US2037312A - Musical instrument - Google Patents

Description

W36 T. o @ANATSEY MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed Dec. 5, 1954 s sheets-sheet l my R/. O ma w( m0. Y Q f w Y /V///m /W//w u M T.O.CNATSEY MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed Dec. 5, 1954 3 SheS-Shee 2 Apri M9 193s,

y Y w www ATTORNEY 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 T. 0. @ANATSEY MUSICAL INS FRUMENT Filed Dec. 5, 1934 AM i193@ atentec pr. 1,4, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Application December 5, 1934, Serial No. 756,067

22 Claims.

@This invention relates to musical instruments and more particularly to those of that character wherein tones are produced by hammer action responsive to touch of the musician.

e.; In instruments of this character, the gradual rise `and fall of tone volume, known as the crescendo and diminuendo, is attained by varying touch on the keys controlling the hammer mechanism. Consequently, it is diflicult for most mulo sicians to attain expression necessary in the proper renditionof a passage of music.

It is, therefore, a principal object of the present invention vto provide a mechanism with which crescendo and diminuendo passages are produced i5 througha uniformtouch on the keys so that musicians not having the ability of varying their touch can `produce an almost perfect rendition and whichat the same time permits the professional musician to attain his individual expres- 20 sion during interpretation of a crescendo or diminuendo passage.

Other important objects of the invention are to provide a hammer action which is less subject to the effects of weather conditions, to provide '.25 a mechanismhaving fewer and less severe wear on the working parts, and to provide a mechanism permitting faster repetition of short notes.

It is also an important object of the invention "toprovide an octave coupler whereby, when any key is struck in one octave to sound a note, the corresponding note is simultaneously reproduced in the next octave with the same touch on the key as when-the note isplayed singly.

In accomplishing these and other objects of 35 the invention, I have provided improved details of structure-the preferred yform of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a perspective sectional View of a portion of a piano equipped with a hammer action embodying the features of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view through the key board of thepiano on the line 2-2, Fig. '7, particularly iilustrating the key of one octave and its hammer action in idle position and illustrating the rear 49 endof the corresponding key of the next higher octave to better illustrate the octave coupler mechanism which is shown in set position.

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing octave coupled keys depressed and the hammer action raising '30 the hammers into position for sounding a note.

--Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view illustrating the levers controlling the octave coupler mechanism.

Fig. 5 is a sectional View similar to Fig. 2 showing the octave coupler `in Ynon-functional posii?" tion.

(o1. sli-244) Fig. 6 is a side velevational view at one end of the hammer action, particularly illustrating the motor drive and the octave coupler control.

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary plan view of the hammer action composing the base and treble clef sections of the piano.

Fig. 8 is a wiring diagram of the electric circuit by which the crescendo and diminuendo passages are selectively controlled.

Referring more in detail to the drawings: 10

I designates the key board portion 4of a piano including a frame 2 carrying keys 3 and hammer actions A for producing base and treble clef notes in the respective octaves as in conventional piano construction. 15

Each key and hammer action is substantially identical and, therefore, only one key and ha.. mer action need be described in detail. The same description and reference characters will, therefore, refer to any one of the keys and its hammer action included in the key board.

Mounted on the frame 2 and extending across the width of the piano is a fulcrum bar 5 carrying balance-key pins 6 that extend through arcuate slots 'i at a point intermediate the length of the key bars 8 and which cooperate with front key pins 9 to retain the keys in their correct position on the fulcrum bar.

It may be here stated that the surfaces between moving parts are .cushioned and bushed with felt 30 orother suitable material, as at II), to prevent noise and to compensate for wear as in best piano construction practice. It, therefore, need not be necessary to complicate the present description with reference to such details of construction unless it be pertinent to the present invention.

The key bars 8 are of conventional construction -including the operating ends I i that are acted upon by touch to effect rocking movement thereof on thefulcrum bar 5 in actuating Jthe hammer mechanism now to be described.

