US807871A

US807871A - Electric self-playing violin.

Info

Publication number: US807871A
Application number: US25222805A
Authority: US
Inventors: Henry K Sandell
Original assignee: Mills Novelty Co
Current assignee: Mills Novelty Co
Priority date: 1905-03-27
Filing date: 1905-03-27
Publication date: 1905-12-19
Anticipated expiration: 1922-12-19

Description

No. 807,871. PATENTED DEC. 19, 1905. H. K. SANDELL.

ELECTRIC SELF PLAYING VIOLIN.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.2'I, 1905.

10 SHEETS-$11337. l

No. 807,871. PATENTED DEC. 19, 1905. H. K. SANDELL.

ELECTRIC SELF PLAYING VIOLIN.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.27, 1905.

10 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

No. 807,871. PATENTED DEC. 19, 1905.

H. K. SANDBLL.

ELECTRIC SELF PLAYING VIOLIN.

10 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

APPLICATION FILED MAE.27,1905.

No. 807,871. PATENTED DEC. 19, 1905.

I H. K. SANDELL.

ELECTRIC SELF PLAYING VIOLIN.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII AR.27,1905.

Men/Z02" San/d666, l. WW

No. 807,871. PATENTED DEC. 19, 1905. H. K. SANDELL.

ELECTRIC SELF PLAYING VIOLIN.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.27,1905.

l0 SHEETS-SHEET 6 v a a C 7 jfm fbmzea,

No. 807,871. PATENTED DEC. 19, 1905.- H. K. SANDELL.

ELECTRIC SELF PLAYING VIOLIN.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.27, 1905.

10 SHEETSSHEET 7' II i i II. n I.

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No. 807,871. PATENTED DEO.19,1906. H. K. SANDELL.

ELECTRIC SELF PLAYING VIOLIN.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.27, 1905 10 SHEETSSHEET 8.

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PATENTED DEC. 19, 1905;

H. K. SANDELL.

ELECTRIC SELF PLAYING VIOLIN. APPLICATION FILED MAR.27. 1905 10 SHBETS-SHEET 9 Y- W 5

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No. 807,871. PATENTED DEC. 19,, 1905 H. K. SANDELL.

ELECTRIC SELF PLAYING VIOLIN.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.27. 1905.

10 SHEETS-SHEET 10.

UNITED s ra rns enrnsr OFFICE.

HENRY K. SANDELL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO HILLS NOVELTY COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

ELECTRIC SELF-PLAYING VIOLIN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. Dec. 19, 1905.

Application filed March 27. 1905. Serial No. 252.228.

1'0 a) 1071/0111, t HY/(by concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY K. SANDELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and usefullmprovement in Electric Self-Playing Violins, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in the class of automatically played musical string instruments in which electrically, pneumatically, and otherwise actuated devices for sounding the strings and similarly-actuated devices for fingering them are operated under the control of a traveling perforated musicsheet through the perforations in which the circuits or valves controlling the sounding and fingering devices are closed to cause these devices to engage and perform their functions on the strings for reproducing the music for which the sheet is cut.

This invention is primarily designed for antomatically playing the viol class of instruments, and especially the violin, and the description hereinafter contained relates to that particular instrument; but'features of the invention may be used with advantage for operating other varieties of string instruments, and their application thereto is intended to be included in this invention.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 shows the entire machine by a view in front elevation with the electric motor for operating it in dotted lines to avoid confusion in the representation of the cut-out device connected with it. Fig. 1 is a broken plan view showing mechanical details of the cutout device, and Fig. 1 a section taken at the line l on Fig. 1 and viewed in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 2 is a view showing, in front elevation, the multiple contact device, the contact-roller with which it cooperates through the perforated music-sheet, and the feed-roller for the sheet with the mechanism for operating the rollers. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the contact-roller, taken at the line 3 on Fig. 5 and viewed in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 4 is an enlarged end view of the parts represented in Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a section taken at the line 5 on Fig. 2, viewed in the direction of the arrow and enlarged. Fig. 6 is an enlarged section taken at the line 6 on Fig. l and viewed in the direction of the arrow, showing in end elevation the four longitudinal series of fingering devices and the controlling magnets therefor in their support. Fig. '7 is an enlarged broken view showing in front elevation one of the longitudinal series of fingering devices in their normal relation to a string on a violin. Fig. 7* is a perspective view of one of the links of the fingering devices. Fig. 8 is a broken view, in sectional elevation, illustrating the action of the fingering devices on a string; and Fig. 9 a similar view illustrating the action of two successive fingering devices in a series thereof when depressed simultaneously. Fig. 10 is a plan view, partly sectional, of the head carrying the rotatable sounding devices and the mechanisms for rotating and depressing them against the strings; and Fig. 11 is a view of the same, in elevation, regarded from the back of the machine. with the rear part of the head shown in section. Fig. 12 shows in end elevation the sounding devices and their controlling-magnets. Fig. 13 is asection taken at the line13 on Fig. 10 and viewed in the direction of the arrow; Fig. 14, an enlarged section taken at the line 1 on Fig. 10 and viewed in the direction of the arrow, and Fig. 15 an enlarged section taken at the line 15 on Fig. 14 and viewed in the direction of the arrow, showing the means for depressibly supporting a rotatable sounder at its shaft. Fig. 16 is a broken sectional view of a speed-changing adjunct which may be used in connection with the motor, and Fig. 17 a section taken at the line 17 on Fig. 16 and viewed in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 18 is a diagram illustrating the motorcircuits containing the operating mechanisms of the machine.

At 1 is represented a violin rigidly supported by suitable means in position upon the top of an appropriate frame 2 to bring its strings E, A, D, and G under the sounding and fingering devices, hereinafter described.

