US841740A - Registering mechanism for the tracker-boards of musical instruments. - Google Patents

Description

No. 841,740 PATENTED JAN. 22, 1907. W. B. TENsTA L. REGISTERING MECHANISM EOE THE TRACKER BOARDS OP MUSICAL E INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.9,1905.

UNITED STATES ENT orrron WILLIAM B TUNSTALL, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

REGISTERING MECHANISM FOR'THE TRACKER-BOARDSQF MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 232, 1907.

V Application filed March 9, 1905. Serial No. 249.157.

To all whom, it new concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM B. TUNSTALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Worcester, in the county of TVorcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Registering Mechanism for the Tracker-Boards of Musical Instruments, of

which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of mechanisms which are controlled by strips of perforated paper.

The especial object of thisinvention is to provide pneumatically-operated means for maintaining registration between the perfo-- rated strip-and its trackenb'oafd.

To these ends this invention consists of the parts and combinations of parts as hereinafter described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims at the end of this specification.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front viewof sufiicient parts of the winding mechanism for a perforated strip to illustrate the application ofmy invention thereto. Fig. 2 is an invertedperspeotive view of one of the dovetailed pieces containing one of the adjustable margin perforations which control connections for automatically maintaining registration, and Fig.3 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view through. the cen- -ter of the end of the tracker board.

In the use of automatic musical instruments and other mechanisms of the class to which this invention relates a great obstacle to be overcome in securing accurate and perfect effects is the difficulty of maintaining the perforated strip inexactly the desired relation to the tracker-board. Many of the instruments of the class to which this invention relates are provided with tracker-boards having exceedingly small holes. The paper itself is frequently required to be of a considerable width, and it has been found in practice that variations in humidity of the atmosphere and changes in temperature will cause the paper to shrink or swell to such extents that the perforations are apt to be thrown-out -of alinement with the trackerboard holes, so that only imperfect and unreliable efiects can be produced. To overcome this, it has been proposed to employmusicespools-havin spring-pressed flanges and employ varlous guiding .devices for ansurmg the aocuratewinding ofthe paper;

but even when the utmost; care isexercised ithas frequently been found to be impossible to prevent thepaper from wandering so as to bring its perforations out of alinement with the tracker-board holes. difficulty, in an apparatus constructed according to niv invention I provide a pneumatically-operated registering mechanism -which will produce a relative movement of the parts to automatically maintain the paper in registration with its tracker-board.

In carrying out my invention 1 preferably employ marginal perforations in the trackerboard which are adjustable toward and from each other. These marginal perforations are intended to lie immediately below the outer edges of the perforated sheet, and in order-to adjust the mechanism to variations in width of paper, due to swelling by reasons of variations'.1n'moisture or other causes the marginal perforations are preferably made adjustable toward and away from each other, being set closer together when narrow paper is being used and being spread farther apart when somewhat wider paper is being used.

Controlled from the marginal perforations are two opposing sets of'Pne'umatic-operating connections, one set of operating connections being permitted to act when one marginal perforation is uncovered and the other set of operating connections being permitted to act when the other marginal perforation is uncovered.

The pneumatic connections when oper ated produce a relative adjustment between the tracker-board and the paper.

In the construction herein illustrated the supply-spool is the part which is shifted to correct registration. It is obvious, however, that the same result might be secured by shifting the tracker-board, if desired.

Referring to the accompanying drawings fora detail description of an apparatus embodying this invention, F designates the sup- To overcome this the sprocket-wheel C is a clutch-piece E.

IV on the driving-shaft P is shifted from the postion shown, the pinion D will be drawn out of mesh, and the driving sprocket-Wheel C will be operated, so that its driving-chain will turn the sprocket-wheel H upon the journal 22 of he supply-spool, so as to re wind the perforated strip thereon. A frictension of the pa er during winding.

tion brake I- is employed for maintaining the The parts as t us far described may be'ofsubstantially the ordinary or usual construction.

ing the registration of the perforated strip S, with its tracker-board T, I rovide near the op osite' ends of the trac er-board dove-'- tai ed movable pieces 10 and 11, which movable pieces are provided with perforations which normally he immediately below the.

outer margins of the perforated'strip S. Con

- nected with the movable piece 10 1s a hand} lever 12-, and connected with the movable 'lhe levers 12 and 13 piece 11 is a lever 13. are connected by a rod 14, and it is to be ob served that the levers are pivoted on relatively opposite sides of the movable pieces 10 and 11, so that when the hand-lever 12 is pushed in one direction the marginal perforatrons will bebrought closer together to 00- operate with the narrow strip of perforated paper'and when the hand-lever 12 is pushed III the opposite direction the marginal per-' foraltions will be so arated to cooperate with a wider strip of pe orated paper. 7

Controlled from the marginal perforations are two sets of pneumatic operating means, which sets of mechanisms are of similarconstruction, so that a description of but one of Leading from each of the marginal perforations is a pipe 15, which connects to a pIi-- mary pneumatic 16. Controlled from the primary pneumatic 16 are the valves 18 and 19.' A suction-pipe connected with any of the ordinary exhaust bellows or other source of air-tension is connected above the ex+ haust-chest above primary pneumatic 16, and when-the valves are in the normal position illustrated suction is maintained in the operating pneumatic 20.-