Located at suitably spaced intervals across the width of the frame are front action brackets I2 including base portions I3, extending between selected keys and secured to the frame by suitable fastening devices Ill. Formed on the base portion|3 of each bracket and projecting upwardly and forwardly thereof are arms I5 carrying a butt rail I6 extending across the key bars for pivotally mounting hammers I'I. Each hammer I'I includes a padded head portion I8 and a shank or butt I9 that is pivoted by a pin 2l] to a butt flange 2| secured to the top face of the butt rail I6 in such a manner that the head of 55 the hammer is in position to strike its respective vibratory element, here shown as a string 22,

In present piano actions, movement of the key bar under touch of the fingers directly actuates the hammer to produce the required tone, the force of the hammer blow against the string being governed by the pressure applied to the operating end of the key, the force of the blow eifectuating the desired degree of tone volume. It is, therefore, necessary in the rendition of a passage of music to obtain the desired expression by selectively varying the finger touch or pressure on the keys in coordination with the tempo of the music. For this reason it is difficult for most musicians to play crescendo and diminuendo passages, for example music passages where it is necessary to uniformly increase and decrease the tone volume in obtaining expression.

In carrying out the present invention, I have provided an automatic hammer operating mechanism which permits substantially perfect renditions of crescendo and diminuendo passages without making it necessary to vary the pressure on the keys so that an ordinary pianist is capable of imparting the same expression to a passage of music as the most skillful musician and at the same time the skilled musician may have the keys under control whereby he can impart the individual touch that makes his music stand out beyond that of the ordinary musician.

In carrying out this object of the invention, each bracket i2 is provided with an upwardly extending arm 23 having bearings 24 therein aligning with the bearings of the other arms to rotatably mount a shaft 25 which extends entirely across the width of the piano directly under the shanks of all of the respective hammers. The Shanks are normally retained from contact with the periphery of the shaft by means of a customary hammer rail 25 that is adjustably mounted on threaded posts 21 carried by the brackets !2, the rail 26 being provided with a pad 23 on which the Shanks are supported.

Formed on the butt end I9 of the hammer shank at a point over the shaft 25 is a slot 30 in which is pivotally mounted a friction shoe 3|. The shoe 3| is of substantially arcuate shape and has its upper end 32 projecting through the slot to engage against an adjustable stop 33 under action of a spring 34 having one end bearing against a lug 35 on the hammer shank and its opposite end seated in a recess in the projecting end of the shoe.

The lower end of the shoe depends from the slot of the hammer and is covered with a suitable friction material 35 extending from the side thereof engaging the shaft 25 around the curved end 31 to the opposite side where it is engaged by a repetition lever 38 later described.

The adjusting stop 33 is threadedly mounted in a lug 39 projecting from the hammer shank at the end of the slot opposite the lug 35. Ihe friction shoe is pivotally mounted in the slot on a bushed pin 46 so that the outer arcuate face 4| thereof depends in substantially tangential contact with the periphery of the shaft, while the .inner arcuate edge thereof is in position to be engaged by the repetition lever 38.

The adjusting stop 33 is positioned so that when the hammer shank is resting idly on the hammer rail, the spring 34 retains the outer curved face 4| of the shoe in spaced relation with the periphery of the shaft 25 so that rotation of the shaft does not act on the hammer unless the shoe is pressed thereagainst to produce a frictional drive between the shoe and the friction face of the shaft. When such occurs, the hammer is swung on its pvot in the direction of its string to produce a tone.

Extending downwardly and rearwardly from the butt rail I6, is a ledge portion 42 for mounting repetition lever anges 43 similar to the butt flanges 2i previously described. The flanges 43 each project downwardly and rearwardly toward the respective key bars 8 and pivotally mount the repetition lever 38 Each repetition lever is of substantially T- shape and provided with a socket 45 in its head portion to accommodate the depending end of the ange 43, the head of the lever being pivoted to the ange by the pin 46 which extends therethrough and through the iiange as best shown in Fig. 2. Formed on the head portion of the repetition lever are oppositely directed arms 41 and 48 extending in the direction of the key bar 8 and hammer shank I9, respectively.

The upper arm 48 carries a pivot pin 49 for pivotally mounting a cam shaped toggle having a rounded tail portion 5| engaging the inner curved face of the friction shoe 3| and a weighted head portion 52 normally retaining the tail portion in position to engage the friction shoe. The outer face 53 of the head portion 52 is curved to engage a plate or facing 54 that is fixed to the bottom edge of the hammer shank |9 as shown in Fig. 2. The lower arm 41 of the lever carries a screw 55 that is adjustably mounted therein and has a. head 56 engaging a wippen lever 51.

