US1073976A - Music type-writing machine. - Google Patents

Description

L. FORTONI.

MUSIC TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

APPLIUA'LLUN Patented Sept. 23, 19 1 3 SHEETS-SHEET lv L. FORTONI.

MUSIC TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

APPLICATION TILED $513.12, 1012.

1,073,976. Patented Sept. 23, 1913.

L. PORTONI.

MUSIC TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

APPLIOA'llON FILED r1113. 12, 19m.

1,073,976. Patented Sept. 23, 1913.

dlllll \l: T? nu I; a tllll LUIGI FORTONI, or LONDON, ENGLAND.

M USIC TYPE-WRITING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 23, 1913.

Application filed February 12, 1912. erial No. 677,191.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LUIGI Fonrom, a subject of the King .of Italy, residing at London, in the county of London, England, have invented new and useful Improvements in Music TypeWVriting Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved typewriting machine for music, whereby it shall be possible to rapidly print with pre' eision all the required different musical characters in two sizes, the ordinary and small, together with the alphabetical letters and the correct length of the note stems either upon, or above, or below the statf.

To this end, and in order to comply with the requirements of modern musical composition my improved machine comprises a keyboard representing a compass of four octaves and four degrees, or altogether thirty-three degrees, starting from the la treble clef below the staff upon the fifth ledger line, to the mi treble clef upon the sixth ledger line above the staff. Thus, in a compass of four octaves and four degrees, represented by thirty-three notes, eleven are below, nine upon, and thirteen above the staff. in order not to affect, in any way, the usual size of the staff, I determine the pitch or musical writing place for every note be low, upon, andabove the staff, by a system of diagram or scale having thirty-three horizontal lines equidistant, say one millimeter, from each other.

From the above explanation, and having the diagram system indicated, my music typewriter complies with all the requirements of music writing.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a ma. chine embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a front view, broken away in parts, showing the" paper carriage employed therein, together with the means for wearing the printing of the correct length of stems of the notes. Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevation. of the means for raising the said carriage. Fig. t is a plan of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a side elevation on an enlarged scale of one of the type-bars carrying the notes to be printed outside the staff and part of the mechanism coacting therewith. Fig. 6 is a detail of an arresting device used with the type-bar shown by Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a detail of the mechanism shown by Fig. 3, drawn to a larger scale. Fig. 8 is a sectional view of the means for regulating the upward movement of the carriage according to the note to be printed. Fig. 9 is a sectional end elevation of the device shown by Fig. 8. Fig. 10 shows an example of the compass of notes which may be printed with the machine.

In carrying out my invention I employ an upwardly moving paper-carriage a on which is placed the paper I) to be printed. This carriage is mounted in a frame comprisin two horizontal bars a, a with which rollers a on the carriage engage, and the opposite ends of these bars are respectively attached to racks (E, o each of which, in turn, is mounted to travel vertically between rods a, a. The racks a a engage, respectively, at their lower ends, with toothed wheels (1, a, see Fig. 4, mounted upon the opposite ends of a shaft 0 which extends transversely of the lower part of the machine. Coupled to this shaft is an oblique rod c, the purpose of which is hereinafter mentioned, and beneath which lie the inner ends of lovers (l of the piano-key type. The outer ends of these levcrs. of which there are thirty-three, are disposed at the front of the machine. The keyboard constituted by said levers hence corresponds with the compass of the machine, that is to say, the extent. capacity, and range of the keyboard, 1'. c. thirtylhrce degrees, and is adapted to raise the carriage a, not by octaves or any other musical interval, as has been prcviouslv proposed, but by degrees. this being effected by means of a device which I term a divider and which is hereinafter fully described.

