US697226A - Automatic piano-player. - Google Patents

Description

No. 697,226. Patented Apr. 8, |902.

F. C. WHITE.

AUTOIATIC PIANO PLAYER.

(Appliemon med mv. 2a, 1901.;

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(No Model.)

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No. 697,226. Patented Apr. 8, |902. F. C. WHITE. AUTOMATIC PIANO PLAYER.

(Application led Nov. 26, 1901.)

(lo Model.)

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No. 697,226. Paten'ted Apr. 8, |902.

F. C. WHITE.

AUTOMATIC PIAND PLAYER.

(Application fund Nov. 26, 1901.)

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

Z 12, J I.- f fr@ 4 UNITED STATES PATENT OEETCE.

FRANK C. IVHITE, OF MERIDEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO VVILCOX d: VIIITE COMPANY, OF MERIDEN, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

AUTOMATIC PIANO-PLAYER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 697,226, dated April 8, 1902.

Application iled November 26, 1901. Serial No. 83,746. (No model.)

T0 @ZZ whom it may concern:

'Be it known that I, FRANK C. WHITE, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Meriden, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented new and useful Improvements in Automatic Piano-Players, of which the following, together with the accompanying drawings, is a specification sufliciently full, clear, and exact to enable persons skilled inthe art to which this invention appertains to make and use the same.

My present invention relates to the fingers or playing-lever mechanism and to the structural organization of the mechanism in a manner to facilitate adjustment of the fingers or playing -levers to different positions in height relatively to their operating mechanism and the body-casing.

Among the various styles of pianos manufactured and in use there exist many differences in the height of the manual or keyboard from the door, the extreme variation amounting to some four and one-half inches, more or less, in different pianos. To accommodate these dilferences in heights of keyboards an'd to render the construction of an automatic piano-player when manufactured such as will suit any piano regardless of the height of its manual-keyboard by a simple adjustment of the playing devices or fingerbed and without necessitating the raising or lowering of the main action, body, or case of the piano-player instrument is the prime object of my invention.

Another object is to provide an automatic piano-player with means for shifting or adjusting its system of lingers or playing-levers to dilferent heights or levels independently of the action or finger-actuating mechanisms and body-casing of the piano-playing instrument.

Another object is to provide adjusting means that will afford a skew adjustment of the series of lingers or the regulation of said lingers to differences in level at the respective ends of the keyboard irrespective of the level of the drager-operating mechanism and effective at the several positions of height adjustment.

Another object is to render the series of lingers or playing-levers diseugageable from their lifters or actuating-pitmen and to afford means for shifting the fulcrum-snpports of the series and for maintaining the disengaged parts in proper relation for the reengagement of the lingers with the litters or actuating-pitmen at the higher or lower position of adjustment.

Another object is to provide, in a pianoplayer provided with a system of organ-reeds or sound-producing devices and a series of lingers or playing-levers that are adjustable to dilierent heights in relation to the fingeroperating mechanism, means for stopping or throwing said lingers out of engagement with the piano manual-keys while playing, as hereinafter explained.

Another object is to provide a linger-lever in a piano-player with an adjustable presserhead or linger-tip having an attaching-spring and an adjusting means for regulating the same.

Minor objects and the especial features of my invention are set forth in the following detailed description, the particular subjectmatter claimed being hereinafter delinitely specilied.

In the drawings, Figure l represents an automatic piano-player embodying my invention, certain parts being shown in section. Fig. 2 represents aback view of the improved mechanism, the ends of the lingers being in section. Fig. 3 represents a plan View of the playing mechanism. Fig. 4 is a sectional view showing the linger and evener-bar. Fig. 5 represents the under side of one linger and a top view of the spring-attached presserhead or tip. Fig. G represents, on a somewhat larger scale, a vertical section of the invention as applied in a piano-player comprising a reed-organ attachment. Fig. 7 represents a vertical section through one of the adjustable supporting-bearings at the end of the finger-bed or fulcrum-bar. Fig. S represents a rear view at one end of the fulcrum-bar. Fig. 9 illustrates a modification in the manner of hanging the fulcrum-bar, showing a swinging in lieu of a sliding connection; and Fig. lO illustrates a modification in the form of the lifter.

My present invention is applicable to au tomatic piano-players such as described in Let- IOO trolling the movement of the puppets or acting parts with which my present improvements are connected or combined for operation in practice.