The wippen lever 51 is pivotally mounted by means of a pin 58 to a wippen 59 that is xed to the upper edge cf the key bar 8 at a point to the rear of the balance-pins 1, previously described. The wippen 59 includes a block 6|] that is secured to the key bar by fastening devices 6| extending through flanges 62 in the ends of the block and into the bar as best shown in Fig. 2. The wippen also includes a segmental block 63 that is xed to the block 6U and has its upper face 64 extending in substantially parallel alignment with the arms 41 and 4S of the repetition lever but in spaced relation therewith to accommodate the wippen lever therebetween.

The wippen lever 51 has its lower end pivotally mounted on the pin 58 which is carried by ears 65 projecting from the segmental block 63.

In order to retain the padded face 66 of the wippen lever in engagement with the head of the adjusting screw 55, the lower face thereof is provided with a socket G1 aligning with the socket 68 in the segmental block to mount a coil spring 69 which normally urges the wippen lever away from the wippen block; however, the movement thereof is limited by a stop hook xed to the outer end of the wippen lever and engaging a projecting flange 1| on the wippen block 63.

It is thus apparent that when the operating end of the key is rocked on the fulcrum bar 5, the wippen lever 51 will cause pivotal movement of the repetition lever in a clockwise direction, Fig. 2, to move the tail portion of the cam shaped toggle into engagement with the friction shoe and the friction shoe into driving contact with the periphery of the rotating shaft 25. Rotation of the shaft in a clockwise direction as indicated by the arrow will, therefore, effect movement of the hammer toward its string 22 until the rounded lower end of the shoe overrides its point of contact with the tail portion of vthe toggle lever.

When this occurs, the padded head of the hammer lacks about a quarter of an inch of engaging the string. However, the inertia imparted by the rotating shaft will effect continued movement of the hammer to strike the string and effect production of a desired tone.

During the drive of the friction shoe incidental to its Contact with the rotating shaft, the inner arcuate face of the shoe will move in sliding contact with the tail portion of the toggle lever until the rounded end thereof moves out of engagement therewith.

When this occurs, the friction shoe will have entirely disengaged with the periphery of the shaft and the hammer is released to complete its stroke. After striking the string, the hammer will rebound under its own weight to again bring the rounded lower end of the friction shoe into engagement with the tail portion of the toggle lever. The friction shoe will, therefore, rock the toggle lever in a clockwise direction to bring the weighted end thereof into position to be engaged by the butt end of the hammer shank. However, just before the hammer shank comes in contact with the toggle shoe, a back check 12 that is carried on the rear end of the key bar will have engaged a tail portion 13 of the harnmer to check retractive movement thereof. Immediately upon release of the shoe from driving Contact with the rotating shaft, the spring 3d will have shifted the stop arm of the shoe against the stop 33 to retain the outer contact face thereof from reengagement with the driving shaft.

Then, when pressure on the key is released, the back check will drop away from the tail portion of the hammer so that the hammer continues to travel to its position of rest. During this final movement of the hammer, the contact plate 54 will have engaged the rounded face of the toggle to again bring the tail portion thereof into contact with the outer rounded face of the friction shoe.

Simultaneously with the release of the key, the wippen lever will have moved back from contact with the stop screw to permit the repetition lever to return to its normal position under action of its spring 'i4 so that when the key is again depressed, the movement will be repeated to produce another tone in the same manner as above described.

To produce a series of repetitions of the same note, the key is released permitting the wippen lever to drop away from pressing engagement with the repetition lever which permits the repetition lever to return toits normal position. Due to the weighted end of the toggle, the toggle will remain so that the tail portion thereof is in position to engage the friction shoe upon actuation of the key in producing the next short note. The tail portion of the toggle, therefore, engages the friction shoe before the back stop has engaged the tail portion of the hammer. The hammer will, therefore, be again driven in the direction of the string to produce the next short note.

It is apparent that the toggle lever will always be in position to engage the lower end of the friction shoe when the key is released prior to and during its return to rest position. It is thus obvious that a series of short notes can be produced :by the same key due to the fact that the weighted end of the toggle retains the tail portion thereof' in position to immediately engage the friction shoe upon operation of the key.

