US1822941A - Musical instrument - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 15, 1931. 5 sw so 1,822,941

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Original Filed March 7. 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet l A TTUR/VZFS P 1931. s. A. SWANSON 1,822,941

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT I Original Filed March 7, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 A TTU/P/Vf/SI Sept. 15, 1931. s. A. SWANSON 1,822,941

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Original Filed March 7, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 MB 5J3 [5 11 DB fly. 5. 4

34 a g; u u u u uww E f ma s A 7 TUBA/[75.

s. A. SWANSON MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Sept. 15, 1931.

5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Original Filed March 7. 1927 17y ffl 35 Sept. 15, 1931. s, A sw so 1,822,941

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Original Filed March 7. 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 .II V M17 m MI, I '1' Patented Sept. 15, 1931 SELVIYOR A. SRVANSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Application filed March '7, 1927, Serial No. 173,277. Renewed January 15, 1931.

novel and pleasing musical effects may be obtained while the instrument is being operated in the usual manner.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved musical instrument with which, while a selection is being played in the usual manner, a series of notes of different timbre may be played which are musically related to one series of notes of the selection.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved musical instrument of the type which may be operated either manually or automatically in the playing of a selection, and with which during such playing, the air of the selection may be addition ally played automatically and concomitantly by notes of different timbre from the regular selection.

A still further object of the invention is to provide improved means for operating musical sound-producing devices in any selected or desired sequence.

A further object is to provide an improved musical instrument having means of standard construction for producing primary sound effects, and means for producing novel secondary sound effects, said latter means being adapted to be incorporated with said former means substantially without changing the construction or arrangement thereof.

Another object is to provide an improved musical instrument in which the above secondary sound-producing means are so arranged that the primary soundproducing means can be adjusted or removed from and inserted in the instrument without the necessity of interfering with or disturbing'the adjustment of said secondary means.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved musical instrument which w ill accomplish any of the foregoing objects, and which will be relatively simple, dependable, durable. compact and inexpensive.

Various other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description of an embodiment of the invention, and the novel features will be particularly pointed out hereinafter in connection with the appended claims.

In. the accompanying drawings Fig. l is a sectional elevation of part of a player piano constructed in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is another sectional elevation of the same, the section being taken approximately along the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan of the control box of the Fig. i a side elevation of the control box;

F 5 is a bottom view of the upper section of the control box, viewed as along the line 5-5. Fig. l, and looking in the direction of the arrows;

6 is a plan of the lower section of the control box, viewed as in the direction of the arrow 6 in Fig. 4;;

7 is a plan of a portion of Fig. 5 on a somewhat larger scale, and with certain parts removed to show other parts;

Fig. Sis a sectional elevation of the control box, the section being taken approximately along the line 8-8 of Fig. 4;

Fi 9 is an elevation similar to Fig. 8, but with the parts in a different operative relation to one another;

10 is another sectional elevation of a po tion of the control box, the section being taken approximately along the line 10-10 of Fig. 1.1 is a sectional elevation of another art of the control box, the section being en approximately along the line 11-11 F 8; and

Fig. 12 is a sectional elevation of still another part of the control box, the section being taken approximately along the line 12l2 of 4-.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, a player piano may serve as the primary musical instrument, which may be operated to pro we musical notes, either by manual lation of any of the usual keys 10 ins. l and 2) mounted on the keyboard in the usual manner, or by the usual auton'latic p r mechanism. Each key is operable, at it. rear end, upon a suitable key action mechanism 11 for striking a hammer er bar 15, and conduits 16 connect different sections of the tracker bar with the primary pneumatic devices 17. The primary pneumatic devices 17 may be of any suitable con struction employed in player pianos, and therefore their details are not illustrated herein, since per se they form no part of this invention. In the particular example illustrated, a branch passage 18 communicates with an upper individual chamber 19 of each primary pneumatic device, and the conduit 18, in turn, is connected to a main suction conduit 20 which is connected to a suction or vacuum creating device 21 of any suitable or usual construction.

