US778836A - Perforating device for music-rolls. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTED JAN. 3, 1905.

H. P. BALL. PERFORAT-ING DEVICE FOR MUSIC ROLLS.

APPLIQATION FILED MAR-8, 1902.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1 INVENTOR PATEN'IED JAN. 3,1905.

H. I. BALL. PERFORATING DEVICE FOR MUSIC ROLLS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 8, 1902.

3SHEETSSHEET 2.

INVENTUR arf " Wmww WITNESSES:

WL/ ATIORN EY PATENTED JAN. 3, 1905.

7 H. P. BALL. PERPORATING DEVICE FOR MUSIC ROLLS.

APPLICATION FILED MARJB', 1902.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

WITNESSES:

ATTo l HENRY PRICE NITED STATES Patented January 3, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

BALL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO SAMUEL INSULL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

PERFORATING DEVICE FOR MUSIC-ROLLS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 778,836, dated January 3, 1905.

Application filed March 8, 1902- Serial No. 97,353.

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY PRICE BALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York city, county and State of New York, have invented a certain new and Improved Perforating Device for Music-Rolls, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a perforating device adapted to be used in connection with a piano or other similar musical instrument and which has for its object to exactly reproduce upon a moving strip of paper as a series of perforations the notes played upon the piano or other musical instrument, so that when such perforated strip is caused to pass through a suitable mechanical musical instrument the musical composition originally played will be exactly reproduced.

The object of my invention is to simplify the production and decrease the cost of musicrolls.

The accompanying drawings will serve to illustrate my invention.

Figure 1 is a front elevation showing the perforating device as applied to a piano. Fig. 2 is a side elevation and partial section on the line V WV of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line X X of Fig. 1. Fig. .1 is a vertical section on the line Y Y of Fig. 3 and shows the parts in their first position. Fig. 5 is a view showing the upper half of the instrument in vertical section on the same line as Fig. 4:, also showing the parts in their second position with the lower half of the figure as a side elevation. Fig. 6 is a vertical section on the line Z Z of Fig. 3 and shows the parts in their third position. Fig. 7 is an enlarged view of the cam, its latch, and the shaft upon which the cam and latch are mounted. Fig. 8 is an enlarged view of the eccentric and the shaft upon which it is mounted. Fig. 9 is a detached View of the eccentric and punch used for perforating rack-holes in the paper. Fig. 10 is a plan view of a portion of a music-roll.

In my former applicati0n,Serial No. 94,633, filed February 18, 1902, I have generally described the construction and mode of operation of my improved perforating device for music-rolls, and as the present application re- 5 lates wholly to certain modifications in such device 1 will give but a general description of the main features of the perforating device, witha more extended description of such features of construction shown in this application as differ from those of my previous application.

Referring to the drawings, 5 represents a musical instrument-such, for instance, as a piano; 6, keyboard; 7 perforating-machine mounted on the top of the instrument or in other location; 8, electromotor; 9, source of electric energy; 10,rheostat; 11, switch; 12, keys of musical instrument; 13, vertical rods connecting with the keys; 14, levers connect- 5 ing with rods 13; 15, cords connecting with levers; 16, pulleys over which cords pass; 17 and 18, bell-cranks; 19, frame of perforatingmachine; 20, 21, and 22, horizontal shafts having their bearings in the frame of the perfo- 7 rating-machine; 23, driving-pulley on shaft 20; 24:, belt between motor 8 and pulley 23; 25, gear on shaft 20, which meshes with gear 26 on shaft 21; 27, gear which meshes with gear 28 on shaft 29. ()n the lower end of the shaft 29 is a worm 30, which engages with gear 31 on shaft 22. The gearing between the respective shafts is such that the shaft 20 will make one revolution in the time of four revolutions of the shaft 21 and the shaft 22 will make such a number of revolutions as will cause it to advance the paper-roll M onetwentieth of an inch for each revolution of the shaft 21. The relative speed of the shafts 20,

