US3250844A

US3250844A - Photoelectric organ

Info

Publication number: US3250844A
Application number: US456046A
Authority: US
Inventors: Harold F Rieth
Original assignee: Packard Bell Electronics Corp
Current assignee: Packard Bell Electronics Corp
Priority date: 1965-05-17
Filing date: 1965-05-17
Publication date: 1966-05-10
Anticipated expiration: 1983-05-10

Description

May 10, 1966 H. F. RlETH PHOTOELECTRIC ORGAN Filed May 17, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet l May 10, 1966 H. F. R11-:TH 3,250,844

PHOTOELECTRIC ORGAN Filed May 17, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 May 10, 1966 H. F. RlETH PHOTOELECTRIC ORGAN 3 SheetsLSheet 5 Filed May l?, 1965 United States Patent() 3,250,844 PHOTOELECTRIC ORGAN Harold F. Rieth, Santa Monica, Calif., assignor to Packard-Bell Electronics Corporation, Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California Filed May 17, 1965, Ser. N o. 456,046 11 Claims. (Cl. 84-1.18)

This is a continuationJin-part of my copending application, Serial No. 848,660, tiled October 26, 1959, entitled Photoelect-ric Organ.

This invention relates to photoelectric musical instrument and, more particularly, to a photoelectric key-operated instrument for the production of complex sounds.

Attempts have been made to duplicate the tonal qualities of an organ, piano or other musical instrument without the use of ybulky and expensive apparatus inherent in pipe organs. These attempts utilize either electrically vibrated reeds or electronic oscillators, the outputs of which are combined in various proportions to produce the desired note or tonal chord. These instruments, however, do not adequately duplicate the .tonesv of the organ and are moreover complicated and expensive. Though perhaps less bulky than pipe organs, these instruments are also somewhat bulky as well. j 4

In addition to these disadvantages, each note of instruments utilizing electronic oscillators or vibrating reeds is separately adjustable. Though the instruments may .be

accurately calibrated in the factory, the pitch of many 'of the notes is changed in shipment and as the instrument is used. Though the instruments, therefore, are theoretically adjustable to a high level of accuracy, as a prac-A tical matter, they seldom reach the consumer in such a condition and after little use, the accuracyfurther deteriorates. The instruments accordingly require continuous adjustments.

In a specific illustrative embodiment of this invention, a small and simple photoelectric key-operated musical instrument is provided which retains its accuracy level during shipment and with subsequent use by the consumer. The instrument includes a rotatable record member which has a number `of endless recording tracks in the form of transparent sound tracks. Each of the tracks is a recording of a particular tone with the recording being continuous in that the track has no beginning or end. No tone disconti-nuity or distortion is provided regard-f less of what portion of the track is reproduced. Each. of the tone tracks includes a predetermined number ot identical patterns of theI tone. The tone continuity is achieved because only complete tone patterns are utilized.

The record member is rotated at a constant speed and the duration for scanning the various tones is the same. The length of the tracks, however, increases from the lowest note to the highest to prevent crowding because the number of tone patterns is successively greater for the higher notes. To provide for the different lengths, the record member may be i-n the form of a truncated cone with the tracksv being circular vtracks at successive axial positions of the cone.

In order to provide for the conventional equally tempered scale, the semi-tones are frequency spaced by a factor of 1.059463. If the ratio of the number of patterns in successive tracks is also 1.059463, all the notes of the instrument are accurately spaced with respect to each other. Providing an uninterrupted tone, however, necessitates complete, not fractional, tone patterns so that utilizing the exact equal tempered halftone ratio of 1.059463 is impossible if an uninterrupted tone is necessary.

Features of this invention relate to the provision of tracks having only complete patterns with the maximum error of the' number of patterns being less than a prede'- the keyboard of the instrument.

3,250,844 Patented May 10, 1966 termined small value. This maximum error is built into the instrument and does not vary in shipment or with use .because the tracks all rotate together as part of a single rotating record member.

As the record member rotates, the tracks are moved adjacent a light gate arrangement which includes a light spreader a-nd a number of light inhibiting elements. The light inhibiting elements are controlled by the keys on When a key is operated, an associated inhibiting element is moved to permit the passage of light from the light spreader to a sound track associated with the key. Photoelectric means are included in the record member for receiving the light through the moving sound track and for coupling the received light to amplifier and speaker means. The transmission patterns of the tracks may be photographically produced so that a fairly exact reproduction or organ tones, piano tones, bells or any combinations thereof may be provided.

Other features of this invention relate to the provision of an axially movable elongated light spreader having alternate opaque and transparent portions. Light from a transparent portion i-s provided to an associated one of the sound tracks when the associated inhibiting element of the light gate is moved. A number of sound tracks are associated with each transparent portionof the light spreader and the axial position of the light spreader determines which track provides the output tone. The sound tracks associated with one transparent portion of the light spreader may provide for tones of the same pitch :but different quality as from dilierent instruments.

