US855021A - Electric self-playing violin. - Google Patents

Description

No. 855,021. 7 PATENTED MAY 28, 1907. H. K. SANDBLL.

ELECTRIC SELF PLAYING VIOLIN.

APPLICATION FILED 0013.29, 19.06.

9 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

71m A'A'A'A'A'WA A'A'A A'A' AAWA'AWM 7% I izitg'ww No. 355,021. PATENTED MAY 28, 1907. H. K..SANDELL. ELECTRIC} SELF PLAYING VIOLIN.

APPLIOATION FILED 0OT.29,1E}06.

PATBNTED MAY 28, 1907.

I H. K. SANDELL.-

ELECTRIC} SELF PLAYING VIOLIN.

APPLIOATIOH FILED 00129,. 1906.

9 SHEETSSHEET 4.

No. 855,021. PATENTED MAY 28, 1907.

- H. K. SANDBLL.

ELECTRIC SELF PLAYING VIOLIN.

APPLIGATION FILED OCT. 29, 1906.

9 SHEETS-SHEET 5 v I /a i No. 855,021. PATBNTED-MAY 28, I907. E. K. SANDELL.

ELECTRIC SELF PLAYING VIOLIN.

APPLICATION FILED 001'. 29, 1906.

QSHEETS-SHEET 6.

m4 //9 g I 5 /2/ A53 w I I, Hi '72 f I a; 1/3 75 /27 Nb. 855,021. PIAITENTED MAY 28. 1907.

H. K. SANDELL. ELECTRIC SELF PLAYING VIQLIN.

APPLICATION FILED 06129, 1906.

9 SHEETSSHEET 7.,

K Maw/My;

PATENTED MAY 28, 1907.

VIOLIN APPLIOATlON FILED OCT. 29

9 SHEEN-SHEET a.

I PATENTED MAY 28. 1907. H. K SANDELL. ELECTRIC SELF PLAYING VIOLIN,

APPLIUATION' FILED OUT. 29, 1306.

'a sums-sum a.

UNITED snares PATENT oFincEj HENRY K. SANDELL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO MILLS N OVELIY COMPANY, A. CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

ELECTRIC SELF-PLAYiNG \IKJLINJ Patented. tra 28, 1907.

Application filed ctober 29, 1906- Serial No. 341,060.

' States Letters Patent No. 807,871, dated December 19, 1905; and the object is to improve the mechanical playing of the instrument by causing it to resemble more closely human playing thereof.

Referring to the accompanying drawings- Figure 1 shows the entire machine by a view in front elevation; Fig. 2 is an enlarged broken view in elevation, partly sectional, showing means for automatically varying the speed of rotation of a sounder-shaft in accordance with variations in the pressure of the sounder against its string; Fig. 3, a similar view of means for shakingthe strings of the instru ment to produce the vibrato effect in playing; Fig. 4, a broken plan iew showing details of the mechanism represented in Fig. 3; Fig. 5, an enlarged broken view in longitudinal sectional elevation, showing the T631 portion of the violin and the playing mechanism that co-operates therewith, including the sounder-reversing device; Fig. 6 shows the construction of the guide-table for the perforated musicsheet, by an edge-view, partly broken, and the sheet-feed with its adjusting mechanism, in end elevation, and Fig. 7 is a section of the same taken at the line 7 on Fig. 1, viewed in the direction of the arrow and enlarged; Fig. 8 is a sectional view showing the preferred form of contact-device Fig. 9, a broken enlarged view of the reversing device, including its controlling electro-magnet, in sectional elevation; Fig. 10, a broken view showing the reversing device in elevation, partly sectional, but omitting the electro-magnet, and representing the device in its normally locked condition; Fig. 11, a similar view of the same, but showing the device in its unlocked reversing condition; Fig.

12, a section taken at the line 12 on Fig. 9 and viewed 111 the direction of the arrow; Fig. 13, a face-vrew of the ratcheteieinent of the rev ersing device Fi 14 a sect ion taken U a b I, y -3 at the has on Fig. 3., viewed the cares" tlfil'l of the arrow and enlarged; Fig. 15 (Sheet 3); a broken view showing a picker-device in elevation in its normal condition relative to a string; Fig. 16, a similar view of the same in its condition of partial depression, wherein it is engaging the string; Fig. 17, a similarv view of the same in its condition of complete depression after soundin the string, and Fig.

18, a perspective view 0 the same showin a supplemental circuit opening and closing evice with which it is equipped; Fi 19, a plan diagram of the perforate guide-plate for the rods which terminate in the fingering and picker-devices, and showing dotted the electro-Inagnets which actuate the rods; and Fig. 20 is a diagram illustrating the electric circuit'and its branches containing the operating'mechanisms of the machine.

Y At 21 is represented a violin contained in a suitable casing 22 and supported therein on a partition 23 dividing the ca ing into an upper compartment 2 1, inclosing the instrument and the fingering and sounding devices for playing it, and a lower compartment 25, housing the perforated music-sheet 26 and its feeding and guiding mechanism, and a motor )7 for driving the feed and the rotatory sounder-shafts, all generally as disclosed in said former patent.

Of the playing mechanisms of the machine, the rotatory sounders with the electromagnets for raising and depressing them relative to the strings, and the electro-magnet-actuated fingering devices, as also the feeding mechanism for and the circuit-closing action of the perforated music-sheet, may be,

.as shown in the drawings, generally the same as thoseof said former patent and need not, therefore, be described herein in detail.