In use the instrument and mechanism are inclosed in a suitable casing, though representation thereof is omitted from the drawings to avoid unnecessarily amplifying them. The tuning means shown at 3 on the violinhead are of the variety commonly used on the guitar the better to hold at their normal pitch the strings, which should be metal for the sake of durability. The music-sheet 4t represented is a suitably-perforated endless band of paper hung over a guide-board 5, Fig. 4,

supported in inclined position in the front part of the frame 2 toward its left side and to the lower end of which board the sheet passes over a guide-rod 6, extending transversely across its path from the base of the frame, whereit depends in loose folds. Across the upper surface of the board 5 near its lower end extends a Hat clamping-strip 7, supported in place to yield outwardly and upwardly and carrying upon its back a metal weight 8 for holding it down against the surface of the music-sheet, which passes under it in traveling for maintaining taut the sheet. This is one of various ways that may be employed for disposing of and guiding the music-sheet between a feed-roller 9 and a metal contactroller 10, forming, with a multiple contactdevice 11, hereinafter described, the means for closing the circuits to actuate the sounding and fingering mechanisms through the perforations in the sheet, all as hereinafter explained. In rigid bearing-

plates

12 and 13, depending at the proper distance apart from the under side of the top of the frame 2, is immovably secured in horizontal position a fulcrum-rod 1 1 with its ends projecting beyond the bearings. On the right-hand end of this rod is journaled a grooved pulley 15, from the centerof one face of which projects a pinion 16, Figs. 1 and 2. On the same end of the rod 14, at the inner side of the hearing 13, is journaled a hanger 17, and near the opposite end thereof is journaled at its hub or sleeve 19 a similar hanger 18 to depend at the inner side of the bearing-plate 12. The hub 19 projects through the bearing-plate 12 and carries at the outer side thereof a crank-handle 20, provided with a stud 21 near its outer end to engage an aperture 22 in the plate 12 at the lower end of the throw of the handle for retaining it there, the handle having suflieient inherent springiness to shoot the stud into the retaining-aperture when registering therewith. In the lower ends of the swinging

hangers

17 and 18 is journaled at its ends the feed-roller 9, which may be composed of hard rubber and carries on its inner end a ratchet-wheel 23, meshing with the pinion 16, and this roller cooperates with the metal contact-roller 10, journalcd in the bearing-

plates

12 and 13 to feed the sheet a by clamping it between the two rollers between which it passes from the upper end of the guide-board 5, as represented in Figs. 1 and 5. Springrod devices 2& 2%, supported in engagement with the

hangers

17 and 18 above their fulcrum-points, give to the lower ends of the hangers a tendency to turn toward the contact-roller and to the feed-roller to engage yieldingly therewith.

The pulley 15 is connected for driving it and the feed-roller 9 by its gear connection with the pulley, as also the contact-roller by frictional engagement with it of the feedroller through the medium of an endless belt 25, with a smaller pulley 26 on one end of the shaft 27 of an electric motor 28, of any known or suitable variety, the shaft carrying near the same end a suitable governor, (indicated at 29,) which may be that of my pending application for Letters Patent Serial No.237,7i)5, filed on the 21st day of December. 190%, and a gravity-operating belt-tightener 30 is shown in Fig. 1 engaging this belt. The motorshaft carries on its opposite end a pulley 31, having an endless-belt connection 32 with the brushshaft pulleys hereinafter described, this belt also being shown equipped with a gravity-tightener 33.

Adjacent to the motor is shown an automatic cut-out comprising a two-spool electromagnet 3 1, having its armature 35 on a springarm 36, extending from a support 37 and tending to raise the armature against a contact 38, extending over its path from a post 39. The armature carries on its free end a springpressed tongue 10, Figs. 1 and 1", adapted to pass a notch a1 in a rock-shaft 4E2, journaled in bearings 4.3 and carrying on one end a weighted trip-arm 14:. When the trip-arm is in its normal horizontal position with the tongue a0 under the shaft 42, the armature is locked down against the tendency of the spring 36 to raise it against the contact 38, and by tripping the arm 4% to turn the shaft 42 and register with its notch &1 the tongue 10 the latter is freed, permitting the armature to rise under the action of its spring to meet the contact 38, all for the purpose hereinafter explained.

Rising from the frame-top near one end thereof is a housing or casing 4L5, from the top of which extends an arm 4L5 horizontally over the rear portion of the violin. 1n the housing are contained a series of pulleys, the two

end pulleys

16 and 47 being in the same plane and higher than the plane in which the two intermediate pulleys 18 and 4:9 lie. The endless belt 32 crosses in the housing and passes over the pulley 48, thence under and about the pulley 16, from which it extends over and about the pulley 47, and thence over the pulley 4:9 to cause rotation of the motorshaft to drive the end pulleys correspondingly in one direction and the intermediate pulleys correspondingly in the contrary direction. These pulleys are carried on the rear ends of shafts 50, journaled in the forward wall of the housing 15 to cause each to extend lengthwise over and coincidently with a string of the violin. On the forward end of each rotary shaft 50 is secured a sounder 51, of thin hard material, adapting the sounder by rotating it against a string to perform the function of the common violin-bow. posing the sounders found to be especially suitable is celluloid, though the use of other material is within the scope of the invention, and the form required for the purpose to which the material is reduced is that of adisl;

The material comor wheel, preferably dished or rendered shelllike to engage the string for sounding the latter by rotating against the same at the peripheral edge of the shell. To enhance the similarity of the sounders 51 in their action and sounding eifect on a string to the hair of the ordinary violin bow, each sounder is composed of a plurality of the dished disks nested together and confined on the threaded end of a shaft 50. As represented, the sets of disks face with their dished sides in alternatelycontrary directions to enable successive sets, which mutually overlap, to be in desired close proximity to each other.

