US1676633A - Becobd-contbolled musical instbtjment - Google Patents

Description

July 10, 1928.

T. F. CHEEK RECORD coNTRoLLED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed May 7. 1921`r Patented .luly 10, 1928.

UNITED STATES 1,676,633: PATENT OFFICE.

TOLBERT F. CHEEK, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR. BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO

WELTE-MIGNON CORPORATION, F NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELA- WARE.

Application filed May 7,

.This invention relates to a piano playing mechanism comprisingl pressure controlling and maintaining means of such nature that the pressure to which the striker pneumatica: are subjected may be so regulated in the operation of the mechanism as to produce the variousdynamic effects called for by an artistic.' rendition'of vthe composition beingy played.l1t' more especially relates to iml" pro'vements in 1nechanisms'\vl1ereby the dyrramic effects may 'becontrolled either manually or under ,control of a 'suitably prepared record, at willjand consists in certain novel combinations and correlations 4ot elements substantially as hereinafter described and particularly set forth in the appended claims,

.'.Meclianismof the class to which this invelxti'on4 relates have been provided with 1nain:.s0urces of powerl and striker actions and with r,legulati'1-1g1r valves-arranged between they main sources-fofv poveifandthe striker actions for controlling the degreeof suction or pressure to,\vhich the striker actions are subjected.'r These mechanismsl also have included meansto move the regulating valves in 'accord with, the lpneumatic'tension to be produced -at any one time in the striker actions land means whereby tlns'tensiolr is maintained whether one or many notes he simultaneously sounded at such time. One lof the important purposes of the presentinvention is to provide mechanisms of the class stated with improved means of simple and inexpensive nature whereby movements of the regulatingr means may be instantaneously efl'ected under control of an operator with practically no effort on the part of the operator.

In one type of mechanisms of the class to which the present nvention relates, the means toset the regulating valve in accord with the pneumatic tension to be produced at any one time in the striker action, has been of a nature such that the regulating valve may beset in any one of anumber of different positions7 under control of a perforated note sheet or other appropriate record. which means co-operate with pressure maintainingr means, such as hereinbefore referred to` tocnable the mechanism to reprodrce with accuracy the various dynamic efl'ects called for by an artistic rendition of the piece hefug played. Another of the im- RECORD-CONTROLLED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

1921. Serial No. 467,649.

portant purposes of the invention is to provide mechanisms of the particular type last referred to, with humanly. operable mechanism so correlated with the mechanism for setting; the valve under control of a record that said mechanisms` may be operated together or individually, at will--in other words, to so correlate the mechanismwhich moves the valve under control of a record and,themechanism for moving the valve under control of the operator that either mechanisinmay bc operated without rendering the other inoperative at the sametime, or either may he operated independent of the other, at will. l

These several purposes of the invention arey well accomplished by. the Construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like letter of reference denote corresponding'parts in both figures.

In said drawings A Figure l is a diagrammatic representation of one form of player mehanism embodying the invention with parts .thereof in section, and showing one of the striker pneumatics with its operating valve inthe wind chest in a position'at right angles to corresponding pnenmatics and valves shown in other parts of the figure.l v

Figure l is a detail view of the valve block and its valves. and manually operable buttons for manually controllingr the operation of parts which in turn control the operation of parts which in turn control'the movements of the regulating valves.

The. striker action, which may be of any suitable construction. is divided to'provide a plurality of independently operable Sections, here exemplified by showing,r it divided into a bass section A and a treble section A1, the division being formed by a partition a2 arranged intermediate the length of theY main conduit in said chest, whereby said conduit is separated into sections a, al, for the respective sections of the action. This action is provided with a suitable strike pneumatic for each note, one of said strike pneumatics being shown in Fig. 1 and designated a in said figure. These pneumatics have communication with the corresponding section a, a of the main wind conduit in the action through suitable ports and passages controlled by valvular members af which themselves are controlled from a tracker B provided with ducts b through which it hascoinmunic'at-ioiwith the striker action. The striker action illustrated is \vell"lno\vn and needs no further description. and, moreover, any suitablefformof striker faction maiv be employed.4

