US249330A - Mechanical musical instrument - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

M. GALLY.

MEOHANIUAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

Patented Nov. 8,1881.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets- Sheet 2.

M. GALLY.

MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

No. 249,330. Patented Nov. 8,1881

\NVENTQK N. PETERS. Fhalo-Ufllnpraphcn Washingkm. n. c.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MERRITT GALLY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

' SPECIFICATION forming" part of Letters Patent No. 249,330, dated November 8, 1881.

Application filed March 24, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, MERRITI GALLY, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of New York, county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mechanical Musical Instruments. of which the following is a specification.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of several devices of the invention acting upon the keys of a musical instrument. Fig. 2 is a sectional and side view of a part of the mechanism, showing its operation directly upon the valves of reeds or pipes, or upon piano-hammers. Fig. 3 is a side view of a modified form of a part of the mechanism; and Fig. 4 represents a double music-sheet roller having two music-sheets rolled upon it.

The object of the first Part of my invention is to provide means by wl ich the strokes which operate the keys or otherwise produce the notes upon a musical instrument shall be produced by positive mechanical movements, and these movements be at the same time under the control of pneumatic action.

In Fig. l the end view of a cylinder or series of wheels, 0, is shown operating upon a series of striking-levers, D. The cylinder 0 is driven by positive power by means of treadle T, a hand-crank, or any othersuitable motive power. The levers D are pivoted to vibrating supports I, the vibration of the supports allowing a longitudinal movement to the levers to bring them in contact 'or' remove them from contact with cylinder 0. The end of lever D nearest the cylinder is curved on a circle struck from the center of the pivot. When this end of the lever is pressed against the cylinder it is carried upward forcibly by the positive power exerted by the cylinder until the small friction-wheel f, which is in the end of the lever, rides upon the face of the cylinder. In this position of the lever the stroke is held until the lever is withdrawn longitudinally from the face of the cylinder, when it drops to its first position.

The pneumatic action is represented at A, each of the supports I connecting with a pneumatic, and each pneumatic being operated by a line of perforations in the music-sheet V. Any suitable mechanical device may be used between the pneumatic and the support I An ordinary toggle-joint is applicable; but for a more simple construction I use a simpler de vice which acts upon the same principle. I

flatten a stiff metal wire or rod, K, in its center until the flattened portion becomes quite elastic and may be easily bent out of line, but will resist considerable direct end pressure. I pivot one end of the rod to the support F and the other end to a resisting-blo'ck, I The resisting-block is made adjustable by means of screw S. With this screw I force the resistingbiock P forward until the curved end of lever D has suflicient pressure against cylinder G to produce a stroke of desired power with hammer H The connection Z connects the fiexi-- ble portion of rod K with its pneumatic. When the pneumaticis collapsed by exhaust by means of the exhaust-bellows B rod K is bent, as shown by the dotted lines, by means of slight pneumatic power, and lever D is withdrawn from cylinder 0. When a perforation in the music-sheet vents the pneumatic through its tube m the rod K returns to its horizontal position, and the powerful end-pressure of lever D is again made against cylinder 0 for the next stroke.

I vary the distance of throw of the keys and the power of the stroke for the purpose of producing expression by means of a peculiar construction of the hammers H H and change their positions for their strokes by means of pneumatics and perforations in the music sheet.

Arranged to operate ill a similar manner to lever D is the bell-crank lever E. This lever is connected with a hinged bar, J, which is the length of the entire range of keys N N or any desired portion of the range. I use several bars, if desired, each for a distinct portion of the range, and operate the different bars by different pneumatics, so that one portion of the range shall have a powerful stroke, while another may be light at the same time. The hammers are pivoted to the striking-levers, and are vibrated to differentpositions by means of the connections h h pivoted to bar J. The striking-face of each hammer, as shown at H or E is curved eccentric to the pivot which attaches it to the striking-lever. This eccentric is first covered with leather or other soft material, and next to this soft covering is a curved leaf-sprin g, a, which is bent at one end, so as to be screwed fast to one side of the hammer, as shown. The curve of spring a is concentric with the pivot of the hammer, and therefore a graduated space is made between the eccentric curve of the hammer and con- ICC centric spring. Icover the spring with soft material to prevent noise in its eomingin contact with the key, and also to give a quality to the touch imitating that of the human finger. I find that a combination of several layers of material of different kinds is best for this purpose. I have used different combinations, but find that soft india-rubber for the first layer and soft leather for the outside is a good one. This is represented in the drawings. The hammers H H in the position shown in the drawings, yield only slightly when forcing down keys N N and give a. powerful stroke. The hammers drawn backward more or less before the stroke increases the yield of the face of the hammer proportionately, and also proportionately diminishes the depression of the key. Different positions of the key therefore produce different qualities of touch. I bring the hammers to different positions for the purpose by use of several bars, J, having movements of different extent, each bar operated upon by its own pneumatic, or operate a single bar, J, by means of several pneumatics having different movements.

