the player action. One of said brackets in practice, carries an angle arm 28 constituting a support for the lead tubes (not shown) of the player action, so as to hold such tubes from the motor crank wire.

The pneumatics are operated by a specially constructed crank shaft or wire 29, suitably journaled beyond the expansion end of the pneumatics, as by providing arms 30 at the corners of the motor base, said arms having projecting journal lugs 31 in which the crank shaft or wire is received. This crank shaft or wire is provided with a crank for each pneumatic employed in the motor, the cranks being so disposed that at least one pneumatic is expanding when one or more than one of the remaining pneumatics are collapsing. Each crank carries a roller 32 preferably of felt or like wear-resisting but durable material, held in their positions on the cranks by collars 33 on said cranks at each end of the rollers. The cranks for the two outside pneumatics are relatively narrow, while the cranks for the two center pneumatics are relatively long, since the connecting rods 34 for the slide valves are also attached to these two longer cranks. These connecting rods at their outer ends are loosely sleeved on the cranks and at their inner ends suitably connected to the slide valves as by a spring clip 35 or in any other suitable manner. Collars 36 on the cranks retain the rods 34 positioned. The pneumatics are expanded by the rollers 32 coming into engagement with the arms 37 one of which is carried by each pneumatic at the wide or expanding end thereof.

I find it advantageous, though not essential, to provide the crank wire with a balance 38, as it materially improves the running of the motor on light pressure and particularly so on high speed as it counterbalances the weight of the connecting rods 34, etc., and also balances the uneven distribution of weight in the crank wire.

The general operation of motors of this type is well understood by those skilled in the art, the motor being driven in a suitable manner, and air being admitted t-hrough both ports 17 and 18 as the slide valves alternately uncover these ports, the air being exhausted from the motor through the various channels and ports of a player mechanism until it reaches the main bellows of the player mechanism and is passed out through the feeders or pumps.

By the construction above described, I am enabled to maintain the motor within a relatively narrow compass, by reason of the location of t-he slide valves between the center and the outside pneumatics and upon the same side of the channel base as the pneu matics. In addition to this, the crank wire or shaft having certain of its cranks serving the double purpose of connections for the rods 34 and as cranks for expanding the pneumatics obviates providing additional cranks on the shaft and materially simplifies the construction.

I desire to call `particular attention to the construction of the motor body embodying a metal base and a wood slide face, as in practice I have found that the metal base is of suflicient strength to eifectually Ahold the wood slide face against twisting or moving in any manner which is vitally essential to proper working of motors of this type. This is particularly true when using a vitreous slide valve on a wood base as set forth in Patent 1,028,863 above referred to.

I-Iaving thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a pneumatic motor, a face member and a back member secured thereto, said back member providedwith channels and an outlet port leading from one of said channels and said face member having ports, combined with pneumatics carried by the slide valves operating on the same face of ,Y

said motor base.

4. In pneumatic motors, a motor base, pneumatics on one side of said base, slide valves on the same side of the base, certain of the pneumatics being spaced to provide for the slide valves operatingtherebetween, and means for operating the slide valves and expanding the pneumatics.

5. In pneumatic motors, a motor base, a plurality of pneumatics on one side thereof, a plurality of slide valves controlling the admission of air to the motor, said valves on the same side of the motor base as the pneumatics, and means for operating said slide valves.

6. In pneumatic motors, a motor base, pneumatics on one side of the base, slide valves controlling the admission of air to the motor, said valves on the same side of the motor base'as the pneumatics and arranged bet-ween adjacent pneumatics, and means for operating the slide valves and expanding the pneumatics.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM F. COOPER.

IVitnesses: i

E. O. BoUoHToN, BEN B. WICKHAM.

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

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