The mechanism also includes a main source of power, the one here illustrated in--' eluding as usual a. feederC and a sustaining pneumatic D. This main source tof powert lating valve to'co'ritrol th'tens'ionnof the air 1n` the correspondingsections:a or aIof the i'ninfivinlfl channel. essentially include a s itab'lfegipression niemeer, as pneumatic lli for efva'mple',` and 'a suitablegegulating memberuas pneumatic 12 forexia'mple'fand appropriate' connections', whereby,V the., regulating valve yv'ill be niovedundercontrol of theeipfressionfinember v to- ;v :'1lyf .the Vtension of the'ir'in, the. c ore'sp'onding'". section of the main wind xch'a'r'inel and ,'will then lbe under: soutif?! ot ,th, .g'ulftng ...member hh .will1 t1-Qina1tan; said fteusioll regardes i if..;tre'. @umher-af str-ika- .pieumaties :operated simultaneously.

{There i are. many; known f .forms of mechanisms 4includingf regulating valves 'and pressure controllingi and :maintaining means suitably correlated for the purposes of the present invention l andlikewise there are many g'suitalilci,constructions of striker :aC- tions ivhich- .mayf'l employed inthe practical embodiment' ,of the i presentinvention. Among'these are the c onstructi ons shown in patent to VVeltev "and, Bockisclu issued November 7,1911', Number 1,008,291; and others not necessary:h'erein v to recite, but each of vvhielras stated .includes some form of regulating valve and pressure controlling and maintaining means, correlated to move lthe valve to rai-y the tension of the air in the Imain wind channel and to maintain said tension whether only one is operated at one time or more striker; pneumatic-s are operated simultaneously, and to l,any one of which forms ofv mechanism .the present invention may be applied without departing` from its spirit. I@

In the Aform herein illustrated, for exemplary purposes only, .eachf expression pneumatic llbas its movable board l1 pro vided with a Hat spring 13 which is secured thereto at one end and has its other end connected'by a rod 14. .with the movable board 12 of the regulating pneumatic 12,

which movable board in turn is connected tothe regulating valve l0 by a rod 15, the said valve'bcing arranged to control a port 16 intern'iediate the ends of a channel, one end, 17, of which channel is in communication `withvthe -main source of power .through a duct 18 and the other end, l5), of which is in communication with the correspondingr section a or a* of vthe main wind channel in'l'thestriker-action through a duct 20 This lforni exemplifies among other things a'eon'strncton in which there is'a'connection between the controlling means'and the'pressure maintaining means for transmitting action of'the former to the latter and vhich connection includes aspring whereby there is,z provided a variable tension device by vvhich the action of the regulator and consequent pressures of the main source 'of poiverjfwith reference to the s trikerpneumatics are varied. It should be understood thLv infpracticethe regulator valves 10'are nei; entirely .closed and that when the parts are .in Ithe positionshown the tension of ltheair in'seetion an* of the'inain'wind channelfis such to play pianissimo. "At this'tiine the tension of the spring 13 is weak-because the expression pneumatic 11 is expanded." l Accordingly, the regulator -valve 10 is subjected to Weak spring tension which,.however ac tsuthereon, through the rod- 14, lI egulating pneumatic '12 and'vrod 15 toffmaintainthe tension fof the" air'i n .the correspondingsection' a or a of the niain wind channel regardlessof the number of s trviliei-pneumatics operated simultaneously, ,in manner'xvell, known in thefart. I f fa stronger' ltne be desired, the particular expressionfpneu'matic 11 corresponding 'to the fnotes to be'played with such stronger'tone is collapsed,'thus increasing the tension of the corresponding spring 13. This, as .is vWellvunderstood, increases the tension of the air in -the corresponding section afora ofthe main wind-channel and this increased tension is -maintained, as before, by the ac tion of the spring 13 and regulator bellows I have provided improved means for e.\:

