US366068A - Vladimir s - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

' V. S. BEKOFSKY.

MUSIC RECORDER; No. 366,068. Patented July 5, 1887.

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ATTORNEYS.

N, PETERS Phuxc-Lnhn m he Washington, D. c.

UNITED v STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VLADIMIR S. BEKOFSKY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

MUSIC-RECORDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 366,068, dated Jilly 1887.

Application filed September 30, 1886. Serial No. 214,935. (No inodcLl To all? whom it may concern.-

Be 1t known that LVLADIMIR S. BEKOFSKY, of the city, county, and State of New York,

' have invented a new and Improved Music-Recorder, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 represents a front View of the device as it is placed on the piano, part of the counter workingshaft, and Fig. 5 is an end view of the clutch.

The frame of my invention consists of two separate parts, viz: A box portion, A, placed above the piano,and a vertical frame, B, fixed in the front of the piano instead of the nameboard. The box A is divided by the diagonally-arranged partitions O G into side compartments, O O, and central compartment, D.

In the central compartment, D, the keys I) are located, one for each key a of the piano. Just behind the compartment D is the square compartment E, in which is located a drivingdrum, F, over which an endless paper, 0, will 7 run, the same being drawn from the roll F.

In one or in both of the side compartments, 0, is placed a common clock-work, G, or any other mechanism as a moving-power attached to shaft F for turning the roll F. In the front part of the bottom H there is a slot, H, the purpose of which will be hereinafter described. The box A is covered with an inclined lid, J, in front and with a horizontal one, J, on its rear part.

twelve sliding levers, K, are placed, each formed or provided with a knob, 70, in front.

In the vertical frame 13 are placed the wires or rods L, one for each keyin the piano. This frame B is to be fixed to any piano instead of On the cover above the drum F a name-board, and with regard to having a good appearance this frameis covered in front with a varnished and polished board, similar to the key-board of a piano. Each wire or rod L consists of two pieces jointed together by means of a long turnbuckle orscrew-nut, d, and twostop-nuts, d (1, so that each wire can be shortened or lengthened to suit the apparatus to any piano and to adjust it for reliable action. The lower ends of the wires are flattened or have small knobs 0 formed upon them to prevent them from wearing off the piano-keys a. When the frame B is fixed to the piano, then the aboveanentioned box A is to be placed on the piano,with the above-men= tioned slot H exactly above the wires L ofthe key-board frame B. In such position it may remain permanently, whether its work be required or not, as it will not materially interfere with the ordinary use of the piano.

In the diagonal partitions O 0 there are made two slots,ff, in each, in which the axis or support M and'combguide M are fixed by means of screws, and between the said diagonal partitions there are also fixed one or two strong guides, N, which serve to support and brace the axis M of the keys I) and the combguide M. The axis M of keys I), as well as of the comb-guide M, consists of a steel bar fastened to a bar of hard wood, for the purpose of making the same strong and durable without an excess of weight. They have as many notches or recesses in their upper edges as there are keys I), and these keys are of narrow strips of metal having on their lower ends wooden or metallic plates 9, and theirlowcr edges are recessed to correspond t-o the recesses made on the axle M, so the keys will not move longitudinally, and as the keys are arranged in substantially radial shape, therefore the recesses on them,as well as those in the axis M,arc

