US871917A - Combined manually and mechanically operated piano. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTED NOV.- 26, 1907.

J. w. DARLEY, JR. I COMBINED MANUALLY AND MEGHANIGALLY OPERATED PIANO.

APPLICATION IZLED NOV. 17, 1905.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

awuentoz fi Qttoxmmgo PATENTED NOV. 26. 1907.

. J. w. DARLEY, JR- COMBINED MANUALLY AND MEOHANIGALLY OPERATED PIANO APPLICATION FILED NOV.17, 1905 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2v aria-um PATENTED NOV. 26, 1907.

UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE;

JOHN w. DARLEY, JRQ, or BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THE WM. KNABE & co.

MANUFACTURING COMPANY OF BALTIMORE CITY, OF

PORATION OF MARYLAND. I

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, A 00a counnmn MALNUALLY AnnmwImNICALLYoPERA'rEnPlano;

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 26, 1907.

Applieationfilad November 17. 1905- Serial No. 287,826.

To all whom it may concern: 1 v

Be it known that 1, Joan W. DARLEY, Jr,- a citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore city, State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combined Manually and Mechanically Operated Pianos; and 1 do hereby'declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such aswill enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to that class of mu sical instruments in which a piano-action and autopneumatic player are combined in one organization, whereby the instrument can be played either manually by fingering the-keys or mechanically by operation of the pneumatics upon the parts which control the hammers of the piano-action.

The invention achieves the following objects: (1) improvement in the general construction and mechanical organization of the instrument; (2) simplification and increased efliciency of construction and operation of the organized mechanism for operating the piano-action from the keys without affecting the pneumatic strikers or impairing the quality of touch, or from the pneumatics without causing movement of the keys; (3) increased facilities for adjustment, simplifying the matter of regulating the piano-action as in ordinary instruments; (4) improved structure and arraugen'ient 01" the several mechanisms composing the piano organization in such manner as to facilitate the initial construction, assemblage and adjustment of the instrument, and permit removal of parts or groups of instrumentalities without dismantling the entire instrument or deranging the respective mechanisms or groups or" 111-,

strumentalities; (5) improved arrangement of the tracker-bar pipes in such manner as to leave the piano-action exposed at the front and conveniently accessible for adjustment and repairs, and (.lisassociating these pipes from the keys or key-levers with resultant l'rccdonrot' action and cxemptionfrom accidental cont-act: (6) compact arrangement of the pneumatic motor for driving the musicshcct mechanism and improved means lor mounting thesamc in such manner as to allow displacement of the motor for access to the strings without disturbing the mcchan cross-section through the instrument, showing parts in elevation. Fig. 2 is a sectional t'op lan view above the keyboard. Fig; 3 is a ront view of the interior construction of the instrument, showing the music-roll frame, tracker-bar, pneumatic tubes or tracker-bar pipes, and action-rails and support ng-brackets therefor, but not showing the pianoaction.

A particular explanation of the illustrated construction is as follows: The pianoforteaction is arranged as usual inthe case 1 and is adapthdtoobe actuated by the'keys 2 or by the strikers 3 of the pneumatics 4 to cause the hammers 5 to impinge upon and recoil from the strings 6. In the upper front part of the case is the automatic pneumatic-controlling or tote-selective instrumentality or music-sheet ,mechanism, mounted in the frame 7 and having thewell-luiown characteristics of the tracker-bar S rnd. perforated web or music-"sheet 9 adapted to traverse the same for controlling admission of air to the ducts of the tracker-bar the nmsic-sheet 9( being rolled upon the removable music-spool 10 and adapted in operation to wind onto the take-up roll 11. From the tracker-bar S the pneumatic tubes or tracker- bar pipes 12 and 13, extend down to the wind-chest or cham- 9: her 14, containing the primary or controlling pneumatics (not shown) and the secondary or operating pneumatic-s 4, which latter, when the instrument is played mechanically, are actuated by thc controlling pucumatics 10 from the impulses of air admitted by the ms sage of the music-sheet over the traclmr-bar.

It is understood of course that the wind-chest or vacuum-chamber 14 is in .communication with any suitable wind-inducing apparatus. in such as the usual bellows operated by the performers feet, which also furnishes power to the motor for running the music-sheet; ali of which is so well known that specific representation andfurth'er explanation thereof are deemed unnecessary.