pandingor collapsing the expression meinbers 11 under control of the operator. This means comprises pneumatics 21 whose movable boards 21l are suitably connected to the movable boards 11 of the pneumatics 11 respectively and are respectively con- 9.3, whose mouth is arranged in a valve board 2l, having;r a spring valve 25 for closv ing said mouth. and whose discharge end is ln a chamber 2G in a valve box, the lat-ter Utl -trollable humanly as by manually operable Y also havingr chambers 27 and 28, a' port 30 through which these chambers communicate with each other. an atmospheric port 31 to the chamber 29, a port between the chamber 2S and the. pneumatic 21, a valvular member 33 in thc chamber 2S, adapted to close ports 3() and 31 alternately and provided with a stem 34 connected at one end to a membrane which separates the chambers 26 and 27 from cach other, and a duct 27a through which the chamber 27 has communication with the main source of power. It will be noted that when either manually operable valve 25 is opened by pressingr its but-ton 22 downward air at atmospheric pressure will be admitted to corresponding chamber 26 through corresponding duct 23, thereby moving the corresponding valvular member 33 to position in which it closes the corresponding atmospheric duct 31 and opens the corresponding suction duct 30, thereby opening communication between the correspondingr pneumatic 21 and the main source of power. This pneumatic 21 being thus collapsed similarly collapses the corresponding expression pneumatic 11, and increases the tension of the spring 13 connected to said expression pneumatic` the-reby as already stated, increasing the tension of the air in the correspondingr section a or a* of the main wind channel. v\Vhen the button 22 is released, the tension of the spring valve 25 act-s to close the duct 23 and force the button back to its former position. The admission of atmospheric air to chamber 26 being thus cut off, the valvular member 33 returns to its former position in which it closes the suction port 30 and opens the atmospheric port 31` this return being expedited, if necessary. bj.' a bleed hole bc.- tween chambers 2G and 27 and also by a spring 36 conn'ected to the valve. Air at atmospheric pressure now admitted to the pneumatic 21 through the port 31, chamber 2S and port. 32 causing expansion of the correspondingv expression pneumatics 11 by their respective. springs. as weii unferstoozl.

The. humanly controlled means herein described for expanding and collapsing the expression pneun'iatirs 11 vis weil adapted for use in a mechanism which also comprises means for expandingr and collapsingr said pneumatics under control of a record, one such means being shown in the drawing. The illustrated means is identical with that shown and described in the lVclte and Bockisch Patent No. 1.008.291, hereinbefore referred to, and comprises an expression action E for cach pneumatic 11, and connections betwecn the tracker B and -the respective expression actions and between the latter and the main source of power and expression pneumaies 11, and also comprisingr stop pneumatics 40 and connections between the latter and the expression actions. As

the particular illustrated expression actions arc ltonwn in the art a general descgiption thereof will sufice. Each includes a main wind channel 41 which has communication with the main source of power through a channel 42 and the hercinbefore referred to channel-end 17 and duct 1S. Each also includes a series of chambers 423-48, which have communicat-ion with the tracker B, through ducts 49and are separated from the corresponding` wind channel 41 by membranes 50. Each further includes a series of chambers, 51-5(3, each having a suction port 57 and an atmospheric port 58, and provided wit-h a valve 59 whose stem is connected to the corresponding membrane 50, each valve serving to open the corresponding suction port and close the corresponding atmospheric port when the corresponding duct 49 is opened to admit air at atmospheric pressure to the correspending chamber 43-48, and to close the suction port and open the atmospheric port when the corresponding duct 49 is closed. as well understood in the art. The chamber 51 of each expression action is connected with the corresponding expression pneumatic 11 by a duct 60, and the valve 59 in each of these chambers has its stem connected to a second membrane G1 arranged in a chamber 62 whose portion above the membrane is connected with the chamber 51 by a channel 63 and whose portion below the membrane is connected with the next chamber 52, by a. channel 64. Each chamber 52 is connected by a duct 65 with a small pnuematic G6 Whose movable board is provided with a valve 67 for opening a'port 68 to quickly vent the corresponding expression pneumatic 11 when air at atmospheric pressure is admit-ted to the chamber 44. Each chamber 53 is connected by a duct 69 with the corresponding expression pneumatic 1l and the stem ot' its valve is connected to a second membrane 7() arranged in a chamber 71 whose portion above the membrane is connected to cham` bcr 53 by a channel 72 and whose portion below the membrane is connected to the adjacent chamber 54 by a channel 72. The duct 69 is of lesser diameter than the duct G0 so that it exerts esser pulling force on its pneumatic 11 in a. given length of time.. Each chamber is connected with the corresponding stop pneumatic 40 by a duct 74 and the stem of its valve is connected to a membrane, 75, arranged in a chamber 76 whose portion above the membrane is connected to the chamber 55 by a duct- 77 and whose portion below the membrane is connected to the adjacent chamber, 5G, by a duct 78.