Attention is particularly directed to the point at which power of the shaft is applied to effect movement of the hammers I'i. Upon observation of the drawings, it will be noted that the power is applied at a material distance from the hammer butt flange, thereby greatly relieving strain on the entire hammer assembly.

In order to rotate the shaft, one end thereof is provided with a grooved pulley 'l5 driven from a grooved pulley 1S on the armature shaft of a motor Tl, the pulleys being interconnected by a belt 18 operating in the grooves of the respective pulleys. The motor 'l' may preferably be suspended from the lower side of the frame 2 as best illustrated in Fig. 6.

From the construction thus far described, it is apparent that the volume of tone is controlled through pressure contact of the friction shoe with the driving face of the shaft 25 which in turn is controlled by the pressure of the finger upon the key and the rotational sneed of the shaft. For example, in producing a tone of the greatest volume (fortissimo) the shaft must be operated at maximum speed and the key depressed to its full extent. or by a quick short stroke, so that the full pressure of the wippen spring G9 is conveyed to the toggle lever to retain the friction shoe in Contact with the driving face of the shaft with full pressure of the spring, whereupon the full rotative force of the shaft is imparted to the hammer'. Any other degree of volume from the loudest (fortissimo) to the very softest (pianissimo) may be had by gradually releasing a crescendo lever (81 later described); but when the crescendo lever is set at any given position to effect a certain volume, the volume may be varied either way from the set volume by simply using a little softer touch for a softer tone, or a little heavier touch for a louder tone. This is a feature which still permits an individual touch.

The extent or length of the tone is controlled by a damper mechanism such as Used in conventional piano design. The damper mechanism includes a damper head 'I9 having pads il@ niormally engaging the string 22 and which is connected to an actuating lever 8l hy means of a damper block 82 and a damper wire 83.

The lever 8| is normally retained in depressed condition by means of a leaf spring 84 having one end fixed to a bar 85 connecting the damper action brackets 85. The forward end of the lever 8| projects into the path of the key-bar so that when the key is actuated the lever is raised against tension of the spring 84 to lift the damper from the string, thereby leaving the string free to vibrate under impact of the hammer.

The length of the tone is controlled by the key action which effects reapplication of the damper to the string when pressure is released from the key. When this occurs, the key returns to its normal position and the spring 84 moves the lever to draw the pads into contact with the string damping the vibration thereof.

The normal speed of the drive shaft is relatively slow so as to normally produce soft tones upon striking of the keys and in order to increase the volume of the tone or to permit the playing of a crescendo passage, I provide means for accelerating the rotational speed of the shaft as now to be described.

Mounted on the bottom of the frame 2 at a point substantially midway of the key board is the crescendo lever 8'! pivoted intermediate its length by means of a pin 88 that is carried by a bracket 89 fixed to the frame. The forward end 90 of the lever projects into convenient position so that it may be Vswung on its pivot to move the opposite end 9| thereof through a slot 92 in a rheostat housing 93.

Mounted in the housing 93 is a resistance winding 94 connected at suitable intervals with contacts 95 which are adapted to be engaged by a contact 95 on the control lever 81. One end of the resistance winding 94 is connected to one of the leads of the motor 11 by a conductor 91.

The contact 96 is` connected by a flexible lead 98 with a circuit breaking switch 99 which in turn is connected to one of the line Wires |00 of an electrical circuit. 'I'he other line wire |0| of the circuit is connected by a conductor |02 with the other lead of the motor. Thus, when the switch 99 is closed, a circuit is completed from the line through the rheostat and the motor 11 tothe line |0l.

When the motor is operating at slow speed, the contact 96 of the lever 81 is engaged with the contact which connects the entire resistance into the motor circuit so that the shaft is operated at slow speed. By moving the lever 81 over the contacts to cut out the resistance the speed of the motor is increased to correspondingly increase the speed of rotation of the drive shaft. Then, when the keys are depressed, the higher speed will cause greater impact of the hammers and correspondingly increase the tone volume.

