US839880A - Automatic mechanism for playing musical instruments. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTED JAN. 1, 1907.

A. E. OLNEY.

AUTOMATIC MECHANISM FOR PLAYING MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS,

APPLICATION FILED JULY28, 1900. RENEWED 1333.7,1905.

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JJGJ Q. GM1 f, flffla a PATENTED JAN. 1, 1907 A. E. OLNBY. I

AUTOMATIC MECHANISM FOR PLAYING MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 28, 1900. RENEWED FEB. 7, 1905.

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[we/xiv r Tj tracker-board mid sheet ;Wi1l i1 1s 1 a resiucnt shire n'i i fiutonlotlc i trumsnts, i which tho om! e1; crrptroh.

My invent/hm the chiss oi PM? for autom the keys the sound or bcii-i n mic oper rated seri s of mechaniu h DRE; e sit-y ii he dctermioeo and produce thrusts or blows of the parts of tus which directly opcmtc upon sound-controlling members of t instrument in conjunction with apparatus is to be used of varying iegrecs of force for giflng ioud or softnotcs b3: the instrument being operated.

The inven ion consists in certain. portionhtr combinations or arrangements of parts,

an so bstgvn tialiv as hereinafter set forth in the rims.

in the 1 8- horizontzi cross-section taken on s tracker-board. i'o it shows in Fig. 1

if: represents-2i suitabie .0

Work in the upper part of '1 mi i.

tes imoro it v czniy or mechanic I nos or organs or tor i1 oiiin (toxic 5 ni ing or other musical i and has for its objects to prorid particular and improcd manner at stirs by pncumeans in the appoints arranger.

oying drawings, which represent a lnechaoism em'ood rig-my illvlllis, Fig. 1 trig. IS a i'iorizontoi taken on a iower piano on the hne'y 7 o ising vof frail neforms-(i ibcrs any liellewto a keys or musical inch th e )exi, and

.trna 'x 1 werportion oi tinsame v at of chambers of the son-i the dim stir e:

M 4 thrust-s tern hi one or or- 11k??? or waive or rage on oomrner tostrike thrusvstcms may either he of on here SAUWII or any other rod and by the rising and :lipiilrzignzs b operate the keysconnected in them. t-hc1r rininhrsgms grouped ope" ing's cc for each note in the scale, and from which opening extend the tubes :0 in opposite directions and cominunicote with corresponding neumatics G c placed in the exhaust-chambers A a). This tracker-hoard is to controlled by means of valves, keys, or perforations in a. sheet of paper 1, which is moved along over its top, and whici'i. sheet of paper is provided with "g'icrioraitions of different Widths and lengths, accordingto the character and length of the notes to be sounded. The tubes X m connect at their outer ends with the passages N, made in the walls of-the casing K, and which communicate directly with the 0 I 2 1S pneunm-ties {I c, corresponding to each one 01 e the tubes. Commun cating with each of th-se passages N from the chambers A a is a semi! aperture E 11, through which the air from the passages and the pncmna-tics J c is exhausted by the vacuum maintained in said chambers for the purpose of insuring that the pneumatic-s will remain closed until air is admitted to them through their corresponding openings in the tIECkQT-bozil'd. 50 soon as n trumcnt or other mechanism Eur is mhnittcd ihc pm-unmtics Uc Xpand 15 valve for each'port T.

Q; 1 ceases zontally a isingle chamber or channel F, which is open throu h the port Q to the atmosphere, and which chamber F communicates, thrcpgh a series of ports R, with a se- .ries of chambersiS, corresponding to the notes of the scale, each of which chambers S hasa' port T through its side forcommunication with the exhaust-chamber A. These chambers F S extend horizontally through (O the exhaust-ch amber A, and extending horizontally at,right, angles through the chambers F 'and' each chamber SV 18 a valve-rod U, which carries the valve 0 in each chamber V, the valve 0 for-each ort R, andthe iach chamber S communicates, through the channel h, with a chamber B above the dia fhragm b, so that when the ort R- is normal yclosed the air in the chain ers B and the channels h is ex- 'hausted by the suction in the chamber A and the diaphragms raised. At the same time that the port 'T is closed by its valve 0 the corresponding port It in the opposite side of the chamber S is opened by its valve'O,