The operation of these actions on their respective expression pneumatics 11 is well l-:nown and need not be described in detail.

1t will be noted that this particular embodiment of the invention, as thus far described. comprises in addition to the means for collapsingT and exlianding the expresslon pneumatic under control of a record, a. separate, manually controllable, means of simple and positive action connected to said pneumatic and capable of expandingr and collaps-ing the same without requiring that the record controlled means be out of operative rela-tion with said pnemnatic while the manualh controlled means are in use. In other words. the two means are operatively independent. of each other. It. therefore, becomes practicable not only to employ records which are unprovided with special expression perforations. in which event the expression is controlled solely by the manually controllable means` but also to employ records which have expression perforations for controllingr the expression actions. In the latter event, the expression pneumatic may be operated under control of the record wholly. or it may be operated partly under control of the record and partly under manual control, thereby enablingr the operator to change or modify the expression brought about under control o'f the record solely.

It is preferred. when hmnanly controlled means are embodied in a mechanism which also has record cont-rolled means for controlling the expression controlling means, that the hnmanlv controlled means be of less power than the. expression controlling means. In the illustrated embodiment. of the invent-ion each manually controlled pneumatic 21 is smaller than the expression controllingr pneumatic 11 to which it is con'- neeted. Accordingly. it will he noted that it may he operated in conjunction with the expression action connected with said pneumatic 11 to temporarily change the action of the pneumatic 11 on the ref fulatiner valve 10 as compared with the act-ion brought about. under control of'the record exclusively. the change effected beiner a further opening' of the valve. without essentially 'opening itto its ext-renie limit. as would be the case if the power of tlnpneumatic 2l were such that it would fully collapse the pneumatic 1l. even when the latter be. in full expanded position, whenever it (the pneumatic Q1) he opened.

It is also preferred to provide humanly controllable means to soften as well as humanly controlled means for strengthening the tones brought about under the action of the record controlled means. temporarily. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention. this is brought, about by reducing;r the tension of the air in the' expression pneumatic. :\nvv means for this purpose. embodying' an appropriate vent and humanlv operable connections thereto may be employed but I prefer to utilize the venting' pneumatics 6G and accordingly have shown thc particular tracker ducts 49 which" lead to the chamber 50 as being,r tapped by ducts 80 whose mouths are arrangedin the valve board 24 and are opened and closed by spring: valves Sl under control of manually operable buttons 82. Moreover, the expression pncmnatics 11 may be manually controlled to produce tones of `greater-strength than piauissimo, for example` byincreasing the tension of the air under manual-control as well as under control of the record.- In such caseA it is advisable to utilize the -duct (39 for both manual and recordcontrol of the pneumatic 11. a

In this particular exemplifcation of the invention the valve board 24 is mounted 0n the part 83 of the piano casing immediately in advance of the pianofkeys 84, this beingr a convenient and ,usual arrangement of manna-l; controlled ,buttons for controlling expression `.in f piano Y playing., mechanisms. Moreover, I have shown the striker-pneu,- matics 4a. =as operatingfup'on: the-exposed faces of the `keys, through pivoted-striker arms S5 'connected to the' movable boards of the striker Dnelunatiesf-,iThis is customary when the play-incr mechanism: is embodied in a casing outsidepfzthe piano.casingcabi net players, so calledfor -e xample:.butfitis quite obvious that-this-is-merely exemplary and that the playingmeehanism maygqand in actual practice, in many .or'the majority of cases will 'be arrangedin the interiors of the piano cases, andswill-act either upon the inner ends of theglreys .or.uponfapprol priate Darts of the piano action, as preferred. 's i?? i ,Moi-cover, while Il have'flllustrated and described an expression action-or expression actions-operating under control 0farecord to control ethe pneumatic tensions Within the expression pneumatics, I would have it understood that it will not be a. departure from the spirit of the invention to provide means controllable by the operator of the instrument for varying the pneumatic tensions within the expression pneumatics 11, and also within the stop pneumatics, if the latter be employed. Such humanly controllable means may be in addition to, or employed as a substitute for, the tracker duets 49 as preferred. Many humanly controllable ways for'eontrolling the tensions within the expression pneumatics will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art and as it is within the spirit of the invention to employ any of thesame, it is considered to be unnecessary to describe or illustrate any of the same in detail. It may 'oe mentioned, however, that a simple and practicable way for humanly operating.,r the particular expression action shown, would involve merely the use of a series of ducts, correspondingr to the ducts 49, connected to the chambers 43-48, respectively, with ap- 'los llU

