US700035A - Xylophone-player. - Google Patents

Xylophone-player. Download PDF

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Publication number
US700035A
US700035A US6083401A US1901060834A US700035A US 700035 A US700035 A US 700035A US 6083401 A US6083401 A US 6083401A US 1901060834 A US1901060834 A US 1901060834A US 700035 A US700035 A US 700035A
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levers
hammers
chest
bridge
ducts
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US6083401A
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Frederick R Goolman
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    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63HTOYS, e.g. TOPS, DOLLS, HOOPS OR BUILDING BLOCKS
    • A63H5/00Musical or noise- producing devices for additional toy effects other than acoustical

Definitions

  • Nonms PETERS co. pHoro-ums.. wAsmncJoN, u. c.
  • Patented may I3,
  • a TTOHNE YS i TH Nonms Parens co. Puma-umn., wAsmNGTnN. u. c.
  • My invention relates to automatic devices for playing musical instruments.
  • the purpose of the invention is Ato provide a mechanism especially adapted for playing on xylophones and to construct such mechanism in a simple, durable, and economic manner and so that the mechanism may be relied upon to perform the functions for which it is intended. 1n order to play a Xylophone properly, it is necessary to strike the bars of the instrument one stroke for short notes and to strike a number or succession of strokes, called a roll, when a sustained note is required.
  • a further purpose of the invention is to so construct the mechanism that such results will be invariably obtained when required.
  • Figure 1 is a front elevation of the improvement uncased.
  • Fig. 2 is an end view thereof.
  • Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the instrument, the section being taken through the equalizing bellows or pump.
  • Fig. 11 is a horizontal section through the instrument, taken just below the air-chest.
  • Fig. 5 is a vertical section through thel music-carrying mechanism.
  • Fig. 6 is an enlarged end View of the lower portion of the instrument, one end board being removed.
  • Fig. 7 is a longitudinal vertical section through a portion of the air-chest, and
  • Fig. S is a detail View of the regulating device for the driving mechanism of the music-carrying mechanism.
  • the main frame of the machine consists of a back board 10, of suitable dimensions, a bottom board 11, end sections 12, whicharc atsnn nu. 60,834. dto moda.)
  • the music-bars 16 have openings therein through which the pins extend.
  • a striking-bar 1S is secured to the forward j ably supported by the rails 15, pins 17 being face of the chest A, and this striking-bar is s provided with a longitudinal opening toreceive an offset from a pad 19, secured to the outer face of the striking-bar, said pad being of felt or a like material.
  • the striking-bar and its pad extend from one end of the instrument to the other.
  • a series of hammers B is perpendicularly arranged at the front of the instrument, said hammers corresponding in number to the number of bars 16 to be struck to produce the various notes. These hammers normallyrest against the striking-pad 19, as is best shown in Fig. 3.
  • Each hammer consists of a lower section 21, which is hinged to socket extensions 22, secu-red to the front rail 13 of the frame, and an upper spring-bar section 23.
  • Each spring-bar section of a hammer carries a head 24, arranged to strike a sound-producing bar 1G at or about its center.
  • Each hammer B is held in its normal position bya spring 25, which springs are secured to the front bottom rail 13 and extend upward along the body portions of the hammers, having bear ⁇ ing upon their outer faces. The hammers are prevented from moving laterally by pins 20, projecting from the striking-bar 18 and at each side of the hammers.
  • each hammer is provided with inwardly-extending lugs 2G, and an angled jack-lever 27 is fulcrumed at the junction of its members in thelugs26 of each hammer.
  • the inner end of each jack 27 is provided with a reinforcing-plate 2S, andthe horizontal member of each jack-lever 27 is also provided with a pad 29, secured upon the upper face ot said member of the lever near ICO its inner end, the said pad being of felt or a like material and being for a purpose to be hereinafter set forth.
  • each lever is normally held in practically a horizontal position by a spring 30, a spring being provided for each jack, having bearing against the vertical member of the jack and the opposing face of the body of the hammer.
  • the vertical member of the jack is prevented from moving too far forward in the operation of the instrument by coming in engagement with a stop-block 31, adj ustably attached to the body of the hammer by a screw 32 or its equivalent, and the vertical member of the jack is also prevented from movingtoo far inward byengagement with a second stop-block
  • Each stopblock 33 is connected with the body portion of a hammer B by an adjustingscrew 34.
  • the inner ends of the jack-levers or jacks 27 extend over a cylinder 35, whose trunnions arerjournaled in the end plates or sections l2 ofthe frame.
  • This cylinder is corrugated, being provided withaseries of longitudinal ribs 3(3,and when the inner end ofajaclclever is depressed itis broughtin the path ofa projection from the cylinder and the jack-lever is forced outward, carrying thehammerB, to which it is attached, in the same direction, and the moment the jack-lever is released from the rib 3G, with which it engages, the hammer will fly back and strike a tone-producing bar 1G, one stroke representing a short note if the jack-lever is permitted to rise when it is re leased from a rib on the cylinder; but if the jack-leverbe held in itslower position it will be struck by various of The ribs, according to the length of time it is held down, and each time the hammer with
  • a driving-pulley 37 (shown best inFig. l) is attached to one trunnion of the cylinder 35, the pulley 37 being connected with any source of power,and a pulley 3S is secured to the opposite trunnion of the said cylinder, as is shown in Figs. l and 4.