Each sounder-shaft, which is adequately flexible, is supportedgtoward its forward end, there to adapt it to be depressed for contacting the sounder upon it with the respective string by an elect-romagnet 52. These magnets are supported in vertical position in two rows on the arm 45 and are all of like construction, which may be generallyconsidered that of the ordinary one-spool magnet, though the preferable construction is that shown in the drawings and most clearly illustrated in Fig. 14 and of which the following is a description: The core 53 of the magnet-spool is tubular and is provided with an extension 54L of the same material, shown in the form of a substantially rectangular bracket with its horizontal arms extending over the opposite ends of the spool, the core bearing at its lower end against the lower bracket-arm, whereby the bracket and core are united. The armature 55 is carried on a verticalhy-rcciprocable rod 56, passing through the tubular core, the armature being recessed in its under side to house a spring 57 for raising it when deenergized, confined against it about the rod. The armature works through an opening 58 in the upper horizontal arm of the bracket 54, the magnetism in which when energized supplements that of the core in attracting the armature. The piston-rod 56 is arrested against undue extent of rise by a stop 59 upon it engaging the under side of the arm 45, through which the rod passes. The lower end of the rod is expanded and formed into an eye 60 of greater diameter vertically than the shaft 50, which passes through it and is supported therein, and the rod is loosely surrounded by a thimble 61, pressed by a spring 62 against the respective shaft 50, the spring being confined about the rod between a pin 63 thereon and the top of the thimble, the open end of which surrounds the upper portion of the lower expanded end of the rod. The spring 62 cushions the stroke of the thimble against the rod to render the stroke noiseless.

An adjunct is provided to cooperate with the rotary sounders, which form the sounding devices for the violin-strings, this adjunct constituting a' regulator for the degrees of and graduations in loudness of playing by regulating the pressure exerted by the sounders against the strings under the depressing action of the magnets 52 on the soundershafts. The preferred construction as to details of this adjunct is that illustrated, and is described as follows:

Supported in vertical position on the arm 45, behind each magnet 52, is a spool-magnet 63, of ordinary or any suitable construction. A flat rock-bar Get, recessed at intervals in its rear edge and having a raised forward edge, is journaled in bearings 65 at opposite ends of the bank of four magnets 52 and is yieldingly held normally in horizontal position by a spring 66, connecting it with one of said bearings, from which an anglearm 67 extends behind. the bank of magnets 63 and carries at its upper end a horizontal bar 68, provided at intervals on its upper edge with forwardly-projecting fingers 69. The row of the magnets 63 slants backward from the magnet 52, controlling the E-string sounder 51, whereby the distance of separation between each pair of magnets 52 63 increases toward the (1rstring of the violin. From the rear edge of the rock-bar 64 extend backwardly at intervals lingers 70, Fig. 14, having upturned bifurcated ends, and for each magnet 52 there is loosely confined be tween the prongs of one of these bifurcated finger ends an arm 71, having a depending tailpiece 71, passing through an opening 75 in the rock-bar, and thence extending over the core of the companion magnet 63, where it carries an armature 72. Each armature 72 is held resiliently away from its magnet by a spring 73, confined on a rod 74, rising from an arm 71 through a finger 69. Each pistonrod 56 of a magnet 52 has fastened upon it, between nuts 76 77, a stop-finger 78, the stopfingers of the two forward magnets 52 projecting horizontally backward and those of the two rear magnets 52 projecting horizontally forward over the forward raised or flanged edge of the rock-bar.

As will be seen, owing to the successively increasing distances of the armatures 72 from the fulcrums of their arms 71 between the prongs of the fingers, the extent of backward tipping of the rock-bar 6& will be relatively greater when an armature 72 on a shorter arm is attracted by its magnet 63 than when that on a longer arm is thus'attracted, and the higher the forward edge of the rock-bar is raised by such tilting the shorter will be the possible extent of depression of any rod 56 and of the shaft 50, carried by it, because of the encounter with that edge of the bar of the finger 7 8 on the piston-rod. The arrangement is such that when the armature 72 on the shortest arm 71 is drawn down by its controlling-magnet the shafts 50 cannot be depressed far enough to contact the sounders thereon with the violin-strings, whereas when the armature on the next longer arm 71 is attracted the possible contact of the sounders ISO with the violin-strings is slight, while the depression of the next longer arm under attraction of the armature on it by its magnet is sufficient to produce greater pressure of the sounders against the strings, and when the armature of the magnet 63 nearest in line with the (Sr-string of the violin is attracted the rise of the forward edge of the rock-bar M will be the slightest and permit to the fingers 78 before encountering it a greater extent of depression, thereby enabling almost the fullest downward movement of the piston-rods to depress the shafts 50 and press the sounders against the strings. As will be explained, retention of the sounders under the highest position of the forward edge of the rock-bar 6e out of contact with the violin-strings enables the tremolo effect to be produced by a feature of the contact-roller, as hereinafter described.

WVith the sounding devices cooperate fingering devices, these two mechanisms constituting the more important features of the invention. The preferred construction of the fingering devices adapts them to engage the violinstrings in a novel manner to shorten their vibratory lengths for varying the tonal pitch-- namely, by confining them against lateral vibration from the points at which the fingering devices engage them toward their forward ends instead of shortening the strings by depression thereof against the surface of the violin finger-board, asin ordinary violin-playing, with the advantage of materially improving the tone quality produced by the action of the sounders, which,as will be understood, by their downward pressure against the strings in re tat-ing in contact therewith hold the latter against vertical vibration. A further function of the fingering devices in a preferred construction thereof is that of operating upon the strings at quarter-tone intervals to enable the tonal effect of slurring along the strings to be produced as also trills to be performed in close imitation of human violin-playing.