propriate manually operable but-tons and valves, (like the buttons and valves 25 shown for controlling the valves which control the pneumatics 2l for example): or if the expression valves of the action illustrated are to be under either manual and tracker control, at will, the duct 49 may be tapped by ducts, (similar to the ducts 80.) controlled for example, by manually operable valves similar to the valves 25 and 8l. However, as already stated, different ways of humanly controlling the pneumatic tensions within the expression pneumatics will readily suggest themselves in accordance with the particular construction of expressionaction with which such means are to be-associated or with the particular construction of expression action with which such means are to be associated, or with the particular changes of pneumatic tension in the expression pneumatics which are to be effected thereby.

Again, it will be understood that althoughfthe mechanism herein illustrated and described has been illustrated for use in a system operating on the suction principle, it would-not be a departure from the spirit of the invention to embody it in-,a system operating on the compression principle. The changes necessary to adaptv the mechanism for operation when air having a pressure greater than the atmosphere is'to be used in lieu of air having a pressure less than atmospheric, are well understood by those skilled in the art and need not be illustrated herein.

Having ,thus described the invention what I believe'to' be. new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is l. In a piano playing mechanism, striker pneumatics, a source of power for actuating the striker pneumatics, expression controlling means to control the degree of pressure at the striker pneumatics in accordance, with the setting of said expression controllingr means for high, low or intermediate pressures respectively, pressure maintaining means for maintaining substantial uniformity of the pressure for which the pressure controlling means may be set, whatever number of striker pneumatics be simultaneously opc rated, a spring connecting said expression controllingr means with said maintaining means, to transmit the action of the former to the latter, an operating pneumatic connected to the expression controlling means to operate the same, and humanly operable means connected to the operating pneumatic to control the same.

2. In a piano playing mechanism, striker pneumatics, a source of power for actuating the strikfr pneumatics, means for controlling the air supply` located between the striker pneumatics and said source of power, a regulating pneumatic in free communication with the striker pneumatics and connectedY with and arranged to move the air controlling means vto maintain substantial uniformity of ,pressure at the striker pneumatics, whethermany or few thereof are operated together, Vexpression controlling mea ns to vary the degree of pressure at the striker pncumatics according as the expression controlling means are set, a spring connecting said expression controlling means with said regulating pneumatic to transmit movement of the-former to vthe latter, -an operating pneumatic connected to the expression controlling means to operate the same, and humanly operable means to control -the operating pneumatic.

3. In a piano playing mechanism, striker pnenmatics, a source of power for actuating the striker pneumatics, a regulator for maintaining substantial uniformity of the source of power upon .the striker pneumatics, at all degreesof pressures whether many or few thereof are operated together, an expression controlling member having resilient connection with the regulator for varying the action of the regulator and consequent pressures of the source of power with referenceto the striker pneumatics, an operating pneumatic for said expression member, and a-humanly controllable connection to said .operating pneumatic to control the same.-

4. In a piano playing mechanism, striker pneumatica, -a source of power for actuating the striker .pneumatics, a regulator for maintaining uniformity of pressure upon the striker pneumatics at all degrees of pressure whether few or many thereof are operated together,apneumatic'having a resilient connection with the regulator for tensioning the latter, an operating pneumatic for the latter pneumatic,anda humanly controllable connection to said operating pneumatic, to control the same.

5. In a. piano playing mechanism, striker pneumaties, a source of power for actuating thc striker pneumatics, a regulating valve, a regulating pneumatic connected to the rpgulating valve` an expression pneumatic, a resilient connection between the expression pneumatic and the regulating pneumat-ic, an operating pneumatic for the expression pneumatic and a humanly controllable connection to said operating pneumatic` to control the same.

