US803497A - Adjustable connecting attachment for piano-players. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTBD OGT. 31, 1905.

Rs W: MARTIN. ADJUSTABLE GONNEGTING ATTACHMENT FOR PIANO PLAYERS.

APPLICATION FILED APR.22, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

INVENTOR:

W! TNESSES:

No. 803,497. PATENTED OCT. 31, 1905. R. W. MARTIN.

ADJUSTABLE CONNECTING ATTACHMENT FOR PIANO PLAYERS.

' APPLICATION FILED APR.22, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

W1 TNESSES:

RODNEY IV. MARTIN, OF DAYTON, OHIO.

ADJUSTABLE CONNECTING ATTACHMENT FOR PIANO-PLAYERS- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 31, 1905.

Application filed April 22, 1905. Serial No- 256.838.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, RODNEY WV. MARTIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dayton, in the county of Montgomery and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Adjustable Connecting Attachments for Piano-Players; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and ex act description of the invention, such as will enable any person, as well as those skilled in the art to which it appertains, to make and use the same,.reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to an adjustable connecting attachment for piano-players, or, in otherwords, a means or device of simple construction which may be readily attached to any style of mechanical piano-players whereby said player may be firmly, securely, and adjustably connected to the piano (of any ordinary construction) without having any of the parts attached to said piano to mar the appearance of same, and thus avoiding the unsightly and objectionable hook-and-eye connection commonly used.

Some of the principal objects and advantages of this invention consist in providing an attachment for mechanical piano-players consisting of few parts, simple in construction, and inexpensive in cost of manufacture, whereby said player can be readily and easily adjustably connected to the piano to be operated without marring or injuring the same, and a further object being to provide a device as above referred to which will form a rigid and secure connection between the player and piano and one which will be adjustable to any ordinary style of piano.

My invention consists, referring in general terms to the construction of my adjustable connecting attachment for piano-players, of the stationary support having the guide and ratchet-teeth, the movable socket portion having the pawls and lever, the vertical rod and extension arm, and the very peculiar and novel arrangement,construction,and combination of these various parts, as will be hereinafter described in detail, and set forth in the subjoined claims in accordance with the statutes in such cases made and provided therefor.

Referring to the annexed drawings, constituting a formal part of this specification, and wherein the same letters refer to the same parts wherever occurring throughout the several views, Figure 1 is a side elevation of one of my adjustable connecting attachments for piano-players with the vertical rod down; and Fig. 2 is a similar view, partially in section and with the vertical rod raised, when adjusted to connect the player with the piano. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the stationary support shown in detail. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the movable socket portion shown in detail; and Fig. 5 is a general view of a mechanical piano-player having my device attached thereto and in engagement with a brokenaway portion of a piano, so as to show the practical application of my invention.

In describing my said invention specifically and referring in detail to the several parts of my adjustable connecting attachment for piano-players, as shown throughout the several views of the accompanyingdrawings and indicated by means of the letters of reference, as aforesaid, A is a stationary support adapted to be suitably and firmly attached at b by screws to the front of the piano-player and having a guide a, which will be more fully referred to hereinafter, and provided with a series of ratchet-teeth c, said stationary support being further provided with a flange (Z and formed with a slotted opening a, as shown more particularly in Fig. 2, to receive and support socket portion f by means of lug g, having plate 71/, removably connected thereto by a screw, (see Figs. 2 and 4,) the edges of said plate projecting on each side of said lug, (see Fig. 4 so as to form a flange to rest on and engage the recessed edge of slotted opening a, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, thus permitting of said socket portion to slide or move vertically. Pivotally connected at l: to socket portion fare the pawls Z, formed by the ends of the bowed portion on, which engage ratchet-teeth 0 (see Fig. 1) and retain and hold said socket portion at any height set in approximately the height of the keyboard when first moving the player up to the piano in connecting them, as shown in Fig. 5, by means of vertical rod N, as shown, which rests in the socket or bore in socket portion f.

Pivotally fulcrumed at a between the lower ends 0 of socket portion f and in alinement with the bore or socket thereof is the small or thumb lever O, on which rests the end of vertical rod N, said rod resting in the bore or socket of said socket portion, as is clearly shown, said rod thence passing up through the eye in guide a and terminating in a flat head or bearing 2), adapted to bear up rigidly and impinge or cling against the bottom or under side of the keyboard of the piano and adapted, by means of a set-screw q, to receive and hold firmly and adj ustably in position, according to the width of the keyboard of the piano and the depth of recess in the player for receiving the same, an extension-arm r, bent into a finger s, so as to form a bearing against the front edge of the piano, which Will prevent the'sliifting or moving forward of the same, thereby reinforcing the bearing strength at bearing 9, thus more securely connecting the player and piano together.

IVhile in Fig. 5 only one of my adjustable connecting attachments for piano-players is seen near one end on the front thereof, it will of course be obvious and readily understood that there is also another one of the devices placed in the exact location and same position near the opposite end on the front of said player, as two attachments will be sufficient to firmly connect the player to the piano.

In Fig. 1 I have shown the device with the pawls engaging the ratchet-teeth so adjusted and with the small lever up, so that its camshaped end 6 will permit of the vertical rod being down, so that its bearing 19 will only approximate the height of the bottom of the keyboard, and in Figs. 2 and 5 I have shown all the parts in the positions they assume when small lever O is thrown down from its position in Fig. 1, thus bringing its cam-shaped end t into engagement with rod N, so as to raise said rod sufficiently and force its head or bearing 1) up rigidly against the bottom of the keyboard of the piano, this forming a secure connection by means of my improved attachment between the player and the piano.

Having noW described my invention and the device covering the same, What I.claim is 1. In an adjustable connecting attachment for piano-players, the combination with the player; of a stationary support; a movable socket portion adjustably attached to said support; a vertical rod supported by said socket portion; and an arm carried by said vertical rod; all substantially as and for the purposes described.

2. In the lierein-referred-to device and in combination with the player; a stationary su pport provided with teeth; a movable socket portion provided with a bore or socket and having means for adjustably engaging the teeth of said stationary support; a rod adapted to rest in said bore or socket; and an arm supported by said rod; all substantially as described.

3. In a connecting attachment for pianoplayers, the combination with the player; of the support attached to said player and provided with aseries of ratcllet-tceth; the socket portion adjustably connected to said support and provided with paWls for engaging the ratchet-teeth thereof; the vertical rod having a bearing and adapted to be supported by said socket portion, and vertically adjusted thereby; and the extension-arm supported by said vertical rod; all substantially in the manner and for the purposes described.

4. The combination in the attachment for piano-players as herein referred to; of a support adapted to be attached to said player and formed with a series of teeth; a socket portion adjustably connected to said support and formed with a bore, and having a lever pivotally fulcrumed thereto; a rod having a bearing adapted to rest in said bore and be raised by means of said lever; and an extension-arm supported by said rod; all substantially in the manner and for the purposes described.

5. In an adjustable connecting attachment for piano-players, the combination with the player; of the stationary support provided With means for guiding the rod; and means for engaging with and supporting the socket portion; the socket portion having a bore or socket, and provided with means for adjustably engaging with said support, and provided with means for raising the vertical rod; the vertical rod having a bearingseat; and the extension-arm adjustably supported by said vertical rod; all substantially as described.

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

RODNEY I/V. MARTIN.

Witnesses:

F. F. HoRs'riIANN, BERNARD B. EWALD.

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