Following is the description of thefingering devices of the construction illustrated in the drawings, particular reference being had to Figs. 1, 6, 7, 8, and 9. Adjacent to the fingerboard 79 of the violin at the E-string side thereof a hollow post 80 rises from the top of the frame 2 and carries on its upper end to extend over the finger-board a frame composed of curved end pieces 81, rigidly connected by a down wardly-inclined side piece or back 82 and provided with inwardly-extend ing base-flanges 83, and having bars 84, four in number, extending between them at intervals, the bars beingsecured at their ends to the curved flanges 83. On each bar 84 are seated endwise electromagnets 85 in a row extending longitudinally of a violin-string, one row being provided for each string and con taining, by preference, twelve magnets to correspond with the number of half-tones in the octave. The magnets are single spools and may be of the ordinary construction involving a wirewound core; but it is preferred to equip each, like the magnets 52, with a reinforcing bracket extension 86 of its core substantially like the extension 54c for the described influence on its arn'iature 87. It is preferred to form all of these brackets for each row of the magnets 85 out of one continuous plate of metal, as represented. From the upper horizontal part of each of the four of these bracket-plates there rises from near each end of the plate a post 88, and on each pair of these posts is supported a longitudinal bearing-bar 89, the bar being perforated at equal intervals along its length to admit guidingly through the perforations reciprocating angular rods 90, having confined about their upper end portions springs 91, holding them resiliently in their normally raised positions. Each rod has secured to it at its upper angle extending over the core of an adjacent magnet an armature 87 and passes between its ends for guidance through an opening in a bar 8a and toward its lower deflected end through a guide-opening provided for it in a horizontal plate 92, rigidly carried by arms 93, depending from near the end of the side or back 82 of the frame supporting the fingering devices. A sleeve 94L, of soft rubber or other suitable material, surrounds each rod between its upper shoulder or angle, and its bearing-bar 89 for cushioning and rendering noiseless the upstroke of the rod. Each rod 90 carries yieldingly on its lower end an angular metal strip 95, forming a head of general S shape, with a lower stem extension of general inverted-T shape forming a fulcrum-bar 96, extending transversely across a violin-string. To connect ahead with its red 90, thelatter passes loosely through openingsin the two uppermost horizontal sections of the head, which is sustained on the red by a pin 97, extending transversely through it, betweenwhieh pin and the horizontal section below it of the angular head is confined about the rod a spiral spring 98 for cushioning and rendering noiseless the stroke of the lingering device against the linger-board. The intervals between the lower ends of the rods 90 in each longitudinal series thereof are suitably graduated to register the bars 96 with the half-tone intervals on the violin-string along which the series of fingering devices extend. in the lower edge of, each fulcrum-bar 96 is formed a V-shaped notch 99, Fig. 6. he notched fulcrum-bars on each longitudinal series of the rods 90 are connected flexibly from one to the other by yoke-shaped links, each comprising a central bar 100, Fig. 7, transversely arched to conform to the notches 99 and extending across a violin-string and having arms 101 extending laterally in opposite directionsfrom it. These arms terminate in apertured cars 102, and the members of each pair of cars on the ends of the arms extending from one side of the central arched bar 100 are somewhat farther apart work together under the contact making and than those on the ends of the oppositely-exbreaking action of the music-sheet4 in traveltending arms, so that the ears closer together ing between the roller 10 and the bar 11, supon one link may fit overlappingly between portedto extend parallel with it and provided 5 those on the adjacent arms of the next link in with spring contact-fingers 104: to the number 7 the series, and the ends of the bars 96 pass of fifty-eight, which engage the roller through through the ears 102, thus linking the bars 96 the perforations in the sheet. This number together throughout the series thereof. of the contact-fingers includes forty-eight to The finger board 79 is longitudinally correspond and be connected with the same 10 grooved to form a ridge 108, Fig. 6, under number of magnets 85 in the four series there- 75 and lengthwise of each string. of, also a set of four of the contact-fingers to By the described construction of the finger correspond and be connected with the like ing devices when a magnet 85 is energized number of magnets 52 for the open violinand attracts its armature depression of a rod strings and another set of four of the con- 92, and with it of a bar 96, ensues. When a tact-lingers to correspond and be connected 80 pair of the link-ears 102, engaging the dcwith the number of magnets 63. One of the pressed bar embracingly, encounters a ridge last-nained set of contacts has connected with 103 on the finger-board, the impact is cushit a fifth contact to cooperate with the tremolo ioned and rendered noiseless by the respective feature referred to as being provided on the spring 98, and the parts are so relatively arcontact-roller, and an additional spring con- 5 ranged that when the encounter takes place tact-finger is provided for controlling the opthe string affected will at the point acted eration of the cut-out device of the electric upon be in the apex of the respective notch motor.

99 and be therein held against the lateral vi The diagram illustrated in Fig. 18 reprebration referred to, with the effect of producsents the circuit connections of the electric- 9 ing in purity the tonal pitch of the string ally working parts of themachine with acurresulting from the shortening of its vibratory rent-generator, (indicated at 105,) and the 0plength. The same results ensue in like maneration may best be explained by reference to ner from the depression of any rod 90 singly that figure, while bearingin mind thedescribed 0 under the attraction of an armature 9% by its construction of the operating parts of the 95 magnet, this action being illustrated in Fig. mechanism and their action.