  • This pulley 3S is connected by a pitman with an extension from a double vacuum-pump C, which pump is in the Aforni of a bellows, its two sections being connected by a link 40 or its equivalent, as shown in Fig. 4.
  • These vacuum-pumps or bellows C are adapted to produce a Vacuum in the chest A and are provided with flexible checkvalves inside and out for checking the air in the ordinary way.
  • the bellows or vacuu m-pum ps C are connected by a tube 4l or its equivalent with a lower chamber 42, formed in the chest A, as shown in Fig. 7, which chamber extends the full length of the chest.
  • the upper portion of the chest, as shown also in Fig. 7, is divided into a series of small chambers 43 by partitions 44, and diaphragms 45 of pliable 1naterial are attached to the partitions, the diaphragms being preferably provided with attached boards or plates 4G at their under faces, so that the diaphragms may act upon objects placed below them.
  • the small chambers 43 have no connection with the large chamber 42 and correspond in number to the number of hammers and the number of tone-produc ing bars 1G.
  • the double bellows C is attached to the rear face of the back lO of the frame. Another but single bellows C is also attached to the back of the frame,and this bellows C has a direct communication 47 with the said continuous chamber 42 in the chest A, as is shown in Fig. 3.
  • the bellows C' is normally held open by one or more springs 47, (Shown in Fig. 2.) rlhis bellows C is to equalize the pressure of air in the vacuum or air chest.
  • an auxiliary back board 10 is vertically placed, as is shown in Figs. 3 and 5, and on this auxiliary back board lOaaduet-bridge 48 is horizontally placed, extending in a rearward direction.
  • This bridge 43 is provided with a series of horizontal ducts 49, extending through its outer longitudinal edge, which edge is preferably rounded off, as shown in Fig. 5, and these ducts correspond in number to the number of hammers B and tone-producing bars 1G.
  • the upper drum 51 is provided with an attached gear-wheel 54 at one end, and a pressureroller 55 has bearing on the strip or sheet 53, wound on the upper drum, the said pressurcroller engaging with the drum at its rear, and this pressure-roller is supported by springhangers 5G. (Shown best in Fig.
  • the pressure-roller 55 prevents the sheet or strip 53 from buckling and preserves it in a smooth condition.
  • This sheet is provided with per ⁇ forations, some of which are in connected series, others being single or in series not connected, and whenever one of the perforations in the sheet is brought over a duct 4i) in the bridge 4S the mechanism for operating the hammercorresponding to that d uct isbrought into action.
  • a guard 5S is located in front of the apertured edge of the bridge and supported by suitable brackets.
  • the upper drum 5l may be rotated either fast or slow through the following mechanism:
  • a pinion 60 secured on a short shaft 6l, journaled in a side section 50 of the frame eXtension, meshes with the teeth of the gear 54, as shown in Fig. 5, and this shaft 6l carries a small pulley 62. (Shown in Figs. 3 and 5.)
  • a belt 63 is passed over the pulley 62 and down over a cone-pulley 64, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5, which cone-pulley is secured to a shaft 65, mounted in spring-bearings 66, which bearings serve to keep the belt 63 taut.
  • the speed of the drum 5l is increased or is lessened by moving the belt 63 over the face of the conepulley 64, and this may be accomplished by causing one strand of the belt 63 to engage with a pulley 66, mounted on a spindle carried by an arm 67, pivoted at the back of the frame, as is shown in Figs. 2 and 8. By moving this arm 67 up or down the belt 63 will be carried to or from the larger portion of the cone-pulley.
  • the shaft 65 is provided at its right-hand end with a pulley 65, driven by a belt 65, leading to the pulley 38, attached to a trunnion of the cylinder 35.
  • a series of pipes 68 extends from the ducts 49 in the bridge 48 to the upper chambers 43 in the chest A, and an individual pipe is provided for each chamber 43, connected with an individual duct in the bridge.
  • An angle-le ver 69 is provided for each compartment in the chest, and consequently the number of angle-levers 69 corresponds to the number of tone-producing bars 16.
  • These angle-levers 69 are located below the chestA and are pivoted at a point 7l to blocks 70 or other projections from the bottom front portion of the chest, and springs 70, attached to the said blocks, are given upward bearing against the upper or horizont-al members of the levers 69, the springs serving to normally draw the said levers upward in direction ofthe chest A.
  • Springs 77 are coiled around the vertical portions of the levers 69 and yaround the pivots 72 of the shoes 74, and said springs likewise have bearing against the inner faces of said shoes, so that the tendency of the springs 77 is to force the feet 76 of the operating-levers 69 in a forward direction, the
  • the outward or forward movement of the foot-sections of the levers 69 is limited by yokes or hooks 78, which yokes or hooks 78 are attached to longitudinal bars 79, located above the cylinder 35 and below the chest A,
  • bars 79 are pivotally suspended by arms 8O from projections 8l from the bottom portion of the chest A at the rear thereof, as shown in Fig. 6.
  • the bars 79 which may be termed liinitin g-bars, are normally held by springs 81 against a pad 82, longitudinally located within the frame and attached to the back thereof by suitable brackets 83.