It is thus apparent that to play a crescendo passage it is only necessary to move the lever 81 in a direction to gradually remove the resistance from the circuit as the keys for the crescendo passage are being operated. It is also obvious that by setting the lever 81 at any xed point the shaft 25 can be made to rotate at a speed to give any desired volume of tone.

In fact the action is so flexible that when playing the very softest degree a sudden crash note (sforzando) may be effected by simply shifting the crescendo lever to its farthest extent for the crash note and then returning it immediately to its original position continuing the former volume. The crescendo lever is not only what the name implies, but it is the volume control for all degrees of intensity of sound.

When this occurs, the shaft gradually increases in speed to give the required motive force in effecting substantially perfect crescendo when the pressure applied to all of the keys is uniform. Like- Wise, when the rheostat lever is lmoved in the oppcsite direction to bring the resistance back into the circuit, the rotation of the driving shaft is decreased. Then, as the keys are operated with uniform pressure, the gradually decreasing speed of the drive shaft will produce the desired diminuendo.

Even though the ordinary pianist can produce perfect crescendo or diminuendo passages by an even touch of the keys, there still remains the human touch at any point in the crescendo where one wants to make any note stand out above the rest, thereby giving the individual expression to music such as effected by the most skilled pianists.

In obtaining this latter accent, all that is necessary is the skill required to depress that key or group of keys with a firmer touch so that the hammer will be caused to contact the strings quicker and with more intensity to produce the latter tone.

As previously pointed out, it is also an object of the present invention to provide an octave coupler whereby two octaves may be played simultaneously by actuating the sets of keys composing one of the octaves. In carrying out this feature of the invention, I also utilize the effective rotation of the driving shaft in creating the motive power to actuate the respective hammer mechanisms so that it requires no more effort on the part of the operator than to play a single octave.

Mounted on the` brackets I2 are a pair of plates |03 extending respectively across the rear end of the base and treble clef keys and have their rear edges pivotally mounted on trunnions |04 that are carried by the brackets I2. Pivotally mounted on the plates by means of eyes |05 and |06 are pairs of levers |01 and |08 connected together intermediate their ends by a link |09 operating through slots ||9 in the plates. The lower levers |01 have depending lugs adapted to engage in the rear ends of the respective keys of an octave and the upper levers |08 have similar lugs ||2 adapted to engage a. control lever I3 for the` key action in the corresponding key of the next octave. The control levers ||3 have their rear ends pivotally mounted as at ||4 to an arm ||5 of the repeat lever and normaly rest upon a cross bar ||6 to support the free ends l |1 thereof in alignment with the end portions ||2 of the levers |08 as shown in Fig. 2.

In order to adjust the relative spacing between the lugs ||2 and the free ends of the levers ||3 the levers are provided with adjusting screws I8 having heads 9 adapted to engage with the lugs ||2. When the plates are rocked on their trunnions to bring the lugs H2 into engagement with the keys of an octave and the keys for that octave are actuated, they will rock the levers |01 and |08 on the plates to raise the corresponding control levers from their seats on the cross bar I0 and against action of springs |20 which have one end xed to the. hammer-rail 26 and their other ends bearing against the control levers as best illustrated in Fig. 2.

Formed on the control levers intermediate the ends thereof are shaft engaging portions 2| so that when a lever is raised upon operation of a key, that lever engages with the shaft so that rotation thereof causes retractive movement of the lever to effect rocking of the repeat lever on its pivot bringing the toggle into engagement with the friction shoe of that key action to cause movement of the hammer into striking position with its string. It is thus obvious that by playing the key in the first octave, the corresponding key will be simultaneously played in the following octave.

In order to move the plates so that the levers thereon will be in functional position to connect the. keys of the respective octaves, the outer brackets carry shafts 22 having dependng levers |23 that are connected to actuating rods |24 as shown in Fig. 6. The opposite end of the rods are provided with laterally extending terminals |25 projecting through guide slots |20 at the respective ends of the piano frame and with knobs whereby the rods may be reciprocated in movi-ng the plates into and out of coupling position. Fixed on the shafts are cam arms |21 and |28 for engaging the adjacent ends of the respective plates to effect the swinging movement thereof against tension of springs |29 having their ends connected to the hammer rail and to the rear edges of the plates.