8. To cause a bar 100 to act on its string to In the condition of the parts illustrated in emit a quarter-tone pitch in sounding it, two the drawings the machine is playing. The adjacentrods 90inalongitudinal series thereof rotating motor-shaft by its belt connection 3 5 are simultaneously depressed, as represented 32 with the pulleys on the shafts 50 rotates 100 in Fig. 9, with the result of embracing the the latter constantly during the playing of the stringin the apex of the arched bar 100, which piece for which the music-sheet 4 is cut by seats atits ends embracingly on the respective the travel of the sheet produced by the belt ridge of the finger-board and prevents the connection 25 of the motor-shaft'with the pul- 40 ears on the fulcrum-bars flanking the arched ley 15, which drives the feed-roller 9 and 5 bar from engaging that ridge to enter the causes it by its frictional cooperation with the string into the apexes of the notches. This contact-roller 10 to move the sheet continuis because the arches in the bars 100 are ously across the latter. The motor-circuit is slightly shallower than the notches in the bars closed and traceable as follows: from the posi- 96. The same quarter tone will obviously tive pole of the generator 105 over the Wire w IIO be produced when asingle rod 90 is depressed and a branch w, leading therefrom through and held in depressed condition while the next themotor-brushes, beyond which the branch succeeding rod is being depressed, and with contains a resistance-coil at to direct a porthe first rod so held by rapidly vibrating the tion of the currentoverashunt-line 10 through next adjacent rod while a sounder 51 is being the governor 29, and the branch w leads to 15 rotated against the string acted upon a perthe spring36,which conducts the current to the feet quarter-tone trill will be performed. contact 38, connected with a wire 10 leading It is Within the invention to produce rotaback to the generator at its negative side. On tion of the sounders by other driving means the completion of apiece a perforation 106 in 55 than an electric motor and to regulate their the music-sheet registers with the spring-con- I20 pressure against the strings, as also to actuate tact 104 at the extreme right-hand end of the sethe lingering devices by power other than ries of contacts, permittingitto bear, through electricity, as by pneumatic power. Howthe perforation, against the contact-roller, ever, the invention is devised especially to be l though this engagement is only momentary,

6O worked electrically, and to that end the elec- 5 since the inertia of the sheet-drivingmechan- 25 tric contact-bar 11 is provided to cooperate ism carries the perforation beyond the contact with the contact-roller 10. The magnets conin its path to interpose the paper between it trolling the fingering devices and those con and the contact-roller. When the aforesaid trolling the sounding devices are electrically momentary contact engagement takes place,

5 connected in series and cause the magnets to the motor is cut out of the generator-circuit 3 by the course of the current over the wire w through the contact-roller 10 to the aforesaid final spring-contact 104, whence a wire w leads through the cut-out magnet 34 to the wire wa which goes to the generator. The magnet 34 is thus energized to attract its armature 36 away from the contact 38, thereby stopping the motor by breaking the motorcircuit, which would immediately close again by opening the cut-out-magnet circuit as the result of the slight travel of the music-sheet referred to in inter-posing paper between the said final contact 104 and contact-roller were it not for the action of the lock comprising the weighted arm 44 on the rock-shaft 42 cansing the latter to hold the armature 36 in its attracted position away from the contact 38. To again start the motor, the operator depresses the arm 44 to turn the shaft 42 and bring its recess 41 into registration with the tongue 40, freeing the latter and permitting the spring 36 to raise the armature into engagement with the contact 38, thereby closing the motor-circuit.

In the travel of the music-sheet the fingers 104 contact through its perforations with the roller '10 and close circuits containing the magnets 85 to actuate the fingering devices, the magnets 52 to depress or tend to depress the sounder-shafts, and the magnets 63 to control the pressure of the sounders against the strings, all in the manner described and in the order determined by the perforations in the music-sheet. As all the circuits containing the magnets 85 are alike, description of one of them will suffice, taking the one which includes the first contact-finger 104 at the lefthand end of the series, which is the particular contact-linger that controls the magnet 85 for actuating the first fingering device over the G-string to engage the latter at the G-sharp positive thereon. hen a perforation in the music-sheet registers with the contact-finger last referred to, the circuit closes over the wire 10, roller 10, said contact-finger, and the wire 10 leading therefrom through a magnet 85, thence through a magnet 52 to the wire w", which returns to the generator through the cut-out device, as herein before described. All the wires leading from the twelve contacts 104 to the magnets 85, controlling the G-string fingering devices, lead through the magnet 52, controlling the G-string sounder-shaft, and each of the three succeeding groups of twelve of the contacts 104 has its wires, all of which may be considered to be denoted by 10 on the diagram, leading through the magnet which controls the D-string sounder-shaft, another through the magnet which controls the A- string sounder-shaft, and another through the magnet which controls the E-string soundershaft. Each wire 10 contains between the bank of magnets 85, from which it proceeds, and the magnet 52, to which it leads, a resistance-coll m to avoid overcharging the so undercontrolling magnets with current. A branch wire 20 connects the wire w with each of the magnets 63 and contains a resistance-coil w.

The group of 'fourof the contact-fingers 104 which control the action of the sounder-s on the open strings of the violin are identified in the diagram by resistances w" in the wires w, leading from them each to a wire w near its connection with a sounder-magnet 52. As will be understood, when a perforation in the traveling music-sheet registers with any one of these last-named contacts the ci rcuit-closu re occurs, the current passing over the wire w and roller 10 to that contact and thence over the respective wire on and wire n? through a magnet 52 to the wire w returning to the generator. The resistance :11 compensates for the lesser work required of the current in not passing through a magnet 85 to perform work.

The four contact-fingers 104 in the group immediately adjacent to the final contact which controls the cut-out are each connected by a wire M in'm'lediately with a different magnet 63 for regulating the soumler-pressure against the strings, the circuit for this purpose being closed, when one of these lingers contacts with the roller 10 through a perforation in the traveling music-sheet over the wire 7H leadingthrough a magnet 63 and to the wire 112 which connects with the return-wire w. The wire 2/1 which proceeds from the first on the left-hand side of the group of contact-lingers controlling the magnets 63, leads to the one of said magnets the armature 72 of which has the shortest arm 71, whereby depressive attraction of that armature raises the forward edge of the rock-bar 64 so high as to prevent the armatures 55 from depressing the sounder-shafts, thus preventing contact of the rotating Sounders with the strings. Connected with that wire M by a wire w is a single spring-contact, (indicated at 104 in Fig. 18,) registering with a circumferential series of insulation-{mints 107, spaced uniformly apart about the roller 10 and inlaid therein flush with its surface. \Vhen a perforation in the traveling music-sheet registers with this ring of insulationpoints, the rotation of the roller brings alternately metal and insulation against the contactfinger 104 and causes a rotating sounder 51, the magnet 52 of which is energized, to contact vibratingly with'its string. This is because the circuit over the wire 20 and said wire leading through the magnet 63, which raises the forward edge of the rock-bar 64 to the highest point to the wire w connected with the return-wirew, closes each time metal between the insulation-points 107 encounters the contact 104, whereas when an insulation-point encounters the same the circuit is broken, dct'inergizing the said magnet 63 and permitting the energized sounder-shaft magnet to depress the sounder it controls against astring. The inlaid insulation-points 107 are represented in Fig. 2 and also in Fig. 3, which latter shows in the roller 10 a supply of mercury 108 for enhancing the conductivity of the roller.