  • the limiting-bars 79 are moved forward to permit forward movement of the foot-sections 76 of the operating-levers 69 by rods 84, horizontally attached thereto, which rods extend forward and are pivotally connected with the lower members of angle-levers 85, which angle-levers at the junction of their members are pivoted in blocks or hangers 86, attached to the bottom of the chest A, as is also shown in Fig. 6.
  • the upper members ny of these levers 85 extend rearward below an auxiliary chest AQ attached to the bottom of the main chest A at the rear of the instrument, as is shown in Figs 3 and 6.
  • the said horizontal inembers c of the angle-levers 85 are adapted to be engaged by plungers 86, which plungers are held to slide in the bottom portion of the auxiliary chest A', as is shown in Fig. 3.
  • This auxiliary chest is divided into an upper and a lower compartment by a diaphragm 87 of pliable material, provided at its bottom with an attached plate or board 88, the plate or board having bearing upon the inner ends of the plungers 86.
  • auxiliary pipes 90 are introduced, one at each end, and these auxiliary pipes 90 connect with the end ducts 49 in the bridge 48.
  • each operating-lever 69 is engaged by a plunger 82, and these plungers are held to slide in the bottom portion of the main chest A, one below each of the upper chambers 43.
  • the inner ends of said plungers 82a are en ⁇ gaged by the boards or plates 46 of the diaphraglns 45, constituting the bottom portions of said upper chambers 43.
  • l/Vhen air is introduced into a chamber 43 of the main chest A, the diaphragm of that chamber is forced downward and it in turn forces down the plunger 82a immediately below it, and this plunger acts upon its corresponding operating-lever 69 to depress the same, carrying the corresponding jack-lever 27 downward in position to be engaged by one or more of the ribs 36 on the cylinder 35.
  • a musical instrument an apertured sheet, a duct-bridge over which the sheet passes, a series of pneumatic motors connected with the ducts of the bridge, a series of hammers, a swinging lever carried by each hammer, a movable member with which the swinging levers of the hammers are adapted to engage, means operated by the motors for holding the levers of the hammers into engagement with the movable member, an auxiliary pneumatic motor connected with the duetsof the bridge, and means operated from said motor and controlling the time the levers of the hammers are held in the path of the movable member, as and for the purpose set forth.
  • an automatic Xylophone-player consisting of a frame, aseries of tone-producing bars carried by tho frame, spring-controlled hammers for said bars, jack-levers carried by the hammers, a ribbed cylinder arranged to act upon the jacklevers, a vacuum-chest, operating-levers for the jack-levers, actuated from the vacuumchest, an auxiliary chest, a controlling mech anism for the operating-levers, operated from the auxiliary chest, a duet-bridge, sundry ot the said ducts in the bridge being connected with the vacuum-chest and others with the auxiliary chest, and means, substantially as described, for opening and closing the ducts in the said bridge, as set forth.
  • a duct-bridge means for opening and closing the ducts thereof, a series oi pneumatic motors connected with the ducts of the bridge, a series of hammers, pivoted and spring-pressed levers carried by the hammers, a revoluble cylinder provided with peripheral projections with which the levers of the ham mers are adapted to engage, and means operated by motors for moving the levers of the hammers into engagement with the projections of the cylinder, as set forth.
  • a duct-bridge means for opening and closing the ducts thereof, a series of pneumatic motors connected with the ducts ol the bridge, a series oi' hammers, pivoted and spring-pressed levers earried by the hammers, a revoluble cylinder ⁇ provided with peripheral projections with which the levers of the hammers are adapted to engage, spring-pressed swinging operatinglevers carrying feet for engagement with the levers of the hammers, and means whereby the operating-levers are operated from the motors, as set forth.
  • a duct-bridge means for opening and closing the ducts thereof, a series of pneumatic motors connected with the ducts of the bridge, aseries of hammers, pivoted and spring-pressed levers carried bythe hammers, a revoluble cylinder provided with peripheral projections with which the levers of the hammers are adapted to engage, pivoted and spring-pressed operating-levers, means for operating the levers from the motors, and pivoted and springpressed feet carried by the operating-levers and adapted to engage the levers of the hammers, as set forth.
  • Il. Inamusical instrument a duct-bridge, means for opening and closing the d ucts thereof, a series ot' pneu m atic motors connected with the ducts of the bridge, a series of hammers, pivoted and spring-pressed levers carried by the hammers, a revoluble cylinder provided .with peripheral projections with which the levers of thehammers are adapted to engage, pivoted and spring-pressed angular levers,l means for operating the levers from the motors, pivoted and spring-pressed shoes carried by the vertical member of the angularl levers,and feet carried by the shoes and adapted to engage the levers of the hammers, as set forth.
  • a duct-bridge means for opening and closing the ducts thereof, a series of pneumatic motors connected with the ducts of the bridge, a series of hammers, pivoted and spring-pressed levers carried by the hammers, means with which the levers of the hammers are adapted to engage to operate the hammers, pivoted and spring-pressed 'feet adapted to engage the levers of the hammers, means for operating the feet from the motors to cause them to depress the said hammer-levers, an auxiliary pneumatic motor connected with the ducts of the bridge, and means operated by the auX- iliary motor for controlling the swinging movement of the said feet, as set forth.