Through suitable valve mechanism 170; provided in each primary pneumatic device, each chamber 19 is connected to an individual pneumatic motor 22, there being a pneumatic motor for each key and for each conduit 16. The pneumatic motor 22 will be operated through the valve mechanism 17 a in accordance with the openings of the tracker bar which are uncovered by the moving player roll, as usual in player piano mechanism. Each motor 22 is connected, in any suitable manner, to operate the hammers 12, and as an example of a connection for that purpose,

each motor 22 may be'provided with a finger 23, engageable with a link 11a of the key action 11 for a corresponding key 10, so that the hammers will be operated pneumatically in accordance with the openings in the player roll 14. Each finger 23 has a lost motion con:

. 'nection to its corresponding key action link 111;, so that each key be operated manually without operating its related motor 22.

A main control box or element 24 is arranged in the piano at any suitable point, and contains a plurality of chambers 25 (Figs. 5, 8, 9, 10 and 11) which are disposed side by side, and communicate with one another successively by individual passages 26.

. A branch 27 (Fig. 1) of the suction pipe 20 is connected to a passage 28 in one end of the control box 24, the connection being controlled by a suitable valve 29, such as a plate face of the box 24. 7

Thevalve 29 has an aperture 31, which, when the plate is pulled outwardly, is shifted into alignment with the passage 28 and the pipe branch 27, so as to establish communisliding in a chamber 30, provided at the lower cation between the suction pipe20 and one of the end chambers 25 of the casing. The suction connection through the pipe 27 will cause the creation of a partial vacuum in the first end chamber 25, and through the passages 26, this partial vacuum will in turn be created successively in successive cham ers 25.

The box or casing 24 is provided,ialong its upper face, with a plurality of valve chambers or cavities 32, and each valve chamber communicates with an adjacent main chamber 25 through a valve passage 33. '14 panshaped valve ring 34 may be secured across the open end of each valve chamber 32, and each ofsuch rings has an aperture 35. A

bar 36 extends across the open face of each valve chamber 32 and slidingly supports one end of a valve rod 37, the other end of the valve rod extending through the valve passage 33 and into a chamber 25, and the inner end of each valve rod being slidingly supof the valve chamber over the passage 33 to close the same, and against the valve seat or' ring 34 to close the opening 35 therein. The distance between the ring 34 and the bottom wall of each valve chamber is greater than the distance between the valve disks 39 and 40, so that the valve rod and its'disks may reciprocate alternately between the positions shown in Figs. 8 and 9, and thus connect the valve chamber 32 either with the adjacent related chamber 25, as when the valve stem is in the position shown in Fig. 9, or with the atmosphere through the opening 35 when the valve stem is in the position shown in Fig. 8.

Each valve chamber .32 is connected by a conduit 41 with a suitable secondary sound-' fer in timbre from those produced by the primary sound-producing instrumentalities,

and for example may have a timbre such as that of a violin, a flute, or other musical instrument ordevice. These secondary sound producing devices are 7 preferably pneumatically controlled individually by the conduits 41. Inasmuch as pneumatically controlled or operated sound-producingdevices are so ill) well known in. the art, the details of the same have been omitted in this application in the interest of simplicity and brevity, and it will be understood that sound-producing devices other than those illustrated may be substituted within the scope of the invention.

When any conduit 41 is connected to a main chamber 25 of the control box or element 24, such as when the valve rod 37 in the chamber with which that conduit 41 communicates is raised or is in the position shown in Fig. 9, the partial vacuum in that chamber 25 will be communicated to the conduit 41 and cause an operation of that sound-producing device. When the valve rod 37 is returned to the normal position shown in Fig. 8, the suction will be removed from the conduit 41, and the latter will be vented through its valve chamber 32 and the opening 35 to break its vacuum and therefore stop operation of that particular secondary sound producing device.

Each passage 26, which connects two adjacent chambers 25, is controlled by a valve head 43 located in one of the chambers 25 at the entrance end of the passage, that is at the end nearest in succession to the inlet passage 28. Such a valve may have a stem 44 which reciprocates loosely in a passage 45 in the top wall of the box or element 24, the valve stem carrying a valve head 46 upon its outer end which is adapted to seat by gravity against the upper face of the box 24 when the valve stem is allowed to drop and carry the lower valve head 43 downwardly in the chamber 25 and open communication through the particular passage 26 which it controls. Such a valve is shown in Fig. 8 in the position in which it establishes communication through the passage 26 which it controls, the passage or opening 45 being closed by the outer valve head 48 when the passage 26 under control is open. It will be obvious, however, that when the valve head 43 is shifted to close its passage 26, the passage 26 beyond the valve will be opened to atmos phere through the passage 45, owing to the upward movement of the head 46. this condition of the valve being shown in Fig. 9.