The front end of each lever 11, except the first on the right, is provided with a toothed segment d, and each successive segment is formed with one tooth in addition to the last preceding one; that is to say. the first lever has no segment, but the second lever is provided with a segment having one tooth, and each successive lever with a segment having an additional tooth, so that the last one of these said levers has a segment containing thirty-two teeth, assuming the machine embraces the above mentioned compass. These toothed segments 03 are adapted to engage with a pinion formed by a transverse shaft 6 fluted to constituteteeth. Midway of this shaft 6 is mounted a bevel pinion 6, see Fig. 7 which meshes with a bevel pinion e on one end of a shaft 6 which is disposed longitudinally of the machine and is provided at its opposite end with the above mentioned divider; This divider corresponds with the scale shown in Fig. 10, and in the construction illustrated comprises a cylinder f having thirtythree peripheral steps on its circumference corresponding with the compass of the machine, which, in the present instance, is for thirty-three degrees. The depth of each step is one millimeter, which corresponds with the distance apart, vertically, of the lines of the scale shown 'in Fig. 10. The cylinder f is mounted in a casing f to which is attached a bracket 7 on whichslides a rack f This rack is in engagement with a toothed wheel f on the shaft 0, see Fig. 4:, and is provided with a projection f adapted to engage the stepsof the cylinder. Normally, the first step of the cylinder 7 is opposite the projection f and at a distance of one millimeter therefrom, so that when the first one of the levers d is depressed, the rack f advances the extent of one millimeter only.

Above the keys d constituting the aforementioned piano-like lower keyboard, is disposed a second keyboard, composed of keys 9 analogous to those of an ordinary typewriter. These keys 9 are fulcrumed centrally upon a suitable support g" and serve to control the type-bars, of which there are two sets, the members of said sets bein arranged alternately and being indicated, respectively, by the reference letters 9 and g. The type-bars, in turn, are formed wit-h enlarged rear ends, which are fulcrumed upon the support 9 and have their heels 9 connected by links j to the corresponding ends of the keys g, the latter having their upturned front ends equipped with operating buttons g". The bars 9 carry the usual heads, each of which, in the present construction, bears a single type character only, and they are of such a number as to provide, in addition to the alphabetical letters for writin vocalparts and'musical expressions, all t e musical signs required in characters of two sizes, viz., the ordinary and the small, as well as the signs of the notes. In typing music, however, it is essential to write the various lengths of the stems and their different turns, and to this endtwo of the types carry minims, one with its stem turned upward and the other with its stem turned downward, while another two carry crotchets, one with its stem turned upward and the other with its stem turned downward, the length of such stem being more than would be required at any time.

For printing small notes, four other types with small characters are provided. The length of the stem ofthe note corresponds, normally, with the position of the note either upon, or above, or-below the staff, and to stop off the length of the stem, when required, there is provided at the printing point of the machine a plate h of thin metal or other suitablematerial, which is interposed between the ribbon h" and the paper. This plate is capable of vertical adjustment, say by means of a hand-operated rod h which slides on the Vertical rods a a at opposite sides of the machine, and according as the stems of the notes to be stopped off are upward, or downward, so the plate is correspondingly moved. Normally, this plate It is about level with the highest level of the staff, and when the carriage is raised during printing, the plate retains its position while the staff is raised relatively thereto.

For printing the notes, say twenty-two,

outside the staff without using the keys d,.

the type is arranged on the type-bars g to correspond with the pitch of the notes of the staff, and said type carry the requisite number of ledger lines thereon. In order to reduce the number of printing levers required for printing all the notes outside the stalt', and to furnish these notes with the various rhythmical signs, and with the different positions of the stems, each of these typebars 9* is provided at its free end with a rotatable polygonal block 9, preferably pentagonal in shape and mounted on an axis 9 forming an'extension of the .bar; and also pivoted on the axis 9 is a five-leaved pinion g correspondingwith the faces of the pentagon. These faces bear the different rhythmical signs of the same note; for instance one face carries the type for a semibreve, say the normal position, anotherthat for a minim with its stem upward, another that for a minim with its stem downward, another that for a crotchet with its stem upward, and the fifth and last that for a cr'otchet with its stem. downward.