A further desirable adjunct consists of means for facilitating the tuning of the violin-strings by turning the keys 3, of which the following is a description: The tuning operation is performed while the sounders 51 are rotating under the action of the motor 28, but requires the travel of the music-sheet to be arrested, and this may be effected at any time by turning the crank 20 downward and locking it by the entry of its stud 21 into the aperture 22, thus by turning the crank swinging backward the hangers 17 18 and withdrawing the feed-roller 9 from the contactroller 10, whereby the feed of the sheet is stopped; On the top of the frame 2 at the front thereof in line with the base of the post is provided a bank of three push-

buttons

109, 110, and 111, Figs. 1 and 18. Coiiperating with, but normally separated from each push-button, is acontact 112, connected by a wire 10" with the wire w. Conductors w and w lead directly from between the button 109 and its contact 112, respectively, to the wire 10", connected with the eighth contactfinger 10 1 of the twelve (fr-string row of these fingers controlling the magnet 85, operating at the D-sharp position on the G-string, and to the wire w, connected with the first contact-finger 10 1 of the twelve D-string row of three fingers controlling the magnet 85, operating at the Dsharp position on the D-string. Thus by depressing the button 109 the conductors 20 7.0 will .close circuits over them from the wire 20 to the wires leading from the aforesaid eighth and first contacts 104: to the respective magnets 85, actuating them to depress the fingering devices they control at the D-sharp positions on the G and D strings, whereby when these strings are in tune the sounders rotating against them will cause them both to sound D-sharp, and when one string is out of tune it may be strained to the pitch of the other, which serves to guide the ear of the operator in tuning. The

conductors

11, and 10 acted on in the same way by the push-button 110, lead, respectively, to the wire e0 proceeding from the eighth contact-finger 10 1 in the second series of twelve controlling the D-string magnets 85, and to the wire to", proceeding from the first finger 10 1 in the third series of twelve controlling the A-string magnets, whereby depressing the button 110 closes the circuits of the magnets for actuating the foregoing devices thatengage the D and A strings at the A-sharp positions on them for the described guiding purpose in tuning. The conductors w and I @0 acted on in the same way by the push-button 111, lead, respectively, to the wire 10?, proceeding from the eighth contact-finger 10 1 in the third series of twelve controlling the A- string magnets 85, and to the wire 10 proceeding from the first finger 104; in the fourth series of twelve controlling the E-string magnets, whereby depressingthe button 111 closes the circuits of the magnets 85 for actuating the fingering devices that engage the A and E strings at the E-sharp positions thereon for the described guidance in tuning.

If desired, automatic tempo-varying means may be provided to be actuated by the motor 28, and a device suitable for the purpose is illustrated in Fig. 16, involving the following described construction: On one end of the motor-shaft 27 is reciprocably mounted a wedging thimble 113. engaging at its tapering end a flaring recess llet aboutthe center of a radially-split pulley 115,surrounding the shaft on the end of a longitudinally and correspondinglysplit sleeve 116' about the shaft and proceeding from a collar 117, secured on the shaft to rotate with it by a set-screw 118. The split pulley would supplant the pulley 26 and be connected by the belt 25 with the brushshaft pulleys. Below the shaft 27 is supported in alinement therewith on a stand 119 an electromagnct 120, having a spring-armature 121, one end of which is secured to the stand to cross the magnet-core, the other end bearing against the thimble 113. The magnet will be included with a contact-finger like and addi tional to the lingers 10%, cooperating with the roller 10 and included in a circuit of the generator. The circuit connection referred to is readily understood by those skilled in the art, and illustration thereof in the accompanying drawings is therefore unnecessary and is omitted to avoid supplementing therewith the diagram in Fig. 18, which would tend to confusion thereof. The operation Will be understood, however, to be the following: hen the circuit containing the magnet 120 is closed through the perforated traveling music-sheet, resultant attraction of the armature 121 will cause it to force the thimble 113 against the pulley 114:, with the effect of expanding it, and thus increasing its diameter, thereby speeding its peripheral rotation and correspondingly speeding the rotation of the feed-roller 9. By energizing the magnet 120 the wedging thimble therefore increases the speed of travel of the music-sheet, and when the magnet is deenergized the springiness of the armature 121 permits it to be retracted with the unwedging retractive movement of the thimble 113 under the contractive force exerted upon the sections of the pulley 115 by the sections of the sleeve 116, which are of resilient metal.

The foregoing exact description of all the parts of the machine as illustrated and their mannerof operation and cooperation is necessary to a ready understanding of the entire invention by reason of the comparatively complicated construction embodying it. ithout departure from the invention, however,

the mechanism, as also the combinations of parts thereof, are susceptible of considerable modification, so that it not intended to be limited to particular details of construction and combinations except in such of the appended claims as specify them.

hat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a stringed instrument, the combination with a string, of a part provided with a dished disk, the periphery oi which is adapted for frictional contact with the string when said part is moved toward the same, means for rotating said disk, and means for moving the same toward and from the string.

