US849453A

US849453A - Tone producing and recording instrument.

Info

Publication number: US849453A
Application number: US18481503A
Authority: US
Inventors: Henry Price Ball
Original assignee: SAMUEL INSULL
Current assignee: SAMUEL INSULL
Priority date: 1903-12-11
Filing date: 1903-12-11
Publication date: 1907-04-09
Anticipated expiration: 1924-04-09

Description

PATENTED ABR. 9, 1907. o H. P. BALL. TONE PRODUGING AND RECORDING INSTRUMB APPLICATION FILED DEO.11, 1903.

Q /QML l A TRNEY W w wllv.. llllll l|Illllllllllllllllllllll. .lllllllll Il f1 WITNESSES player upon an instrument not connected to UNITED srn'rns PATENT orrron.;

HENRY Peron-BALL, or soHENnoTADY, NEW'YQRK, AssrcNoR or oNE- nntrro sAMUnL rNsULL, or ori-renee, 1LLrNois.

Vroue Psonuome. AND 'aseos-DING. 'INSTRUMENn vI*'amines'Apen e, leon Application filed December 11,1903.l Serial No. 184,815.

To all whom it Wawy-concern.-

Be it known. that I, HENRY-PRICE BALL, a

'citizen of theUnited States., res1u1ng at Schenectady, county of Schenectady, State ofv'l\leW'Y' ork, have invented certain newA and' useful Improvements in Tone Producing and Recording Instruments, of, which the following is a speciiication.v f

My invention cons1sts in' the combination,

with the mechanism lot a piano, of a device which will v automatically produce upon a moving' strip .of paper 'or other material a com leterecordv of the 'musical notes struck 'by t e erformer upontn'e 1ano,"and, further, w ch will automaticary introduce a definite timeinterval between the striking ol' a key or keysv by the performer and the recording of such note ornotes.

The object of my invention isto provide a recording device which will perform its function of recording withoutin any Wise in-l terfering With'the touch of theperformer or otherwise with `the normal action of the piano mechanism.

Various vforms of perforating devices have been designed to be employed in connection with `a piano mechanism.' In all such devicesA cords, electric contacts, neumatic a ,have been if rectly connectedto the keys of the 'instrument.v lSuch devices by interfering with the normal action of thepiano mechanism ina?- terially aHect the touch of' the with the result that the record made is not such as represents the performance of the the keys of a piano or corresponding in?` strument and also containing means for introducing a time limit between the vstriking of a key and the recording of the note struck.

My present invention makes use of the perforating mechanism described in such former application, b ut diilers therefrom in that Va hammerY ofthe piano-action.

performer,

the erforatingmechanism while controlled by the keys of the'piano is not directly connectedto the ke sof the piano.

Put in still o/tlirer words, my invention con- -sists in introducing between the keys of a piano or other .tonepreducin`g instrument and a series of perforating devices a series l" ation.

The accompanyingjdrawings will serve to illustrate` my invention.

. Figure 1 is a vertical section througha y piano mechanism and avperforating device.

ig.. 2 is ian enlarged side elevation showing theI relation between a pneumatic-valve and Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section through the valve. Fi 4 is a transverseseotion through the va ve. Fig. 5 isa vertical section showing a mechanical'device'for controlling the' perfo'rating mechanism yby the" movement of a hammer of the piano-action`."' Fig. 6 is a vertical section showingan electrical device for controlling the perforating mechanism by the movement of ayhammer of the pianoaction. y

.In the drawin s, A represents the frame of a piano; B,key card; G,;'\ l'1amn1er of pianoaction; D, stretched strings of iano. These parts Vpresent no points of vnove ty.

Mounted on the to 'of the liano is the perforating device, whicl 1s., con' ained within a case E. This' device, asv showmconsists of a shaft F, .adapted'to be, `driven at constant speed. Mountedloosely'npon this shaft are a'series of eccentrics G, oarrying'punches H, Between the eccentrics and secured tothe shaft are a `series of toothed wheels'I. Pivoted on each eccentricis a latch J, which 9 when released -is' adapted to coact with a toothed wheel I.

K represents the `feed-roll for the musicstrip; Intake-up roll;.M, drivinoeroll, which receives its motion through mec anismconnected with Vthe shaft F.

The' articular features of construction of the per oratingmechanism described are not essential. vAny suitable perforating mechanism may be used. 1

The perforating mechanism shown in l IDS 1, 5, and 6 is the same. In Fig. 1 the perlorating mechanism is shown as pneumatical ly controlled, and for this purpose there is arranged a series o't valves N, (one. valve for each punch,) to each of which is connected an arm O, situated i'ii the path of movement of a hammer C. These valves are normally closed and are maintained in the 4closed position by means of springs I?, Figs. 3 and 4. The valves N are connected to the ends oi' tubes Q, which lead to the primary pneumatics It, which in turn control secondary pneumatics S, which control power-pneumatics T,

which control pivoted levers U, adapted to.

coact with latclies J. In Fig. 5 bell-cranks N are substituted for the valves N; and interposed between the upper arm of each of such hell-cranks and a lever U'is a cord V. In Fig. bell-cranks N2 are employed, the upper end of each oi which is adapted to bridge a pair of contacts W W in circuit with a magnet X, the core of which, Y, is connected to ya lever TheI operation of the arrangement shownin Figs. 1, 5, and 6 is substantially the same. When an operator strikes a key, a hammer C of the pianoaction illes up and then immediately returns to its original position unless the operator holds down the key, in which case the hammer is held up-that is, as

shown in Fig. 2, the hammer strikes a string (position shown m dotted lines) and then rebounds, (position shown in full lines.) The hammer in its movement strikes a valve N or a bell-crank N" N2, as the case may be, and then a string of the instrument.

lIt will be observed that a hammer in moving upward must move through a definite distance and that consequently a time interval will'int'ervene between the time that a key is struck and the time when the hammer actuates the valve N or bell-crank N N2. When a-valve N or bell-crank N is actuated, a lever U through the instrumentality of the interposed pneumatic or electric devices is actuated, which permits a latch J to coact with a toothed wheel I, thus connecting 'an eccentric G to the shaft F and throwing a' punch into operation to perforate the music-` strip passing under it.. It will be observed that the perforating mechanism shown is entirely separate from the piano-action.

