US1505374A - Record-controlled grand piano - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 19 1924.

T. F. CHEEK RECORD CONTROLLED GRAND PIANO 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 13 Aug. 19, 1924. 1,505,374

T. F. CHEEK RECORD CONTROLLED GRAND PIAN() Filed July 13. 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 num/nto?,

Aug. 19 1924. 1,505,3 74

T.F.CHEEK RECORD CONTROLLED GRAND PIANO Filed July 13 1923 3 SheetshSheet 5 Patented Ang 19, 19,24.,

iran stares PATENT oFFicE.

lSSGNR TO "i/I'ELTE-MIGIION CORPORATION, GQRPRTIQN 0F NEW YORK.

RECGRES-CQEFTTROLLED PIANO.

Application filed July 13, 1923.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that l, Toni-mur l". 'Cr-rame a citizen of the `lnited States residing at New York city, in the county of Bronx and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Record-Controlled Grand lfianos, of which the following is a specification.

This :invention relates to grand pianos and particularly to grand pianos havingv an improved player and expression mechanism arranged within the confines of the piano casing.

In the manufacture of player grand .f3 pianos and particularly reproducing grand pianos, it has been recognized as being` desirable without increasing the size of the casing to place many, as possible` of the parts of the mechanism in the structure in such a way that their presence will not be apparent to one in the same room with the piano.

ln carrying out this aim, great di'l'liculty has been experienced in arranging the several parts so that the air conduits between the component parts will be short and direct vithout the use of unsightly protulieranc,s,

The primary object of this invention is the provision of improved construction wherein.. without enlarging the piano case, the trackery driving motor, motor governor, power pneumatics, expression mechanism, reservoir and suction apparatus are so constructed and arranged within the confines of the grand piano casing as to avoid the appearance of the instrument being other than a simple grand piano.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a record controlled grand piano r) having a tracker box above the key bed at the front of the piano and having the drive motor for the music. record arranged at the side of the tracker box and extending beneath the frame of the piano,

1 '1 Another and further object of my invention is the provision of a record cont-rolled grand piano having` its tracker box, wind motor, wind governor, replay and rewind devices arranged in a unit to be removed mi integrally from the piano.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a record controlled grand piano having` its striker pneumatic mechanism arranged in a unit within the confines of the casing at the rear of the forward portion Serial No. 651,344.

thereof and being slidable into position. from the rear of the forward portion.

Another and further object of my invention is the provision of a record controlled grand piano having its striker pneumatics arranged in a unit within the confines of the casing and being` removable at the bottom of the casing.

A still further 'object of my invention is the provision of a pedal operating mechanism having the operating pneumatics thereofl fastened flat against the bottom board of the forward portion of the piano and adjacent the pedal operated levers for controlling the soft and sustaining pedals.

Another and still further object is the provision of a record controlled grand piano having its striker pneumatic mechanism supported on the piano frame in the rear of the forward portion of the piano case, the expression mechanism supported on the frame to the rear of the striker' pneumatic mechanisms and having its source of pneumatic power supported on the frame and to the rear of the expression mechanism.

Referring to the drawing where I have illustrated an embodiment of my invention.

Figure l is a cross section of the forward portion of a piano constructed accordingv to my invention, i*

Figiire 2 is a front view,

`Figure 3 is a bottom plan view,

TFig. et is a detail view of the drive mecha-- nism for the take up roll and music spool shafts.

Similar reference characters refer to the same parts throughout the several views.

designates the key bedvof the instrument, 1l the keys supported on the rail l2 and held in position by the pins 13.

Above the keys is a rail 14- which acts as a support and guide for the fall board l5. This fall board is arranged with a front piece 1G which is pivoted at 17 and is capable of folding up within the cut away portion i8 on the underside of the main body of the fall board. In order to perform this folding` operation, the forward end of the board is lifted, After the folding operation is complete the fall board is permitted to return to its horizontal position. The fall board per se is not a part of the invention and will not be described more in detail.

The rear edge of the fall boa-rd is supported at its ends on guides 19 which guide connected to respective treble and bass sec-- tions of the tension chest 53 by the tubes 82 and 83. The expression is control. d through expression traclrer ducts which control the amount of tension in the tubes and 83 and consequently in the treble and bass sections of the chest 63. rllhis in turn determines the pressure in the striker pneumatics in a well known manner and as described in detail in my aforesaid copending application and in the aforesaid pat-ent to VVelte and Bockisch.

At the rear of the expression mechanism is placed the main reservoir 84 and the pump mechanism 85, which together form the source of tension. The expression mechanisms deliver their air, respectively, through the tubes 86 and 87 to the main reservoir Se. The main reservoir construction may be of any suitable form as shown in either my copending application No. 592,835 or my copending applicationbld 664,209. pumping mechanism may be any suitable electrically operated pump having structure for silencing devices for silencing the air discharged from the pump and also the motor vibrations. The pump is connected to the main reservoir by the tube 8S.

At either side of the frame and inward of the edge as at- 89 and 90 are the expression valves units which control the operation of the expression devices 8O and 81.