In order to operate the damper mechanism of the keys which are actuated by the octave coupler, each lever |08 carries a depending screw |30 extending through openings |3| in the plates |03 and having heads |32 adapted to engage forked brackets |33 that are xed to the rear ends of the key bars 8 so that when one of the levers |08 is raised to engage the head of the screw ||8, the head of the screw |30 will engage the fork shaped bracket |33 for that key to cause the key bar to actuate the damper mechanism in the same manner as if the key were actuated from the operating end thereof.

In operating a piano action constructed and assembled as described, the rheostat bar is set to bring the entire resistance 54 in circuit with the motor 11, whereupon the shaft 25 will be operated at its minimum speed. Then, when a key is depressed, the wippen lever for that key will be moved into engagement with the head 55 of the screw 55 that is carried by the. repeat lever to effect pivotal movement thereof in a clockwise direction, Fig. 2, thereby carrying the toggle 55 into pressing engagement with the friction shoe 4| and moving the friction shoe against the shaft 25 to eiect frictional drive thereof andy movement of the hammer in the direction of the string 22.

About the time thatthe hammer approaches Within a short distance of the string, the rounded end 31 of the friction shoe rides off the periphery of the shaft 25. However, due to inertia, the hammer will continue its movement into striking contact with the string.

The hammer will then drop back toward the bar 26; however, if the iinger pressure is retained on the key, the tail portion 13 of the hammer will have engaged the back check 12 and the rounded end of the friction shoe will have moved the toggle 52 into the dotted line position shown in Fig. 3. Upon release of pressure on the key, the hammer will be freed so that it may continue its movement to rest position on the pad 28. When this occurs, the plate 54 on the hammer shank will have rocked the toggle lever in an anti-clockwise direction to bring the tail thereof into engagement with the friction shoe restoring the hammer action to its original position.

If, however, the pianist desires to repeat the note and has released and again operated the key before the hammer has returned to position, the

vtoggle Will remain so that the tail portion 5| is ready to engage the friction shoe to again move it in driving contact with the shaft 25. It is thus apparent that a series of short notes can be produced without making it necessary for the hammer to have returned to its original position upon each operation of the key.

In case the pianist should desire to play a crescendo passage, the rheostat lever 90 will be operated by knee pressure simultaneously with the play on the keys to accelerate the speed of the shaft 25, thereby gradually increasing the force of the blows struck by the respective hammers which produces notes of gradually increasing volume.

To play diminuendo passages, the operation of the lever 90 is reversed to retard rotation of the shaft so that the force of the hammer blows is lessened to produce the softer tones.

It is also obvious that, if desired, the pianist can vary pressure on the keys to obtain the personal expression which he deems necessary; however, the ordinary musician can play crescendo and diminuendo passages with substantially the same expression as an experienced musician.

In playing a piece that is to be octaved in either the base or treble clefs, the lever |25 for that end of the key board is operated to bring the octave coupler for that side into position so that when a key is played in one octave the corresponding keys in each of the other octaves in that clef will be simultaneously operated.

Thus, when a key is actuated to operate the lever |01, the corresponding lever |08 will be operated to cause the lug thereon to engage the head l i9 of the screw i8 on the control lever |3. This raises the control lever so that the friction portion I2! thereon contacts with the face of the shaft '.25 to eifect shifting thereof and rocking movement of the repeat lever which brings the toggle into engagement with the friction shoe to cause the hammer to be moved into engagement with its string simultaneously with operation of the hammer of the first operated key.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that I have provided a piano action wherewith crescendo and diminuendo passages may be produced by uniform finger action on all of the keys and yet individual pressure may be applied to the keys to suit the whim of the musician.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In combination with the hammers of a musical instrument of the character described, an actuator mechanism for said hammers, and mechanical means for selectively varying motive force of the actuator mechanism to vary force of the impacts imparted by said hammers.

2. In a musical instrument of the character described, a vibratory member, means for striking the vibratory member to produce a musical note, an actuator for said striking means, a key, means connecting the key with the striking means to render the actuator effective, and means other than variable pressure on the key for varying motive force imparted by the actuator. 3. In a musical instrument of the character described, a vibratory member, means for striking the vibratory member to produce a musical fnote, an actuator for said striking means, means carried by the striking means and adapted to frictionally .engage the actuator, a key, means actuated by the key to eiect engagement of said friction means with the actuator to operate said striking means, and means other than variable pressure on the key for varying speed of the actuator to vary the force of said striking means.