The prime feature of my invention consists in so arranging and combining the fulcrumbar or part that carries the nger-levers that the series of fingers can be adjusted up and down independently of the finger-actuatingA devices and pneumatic-operating mechanism and the finger-actuating devices operatively engaged at various convenient points or at any desired position within the limits ofA extreme adjustment, the finger-levers beingop- 3 erative with equal facility at any position of the adjustments, so that the instrument without change in the permanent relation of the 3 pneumatic-action, bellows, and motor appli readily adapted to suit the height of anypiano-l keyboard upon which the purchaser or user? vdisengaged from the operating devices.

may desire to employ it.

In accordance with my invention the fingerhedor fulcrum-bar 3, on which lthe lfingers or A playing-levers 5 are fulcrumed, is arranged with' its respective ends each supported by a' hanger or bearing-piece 4, thatis yrnovalo'lenp `and down on a rod or guiding device G, *sus-Q tained in upright position by'asuitablestandard or fixture 7, standing upon the chest P, 'which contains the operating-pneumatica orlv upon some other` stationary support. The

guide-rod 6 may be endwise movable or`rig A j finger-lever 5 -in such relation 'that the block idly fixed 'in' its support.

The bearing-piece 4 vis adjustable o'n the' guide 6 and is prvided with a set-screw 8 or' means for securing it at any position of adj ustment thereon. Said bearing-piece is besltpro-L videdwith a horizontally-projecting arm 14, `upon which the end'of the fulcrum-bar 3 ismounted in a manner to permit movement A thereof toward and from the standards. threaded collar-nut 13is arranged on the setscrew 8 or other efficient means provided forA securing the bar 3 rigidly against the shoul' der of the bearing-piece and for releasing it when adjustment is to be elected.

' rinvention constructed-of considerable length more fully'explained'. The lifters 9 in the ypresent instance are arranged to stand directly upon'the heads of the-action-puppets I, their lower ends retained inY vproper Working relation thereon by dowel-pins 11 or other suitable connecting devices, while their upper ends are movably supported in a guiderail 12, secured to the guide-supp'ortingbrackets 7, and through which guide-rail said lifters can freely slide endwise up and downin accordance with the music #controlled movements of the puppets I.

The action members or puppets I can be worked by the usual motor and operatingpneumatics within the chest P, controlled bya music-sheet passing over the trackerrange T. Such mechanism can be of any well-known or suitable construction adapted for imparting reciprocative impulses to the puppets or actuating connections; but since it is not of my invention it need not be more fully herein set forth.

The tail ends of the fingers 5 are 'of a shape and dimension that will engage with the notches or detents on the lifter-pitmen 9`and will conveniently disengage therefrom. Said ends are preferably cushioned or covered with felt to avoid rattling. Beneath the iingers 5which are individually disposed inv recesses in the bar 3 and fulcrumed, as at 2, 4there is a plate or barlG, carrying the finger recoil-springs 17 and having at its front edge .y

a bar, strip, or cushion 18, that serves as an evener for the series of fingers when they are The evener-bar-may beformed asa part of the plate 16 or asa separateA bar `attached to the fulcrum-bar 3 and parallel therewith. At their striking ends the .fin gers 5 are each f-prov-ided with a spring-attached presser-'head 25, that acts `against the surface of 'the piano manualkeyK. A(See Figs. l'andG.) Said presser-head 1 construct as a semicylind rical block having vits flat side secured to'one end of a'fiatin'etal spring-arm 24,- lthe other end 'of said s'pringarm being attached to the under side o'f #the or head is disposed in transverse'posi-tio'n beneath the finger end, as best shown'in Fig. 5, the rounded surface of the presser-head, 'which is provided witha feltfpacked face, being downward. A screw 23 is arranged through the end of the fingers, with its point impinging against theat'taching spring-plate at the back of the block. The spring-arm serves for yieldingly attaching the presserhead and for keeping the head pressed upward toward the linger, while the screw serves therewith as a means for 'regulating the l presser-head to accurately meet the key-slur- The lifter pitmen or members 9 for *operating'the fingers 5 are in accordancewith myr face of an individual key.

When this invention is employed combined with a piano-player provided with a set of organ-reeds or sound-producing Adevices 20, the tracker-pins 19 for operating the reedduct valves 2l are preferably disposed upony the top ends of the lifters 9, the lifter-bar being provided with a depression or scat -22 for retaining the foot of the tracker-'pin inplace. An example of this construction is shown IOS at the left-hand end of Fig. 2 and in detail in I Fig. 6.