cut accordingly-that is, diagonally across the edges at angles to correspond with the angles formed by the diagonal arrangement of the keys I) with reference to the axis 1V1 and comb-guide M. The positions of the lower ends of the keys 1) correspond to those of the keys of-the piano, and as they are correspondingly connected with vertical wires that move with the piano-key, therefore the movement of each key 13 of the apparatus will be exactly the same as the keys of the piano. The recesses on the axis M and on the keys I) are about one-tenth of an inch deep, while those of the comb-guide are about one-half of an inch deep, and the recesses of the keys have a trapeze-like shape to facilitate the movements of the keys. Every key I) is to be so balanced that its center of gravity will be at a distance of about one-quarter of an inch from the recess toward the lower end of the key. Above the keys about one thirty-second of an inch and in the same slots f,where the axis is placed, a steel bar. h, is located for the purpose of preventing the keys I) from jumping out of their places. This'bar h is solidly fastened to a hardwood bar, h. The upper ends of the keys I) are bent in two planes for stiffness, and in such manner that the distance between the centers of their extreme ends is about one-eighth of an inch; To each key at its upper end is sol: dered a piece, '5, of soft metal-as, for instance, lead or any alloy which will substitute a pencil-and they are so fixed that their sharpened ends must be exactly in line with and about one-quarter of an inch above the drum F. The keys I) may be regulated by lifting or lowering the axis M, and the lower ends of the keys rest upon the low partition I, fixed alongside the box and project beyond the same almost to the front hinged wall,Q,of the box A. The lower ends of the keys I) must be not less than fivesixteenths of an inch in thickness to prevent one from jumping above the other.

In the cover J above the drum F are fixed the twelve vertical rods or levers S, with pencils s at their lower ends for marking the key of the air of the played music upon the paper 0. The rods or levers S pass through holes made in the cover J, and the pencils 8 are of pieces of soft colored leads or crayons, and through slots in their upper ends pass the rods K, which are bent to form cams lc, s6 that when the rods K are forced forward the said cams will force the plates S downward upon the roll of paper upon the drum F. Consecutiveness of colors of the pencils 8, commencing from left toward the right hand side, may be as follows: Pink, blue, yellow, green, red, brown, pink, blue, &e. The reason of using colored pencils is that a marked key could be easily distinguished, and if occasionally one of the pencils should cover an already printed note the latter one could be easierseen through it than through lead-pencil marks. Each lever K consists of a flat bar bent edgewise at an angle of thirty degrees and passes through the guide K, and has a prolongation in the shape of a wire,which passes through the other guide, K and has the knob k on its end, a coiled spring, It", being placed on the wire behind the knob to press it backward. All the knobs 7c are colored to correspond with the pencils 8, and are marked in the following manner from the center toward the right-hand side for the major keys, viz: G major, G- major, D major, A major, E major, B major; and on the lefthand sideD minor, G minor, 0 minor, F minor,

B-flat minor, and E-fiat minor. The vertical pencils are located just behind the upper ends of the keys I), and are kept about oncquarter of an inch above the drum F; hence it will be seen that after striking a knob, 7c, the pencil will come down and touch the paper and produce a broad coloredrline upon it, for the paper moves gradually on. The drum F is moved with a strong clock-work mechanism, or by weights, which may be located on one or both sides of the piano, and regulated by fan or any other generally-used or convenient device, The drum is fixed in a frame, U, which can slide in and out the square compartment E, and a press-roller, R, rests on the top of a drum, F, a little behind the vertical pencils, to insure the gradual movement of the paper. It is preferable to have a drum about eighteen inches in circumference, which is to be covered with galvanized rubber, which latter must not be too hard, so the pencils would wear off quickly, nor too soft, that the pencils will be able to puncture it and tear the paper. Behind the drum there are two bearin gs made for the spool of paper F, which is to be passed from below over the drum F, and under the pressing-roller It, so when the drum is revolved an endless sheet of paper will be pulled on by means of the pressure of the pressingroller R on the drum, and then conducted out of the box. The axle F" of the drumF is projected on one side of the sliding frameU, having its end flat or square to facilitate the connection with a working-shaft, F", by means of a clutch, T. The clutch consists of a metal cylinder with a cross-slot, t, in its front part (in which the projected axle of the dru m is entered) and a hollow space,t,inside,equal to one-halfof the circle, made concentrically with a hole, t, for the working-shaft F and on the end of the latter a key, i", is'fixed. Thus the said clutch. having room for the shaftkey, may be moved by hand for a half-turn. on the rear part ofthe clutch there is a cover, m, fixed to it by means of two round-headcd bolts, on or, placed in the line at right angles to the front slot, t. When the mechanism is stopped and it is required to take the drum F out, then through conveniently-plaeed apertures in the box it can be seen in what position the clutch isi. 0., if one of the round-headed bolts is exactly on the top, then the axle of the drum can slide out from the clutch, (the slot of which is then in horizont-al line;) but if the bolt is somewhere on the side, then the clutch must be turned by hand so that one of the roundheaded bolts would be brought on the top of the clutch.