In view of the joint facilities for manual and mechanical playing, the piano-action (one complete element of which'is shown in Fig. 1) is as a whole composed of two correlated mechanisms, an u per and a lower one, respectively supporter by the upper and lower actionrails 15 and Z0.

1 The upper mechanism is the conventional piano-action proper, including the group of 0 erative parts actuated by the key (or by t e pneumatic striker) for producing the stroke upon the string and effecting recoil of the hammer. It comprises the hammer '5 and regular associated devices, supported by the action-rail 15, and actuated as usual by its wippen, rocker orunder-lever 16, which is pivotally-attaclied to the lower side of the i are affected by it.

action-rail and receives its movements (transmitted from the key or pneumatic striker) through the medium of its actuating-rod 17.

The lower mechanism of the action comprises principally the said actuating-rod 17 of the wippen, corresponding to the abstract in ordinary upright ianos. Said actuatingrod 17 is vertically'(. isposed close behind the rear end of the key or key-lever 2, and is pivotally-connected to i and supported by guide-links or levers 18 and 19,,which are themselves pivotally-attached to and supported by the lower action-rail 20; the positions and lineal portions of said links 18 and 19 being designed to maintain an approximately vertical up and down motion of said abstract or wip en-actuating rod 17 while conforming or aciitpting it to the movements of those parts (the key-lever, pneumatic striker and wippen) which affect or Said actuating-rod 17, whose u per end carries an adjustable. cap or .head 21 bearing againstthe under side of the wippen, is adapted to be supported both by the key-lever and thepneumatic striker, and

thereby lifted or actuated by either of these agencies. Accordingly, it has a front projec- .tion 22 supported by anadjust'able capstanscrew 23 upstanding at the rear end of the key-lever, while the foot of said rod 17 rests upon or above the striker Thus the piano-action may be actuated either manually from the keys, or mechanicailyfrom the pneumatics when brought into play by the wind-inducing apparatus controlled by travel of the music-sheet over the tracker-bar. These two actuating instrumentalities are entirely independent of each other, it being observed that the actuatingrod 17 of the wippen is supported both by the rear end of the key-lever and by the striker, but without ositive connection with either,

and also Wit out positive connection with the'wippern When the keyboard or manual is fingered, the operation of the instrument is practically the same as in regular pianos, the wippen-actuating rod 17 performing the function of the common abstract; there being no positive connection between the key' lever and the pneumatic striker nor other dragging or heavy devices connected with the wippen-actuating rod to impede the free response to the key, so that the same ease an quality of touch and brilliancy of effect may be attained as in standard manuallyoperated pianos. On the other hand, by

reason of absence of positive connection between the key-lever and wippen-actuating rod, or between the key-lever and the striker, the operation of the iano-action by the pneumatic strikers is efected without movement or bobbing up and down of the keys, as occurs in many combined manually and mechanically played instruments to the distraction of the performer.

The upper adjustable head 21 of the abstract or actuating-rod'of the wippen allows regulation, of the operative length of the ac tuating-rod between the wippen and the.

nection between the piano-action or its actusting-rod and the pneumatic playing a paratus is situated at,the rear end of the ey, while all the'parts are of simple construction and easily ca able of adjustment.

1 For simpli g the matter of regulating the action, further adjustin means are provided as follows: Attache to the action brackets 28 is a longitudinal rail 24. A series of-regulating screws 25 (one for each key or element of the action) is tapped through said rail; just above the front or free ends of the wippens 16, and the lower ends of said screws, which are shown provided with cushioned caps or feet 26, constitute abutments limiting the upward motions or swing of the respective wippens. The up er ends of these regulating screws 25 are s own formed with eyes to receive an adjusting rod or tool. In order to insure correct movements in the action, and proper working of the hammer,

move or rise a certain distance at each operation, whether actuated by the key or by the pneumatic. This desired precision of movement is sometimes impaired by im er-v toot-movements of the neumatics or t eir strikers, usually necessitating dillicult adjustments, which however are avoided byl pneumatic striker is so adjusted as to have a slightly greater play than necessary, as from one-sixteenth to one-eighth of an inch, thus insuring the lifting of the actuating-rod17 the required distance, while the regulating screw 25. prevents it from moving any greater distance.