The relative accuracy of particular notes, for example those used often in chords, may be changed utilizing one of the axial positions of the light spreader. One of the sound tracks associated with particular transparent portions of the light spreader may be for the .same note as' respectively adjacent tracks but havinga different number lof patterns. The speed of the motor is automatically adjusted at the same time that the light spreader is moved to scan these tracks.

Other features of this invention pertain to the provision of adjustable delay means for each of the keys on the keyboard to maintain the light gate enabled after pressure is removed from the key. Means are also provided, for introducing a tremolo in the form of light changed.

Further features and advantages of this invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following description whenl read in conjunction with the drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a front view of the electronic organ of this invention with a portion of the support leg removed;

FIGURE 2 is a top view of the electronic organ of this invention with the top panel of the body of the organ being partially broken away to illustrate various members including a record drum and a light spreader in some detail, particular members being illustrated schematically and only some of the tracks-on the record disc and the light spreader being shown;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view, taken substantially on. the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2, of the record drum and -some associated components which are utilized in the electronic-organ of this invention, certain components not being shown to present other components in clear detail; FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on lines 4 4 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged front elevational view of a portion of the delay means taken along lines .5 5 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially'on the lines 6--6 of the delay means in FIG- URE 4;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged cutaway top plan view of the keyboard and the components associated therein which are included as part of the body of the electronic organ of this invention;

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially on the lines 8-8 in FIGURE 7 and illustrating a front view of the tremolo disc utilized inthe electronic organ of this invention;

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary perspective view of a gear which is utilized in another embodiment of delay means which may be utilized in the electronic organ of this invention; and

FIGURE 10 is an enlarged side elevational view of the gear and associated components utilized in the other embodiments of the delay means.

Referring to FIGURES 1 through 8, and in particular rto FIGURE l, the electronic organ 10 includes a body 12 which is supported by the support leg 13 on the base 14. The body 12 includes a keyboard 15Aand a music stand 11. The body 12 is maintained in horizontal alignment on the support leg 13 due to a substantially large weight of the various components in the leg 13. The leg 13 includes an amplifier 65, a motor 61 and a speaker 63 all of which have considerable weight.

The keyboard 15, which may be conventional, illustratively includes 54 keys forming 41/2 octaves. The key arrangement of the keyboard 15 is conventional in that the equally tempered scale is utilized with each octave being divided into 12 equal intervals. Two tones are separated by one octave when the frequencies are in the ratio of 2 to 1. The twelve equal intervals are represented by the seven diatonic notes and the five ilats and Sharps therebetween. A diatonic note is provided when a white key is depressed and a at or sharp is provided when a black key is depressed. In the equally tempered scale, if any frequency is multiplied by approximately 1.0595, it is raised by one semitone and if multiplied by 1.2225, it is raised by one tone. All conventional musical instruments follow the equally tempered scale. The frequency of all tones is determined by the pitch, and the pitch of middle C of the conventional piano keyboard has a frequency of 256 cycles per second.

When a power plug 8 in FIGURE 1 is inserted in a power socket, the motor 61 and the amplifier 65 in the leg 13 become energized. The motor 61 rotates a tapered record drum 25 illustrated in FIGURES 2, 3 and 7 by means of a gear box 61g, a belt 60, a pulley 35 and a shaft 26. The shaft 26 is supported by two brackets 30 and 3=1 (FIGURE 7) on the tbody 1:2. The drum 25 includes a number of transparent sound tracks 25a illustrated particularly in FIGURE 7. Each of the tracks 25a is continuous about the surface of the record drum 25 and may be photographically produced. Each of the tracks 25a is a sound track providing for a number of individual sound patterns of a particular tone. Illustratively, some of the sound tracks 25a may provide for the same pitch but for reproductions of tones from different instruments. One track may illustratively provide for an organ note and its adjacent track may provide for a piano note of the same pitch. Each of the lsound tracks may be formed by providing a dark line representing the sound on a light background or by providing a light line representing the sound on a dark background. The line may be provided with a variable axial width at4V progressive distances circumferentially around the" track in accordance with the characteristics of the sound to be produced.