  • a duct-bridge means for opening and closing ⁇ the ducts thereof, a series of pneumatic motors connected with the ducts of the bridge, a series of hammers, pivoted and spring-pressed levers carried by the hammers, means with which the said levers are adapted to engage to operate the hammers, pivoted and spring-pressed feet adapted to engage the hammer-levers, means for operating the feet from the motors to cause them to depress the hammer-levers, au auxiliary pneumatic motor7 a swinging bar op- IOO them to depress the hammer-levers, an auxiliary pneumatic motor, a swinging bar, an angle-lever connected with the bar and operated by the auxiliary motor, and yokes extending; from said bar anC ⁇ engaging the feet, as set forth.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Acoustics & Sound (AREA)
  • Multimedia (AREA)
  • Electrophonic Musical Instruments (AREA)

Description

Patented May I3, |902.
` F. n. GooLMAN.
xvlufHoNE PLAYER. (No modali) (Apphcatl: med may ik I) 5 Sheets-Sheet c "i" :l g o EFT l D. n s
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WUNESSES 'l t s /NVENTOH l l 'eee'a'c/ 5002272 0.72
'Arron/vers Patented may I3, |902.
F. R. GO0LMAN. XYLOPHONE PLAYER.
(Application led May 18, 1901,) v (no Model.) 5 sheets-sheet 2.`
By ATTO YS m: Nonms PETERS co. pHoro-ums.. wAsmncJoN, u. c.
No. 700,035. Patented May I3, |902. F. R. GLMAN.
XYLPHNE PLAYER.
(Application led May 18, 1901.) (No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 3.
'me Nunnls News co, PHoToLn'Ho., wAsnINcToN, n. c.
No. 700,035. Patented May I3, |902.
F. vF1'. GLMAN. XYLOPHONE PLAYER.
(Application led May 18, 1901.) (No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 TH: Nonms PETERS co, pHoro-uma., wAsHvNsvoN, D. cy
No. 700,035. Patented may I3, |902. E. R. G00LMAN. XYLUPHUNE PLAYER.
(Application led May 18, 1901.)
(llo Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 5.
A TTOHNE YS i TH: Nonms Parens co. Puma-umn., wAsmNGTnN. u. c.
UNrrn @raras Ferroni FREDERICK Pt. GOOLMAN, OF ,lllNGll/lhl'lON, NEV YORK.
tLOPHP-lE-PLAYER.
SEECIFCATON forming part of Letters Patent No. 700,035, dated May 13, 1902.
- Application filed May 18,1901.
To @ZZ whom t may cm2/corni:
Be it known that I, FREDERICK R. Goon- MAN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Binghamton, in the county of Broome and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Xylophone-Player, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.
My invention relates to automatic devices for playing musical instruments.
The purpose of the invention is Ato provide a mechanism especially adapted for playing on xylophones and to construct such mechanism in a simple, durable, and economic manner and so that the mechanism may be relied upon to perform the functions for which it is intended. 1n order to play a Xylophone properly, it is necessary to strike the bars of the instrument one stroke for short notes and to strike a number or succession of strokes, called a roll, when a sustained note is required.
A further purpose of the invention is to so construct the mechanism that such results will be invariably obtained when required.
The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the several parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the claims.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this speciiication, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding' parts in all lthe figures.
Figure 1 is a front elevation of the improvement uncased. Fig. 2 is an end view thereof. Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the instrument, the section being taken through the equalizing bellows or pump. Fig. 11 is a horizontal section through the instrument, taken just below the air-chest. Fig. 5 isa vertical section through thel music-carrying mechanism.- Fig. 6 is an enlarged end View of the lower portion of the instrument, one end board being removed. Fig. 7 is a longitudinal vertical section through a portion of the air-chest, and Fig. S is a detail View of the regulating device for the driving mechanism of the music-carrying mechanism.
The main frame of the machine consists of a back board 10, of suitable dimensions, a bottom board 11, end sections 12, whicharc atsnn nu. 60,834. dto moda.)
secured to the rails, extending horizontally therefrom, and the music-bars 16 have openings therein through which the pins extend.
A striking-bar 1S is secured to the forward j ably supported by the rails 15, pins 17 being face of the chest A, and this striking-bar is s provided with a longitudinal opening toreceive an offset from a pad 19, secured to the outer face of the striking-bar, said pad being of felt or a like material. The striking-bar and its pad extend from one end of the instrument to the other.
A series of hammers B is perpendicularly arranged at the front of the instrument, said hammers corresponding in number to the number of bars 16 to be struck to produce the various notes. These hammers normallyrest against the striking-pad 19, as is best shown in Fig. 3. Each hammer consists of a lower section 21, which is hinged to socket extensions 22, secu-red to the front rail 13 of the frame, and an upper spring-bar section 23. Each spring-bar section of a hammer carries a head 24, arranged to strike a sound-producing bar 1G at or about its center. Each hammer B is held in its normal position bya spring 25, which springs are secured to the front bottom rail 13 and extend upward along the body portions of the hammers, having bear` ing upon their outer faces. The hammers are prevented from moving laterally by pins 20, projecting from the striking-bar 18 and at each side of the hammers.