From the foregoing it will be observed that each chamber 25 of the control box or element 24 is separately and individually connected by a conduit 41 to an individual secondary sound producing device, whenever the valve rod 37 entering that chamber is shifted into the position shown in Fig. 9. It will be further observed that communication between that chamber 25 and the next chamher in succession will be closed when the valve 43 in that chamber is shift-ed upwardly to closed position, as shown in Fig. 9, the remaining chambers in succession away from the first end chamber to which the passage 29 communicates, being vented to atmosphere through the passage 45, as shown in Fig. 9.

The control box or element 24 is also provided (Figs. 6, 8 and 9) with a plurality of passages 47, one for each chamber 25., and each passage 47 has three branch openings 48, 49 and leading to its chamber A flexible diaphragm 51 may be secured over each of the passages 48 and 49 to close the same and be capable of a limited movement in and out of the opening, such as. between the positions shown in Figs. 8 and 9-. The passage 50 may also be closed by a diaphragm 51 but the portion of the diaphragm over this passage 50 is provided with a small bleed port 52. Whenever any passage 47 is open to the atmosphere and the corresponding chamber 25 has a partial vacuum therein, the atmospheric pressure in that passage 47 wi llcause an upward movement of the pouches formed by the diaphragms 51 over the openings 48 and 49-, as shown in Fig. 9. The diaphragm 51 which is over the passage 48, acts upon a head 53 provided upon the lower end of the valve stem 37, so that the upward movement of this pouch or diaphragm 51 will cause a movement of the valve stem 37 from the position shown in Fig. 8 to the position shown in Fig. 9, thus opening communication be tween that chamber 25 and its conduit 41. The atmospheric pressure in the same passage 47 will at the same time elevate the pouch formed by the diaphragm 51 over the passage 49, and this pouch or diaphragm acts upon the head of the valve 43 which is in that related chamber 25, so as to shift it from the open position shown in F 8 to the closed or cut off position shown in F 9. While some of the air of that passage 47, which is open to atmosphere will leak through the bleed port 52 into the chamber 25, the amount so leaking will not be sufficient to break the vacuum in the chamber 25, the port 52 being made small enough to prevent that happening. Thus, when any passage 47 is open to atmosphere, the partial vacuum in its related chamber 25 will immediately cause an operation of the valve stems 37 and 44 by diaphragms 51 to connect that chamber with its secondary sound-producing device through the conduit 41, and to shut off communication between that chamber and the chambers neXt in succession from the main inlet passage 28, the chambers 25 thus shut off being vented to the atmosphere to break the vacuum therein.

Each passage 47 is connected by a tube 54 to an individual port 55 in a control device 56. The individual ports 55 are closed by individual valves 57, and each valve 57 is normally biased to closed position but disposed for operation to open position by an arm 58 on a link 11a, so that whenever any individual primary sound-producing instrumentality is operated, it will operate one of the valves 57 to open the port and thus vent the related tube 54 to atmosphere. The

bleed port 52 leading to each passage 47 will serve to cause a partial vacuum in each passage 47, whenever the port communicating therewith is closed. However, when the port communicating therewithis opened or vented to atmosphere, the partial vacuum in the passage l7. will be broken and the atmospheric air pressure thereupon created therein will cause operation of the valves of that related chamber 25, as shown in Fig. 9.