The lower action-rail 20 is shown supported by the action-brackets 27, and the upper action-rail 15 by the upper actionbrackets 28. Said lower brackets 27 are secured. upon the bed 29 of the keyboard. The upper action-brackets 28 are supported by bolsters or posts 250 screwed into. and projecting up'from the bed 29 of the keyboard. Said bolsters or posts pass through longitudinal slots 31 in the feet of the lower brackets, to permit free adjustment of the latter transverselv of the keyboard and action-rails, it being understood that such provision for adjustn'ient is practically essential in view of slight possible inaccuracies in the castings of the metal brackets. The bolsters or posts 30 are surmounted by balls 32 which engage in cups or sockets 33 at the lower parts of the brackets 28, thus providing adjustable bearings therefor, the vertical adjustments being obtained by screwing the holsters up and down in the wood bottom below the keyboard, the lower proper disposition of the upper action-rail is afforded by adjusting the bolsters 30 and the screws .34 at the rear upper parts of the upper brackets. in constructing the piano, the lower rail with its mechanism is first mounted in the instrument, its brackets being fastened on the bed of the keyboard inhuch position as to locate the rods 17 of the -wippens in correct position relative to the keys; and the upperrail with its mechanism is then llloilHl/(l in place, its upper brackets being placed upon the. holsters 30 and the screws 34- and bolsters 30 being properly adjustml, to bring the upper mechanism or upper division of the action into proper relution with the keys and correlated mechan- Jan. of he lower division.

The music-roll supporting frame 7 in the upper front of the case, holds the tracker-bar 8, the take-up roll 11, and the bearing for the spindles of the removable music-spool 10; Mounted above said frame is the pneumatic motor 40 for operating the music-rolls. Said motor 40 is supported by a cradle 41 whose arms are ivotally-attached at opposite sides'of tlie rame 7 co-axially with the shaft 42 to which rotation is transmitted from the motor-shaft 43 by the sprocket-chain 44;

said shaft 42 being operatively .connected with the music-rolls 10 and 11 by the usual mechanisms (not shown) for causl'ng the take-up roll 11 to wind the music-sheet as it travels over the tracker-bar, and the musicspool 10 to rewind the sheet after the tune is played, as well understood. Air for operating the motor is'supplied from the bellows or wind-inducing apparatus through the flexible pipe 45 to the crank-shaped pipe 46 which rocks with the cradle and has its lower arm in line axially with the axis of the cradle and coupled. to the flexible pipe 45. By means of the binding screw 47 engaging a notch therefor in one side of the cradle the motor is held. in its normal position above the music frame 7. This location and .arrangem ent is obviously simple and compact and the motor is located in a more concealed osition instead of at the side of the music fiame where it usually obstructs the upper part of the sounding-board and strings. When it is desired to have access to the strings or sounding-board for adjustment, the binding-screw 47 can. be haoscned a ..d the motor can be swung forwardly to the dotted. line position indicated in Fig. 1, the front panel of the piano case having been removed for this purpose.

A11 important feature of this invention is the arrangement of the air pipes which connect the tracker-bar with the pneumatic playing apparatus below the piano-:wtion. These pipes and tubes are grouped and disposed in such n'ianner as to expose practicall the entire front of the piano-action, providing ample access for adjustn'ient. repairs, &c., and disassociating the pipes from the keys, without however incurring the objection of extend ng the pipes to the sides of the instrument before carrying them down to the pneuniatics, with the consequent increase of materials and complications of such an arrangement. The pipes and associated mechanisms are further arranged in separate and dctachal l ,'conncclml groups or divi- I sions, permitting the ready removal of pails without necessitating dismantling the instrument, interfering with other mechanisms, or derangement of the mrticular mechanism taken out.

fects are attained wili now he described.

The music-frame 7 hol the Hacker-bar 8 is supported upon a. it-lock or board 4b..

The means by which these cfwhose opposite ends rest upon smaller oblong blocks 49 arranged transversely, Said blocks 49 rest upon the upper ends of hollow or tubular standards or uprights 50, mounted'on the bed 29 of the keyboard in the widened spaces occurring between the keyleVers for accommodation of the intermedi ate action-brackets 27. Said hollow standards 50, which are narrow and oblong in cross-section, constitute casings or housings for the pneumatic tubes or tracker-bar pipes.