The body portion 21 of each hammer is provided with inwardly-extending lugs 2G, and an angled jack-lever 27 is fulcrumed at the junction of its members in thelugs26 of each hammer. The inner end of each jack 27 is provided with a reinforcing-plate 2S, andthe horizontal member of each jack-lever 27 is also provided with a pad 29, secured upon the upper face ot said member of the lever near ICO its inner end, the said pad being of felt or a like material and being for a purpose to be hereinafter set forth.
The uppermemberof each lever is normally held in practically a horizontal position by a spring 30, a spring being provided for each jack, having bearing against the vertical member of the jack and the opposing face of the body of the hammer. The vertical member of the jack is prevented from moving too far forward in the operation of the instrument by coming in engagement with a stop-block 31, adj ustably attached to the body of the hammer by a screw 32 or its equivalent, and the vertical member of the jack is also prevented from movingtoo far inward byengagement with a second stop-block Each stopblock 33 is connected with the body portion of a hammer B by an adjustingscrew 34.
The inner ends of the jack-levers or jacks 27 extend over a cylinder 35, whose trunnions arerjournaled in the end plates or sections l2 ofthe frame. This cylinder is corrugated, being provided withaseries of longitudinal ribs 3(3,and when the inner end ofajaclclever is depressed itis broughtin the path ofa projection from the cylinder and the jack-lever is forced outward, carrying thehammerB, to which it is attached, in the same direction, and the moment the jack-lever is released from the rib 3G, with which it engages, the hammer will fly back and strike a tone-producing bar 1G, one stroke representing a short note if the jack-lever is permitted to rise when it is re leased from a rib on the cylinder; but if the jack-leverbe held in itslower position it will be struck by various of The ribs, according to the length of time it is held down, and each time the hammer with which the lever is eonnected will be carried outward and permitted to almost immediately return to its normal position, producing what has heretofore been termed a roll,77 representing a prolonged note. This action is brought about in amanner to be hereinafter set forth.
A driving-pulley 37 (shown best inFig. l) is attached to one trunnion of the cylinder 35, the pulley 37 being connected with any source of power,and a pulley 3S is secured to the opposite trunnion of the said cylinder, as is shown in Figs. l and 4. This pulley 3S is connected by a pitman with an extension from a double vacuum-pump C, which pump is in the Aforni of a bellows, its two sections being connected by a link 40 or its equivalent, as shown in Fig. 4. These vacuum-pumps or bellows C are adapted to produce a Vacuum in the chest A and are provided with flexible checkvalves inside and out for checking the air in the ordinary way.
The bellows or vacuu m-pum ps C are connected by a tube 4l or its equivalent with a lower chamber 42, formed in the chest A, as shown in Fig. 7, which chamber extends the full length of the chest. The upper portion of the chest, as shown also in Fig. 7, is divided into a series of small chambers 43 by partitions 44, and diaphragms 45 of pliable 1naterial are attached to the partitions, the diaphragms being preferably provided with attached boards or plates 4G at their under faces, so that the diaphragms may act upon objects placed below them. The small chambers 43 have no connection with the large chamber 42 and correspond in number to the number of hammers and the number of tone-produc ing bars 1G. The double bellows C is attached to the rear face of the back lO of the frame. Another but single bellows C is also attached to the back of the frame,and this bellows C has a direct communication 47 with the said continuous chamber 42 in the chest A, as is shown in Fig. 3. The bellows C' is normally held open by one or more springs 47, (Shown in Fig. 2.) rlhis bellows C is to equalize the pressure of air in the vacuum or air chest.
At the back central portion of the frame, 'near its upper portion, an auxiliary back board 10 is vertically placed, as is shown in Figs. 3 and 5, and on this auxiliary back board lOaaduet-bridge 48 is horizontally placed, extending in a rearward direction. This bridge 43 is provided with a series of horizontal ducts 49, extending through its outer longitudinal edge, which edge is preferably rounded off, as shown in Fig. 5, and these ducts correspond in number to the number of hammers B and tone-producing bars 1G. Side pieces 50 and preferably upper and lower sections 50" are secured to the auxiliary back board 10, and within the casing thus formed at the upper portion of said casing a music-carrying drum 5l is mounted to turn in suitable bearings, said roll being provided with flanges 52 at its ends, so that the edges of a sheet of music shall not become unduly worn orfrayed. Ono end of a sheet 53 of any desired length and oi' a width corresponding to the length of the bridge 4S is passed over the outer edge of the said bridge, and one end of the said strip or sheet is attached to the drum 5l, while the other end is attached toa lower drum 5G, which is below thebridge and is likewise provided with end flanges 57. The upper drum 51 is provided with an attached gear-wheel 54 at one end, and a pressureroller 55 has bearing on the strip or sheet 53, wound on the upper drum, the said pressurcroller engaging with the drum at its rear, and this pressure-roller is supported by springhangers 5G. (Shown best in Fig. The pressure-roller 55 prevents the sheet or strip 53 from buckling and preserves it in a smooth condition. This sheet is provided with per `forations, some of which are in connected series, others being single or in series not connected, and whenever one of the perforations in the sheet is brought over a duct 4i) in the bridge 4S the mechanism for operating the hammercorresponding to that d uct isbrought into action.