' The several mechanisms hereinafter de scribed are, for the most part, designed-to contribute to enhancement of the similarity of the playing of the instrument to human violinplaying. One of the more important adjuncts to this end is a device for producing, at proper times, the vibrato effect which the human player produces by vibrating his fin--. ger against the string which is under depression; and means for thls purpose are most clearly illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4; in the compartment 25 is fastened on a Wall of the casing an electro magnet 28, the armature 29 of which is vibratorily carried by a bent lever 59 provided on its lower end with an adjustwith the result of slightly 'vihratine; the

pendulously hung from a l ulerum, at 32, on a support 33 upon the pz'trtition. The upper end ot this lever :ontams a transverse openin which adpistahlv conlined, hv a ing 3a, set-serew 55, one end ol a rod 36. w hieh extends toward the tail-piece 3? ol' the violin and has its other erd adjustahl'y eonneeted therewith. '.he connection end of the violin ol the tail-piece, in the usual n anner, adaptsit to he dcllected laterally at its vforward end, while under the tension ol the strings of the instrument. tor the purpose of vihrating them. By -moim-utaril v energizing the magnet 2K to attra t the armature 29 against 'an interposed sprin 35%, alter the magnet is dc-energizetl, the lever 3i will con tinue to vibrate for a time under the opposing forces of the weight 32 and spring 4 adpie and \'2L. \lfi the tension, and therefore the piteh, ol. the strings to produce the vibrate eli'ect in playing. The spring 38 is so as to normally hold outward the adjacent part otthe lever 30 and therein. cause the upper end ol the lever to exert, thrmie h the rod 36, a slight lateral strain on the tail-piece to exert astrain on the violin-stringrs under Wilh'll they are at normal piteh. Alter the armature 20 has been initially at'raeted under the momentary inlluenee ol' the magnet '28, as described, in the sul se p1ent vihrztions ol the lever 30, its movmnents toward the 1l'lll]0l), under the stress ot the weight 31', compress the spring with the el'l'ect of turning the upper end ot the lever in the direction to deoraise the tension exerted in the lateral direction on the violiinstriug s and thus slightly lower their pitch: and the -on' trarv movement ol the lever, under the reroll-loree ol the spring" 13o. carries its lower portion herond the position it ocrupies with the s; ring at rest, therel turning the upper end ol the lever l c \oml the normal position rel erred to, with the e lert ol exerting, througl'i the rod 1-30, increased tension on the strings of the instrument. This is im 'iortant, since the strings are thus vibrated hoth lielow and aoove the normal pitch rel crred to, which is neeessar v to produre properly the shake ei'l'eet in'pla ving.

Asin the a'loresaid patent, the present conetion also involves means, as an adjunct of the sounding devices, tor varying their pressure against the strings for the purpose ol regulMingthe degrees of and graduations in loudness o'l playing: hut variation in the degree ol' pressure ol a rotating; sounder again a string; of the violin with the sounder rotating at unvar ring speed, tends to impair Mortality of the resultant tone. To ohvi til in in are provi: ed r: autoniatieally H A Y sing the sieed or rotation or tea with the rear this de'l'eet, means, shown in prehlrred l l l l l l l l l a row transversely thereot the tour similar electro-magnets ll), as in the aloresaid tormer patent, and 'hclund these magnets is sup ported, over an opening ll through the arm,

a single larger electro-magnet 42 having a, s1u'ing-supporteil armature 433 on a reeipro 'a lale ro l-l-l passing vertieallv through the mag"- net-eore and extending below the arm 32). Between the magnets 10 and 42 a pair of lrraeli ets 45 rise from the arm 3%) and havojour naled in their upper ends a rockerdate -16 connected lroinnear its transverse center by a bent arm 4-7 with the head ol' the rod 44;, and extending at its forward edge into the path of lugs, 48, one at which projeets backward and rigidly from the upper end of the vertically reciprocating arinature-earrying rod of each magnet 40, and h the lower end o'l which rod a soimder-shal't is carried lor raising and depressing it in the movements of the armature of that magnet. As will, theretore, l e-seen, when, lrv the atl raction or rise of the armature 43, the forward edge ol' the plate 4-6 is raised or lowered, the extent of depression of the armatures ol the magnets ll), when energized, is decreased or iner ased l) the ohstruetion resenlcd to the he s in eneounternn the ed 'e ol the roeherh P i b plate at a lower or higher plane in their path.

)thout the lower end o'l'the rod 44 is looped,

and sustained by a stop 48), a rod 60 extending lengthwise under the arm 3.) and bent downward to project looselythrough t he partition 23%, below which it adjustahl v connet-led with a bar 51, or rod extemlinp oliliquel to and piv'otally conneeted with an ar mature 52. v This armature is ])l\'o1all supported between its ends on a hearing 52% to extend over the poles oi two eleetrii-magnots i I y l 54 and 55, supported at opposite sides o'l said hearing. A spool of one ol' the magnets 55 has a post 56 rising from its eore through the armature 52 to routine one end oi a leafspring 537, the other end of which. is l'astened to the arnu'rture near its pivotal support in a hearing 38 is journaled one end oi a rotatahle shaft 59 earrving a drivespulley (it), the other end oi" this shalt carrying a l l'lI'tlOIP dish (5], and, :uljarent thereto, a sleeve (52 connected by a rertical rod (33 with. the ad iaeent end of the pivotal armature 52. The

shalt is journaled at one end in a hearing.