21, and 22 is not essential; it may be altered. 5

Mounted on the shaft 20 are a series of cams 32, each provided with a latch 33. These latches have a peculiarly-shaped tailpiece, for the purpose which will be later on described. Located between the cams and secured to the 9 shaft 20 are the toothed wheels 34., each provided with four equidistant teeth. Located in the path of movement of the earns 32 are the bell-cranks 35. Mounted on the shafts 21 are a series of eccentrics 36, each carrying a latch 37, which, so far as shape is concerned,

correspond to the latches 33 on the cams 32. Secured between the eccentrics on the shaft 21 are the toothed wheels 38, each provided with a single tooth 39. It will be observed that the toothed wheels on the shaft have four teeth and the wheels on the shaft 21 one tooth. Connectedto each eccentric 36 through a suitable strap is a punch 40, which reciprocates in a bearing 41, located over a fixed die-seat 42. Mounted on the opposite end of the shaft 20 are the eccentrics 43, each provided with a suitable strap and connected through a link 44 and lever 45 with a punch 40. These eccentrics and punches serve to produce the rack-holes, (indicated at R, Fig. 10.) Mounted on the opposite ends of the shaft 21 are the eccentrics 46, each provided with a suitable strap, from which depend links 47, on the ends of which are elastically mounted presser-feet 48. g

The music-roll M, from which the paper is unwound, is mounted upon shaft 49, carried in an elastic bearing 50. A similar shaft 51,'hav ing a similar elastic bearing 52, is arranged opposite. The shaft 22 is located between the shafts 49 and 51 and is provided with a frictional surface 53, which bears upon the paper on the shafts 49 51. If, therefore, the shaft 22 is assumed to turn to the left, as indicated by the arrow, it will unwind the paper from the shaft 49 and wind it upon the shaft 51. The paper after leaving the shaft 49 passes over a fixed roll 54, thence over the dies 42, under the punches 40, and over a roller 55, mounted in boxes 56, arranged to reciprocate horizontally in the frame of the machine. Bearing against these boxes are thesprings 57.

The operation of my device will be readily understood. The motor imparts the required speed to the perforating device, which speed should correspond with the tempo of the composition played. When the parts are in motion and a key is depressed, the bell-cranks 17 and 18 are thrown downward. The action of the bell-crank 17 releases the latch 33 on the cam 32. When the latch is released, its hook engages with one of the teeth of the toothed wheel 34 on the shaft 20. If at the time when the latch is released a tooth happens to be in the immediate vicinity of the latch, engagement between them takes place at once. If, however,-the tooth is not in the immediate vicinity of the hook of the latch, a slight interval of time will elapse between the releasing of the latch and its engagement with the nearest tooth. By reason of this construction notes which are intended to be playedat the same time in the composition, but which have been struck by the performer in succession, are brought together and perforated on the music-roll on the same line, so that when the music-roll is put through a mechanical musical instrument such notes will, in fact, be sounded at the same time. It will thus be seen that by reason of the mechanupon the roll 51.

ical construction of the device faults of the player will be corrected by the device before the notes played are recorded as perforations on the music-roll. engaged with a tooth on the wheel 34 the cam 32 is rotated to the right. Fig. 5 represents the position of the parts when the cam starts to move. til it has described one hundred and eighty degrees. At this point, assuming the finger of the operator to be held down upon a key, the latch 33 by the action of the bell-crank 18 will be released, the cam 32 will come to rest, and the bell-crank 35 by the action of the cam 32, moving over one arm of the bellcrank, will release the latch 37 over the eccentric 36 and allow the hook end of thelatch to engage with the tooth 39 on the toothed wheel 38 on the shaft 21. This will cause a movement of the eccentric 36 on the shaft 21 and a reciprocation of the punch 40. The position of the parts when this movement commences is shown in Fig. 6. The reciprocation of the punch will cause the punch to pass through the paper of the music-roll. If we now assume that the paper has a continuous forward feed of one-twentieth of an inch for each reciprocation of the eccentric 36, it will be evident unless some means is provided for holding the paper under the punch that the paper would be subjected to strain. when the punch is passing through the paper. The means provided consists of the reciprocating presser-feet 48, which bear upon the paper and hold it during the period that the punch is passing through the paper. It will also be evident that if the paper is held over the dies while the punch is passing through it and a continuous forward movement is given to the paper by means of the shaft 22 some means must be employed to provide a slack in the paper to the left of the die-seats at the time when the punch or punches are passing the paper. This slack is arranged for by providing for the horizontal movement of the roll 55, resisted by the springs 57.

