US1059460A - Device for producing forte effects with piano-players. - Google Patents

Description

M. HANEMANN.

DEVICE FOR PRODUCING FORTE EFFECTS WITH PIANO PLAYERS. APPLICATION FILED JULY 17, 1912.

I Patented Apr. 22, 1913.

COLUMBIA PLANOGIAPH cu., WASHINGTON. n. c.

MAX HANEMANN, OF MI TNSTER, GERMANY.

I DEVICE FOR PRODUCING FORTE EFFECTS WITH PIANO-PLAYERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 22, 1913.

Application filed July 17, 1912. Serial No. 710,023.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, MAX HANEMANN, a subject of the King of Prussia, German Emperor, residing at Munster, Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Producing Forte Effects with Piano-Players, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to a mechanism for producing crescendo and diminuendo effects in piano players or other automatic musical instruments and more particularly to mechanisms of that type in which two bellows are used in combination with two valve chambers. The suction channels leading to the two bellows are connected by an automatically'acting valve disk, so that the connection is interrupted during the ordinary playing while the valve disk is lifted if forte effects have to be produced. The atmospheric air channel leading to the diaphragm of the chamber for the expression valves is normally closed but when a forte effect has to be produced this diaphragm is either lifted by hand through the intermediary of a lever mechanism or through special openings of the guide-block and through auxiliary perforations of the musicsheet, so that the air can get under the two diaphragms of the bellows-valves.

In the accompanying drawing the invention is shown by way of example in a vertical cross section.

The ordinary playing is obtained in the well known manner by means of a bellows 1 from which the air is sucked out through a'suction channel 2' by means of a valve system 3 when the atmospheric air flows through the passage 4 of the tracker board 5 i into the channels 6 and 7, the opening 13 being closed through the disk 18 owing to the sucking action in channel 2. The forte effects are produced by means of a second bellows 9 which is operated and emptied in the same manner as the bellows 1 but through the intermediary of channel 10 and valve 11. The second bellows 9 which in the construction shown by way of example is of a larger size than the bellows 1 cooperates with the bellows 1 through the medium of a pusher 12 acting upon the bellows 1.

In order to insure the simultaneous opera tion of the valves 14 and 15 and in order to limit the supply of atmospheric air to the apparatus to the amount which is required for an ordinary piano-player, the diaphragm of the valve chamber 11 receives its supply of air through the channel 16 from the main air channel 7 by means of the tracker board 5 whereby the device differs from the devices of known construction in which a separate air channel is provided for the valve of the second bellows.

The bellows 9 depends directly on the shut-off valve 17 which acts upon the valve 15 and it depends indirectly on the valve disk 18, so that the forte effect or expression is not produced with the ordinary playing. The valve 17 effects the direct shutting 01f of the valve 15 for the reason that the diaphragm chamber 19 is filled with atmospheric air through the channel 20 while the chamber 16 above the diaphragm chamber 19 is connected through the bleed hole 21 with the suction channel. The efi'ect is the same as with the valve systems 3 and 1 of known construction.

If, with the ordinary'playing, the valve 14 is operated so that the channel 2 is connected with the suction channel the bellows 9 are indirectly shut-off by means of the valve disk 18 which, owing to the presence of the air in channel 2 is pressed against its seat through the action of the atmospheric air flowing in through the opening 22 and the channel 10. If, however, the valve 15 has to be lifted for producing a forte effect, the passage 20 and the chamber 19 are connected with the suction conduit so that the valve 17 drops and uncovers the channel 16. This reversing movement is either effected from the tracker board by means of the valve system A, or by hand. In order to insure a good reversing of the valves 1 1, 15 and A, the construction of the valve B difi'ers from the known construction by being together with its chamber 23 separated of the valve chamber and directly connected with the suction channel of the wind chest; it further is arranged as close' ber 23 is very short this channel is much quicker filled and exhausted than usual although the escape hole 24L has only of the usual diameter. The valve 25, 26 therefore works very quickly. This arrangement permits of producing a quick succession of sounds, the successive sounds being produced with greater force and consequently much more distinct than is the case with the mechanisms of known construction.

I claim 1. Device for producing forte effects with piano-players comprising in combination two bellows and two valve chambers for. each sound, a common air channel connecting both valve chambers with the tracker board, suction channels one for each bellows and connected by an opening, an auto matically closing valve in said opening, a shut off valve controlling said automatic valve and operated when the forte effect is to be produced, substantially as described and shown and for the purpose set forth.

2. Device for producing forte effects with piano-players comprising in combination two bellows and two valve chambers for each sound, a common air channel connecting both valve chambers with the tracker board, suction channels one for each bellows and connected by an opening, an automatically closing valve in said opening, a shut-off valve controlling said automatic valve and means for reversing said shut off valve from the tracker board when the forte eflect is tobe produced, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

MAX HANEMANN. [L.s.'] Witnesses:

HELEN NUFER, ALBERT NurER.

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

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