6. In a piano playing mechanism. striker pneumatics, a source of power for actuating the striker pneumatics, a regulating valve, a ref mlating` pneumatic having a movable board, connected to the regulating valve` an expression pneumatic having a movable board` a spring connected to the. movable board of the expression pneumatic and whose tension is Varied by movement of thc board, a connect-ion between said spring and thcmovableboard of-tlie regulating-'pneu- -matic, an operating pneumatic having a movable 'board Aconnected to lthe movable board ofthe expression pneumatic'to transmit movement to the latter, and a humanly :controllable connection to' 'the operating pneumatic. to control the same.

Y .7.I-Ina piano playing mechanism. striker pneumatics, a source of-power foractuating'the striker pneumatics,.express ion controlling means to control the degree of pres sure-'at the striker pneumatics in accordance with :the setting of said controlling means for high, low orintermediate pressures, respectively, pressure maintaining means for maintaining substantial uniformity of pres- 'sure "for whichthe pressure controlling means may be set whatever number "of striker 'pneumaticaI bcsimultaneously operated,.a '.spring .connecting -said expression Controlling i means to said maintaining means, to'transmittheaction of the -former to the Ilatter; an :operating pneumatic-connected to the expression controlling means to operate the same, valved connection between the source. of power and the operating pneumatic. a. duet to control th.'` va'lve. in said duct,.and a humanly operable member to operate the latter Valve.l

-=` 8. In-a.V 'pianoplaying mechanism, striker pneumaties, a-so'urce of vpoxver for actuating the striker pneumatics, a regulator for maintaining uniformity of pressure upon Athe striker pneumatics at all degrees of pressure whether few or.many thereof are operated together. anexpression pneumatic, a resilient connection between the expression pneumatic and regulator -`for tensioning the latter. an operating"pneumatic vfor the expression pneumatic. ya valved connection between the expression pneumatic and the operating pneumatic,a duct to control the. valve in said connection. a valve to control .sz-.ill duct. and a humanly operable member to operate theflatter valve.

.9. In a piano playin;r mechanism. striker pneumatics. a source of power for actuating the striker pneumatics. a ref fulalincr valve. a regulating pneumatic connected to the regulating valve.. an expression pneumatic, a' resilient vconnection between the expression pneumatic and the regulating.v pneumatic. an operating` pneumatic for the expression pneumatic'. a valved connection hetween the expression pneumatic. and the operating pneumatic, a duct to control the valve in said connection. a valve to control sai-.l'duct` and a humanly operable member` to oprrate the latter' valve.

UA10. ln a piano playingr mechanism. striker pneumatics. a main source of power. and a regulator valve interposed between the striker pneumatics and main source of power. in combination with a lirst pneumatic and a second pneumatic. a connection between the first `pneumatic and the regu- -lator valve, connections under control of a Arecord and'through which the operation of thefsecond pneumatic is controlled, a separate' ConnectionA lcontrolled b v the second pneumatic` and in turn controlling the firs! pneumatic and therethrough operating the l'reg'lilator valve, non-record controlled control means und la connection-between the latter-control means-and the second pneu maticl" 1 1 =11. fIna piano playing mechanism, striker pneumatics, -at main'source of power, and a-'regulatorvalve interposed between the striker-''pneumatics fand main I source of power,""in combination with a firstpneumaticlandfa isecond pneumatic, a connectiori'betweewtbe first pneumatic and the regulator valve, connections undercontrol of 'avrecordand through which the operation ofthe second pneumatic is controlled, a separate and resilient connection controlled by thesecond pneumatic and in turn controlling @the "first pneumatic and therethrough ioperating the regulator Valve, nonrecordcontrolled control means and a connection between the latter control lmeans and thesecond pneumatic. "If