It will be understood that the paper is held by the presser-feet as the punches descend, and while the paper is so held the roll 55 moves to the right and the paper is wound In the meantime the paper has accumulated to the right of the dies, so that when the punches and presser-feet rise the paper is moved forward suddenly to the left under the action of the spring 57. It will be further understood that the reciprocations of the punches are so timed that the movement forward of the-paper will always be one-twentieth of an inch for each reciprocation of the eccentrics operating the punches. It will also be understood that the reciprocations of a punch will continue so long as a key is held down-that is to say, so long as the parts are maintained in the position indieated in Fig, 6.. With this conditi n the perforations in As soon as the latch has,

A cam will travel to the right un- IIO the paper will lap each other and form a slotreturned to its original position and have released latch 37. In the meantime the paper will have moved one-twentieth of an inch. If this movement of the parts is repeated by the key being again depressed, the movements will be indicated on the paper by a series of separated openings indicating separate notes, (shown at T, Fig. 10.)

It will be noted from the above that the minimum speed at which the machine is operated will be such that the cam 32 will describe one revolution before the operator can make a second depression of the key controlling such cam. This feature of construction is one of great practical importance, as it permits the machine to be operated at a very much lower rate of speed than has been the case with other machines which have been designed for the same purpose, for it will be seen that by reason of the construction a time interval is introduced between the striking of a key and the recording through a punch. Consequently every note struck must be recorded, and to insure the reproduction of the notes played it is only necessary that the paper shall be caused to-move through the perforating-machine at the speed with which the paper will subsequently be caused to move through the mechanical musical instrument which reproduces the notes played.

In order to provide that the latches 33 37 will always be effective and not pass the bellcranks 17, 18, and 35, I provide each latch with a tailpiece having such shape that when the tailpiece comes in contact with the end of the bell -crank levers the tailpiece will be moved downward such a distance as will prevent the tailpiece passing the end of the bell-cranks, and thus maintain the hooks in their first or released position. Further, in order to prevent the eccentrics from moving to the right I provide the spring-latches 58 between the eccentrics and their straps. Further, to provide against the cams 32 slipping over the arms of the bell-cranks 35 when in the third position, Fig. 6, I provide a slot 59 in the end of the bell-cranks.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. A perforating-machine for music-rolls embodying in its construction, a series of recording means, a series of selecting means, and means whereby such of the recording -means as are selected within a definite time will be recorded as if selected simultaneously.

2. A perforating-machine for music-rolls embodying in its construction, means for creating a definite time limit between the energizing of the device and the recording of the movement of the device upon a music-roll, and means for imparting to the paper of the music roll a definite step by step forward movement.

3. A perforating-machine for music-rolls embodying in its construction, means for creating a definite time limit between the en-- ergizing of the device and the recording of the movement of the device upon a music-roll,

and means for giving to the paper of the music-roll a continuous feed and also a definite step-by-step forward movement.

4. In combination with a key of a musical instrument, means for recording the movement of said key upon a moving strip of paper and within a period of time a definite amount shorter than the time of movement of the key, means for holding said paper in a fixed position for, a definite time, and means for imparting a definite forward movement to said paper when released.

5. In combination with a key of a musical instrument, means for recording the movement of said key on a moving strip of paper within a period of time a definite amount shorter than the time of movement of the key, and means for giving to the paper a definite step-by-step forward movement.

6. In a perforating-machine for music-rolls, a continuously-feeding and take-up mechanism for the paper to be perforated, and means for holding a portion of the paper in a fixed position for a definite interval of time.