4. In a musical instrument of the character described, a vibratory member, means for striking the vibratory member to produce a musical note, an actuator for said striking means, means carried by the striking means and adapted to frictionally engage the actuator, a key, a re-v peat lever, a toggle pivoted on the repeat lever and having a portion engageable with said friction means to effect engagement with the actuator, and means contacting the key with the repeat lever.

5. In a musical instrument of the character described, a vibratory member, means for striking the vibratory member to produce a musical note, an actuator for said striking means, means carried by the striking means and adapted to frictionally engage the actuator, a key, a repeat lever, a toggle pivoted on the repeat lever and having a portion engageable with said friction means to eifect engagement with the act1 ator, means contacting the key with the repeat lever, and mean for varying speed of the actuator to vary force of said striking means.

6. In a musical instrument of the character described, a vibratory member, means for strik- CII ing the vibratory member to produce a musical note, an actuator for said striking means, means carried by the striking means and adapted to frictionally engage the actuator, a key, a repeat lever, a toggle pivoted on the repeat lever and having a portion engageable with said friction means to effect engagement with the actuator, a wippen on the key, and a lever pivoted on the wippen and engageable with the repeat lever to effect movement of the toggle.

'7. In a musical instrument of the character described, a vibratory member, means for striking the vibratory member to produce a musical note, an actuator for said striking means, means carried by the striking means and adapted to frictionally engage the actuator, a key, a repeat lever, a toggle pivoted on the repeat lever and having a portion engageable with said friction means to effect engagement with the actuator, a Wippen on the key, a lever pivoted on the Wippen and engageable with the repeat lever to effect movement of the toggle, and means for varying speed of the actuator to vary force of said striking means.

8. In combination with the hammer of a musical instrument of the character described, an actuator for said hammer, means selectively connecting the hammer with the actuator, a motor for the actuator, a motor circuit, a rheostat in the motor circuit, and means for actuating the rheostat for selectively varying speed of the motor to vary the impact force of the striking means as imparted thereto by the actuator.

9. In a musical instrument of the character described, a vibratory member, means for striking the vibratory member, a shaft having a friction surface, a friction shoe pivoted on the striking means and adapted to engage the friction surface of the shaft, a repeat lever, a toggle pivoted on the repeat lever and having a portion engageable with the friction shoe and a portion engageable with the striking means to position said toggle relatively to said friction shoe, a key, a Wippen on the key including a Wippen lever engageable with the repeat lever upon actuation of the key to effect driving engagement of the friction shoe With the shaft for actuating the striking means, and means for rotating the shaft.

10. In a musical instrument of the character described, a vibratory member, means for striking the vibratatory member, a` shaft having a friction surface, a friction shoe pivoted on the striking means and adapted to engage the friction surface of the shaft, a repeat lever, a toggle pivoted on the repeat lever and having a portion engageable With the friction shoe and a portion engageable With the striking means to position said toggle relatively to said friction shoe, a key, a Wippen on the key including a wippen lever engageable With the repeat lever upon actuation of the key to effect driving engagement of the friction shoe with the shaft for actuating the striking means, a motor for rotating the shaft, a circuit means for connecting a key of one octave with the corresponding key of another octave.

12. In a musical instrument of the character described, vibratory members, means for striking the vibratory members to produce musical notes, actuating means for said striking means, keys, means connecting the keys with the respective striking means to render the actuating means effective, means for varying speed of the actuating means to vary the force of said striking means, and means selectively connecting the keys whereby one key effectively operates the striking means for the other key.

13. In a musical instrument of the character described, a vibratory member, means for striking the vibratory member to produce musical notes, means mounting the striking means for movement to and from said vibratory member, and actuator for said striking means, means carried by the striking means and adapted to frictionally engage the actuator, a key, means actuated by the key to effect engagement of said friction means With the actuator to simultaneously operate said striking means including means for effecting reengagement of the friction means with the actuator during movement of the striking means from the vibratory member whereby a series of short notes is rendered by successive operation of said key, and mea-ns for varying speed of the actuator to vary the force of said striking means.

