US1204310A - Pneumatically-variable tension-regulators for musical instruments. - Google Patents

Description

A. & 0. PHILIPPS.

PNEUMATIOALLY VARIABLE TENSION REGULATORS FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS. APPLICATION FILED JULY26,1909- RENEWED APR. 19.1910.

" 1 ,204, 3 1 0. Patented Nov. 7, 1916.

fiji Lji: d J i m: mums PErLRs cm, WASHINGTON, D c.

AUGUST PHILIPPS AND OSWALD PHILIPPS, OF FRANKFORT-ON-THE-MAIN, GERMANY.

PNEUMATICALLY-VARIABLE TENSION- REGULATORS FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

Specification of Letters Eatent.

Patented Nov. '7, 1916.

Application filed July 26, 1909, Serial No. 509,744. Renewed April 19, 1916. Serial No. 92,315.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that We, AUGUST Prrimrrs and OSWALD Prnmrrs, both subjects of the Emperor of Germany, residing at Frankfort-on-the-Main, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pneumatically-Variable Tension-Regulators for Musical Instruments; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention has for its object "to improve and render more compact and delicately responsive pneumatically variable tension regulators, of the kind shown and described in the Letters Patent to Velte and Bookish No. 1,008,291, as applied to a musical instrument.

Our improved device herein described and claimed is not confined to such use however, although this use is perhaps the most important and obvious therefor.

Our invention may therefore be considered as an improvement on said patent, but given a more general scope and utility than those therein mentioned.

In carrying into effect the above object we employ a valve controlled air-way, a regulating or governing bellows mounted thereon, an adjusting bellows mounted on said regulating bellows and connections between the valve of said air-Way and said adjusting bellows, said connections comprising a part which expands or contracts according to the position of said valve and being preferably an additional bellows supplied by air governed by said valve, the said elements being adapted and arranged to permit the actuation of said valve by either the regulating bellows or the adjusting bellows or by both of them in cooperation.

Our invention consists in the combination of said elements, compactly arranged and operating as above and in certain minor details of construction embodied therein, all as hereinafter more particularly set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a vertical cross-section of mechanism embodying our invention; and Figs. 2, 3 and 4 represent similar views of modifications.

On top of the casing of an air-way or chamber 0, a regulating bellows Z) is supported, communicating therewith, said bellows being exhausted through said air-way. This communication is preferably through the top of said casing as shown in Fig. 1. This air-way or chamber may. include a compartment separated by a partition. Said air-way has an opening or port g, which may be in this compartment as shown in Fig. 1, for the suction passage a, which may follow any convenient path to said air-way. An airpassage 10 leads out from chamber 0. .Vhen applied to a keyed musical instrument this would communicate with bellows, not shown, for actuating the keys; but the connections of this passage 10 will of course depend on its special use. Suction is applied to passage a, so that the current of air is through passage w, port 9, air-way c and passage a. A slide valve 7t is automatically raised or lowered to open or close said port more'or less for varying the volume of said current.