A guard 5S is located in front of the apertured edge of the bridge and supported by suitable brackets The perforated sheet TOO IIO
53 passes between the guard 58 and the bridge, and the guard prevents the sheet from buckling too far outward should that section of the sheet between the drums become unduly slackened.
The upper drum 5l may be rotated either fast or slow through the following mechanism: A pinion 60, secured on a short shaft 6l, journaled in a side section 50 of the frame eXtension, meshes with the teeth of the gear 54, as shown in Fig. 5, and this shaft 6l carries a small pulley 62. (Shown in Figs. 3 and 5.) A belt 63 is passed over the pulley 62 and down over a cone-pulley 64, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5, which cone-pulley is secured to a shaft 65, mounted in spring-bearings 66, which bearings serve to keep the belt 63 taut. The speed of the drum 5l is increased or is lessened by moving the belt 63 over the face of the conepulley 64, and this may be accomplished by causing one strand of the belt 63 to engage with a pulley 66, mounted on a spindle carried by an arm 67, pivoted at the back of the frame, as is shown in Figs. 2 and 8. By moving this arm 67 up or down the belt 63 will be carried to or from the larger portion of the cone-pulley. The shaft 65 is provided at its right-hand end with a pulley 65, driven by a belt 65, leading to the pulley 38, attached to a trunnion of the cylinder 35.
A series of pipes 68 extends from the ducts 49 in the bridge 48 to the upper chambers 43 in the chest A, and an individual pipe is provided for each chamber 43, connected with an individual duct in the bridge. An angle-le ver 69 is provided for each compartment in the chest, and consequently the number of angle-levers 69 corresponds to the number of tone-producing bars 16. These angle-levers 69 are located below the chestA and are pivoted at a point 7l to blocks 70 or other projections from the bottom front portion of the chest, and springs 70, attached to the said blocks, are given upward bearing against the upper or horizont-al members of the levers 69, the springs serving to normally draw the said levers upward in direction ofthe chest A.
The lower ends of the vertical members of l[he anglelevers 69, which may be termed operating-levers, are pivoted by pins 72 in the upper bifurcated portion 73 of shoes 74, as shown in Fig. 4, and rods 75 are detachably connected to the shoes 74 and to foot-sections 76, preferably of cylindrical form, which foot-sections 76 are adapted normally for engagement with the horizontal sections of the jack-levers 27 when said sections er members are in their normal position, as shown in Fig. 2, the contact being made at the rear of the pads 29 on said levers. Springs 77 are coiled around the vertical portions of the levers 69 and yaround the pivots 72 of the shoes 74, and said springs likewise have bearing against the inner faces of said shoes, so that the tendency of the springs 77 is to force the feet 76 of the operating-levers 69 in a forward direction, the
` said feet having swinging,r movement backward and forward owing to their pivotal connection with the operating-levers 69 controlling them.
The outward or forward movement of the foot-sections of the levers 69 is limited by yokes or hooks 78, which yokes or hooks 78 are attached to longitudinal bars 79, located above the cylinder 35 and below the chest A,
the division being shown at in Fig. l, and
these bars 79 are pivotally suspended by arms 8O from projections 8l from the bottom portion of the chest A at the rear thereof, as shown in Fig. 6. The bars 79, which may be termed liinitin g-bars, are normally held by springs 81 against a pad 82, longitudinally located within the frame and attached to the back thereof by suitable brackets 83. The limiting-bars 79 are moved forward to permit forward movement of the foot-sections 76 of the operating-levers 69 by rods 84, horizontally attached thereto, which rods extend forward and are pivotally connected with the lower members of angle-levers 85, which angle-levers at the junction of their members are pivoted in blocks or hangers 86, attached to the bottom of the chest A, as is also shown in Fig. 6. The upper members ny of these levers 85 extend rearward below an auxiliary chest AQ attached to the bottom of the main chest A at the rear of the instrument, as is shown in Figs 3 and 6. The said horizontal inembers c of the angle-levers 85 are adapted to be engaged by plungers 86, which plungers are held to slide in the bottom portion of the auxiliary chest A', as is shown in Fig. 3. This auxiliary chest is divided into an upper and a lower compartment by a diaphragm 87 of pliable material, provided at its bottom with an attached plate or board 88, the plate or board having bearing upon the inner ends of the plungers 86. In the compartment S9 of the auxiliary chest, above the said diaphragm 87, auxiliary pipes 90 are introduced, one at each end, and these auxiliary pipes 90 connect with the end ducts 49 in the bridge 48. The upper edge of each operating-lever 69 is engaged by a plunger 82, and these plungers are held to slide in the bottom portion of the main chest A, one below each of the upper chambers 43. The inner ends of said plungers 82a are en` gaged by the boards or plates 46 of the diaphraglns 45, constituting the bottom portions of said upper chambers 43. l/Vhen air is introduced into a chamber 43 of the main chest A, the diaphragm of that chamber is forced downward and it in turn forces down the plunger 82a immediately below it, and this plunger acts upon its corresponding operating-lever 69 to depress the same, carrying the corresponding jack-lever 27 downward in position to be engaged by one or more of the ribs 36 on the cylinder 35.