The 0 crating pneumatics 20 at opposite sides of t e apparatus engage the journals 21 and 22 of the music-roll, res cctively, and in order to assist the action 0 the pneumatics I employ spring connections normally tending to draw in said neumatics. As herein illustrated, these connections comprise the rod 23 and the springs 24. By means of this construction, whenever either one of the marginal perforations is uncovered by. reason of the wandering or lack of registration .of the perforated strip, atmospheric pressure will nal perforations Whic oppositely be admitted to the operating pneumatic at the same side of the a paratus asthe margi- 18 uncovered, so that the suctional force 11 on the operating-pneumatic at the other side of the a aratus will be imbalanced, and the roll Wll be shifted back, so that the sheet will be instantly brought to registered position. I

. I am aware that'numerous chan es may be made in racticing this invention by those who are ski led in the art, and while I have .iIlustrated my invention'applied to an a pa'-.

ratus "in which registration is secure y shifting the; supply-roll other connections may be employed(for securing the desired Referring now to the means for maintain may be applied to advantage to any class of mechanismswhieh are controlled by perforated strips of paper.

I am aware that many changes may be made. by skilled mechanics in practicing my invention without departing from the scope thereof as expressed in the claims. I do not wish, therefore, to be limited to the construction I have herein shown and described; but

What I doclaim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. The combination of a tracker-board, means for maintaining registration between a perforatedstrip and the tracker-board, said tracker-board having movable means located near each end for cont rolling the first-named means, and means for'simultaneously moving the'controlling means toward or from the center of the-tracker-board.

2. The combination of a tracker-board having near each end a movable piece provided with a perforation, means for maintaining' registration between a perforated too and the tracker-board controlled by ously moving both perforated pieces either inwardly or outwardly along the trackerboard.

3. In a construction of the class described, the combination of the winding-rolls for a perforated, strip, I a tracker-board having pieces provided with marginal erforations, means for simultaneously adiusting the pieces having said marginal perforations to cooperate with strips of diiferentwidths, and

neumatically opcrating means controlled rom said marginal perforations for maintaining registration between the perforated strip and tracker-board. v

4.111 a construction of the class described, the combination of winding-rolls for a perforated strip, a, tracker-board having marginal perforations, and two sets of relatively, acting means, one of which tends constantly to shift stri 'saicFpcrforations, and means for simultane- IIO pneumatic. operating the perforated strip in onev direction, and the music-sheet in the opposite direction while the lnstrument is in operation, said means be mg controlled by the marginal perforations.

5. In an apparatusof the class described, the comb nation of winding-rolls for a perfo rated strip, a tracker-board, a piece movably mounted near each end of the tracker-board and having a marginal'perforation thereima hand-lever and connections for=movingsaid marginal perforations toward eachother to cooperate with narrow strips, and for sepa- Y j rating the marginal perforations to cooperate .with Wider strips, andtwo sets'of relatively,.

oppositely acting I controlled from sai marginal perforations; each set comprising a primary pneumatic, an

operatmg-pneumatic, valves; controlled by." t e primary pneumatic for normally connectin'g the -o crating-pneumatic with the ex eration of t connections atthe other sidelof the ap" aratus -i perforated strip. ack to haust, an slprings normally assisting the ope neumatics, said parts being; arranged so that whenever one ofthe mar-' ginal perforations is uncovered, the operating" will act to'shift the re istered position.

In an apparatus of theclass' described} l the combination of windi -rolls'lora.perforated strip,a tracker-boar a-piecerinovablyf 39 mounted near each end of the tracker-board and having a marginal perforation therein-,'a .lever, and connect1ons for simultaneouslymoving both of saidpieces havingmargihab': perforations toward each other to. coo erate; with narrow strips andfor separating the marginal perforations 'to' cooperate wider strips. a

- 7. In an apparatus of the classidescribe the combination of windingl-rollsforaperfoL rated strip, a tracker-board and two sets of relatively oppositely actin pneumatic connections controlled from sai viritlikthejexhaust, an

fpneur'natics "being [normally un whensaid perforations are. closed and tend- -ing;toyforce -the reci rocable support in op-" fposite directions, sai Pneumatics being con- I lw tnes'sesr avingadju mbw 4 7 pieces provided withmarginal perforations, f

marginal perforations, each set comprising a pneumatic, an, operating pneumatic,

valves. confiidllediby the primary pneumatic lfoijnofmallybomiecting t e operating-pneus rings nor- }theoperation o the neugy whenever one of the ongimatics where rforations is uncovered, the o erat-' connections at the other side of t e-ap-.

w s H t i eg 1 P i i i s a n,-a1i; .apparatus of the class described,

shift the perforated strip back gtlie combination ofja pair of winding-rolls for v Fa perforated; strip, a reciprocable support neumatic. connections,

"having'bearings for "one of said winding-rolls, fa trac er-b'oard having marginal perforations,

jfand;jtwo'upneumatics, one connected yvith eachend of the, reciproeable support, said er tension ,marg'malperforations, and resilient means i -W o testimony whereof I have" hereunto set my hand in the presence oftwo subscribing B n INSTALL.

Witnesses; l

' PHILIP WLSOUTHGATE,

' MARY-E; Rama.

for :ass'isting "the, operation. of the pneu:

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