US570352A

US570352A - Apparatus for producing music-rolls

Info

Publication number: US570352A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1896-10-27
Anticipated expiration: 1913-10-27

Description

(No Model.)

` 4 Sheets-Sheet I. J. B. TRACY. APPARATUS POR PRODUGING MUSIC ROLLS. v No. 5I 0,352.

Patented Oct. 27

1H: Nom-s Puras co. wonmmo.. wAsHmn-r (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2. l l KTMCYl APPARATUS FOR PRGDUUING MUSIG ROLLS.

No. 570,352. Patented Oct. 27, 1896.

W/TNESSES.'

INVENTOH A TTOHNE Y S.

(No Model.) 4 Sheet s-Sheet'3. J. B. TRACY.

l APPARATUS PoR PRODUGING MUSIC ROLLS. N0. 570,352. PatentedOGt. 27, 1896.

4 Sheet'S--Sheet 4. J. B. TRACY. APPARATUS POB. PRODUGING MUSIC ROLLS. No. 570,352.

(No Model.)

Patented Qot. 27, 1896. ./y

/NVE/vro a; MW@ Arma/VHS.

W/ TN E SSE S:

mz uonms News cn, mmxvmormmmoron. u. c.

NTTEDY STATES PATENT FFICE..

JAMES n. TRACY, CLNERIDEN, CONNECTICUT.

APPARATUS FOR PR'ODUCING IVI USlC-ROLLS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 570,352, dated October 27, 1896. Application med March 28,1895. serial No. 543,497. (No moda.)

To a/ZZ wir/0m t may concern,.-

Beit known that I, JAMES B. TRACY, of Meriden, in the county of New I-Iaven and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and Improved Apparatus for Producing Music- Rolls, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to the manufacture of perforated rolls or sheets used in pneumatic musical instruments for producing the desired tones either pneumatically or by the aid of cylinders, combs, star-wheels, or other mechanism.

The object of the invention is to providea new and improved method of and apparatus for producing such music rolls or sheets in a very simple and comparatively inexpensive manner, and in any desired quantity, and without the use of the large stencils now employed.

The inventionconsists of certain parts and details and combinations of the same, as will be fully described hereinafter, and then pointed out in the claims.

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

Figure 'l is a sectional side elevation of the apparatus. Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse section of the same on the line 2 2 of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a like view of the same on the line 3 3 of Fig. l. Fig. et is a similar view of the same on the line l 4 of Fig. l. Fig. 5 is a like view of the same on the'line 5 5 of Fig. l. Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional plan view of part of the improvement on the line 6 6 of Fig. l, and Fig. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the primary pneumatics.

In the manufacture of music-sheets for use in Eolian and other pneumatic musical instruments as now practiced the notation of the score is marked in dots and dashes on a blank sheet of thick paper, and the marks then cut out by hand, so as to form a pattern or stencil, which necessarily assumes large dimensions, (as much as three hundred feet long and eighteen inches wide,) and which is then used in a perforating-machine as apattern, to reproduce paper sheets of greatly-reduced size to be suitable for use in the musical instruments. The stencils are kept in stock at the place of manufacture and are used from time to time in the perforating-machine, to form music-sheets as called for by the trade. As each piece of music is represented by such a large stencil it requires the safe storing of a large number of stencils, each different from the other, to manufacture therefrom the music-sheets, and the number of stencils greatly increases, as for each new piece of music desired to be added to the repertoire a stencil must be made and stored.

To avoid the storing of the stencil and permit of destroying the same after a desired number of music-sheets are produced therefrom in the perforating-machine, and to be still enabled to accurately produce any desired number of music-sheets at any time in the perforating-niachine and use a sheet which is the product of the same or any other machine designed for a like purpose after the original stencil has been destroyed,` is the principal object of the invention, presently to be described in detail.

The apparatus as shown in the drawings is provided with dies A, mounted in a suitable framework and arranged in such a manner as to permit of passing a sheet of paper B, to be formed into a music sheet or roll, between the two dies. The dies A are provided with die-apertures A, each of which is adapted to be engaged by the upper end of a punch C, so that when one of the punches is pushed upward it forms a perforation or aperture in the sheet B. The several punches C are mounted to slide vertically in suitable bearings, and each punch is provided near its lower end with shoulders C G2, of which the shoulder C is adapted to be engaged by a lug D, formed on a cross-head D, fitted to slide in suitable bearings D2, secured to the framework of the machine, as plainly indicated in Fig. 2.