In the operation of the instrument as the cylinder 35 is revolved the bellows C are operated to exhaust the air from the vacuumchest A, and the perforated sheet 53 is drawn over the duct-brid ge 4 8, so that when an open- IOO IIO
ing in the sheet 53 passes over one of the ducts 49 in said duct-bridge 48 the air is immediately conducted, by means of a conducting-pipe 68, to the compartment 43 in the chest A, with which the pipe communicates, causing the plunger 82? in said compartment to be depressed, and the operating-lever 69 belonging to that compartment will be forced downward, and the foot 76 ot' the operating lever will depress the coacting j ack-lever and bring its inner end in the path of a rib 3G on the cylinder 35, causing the hammer B belonging to said jack-lever to be swung forward, and as soon as the j ack-lever is released from its contactwith the cylinder-rib the hammer returns and strikes a blow upon the toneproducing bar 1G, opposite which it is located, thus producing a single note. At the return of the hammer the air will have been exha u sted from the vacuum-chest, and the operatinglever will be raised by its spring 7() to its normal position, allowing the jack-lever to rise to its normal position out ot' the path of the ribs on the cylinder 35. l/Vhen a prolonged note is to be sounded, the end ducts in the duct-bridge are exposed also, and the air is admitted to the auxiliary chest A in addition to the main chest A. The air in the auxiliary chest A will :torce Ithe diaphragm S7 down, which will vforce the plungers 86 downward, and these plungers S6, acting upon the anglelevers 85, will cause the vertical portions of the levers to be carried forward, taking with them the limiting-bars 79 and guide-yokes 7S. This action occurs just at the time the operating-lever is raised, so that the springs 77 of the lever will carry the foot of the operatinglever Aforward over the pad 29, and as long as the auxiliary chest is supplied with air the foot of the operating-lever will remain in such position, holding the jack-lever 27 down, so that it can be successively acted upon by the ribs 3G on the cylinder 35. Vhen the supply of air is cut off from the auxiliary chest, the plunger 8G Will be moved upward by the force of the spring Sl, which restores the limitingbars to their normal position, and the foot of the operating-lever will be drawn rearward, permitting the jack-lever 27 to rise toits normal position.
Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. In a musical instrument, an apertured sheet, a duct-bridge over which the sheet passes,a series of pneumatic motors connected with the ducts of the bridge, a series of hammers, mechanism for operating the hammers,
means operated by the motors for causing the hammer-operating mechanism to operate each hammer so that it will make a single stroke, an auxiliary pneumatic motor connected with the ducts of the bridge, and means operated by said motor and controlling the means operated by the iirst-named motors so as to cause the hammer-operating mechanism to operato each hammer so that it will make a number of strokes in quick succession, as set i'orth.
2. 1n a musical instrument, an apertured sheet, a duct-bridge over which the sheet passes, a series of pneumatic motors connected with the ducts of the bridge, a series of hammers, a swinging lever carried by each hammer, a movable member with which the swinging levers of the hammers are adapted to engage, means operated by the motors for holding the levers of the hammers into engagement with the movable member, an auxiliary pneumatic motor connected with the duetsof the bridge, and means operated from said motor and controlling the time the levers of the hammers are held in the path of the movable member, as and for the purpose set forth.
3. In a musical instrument, an apertured sheet, a duet-bridge over which the sheet passes, a series of pneumatic motors connected with the ducts of the bridge, a series of hammers, a swinging lever carried by each hammer, a revoluble cylinder provided with projections on its periphery with which the swinging levers of the hammers are adapted to engage, means operated by the motors for moving the levers of the hammers into engagement with the projections of the cylinder,an auxiliary pneumatic motor connected with the ducts of the bridge, and means operated by the said motor and controlling the means operated bythe first-named motors, as set forth.
et. In a musical instrument, an apertured sheet, a duct-bridge over which the sheet passes, a series of pneumatic motors connect ed with the ducts ot' the bridge, a series of hammers, pivoted and spring-pressed levers carried by the hammers, a revoluble cylinder provided with projections on its periphery with which the levers of the hammers are adapted to engage, swinging operating-levers carrying feet adapted to engage the levers of the hammers, and operated from the said motors, an auxiliary pneumatic motor, and means operated by the said motor and controlling the swinging movement of said operating-levers, as set iorth.
5. In musical instruments, an automatic Xylophone-player, consisting of a frame, aseries of tone-producing bars carried by tho frame, spring-controlled hammers for said bars, jack-levers carried by the hammers, a ribbed cylinder arranged to act upon the jacklevers, a vacuum-chest, operating-levers for the jack-levers, actuated from the vacuumchest, an auxiliary chest, a controlling mech anism for the operating-levers, operated from the auxiliary chest, a duet-bridge, sundry ot the said ducts in the bridge being connected with the vacuum-chest and others with the auxiliary chest, and means, substantially as described, for opening and closing the ducts in the said bridge, as set forth.
ln musical instruments, the combina IOO IIO
tion, with a frame, tone-producing bars carried by the frame, spring-actuated hammers for the said tone-producing bars, a rotary peripherally-ribbed cylinder, jack-levers carried by the hammers and adapted to be brought in the path of the ribs of the cylinder and carried out of the path of the same, a vacuum-pump for the vacuum-chest, an auxiliary chest, andan equalizing-pump also in communication with the vacuum-chest, of spring-controlled operating-levers, having vertical movement to and from the jack-levers connected with the hammers and capable of swinging movement over said jack-levers, operating mechanisms controlled by the vacuum-chest and operating on the operatinglevers, a controlling device for the operatinglevers, operated from the auxiliary chest, a' ductbridge, tubular connections between sundry of the ducts of said bridge and the vacuum-chest, and tubular connections between other ducts of the said bridge and the auxiliary chest, and means for opening and closing the ducts of the bridge, as described.