2. In a stringed instrument, the combination with a string, of a part provided with a dished disk, the periphery of which is adapted for frictional contact with the string when said part is moved toward the same, means for retating said disk, means for moving the same toward and from the string, and means for cushioning the movement of said disk.

3. In combination with a stringed instrument, a rotatable sounding device supported relative to a string of the instrument and comprising a dished disk presenting its edge to the string against which it is rotated.

4. In combination with a stringed instru' ment, a rotatable sounding device supported relative to a string of the instrument and comprising a body composed of a plurality of dished disk members nested together and presenting their edges to the string against which said body is rotated.

5. In combination with a stringed instrument, a rotatable sounding device supported relative to a string of the instrument and comprising a body composed of a plurality of dished disk members nested together and presenting their edges to the string against which said body is-rotated, means for rotating said body and means for moving it toward and from the string.

6. In a self-playing stringed instrument, the combination with a string, of a sounding device including an electromagnet, a fingering device including an electromagnet, an electric circuit including said magnets in series, and a shunt across the lingering-device magnet, whereby the sounding-device magnet may be energized without energizing the lingeringdevice magnet.

7. In asell -playing stringed instrument, the combination with a string, of a sounding device including an electromagnet and adapted to sound said string, a plurality of lingering devices each provided with an electromagnet and adapted to linger said string when its magnet is energized, and an electric circuit having branches, each branch including one only of said lingering-device magnets and the common part including the sounding-device magnet, whereby each of said lingering-device magnets is included in series with said sounding-device magnet.

8. In a self-playing stringed instrument, the combination with a string and a source of electrical supply, of a sounding device including an electromagnet and a dished disk adapted to sound said string, a plurality of lingering devices each provided with an electromagnet and adapted to finger said string when its magnet is energized, and a circuit extended from said source and having branches, each branch including one only of the lingering-device magnets and the common part including the magnet of said sounding device, whereby each of said lingering-device magnets is included in series with said soundingdevice magnet.

9. In combination with a string of a stringed instrument, a fingering device therefor consisting of a notched bar supported to extend transversely of the string and reciprocate at right angles thereto, and means for depressing said bar to straddle at its notch said string and hold it against lateral vibration.

10. In combination with a string of a stringed instrument, a plurality of fingering devices therefor consisting of notched bars supported at intervals transversely of the string and a link flexibly connecting said bars, having a bar arched across said string, and means For depressing said bars to straddle the string and hold it against lateral vibration.

11. In combination with a string of a stringed instrument, a cushion-equipped lingering device therefor having a notched bar supported to extend transversely of the string and reciprocate at right angles thereto, and means for depressing said bar to straddle at its notch said string and hold it against lateral vibration.

12. In combination, a stringed instrument having its linger-board provided with a longitudinal ridge below a string, and a lingering device consisting of a notched bar supported to extend transversely of the string, and means for de 'iressing said bar to straddle at its notch said ridge and said string to hold the string against lateral vibration.

13. In combination, a stringed instrument having its linger-board provided with a longitudinal ridge below a string, and a plurality of lingering devices consistingof notched bars supported at intervals transversely of the string and a link flexibly connecting said bars, having a bar arched across said string, and means for depressing said bars to straddle said ridge and said string to hold the string against lateral vibration.

14. In combination,a stringed instrument having its linger-board provided with longitudinal ridges, one for each string, a row of lingering devices extending along each string,

each device provided with an electromagnet and with a notched bar extending across a string to be depressed by energizing its controlling-magnet to straddle a ridge and the string above it and hold the string against lateral vibration, a sounding device for each string provided with an electromagnet, and an electric circuit having branches, each branch including one only of said fingeringdevice magnets, the branches for each row having a common part including one of said sounding-device magnets, whereby each of said fingering-device magnets is included in. series with a sounding-device magnet.

15. In combination, a stringed instrument, rows of cushion-equipped fingering devices for the strings, each device provided with an electromagnet and with a notched bar extending across a string to be depressed by energizing its controlling-magnet to straddle the string and hold it against lateral vibration, sounding devices for the strings, each provided with an electromagnet, and an electric circuit having branches, each branch including one only of said fingering-device magnets, the branches for each row having a common part including one of said sounding device magnets, whereby each of said fingering-device magnetsis included in series with a sounding-device magnet.

16. In combination, a stringed instrument, rows of fingering devices for the strings, each device provided with an electromagnet, sounding devices for the strings, each provided with an electromagnet, an electric circuit having branches, each branch including one only of said fingering-device magnets, the branches for each row having a common part including one of said sounding-device magnets, Whereby each fingering-device magnet is included in series with a sounding-device magnet, and means for regulating the depression of said sounding devices including electromagnets contained in other branches of said circuit.

17. In combination, a stringed instrument, rows of fingering devices for the strings, each provided with an electromagnet, sounding devices for the strings, each provided with an velectromagnet, an electric circuit having branches, each branch including one only of said fingering-device magnets, the branches for each row having a common part including one of said sounding-device magnets, whereby each fingering-device magnet is included in series with a sounding-device magnet, and an electric tuning attachment comprising other branches of said circuit connected with different magnets of the several rows of fingering devices and operating, by their closure, to actuate the fingering devices of difi'erent strings simultaneously.

18. 'In combination with a string of a stringed instrument, a fingering device comprising an electromagnet provided with an armature, a rod depending from said armature to be reciprocated by its movements, and a notched bar yieldingly supported on the lower end of said rod to extend across the string.

19. In combination with a string of a stringed instrument, fingering devices comprising a series of electromagnets, each provided with an armature carrying a depending rod, spring-supported heads on the lower ends of the rods terminating in notched bars extending transversely of the string, and links connecting said bars from rod to rod and each provided with an arched bar extending transversely of the string between a pair of said notched bars.