The movable upper member Z of the governing or regulating bellows b is provided with mechanical lifting means consisting preferably of a spring 0 and a connecting cord passing over a pulley. On this movable member is mounted an auxiliary bellows mmoving up and down therewith. This auxiliary bellows is loosely connected at its upper member by a link rod 2' to a rigid arm of the movable lower member 7a of an adjusting bellows (Z mounted on said upper member of governing or regulating bellows D and also moving up and down therewith, a pair of rounded nuts n being used to connect said arm and rod. The lower member of auxiliary bellows m is connected by a loosely jointed pair of linkbars to the slide valve h aforesaid. The interiors of the governing bellows Z) and auxiliary bellows m communicate. Thus the said valve is suspended from the movable member of adjust-ing bellows (Z by connecting means extended or contracted according to the supply of air to said auxiliary bellows from said governing bellows and the latters supply depends on the valve whose position depends on the movement of the movable member of said adjusting bellows, also on the rising and falling of the latter bellows as a whole with the movable member of said governing bellows, also on the supply of air to said governing bellows through the opening controlled by said valve and thence to the auxiliary bellows m. On the resultant of the various movements of these devices depends the volume of the air supply. The slide valve k may be lifted by the governing bellows or the adjusting bellows or by both acting together. Said adjusting bellows (Z is provided with a port- (Z, which serves at ill either as an inlet or an exhaust passage. Air may be supplied to this port by any convenient means, not shown, distending the adjusting bellows (Z, forcing down the slidevalve /2, and closing altogether, or to any desired degree, the sound controlling port 9. The flow of air through port (Z is preferably controlled by a perforated music sheet. At the same time the descent of link rod i with said member is carries down the movable member m or" bellows m. On the other hand, when the air is exhausted or permitted to escape from bellows (Z the movable lower member 7a of said bellows is moved upward, raising said slide-valve and opening said port 9. As the air escapes through this port the weight or" the movable bellows member 6 and the parts mounted thereon will overcome the resistance of the spring 0 and the said member will descend. During this downward movement, the escape of the air from bellows Z) through port 9 will prevent air from passing into auxiliary bellows m. llut when the port 9 is closed the air from bellows Z will enter bellows m, lift the upper movable member of the latter, carry upward the linkrod z' and thus raise the movable member is of bellows (Z, expelling the air from the interior of the latter through port cZ.

A stop plate q carried by the movable member of a vertical bellows 79 is actuated by the supply or withdrawal of air through pipe 7) to or from the last mentioned bellows. This pipe may be supplied and exhausted by any suitable means, not shown, preferably the same that feeds bellows Z) through port or passage a. When the air thus entering distends bellows p and moves outward its movable member, the latter carries stop q in to position to limit the upward movement oi members 7: and m, link-rod z' and valve it. V

The size of the air port 9 may be regulated by varying the supply of air to passage w, for the increase of the air tension in bellows b will force air into governing bellows m and lift member m besides lifting nember e and carrying up the bellows m as whole. The upward movement of member e, bellows m and the individual upward vement of member m will cotiperate to slide valve 72,, uncovering a great part or whole of port g. The diminution of the air supply through w will obviously have the reverse effect. 11 either casethe change of area of outlet port 9 promptly compensates for the change of supply, making a delicate automatic regulation of such tension. Of course the notes emitted will be intensified or weakened as said point is more or less opened or closed. The same results may be attained with no increase of supply through 10 by exhausting air in any con venient way through port (Z from bellows (Z, thus raising slide-valve h and opening the port g, or by supplying air through port JZ to bellows (Z with the reverse action on said slide-valve and connected parts as explained. Or both of these methods may be used together, air being supplied through port w while exhausting from port cZ. In most instances however, it is more convenient to use port (Z for escape of air without any positive exhaust and to rely on the increase of air supply through port a for opening port 9 more amply and intensifying the notes.

' It has not been deemed necessary to show the opening in the bottom of bellows m through which air enters the same from bellows b, as such construction may be readily understood.

The modification shown in Fig. 2 dispenses with compartment 7' and substitutes for slide-valve it a flap valve .9 resembling the movable member of a bellows and connected by flexible folds r to a fixed upper part in which the port ais made. The port 9 is made in the opening end of said flexible folds and marked by two short plates in this figure. l/Vhen these plates are in contact with each other by the upward move ment of flap-valve s, the port 9 is closed. A rod 2' extends'from the movable upper member of bellows d, to one arm of lever 6 having its fulcrum near its middle on an attachment of said flap valve 8. From the other end of said lever a rod descends to the movable member ein this instance the lower member-of bellows Z). In this modification we dispense with bellows m and somewhat vary the arrangement and locations of bellows Z) and (Z besides reversing the choice of movable members from that in Fig. 1: but the principle is the same.