64 confined in a vertical guide as to permit the shaft, in rotating, to he gruidmgz ly rc riproea.

d vertieall'y fit the enot iereot on w'ni'cl'r the friction-disk is 'n'iounaed. ln a hearing (36 on the inner front wall of the upright housing from which the horizontal arm e' tends over the r or portion, of the violin, journaled a vertical shaft 67 provided on .iour sounder-shafts.

lower end with a friction-wheel 58 extend ing at a right-angle to the dish. 6] to engage with the surface of the latter. This engage mentis 'yieldingly maintained by a ring 69 fastened at one endto a support 76 and bean ing its free and against the adjacent end of a "sin 71 reciprocably confined in the head 72 of said support to bear at its opposite end against a sleeve 73- through which the shaft 67 passes; 011 then per end of the shaft 67 is mounted a'bevele gear 74 meshing with a siihilar gear 75 on the rear end of a soundershaft, as that which carries the. D-string sounder. This sounder-shaft carries, adjacent to the ear- 75, a gear-wheel 76, and. each of the ot errthree soundenshatts carries a similar gearewheel (not shown), to form a train of these gears 76, whereby rotation of the shaft 67 drives the sounder-shafts in successively' contrary directions.

As will therefore be seen, when the magnet 42 is energized to attract its armature the forward edge of the "rocker-plate 46 is raised to decrease the extent of depression of th Sounders against the violinstrings, or hit them entirely 036? the strings. This action is entirely independent of that of the magnets re and 55. With the shaft 59 constantly rotating, engagement of the disk 61 with the wheel 68 actuat'es the shaft 67 to drive the By energizing the magnet 54. to attract the adjacent part of the armature 52, depression of the latter draws downward upon the bar 51 to cause the rod 50 to depress the armaturerod 44 and the armature 43 niechanicaily, with the result of raising the forward edge of the rocker-bar 46 and the eiiect of decreasing the limit of downward inovernent of thesounders.

The accompanying result of so attracting the armature lsto produce, through the connecting rod 63, depression of the shaft 59, thereby bringing the engagement of the disk 61, nearerits center of rotation, with the Wheel 68 and accordingly decreasing the speed of rotation of the SOU11Cl6T-ShZ1ftS to.

correspond with the lighter engagement of the si'iunders with the strings of the instrimient. On the other hand, when the nagnet :35 is energized to attract'the adjacent end-portion of the armature 52, the resultant rise of the opposite end of the latter, because of the connection therewith of the bar 51, raises it and the rod 50, freeing the spring of the armature 43 raise'it and depress the forward edge of the rocker-plate, thereby permitting any armature or arinatures of the magnets 40,- when energized, to be depressed as far as the lowered rocker-plate will permit, to depress the sounder-shafts to cn agc the sounders with greater'pressure against the vi0lin-strings and increase the loudness of playing. This increase in loudness at tended by increase of the speed of rohtion of the sounder-shafts, since the attraction ,eai by the n'iagnet of the/adjacent end oi the and'of the soundei shafts to compensate for the louder playing of the Sounders.

With both magnets 54 and de-ener gized, the spring 5'? maintains the armature 52 and the parts controlled by it in the nor- .mal condition represented in Fig. 2.

The mechanism of the machine involves, also, means shown and described in mypending application Serial No. 803,172, filed February 27, 31906, for feeding and guiding the perforated music-sheet, and a desirable constrnction thereof is most clearly illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7 the spring-pressed feedroller 77, journaled in pivotal hangers 78 and 79 on the similar brackets 80, 81 depending from the partition 23, carries a gear-wheel 822 with which meshes a pinion 83 on the shaft of a drive-pulley 8% having a belt-connection (Fig; Dwith the pulley on the shaft 59, and the belt 85 also suitably gears the pulley 60 with the shaft of the motor 27 to be driven thereby. The other roller, 86, is the electrical contact1'oller. o'urnaled at its ends in said brackets, the ournal-bearing inthe bracket 80 being a horizontally elongatedslot 87, shown as extending from a vertical slot rising from the lower edge of the bracket. Adjacent to this bearing is eccentrically journaled on the bracket 80 a disk 88 containing an arc-shaped slot 89, through which a set-screv. 90- works in the bracket. The eccentric disk 88 bears at its edge against the adjacent journal of the roller 86, whereby turning disk in one direction presses it against that journal to move the latter and the roller 86 toward the roller 77, and turning the disk in the opposite direction permits the said. journaled end of the roller 86 to be moved in its. bearing in the contrary direction under the spring-pressure against the .taotrollerof tbeleed-roller 77, Freq erratory to turning the eccentric adjusting dislc, it is freed by loosening the screw ()0, to be tightened '31 securing the head in. an adjust-ed position. Thus, when, from vr on the joiunals of the feed-rollers, or other cause, their required parallelism is impaired,

setting the roller :56 through the medium of ITS y 91. is that illustrated in Fig. 8, each consisting of the contacta'oller, even though a portion roller 77 presented in Fig. 6 there depends a handle 92 fixed to said journal-end, whereby turning the handle in opposition to the spring 93 swings the friction-roller by its 5 hangers 7S and 79 away from the companionroller 86 to separate it therefrom when desired to disengage it from the sheet '26; and when thus swung, the roller 77 may be releasably locked in that position by engaging 10 its protruding journal-end with a recess M. in an arm 94'" pivoted at? one end on the bracket 80, and atl'ording a releasable gravity catch tor said journal-end.