The record drum 25 is continuously rotated by the motor 61 during the operation of the electronic organ 10 but the speed of rotation is adjustable as is hereinafter described. The keyboard 15 controls a number of light gates for coupling light through the sound tracks 25a of the record drum 25. The light gates comprise a light spreader 42 shown in FIGURES 2, 3, 4 and 7. The light spreader 42 may be in the form of a Lucite rod which is illuminated by a lamp 4S or it may be an elongated lamp, not shown. The light from the lamp 48, positioned at one end of the light spreader 42, is provided through a rotating chopper disc 47 to the Lucite rod 42. The chopper disc 47, which is shown particularly in FIGURE 8, includes a number of alternate opaque and transparent sectors fork successively interrupting the light from the source 48 to the light spreader 42. The frequency of the light interruption is determined yby the speed 0f rotation of the chopper disc 47.

The disc 47 is rotated with ya shaft 40A (FIGURE 7) through a coupling including the pulleys 37 and 39 and a belt 38. The shaft 40 is supported on the body 12 by two bearing brackets 40a. The pulley 37 is mounted on the shaft 26 which, as described above, is driven by the motor 61. The speed of the shaft 40 and the chopper disc 47 is `changed under control of a brake 141. When the brake 141 is rotated about a pivot 141a against a spring 141b, it decreases the rotating speed of the shaft 40. The brake 141 is rotated by a link 43 which is connectedfto a rotatable member illustrated in FIGURE 2. The rotatable member 90 is positioned by a knob 20 which is mounted above the keyboard 15. When the knob 20 is pushed in, moving upward in FIGURE 2, the tremolo frequency is decreased due to the braking action by the brake 141. Variations in the braking action of the brake 141 do not affect the rotational speed of the drum 25 since the disc 47 is relatively light in weight compared to the drum 25.

The body 12 includes three

knobs

20, 21 and 22 with the knob 20 controlling the tremolo, the knob 21 controlling the return delay for the keys in the keyboard 15 and the knob 22 controlling the axial position of the light spreader 42. j.

The light spreader 42 may illustratively have two axial positions for selecting the quality of the tone in accordance with the particular instrument which is to be duplicated and a third .axial position utilized for chords. The light spreader 42, which as indicated above may be a Lucite rod, has a fairly rough surface for dispersing the light introduced thereto from the source 48. The surface of the Lucite rod has a number of successive opaque bands 42a (FIGURE 2) and transparent bands 42b formed in the opaque bands 42a. The successive opaque bands 42a and transparent bands 42h may lbe attained by painting the surface of the Lucite rod with black paint vand thereafter removing the paint to form the transparent bands or slits. One transparent band 42a is provided on the Lucite rod for each three sound tracks 25a on the record drum 25. The transparent bands 42b of the Lucite rod 42 are located adjacent every third successive sound ltrack 25a of the record drum 25. As the drum 25 rotates, therefore, only one-third of the sound tracks 25a pass adjacent transparent band 42a of he light spreader 42. The light -spreader 42 is moved axially to position the transparent bands 42m adjacent either of the other two-thirds of thesound tracks 25a.

' Light from the light spreader 42, however, is not coupled to the transparent sound tracks 25a due to the inhibition or gating of each of the transparent bands 42a of the light spreader 42 by extensions 50 of each of the keys of the keyboard 15. For example, the extension -50 shown in FIGURE 4 is gated to the key 15C of the keyboard 15. As shown particularly in FIGURE 4, each of the extensions 50 has a semi-cylindrical gate portion 51 which is normally interposed between the light spreader 42 and a cylindrical light receiving member or rod 41. The light receiving member or rod 41 is also preferably formed from a suitable material such as Lucite to couple the light received from the light spreader 42 to a photoelectric cell 80 (FIGURE 7) which is located at one end of the Lucite rod 41. The rod 41 is disposed witlhiin the drum 25 as may be Ibest seen in FIGURES 4 and 7. The light receiving means may also be in the form of a photoelectric selenium cell having an extended shape which r-uns Ialong the inside surface of the drum 25. Photoelectric cells with such shapes are manufactured by the International Rectier Corp.

When a key of the keyboard 15 is depressed, the light gate is opened to couple light from the light spreader 42 through 4the transparent band 42b associated with the depressed key and through the adjacent one of the sound tracks 25a to the Lucite rod 41. The amount of light passing through the sound track 25a to the Lucite-rod 41 at each instant is dependent upon the axial width of the track 25a at the position adjacent to the transparent band 42b which is passing the light. As previously described, the drum 25 is rotated at a substantially constant speed to dispose successive annular positions on the track 25a in contiguous relationshipto the transparent band 42b which is passing the light. Successive annular positions on the track 25a also become disposed in adjacent relationship to the rod 41 since ythe rod 41 is ixedly positioned by a bracket 406 in FIGURES 2 and 7. The extension 50 of each key is connected to delay means which, in the embodiment shown in FIGURES 4 through 6, is in the form of a dash pot 54 (see FIGURE 4). The dash pot is connected by an extension 52 to the extension 50 of the key. The dash pot 54 includes an adjustable member 45 which is illustrated somewhat schematically in FIG-URE 5 for con-trolling the delay provided by the dash pot 54. As shown in FIGURE 5, the member 45 includes three ditferent shaped holes 45a, 45h and 45e for each of the keys. The dash pot 54 also includes a piston 46 which is disposed within the member 45 and which is moved outwardly from the member 45 at a rate dependent upon the operative selection of one of the holes 45a, 45b and 45e to return the associated key 150 to its normal position on the keyboard 15. There is one dash pot S4 for each of the keys ,zin the keyboard 15. The posi-tion of the member 45 determines which one of the three holes 45a through 45C is positioned adjacent a hole 54a at the bottom of the dash pot 54. The hole 54a may be at least as large as the hole 45C. The amount of air, therefore, which is drawn through the opening 54a is determined by which one of the three holes 45a through 45e is positioned adjacent thereto.l