I wish it understood that I do notlimit myself in4 any wise to the valve mechanism or bell-cranksfor'controlling the action of the levers Ufas it will be understood that many devices may be placed within the path of movement of the hammers C of the piano-action and which will have an equivalent function.

I further wish to have it understood that my invention may be employed with devices other than a piano-in Jfact, with any device where a moving part serves to actuate avalve or bell-crank or corres onding devices for controlling the action o a punch or punches and without in any wise allecting the mechanical action or force required to operate the device-tor instance, a piano-key'neressary to produce the original impulse.

It will he seen from the above description that the device is certain in its operationi. e., willrecord every note struck as a valve or bell-crank must necessari ly be operated before a hammer is brought in contact with a string of a piano.

I'Iaving thus described my invention, I claimy A l. A tone producing and recording instru'- ment, comprising a tone-producing mechanism, a recording mechanism, and a controlling device for the recording mechanism adapted to. be actuated by the linal driven part of the tone-producing mechanism.

2. A tone producing and recording instrument, comprising a tone-producing mechanism, a recording mechanism, and a controlling device for the recording mechanism structurally separate from thetone-producing mechanism, b'ut adapted to be actuated by the final ldriven part thereof. i

3. A tone producing and recording instrument, comprising a tone-producing mechanism, 'a recording mechanism, and a controlling devieefor the recording mechanism situated in the path of movement of the final driven part of the tone-producing mechanism, and adapted to be actuated thereby.

4. A tone producing and recording instrument, comprising a tone-producing mechanism, a' recording mechanism provided with means for introducing a time interval between possible successive actions of such rccording mechanism, and a controlling device for the recording mechanism structurally separated from but adapted to be actuated by the final driven part oi' the tone-producing mechanism.

5. A tone producing and recording instrument, comprising a tone-producing mechanism, having a keyboard'and moving parts actuated thereby, a recording mechanism,

l and controlling mechanism for-the recording mechanism, situated between the tone producing and the recording mechanisms, not connected to the tone-producing mechanism, but in the path of' movement of the final driven part thereof.

6. A tone producing and recording instrument, coinprlsing a tone-producing mechanism having a .series of moving hammers, a recording mechanism, and mechanism not connected to'the tone-producing mechanism, butin the path of movement of' the moving hammers for controlling the action of the recording mechanism,

7. A tone producing and recording instrument comprising a tone-producing mechanism, a recording mechanism provided with means whereby a time interval will elapse between the striking of a note by the performer and the action of the' recording mechanism, and a controlling device for the recording mechanism structurally separated from but adapted to be actuated by the final ing mechanism, and means actuated by the movement ofthe hammers of the piano-action forcontrolling themovement of the perforating mechanism.

Y 9. A` tone producing and recording instrument comprising a (piano-action, a perforat-4 ing mechanism, an means actuated by the movement of the hammers of the piano-action for controlling after a dei'nite time the movement of the perforating mechanism.

10. A tone producing and recording instru- 'ment comprising a series of keys, a series of hammers, a series of controlling devices situated in the path of movement of the hammers, and a series of punches responsive to the action of said controlling devices.

' l- 1 1. A tone producing and recording instrument comprising a series o f keys, a seriesof hammers, a series of pneumatic controlling devices situated in the path of movement of the hammers, and a series of punches responsive to the action of saidcontrolling devices.

12. A tonel producing and recording instrument comprising apiano-action', a perforating mechanism, and a series of controllingvalves actuated by the hammers of the pianoaction.

13. A tone. producing and recording instrument comprising. a piano-action, a perforat-v ing mechanism, and aseries `of controllingvalves actuated by4 arts of the piano-action which are separate om butractuated by the keys of such action.I

14. A tone producing and recording instruactuated by the hammers of the piano-action,

whereby the movements of the perforating mechanisms are controlled. l

15. A tone prod ucing and recording instrument comprising a piano-action, a perforating mechanism, and means actuated by the movefment ofbut not connected to the hammers of the piano-action for controlling the movement of the perforating mechanism.

16. A tone producing and recording instrument comprising a iano-a'ction, a perforating mechanism, an( pneumatic mechanism for controlling said perforating mechanism, not connected to but actuated by, the ham mers of the piano-action.

`17. A tone producing and recording instrument comprising a piano-action having as parts thereof1 a keyboard,y and a series of hammers, a recording mechanism, and controllers therefor, actuatedby the movement of the hammers of the piano-action.

18. A tone producing and recording instrument comprising a keyboard, a piano-action, a recording mechanism, a controller therefor which is mechanically separated from the hammer portion of the piano-action, but ada ted to be moved by the hammer when the atteris actuated by a performer in striking a note on the keyboard.

19. A tone'producing and recording instrument, comprising a piano-action, a perforating mechanism, a controlling means for the perforating mechanism actuated by but separated from the piano-action and located to introduce a time interval between the actuation of the piano-action and the actuation of the perforating mechanism.

20. A tone producing and recording instrument comprising a piano-action, a recording j device, and controlling means for the recording device actuated by the hammers of thel piano-action. y

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