A lesirable ctnistruction oi the cont-acts ot a suitably supported spring-linger )5 carrying on its free end a metal sleeve 96, in which the contact-proper, in the form of a bunch of tine wires 97, is adjustably conlincd 2 by a set-screw 92% working in the sleeve. This brush-form ol' the contact-proper rcndcrs it highly flexible and insures its engagc ment, through a registering perforation in the traveling music-sheet, with the surface of the brush may extend overthe edge or edges of the perforation; whereas, with L were spring-linger forming the contact, it by any slight disarrangcment its free end should go extend over either or both edges of a pcrl'oras tion in the sheet, it would fail to meet the surl'ace ol the ct ntact-rollcr. And the adjustability ol' the brush adapts it to be set, as its contacting end wears away, toward the roller to compensate for the wear, thus greatly prolonging the uscl'ulncss ol the contact-brush. t

in Figs. 6 and 7 are shown means, co-opcrating with the teed-rollers, for enhancing the smoothness oi travel ol the music-sheet b moving it toward the rollers between the regular llat surfaces, oi substantially like areas, of a pair ol" plates lorming a guidetable ill): From the bracket M a sheet-guidmg arm ltt) inclines downwardly and is formed with an inwardly projecting plateseating base-flange llll, provided near one end with a perforated lug Hi2 and at its oppo-- site end with a lateral extension I03 describ 5o ing a right. angle with the arm lot), at the junction with which it forms an oll'set to cause the extension to occupy a somewhat lower plane than ti o arm. The extension teri'ninates at its free end in an apertnred l head 10%, through which works a sct-scrow 105. A hasoplale 106 is bolted near one edge-portion, to bear against the inner side oi the arm 100, through the lug 102, and lower down through the llange ltll, and bears near its center upon the set-screw H75, the 1 base-plate extending both down mirdly and laterally beyond the extension 103- andbeing irecalong its left-hand edge. The i-serew S05 is provided for strainir the l ase-olate 5 back into true or level pos. ion.

the teed-rollers in the event of sagging toward its free lateral edge. With the baseplate eo-opcrates a top-plate l07, shown in position, superimposed upon the inclined base-plate, in Fig. 7, and represented in Fig. 6 as undergoing placing into position. The top-plate is provided on the centerol its upper side with a lnindle,shown as a ring, by means of which to manipulate it for its remov: land replacement; and on-cach edge, in alinci'neut with thc handle, it carries a depending stud, like the one represented at 108, to enter a hole provided to receive it in. the edgeportion ot the base-plate and tl'icrcby guide the placing of the top-plate properly upon the base-plate and hold it in place. An apron lit), extending l'rom the lower end ol' the top-plate, guides the music-sheel between the two platesfand. an apron ill on the upper edge oi the base-plate guides the sheet l'rom between the plates across the contactrollcr 8h. The wcightol the top-platc thus loosely imposed upon the sheet and the even surfaces of the two plates between which the sheet passes, cause it to travel smoothly and regularly.

The playing mechanism ol" the machine also, preferably, involves a device for instantancously reversing the direction of rotation oi" the sounders, which. according to the aforesaid patent, are adapted to rotate only in one direction. is provided lor each sounder, and as they are alike, description of one, with particular retcrencc. to l, 2 and 9 to 13 inclusive, will sullice: For (o-operation with the reverserdevice the rotary shaft of each sounder is composed of a lorward section 113 and a rear section 114-, these sections entering at their adjacelitends into the opposite ends ol a sleeve 115, wherein the flattened end of the forward section is rigidly secured by i set-screw 116, while the end oi the sleeve which receives the section. 114. is enlarged internally andthat section fastened in the sleeve by a pivot-pin 117, whereby the sleeve and the forward section have a limited vertically swinging movement on the rear section throughhut the axial rotation of the latter. lhis section has its bearing in a statii'inary sleeve 118 extending horizontally through the front wall of the aforesaid housing from which the arm 39 extends. This housing, which is formed of thin metal,

is slightly resilient, tor a purpose hercinalter explained. in the sleeve 11.8, against the forward end of which a collar 11$) is histened by a set-screw, is statiomirily conlined about the shaft-section 114, a cylindrical tube 120, which protrudes into the housing but beyond which, in the housing, the rear shalt-section protrudes and carries rigidly secured on its end a beveled pinion .121. itdjaeenv to this pinion the tube 120. is loosely surrounded by a hub 1122, from which One of these devices ssaosi 3 radiates iii stud 123 having journaled upon it a, beveled pinion 124l1ke and meshing with the pinion 121; and the hub carries,

- diametrically opposite the stud, a pin 125 serving the purpose hereinafter explained. At 126 is shown'an annular ratchet open at its side adjacent to the pinion 121, but having'a face 127 covering its opposite side and containing a slot 128. The ratchet, which cm a central opening in said ratchet-wheel 76 having the beveled gear 75 formed on one face and also the beveled xpinion .131, which is like and meshes with the pinion 124, that projects through the" slot 128 for the meshing urpose. The gears 76 of all the four soun er-shafts -ionm atrain, "driven by the motor 27 to rotate these shafts, as hereinbefore explained. As

will be understood, only one of the gears 7 6 ,ic'arries'a beveled gear 75 to mesh with the similar ear 74 on the shaft 67. The spring 129 yiijdingly holds the inion 124 in ena ement with an end 0 the slot 123, to 06 that. inion and ratchet together, as represents in Figs. and 12, so that rotation of a gear 76 causes the pinion 131 to. rotate the pinion 124, and with it the ratchet 126,1about the tube 120, While this rotation of the pinion 124 causes it to revolve the pinion 121 and thus revolve the entire sounder-shaft. By arresting rotation of the ratchet 126-, however, the strain of the re tating 1pinion 131 against the pim'on 124 .forces (3 1 locki e latter against the resistance of the spring 129, to disen a e the lastname pinion from the end 0 t e slot 128,