The position of the member 45 is determined by an adjustment of the knob 21 shown in FIGURE 2. By rotating the knob 21, a gear arrangement 93 is adjusted to move the adjustable. member 45. The knob 21 may include four stops, not shown, one of which provides for a maximum delay with none of the three holes 45a through 45e being adjacent the opening 54a. l

In the embodiment shown in FIGURES 9 and 10, dash j pots are not utilized but a long gear 100 is positioned under each of the extensions 150 of the keys of `the keyboard 15 to replace the dash pot 45 in FIGURE 4in controlling the position of the gate 51 relative to the light spreader 42 and the drum 25. In thisembodiment, the extensions 150 include means for readily permitting the movement of the extension 150 in an upward direction against the gear 100. The means may include a number of lingers 150e which are spring biased against the gear 100. When the operator releases the key, however, it does not return to its light gating position under control of the spring 151 until the gear '100 permits it. The gear 100 rotates in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIGURE lO to permit the extension 150 to rotate back to its normal position, thereby returning the associated key to its normal position in the keyboard 15. When av gear 100 is utilized, a continuously variable delay may be provided instead of 'a step variable delay as illustra-ted by the embodirnents of FIGURES 4 through 6.

The modulated light received at the photoelectric cell is coupled, as shown in FIGURE 2, to the amplifier 65. .and therefrom to the speaker 63 for conversion tov sound. The amplifier 65 and speaker 63 which are illustrated in phantom, are actually located in the support leg 13 but are shown in FIGURE 2 for convenience. As illustrated by the diagonal line extending through the amplitier 65 in FIGURE 2, the amplifier 65 is adjustable to control the volume of the sound from the speaker 63 by operating Ia foot pedal 66 (FIGURE l). The electrical signal from the photoelectric cell 80 is a reproduction of the signal photographically recorded in the selected sound track 25a on the record drum 25. If a number of keys of the keyboard 15 are simultaneously depressed, the light wave in the Lucite rod 41 is a composite signal including a number of tones and the output sound provided from the speaker 63 is a chord.

The dimensions of the record drum illustratively may be a length of 14 inches, a maximum diameter of 8 inches and a minimum diameter of l inch. The lowest note which may be at a frequency of 64 cycles per second is provided when a key 15e is depressed. The sound track for the key 15e lis recorded at the smaller end of the record drum 25. The diameter of the sound track for the 64 cycle per second note is, therefore, substantially 1 inch.

In the embodiment being described, two sound tracks 25a lare provided on the drum 25 for each of the keys to provide for the duplication of the sound of both an organ and a piano, and a third sound track is provided Whichmay be utilized as part of particular chords. The first sound track, therefore, has a diameter of 1 inch but the sound track adjacent thereto corresponding, for example, to the piano tone, has a slightly greater diameter. The speed of rotation of the drum 25 is the same'for both the iirst and second sound tracks, and the pitch of the sound from the two tracks is the same because they each include the same number of sound patterns. The actual peripheral distance for each pattern in the two adjacent tracks are different but each is scanned in the same time by the light from the light spreader 42 so that identical pitched tones are provided. The number of patterns in the third track associated with eachof the keys is different than the number on the other two but a substantially similar tone is provided therefrom because as is hereinafter described, the motor speed is adjusted when the third track is scanned. As will be described in detail subsequently, only a particular one of the three tracks 25a is disposed relative to the associated track 42a on the light spreader 42 to receive light from the associated track 42a when the associated gate 51 in FIGURE 4 is operated by the actuation of the associated key on the keyboard 15.