The cross-head D is pivotally connected with pitmen E, engaging the crank-arms F' of the main driving-shaft F, provided with suitable pulleys F2, connected by a belt F? with machinery for imparting a rotary motion to the said shaft F. Thus when the latter is :rotated the crank-arms F and pitmen E impart a reciprocating motion to the crosshead D, the stroke of which is such that the upper end of the lug D does not come in con- IOO tact with the shoulder C2 at the time the crank-arms F' are in their uppermost position, and consequently the respective punch C is not lifted to perforate the sheet B unless the projection G' of a slide G is moved upon the shoulder C2, so that the upper end of the lug D' engages the said projection G' and lifts the latter, and consequently the respective punch C, to cause the upper end thereof to punch the sheet B. On the downward movement of the cross-head D the lug D engages the shoulder C' to draw the punch back to its normal position,(shown in Fig. 1,) it being understood that the normal position is when the upper end of the punch is below the sheet B.

Each punch C is provided with one of the slides G, and the latter are fitted to slide horizontally in suitable bearings G2, arranged in the framework of the machine. One arm of a bell-crank lever I-I, fulcrumed in the framework, engages the slide G, so that when a rocking motion is given to this bell-crank lever the,v corresponding slide is moved forward and backward to engage and disengage the shoulder C2 for the purpose previously mentioned.

Each bell-crank lever H is connected at its rear end by a wire l-I' with a spring-pressed arm H2, connected by a link H3 with a bellows I, of the. usual construction and supported in the framework of the machine. Thus foreach punch C, and there are as many as fifty-eight in a large perforating-machine,` I provide a principal bellows I, and each bellows I is connected by a pipe J with a compound valve J', arranged in the exhaust-chamber K, supported in the framework and provided with a primary bellows K', similar to the bellows I and adapted toactuate the valve J', as hereinafter described. The valve J fits loosely on pins projecting from the sides of the chamber K and is engaged by the free end ofthe spring J 2 to. hold it normally closed. The valve J carries the button-valve J 2, which is on the outside of the chamber K and is connected to the valve J' by the stem j, as clearly shown in Fig. l.

Each primary bellows K' is connected by a pipe L with a duct N, leading to a corresponding aperture in the tracker-board O, held on the upper end of the ducts N, as illustrated in Figs. l and In order to get more stock around each die-aperture, so as to render the die more durable, the die-apertures can be alternately arranged, that is to say, the apertures can be arranged in rows, the apertures of one row being opposite the spaces between two apertures of the other ro-w. In this event the upper ends of the punches wil-l be so` shaped as to readily enter the apertures of the die, and the apertures of the trackerboard will be arranged similarly to those of the die. Over this tracker-board O passes a music sheet or roll P, having the usual perforations and being one of the sheets ordinarily used in the Eolian or other musical instrument. Each primary bellows is provided with a pin-aperture somewhat less than the aperture in the tracker-board, to insure a rapid closing of the primary bellows after it has been actuated by iniiation as the air passes through the uncovered tracker-board opening, duct N, and pipe L to the said primary bellows. Now on closing the inflated bellows the air can pass through the pinhole into the exhaust-chamber to prevent the bellows from becoming wind-cramped and to insure a rapid closing. The music-sheet P is iirst wound on a roll Q, j ournaled in a bracket attached to the tracker-board, and then unwinds from this roll to pass over the trackerboard O, to then pass under a guide-roll Q', to be then connected with the holder or clamp S, secured to an endless belt or chain R, as plainly indicated in Fig. l.

The holder or clamp S is secured to the upper run of the endless belt or chain R and is adapted to clamp the front end of the sheet B, so that the latter is drawn through the dies A at the same rate of speed that the sheet P is pulled over the tracker-board O, as both sheets B and P are attached to the same traveling belt or chain R by the same clamp. The belt or chain R runs over sprocket-wheels R' and R2, journaled in the frame of the machine.

The rear sprocket-wheels R2 are secured on a transversely-extending shaft R2, carrying at one outer end a ratchet-wheel R4, engaged by a pawl R5, fulcrumed on an arm R6, loosely fulcrumed on .the said shaft R3, and the arm is connected at its free end by a link R7 with a crank-disk R8, secured on the main drivingshaft F, as is plainly illustrated in Fig. 2. Thus by the rotation of the main drivingshaft F an intermittent rotary motion is imparted to the shaft R3 bythe mechanism just described, so that an intermittent traveling motion is given to the endless belt or chain R. The arrangement of the crank-arms F' and the crank-disk R8 is such that the punches C are at a standstill during the time motion is given to the chain or belt R, and the latter is at a standstill while the punches perforate the paper in the dies A, as previously explained.