7. In aperforating-machine for music-rolls, a continuously-feeding and take-up mechanism for the paper to be perforated, and means for holding the portion of paper being perforated stationary.

8. In a perforating-machine for music-rolls, a feeding and take-u p mechanism for the paper to be perforated, and means for holding a section of the paper stationary while being perforated, at various intervals in its travels, at the will of the operator.

9. Inaperforating-machine formusic-rolls, a feed mechanism for the paper to be perforated, means for perforating the paper, means for winding said paper from one roll onto another at a fixed speed, and means for holding a portion of the paper in a fixed position for a definite interval of time. 7

10. In a perforating-machine for musicrolls, a feed mechanism for the paper to be perforated, means forperforating the paper, means for Winding said paper from one roll to another at a fixed peripheral speed, and means for holding a portion of the paper stationary while being perforated.

11. In a perforating-machine for musicrolls, a feed mechanism for the paper to be perforated, a series of perforating-punches,

means for winding said paper from one roll onto another roll, at a continuous rate of speed, and means for maintaining the portion of the paper under the punches stationary during the time that such portion of paper is being perforated.

12. In a perforating-machine for musicrolls, feeding mechanism for the paper to be perforated, means for perforating said paper, means for winding said paper from one roll onto another roll at acontinuous rate of speed, means for maintaining the portion of paper under the perforating means stationary during the time that such portion of paper is being perforated, and means for preventing any forward tension upon the music-paper while being held under the perforating means.

13. In a perforatingmachine for musicrolls, a pair of resiliently-mounted rolls, from one of which the paper is unwound to be wound upon the other, means for producing a definite speed of rotation of said rolls, and a fixed and yielding roll over which the paper passes.

14. In a perforating-machine for musicrolls, a series of reciprocating punches, a series of die-seats, a pair of spring presser-feet, a moving strip of paper, and means for creating a continuous feed of said strip of paper.

15. In a perforatingmachine for musicrolls, a pair of reciprocating spring presserfeet, a moving strip of paper, means for imparting a continuous feed to said strip of paper, and means for giving to said paper a stepby-step forward movement.

16. In a perforatingmachine for music rolls, and in combination with the roll from a forward movement of said paper when the paper is released.

18. In a perforating-machine for musicrolls, the combination with a moving strip of paper, a horizontally-reciprocating roll over which the paper passes, and means for exerting lateral pressure on said roll.

19. In a perforating-machine for musicrolls, a series of rotating cams, a series of rotating eccentrics carrying punches, a series of fixed die-seats, reciprocating presser -feet, a moving strip of paper, and the interposed mechanism whereby motion is given to the parts and a step-by-step movement to the paper.

20. In a perforatingmachine for musicrolls, a series of rotating cams, a series of rotating eccentrics, a series of punches, and the interposed mechanism to give motion to the parts and astep-by-step movement to the paper to be perforated.

21. In a perforating-machine for musicrolls, a series of reciprocated presser-feet, and means for advancing and taking up the paper at constant speed.

22. In a perforating machine for musicrolls, a series of punches, series of means throwing one or more punches into action, and a controlling timing means for each, dividing the time of action of tlie first-named means into distinct periods of time in synchronism with the movements of the punches.

23. In a perforating-machine, the combination of a driven shaft having a tooth formed therein, a series of eccentrics on said shaft, a latch on each eccentric adapted to engage with the tooth on the shaft, a series of punches adapted to be actuated by said eccentrics, and means-for throwing the latches on the eccentric into and out of engagement with said tooth on said driven shaft.

24. In aperforating-machine, the combination of a driven shaft, provided with atooth, a series of eccentrics, a latch for each eccentric, a series of punches to be operated by the eccentrics, a series of pivoted bell cranks adapted to cooperate with the latches on the eccentrics, and means for moving the bellcranks.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the'presence of two witnesses.

HENRY PRICE BALL.

Witnesses:

JOHN CLINTON DONAHUE, I. WERTHEIMER.

Images