In order to provide for the conventional equally tempered scale, the semi-tones should be frequency spaced by the factor of 1.059463. If the ratio of the number of patterns for the tracks associated with adjacent keys is 1.059463, the notes providedv by the instrument are accurately spaced with respect to each other. Providing a continuous uninterrupted tone, however, requires that partial patterns should not be utilized so that providing for the exact ratio between the number of patterns for adjacent half tone keys is impossible. For example, if the lirst track 25a for the key 15e has 116 patterns and provides for a tone having a frequency of 128 cycles per second (note C), the first track for key 15C (for note C sharp) should have 116 times 1.059463 or 122.897708 patterns. Only a portion (.897708), therefore, of the last pattern would be utilized to provide for the exact ratio of 1.059463.

In order to avoid partial patterns, the nearest full number of patterns is utilized. For example, for the note C sharp corresponding to key 15C', 123 patterns are utilized 7 instead of 122.897708. The error of the tone provided by the 123 pattern track is A small error of this magnitude is generally undetectable by the human ear. In fact, errors less than 0.20 percent are generally undetectable. The following table illustrates the fractional number of patterns required to maintain the ratio of 0.059463, the number of patterns actually X 100:0.083 percent utilized on the tracks of the drum 25, the notes and keys.

to which they correspond and the percentage errors.

X 1.059463 Patterns Note Key Percent error 116 116 C 15C 000 122. 897708 123 C# 15C 083 130. 205592 130 D 15D 158 137. 948012 138 D# 15D 037 146. 150836 146 E 15E 103 154. 841440 155 F 15P` 103 164. 048824 164 F# 1513" 030 173. 803612 174 G 15 G 113 184. 138516 184 G# 15G 073 195. 087988 195 A 15A 045 206. 688452 207 A# 15A 151 218. 978884 219 B 15B 010 The particular patterns selected, starting with 116 for the lowest note, provide for smaller errors than any other set of patterns starting with any other number from zero to 150. The largest tone error which is 0.158 percent for the note D, is undetectable by human ears. The relatively small errors are achieved by rounding off the fractions, either up or down to the nearest round number. The fractional number 122.897708, for example, is rounded off to 123 and the fractional number 130.205592 is rounded off to 130.

The particular set of patterns selected starting with 116 is, of course, not the only operable set and this invention is not restricted to the particular set. Other sets may be utilized but the percentage of errors are greater so that for the most accurate set, a lowest pattern number of 116 is utilized. The motor speed for sets starting with different pattern numbers would, of course, differ in order to provide for the same pitches. In order to provide for a frequency of 128 cycles (note C below middle C), the drum 25 rotates at a speed of 1.103 revolutions per second or 66.18 revolutions per minute.

As described albove, there are three tracks 25a associated with each of the keys I15C, etc. of the keyboard. For each of the keys, the first two of these tracks have the sarne number of tone patterns. For example, for key 15C, the first two tracks each have 116 patterns and for the key 15C', the first two tracks each have 123 patterns. The third track in each trio, however, has a different number of patterns. The different number of patterns lis utilized for the same note to reduce its error. Suppose, for example, in particular chords it is necessary that the note A sharp corresponding to key 15A should be more accurately spaced from the note C corresponding to the key 15C. The accuracy can be Iimproved by utilizing a different set of patterns in which the accuracy of the note A sharp is better than the accuracy achieved in the 116 pattern set. By shifting the light spreader 42 with the knob 22, any one `of the three sets of tracks are positioned for scanning. For the first two positions, one or the other of the two sets starting with 116 patterns, is positioned and `for the third position, a set starting with a different number is positioned. The rst two sets illustratively are utilized for duplicating different instruments. The corresponding notes in these two sets provide for identical pitches and are, therefore, of similar accuracy.

When the knob 22 is pulled, it provides for the longitudinal `or axial movement of the light spreader 42 as briefly indicated above. The linkage between the knob 22 and the light spreader 42 includes a shaft 72 (FIG- URE 2) and a link 70 which yare movable as a unit. The link 70 is affixed to the end of the light spreader 42 and is resiliently restrained by a spring 71. When the knob 22 is pulled downwardly in FIGURE 2 a particular distance less than the complete distance 4to which it can be pulled, a wedge-shaped portion 47 at the upper end of the knob 22 forces the shaft 72 and the link 70 to the right against the restraining force of the spring 71. The link 70,A in turn, moves the light spreader 42 by a slight amount toward the `right to a second position displaced from its position of rest. When the light spreader 42 is moved to the right, it registers the transparent bands 425 of the light spreader 42 adjacent the 54 piano sound tracks 25a instead of adjacent the 54 organ sound tracks 25a. There is one piano sound track yand one organ sound track for each of the 54 keys of the keyboard 15. The output signal developed, therefore, when any key of the keyboard 15 is depressed after the operation of the knob 22, corresponds to a piano note instead of an organ note.