1 thereby unlocking it to enable-it to rotate free? about =the stud or axis 123. Thus free and with the ratchet thus held Star tionar y, the-pinion 124 is rotated about its axis 123 and rotates the pinion 121, and with it the shaft- sections 114 and 113 in the direction contrary to that of the rotation of the gear 76; thereb reversing the rotation of the sounder. or arresting the ratchet, an

"electro-ma net 132 is rovided on the top of the said housing,

t e magnet having a spring-cushioned armature 133 carrying a plunger-rod 134 extending vertically through the magnet-core and terminating in a blade 135 which registers With the ratchet, whereb when the magnet is energized. through cl osure of the circuit by a certain contact 91 engaging the roller 86 at a perforation in the traveling music-sheet brought into registration with such contact, the resultant attraction of the armature Will drive the plungerrod against the ratchet and stopits rotation until the magnet is deenergized. This occurs by the-perforation clearing the contact.

to open the circuitand IGSUltSHltllFs rise of the armature, under the recoil force of its cushioning sprin and the Withdrawal of the plunger-rod i rom engagement with the ratchet, whereupon the spring 129 again forces-the pinion 124 against the ratchet at the end of its contained slot, thereby lockin may, in accordance with the length of the perforation throu h which the circuit-closure 1s efiectcd as ascribed, be rapid or slow in imitation. of the reciprocating movements with the ordinary violin-bow.

Provision is made, by the construction illustrated in Figs. 1 ad 5, for deflecting simnltaneouslythe four rotator, sounders 112 toward the violin-strings, so thatwheu any one is depressed by its controlling electro-magnet against a st ing for playing it, the pressure of the sounder against the string will be augmented a d the resultant sound accordingly rendered louder. As in the construction set forth in said patent, the soundershafts are supported toward their forward ends by the upright electro-magnets 40 on the forward end of the arm 39, the armature 136 of each magnet being carried on a vertically reciprocable rod 137 passing through the magnet-core and terminating at its lower end in an. eye 138, through which the sounder-sh aft passes to be supported toward its forward end, Obviously, then, by de-. fleeting downward, from its normally horizontal position, the arm 39 and with 'itthe magnets 40, the sounders will be correspondingr Y depressed to a lower plane, from which to be actuated by the rods 137 against the strings of the instrument. To accomplish this purpose, a double-spool electro-magnet 139 is supported on one side of the casingcompar-tment 25, its armature 140 being car ried on the lower end of a lever 141 passing, through an opening-142 in the partition'23, into t is aforesaid housing, wherein'it is fulcrumed at .11; and the upper forked end of the lever embraces and is riveted to a bracket 143, which is securely fastened -to and extends backward irom this front Wall of the housing, and to which the sleeves 118 of the reversing devices are fastened. By turning the lever on its fulcrum, the force of turning it will spring the resilient housing to deflect the arm 39 and thus depress the sonnders to a lower plane from Which-T to be pressed against the violin-strings by the rods 137 of the eleotro-magnets 40, as explained in the aforesaid patent. This springing of the housing is produced by attracting the armature under energizing of the magnet 139, which occurs whenever the proper contact 91 engages the suri'oee ol' the contact roller through a, perlointion in the traveling musicsheet brought into registration with such con: tact.

To avoid innrring of the tone-quality in Me ing, WlIlGlI'AQSUll/S from supporting}; the linger-imsrd q-l l ol' the iolin directly upon its neck, whereby the notion of the lingering devices against the board compresses the instrument upon its supports, the linger-hoard issuppii ii sed position out ol' contact with the neck, as represented in Figs. 1 and i l.

The f nne which siunnjnts the l'ourrows of fingeringdevice eleotro inngnets l2 and involving the hollow post 146, the curved and [longed end-pieces 147 on a heel; l t-8 and connected at intervals by bars, with the depemh ing arms lu l-ll carrying the horizontol perionted plate 150 through which the 5Lllll:L .ll1-" l actuated rods r51 reciprocate, said rods cor-- rying on their lower ends the lii'igering mechanism 252, orenll 21s in the patent. The .tinger h imrd H4, however, is rigidly suspend d by bolts 353, at suitiihle intennls, from the plate .5G and supported raised Position over the noel-r of the violin. The holts pass at their lower ends through the hose or e ire-roe supported in the eotnpertinent 25 and carrying a transparent housing l55,l1l0i1 envelop end shields the mechanism of the lingering; and niche -devices. Sound-deodenhu; strips 158. oi Felt, or the like, are interposed at interinls l)G-- tween the frame-hose sudlinger bozu'd. shove it, and the frame 154 hears at forward end upon cushion 15?,ol felt or the like, seated in the unwztrdl g curved lorwnr end .53 oi n metnlplote 159 extending lengthwise upon the neck, and over the edge of which end are stretched the of the instrument leading to its milling-keys.