5 caused by the endwise movement of the rod U, and then air passes from the chamber F throughthe port E into the chamber S and through the channel it into upper portion of the chamber B,for the purpose of establish- 0 ing an atmospheric pressure above and insuring the depression of the diaphragm b and conesponding thrust stem M to operate the corresponding key, valve, or lever of the musical instrument being played. The out- 5 ward endwise or return movementof the valve-rod U is caused by the spring J placed in the chamber V, and which spring keeps the valves 0: O normally closed and the valve; normally open and at the same 0 time assists ingthe closing of its corresponding neumatic C; but when the said pneu inatic O is inflated the pressure of the, pneumatic against the outer end of the rodU over- I comes'the pressure of the spring J and closes 5 .yalve O and opens valves 0 O The chamber A-is divided by the vertical partition W, so as to form a series of subdivided chambers V, which are placed side by side and separated from. each other by the partitions Through the outerside of each chamber V is a port Y, through which valve-rod U passes, and which port is normally closed by the valve 0. As long as the valves 0 are closed there is no suction or ex-' 5;, haustion in the air-chambers Vand through them from the channels N and the spacesbelow thedia hra ms. When the valve-rods U are force end wise by their corresponding v pneuniati cs' C, their valves- 0 uncover the jco ports Y, and,'then the suction is exerted from chamber A upon the chamber or chair bers- V andltllrough the channels N upon the chambers underneath the diaphla ms 6.

Thefin'ner ends" of the valve-rods L form valves G,'-which prevent the passages of air through: the down-passages 1 of which passages thereis one for'each note of the scali "and which passages are normally open to the atmosphere. It is onlywhen the corresponding pneumatic O for one of the valve-rods is expanded. and the rod is forced endwise against the pressure of its spring J that'the corresponding air-passage 1 is closed. At the same time that the valve G closes the passage 1 the valve 0 closes the port T and prevents 5 any suction above the top of the diaphragm b, and the valve 0 permits the air to pass through the port R and channel b above the dia hragm.

l en the pneumatic C collapses, as iiisured by the closing of the communication with the outer air at the tracker-board, and the spring J returns the valveerod and valves to their normal positions, suction is exerted from chamber A through the chambers S and I channel h above the dia hragmb, and. then the diaphragmfis; raise and its responsive action or recovery is quick. The suctionchamber a, constructed in the opposite side of the casing of the apparatus from the chamher A, is divided vertically by the partition 2, and the space upon the inner side of this par,- tition 2 is divided into chambers ,3, which correspond to each note in the scale, by a series of partitions 4. Through the partition 2 there is formed a port 5, corresponding to each chamber 3, and for each' chamber 3- there is a corresponding valve-rod 6, carrying the valve 0 and, a pneumatic 0. Upon the inner end of each valve-rod, which issupported in its endwise movements by suitable bearings is placed a spring 7', which holds the valve 0 normally against its port ,5, so that no suction can take place from the chamber athrough the passage N and against 10 5 I the-corresponding diaphragm in the chamber B until one or more of the Pneumatics c are expanded by the admission of air through their corresponding tubes x and then the exjthe air from under the corresponding dia- 12o phragr'n l) and which then closes the air-passage 1, the suctiontakes place through the chamber a and through a passage N, leading to underneath the diaphragm, to act as an auxiliaryto the suction-chamber A, assisting 1 2 5 in the exhaustion of the air from thereunder. Leading from near the bottom of-each corresponding or paired chamber V'and 3 are short passages 9, which connect with one of the vertical passages i through which suc- 13o iveiy irs 01' pr ct and means 7 1i w. RG11 L f {1} T11 and means a vurm and it will mare usu chami'w:

Mm mp t: @posa the aims 4G as tens;

-s of 4. Inan automatic mechanism for playing a musical instrumenh two suction-chambers incommon to two sets of individual valveoperating mechanism, a trackenboard, provided with paired or each group corresponding scale, pneumatic in each suction-chamber,

to one note in the individual to each' note, in communication with a respective tracker-board opening and having'by a restricted opening a communica tion with its suction -chamber, an individual diaphragm-chamber corresponding to a given note and diaphragm, an individual duct adapted to have through. valved openings communications-from both ci said suctionchamb ere-with the diaphragm-chamber, indivaryin diaphragm..

- sounding tlirust o chambers therefor,

vidual valves, controlling communication be tween both suction-chambers and said individual duct, which valves are in'relationto their corresponding neumatics tobe 'operated thereby, to open such valves,

g the freedom of communication between the suction-chambers and said ducts, a thrust member, 0 erated by the diaphragm, andv means for e eating the recovery of the 5. In a mechanism for automatically play ing a musical instrument, a series of notecontrolMg said members a duct leading to each diaphragm-chamber, neuinatic apparatus-comprising a chamber,

with valved passe es communicating with chamber, an individual said ducts, asecon ary chamber having also communication with said ducts,; and automatic means for opening communication be tween the, primary chamber and said ducts,

strict'ed opening a communication with the I suction-chamber, an individual diaphra m dilct having by a valved opening a communication chamber and diaphragm, an individual from the suction chamber to the diaphragmvalve, controlling communication" between the suction-cha n ber and said duct, which valve is in relation to its corresponding pneumatic to be operated for closk ing the valve, a thrust member, operated bythe diaphragm,

thereby, to open such valve, means an individual channel or way leading to the diaphragm-chamber at the opposite side of the diaphragm from the en trance of said duct, and having ports which communicate both with the suction-chamber and the outer air and valves concurrently operated by the corresponding individualpneugrouped sets of openings 'c'hambena tracker board T of paired opemngseach pair correspond 7 means for to open suchvalve,