Extending from side to side of the ma:

chine is a horizontal rod 9 on which are mounted four radially disposed toothed segments g there being eighty-eight of them in a machine for thirty-three degrees, wherein twenty-twownotes are outside the staff upon the ledger lines, and the number of teeth of said segments corresponds with the action assigned thereto. The said horizontal rod project-s outside the machine and is furnished with a button or head g, see Fig. 6, bearing any desired indication corresponding to the position of the pentagonal block. By turning this button the requisite extent, the toothed segment pertaining thereto rises, passes through the spaces between the type-bars of the printing levers, and comes into its operative position. By then depressing the proper key g, the type-bar 9* corresponding thereto will come into engagement with the desired one of the toothed segments 9*; thus the pentagonal block 9 is turned according to the number of teeth of the segment raised, and will cause the relative face of the said block, bearing the required sign, to strike the paper and so imprint thereon the required note.

On releasing the key of the type-bar g, the pinion 9 will again come into gear with the aforesaid toothed segment, 9 and restore the pentagonal block Iq to its normal position, which, as previous y stated, is that of the semibreve sign, and to print which it is unnecessary to bring a toothed segment into operation.

In order to arrest the movement of the rod 9'", any suitable means may be provided; for instance a spring-pressed ball g may be employed and be operated by the button 9 to force the same into a recess 9" in the frame of the machine, as clearly seen in Fig. 6. To prevent the type-bars g from shifting or wabbling, when rising, or when falling, guides 9! are providedon the frame of the machine or on other suitable part of such machine.

For printing small characters outside the staff, there are employed levers corresponding in number with those for printing the larger characters.

The above arrangement not only enables.

printing to be efi'ected very quickly, but it is important in printing groups of chords. When, however, chords are to be printed, some of the com onent notes of which must be printed outsi e the stalf, then it is neces sary to use the lower keyboard in order to get the pitch of the notes of the chord in the proper position outside the staff. Thus the lower keyboard is used to print notes falling outside the staff which form part of a chord, and it is for this reason that the said keyboard is capable of placing the carriage a in thirty-three positions.

In Writing a chord above the staff, the plate It is lowered from its normal position y means of the rod h to about the level of the lowest line of the stafi so as to permit the printing of a single note, or a group of chords, above the staff, while for printing a single note, or a group of chords, below the staff the plate It is raised to about the level of the highest line of the staff. By raising, or lowering. this plate It as above mentioned, the stem of a note outside the staff is enabled to meet one upon the staff. Thus, in printing a chord composed of the notes la do. and mi in the treble clef above the staff, the plate it ,7 1.1. .lunl

on the third ledger line above the staff by its corresponding type-barwithout using the keys (I; then the carriage is raised by means of the keys d to the pitch of the note do on the second ledger line, above the staff, and a type-bar bearing only the head of a note is struck; and lastly the carriage is once more raised to the pitch of the note la on the first ledger line, above the staff, and the last mentioned bar is again struck, thus printing the whole chord.

The printing of chords below the staff is carried out in a similar manner. The keys g, appertaining to the type-bars for printing the notes outside of the staff are so disposed as to correspond with the relative notes represented by the lower keyboard.

The carriage is of such dimensions as to carry a large size music sheet capable of being maintained open thereon by means of two rollers, 2', 2', between which the said sheet is inserted, and also by spring clips 1', z". The carriage a is provided with two downwardly extending pins 2' 1 enterin sockets i i on a traversing fced-rack z forming part of the traveling mechanism, whereby said carriage is moved horizontally in a similar manner to that in typewriting machines. The length of the pins 2' i is such as to permit the carriage to move up- Ward to the full extent required, while maintaining it in engagement with the feed rack i.

The working of the machine when employing the lower or piano-like keyboard is as follows: The sheet I) having been placed upon the carriage with the staff so disposed that the printing point is one millimeter 'above the highest note of the compass, the

corresponding key of the said lower keyboard is first depressed, thus printing the desired note, whereupon the segment (1". pertaining to that one of the keys (I, engages the shaft 0, and rotates it to an extent corresponding with the teeth of the said segment. The rotation of the shaft 0 also effects, by means of the bevel wheels (1', 6 the rotation of the shaft 0'' together with the divider f, which then causes one of its steps, corresponding with the height of the note of the depressed key, to present itself opposite the rack f. The key d is further depressed, whereupon its segment is disengaged from the shaft 0, while the opposite end of the said key engages the rod (1 and raises said rod. Shaft (r is retated thereby and the rack f advanced into engagement with the divider f, the ex tent of the advance being regulated by the number of steps which has passed the rack. During the advance of the rack f, the toothed wheels a, a on the shaft will have raised the carriage (I, the upwar ward movement of the rack i which is then arrested by a step on the divider f. The carriage will now be in the correct position, vertically, to present the staff at the proper height relatively to the note to be printed, and the printlng is then efi'ected by depressing the keys pertaining to the notes. In Fig. 2 the carriage is shown elevated into a position in which to print the note si, treble clef, on the third'line of the staff. On releasing the key (1, the carriag'e descends to its normal position and is advanced for the next note in the manner usual with typewriting machines.

