US686682A - Pneumatic key-striker for mechanical musical instruments. - Google Patents

Description

N0. 686,682. Patented Nov..l2, |90l.' H. M. SALYEB.

PNEUMATIC KEY STBIKER FUR MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

A i ucmon filed July 7, 1900 (No Model.)

WITNESSES: INVENTOR Z 1' 42 7102? 7 I I I, Way? m ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY M. SALYER, OF-NElV YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE FIRM OF LUDVVIG AND COMPANY, OF BOROUGH OF BRONX, NEW YORK, N. Y.

PNEUMATIC KEY-STRIKER FOR MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

SPEGIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 686,682, dated November 12, 1901.

Application filed July 7, 1900.

T0 to whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HARRY M. SALYER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of the Bronx, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pneumatic Key-Strikers for Mechanical Musical Instruments, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in self-playing attachments for key musical instruments, and especially to a new and improved pneumatic mechanism for actuating the keys.

The object of my invention is to provide a new and improved pneumatic key-operating mechanism which is simple in construction, reliable, positive, and quick in action, and readily controlled.

In the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, a vertical longitudinal sectional view of myimproved pneumatic key-operating mechanism is shown, the COD.

trolling-sheet being shown in diagram.

The compressed-air chamber A is charged with compressed air in any suitable manner and at-any desired degree of compression. It is brought into communication with a valvecasing B by means of the opening B, of any desired shape, and with this valve-casing one end of a cylinder O is connected, which cylinder is brought in communication with the casing B by the opening 0. The cylinder 0 contains a piston D, having a suit-able packing and attached to the inner end of a pistonrod D, which is guided in an aperture in the outer head 0 of the cylinder, which head has a hole 0 for the escape and admission of air. A helical spring D surrounds the piston-rod D between the piston D and. the head C- and presses the piston upward. A key-striking head E, having a felt or rubber pad E, is attached to the outer end of the piston-rod D.

The valve-casing B contains a fixed hub F, provided with a central bore F, extending in the direction of the length of the casing and transversely to the axis of the cylinder 0. A duct G extends from the bore F to the hole 0, and a passage or duct H extends from the duct or opening B to one end of the hub F. A piston-valve J, fitting in the casing 13, is

Serial No. 22.775. (No model.)

I attached to a tubular rod J, passing loosely through the bore F of the hub F, and this piston-valve is provided with a washer-plate J which is adapted to seat on that end of the hub at which the d not H terminates. A ventpassage K extends from the under side of the piston-valve J at that part of the rim at which the d not H terminates to the bore of the tubular piston-rod J, which vent-passage K can be controlled by a valve-screw L, screwed in to the tubular rod J and projecting from one end of the same. The piston-valve J is pressed by a spring M upon its seat on the hub F, which spring is interposed between the piston J and the head N of the valve-casing. A valve 0, having a suitable packing-disk O, is secured on the rod J and is adapted to seat 011 that end of the hub F opposite the one on which the piston-valve J seats. Avent-pipe extends from the head N of the valve-casing B to a bridge Q, where it can be closed by a spring-pressed valve R when said valve is pressed down by a slotted or other note-sheet S passing over it. When a slot or recess S in the note-sheet arrives at the nose R of the valve, the latter is pressed up by its spring and the end of the vent-passage P is opened. WVhen the vent-passage P is closed, the vlave J is seated on the end of the hub and communication between the compressed-air chamber A and the upper end of the cylinder O is interrupted. As soon as the vent-pipe P is opened by raising the valve R in the manner set forth the pressure on the outer side of the pistonvalve J is reduced to much less than the pressure on the innerside, which internal pressure is about six to eight pounds to the squareineh more than atmospheric pressu re, more or less, and in consequence the piston-valve J is moved toward the head N of the valve-casing, the spring M being compressed. At the same time the valve 0 is held against the opposite end of the hub F, thus closing the end of the bore F. The compressed air from the chamber A now passes through the duct H into the central bore F of the hub F and from the same through the duct G into the upper end of the cylinder 0 and forces down the piston D. The parts remain in these positions as long as the vent pipe or duct P remains open-that is, as long as the valveR remains raised. As soon as this valve is closed the pressure is equalized at both sides of the piston-valve J, compressed air of the same tension acting on both faces of this pistonvalve,as some compressed air hasfpassed from the duct H through the vent-passage K into the valve-casing and vent-pipe P and escaped through the latter, this escape ceasing as soon as the valve R is closed. The compressed air now acts on the inner side of the valve 0 and presses the same outward,whereby the piston-valve J is seated and the communication between the cylinder 0 and the compressed-air chamber A is interrupted. The spring D immediately throws the piston D upward, the air from the upper part of the cylinder 0 escaping through the duct G and bore F, one end of which is opened to the atmosphere by the valve 0.