From the foregoing it will be observed that the secondary sound-producingdevices will be operated concomitantly and individually by the related primary sound producing instrumentalities, and the formerwill produce sounds of related musical pitch, but of different timbre than those produced concomitantly by the operation of the primary sound producing instrumentalities. however, are often operated in groups, that is, a plurality may be operated at a time, and it is usually undesirable to have more than one secondary sound-producing device operating while any group of primary instrumentalities are operating. 7

' If it be assumed that a plurality or group of primary instrumentalities, such as a plurality'of keys 10, are operated atone time, a plurality of ports 55 will be vented to at inosphere at the same time, and therefore atmospheric conditions will be created simultaneously in a plurality of passages 47. This will tend to operate the valve rods 37 and 44 of each of the related chambers 25, but the resulting closing operation of the valve head 43 in the chamber 25 which is nearest the inlet passage 28 through which suction is communicated to the chambers, will promptly shut off the suction to the other chambers farther from the inlet passage 28, and will vent those other shut off chambers 25 to atmosphere. Vhen the shut off chambers 25 are at atmospheric pressure, there can be no operation of the secondary -sound-producing devices which they control, because the air pressure will be balanced upon both faces of the diaphragms 51 in those chambers and thus there will be no operating force on any of the valve stems 37.

l/Vhen the'inlet passage'28 is connected first to the end chamber 25 which controls the sound producing-device causing the highest note of the scale portion covered bythe sec ondary sound-producing devices, it will be obvious that only the instrumentality creating the highest note of any group played at any time Will be effective to cause an operation of a related secondary sound-producing device. Thus if the keys 10 are played in groups, at one time, the secondary sound producin devices will operate to play, for example, the highest note corresponding to the highest note of the group being played. This is sometimes called carrying the air, and

V a the secondary notes, that is, those produced The latter,

by the secondary sound producing devices will carry the airf of the selection being played in addition to the regular notes, but secondary notes. preferably differ in timbre from those produced by the primary instrumentalities or are one or more octaves differ ent in pitch therefrom. On the other hand, if the inlet passage 28 should be connected to the other end of the casing, it will be understood that the secondary sound-producing v devices would play notes corresponding to the ing the valve 29 inwarc ly, a handle 59 being provided to facilitate such operation of the c valve. Obviously, difierent similar sets of secondary sound-producing devices, differing in timbre from one another maybe connected in parallel to one another under the control of the links 11a or primary instrumentalities, and thus the air of any selection may be carried by one or more of the secondary devices merely by operating the valves 29 which control the connections of the suction pipe 20 to the particular secondary devices which one desires to utilize. This duplication of secondary devices is, how-' ever, largely omitted from this'disclosure, in the interest of clarity andto avoid confusion as to the basic principle of the invention. Therefore, portions only of duplicate elements 24, 42 and 56 are shown at the right of Fig. 2, V r

The operation of the device is believed to be clear from the foregoing description, but

will be briefly summarized. T o render the secondary-so-undproducing device eifective, theoperator pulls the handle 59 outwardly and thus by opening the valve 29 connects the suction pipe 20 to the control boX or element 24. The operator then either plays a selection by operating the keys 10 as usual in the'playing of a selection upon a piano, or

ated, a valve 57 will be operated thereby to vent a port 55, and the venting of that port will vent a passage 47 in the control box and thus cause the actuation of a related secondary sound-producing device.

lll)

IV in:

When the valve 57 is released at the stop- 7' .of those of the first set, and for the concomitant operation of all theother of said instrumentalities of. the said second set.

ping of the primary instrumentality, it will close its port 5.5 .and thus close the passage 47. The bleed port 52 enables a prompt automatic balancing of the partial vacuum pressures on-both sides of the diaphragms 51 when the port 55 is closed following a stopping of a secondary sound-producing device.

When the improvements specified are applied to automatically operated musical instruments, the effects produced by my im provements can be obtained by using the usual note sheets heretofore employed, no specially cut or perforated sheets being necessary.

If reference is had to Figs. 1 and 2, it will be noted :that the various elements of the secondary sound-producingdevice are arranged in rear of and below the keyaction 11, pneumatic hammer operating means, and the key board, so that these latter instrumentalities can be adjusted, repaired, or inserted, or removed from the instrument in the usual manner, without in any way disturbing the secondary devices, which after being once installed can remain permanently in place.