If the knob 22 is pulled the maximum distance toward the left, it shifts the light spreader 42 to a third position and it operates a microswitch 22a. With the light spreader 42 at its third position, the third set of tracks on the drum are aligned with the transparent areas 42b for scanning. The mi-croswitch 22a operates a control unit 61a (FIGURE l) associated with the motor 61 to change the motor speed. The motor speed is Iadjusted so as to provide the same note for key 15C as is provided with the light spreader 42 in its first position. If the set of patterns in the third set of tracks 25a starts with 58 patterns, for example, instead of 116, the motor speed is doubled so that the same number of patterns are scanned during each second. f

For the first of the three tracks of the successive half tones, the diameters of the organ sound tracks 25a may be at a ratio of 1.0595 as follows: 1.0000; 1.0010; 1.0595; 1.1225; 1.189; 1.260; 1.335; 1.414; 1.498; 1.587; 1.682; 1.782; 11.8188; and 2.000. A diameter Aof 2.000 would be provided for the next note C, which is at the beginning of the next octave, and which has a frequency of 256 cycles per second. The successive dimensions may ibe obtained by multiplying each succeeding diameter by 1.0595 which is substantially the same factor utilized between semi-tones of the equally tem-pered scale.

The drum 25 is tapered in this manner from a narrow diameter for the 4track with the least number of patterns to the track with the most number of patterns so that the actual peripheral distances of the patterns in the successive tracks Iare substantially of the same length. The larger pattern tracks are, therefore, not more crowded than the smaller pattern tracks.

Though only three sound tracks 25a are provided for each key of the keyboard, it is obvious that any nurnber may be provided. If, for example, tive instead of two instruments are to be duplicated, five sound tracks `are provided for each key, and the knob 22 has at least 5 positions. The axial position of the light spreader 42 is determined by the position of the knob 22. Similarly, any number of tracks having different numbers of patterns may be provided for each key, with the motor speed accordingly being varied by the knob 22. Though each of the tracks 25a is described with reference to `a single note, it is apparent that a chord may be recorded in one track. The chord, if so recorded, should consist of individual notes of similar accuracy as the individual notes in the :other tl'tacks 25a.

Although this invention has been disclosed and illustrated,` therefore, with reference to particular applications, the principles involved are susceptible of numerous other applications which will be apparent to persons skilled in the a'rt. The invention is, therefore, to be limited only fas indicated by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A photoelectric musical instrument, including,

a rotatable member provided with a particular configuration and having a plurality of endless transparent sound tracks, each of the sound tracks delining a recording of `a different pitched tone in accordance with the particular configuration of the rotatable member and with the tone being provided continuously without interruption having no recording discontinuity at any position around the track, the number of sound tracks being at least equal to the number of notes in the scale of the instrument,

means coupled to the rotatable member for providing a rotation of the rotatable member,

means optically coupled to said endless transparent sound tracks on the rotatable member for selectively .providing light through any one of said sound tracks as said rotatable member is rotated,

means coupled to said rotatable member for collect ing the light provided from said optical means through said one sound track,

means coupled to said collecting means for converting the collected light to electrical signals representing the tone recorded in said one track, and

means optically coupled to the rotatable member for varying the tremolo of the tune.

2. A photoelectric musical instrument, including,

a rotatable member having a lplurality of endless transparent sound tracks, the number of sound tracks being at least as great as the number of notes in the scale of the instrument, said endless tracks being disposed in groups with the different tracks in each group having patterns simulating the same tone for different musical instruments, said rotatable member being tapered `and being provided with a shape of a truncated cone with the sound tracks being located at different diametric positions along the cone;

means optically coupled to said endless transparent sound tracks on the rotatable member for selectively obtaining the passage of light through lany one of the sound tracks;

means coupled to said endless transparent sound tracks on the rotatable member for collecting the light coupled through said sound tracks and modulated in accordance with the selected sound track, said light providing means including a light source having a transparent and an opaque portion for each of the sound tracks;

a plurality of selectively operable light gates being disposed relative to the light source to normally block the light from the transparent portions of said light source to the adjacent sound tracks on the rotatable member;

means operatively coupled to the light gates for selectively operating said light gates to couple the light in a particular one of the groups of sound tracks from the associated transparent portions of said light source through the adjacent sound tracks of said rotatable member to said collecting means; and

means for shifting the position of the light source relative to the rotatable member in an axial direction to couple the light from the transparent portions through the individual ones of the light tracks in the particular groups on the rotatable member.

3. A key-controlled, photoelectrically operated musical instrument, including,

a rotatable transparent member having inscribed thereon groups of endless sound tracks, the tracks in any one group being of the same pitch but of different tone qualities, the number of groups being equal to the number of notes in the scale of the instrument and the tracks in each individual group representing a different note from the tracks in the other groups, said member being tapered in the shape of a truncated cone with the successive groups of tracks being recorded from the lowest notes at the smaller CII ' means coupled to said transparent member for collecting the light coupled through said transparent member and modulated in accordance with the selected sound track; and

means coupled to the light-collecting means for converting the light collected by the light-collecting means to sounds having characteristics corresponding to the characteristics of the collected light.

