US1468139A - Switching mechanism for player pianos - Google Patents

Description

Sept 18, 1923. 1,468,139

T. DANQUARD SWITCHING MECHANISM FEJR PLAYER PIANOS an T Filed March 31 Patented Sept .'18, 1923.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS DANQUARD,

or NEW YORK, N. Y., assrcnoa TO AUTO PNEUMATIC ACTION COMPANY, A CORPORATION or NEW YO K.

SWITCHING'MECHANISIII FOR PLAYER PIANOS.

Y a all '20 ham it may come m Be it known that I, THoMAs I)ANQUARD, a citizen .of the United States, residing at New York, in thecounty of New York and State of New York, have invented a new and useful thvitehing Mechanism for Player lianos, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a switching mechanism particularly designed for use in player pianos. T

It is now common to equip player pianos with especial expression or accenting devices controlled from tracker openings. As the number of available tracker openings is limited, it is also common to steal a few of the regular note openings to control parts of the accent-ing or expression mechanism. Specially cut music is'always required with such expression or accenting devices.

It frequently happens that the operator of the instrument desires to use regular eighty-eight note music in the same instrument. and it is then desirable to use all of the eighty-eight notes of the standard player piano. it is one object of my invention to provide improved mechanism for switching the tracker openings from one set of connections to another. so that either style of music may he used. I I

lt is also sometimes desirable to use a certain special device, such as a reroll. mechanism, with both kinds of music, but to control said device from different tlHCkQP-OPGIL iugs. lt is another object of my invention to provide means for-thus connecting a single evice to either one of two tracker openings.

Further objects of my invention relate to certain arrangements and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the ap pendciil claims.

A preferred form. of my invention is shown in the drawings, in which Fig.1 is a front elevation of a portion of '2 music-box. with my switching mechanism mounted thereon:

Fig. 2 is a partial plan view of the switch ing mechanism; I I

Fig. 3 is a side'elevation of the manually controlled switch lever;

Fig. 4: is a plan view of the switch base, with one valve block in position;

Figs. 5 and 6 are partial sectional front elevations, taken along the lines 5-53 and (3 6 in Fig. at;

Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional elevation taken along the line 7-7 in Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a bottom view of one of the valve blocks, and

Figs. 9 and 10 are detail plan views, showing the connections made by the block shown in Fig. 8.

Referring to the drawings, I have shown a music or spoolbox 20 having a tracker bar 21, and supporting the usual music roll 22 and note-sheet 23. My improved switching mechanism is preferably mounted on the top of the music box 20 and comprises a base 2+L. a plurality of valve-hlocks 25 (Fig. 5), and a bar 26 mounted to slide between guides 27 and longitudinally of the base 24. A screw 28 extending throi'lgh a slot in a plate 30 and threaded in to the bar 26 limits longitudinal movement thereof in both directions.

The bar 26 is connected by a link 31 to a bcll'crank 82, mounted upon. a fixed pivot 33 and connected by a link 34 to an arm secured to a short shaft 36. The shaft 36 extends through the side of the music box 20 and is provided with an, arm or handle 37 at its inner end, projecting forward over an index plate 38, (Fig. Stop-pin limit the movement of the handle in both directions. The switching mechanism is operated by the handle 37 to render the QX1)TOQ sion mechanism operative or inoperative as desired.

The base 2a is divided into several sections, each controlled by a single valvebloek 25, and having from two to six openings in its upper face, suitably connected to tracker openings or to devices to be controlled from the tracker.

The most complete arrangement is shown at A in Fig. 4., atwhich point there are two sets of three passages each, having their open ends in parallel rows. The middle passages l0 and 41. are each connected to corresponding tracker openings. The left hand passages 42 and 43 may be connected to the usual. player actions, and the right hand passages 4-1 and 45 will be correspondingly connected to special. expression devices.

The corresponding valve-block 25 is shown in Figs. 5 and G in its right hand position, connecting the passage 40 from a tracker opening. through the valve-block and the passage let to one of the expression devices and at the same time connecting the passage ll from another tracker opening tllltlitlgli the valve-block and the passage l to another expression device.

It the valve-block .5 is now moved to its left-hand position. the passage will be connected to the passage and the ntssage -11 will be connected to the passage 4:3, thus rendering operable the two regular note playing actions connected thereto.

It sometimes desirable to connect a gle special device, such as a re-roll mechith either type oi? note sheet to control said device from a different; tracker opening with each note sheet.

For this purp I arrange the base Section It (Fig. 4

and provide the valve block showi in R to it), having the usual passages and 5. as in the block 1 previously described. and ha also an additio diag 'inall wdispose age t8 a port l5) with the 12c e l The coin'iections for this val e block are shown in Figs. 9 and W, in which "ti and 5t indicate passages connected to tracker to one he usual note playing actions. and 5 3 and at are passages connected to special devices. Let it be further assumed that the passage 53 is connected to a rt-roll niecl auism or to soin, other device to be used with both types of note sheets.

It the exp ession mechanism is to be used, the valve block 25 is shifted to the position shown in Fig. 9. in which the passagcae 52: troin the re-roll mechanism connected throng] the va ve block and the passage to one tracker bar opening. while the pas- ;age :i-l-

the same time connects an exdevice to another tracker opening n'tions is connected through the and to the tracker bar, and

. rc-roll or other mechanism is connected through the passage 53 port 4-9,

diagonal passage 48 and passage 51 to the rr ter bar.

will thu v appear that the re-roll mech- It auism is UQ'Jl'trldj T connected with the tracker bar in both positions of the valve-block 25", but connected to a different. tracker opening in each position oi the block.

Each valve-block is preferably provided its tendi 1g upward into an additional opening in the under side of the bar 26. The pins 55 accurately position the valve block and the spring 57 holds the same iirn'ily seated against the base 24.

It will be noted from Fig. l that the passages in the base 2% are variously grouped and arranged as ma be found desirable in actual practice.

Having thus described m invention and one embodiment thereof. it will be evident that changes and modifications can be made therein by those skilled in the art, withiv the spirit and scope ot my inventiim as set forth in the claims, and I do not wish to be otherwise limited to the details herein disclosed, but what I claim is:-

1. In a 1' iano-pla ver a plurality of tracker controlled devi es. and a switchin mechauism comprising means efl'cctive to connect. one of said devices to either one of two difierent tracker openings, and two additional devices by the same operating means alternately to a single tracker opening.

A switching mechanism for a playerpiano comprising a base, connections from said base to a plurality of tracker openings. additional connections from said base to a plurality o't tracker controlled devices, a plurality oi valve blocks sl'idahle on said base. and manual means to move said blocks simultaneously to either one ot two operative positions. said blocks having longitudii'iallv extended air passages therein. and one of said blocks having an additional diagonal passage whereby one device may be connected to either oi? two different tracker openings.

3. A switching mechanism for a player piano comprising a base having openings in face, a plurality of valve blocks mounted on said base and having air passages therein. a c: p for said base having a longitudinal guide-Way therein, a bar mounted to slide in said guide-way over said blocks, said blocks and bar having (xi-operating pins and holes to relatively position said blocks, separate springs interposed between said bar and said blocks to independently seat each block on said base. and manual means to slide said bar, moving said blocks simultaneously on said base.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto at fixed my signature.

THOMAS DANQUARD.

Images