At 91, I have illustrated the valve box for controlling the pneumatics which oper-- ate the soft and sustaining pedal levers. At 92 and 93, l have shown the sustaining pedal lever and soft lever, respectively. Suitable pneumatics 94- and 95 are arranged adjacent to the respective levers 92 and 93 and have respective arms 96 and 97 extending under the levers 92 and 93 to operate the latter. These pneumatics are placed flat against the underside of the piano and consequently may not be seen, except by one bending down and looking up under the edge.

The expression and tension means are entirely above the key bed of the piano and extend so slightly below the plane of the rear portion of the piano and are so far inward of the edge thereof that this slight projection below the plane of the rear is not The visible to one in the room with tn e piano without bending down and looking there underi The placing of the expression control units 89 and 90 at the sides and within the casing is a particularly desirable construction. The unit may be disconnected from its securing means and permitted to hang by its communicating tubes while being tested. This accessibility is a great aid in making adjustments and in making repairs in the control pneumatics.,

lt has been found to be of great advantage to have all of the mechanism for producing and controlling the tension` in the same plane. sion mechanism, its control valves, the ten-- sion devices and the control valves for the so-called pedal mechanisms. This construction facilitates repairs and adjustments and so places the parts that they are distributed in the available space.

The current for the electric motor which drives the air pump in the tension unit is controlled by a switch 100 having a springs,v held switch handle 191 extending into the tracker box. ifi. stop pneumatic 1 carries.. on its movable member, a detent 103 which releases the switch handle 101 to open the switch when thc pneumatic 102 collapsed.

Referring to Figure 2, the motor 2li, the tracker box 29 with the driving mechanism for the shafts, the replay and rewind pneumatics 53, -l, the stop pneumatic 102, the motor governor 57 and the junction boxes 59, are all embodied as a unit and by removingK the fronts of the junction boxes. and releasing the securing means, the unit may be removed, as a whole, from the piano.

ln order 'to remove the pneumatics G2 and the chest G8 as a unit, the screws G5 niav be removed. 'lie whole unit may then be removed from the rear and replaced after any desired repair or adjustment is made. lf found to be desirable, the screws (35 may be permitted to remain in place and the supporting board (30 and unit removed bv the removal of the screws 105 shown in .lf-ligure The unit in this case would be removed through the bottom of the piano.

lllhile l have described an embodimeiit` of my invention in detail., l desire to have it understood that l do not limit myself to the exact showin and that modifications and changes may be made without denariing from the spirit of my inventiouland within the scope of the appended claims.

llaving described rrj invention, what l claim is y l. It record controlled grand piano having a casing, a lreybed, keys, a piano action a striker pneumatic action unit at the rear of the lreys and in position to operate on the piano action, the unitn being` above the bottom of the lnybed and removable as a. unit 2, `record controllergrand piano hava casingq a leybed. ys, a piano action, a strilrzer pneumatic action unit at the rear of the lreys an.,n in position to operate on the piano action. the unit being above the bottom of the lreybed, the piano having an opening for insertion and removal of the unit.

3. il; record controlled grand piano havcasing, l'eybed, leys, a piano action, a striker pneumatic action unit at the rear of the keys and in position to operate on This includes the expresllt? LILO

the piano actioin the unit being above the bottom of the ieybed, the piano having an opening in the bottom thereoi'.l tor insertion and removai of the unit.

i. i record controlled grand piano com-- prisinp' a piano action having` a wippen, a iteybed, a hej-yY mmnited on the iteybeehmeans mounted on the rear ot the key for operating' the wippen, a pneumatif` above the leve? of the bottom of the iteybed, means if'or carrying the pneumatic, an abutment operated by the pneumatic and in position to operate a movabie portion oi' the piano action, means 'for securing' the pneumatic ca' jing means in place, he ireybed having; its rearward edge forward or the pneumatic carryinilj means the piano having an opening whereby the pneumatic and its carrying means may be removed through the bottoni oit the piano upon loosening the securing; means,

5, record controiied grand piano coinprising a piano action having wippens, a keybed, keys mounted on the iteybed, means mounted on the rear oit the keys 'tor operating the wippens a pneumatic unit comprising` pneuniatics having a rigid mounting? relative t@ each other, the unit, inciuding the pneuinatics, being` above the bottom oi the keybed, the unit having' inovabie abut ments operated by 'the pneuinatics and in position to opera-te n'iovabie portions of the piano action, means for secur theunit in piace, 'the rearward edge o'" the iteybed be ingv forward ot the greater portion o'i the pneumatic unit7 the piano having' an opening' through which the unit may be removed through the bottom ot the piano upon loos ening the securingY means.

6. A record controlled grand piano conr prising` a piano action having wippens7 a iieybed, keys mounted on the keybed, means mounted on the rear of the keys vtor operating the wippens, a pneumatic unit comprising` pneumatics having a rigid mount-ing relative to each other, the unit, including' the pneumaticsj being' above the bottom oit the ireybed, the unit having movable abutments operated by the pneumatics and 'in position t@ operate iiovabie portions ot the piano action, means for securing?,- the unit in piace, the rearward ot the itoybed be ing 'forward ot the greater portion ot the pneumatic unit, the piano having an openingg` for the insertion and remo vai or the unitindependent of the other mechanism.