The operation is as follows: \kVhen an artist is to improvise a composition which it is de sired to write, the key is to be marked by striking with the finger the corresponding knob 7a, which will force one of the pencils 5 into contact with the paper c,and its color will indicate the key, As the paper runs-over the drum F with a velocity of about six feet in a minute, and considering that with a tempo of allegretto about two hundred crotchets or inch.

their equivalents could be played, thus every crotchet wouldbe marked on the paper with a hne of about three-eighths of an inch in length. The quavers would be correspondingly of about three-sixteenths of an inch; semi-quavers, three thirty-seconds of an inch; demi-semt quavers, three sixty-fourths of an inch, and the rest- 2. e., shakes. appoggiaturas, &c.-may be seen as dots," while the minim will equal three-quarters of an inch and semi-breve one and one-half Considering that a tempo of allegretto is something medium between the extreme tempos largo and presto, the said ve locity of the paper may be accepted as a constant one, so in reproducing the notes on the proper music-paper the length of a crotchet in allegretto tempo of nearly three-eighths of an inch may be accepted'asa unit for comparison. The paper is to be ruled across with lightcolored lines in convenient distances apart, and longitudinally with spaces of onee ghth, having some of them painted in light pink or any other color. The painted ribs correspond to that of flat or sharp notes. Thus look ng on the paper it is no trouble whatever to distinguish natural notes from sharp or flat ones, which are to be written according to the key of a piece. By means of cross lines ruled (perpendicularly) on the endless paper 1t1s easy to see, first, whichnotes are taken in one stroke, and, secondly, according to the length of the lines produced, their Values-z. 6., they are semi-breve, quaver, or crotchet, 8m. As the vertical pencils are colored ones, and their colors are shown'on the correspond ing knobs, 75', thus by comparing the colors and position of it (as there are six colors for twelve knobs) on the paper it may be easily seen in what key the air is to be written.

This instrument is designed especially for 1m provisation upon the piano, and to enable the 'artist to mark the keys in which he plays and to easily and accurately transcribe the music upon music-paper. When the work of this apparatus is not required, then the only precaution is to move the frame U slightly out of its place, so that the pencils t will not strike it. The weight of wires or keys is so insignificant that it would not be noticed by the person who plays on the instrument.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new,and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. The series of balanced keys 1), arranged to correspond with the keys ofthe piano, and bent at their inner ends to occupy narrow space,in combination with the vertical rods L, arranged between the keys of the piano and the outer ends of the balanced keys '1), substantially as described.

2. The vertical frame B, carrying the series of rods L, and adapted to be placed at the front of the piano for the rods to rest upon the piano-keys, in combination with the box A, held above the fral'neB and carrying the mark ing mechanism, substantially as described.

3. The keys b, balanced upon the axis M, and guided by the comb-guide M, in combination with the roller F and rods L, substantiallyas described.

4. The rods L, made adjustable as to length, in combination with the keys I) and the roller F, substantially as described.

5. In a music-recorder, the shaft Fhprovided with a clutch, T, having a slot, t, in its face, in combination with the drum F and axle F adapted at one end to fit in the slot t of the clutch, substantially as and for the purposes described.

VLADIMIR S. BEKOFSKY.

\Vitnesses:

H. A. WEST, EDGAR TATE.

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