4. A key-controlled, photoelectrically operated musical instrument, including,

a rotatable transparent member having inscribed thereon groups of endless sound tracks, the tracks in any one group each having a ditferent number of sound patterns to represent the sounds of different musical instruments, the number of groups being equal to the number of notes in the scale of the instrument and each group representing a different note in the scale, said member being tapered in the shape of a truncated cone with the successive groups of tracks being recorded from the lowest notes at the smaller diametric end of the transparent member to the highest notes at the larger diametric end of the transparent member;

means operatively coupled to said transparent member for selecting a particular one of the groups of endless sound tracks at each instant;

means optically coupled to said transparent member for selectively providing light through any individual one of the sound tracks in the particular one of the groups inscribed on said transparent member;

means coupled to said transparent member for collecting the light coupled through said transparent member and modulated in accordance with the selected sound track;

means operatively coupled to the light-collecting means for converting the light collected by the light-collecting means to sounds having characteristics corresponding to the characteristics of the collected light, and

tremolo means operative upon the light passing to the means for introducing light at one end of said rod;

and

means coupled tovsaid rod for adjustably positioning said rod relative to the rotatable transparent member in the axial direction of the rotatable transparent member to couple light through any individual one of its transparent bands to` any individual one of the sound tracks in the group associated |with said one transparent band.

6. A key-controlled photoelectrically operated musical instrument in accordance with claim 5 wherein said tremolo means interrupts the light introduced to said rod at a variable frequency to provide a tremolo effect.

tracks in the transparent member for modulating the 7. A key-controlled photoelectrically operated musical instrument, including,

a rotatable transparent member having inscribed thereon groups of endless sound tracks, the tracks in any one group each having a different number of sound patterns to represent different musical instruments, the number of groups being equal to the number of notes in the scale of the instrument and each group representing a different note, said member being tapered in the shape of a ltruncated cone with the successive groups of tracks being recorded from the lowest notes at the smaller diametric end of the transparent member to the highest notes at the larger diametric end of the transparent member, the ratio between the diameters of the smaller diametric tracks of adjacent groups being substantially equal to the ratio between adjacent notes in the scale of the instrument;

means coupled to said transparent member for selecting a particular one of the groups of endless sound tracks at each instant,

means optically coupled to said transparent member for yselectively providing light through any individual one of the sound tracks in the particular one of the groups inscribed on said transparent member;

means coupled to said transparent member for collecting the light coupled through said transparent member and modulated in `accordance with the selected sound track; and

means synchronously operated with said light providing means for adjusting the speed of rotation of said rotatable transparent member to a speed dependent upon the `selection of the individual one of the tracks in l[he individual group.

y8. A photoelectric musical instrument, including,

a rotatable member having a plurality of endless transparent sound tracks, the number of sound tracks being at least as great as the number of notes in the scale of the instrument, each sound track having characteristics to produce a different -note on a continuous basis;

means optically coupled to said endless transparent sound tracks on said rotatable mem-ber for selectively providing light through any one of the sound tracks;

means coupled to said endless transparent sound tracks on said rotatable member for collecting the light coupled through said rotatable member and modulated in accordance with the selected sound track;

said light providing means including a light sourcehaving a transparent and an opaque portion for each of the sound tracks;

a plurality of selectively operable light gates being disposed relative to the light source to normally block the light from the transparent portions of said light Source to the associated sound tracks;

means operatively coupled to the light gate for selectively operating said light gates to couple the light from the associated transparent portions through the associated sound tracks to said collecting means, each of said Ilight gates including adjustable delay means for extending the duration of operation of the light gate for a variable interval of time after the Ioperation of the selectively operable means in accordance with the adjustment of the delay means; `and means operatively coupled to the light-collecting means for converting the light collected by the collecting means into sounds having characteristics corresponding to the characteristics of the collected light.

9. A photoelectric musical instrument, including,

a rotatable member having a plurality of endless transparent sound tracks, the number of sound tracks being at least `as great as the number of notes in the scale of the instrument and each sound track being provided with a pattern representing a different note,

said rotatable member being tapered and being provided `with a shape of a -truncated cone with the sound tracks being located at different diametric positions along the cone,

means optically coupled to said rotatable member for selectively providing light through any individual one of the sound tracks,

means coupled to said rotatable member for collecting the light coupled through said rotatable member and modulated in accordance with the selected sound track, said selective operating means including a plurality of keys individually associated with said sound tracks,

means operatively coupled to said keys and disposed relative tothe sound tracks `and responsive to the operation `of any individual one of said keys for providing light to said sound tracks associated with said individual keys, and

adjustable means coupled to each of said keys for delaying the restoration of the coupled key upon the actuation of the key and for providing such delay for a period of time dependent upon the adjustment of the adjustable means to continue the provision of light to said associated track for an interval after the coupled key is operated.