. controlling members, and-diaphragms in 1 Y opening 'tli arespective closing chamber S from the seaseo' matic for closing communication between'f e said way andthe suction-chamber, opening it I tothe air, and for reversing said relations, for? the purpose set'forth.

'7 In an automatic mechanism for playing a; musical instrument, a common. suction provided witha' se ing to anote in the scale, and apneumatic in: dividual' to eachnote in communication with 'ing by a restricted openings communication with the-suction-chamber, an individual diaphmgm-chamber -correspondingto each note, anddiaphragm therein, an individual duct having y a valved opening a communica tion with the suction and diaphragmchamhere, an individual valve, controlling communication betweenthe suction-chamber and said duct, which valve is in relation to'itscoro -75. .a respective tracker-board opening and,hav-' responding pneumatic tobe operated therebyp! means for, closing the valve, a thrust-member, operated, by the diaphragm, and a secondary commonsuctionchamber having respective communications :with the above ducts, valves for opening and; closing such communications, pneumatics, said v valves operated from; the tracker-board, and means iorregulating the; degree of freedom of communication between 'said ducts and said suction-chambers.

neumatic mechanism for playing the combination with a.

tures, a common suctionechambeii A,-a com-x tion chamber a series of individual. diephragm-chambers 13' corresponding to individual'no-tes, a series suction-chamber which have connections" with the tracker-board openings, and

-mon air-chamber F inclosed within the sueof pneumatics, in said i strictedly with the suction-chamber, the series of'individual channels V having ports mmicating with av diaphragm-chamber under,th'e diaphragm therein, the serial individual channels or chambers ing neumatics and having t .0 for simultaneously opening port Y, and suction-chamber,

note operate by a resppctivle once) of Saki";

.e ae an".

and opening it tothe air-chamber E, selfi retracting means for, the valveste m.,

to'the suction-chamber, and'com- I I S, communicat- 1 with the diaphragm-chambers above 5 their diaphra ms, a valve-stem U for each* and , t 2o an automatic mechanism for play ng" a musical instrument, the combinat on with an apertured tracke B with. diaphragms therein, a series of ind.

.-board, a common suction-ohainher, a series ofdiaphragm-chambers' v vidual ducts leading to the chambers B- {be low the diaphragins therein, andconnectingchannels V having ports opening to the stmtion-chamber, a common air-chamber, F, individual chambersS with portsopening to passages in leading trom'the chambers 55- to the chambers B above, the diaphragrns, a-

series of pneumatics'in communicaticn'w'ith V the tracker-board apertures and restrietediy with the suction chamber, a valve-stem actuated by the pneun'iatics having the valves G O and O, operative on the expansion of their corresponding pneumatic to open a channel V to the suction chamber and a chamber S to the air-chamber closing the latter from the suction-chamber and a series of passages Z communicating from the outer air to below the diaphragm, and a valve opera'ted by the pneumatic to close said air-pas sage when the lower portion of chamber B is in communication With the suction-chamber.

10. In a device of the character described, the combination of mechanism for striking the theri'1enot es and the accompanimentenotes distinctly as such, independently of the relative position of, said notes in the musical i scale, and means, controllable at Will, While the device is in action, for gradually changing the expression of said theme-notes; as a whole independently of said accomp ammentnotes, so as to-g1ve the operator complete control at'ali times over the volume of sound of said theme-notes independently of their relative position in the musical scale.

11. in a device of the character described, the combination of means for selectively striking the accented notes and the unaccented notes distinctively as such, inde-- pendently of the relative positions of said notes in the musical scale, and separatemech' anisms, controllable at Will during the operation-of the device, for gradually changing the expression of said accented notes as a Whole and of said unaccented notes as a Whole, independently of said relative posi tions of said notes in said musical scale. 4

Signed by me at Springfield, Massachusett's, this 28th day of March, 1900. i

ALLAN E, OLNEY. Witnesses:

WM. S. BELLoWs, JULrUs DGARFIELD.

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