when a reed-organ attachment is employed in the piano-player, it is desirable to have a stop or throw-ofi for temporarily silencing the piano-action during some parts of the playing. In suchinstances I make the guide-rods 6 endwise movable in the bracketears of the standards and provide, in combination with said guide-rods upon which the bearings 4f, that carry the finger-bed or fulcrum-bar 3, are mounted, a controllable means for raising and depressing the guide-rods and parts supported thereon to a degree that will move the ends of the fingers 5 clear from the piano-keys without stopping the vibrations of the 1ingers. This mechanism, as shown, consists of a spring 26, acting against the guide-rod and of sufficient tension to hold the parts normally elevated, and a depressing lever or device 27, arranged for action in opposition to said spring or springs for depressing said guide-rods and fulcrum-bar to bring the ngers into playing contact with the piano-keys. Said lever or device 27 is combined with a suitable selflocking actuator device 2S, operatively connected with a stop pull 29 or equivalent means at the hand of the operator for controlling the position of the guide-rods and connected parts. As herein arranged the spring 2G acts to throw the lingers out of contact and the depressing-lever 27 to throw them into contact, accordingly as the stop is manipulated.

For adjusting the series of ngers 5, so that the piano-player will properly coincide with the height or level of the manual-keyboard of any particular piano, the operation is as follows: The operator runs back the retaining devices or collar-nuts 13, thereby permitting the backward movement or retraction of the fulcrum-bar 3 suiciently to disengage the ends 15 of the entire series of iingers or playing-levers from the notches or detents 10 of the litters 9. The set-screws S are then loosened and the bearings 4 shifted up or down upon the guides 6 to the desired position, as from the position indicated by dotted lines 30 to that indicated by full lines in Fig. 6, and the ends of the fingers then reengaged with the appropriate notches or detents of the litters or actuating mechanism, then reclamping the fastening devices that secure the bearing-pieces 4 and fulcrum-bar 8 in place. j

Vhen the fingers are disconnected from their lifter mechanism, the ends of all the fingers are caused to assume uniform alinement against the evener-bar 1S, so that in adjusting the finger-bed to its new position the several fingers will enter into engagement With the respective litters all at their proper position.

In addition to the adjustment of the iingers to the different positions represented by the plurality of notches or detents of the litters 9 a more precise adjustment is obtained by sliding the hangers or bearing-pieces L1 upon the guides G to a higher or lower relation in respect to the particular point of engagement of the finger ends with their lifting-detents 10, so that the striking ends of the iingers normally stand at a slight elevation or at a slight depression relatively to the actual level of the engaged detents. Again, by raising and securing one of the bearing-pieces 4 on its guide above the level of the other bearing-piece on its guide a skew adjustment of the fulcrum-bar and series of ngers is attained, so as to accommodate or counteract any variation in level between the respective ends of the piano-keyboard due to irregularities in the piano structure, or occasioned by the instruments standing upon an uneven fioor, or from other causes.

To facilitate the bringing of the finger ends 15 readily into conjunction with the several notches or detents on the litters 9, I preferably form lugs or recesses 31 in the face of the standards 7 (see Fig. 7) and provide a spring-pressed stud 32 in the bearing-piece a, that slightly catches into said recesses to indicate positions where the finger ends and lifter-detents are at an engageable alinement with each other. Said spring-pressed studs 82 can, if desired, be made to exert sutiicient force for temporarily supporting the parts at the place of adjustment. In some instances these spring-pressed studs may be omitted, especially when it is desired to have the guide-rods 6 slide endwise in the bracket-ears, as above referred to.

Piano-playing fingers that are disengageably or variably connected with their actuating devices and adjustable in height of operating position relatively thereto may be employed in combination with operating mechanism in a musical self-playing attachment of other construction than that above referred to, and I desire to include such combinations as within the scope of my invention.

In Fig. 9 I have illustrated a modification wherein the fulcrum-bar 3 is combined with the bearing-piece a by a hinge-joint 33 and disengagement of the fingers from the lifters attained by swinging instead of a sliding movement. Such modification is included as within the scope ot my invention.

In Fig. 10 I have shown a modification in the form of the lifter, which is therein shown as a thin bar 91, the detents being therein made as projecting pins 101 and the finger 51 engaging therewith by a bird-mouth slot, as at 35, the action of this connection being substantially similar to that hereinbefore described.

What I claim as of my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an automatic piano-player, the combination with the body-casing, and pneumatically-controlled action devices or puppets; of finger-actuating members respectively pro* vided with moans for engagement ofthe playing-ii nger at various positions thereon, a series of detachably-engaged playing-fingers actuated thereby, and means for the support of said fingers adjustable for elevation and IOO IIO

depression within the casing, for changing the operating relation and height of the series of fingers with respect to the positions of engagement with the finger-actuating members, and to the pneu matically-controlled action devices.

2. An automatic piano-player having an independently-adjustable series of playing levers or fingers, in combination with the finger-operating mechanism, the fingers and operating devices having means for connecting and operating said fingers at dierent posi-- tions of height in relation to the actuating mechanism.