It willbe obvious that various changes in the details which have been herein described and illustrated in order to explain the nature of the invention, may be madeby those skilled in the art within the principle and scope of the .invention as expressed .in the appended claims.

for producing a series of notes of the musical scale in any desired sequence, a second set of instrumentalities for producing musical :notes covering a selected musical range but differing in timbre fromthose of the first set, and means controlled by the instrumentalities of'the first set .forcausing operation of one instrumenta'lity of the second set concomitantly with any group of one onmore preventing 2. In a musical'instrument, .a set ofseparate, selectively operable instrumentalities for producing .a series of notes of the musical scale in any desired sequence and-in any desired groups, a-second set of'instrumentali- -1E18Sjf0l producing musical-notes covering a selected musi-calran-gebut differing in timbre fromthose of the first set, and means controlled 'by the instrumentalities of thefirst set for operating the instrumentalities ofrthe second set concomitantly and in a relative musicalsequence withthe operation of the end'instrumentality of each simultaneously played group of the first set.

3. Ina musical instrument, a set of separate, selectively operable instrumentalities for producing a series of notes of the musical scale in any desired sequence a series of individuall-y operable devices for producing musical notes covering a selected musical range but differing in timbre from the said series of notes, and means including an individual connection between each of said instrumentalities and an individual device which produces a note having a desired harmonious relation on the musical scale to the note produced by that i-nstrumentality, whereby when each instrumentality is operated to produce one note, its related device will also be operated to produce a note having a desired musical relation to said one note, and means operable automatically, when a group of said instrumentalities are operated at one time, for permitting operation of that device which is related to one of the end instrumentalities of said group, and preventing concomitant operation of all the other devices.

4. In a musical instrument, a set of separate selectively operable instrumentalities for producing a series of notes ofthe musical scale in any desired sequence, a seriesof-individually operable devices for producing musical notes covering a selected musical range but different in t'mbre from said series of notes, individual pneumatic means con,- trolling the operation of each of said devices,

crating each pneumatic means and connected 5 to saidindividual pneumatic means-in series, and controlling means for individually controllingcommunication between any two of said pneumatic means in series,- each individual controlling means bein in turn controlled individually by one ofsaid instrumentalities, and when rendered effective at any actuation, operative to cut off said source from all individual means farther along in said series of connections whereby at each operation of an instrumentality, a device will be operated to produce a note having a desired musical relation to the note-of the instrumentality causing its operation, and operation of the other devices controlled .by .the individual means farther along in said series of connections prevented.

5. In a musical instrument, aset of separate selectively operable instrumentalities ,for producing a series of notes ofthe musical scale in any desired sequence, a series of individually operable devices for producing musical notes covering a selected musical range but different in timbre fromsaid series of notes, individual pneumatic means controlling the operation of each of said devices,

a common pneumatic source of power for operating each pneumatic means, a: plurality of pneiunatic elements operable individually by said instrumentalities for controlling individually the communication between said common pneumatic sourceof power andsaid pneumatic means, whereby when each instru- 'mentality is operated to produce one note,

one of said devices will be also operated to produce a note having a desired musical relation to said one note, and said elements being adapted whenever a group of said instrumentalities are operated at one time, to permit operation or that device which is related to one of the end instrumentalities of said group and prevent concomitant operation of all the other of said otherwise be operated by that group.

6; In a musical instrument, a control element having a plurality of separate chambers communicating with one another in succession, a chamber control valve controlling the communication between each pair of chambers, means for creating a partial vacuum in one of the end chambers, and through it successively in the other chambers, a plurality of sound-producing devices, means including a separate conduit controlling each device independently of the others and operable upon the creation of a partial vacuum in said conduit to cause operation of said device, each conduit being connected to one of the chambers for individual control thereby, a vent valve separately controlling communication of each conduit to its chamber and when preventing such communication, serving to vent its conduit to break any vacuum therein, and means for operating the vent valves leading to said chambers to permit communication of each chamber with its conduit selectively in any sequence and concomitantly operating the valve preventing communication of any chamber which may be connected to its conduit by its vent valve,

with the chambers beyond it from said one end chamber, whereby but one device may be operated at a time.