H12; In a Apiano'playing mechanism, striker pneumatics,-aimain'lsource off power, and a regulator valve' interposed lbetween the strikerm'pneumatic's and main ,source o1c power,ini-combination withI-a first pneumatierfandffavsecond pneumatic, a mechanical-connection' between the first pneumatic and the regulator valve, pneumatici-connections-under control of a record :unl through whichlth'e operation of the second` pneumatic is controlled, Va separate mechanicali'fconnection controlled by the .second pneumatic and in turn controlling the first pneumatic` and therethrough operating the regulator Valve. non-record controlled control means and almechanical connection between Ithe latter control means and the secondrpneuinati r i 13. In atpiano playing mechanism, striker pneumatics," a main source of power, a regulator valve interposed between tht` main soureezl of power and the striker pneumatics, 'a pneumatic, means under control of a recordandconnected 4to Said pneumatic to control the same, a non-record controlled lmeans also connected to said pneumatic to-operate the same, a regulating pneumatic free from'direct connection with either of-said means, a separate connect-ion between the regulating pneumaticand the valve and aaconnection'between the first mentioned pneumatic and the.regulating pneumatic, the latteri'connection being oper'- ated by said first mentionedpneumatic to operate the regulating pneumatic and therethrough the regulating valve.

14. In a piano playing mechanism, striker jun pneumatica, a main source of power, a regulator valve interposed between the main source of power and the striker pneumatics, a. pneumatic, pneumatic means under control of a record and connected to said pneumatic to control the same by varying thetension of the air therein` a nonrecord controlled means mechanically connected to said pneumatic to operate the same without changingr the air therein, a regulating pneumatic free from direct connection with either of said means, a separate connection between the regulating pneumatic and the valve and a connection between the iist mentioned pneumatic and the regulating pneumatic, the latter connection being operated by said first mentioned pneumatic to operate the regulating pneumatic .and 'therethrough the regulating vai-ve.

15. In-a piano playing mechanism, striker pneumatics,aI main source of power, means under..control of a record to variably control'=tlie tension. ofthe air to which the striker pneumatics are subjected, including a tracker, non-opposing expression and regulating pneumatics and tracker-controlled control-connections to one of said pneumatics, and also includingr a regulator valve having` connection with -both of said pneumatics: in combination iwith an operativecontrolled=controllingmeans free from connection'. -to saidtl'ackermntrolled. control conneetionstand includinga connection to oneyof said pneumaties separate from the connections'between the regulator valve and said pneumatics. Y

l6.:.In @piano playingmechanism, striker pneumatics, a. main source of power, means undercontrol of a record to variably control the tension of the lair to which the striker-{pneumatics are subjected, including a regulator valve, expression and regulating pneumatics connected to said valve and tracker controlled connections to one of said pneumatics, in combination with an operative-conrolled cont-rolling means connected to said connections and operative to vent the same to thereby soften the strength of the tones, at the will of the operative.

17. In a piano playing mechanism, striker pncumatics, a main source of power, means under control of a record to variably control the tension of the air to which the striker pnenmatics are subjected, including a regulator valve, an expression pneumatic, a regulating pneumatic` connections between said pneumatics and the regulator valve, a pncumatically operable valve to vent the. expression pneumaticl and tracker controlled control connections to said expression pneu matic and to said vent valve` in combination With an operative-controllcd Controllingr means` which taps the connection to said vent valve and is operative to vent the expression pneumatic, whereby-fthe force 0f UIC tones predetermined bv thev record .muy b@ softened at the will of the operativel. [n a piano playing mechanism, Strik@ pneumatics, a main source of power, n FCgU' lator valve, an expression pneumatic a con' nection between theexpression pneumatic and the regulator valve, operativeby the expression pneumatic to set the v` [Ve for any strength ottones to and including for tissimo, a tracker having .expressio apar' tures. tracker-controlled control con CCtOnS between said expression apertures nd the expressionpneumatic, a regulatin Pneumatic free from separate connecti n with expression apertures of the tracker, nn 0perative-controlled control means fr`e from connection with the tracker-contro ed 60ntrol connections andy including a co l106510n to the expressionl pneumatic-separa from the connectionY between said pnemn ticand the regular valve.

19. In a piano playing mechanism Striker pneumatics, amain source-of power, n feglator valve, an expression pneumatic", n C0nnection between the vexpression pne'unmtlc and. the regulator valve, operative by the expression pneumatic .to set-the vzf'lve fol any-strength of tones .to and includflllg fortissimo,.a tracker-having expression 21pm tures. trackercontrolled control con @Ctlonb between said expression-apertures nd the expression pneumatic,'. a4 regulatin -PnU' matic free `from separateconnecti(- n' With expression apertures-ot the tracker,vin Oper' ative-controlled control means-free frIn 60n- -nection with the trackercontrolled Control connections and including a poweil" Pneumatic, a connection between the powfl Pneu' matic and the expression pneumaln`0 SCP- arate from .the connection' between ,Sal 9X- pressionpnemnatic and the regulatcl Valve a pneumatically operable valve to Control the power pneumatic and non-rec?d 00ntrolled means to control the tensior'S Undef which the latter valve is operated.