14. In a musical instrument of the character described, a vibratory member, means for striking the vibratory member, a shaft having a friction surface, a friction shoe pivoted on the striking means and adapted to engage the friction surface of the shaft, a repeat lever, a toggle pivoted on the repeat lever and having a portion engageable With the friction shoe and a portion engageable with the striking means to position said toggle relatively to said friction shoe, a key, a Wippen on the key including a wippen lever engageable With the repeat lever upon actuation of the key to effect driving engagement of the friction shoe With the shaft for actuating the striking means, means for rotating the shaft, a control lever having a portion adapted to engage said shaft to actuate said repeat lever independent of said key, and means for selectively actuating the control lever.

l5. In a musical instrument of the character described, a vibratory member, means for striking the vibratory member, a shaft having a friction surface, a friction shoe pivoted on the striking means and adapted to engage the friction surface of the shaft, a repeat lever, a toggle pivoted on the repeat lever and having a portion engageable with the friction shoe and a portion engageable with the striking means to position said toggle relatively to said friction shoe, a key, a wippen on the key including a Wippen lever engageable with the repeat lever upon actuation of the key to effect driving engagement of the friction shoe with the shaft for actuating the striking means, a motor for rotating the shaft, a circuit for the motor, a rheostat in the motor circuit for selectively varying speed thereof to vary the impact force of the striking means, a control lever having a portion adapted to engage said shaft to actuate said repeat lever independent of said key, and means for selectively actuating the control lever.

16. In combination with the hammer action of a musical instrument of the character described, a motor for operating the hammer action, a motor circuit, a rheostat in the motor circuit, and a crescendo lever connected With the rheostat for selectively varying speed of the motor to vary the impact force imparted by the hammer action.

17. In combination with a pair of keys, an octave coupler including a plate, levers on the plate, means interconnecting the levers, and means for moving the plate to bring one of the levers into operative relation with one of the keys to actuate the other lever on the plate.

18. In a piano action, a pair of keys, hammer mechanisms for each key, power means for actuating the hammer mechanisms, means operated by the keys for rendering the power means effective in actuating the hammer mechanisms, and means interconnecting one of the keys with the key operated means of the other key to effect simultaneous actuation of the hammer mechanisms.

19. In a musical instrument of the character described, a vibratory member, means for striking the vibratory member, a shaft having a friction surface, a friction shoe pivoted on the striking means and adapted to engage the friction surface of the shaft, a repeat lever, a toggle pivoted on the repeat lever and having a portion engageable with the friction shoe and a portion engageable with the striking means to position said toggle relatively to said friction shoe, a control lever connected vvith the repeat lever, and means for moving the control lever into contact .with the shaft to effect shifting movement thereof to alctuate the repeat lever.

20. In a musical instrument of the character described, a vibratory member, means for striking the vibratory member, a shaft having a friction surface, a friction shoe pivoted on the striking means and adapted to engage the friction surface of the shaft, a repeat lever, a toggle pivoted on the repeat lever and having a portion engageable with the friction shoe and a portion engageable with the striking means to position said toggle relatively to said friction shoe, a control lever connected With the repeat lever, means for moving the control lever into contact with the shaft to effect shifting movement thereof to a'ctuate the repeat lever, a key for actuating the repeat lever, and a second key for actuating said last named means.

21. In combination With the keys and hammer mechanism of a musical instrument of the character described, an actuator mechanism for said hammer mechanism, means for operably connecting the keys With the actuator mechanism, a coupling means for connecting selective keys for simultaneous operation upon actuation of one of said keys, and means for selectively controlling the actuator mechanism to vary force of the impacts imparted by said hammer mechanism.

22. In a musical instrument of the character described, a vibratory member, means for striking the vibratory member to produce musical notes, means mounting the striking means for movement to and from said vibratory member, an actuator for said striking means, means 'carried by the striking means and adapted to frictionally engage the actuator, a key, and means actuated by the key to effect engagement of said friction means With the actuator to simultaneously operate said striking means including means for effecting reengagement of the friction means With the actuator during movement of the striking means from the vibratory member whereby a series of short notes is rendered by successive operation of said key.

TIRA O. CANATSEY.

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