7. In musical instruments, the combination, with a frame, tone-producing bars carried bythe frame, spring-controlled hammers for said bars, jack-levers carried by the said hammers, a peripherally-ribbed cylinder, the ribs of which are adapted for engagement with the jack-levers, a vacuum-chest having aseries of Lipper chambers provided with diaphragm -bottoms, and a lower continuous chamber, an auxiliary chest provided with a continuous diaphragm, vacuum-pumps connected with the continuous chamber of the vacuum-chest, and an equalizing-pump connected with said chamber,of spring-controlled operating-levers capable of movement to and from the jack-levers, being adapted to normally rest thereon, and also to have swinging movement over the jack-levers, said operating-leversbeingactedupon bythe diaphragme 0f the vacuum-chest, a controlling device for the operating-levers, operated upon by the diaphragm ofthe auxiliary chest, and a ductbridge, sundry of the ducts 0f which have tubular connections with the upper compartments of the Vacuum-chest, other of the ducts in said bridge having connection with the auxiliary chest above its diaphragm, as and for the purpose specied.
vS. In a musical instrument, a duct-bridge, means for opening and closing the ducts thereof, a series oi pneumatic motors connected with the ducts of the bridge, a series of hammers, pivoted and spring-pressed levers carried by the hammers, a revoluble cylinder provided with peripheral projections with which the levers of the ham mers are adapted to engage, and means operated by motors for moving the levers of the hammers into engagement with the projections of the cylinder, as set forth.
9. In a musical instrument, a duct-bridge, means for opening and closing the ducts thereof, a series of pneumatic motors connected with the ducts ol the bridge, a series oi' hammers, pivoted and spring-pressed levers earried by the hammers, a revoluble cylinder` provided with peripheral projections with which the levers of the hammers are adapted to engage, spring-pressed swinging operatinglevers carrying feet for engagement with the levers of the hammers, and means whereby the operating-levers are operated from the motors, as set forth.
10. In a musicalinstrument, a duct-bridge, means for opening and closing the ducts thereof, a series of pneumatic motors connected with the ducts of the bridge, aseries of hammers, pivoted and spring-pressed levers carried bythe hammers, a revoluble cylinder provided with peripheral projections with which the levers of the hammers are adapted to engage, pivoted and spring-pressed operating-levers, means for operating the levers from the motors, and pivoted and springpressed feet carried by the operating-levers and adapted to engage the levers of the hammers, as set forth.
Il. Inamusical instrument, a duct-bridge, means for opening and closing the d ucts thereof,a series ot' pneu m atic motors connected with the ducts of the bridge, a series of hammers, pivoted and spring-pressed levers carried by the hammers, a revoluble cylinder provided .with peripheral projections with which the levers of thehammers are adapted to engage, pivoted and spring-pressed angular levers,l means for operating the levers from the motors, pivoted and spring-pressed shoes carried by the vertical member of the angularl levers,and feet carried by the shoes and adapted to engage the levers of the hammers, as set forth.
l2. In a musical instrument, a duct-bridge, means for opening and closing the ducts thereof, a series of pneumatic motors connected with the ducts of the bridge, a series of hammers, pivoted and spring-pressed levers carried by the hammers, means with which the levers of the hammers are adapted to engage to operate the hammers, pivoted and spring-pressed 'feet adapted to engage the levers of the hammers, means for operating the feet from the motors to cause them to depress the said hammer-levers, an auxiliary pneumatic motor connected with the ducts of the bridge, and means operated by the auX- iliary motor for controlling the swinging movement of the said feet, as set forth.
13. In a musical instrument, a duct-bridge, means for opening and closing` the ducts thereof, a series of pneumatic motors connected with the ducts of the bridge, a series of hammers, pivoted and spring-pressed levers carried by the hammers, means with which the said levers are adapted to engage to operate the hammers, pivoted and spring-pressed feet adapted to engage the hammer-levers, means for operating the feet from the motors to cause them to depress the hammer-levers, au auxiliary pneumatic motor7 a swinging bar op- IOO them to depress the hammer-levers, an auxiliary pneumatic motor, a swinging bar, an angle-lever connected with the bar and operated by the auxiliary motor, and yokes extending; from said bar anC` engaging the feet, as set forth.
In testimony whereof I have .signed my name to this specification in the presence of 'two subscribing Witnesses.
FREDERlCK R. GOOLMAN.
Witnesses:
NELLE WHITNEY, W. C. LANING.
US6083401A 1901-05-18 1901-05-18 Xylophone-player. Expired - Lifetime US700035A (en)

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Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2822717A (en) * 1953-12-21 1958-02-11 Slawienski Mike Electrically operated player for bass drums

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2822717A (en) * 1953-12-21 1958-02-11 Slawienski Mike Electrically operated player for bass drums

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