20. In combination with a string of a stringed instrument having a longitudinal ridge on its finger-board registering with said string, fingering devices comprising a series of electromagnets each provided with an armature carrying a depending rod, springsupported heads on the lower ends of the rods terminating in notched bars extending transversely of the string, and yokes linking said bars from one to another, terminating in perforated ears at which they are fulcrumed on said bars and each having an arched bar extending transversely of the string between a pair of said notched bars.

21. In an electric violin-playing machine, the combination with a supporting-frame for the parts, of a generator-circuit and a motor therein, said circuit having branches, an electrical contact-roller in said circuit and a feedroller for a perforated music-sheet cooperating with said contact-roller and geared to the motor, rotary shafts driven by said motor and carrying sounders for the violin-strings, electromagnet-controlled supports for said shafts for moving the sounders relative to said strings, electromagnet-controlled fingering devices supported to engage the strings on the finger-board of the violin, and electrical contacts cooperating with the contact-roller through perforations in said sheet, each of said branches connecting one fingering-device magnet with one of said contacts and the branches for the fingering devices of each string having a common part including a sounding-device magnet.

22. In an electric violin-playing machine, the combination'with a supporting-frame for the parts, of a generator-circuit and a motor therein, said circuit having branches, an electrical contact-roller in said circuit and a feedroller for a perforated music-sheet cooperating with and adjustable relative to said contact-roller and geared to the motor, rotary shafts driven by said motor and carrying sounders for the violin-strings, electromagnetcontrolled supports for said shafts for moving the sounders relative to the strings, electromagnet,-controlled fingering devices supported to engage the strings on the fingerboard of the violin, and electrical contacts cooperating with the contact-roller through perforations in said sheet, each of said branches connecting one fingering-device magnet with one of said contacts and the branches for the fingering devices of each string having a common part including a sounding-device magnet.

23. In an electric violin-playing machine, the combination with a supporting-frame for the parts, of a generator-circuit and a motor therein, said circuit having branches, an electrieal contact-roller in said circuit and motordriven means cooperating with said roller for moving across it a perforated music-sheet, rotary shafts driven by said motor and carrying sounders for the violin-strings, electromagnet-eontrolled supports for said shafts for moving the sounders relative to said strings, electromagnet controlled fingering devices supported to engage the strings on the fingerboard of the violin, electrical contacts cooperating With said contact-roller through perforations in said sheet, and an electromagnetactuated regulator for the movements of the sounders, said fingering-device magnets being each connected by one of said branches with one of said contacts and the branches for the fingering devices of each string having a common part including a sounding-device magnet, and others of said contacts being each connected by a branch with one of the magnets of said regulator.

24. In an electric violin-playing machine, the combination with a supportingframe for the parts, of a generator-circuit and a motor therein, said circuit having branches, an electrical contact-roller in said circuit and motordriven means cooperating With said roller for moving across it a perforated music-sheet, rotary shafts driven by said motor and carrying sounders for the violin-strings, electromagnet-controlled supports for said shafts for moving the sounders relative to said strings, electromagnet controlled fingering devices supported to engage the strings on the fingerboard of the violin, electrical contacts cooperating with said roller through perforations in said sheet, stop-fingers on the armatures of the sounding-device magnets and a springeontrolled rocker-bar engaged by said fingers, and a regulator comprising electromagnets supported at varying distances relative to said sounding-device magnets and arms fulerumed on said rock-bar and each extending therefrom to adifferent regulator-magnet and carrying the armature thereof, said fingeringdevice magnets being each connected by one of said branches with one of said contacts and the branches for the fingering devices of each string having a common part including a sounding-device magnet, and others of said contacts being each connected by a branch with one of the magnets of said regulator.

25. In an electric violin-playing machine, the combination with a supporting-frame for the parts, of a generator-circuit and a motor therein, said circuit having branches, an electrical contact-roller in said circuit and motordriven means cooperating with said roller for moving across it a perforated music-sheet, rotary shafts driven by said motor and carrying sounders for the violin-strings, electromagnet-controlled supports for said shafts for moving the sounders relative to said strings, electromagnetcontrolled fingering devices supported to engage the strings on the fingerboard of the violin, electrical contacts cooperating with said roller through the perforations in said sheet, an electromagnet-actuated regulator for the movements of the sounders by their controlling-magnets, and a tremolo attachment on said roller, said lingering-device magnets being each connected by one of said branches with one of said contacts and the branches for the fingering devices of each string having a common part including a sounding-device magnet, and others of said contacts being each connected by a branch with one of the magnets of said regulator, one of said last-named branches having connected with it a contact which registers with said tremolo attachment.

' 26. In an electric violin-playing machine, the combination with a supporting-frame for the parts, of a generator-circuit and a motor therein, said circuit having branches, an electrical contact-roller in said circuit and motordriven means cooperating with said roller for moving across it a perforated music-sheet, rotary shafts driven by said motor and carrying sounders for the violin-strings, electromagnet-controlled supports for said shafts for moving the sounders relative to the strings, electromagnet-controlled fingering devices supported to engage the strings on the fingerboard of the violin, electrical contacts cooperating with said roller through perforations in said sheet, an electromagnet-actuated regulator for the movements of the sounders by their controlling-magnets, and a circumferential series of spaced insulating-points about .said roller and with which one of said contacts registers, said fingering-device magnets being each connected by one of said branches with one of said contacts and the branches for the fingering devices of each string having a common part including a sounding-device magnet, and others of said contacts being each connected by a branch with one of the magnets of said regulator and with one of which last-named branches said registering contact is connected.

27. In an electric violin-playing machine, the combination with a supporting-frame for the parts, of a generator-circuit and a motor therein, said circuit having branches, an electrical contact-roller in said circuit and motordriven means cooperating with said roller for moving across it a perforated music-sheet, rotary shafts driven by said motor and carrying sounders for the violin-strings, electromagnet-controlled supports for said shafts for moving the sounders relative to said strings,