An important feature of the invention is the capability of writing, besides the alpha-. betical letters, all the notes andalso the various signs and the groups of chords on the whole compass of the machine in two characters, viz., the ordinary and the small. The second size character, the

. small, is frequently required inwriting music, and consequently it is impossible to do without it. These small characters are used in writing the so-called ab llimenti such as appoggiatura, ac iaccatura (turns) shakes, and cadenzas, and for the use of orchestral scores. Having now describedmy invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Pat cut, is

1. In a music typewriting machine, the

- combinatiomwith two separate keyboards,

and a set of type-bars operatively connected with the keys. of .one keyboard; of a vertically-movable carriage; mechanism operative by the keys of the other keyboard and 1 connected with the carriage, for raising the latter; a rotary element having a projection corresponding to each ofthe second-named keys; connections between the second-' named keys and said element, for rotating the said elementv in conformity with the movements of said carriage; and a member operatively connected with said mechanism and cooperative with said projections, for controlling the movement of said carriage in acordance with the second-named key selected. i

' 2. Ina music typewriting machine, the combination, with two separate keyboards, and a set of type-bars operatively connected with the keys of one keyboard; of a vertically-movable carriage; mechanisms operative by the key of the other keyboard and connected with the carriage, for raising the latter; a rotary element having one end thereof provided with a step corresponding to each of the second-named keys; connec tions between the second-named keys and said element, for rotating the said element in conformity with the movements of said carriage; and a member operatively connected with said mechanism and cooperative with said steps, for controlling the movement of said carriage in accordance with the second-named key selected. 1

3. In a music typewriting machine, the combination, with printing means and op erating devlces therefor; of a verticallymovable carriage; aseries of keys; a vertical rack connected with said carriage; a

shaft having a pinion thereon engaging said rack for raising said carriage when said shaft is rotated; means operative by said keys for rotating said shaft; and means controlled by said keys for controlling the extent of each rotary movement of said shaft in accordance with the key selected;

4:, In a music typewritin machine, the combination, with a-verticalFy-movable carriage, and a se't'of keys; of a shaft; connections between said shaft and" said carriage for raising the latter whenthe former is rotated; means connected with saidv shaft and operative by said keys, for rotating said shaft when a key is depressed; and mechanism operated by said keys for controlling the extent of rotation of said shaft in accordance with'the keyselected.

5. In a music typewriting machine, the

riage provided with a vertical rack, and a set of keys; of 'ashaft having a pinion thereon engagin said rack, for raising the carriage when said shaft is rotated; a rod connected tions between said shaft and said carriagefor raising the latter when the former is rotated; means connected with said shaft and operative by said keys, for rotating said shaft when a key is depressed; a pinion carried by said shaft; a rack engaged by said pin1on;,a rotary element provided with a series of projections each corresponding to a key and engageable by said rack, for controlling the extent of rotation of said shaft in accordance with the key selected; and mechanism operated by said keys for rotatin said element; 1

I. In a music typewriting machine, the combination, with a vertically-movable carriageprovided with a vertical rack, and a set of keys; of a shaft having a pair of pinions thereon, one of which ninions is engaged with said rack for raising said carriage when said shaft is rotated; a rack engaged with the other plnion; a rotary element provided with a series of projections each corresponding to a key and engageable combination, with a vertically-movable carby the second-named rack, for controlling the extent of rotation of said shaft in accordance with the key selected; and mechanism operated by said keys for rotating said element.