' 3. In an automatic piano-p1ayer,'the combination, with the fingers, finger-bed and music-controlled action devices; of aseries of finger-engaging lifters or pitmen respectively provided with a plurality of notches,

` at different positions or height thereon, and

' and down said guides, said bearing-pieces` lugs or detents engageable with said fingers,

respectively providedr with Van arm whereon said fulcrum-baris movablysupported,means for confining said fulcrum-bar upon the arms, and devices for securing the bearing-pieces at adjustable position on the guides.

5. The combination of a lifter-pitman having a series of notches, lugs or projecting detents, a finger-lever adapted for detachably engaging-therewith at its front end, a shiftvable fulcrum-bar in which saidfinger is pivotally fulcru med, supports for sustaining the bar and fingers, and means for releasing said fulcrum-bar for disengaging and rengaging said finger end with either of said lifter-detents, and means for securing said fulcrumbar at the positions of adjustment. 6. In an automatic piano-player, the combination with actuating members and playing-ngers mutually engageable at steps or positions corresponding with notches or detents on the actuating members, and a movable. Vfulcrum-bar carrying said fingers; of guides,

and adjustable supporting devices for said fulcrum-bar adapted for adjusting` and sustaining the fulcrum-bar and fingers at said step positions, and for varying the adj usted relation of the finger-fulcrum to stand above or below the normal working level of the fingers as engaged detents.

7. kIn an automatic piano-player, the com-v bination of a movable fulcrum-bar, the series of playing-ngers fulcrumed thereon,guiding supports for the respective ends ot said ful- Crum-bar, and adjusting hangers or bearingguiding-supports, said bearing-pieces being independentlyadjustable thereon at each end pieces connecting said fulcrum-bar to the atthe respective notches or t Vof the bar, and adaptedfor permitting a skew or inclined adjustment of said bar and series of fingers relatively tothe level of the actionbed.

8. In an automatic playing attachment for manual musical instruments, comprising a pneumatically-operated action mechanism, a set of organ-reeds with valves and trackerpins therefor, a series of manual playing-fingers, a fulcrumed bed or bar that is adjustable up and down to different Working positions; the finger-actuating pitmen respectively having a plurality of notches or detents for engaging the finger, and provided with a seat for the end of said tracker-pin, and a foot-pin engaging the action-puppet, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

9. In an automatic piano-player provided with a set of organ-reeds or sound-producing devices, the combination, of the detented lifters, the playing-fingers engageable therewith at different heights, a movable fulcrum-bar carrying said fingers, standards, and guiderods endwise movable in said standards, supporting-bearin gs for said fulcrum-bar adjustably secured on said guide-rod, and a controlling means, substantially as described, for moving said guide-rods within the standard for throwing the fingers into and out of playing contact.

l0. Inapiano-player, the combination with the finger-actuating pitmen having a plurality of finger-engaging notches or detents, a series of disengageable fingers,and the adjustably-supported fulcrum-bar carrying said-fingers; of an evener device adapted for supporting the finger ends in serial alinement when disengaged from the litters.

ll. In a piano-player, the combination with the fulcrum bar Vcarrying the fingers, the standing guide-rod and the bearing-piece adjustable on said guide-rodand having an arm yupon which said fulcrum-bar is supported;

ot a set-screw threaded into said arm endwise and impinging againsty the guide-rod, and a collar-nut threaded upon said set-screw and impingeable againstsaid fulcrum-,ban for the purpose set forth. t l n 12. In a piano-player, in combination with the -notched finger-actuatinglifters, the adj ustable fulcru m-bar carrying the fingers, the adjustable bar-supporting bearing-piece, and standard guide-rods; of aspring-pressed stud arranged in said bearing-piece, and a guidestandard having lugs or recesses for coacting with said-stud in corresponding relation toA the detents of the lifters,fo r the purpose set forth. j j l13.v In a piano-player, a fingerv or playing lever having a presser-head consisting of a semicylindrical cushion-faced block.- transversely secured to a metal spring,`the opposite end of said spring-arm being connected kthe fingenandimpingingupon the spring- IOO tro

plate at the back of the head, substantially as shown and described.

14. In an automatic piano-player, the oombination, of a nger-aetuating member havjustment at each end of said fulorum-bar, and means for independently confining the parts at adjusted positions.

Vitness my hand this 22d day of Noveming a plurality of engaging detents, a series ber, 1901.

of playing-fingers having ends adapted for FRANK C. VHITE. engaging therewith, a fnlerum-bar carrying' Witnesses: said ngers, and fulernm-bar supports that afford horizontal movement and vertical ad- .TAMEs H. WHITE, FRED E. BEMIs.

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