2U. 1n a piano playing mechanis pneinnatics, a main source of po 01` means under control of a record to Vill'lably control the tension of the air to w Ch the striker pneumatics are subjected, i Cludlng a tracker having expression apertu es, non opposing expression and regulati g Pnfn matics, a regulator valve having c nnCCtlOn with both of said pneumatics, and tmckcf controlled control connections to th eXPFf-S sion pneumatic from said exoressi n nP Cl" tures` operative through said e 'Pression pneumatic to set the regulator valv fOl any strength of tones to and includin.r fOPS' simo. the regulating pneumatic b lng fFCC from separate connection to expl'cSSlOn apc!" tures of the tracker and operated ,t0 mlln' Lain the tension l'or which thc 'regulator valve has been set. in combination 'ltl n lon llt)

-Iil

OPGrative-controlled control means free from Collinection \vith tlie tracker-controlled con- U'Ol connections and including a connection t0 the expression pneumatic separate from the connection betiveen said pneumatic and th@ regulator valve.

l. In a piano playing mechanism, striker pflfpumatics, a source of pneumatic power forl operating the same, a regulatingr valve, n lfegulating pneumatic connected to the "alve, an expression pneumatic connected to the valve through said regulating pneumatic, a record-coutrolled control means conn `-ted to the expression pneumatic and opomtive thereon to set the regulating valve 91', tones of vaiving intensities from pianis- Sm'o to and including fortissimo, and a non- I'Ccn'd controlled control means also conec ed to said expression pneumatic and op- @la ive-to vent the same at the `will of the OP :rator to thereby lessen the intensity of the tones elleeted under control of the rec- 0lfl-controlled control means operated alone.

29. In a piano playing mechanism, striker lme'umatics, a source of pneumatic power for oPeirating the same, a regulating valve, a refilating pneumatic and an expression Pn umatie both connected to the valve` a Pe@ rd controlled control means connected t0 ,one of said pneumatics and operative the reon to set the regulating valve for tones 0f' IvaryimY intensities from pianissimo to and'. inclu ing fortissimo, and a plurality of SeParate non-record controlled control means, bot connected to the latter pneumatic and "Pe ative thereon the one to adjust the valve for a stronger tone and the other to ieduee the tension'of the air in the pneumatic to the .by adjust t-he valve for a weaker tone.

9 In a piano playing;r mechanism, striker ln umaties. a source of power for actuatingr tlelsame, a regulating valve, and mechanism lo `set the. valve in various positions selectively in accord with the intensity of the tones to be produced and to maintain the corresponding tensions regardless of the number of striker pneumatics simultaneously operated, said mechanism including an erpreion pneumatic, record controlled means operated to variably collapse said pneumatic to set the valve in selected positions predetermined by the record, and a nonrecord controlled vent-ing means operatively related to the pneumatic and operative to vent said pneumatic to change. such predetermined setting of the valve at the will of the operative.

24. In a piano playing mechanism, striker pneuinaties, a source of power for actuating the same, a regulating valve, pressure maintaining means, an expression controlling pneumatic. record controlled means for collapsinpr said pneumatic, and a non-record controlled connection to tlie pneumatic for reducing at will the tension of the air therein lai-ought about by the record controlled means to thereby modify the action of the record controlled means upon the valve.

25. In a piano playing mechanism, strike:` pneumatirs, a source of power for actuating the saine, a regulating valve, pressure maintaining means, an expression controlling pneumatic` .record controlledv means for increasing the tension of the air in said expression controllingpneumatic, an operating pneumatic, aeonnection 'between .the'same and the. expression controlling pneumatic to operate the latter, a non-record control means for controlling the operating pneumatic, a venting means for 'the expression pneumatic, and non-record oontrolledmeans for controlling the venting means to modify the el'ect of the operating pneumatic.

In testimony whereof I attix my signature.

TOLBERTF. CHEEK.

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