The vent-passage K is made adjustable, so as to prevent a waste of compressed air, but still to permit a sufficient quantity to pass into the vent-pipe P for equalizing the pressure.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with a cylinder, piston and piston-rod, of a compressed-air chamber, a valve-casing in communication with the compressed-air chamber and cylinder, a valve in said casing for controlling the passage of compressed air into the cylinder, which valve has a vent-passage establishing communication between the compressed-air chamber and that part of the valve-casing beyond the valve and a vent in the valve-casing, and means for antomaticallycontrolling said vent in the casing substantially as herein shown and described.

2. The combination with a cylinder, piston and piston-rod, of a compressed-air chamber, a valve-casing in communication with the cylinder and com pressed-air chamber, a valve in said casing, controlling the passage of compressed air from the chamber to the cylinder, said valve having a vent for establishing communication between the compressed-air chamber and that part of the valve-casingbeyond the valve, a vent-tube connected with the casing, a valve controlling said vent-tube and means for automatically operating said valve in the vent-tube,substantially as herein shown and described.

3. The combination with a cylinder, piston and piston-rod, of a compressed-air chamber, a valve-casing in communication with the compressed-air chamber and the cylinder, a valve in said Valve-casin g and provided with a tubular rod on which the valve is mounted and in which rod the said screw is screwed, a vent-tube connected with the val ve-casing and means for controlling said vent-tube, substantially as herein shown and described. 4. The combination with a cylinder, a piston and piston-rod, of acompressed-air chamber, a valve-casing in communication with the compressed-air chamber and the cylinder, a rod mounted in said casing to move longitudinally in the same, two valves on said rod, an apertured hub in the valve-casing, on which hub said valves can seat and means for varying the pressure on the valves for shifting them with the rod to which they are attached, substantially as herein shown and described.

5. The combination with a cylinder, piston and piston-rod, of a compressed-air chamber, a valve-casing in communication with the compressed-air chamber and the cylinder, a hub in the said casing and having a central bore, a duct extending from said hub-bore to the cylinder, a duct in said hub, extending from the compressed-air chamber to one end of the hub, a rod mounted to move longitudinally through said hub, valves mounted on said rod at opposite ends of the hub to seat on said opposite ends, one valve having a vent for establishing communication between the duct extending to the compressedair chamber and said casing, a vent-tube connected with the valve-casing and means for controlling said vent-tube, substantially as herein shown and described.

6. The combination with a cylinder, piston and piston-rod, of a compressed-air chamber, a valve-casing in communication with the compressed-air chamber and cylinder, a central apertured hub in said valve-casing, and having a duct connecting the bore of the hub with the cylinder, a rod mounted to move longitudinally through said hub, two valves on said rod, which seat on the opposite ends of the hub,a vent-tube connected with the valvecasing and means for controlling said venttube, substantially as herein shown and described.

Signed at New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 6th day of November, A. D. 1899.

HARRY M. SALYER.

Witnesses:

N. M. FLANNERY, OSCAR F. GUNZ.

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