7.2i record controiied grand piano comprising` a piano action having wiopens, a ireybed, keys mounted on the keybed, means mounted on the rear of the keys for operating the wippens, a pneumatic unit comprising pneumatica havinga rigid mounting reiative to each other7 the unit., including' the pneumatics, being` above the bottom of the iieybed, the unit having movable abutment-s operated by the pneumatics and in oit the piano traine.) tahonp roti and music spool shai'rs mounted iu the tracker box. :i driving' motor within the casini.; and tor op-v erati cj the shafts7 :i portion oi the motor bein underneath the piano iframe.

9. i record conti-oiled grand piano coin-- prisingg', a traine, a piano aciioiu a tracker bei; mounted within the casingl and 'torward of the piano trame, taiteaip roii and music spooi shafts mounted in the 'attirer box, a drivingv motor within the casingv and for operating' the shafts, a portion of the motor extending to the rear ot the forward part oit the me, the remainder oit the motor beine' forward thereof.

i0, u record controiied grand piano comprision', a trame, a piano action, a tracker hf "i mounted within the easing' and forward ot the piano trame, taire-up roii and music spooi shafts mounted in the tracker box7 a drivingv motor iter the shafts. the motor coniprieinir a piuraiitv of power pneuniatics arranged a substainiai anpjuhir distance 'troni :i verticai pianer` a portion ot the motor heiiur underneath the traine, ot the piano record eontroiied piaf-o voui 'a piano action, a t rigor bott mounted un the casing and forward oi the traine, a wind governor at i i he tracker box, taireaip roii auf mourned inithe traifier hon a wind motor eoni'ieeaod to the n'fiverniiir and in operative driving' conneftion with the Siia't'ti-n the wind motor having a portion er-tendiugr iin/ieuA neath the piano traine.

i2. in a record coutroiied Fand piano hai'- ing' a casing; and a iievbed, the com iiuation oi'y keys mounted or the ielvbed, y. piano ai tion operativeiY niected to thtI "vs, :i

pneu'i'rfitic action oli-- to the p .fontroiiinopre; ion nu in thc striker pun ttor suipijiingr th, i i i i, Y J niaced ano secured ai ive the bottoni of tue A eed ot the piano.

in a record cont having' a casing l au ou roiied item74- liaving s casing, ai keybed, keys, s pinne nction and i striker pneumatic mechanism toi operating the pieno action, the combination or' a` Wind control expression dei'iee e tension reservoir and tension producing` i ineens for securing` the expression ei reservoir end tension producing` means in place above the loottoin ot the keybed, to 'the rear thereof and Within the :.onlines ot the pieno casing.

l5. i record controlled grand piani/n hevine i elsing7 s keyloed, keys, ai piano nation :i striker pneumatic action unit et the reni* of the keys and in position to operate on the piano action, the unit being arbore the bottoin of the keybed, en expression dei/ico sind e Wind tension producing device .'feiiiii'zird of the pneumatic ection unitg the expression de Vice and tension device being' it su stiiiitinlly the seine level.

1G. L record controlled grand ing a casing, e keybed, keys ni pieno action, zi striker pneumatic notion unit it the reni" of the lceys and in position to operate on the piano action, the unit being eGov-e the bottom of the lief/bedy e Wind con'roi c pr g, sion device adjacent to and 'io the rear oil'V the pneumatic unit and being coi'inected 'thereto and o, tension producing;v device adjecent to ond connected to the Lpressiou device.

1T. i record controlled grand pieno limY- ing a casing;y e keybed, keys, s pieno action e striker pneumatic action unit :it the rear of the keys and in position to operate on sieno he in Vthe pieno action, the unit lie'iig above the bottom oit' the keybed, the uiiit haring n piui'niity ot chests therein, i i expression device connecter to each chest end udine-ent the rezir thcreoii', and :i tension producing device to the-rear oi the expression de vices sind connected to both expression de- Yvices` the f .'essioii devices and the tension dei'ice beirgsubssnntiully et the seine level. llt-. fi record controlled grand piano hsv'- keybedj keysq s pieno fiction ti." notion unit in position to info actionl the unit heilig the keyliedj wind cou- .leent 'to nud t( iiiiit :ind bei' .4 i i tension producing cent 'to zuid connected to the exl operate on t :above the lio trol the expression f; reir oi the cord controlled grand pieno hav` ingv e. @rising7 n keylied7 keys zi piano notion. n` striker piieuiiizitic ziet-ion unit in position to operaie ou the pieno action, the unit loe- :filove the bottom of the koylied, the unit haring ii pluruiitjy of chests i' ereinj zi WimI conti-o expression device connected to encl-l ohest en( adjacent the reni? tioreo'f, :ind n tension producing' device to the rear of the expression d 'ices l both nud connecteo` to expression devices.. the expression novices eno he tension device `being substantially et thr-r m i, sini Lew el.

CHEVK.

Images