Besides controlling expression, I also operate the ordinary loud and soft pedals of the instrument pneumatically by movements similar to those already described for the operation of the keys. To crank-levers similar to that represented by E, I connect bell-cranks I. I pivot rods 1) which extend to the pedals 0 0 as shown. Pneumatics operated by lines of perforations in the music-sheet arranged for the purpose operate the mechanism in a similar manner to the action of the devices before described.

Fig. 2 represents the mechanical striking device when embodied in the musical instrument instead of operating as an attachment upon the finger-keys. Lever D is shown as working upon a push-pin for operating the valve of an organ-reed, or to operate a pianohammer, and crank-lever D is shown as connected with the valve N of an organ-pipe.

Fig. 3 represents a mechanism which I use in my invention for producing more powerful lever-strokes than produced by simple contact ofleverand cylinder shown in Fig.1. It will be seen that mere contact of cylinder 0 and lever D, Fig. 1 will require considerable end-pressure of the lever to prevent slipping. For very powerful lever-strokes I therefore use the device shownin Fig. 3. Instead of the cylinder 0, acting directly upon lever D, a belt or cord, t, passes around the cylinder, which,when made taut, draws upward one end of lever D, and when rendered loose allows the lever to drop back to place. The belttis increased in thickness by the addition of a short piece of material, r. In the support F is a friction-wheel, l, which when caused to press upon the thick portion 9' of the belt t the belt is instantly wound up by the cylinder until the thick portion of the belt is passed. At this point the stroke of lever D is held until the frictionwheel Z is withdrawn from its pressure, and

then, the belt being loose on the cylinder, lever D is allowed to fall back to its former position. The stroke of lever D is lengthened or shortened for expression bymeans of the hinged bar a The strap t passes around a small wheel in the end of lever D, and is attached to bar a Another strap, a, is shown attached to a projecting portion of bar M, which strap is wound up by cylinder G by the action of a support and wheel similar to and in line with F Z. This strap a being drawn up by the action of the expression-pneumatics lengthens the stroke of lever D.

Fig. et represents the music spool or roller with two sheets rolled upon it, the two sheets being separated from each other by a flange. I use these narrow sheets thus arranged upon the roller instead of a single wide sheet, for the following reasons: A wide music-sheet is liable to operate badly by becoming crumpled, and run crookedly through the fecdingor winding mechanism of the instrument. I therefore divide the wide sheet into two or more strips, and arrange them on the spool as shown, and, winding them simultaneously,each and all the strips run as perfectly and wind as well as a single narrow one.

\Vhat I claim as my invention is- 1. The combination, with the striking-lever, of a hammer and means for reciprocating it, constructed and adapted to operate substantially as specified, whereby itmay be adjusted at different distances from the key of the instrument by its reciprocating movement.

2. The combination, with the reciprocatinghammer, of an elastic or yielding striking-face, constructed substantially as specified, whereby it will have varying tension, according to the reciprocating movement of the hammer.

3. The combination, with reciprocating hammer H, of spring striking-face a, constructed substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. The combination, with a mechanical ex- IIO pression device operated by a music-sheet, of

connecting devices arranged to operate the expression-pedals of the instrument, substantially as specified.

5. The combination, with. the spool or roller of a mechanical musical instrument, of two or more music-sheets, or a sheet composed of two or more strips placed side by side on the spool or roller, substantially as specified.

6. Two or more music sheets or strips arranged to operate simultaneously upon a mechanical musical instrument, and connected with the same motor, to secure to the several sheets or stripsa uniform or relative movement.

7. The combination, with the striking device of a musical instrument, of a driving wheel or cylinder, a loose belt, and mechanism for tightening the belt, to produce strokes by its movement at required intervals.

MERRIT'I G-ALLY.

Witnesses:

WM. A. GALLY, LYMAN H. ESsEX.

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