Suitable means are provided, shown at 160111 Figs. 1 and 5, for holding at ol' rosin, 161, in contort with the rotatory Sounders 112.

i imilor picker-linger devices, one for each string of the instrument, are proivded i0! pizzieoto playing, to supplement the other lingering devices of ti e aforesaid potent; and each comprises the following-i eserihed constructimi, shown in Figs. 1 sud 15 to ill, inclu sivo: An electro-nngnct 'l lS is located i line With the respectiv'e series of the omen,

at the end thereol" nearest the rear end of the instrument, the armature of this magnet being; carried hy u rod .62, like the re: s 1.51. and passing throur h its proper o pening in. the plate 1550. Below this plate the rod carries, odjusrnhly, the piclrcr-device consisting of 21- hesd 164, on which is pivoted n linger 16' having loosel; connected with its l eel-no tion n stop-rod 166 extending upward and r ciprm ihly through a guide-extension 167 oi the head to shot at its lreo end against the bottom ol the plate 150. Figs, 15 to 17, in-

l elusive, show this device in the di'llcrent positons ol ortion. Thus, under attraction oi. the zll'lilfiltllt ol' the magnet M5, the rod 16?) is lowered to dcnre the linger 1G2, l'roni its norm-ml msitioo (Fig. 15'), wherein the rod uhuts' ninst the plate. to the position representcd in Fig. lli, wherein tlielingor has encountered and is clearing :1 string, as the string ii, to sound it, and whence the continned descent oi" the rod carries the linger l downward and gravity turns it to the position in which it is represented in l i q, l7. the iiin er heinp; so pivoted as to tend to assume that position liy rnx'ity. in this lust-4mined position, the p. lDT-lill r i IQS l'ron'r its pivot, as shown, hut is again brought to the nornnd position by the turning" netii'in upon it o! the rod in iniwuntering the plate 150, as it does in being ed by the recoil-l orro of the unitinespi i 5: nl I011 the nmgnet is dc-cncr- Lied. Tin) 'od H52 curries, near its upper ll, :1 lntr ally projecting stud 169% to extend across one or two contzirtnnnlting springs um and 'lTll suitably supported on n hlo q TH and inclrded in the electric operatii ircuit e hercol the apparatus, AS and lo? the purer iii-litter described. In the desoei'it (Tl therod, the stud closes the circuit hy hrh gi'ug loether the contact-springs, Vlnch l their resilience, when freed from the stud ltnl by the rise :l the rod.

According to the arrangement discl 1 scd in the aforesaid patent, each row if the finger ing-drrvi magnets consists oi twelve mugnets, to correspond with the number of tones in the chromatic scale.

lit is desirable to increase the number of the iing'erin devices, end :cordinglp, of their contro ling: magnets for lin 1Q, the string, by ten, and the numhm. thereof i'orilingering the JL-string, by two; and it is found expedient to distrihut these twelve additional magnets by adding three "for the E-string to the end o'l its series oy odd o two for the Astring and one more for the iii-string to the some end oi the elsetro-mognets over the A'string; hy adding three more magnets for the E-string to the same end of the row ol magnets over the l)- string. and by adding three more or the ill-- string magnets to the row of magnets we the G-str'ing, This, ol' course, necessitates extending inch rod controlled by on lilstrut; magnet conlnined in any row ol'fin;,:c*: ing'device magnets othn' than tlnt directly over on I l-string, to a lll1g(,1ll evice over thelnst-nmnedstring. Thendu chugering devices on the ends of the rods so extended are scours e from each other, in the sense that there is no link-connection from one to the other as there between the other lingeringdcvices in each row thereof, as shown in said patent, though they are othernfsc-lilze the letter. This urrzmgement is represented d oginuunztticn-lly in Fig. l9, wherein the elcctroof nmgnets nearest the rear end of the violin,

LIL

liO

; M cancer n magnets added to the rows the cc-f r the E, D and G stringssre denoted by the ch actor 14:5 and the plunger-rods they cont. i by the character 151 those added to th row over the 'A-string, for fingering string, are denoted hy the chine-c n with their plunger-rods denoted by E. -e that for the E-string added to'the Aetring row is denoted-by the character 145 with tl plunger-rodit controls denoted hv the reference-character 151. y

Following is the explanation of the electric-circuit arrangement illustrated in the diagram presented by Fig. Seventyiour contacts provided in e row, to beer against the contact-seller 86, one end. of which is connected by a wire w with the positive pole of a generator, indicated at 172. Thus four contacts, denoted as 531 N S 1 and 91 are provided, respectiv r the open G, D, A and E strings of the violin, one for each of the sixty fingering-device irregnets 145, one for each of the tour pickerdevice magnets 145 one for the depressor-- magnet i39,"0ne for the magnet 42 which ectuetes the rocker-plate 46, one for each magnet 54. end'55 for varying; the speed of rotation of the sounder-shafts, one for the magnet 28, which ectuetes the p nduious ver to vibrate the violinend one for the magnet of the cut-cut do e 373, which mey he the same as that of the said patent.

The circuit is traceable follows: 'from. the positive oole of the enerator over the wire *w to the roller 8!), a branch to" of the wire to leading through the motorbrushes to one side of the cut-out 173, from which. a wire w leads to the negative side of the generetor. The last contest 91, at the extreme right-lmnd end of he row of contects, is connected with the cut-out by a wire w' which connects through cut-out magnets by wire w" to the wire to. ii the completion of e piece, e certain perforation in the music-sheet registers with the contact 91 get the extreme right-hand end of the series of contacts co-operating with the roller 86, permitting thet contact to hear, ,through the send. perforation, against the said contest-roller, though this engagement is onlyiinonientery, since a of r necessarily smell and the driving mechanism carries beyond thelccontect in its pe tci ose the insulating paper between it and the rel When the aforesaid monientery centric engcgement occurs; the motor is cut out of the circuit.