10. In a musical instrument including,

a rotatable drum member having a first group of annular transparent sound -tracks spaced axially therealong with each of said sound tracks having a pattern representing a recording of an individual note with first characteristics of sound whereby all of said sound tracks will provide a complete scale;

a second group of annular transparent sound tracks spaced axially therealong and interspersed between said first sound tracks, each of said sound tracks in said second group having a pattern representing la recording of an individual note with second characteristics of sound whereby said second group of sound tracks will provide the complete scale, the diameter of the tracks in the first group having a particular ratio different from unity relative to the diameter `of the tracks in the second group;

a translucent rod extending axially of said drum adjacent the surface thereof, said rod having alternate translucent `and opaque portions positioned so that each of said translucent portions can register only with the individual tracks `representing an individual note in the rst and second groups;

control means operatively coupled to the translucent rod for moving said rod axially relative to the rotatable drum member into a rst position whereby said translucent portions will register with the sound tracks in said first group and for moving said rod into a second position whereby said translucent portions will register with the sound tracks in said second group; and

motor means operatively coupled to the drum member for rotatably driving said drum member, said motor means being operatively connected to said control means for driving said drum at a first particular speed with said rod in said first position for driving said drum and at a second particular speed with said rod in said second position in accordance with the particular ratio of the diameters of the tracks in the rst and second groups.

11. A musical instrument, including,

a rotatable member having a rst plurality of endless sound tracks each having a particular number of individual sound patterns to provide for the production of dierent notes simulating a first musical instrument, the number of sound tracks in said first plurality being at least equal to the number of notes in the scale of the instrument, the rotatable member also having a second plurality of endless sound tracks each having a particular number of sound patterns to provide for the production of substantially similar notes as the tracks in said rst plurality of tracks but simulating chords, the sound patterns of each of the tracks in said second plurality being different than the sound patterns in the corresponding one of said tracks in said `first plurality of tracks;

means coupled to the rotatable member for individually selecting a particular one of the tracks in the rst and second pluralities;

means coupled to said rotatable member for reproducing the sound recorded in the selected one of the tracks of said rst and said second pluralities of tracks; and

-means vcoupled to said rotatable member for rotating the member at a first particular `speed when the pattern of sound on one of said tracks in said rst References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Winch 84-1 Eremeeif Sli-1.18 X

Kucher 84-1.28

lBullian S11-1.18

Dorf S11-1.28

Wilson 40--77 15 GEORGE N. WESTBY, Primary Examiner.

D. E. vSRAGOW, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

1. A PHOTOELECTRIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENT, INCLUDING, A ROTATABLE MEMBER PROVIDED WITH A PARTICULAR CONFIGURATION AND HAVING A PLURALITY OF ENDLESS TRANSPARENT SOUND TRACKS, EACH OF THE SOUND TRACKS DEFINING A RECORDING OF A DIFFERENT PITCHED TONE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PARTICULAR CONFIGURATION OF THE ROTATABLE MEMBER AND WITH THE TONE BEING PROVIDED CONTINUOUSLY WITHOUT INTERRUPTION HAVING NO RECORDING DISCONTINUITY AT ANY POSITION AROUND THE TRACK, THE NUMBER OF SOUND TRACKS BEING AT LEAST EQUAL TO THE NUMBER OF NOTES IN THE SCALE OF THE INSTRUMENT, MEANS COUPLED TO THE ROTATABLE MEMBER FOR PROVIDING A ROTATION OF THE ROTATABLE MEMBER, MEANS OPTICALLY COUPLED TO SAID ENDLESS TRANSPARENT SOUND TRACKS ON THE ROTATABLE MEMBER FOR SELECTIVELY PROVIDING LIGHT THROUGH ANY ONE OF SAID SOUND TRACKS AS SAID ROTATABLE MEMBER IS ROTATED, MEANS COUPLED TO SAID ROTATABLE MEMBER FOR COLLECTING THE LIGHT PROVIDED FROM SAID OPTICAL MEANS THROUGH SAID ONE SOUND TRACK, MEANS COUPLED TO SAID COLLECTING MEANS FOR CONVERTING THE COLLECTED LIGHT TO ELECTRICAL SIGNALS REPRESENTING THE TONE RECORDED IN SAID ONE TRACK, AND MEANS OPTICALLY COUPLED TO THE ROTATABLE MEMBER FOR VARYING THE TREMOLO OF THE TUNE.