8. In a typewriting machine, the combination, with a vertically-movable carriage, and a series of keys each provided with a toothed segment; of a horizontally-movable rack adapted to be operated by said keys; means for raising said carriage simultaneously with the movement of said rack; a stepped, rotary element with which said rack engages to arrest the movement of said carriage; and mechanism operated by the segments on said keys for rotating said element, to present to said rack the projection corresponding to the key selected.

9. In a typewriting machine, the combination, with a vertically-movable carriage, and series of keys each provided with a toothed segment; of means adapted to be operated by said keys for raising said carriage; a rack operated by said keys simultaneously with said carriage-raisingmeans; a stepped rotary element with which saidrack engages to arrest the movement of said carriage; a shaft bearing said element; a toothed ele ment engageable by said segments; and gear connections between said toothed element and said shaft for rotating the latter and .said stepped element when a key is depressed, to present to said rack that ste on said stepped element which correspon s to the depressed key. a

10. In a typewriting machine, the combination, with a vertically-movable carriage provided with a rack; of a series of keys each provided with a toothed segment; a shaft provided with a pair of pinions, one of which is engaged with said rack for raising said carriage when said shaft is rotated; a member connected to said shaft and engageable' by said keys, for rotating said shaft when a key is depressed; a rack with which the other pinion is engaged; a stepped rotary element facing the second-named rack; a shaft bearing said stepped element; a toothed element engageable by said segments; and gear connections between said toothed element and the second-named shaft for rotating the latter and said stepped element when a key is depressed, to present to said rack that step on said stepped element which corresponds to the depressed key.

11. In a music. ty ewriter, means for printing certain of tiie notes outside the staff, comprising a pivoted type bar, a rotatable polygonal block pivoted thereto, notes on the faces of said block, a pinion keyed on the axis of said block and in alinement therewith, a rotatable rod, racks mounted radially on said rod, guides for said type bars, means for rotat g the said rod to bring one of said racks into engagement with said pinion, and means for operating the said pivoted bar.

12. In a music typewriting machine; means for printing certain of the notes outside the staff, comprising a pivotally-mounted type bar, a polygonal block rotatably mounted thereon and having notes marked on its faces, said block being provided with a pinion, a rotatable rod having radially disposed racks mounted thereon, means for rotating said rod to bring one of said racks into engagement with said pinion, means for arresting the rotation of said rod, and a key connected with said bar for operating the same.

13. In a music typewriting machine, the combination, with the key levers; of a divider comprising a cylinder having steps on one end thereof, each of which steps corresponds to the distance apart, vertically, of the lines of the musical scale; a casing inclosing said cylinder and provided with a bracket; a rack supported by said bracket and having a projection adapted 'to engage said steps; a pinion engaged with said rack; a shaft Whereon said pinion is mounted; and an oblique rod connected with said shaft and operated by said key levers.

14. In a music typewriter, the combination, with the printing ribbon, of an adjustable plate arranged between the printing ribbon and the paper, for the purpose of insuring the printing of the correct length of stem of the note, and means for operating the said plate.

15. In a music typewriting machine, the combination, with a frame including a pair of spaced horizontal bars arranged one above the other; of a carriage movable between said bars and provided with rollers engaging the same; a rack provided with sockets; pins connected to said carriage and engaged in said sockets; and means on said carriage for retaining the paper in position thereon.

16. In a music typewriting machine, the combination, with the keys, of a shaft, a stepped divider, a rack, and a rod mounted obliquely on said shaft and adapted to be elevated on the depression of any one of said keys, to rotate said shaft and advance said rack into en agement with said divider, such advance eing regulated by the steps on said divider.

17. The combination, with a carriage; of a series of keys, each of which, except the first one on the right, is rovided with a toothed segment, each of said segments having one tooth in excess of the preceding one; means operated by said keys for raising said carriage; a fluted rod engaged by said segments; a pinion on said rod; a pinion meshing with the first-named pinion; a divider for controlling the rising movement of said my name in-the presence of two subscribing carriage; and ,a rod bearing the second Witnesses. named pinion on one end thereof, the other LUIGI F ORTONI. end of said rod being seemed to said di- Witnesses: 5 vider. ERNEST DE CAss,

' In witness whereofil'have hereunto signed G. H. SANSOM.

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