In Fig. 3, which retains the compartment f, making it somewhat larger and thicker than in Fig. 1, both a slide-valve a and a flap-valve u are used; the former being suspended by rod 2' from an arm of the movable bellows member 7a and the valve is being connected by link rod 2' to the movable bellows member 6. A spring 0 tends to hold it in'this position or restrict it thereto, when lifted, also to expand bellows (Z. The exhaust or" bellows cZ will cause the ascent of member 7a and valve 11 and will open port 9, located and constructed as in Fig. 2, more or less provided the member 6 does not rise sufiiciently to lift valve it into position to close said port 9. In this instance the inlet 64 is above valve u and the air thus introduced will tend to move both of said valves away from this opening. Thus either the increase oi supply through port a. or the exhaustion of air from bellows (Z will tend, as before explained, to automatically regulate the air tension in bellows b as well as the intensity or" the notes emitted.

Fig. l differs from Fig. 2 in substituting .a cord :12 and pulley w for the lever 25 and rod 2". There is no other substantial difierence in construction and none in operation.

Obviously other changes may be made in the embodiment of my invention without departing from the principle or scope of tae same. This application is intended to include all such, though necessarily only a few preferred forms have been disclosed.

Having thus described my invention, what 1 claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A valve-controlled air-way and a governing bellows mounted thereon, in combination with an adjusting bellows mounted on said governing bellows, an auxiliary bellows which has pneumatic connection with said governing bellows and is carried by the movable member of the latter, and mechanical connections between the auxiliary bellows and the valve of said air-way, also between the auxiliary bellows and the movable member of said adjusting bellows, the inflation or said auxiliary bellows being governed by the position of said valve and the consequent greater or less closure of said air-way.

2. A valve-controlled air-way and a governing bellows mounted thereon, in combination with an adjusting bellows mounted on said governing bellows, a stop limiting the movement of the latter, an auxiliary bellows which has pneumatic connection with said governing bellows and is carried by the movable member of the latter, and mechanical connections between the auxiliary bellows and the valve of said air-way, also between the auxiliary bellows and the movable member of said adjusting bellows, the inflation of said auxiliary bellows being governed by the position of said valve and the consequent greater or less closure of said air-way.

3. A valve-controlled air-way and a governing bellows pneumatically connected therewith, in combination with an adjusting bellows, an auxiliary bellows which has pneumatic connection with said governing bellows and is arranged to move therewith, and means connecting said auxiliary bellows to said valve and to said adjusting bellows whereby either the governing bellows or adjusting bellows may actuate the valve of said air-way or both of them may actuate it in cooperation.

4. A valve controlled air-way and a governing bellows pneumatically connected therewith, in combination with an adjusting bellows mounted on said governing bellows and connections between the valve of said air-way and the said adjusting bellows comprising means of extending and contracting such connections, the said means being govered by the movement of said valve, the said devices being arranged and adapted to permit the actuation of said valve by either or" said bellows or by both of them acting 1n COOPGIHElOIl.

5. A valve-controlled air-way and a governing bellows mounted thereon, in combination with an adjusting bellows mounted on said governing bellows, a bellows carrying a stop for limiting the movement oi said governing bellows, this stopcarrying bellows having pneumatic connection with said adjusting bellows, and extensible and contractible means connecting the valve of said air-way with said adjusting bellows, the extension and contraction of said means being controlled by the movement of the governing bellows.

A regulating bellows, in combination with an adjusting bellows mounted thereon, an additional bellows provided with a stop limiting the movement of said adjusting bellows and also mounted on said regulating bellows, a fixed part having an exhaust passage through the same below the regulating bellows, a valve governing said passage and connected to the movable member of said adjusting bellows, to rise and fall therewith, the arrangement and combination of the said parts above described serving to make the mechanism compact.

in testimony whereof we have afiixed our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

AUGUST PHILIPPS. OS /VALD PHILIPPS. lVitnesses JEAN GRUND, CARL GRUND.

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

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