7. In a musical instrument, a set of separate, selectively operable instrumentalities for producing a series of notes of the musical scale in any desired sequence, a series of individually operable devices for producing notes covering a selected musical range but differing in timbre from said series of notes, a control element having a plurality otseparate chambers communicating with one another in succession, a'conduit connecting each of said chambers with one of said devices, a

valve controlling communication between each conduit and its chamber, means connected to one of the end chambers of said element for creating therein a pneumatic pressure below atmosphere and communicating that pressure to the other chambers in succession, individual valves controlling communication between successive chambers, and individual means controlled by each instrumentality and in turn controlling the valves of a related chamber that in turn control the communication of that chamber with its conduit and with the chamber neXt in succession thereto, whereby at the operation of each instrumentality the related valves in one of 1 said chambers will be operated to connect the devices which would chamber with its. conduit and thereby cause operation of a related device, and also automatically cut oii all other chambers ot'the series farther along in the succession to prevent operation of the devices controlled by the chambers which are cut ofli.

8., In a musical instrument, a set of separately operable instrumentalities for producing a series of notes of the musical scale in any desired sequence, a series of individually operable devices for producing musical notes coveringa selected musical range but diilering in timbre from said series of notes, means including an' individual pneumatic conduit controlling each device, a source of pneumatic power connected to said means in series to one another, means including valves leading to each conduit and connected to said source of power for individually connecting said source to said conduit pneumatically, and cutting oii from said source all other means farther along in its series, and means for controlling said valves individually, in turn individually con rolled by said instrumentalities, whereby at the operation of each instrumentality, or concomitantly of a group thereof, one only of said devices will be concomitantly operated to produce a note having a desired musical relation, and that device operated with one note of the actuated instrumentality.

9. In a musical instrument, a set ofseparately operable instrumentalities for producing a series of notes of the musical scale in any desired sequence, a series of individually operable devices for producing musical notes covering a selected musical range but differing in timbre from said series of notes, means including an individual pneumatic conduit controlling each device, a source of pneumatic power, means including valves leading to each conduit and connectedto said source of power for individually connecting said source to said conduit pneumatically, means "for controllin said valves individually,

in'turn individually controlled by said instrumentalities, whereby at the operation of each instrumentality, one of said devices will be operated to produce a note having a desired musical relation to the'note of the actuated instrumentality, and means operable automatically to prevent the concomitant operation of more than one of said devices.

10. In a musical instrument, a casing having a plurality of separate chambers communicating with one another in succession, a

plurality of pneumatically controlled soundproducing devices, a control conduit connecting each chamber with one of said devices, a valve controlling communication of each conduit and its chamber, a source of pneumatic power connected to one of the end chambers which are connected in succession and through it to the other chambers, individual valves controlling communication between successive chambers, means jointly controlling the valve leading to each conduit and the valve of the same chamber communicating with the chamber next in succession thereto from the said one end chamber, means for operating said last named means individually and in groups, the valves controlling communication between said chambers automatically cutting off said source of power from all chambers in succession beyond the first chamber nearest said one chamber, which may be connected at any time to its conduit.

11. In a musical instrument, a plurality of sound-producing devices, a control box therefor having a plurality of chambers arranged in a row, said box having individual passages connecting said chambers to one another in succession and having a suction connection to one of the end chambers, a valve 0 controlling each individual passage and having an operating part disposed in the chamher at the inlet end of that passage, an individual conduit leading from each chamber to one of the sound producing devices, a valve controlling the communication of each conduit with its chamber and having an operating part in said chamber, said box also having a plurality of control passages, one adj acent each chamber which it controls, and each opening into its chamber at a plurality of points, one of said points of openings being a bleed port having a small aperture, and means associated with the other opening points for operating the valves by atmospheric pressure in that control passage, and

means for selectively and individually venting said control passages to atmosphere, whereby whenever a control passage is vented to atmosphere, the air pressure therein acting against the partial vacuum caused successively by the suction in said chambers will operate the valves of the related chamber and connect the suction in that chamber to its conduit and close the individual passage from that chamber to the other chambers next in succession therefrom in order that suction may be communicated to but one of said conduits at a time, said bleed port automatically causing a restoration of a partial vacuum in each control passage whenever that passage is closed to atmosphere.

In testimony to the foregoing I hereto sign my name.

SELVIYOR A. SWANSON.

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