Each of the contacts in the first grow; of thirteen thereof at the leftdiend side the dis-gram, except the open-stringcont .ct 3 1 is connected'hy a separate hrench w of the circuit with a different one of the twelve fingering-device electro-megnets 145 in the G-s'tring of these magnets; wires that ieed rrom three others of the con- 9] connect thennrespectiveiy, with the three electro-megnets of the E-string that lead from three others of the contacts electr msrgnets 14:5 of the Estring fingeringelevices that are added, as aforesaid, to the end of the series of B stling fingering devi e magnets. Of the next group of ii tcen contacts, each, except the one for the string 91*, is connected by e sepsrete hrs wire n with e difierent one of the twelve fingering-device magnets 145 end the two added megnets 145 of ,theA-string series; end 5, wire 20" leading from. another contact 91 connects it with the electro megnet 145 of the F-string fingering-devices that is added, eioresiid, to the end of the serie of Ass-t ring; fingering-device magnets. the remaining;'contects, fourteen succeeding the open-string contact 91 and the one immediately succeeding the contact having the branch-consection w, are each connected the fifteen fingering-device magnets of the E-string series thereof. 91 immediately succeeding the one having by a branch w with one side of a differ ent picker-levies magnet 145 The openstring contacts 91 91, 91* and 91 are 0031- nected by branch-wires w", respectively with normel current will pass through the respechowever, for it is preferable to have increased energy in e soundegmagnet each time the scanner it controls is reversed, since thereby the reversing of the sounder is rendered more distinct or emphatic in the playing, as in the case of reversing the movement of the bow in human violin-p1 aying.

evicesthat are added as cfore 91 connect them, respectively, with the three h-y' e branch-wire e0 with e difierent one of The four contacts the hrench-connection w ereeech connectedone side of the reverser electro-megne'ts 132 vice magnet 145 is energized, moregthen the tive sounder-magnet 40. This is desirable;

the series thereof; and wires 10 'as indicated in the diagram.

gnet 145 to attract a bar 169 All the magnets 145 for actuating the G- string' fingering-devices have a connuonpart or wire w leading to one side of the G-string sounder-shaft magnet l-t); all the m nets 145 for actuating the D-string lingering-devices have a common part or Wire in leading to one side of the D-string soundcr-sna'tt magnet; sin'iilarl'y, all the magnets 1-15 and 145 for actuating the A-string lingerii devices have a common part ,or wire to lea ing to one side of the Astring soundenshaft magnet; and similarly, all the magnets 1.45 and 145 for actuating the E-strmg fingeringdevices have a common part or Wire w leading to one side of the E-string siiundensha'l't magnet. The opposite sides of the magnets 40 as also the corresponding or negative sides of the electro-niagnets 4-2, 132 are connected With the rcturn.wire w, which leads to the cut-out 173. The positive side of the magnet 42 for actuating the rocker-bar 16 is'connected by a launch-wire U115 with a contact 91, While the adjacent contact to the left on the diagram connected by a branch-wire'w with the positive side oi the housing springing magnet 139. Other contacts are connected by branclr-wircs i)" and w, respectively, with the positive sides of the soundershaft speed-changing magnets 55 and 54, the opposite sides of which are connected by a \Vil'G 10 with. the wire to lead ing to the cut-cut; and the last contact but one-in the series is connectedby a branch- Wire 10" to the magnet '28 which controls the vibrating device said magnet being also connected to the return\virc 10 The rcsistances w for the several open strings l'urthermore connected, respectively, with the common parts or wires w, w", t i and w,

The contactbars 170 of the several picker-device magnets are, as indicated in Fig. 20, respectively connected with the Wires w, w", w and w and the companion contact-bars 169 are each connected with the shuntw"'e w which leads to the return-Wire of; so that whenever the members of any pair of the bars 169, 170 are pressed together by energizing shuntcircuit is formed from the respec ininon part to the return-wire w" thereby shunting the particular sounder-device magnot 40, which should not, "for obvious reasons, be operative, When the respective violin string is being picked for pizzicato playing.

As and for the particular purpose set forth in 'said patent, the eighth, fourteenth, twenty-first, twenty-seventh, thirty tourth and forty-second contacts, counting from the left-hand end otthe series thereof, are each connected with a tuning adjunct, indicated .at 175 and included in a branch w having metallic connection at t with the contact roller86.

and 139 its will be observed, in the diagram oi hip. 20 all the'heavy lines denote return-wires.

, What I claim. as new, and desire to secure by Letters l. atcnt, is

l. in. combination with a stringed. instru- 1n ent, nu. ns constructed and arranged. .to normally maintain the strings under tension, said means comprising a vibratory attachment operating to produce variation in the tension. of the strings above and below their norn'ial tension, for the purpose forth.

2. in combination with. a stringed instrument, a pcinlulous vibratory lever connected with the strings of the instrument, and.

means for vibrating said lever, tor the purpose set-hath. I

3. In combination, a stringed instriiunent having flexibly supported upon it' a tailpiece to which the strings of the instrun'icnt are fastened, a vibratory attachment con.- ncctcd with said tail-piece constructed and arranged to normally exert tension upon the strings, and means for actuating said attachmcut to vibrate the tail-piece and thereby vary the tension on the stiz above and bclow their normal tension, for the purpose set torth.

4t. in combinatirni, a stringed instrument having ilcxibly simported upon it a tailpiece to which the strings ol the instrument are fastened, a pendulous lever connected with said. tail-piece, and means for vibrating said lever, for the purpose set forth.

in -Jomhiimtion, a stringed instrument having llcXibly supported upon it a tailpiece to which the strings of the instrument are fastened, a pcndulously supported. lever spring-pressed in one direction and carrying a cight opposing tho-force of said spring, a connection between said lever and tailpicce, and means or actuating said lever to vibrate the tailpiece, for the purpose set forth.