The chambers K, containing primary bellows K' and compound valve J', are connected by a channel K2 with chamber T, connected with bellows U of the usual construction and provided with two exhausters V, each of which isA connected by al pitman V' with a crank-arm V2, formed on a crank-shaft V3, journaled in suitable bearings in the main frame. A pulley V4, secured on the said crank-shaft V3, is connected by a belt V 5 with the pulley F2 on the main driving-shaft F, so that the rotary motion of the latter is transmitted to'y the crank-.shaft V2 to cause the crank-arms V2 and pitmen V' to actuate the exhausters to exhaust the air from the bellows U.. Two. exhausters are preferably employed, with the crank-arms V2 set diametri@- IOO IIO

ally opposite each other, as indicated in Fig. 3, so that a continuous exhausting of air from the bellows takes place.

Now it will be seen that when the several parts are in the position illustrated in Fig. 1 and motion is given to the main driving-shaft F, then the sheet B is pulled through the dies A at the same time the sheet P is drawn over the tracker-board O, and the punches C are actuated to punch the sheet B when the latter is at rest, and according to the aperture in the sheet P, that is, when an aperture in the sheet P passes over a corresponding aperture in the tracker-board O, then air can pass from the outside into the corresponding duct N and through the pipe L, connected with this duct, into the corresponding primary bellows K', expanding the same and thereby opening or lifting the valve J and at the same time closing the button-valve J 2, thus allowing a free passage of air to be drawn through the corresponding pipe J from the principal bellows I, connected with the said pipe J. This principal bellows I is thus collapsed and pulls by its link H3 on its spring-pressed arm H2, whereby the link H', connected with the arm H2, imparts a swinging motion to the bellcrank lever H, so that the latter pushes the corresponding slide G outward to move the projection G in engagement with the shoulder C2 of the punch C, corresponding with that aperture in the sheet P in register with the apertures in the trackenboard O and the duct N. Now when the cross-head1) moves upward its lug D moves in engagement with the projection G', and consequently the punch C is raised and an aperture is punched in the sheet B, corresponding to the aperture in the sheet P in register with the duct in the tracker-board O.

When the aperture in the tracker-board O is closed by the movement of the sheet P, the expanding power of the bellows K is lost, and valve J', button-valve J 2, and primary bellows K' are instantly returned to their normal positions by the pressure of the spring J2, opening the button-valve J 2 to the outside, and thereby insuring a rapid return of the principal bellows I.

It is understood that one, two, or more apertures in the sheet P may pass simultaneously over the corresponding apertures in the tracker-board O, so that one, two, or more corresponding punches C are lifted simultaneously by the cross-head I) to punch corresponding apertures in the sheet B. As ihe two sheets B and P move simultaneously the same distance, the apertures punched in the sheet B correspond exactly to those contained in the sheet P.

number of sheets B, placed one upon the other, are pulled simultaneously through the dies A, so that a number of music-sheets are produced at the same time.

In practice, a large l It will be seen that by the arrangement described a large and cumbersome stencil for mechanically actuating the punches Cf is not required. Only one of the ordinary musicsheets once produced is employed and passed over the tracker-board O, to pneumatically control the punches C to form new sheets or rolls which are an exact reproduction of the sheet P employed at the time.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. In an apparatus for producing musicrolls, the combination with a perforated tracker-board over which passes a perforated pattern-sheet, which moves in unison with the sheet to be perforated, and reciprocating punches by which the sheet is perforated, of slides controlling the movement of the punches, a bellows for each punch, bell-crank levers each having one end engaging a slide, and a pivoted and spring-pressed lever connected with the other end of the bell-crank lever and with the bellows, substantially as described.

2. An apparatus for producing music-rolls, comprising dies between which passes the sheet to be perforated, reciprocating punches in conjunction with the said dies, to perforate the sheets, each punch being provided with two shoulders, a cross-head having areciproeating motion, and adapted to engage one of the said shoulders, a slide adapted to move in engagement with the other shoulder to be engaged by the said cross-head, and a bellows connected with the said slide to move the latter in and out of engagement with the said shoulder, substantially as shown and described. l

3. An apparatus for producing music-rolls, comprising dies between which pass the sheet to be perforated, reciprocating punches in conjunction with the said dies, to perforate the said sheet-s, each punch being provided with two shoulders, a cross-head having a reciprocating motion, and adapted to engage one of the said shoulders, a slide adapted to move in engagement with the other shoulder to be engaged by the said cross-head, a bel lows connected with the said slide to move the latter in and out of engagement with the said shoulder, a valved bellows connected with the first-named bellows, an exhauster connected with the valved bellows, .and a tracker-board over which passes the perforated pattern-sheet, the said tracker-board being connected with the said valved bellows, to control the action of the valve therein, substantially as shown and described.

i JAMES B. TRACY. Witnesses:

FRANK S. FAY,

L. C. PARDEE.

IOO

TIO