6. in a seliqilaying stringed instrument, the combination with a strii'ig', of a. -ioi.1.ndingdevice comprising a rotatably mounted shaft and a sounder thereon adapted to sound said string, aid sounding-device including an electrounagnet; a plurality of fingering-dcvicos each provides With an olcctin-magnet and adapted to linger said string when its magnet is energized; an electric circuit having branches, certain of, said branches in-- chiding said tingeringedevice magnets, each branch including one only of said fingeringdevicc magnets, and the common part including the sounding-device magnet, whereby each of said fingering-device magnets is included in series with said sounding-device magnet; vibratory attachment connected with said string and carrying an armature, and an electro-magnet for actuating said armature, included in a branch oi said circuit.

7. In a self-playing stringed instrument,

electro-niagnet; a plurality of fingering-devices each provided withan electrc-magnct and adapted to finger said string when its ;magnet is energized; an electric circuit having branches, certain of said branches in- IO eluding said fingeringdevice magnets, each branch including one only of said lingering- 'device magnets and the common part includ- 111;, the sounding-device magnet, whereby each of said fingering-device magnets is included n series with said sounding-device magnet; the, tail-piece'of said instrument, and ajvibratcry attachment for the string,

comprising an electrc-niagnet included in a branch of said circuit, a penduloiisly sup- 2o pcrted'weighted and spring-pressed lever cariy -ngnear one'end an armature ad acent to said last-named magnet, and a connection l between the opposite end of said lever and saidtail-piece.

S. In an electric-self-playing stringed instrument, the combination with a casing suportin the arts of acireuit having branche, be .i

a motor, an electrical contact-roller in said circu t, contact-fingers cooperating \\'l i-l1Szll(l 3o roller, and means for feeding a periiirated 'inusic-sheet across said roller and contactfin ers; sound er-devices for the springs, each incuding. an-electrc-magnet having an oscillatory"a rinature connected with a sounderdevice ;"-fingering devices for the strings, each including an electro-inagnetj lugs on the "armatures of the sounding-device magnets and means for varying the extent of depres sion of'said armatures, comprising a rockerplate supported to extend in the path of said lugs andlan electro magnet in'said circuit having an cscillatory armature connected with said plate to reek it by the movements of said armature. v

9. In a self-playing stringed instrument, the combination with a string, of a sounding device comprising a I( tatably mounted shaft and a sounderthereon adapted to sound said string; means for rotating said shaft and 50, means for cscillating it to engage the sounder with said string and withdraw ittherefrom; a pressure-varying device "constructed-and arranged to "co-operate with the soundershaft to vary the degree of pressure of the sounder against the string; and a speedchanging deviccconstructed and arranged to co-cperate with said pressure-varying device and said shaftrotating .nieans to vary the speed of rotation of the latter with variation in the pressure of the sounder against said string.

10. In aself-playing stringed instrument,

the combination witha string, of a motor,

a sound ing-device comprising a rotatabl ymounted shaft and a sounder thereon adapted to sound said string; means for oscillating said shaft to engage the sounder with said string and withdraw it therefrom; a pressurevarying device constructed and arranged to co-cperate with the-sounder-shaftto vary the degree (.l' p: 'ssure of tliesounder against the string; a speed-changing device for said shaft, comprising a rotatable shaft geared to said motor and carrying a frictionalisk on one end, an oscillatory bearing in which the last named shaft is journaled, means for rscillating said shafl'i-eiid, and a rotary shaft carrying on one end a friction-wheel engaging I with said disk and geared at its opposite end 4 with said sounder shaft;- and means co- ,l cperatively connecting said pressure-varying l l 1 l l l l l I and speed-- varvingdevices.

II. In an elect self-playing stringed inl strument, the combination with a string, of a motor, a circuit having branches; a sounding-device comprising a rotatably mounted oscillatory" shaft and a sounder adapted to sound said string and including an electromagnet in a circuit-branch, having an oscillatory armature connected with said soundershaft and carrying a lug; means for varying the extent of depression of said armature, comprising a rocker-plate supported to extend in the path of said'lug and an electromagnet in a branch of said circuit having an oscillatory armature connected with said plate to rock it; and a speed-changing device for said smuider-shaft, comprising a pair of electro-magnets in branches of said circuit, a pivotal armature extending over the poles of said pair of magnets, a rotatable shaft geared to said motor and carrying a friction disk on one end, an oscillatory bearing in which the last named shaft is journaled, a connection between said pivotal armature and said diskcarryiiig shaft, a vertical rotary shaft carrying on its lower end a friction-wheel engaging said disk and geared at its opposite end with said sounder-shaft to rotate the latter, and a connection between the armature of said rocker-plate actuating magnet and said piv otai. armature v I 12. In an electric self-playing stringed instru'inent, the combination with a easing branches, a motor, an electrical contactroller in said circuit,contactefingers co-operatiiig with said rolleiyand means for feeding a perforated music-sheet across said roller and contact-fingers; sounding-devices for the strings of the instrument, each including an turc, and each comprising a rotatably mounted oscillatory shaft connected with said armature and a soundei on said shaft adapted to sound a string; a series of fingering-devices for each string, each including an elect-ro-magnet and adapted to finger a string when its magnet is energized; said fingering device magnets being included in branches of supporting the parts, of a circuit having electro-magnet having an oscillatory arma-

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