The whole series of. tracker-bar pipes are divided into righthand and left-h and groups or divisions, and further they are composed of upper and lower sections, or primary and secondary lengths, the secondary lengths 13 being continuations of the primary lengths .12. The primarv lengths 12 of the pipes, extending from the tracker-bar and communicating with the res ective duets therein, are arranged or divi ed into two laterally diverging branches, which are carried in banks behind and to the opposite sides of the frame 7, and they are then turned or deflected downward to the ends of the block 48 and distributed fan-fashion along the widths thereof; the lower ends of said primary pipe lengths 12 being cemented or otherwlse affixed in ducts or openings in said block.-

Said ducts in the ends of the block 48 register with those in ,the subjacent blocks 49. The latter register with the upper ends of the lower groups of tubes or secondary pipe lengths 13, which are arranged in narrow compact clusters in the casings or hollow standards 50. The upper ends of said secondary pipe lengths 13 are preferabl secured in top-plates 51'of thestandan s 50', though if desired they may be affixed in the interposed blocks 49. Blocks 48 and blocks 49 are bolted or clam edby the bolts 52 upon'the flanged top-p ates 51 of the hollow standards, flat packings 525being interposed between the blocks fss ' detachably fastened to the wind-chest 14' The secondary pipe lengths 13 pass through the casings or ho low standards 50, in narrow com act clusters as aforesaid, and through the ase or bed 29 below the keyboard, and thence to the longi-- tudinally-disposod block 54, the lower'por-' tions of said pipes being s read out fanfashion or distributed horizontally along said block 54 to connect the tracker-bar ipes with the line of pncumatics arrangedongitudinally in the lower part of the case. The lower ends ofsaid pipes 13 are cemented or otherwise affixed in ducts or openings in said longitudinal block 54, which block is and has its several ducts communicating with suitable conduits leading to the. respective controlling pneumatics, operation of which under impulses of vair admitted through the tracker-bar by the traveling music-sheet actuates the' secondary neuniatics 4 whichin turn operate the stri ers 3 to play the piano mechanically, when the wind-inducing apparatus is worked. understood of course that each duct in the tracker-bar is connected b the means described with its corresponding pneumatic in the lower part of the case. 'It will be observed the lower edge ofthe longitudinal block 54- is above ti 0 top of the pneumatic strikers 3, so as to allow'the wind-chest to be moved out through the front. Thus by reference to Fig. 3- it is a parent that practie cally the entire front 0 the piano-action is exposed, when the front panel of the piano It is case is removed, so that access for adjusting the instrument and the like can easily be had.- It is also observable that the mechanisms in front of the piano-action are arrangedv in separable elements, the u er one of which comprises the block 48 wit 1 the frame 7 and music-sheet mechanism carried thereby and primary pipe lengths 12, while the lower elements comprise the hollow standards' 50' and secondary pipe lengths13. T he construction described allowsthe upper and lower mechanisms of the piano-action to be assembled in or removed from the instrument without interference from the trackerbar pi es, which are entirely disassociated from t 0 action.

As aforesaid, the casings or hollow standards 50 whichjcontain the two groups of tracker-bar pipes are arranged in the widened spaces occurring between the key-leversto accommodate the action-brackets 27. The key-lever frame (comprising the medial rail or bar 55 on which the key-levers are fulcrumed, and the front and rear rest rails 56 and 57), is arranged to be slid back into place or withdrawn, together with the series of key-levers mounted thereon, without obstruction by reason of the casings or 1101- .entire structure and arrangement of the organized mechanisms of the instrument are such as to facilitate the initial construction and assemblage of parts, and permit removal of the different mechanisms without derangement thereof or without necessitating the dismantling of the entire instrument or derangement' of other mechanisms; the

-key-levers and their supporting frame, the I two mechanisms of the p1ano-action proper, the groups of mechanismsv comprising the music-sheet mechanism and tracker-bar ipes, and the wind-box, all being corre- To this end, the rear bar 57 Thus the atedvbut separate and distinct and'inde- I pendently removable. I

Having thus fully described my invention,

what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

' 1. In a combined manually and mechanically operated instrument, the combination of a piano-action including a wippen, a keylever, a rod driving said wippen butniot connected thereto and having 9. lug or projection bearing on the key-lever, said rod being supported thereby, and. a mechanical striker arranged for operating on said rod.

2. In a combined manually and mechan ically operated instrument, the combination of a'piano-action, a key-lever, a mechanical striker, an action-actuating rod not connected to said action vertically disposed behind the rear end of the key-lever having a forward projection supported thereby and having its foot supported by the striker.

3. In a combined manually and mechanically operated instrument, the combination of a piano-action, a key-lever, an actionactuating rod not connect-ed to said action vertically disposed behind the rear end of the key-lever and having means for direct engagement thereby for lifting said rod. when the key is depressed, and a mechanical striker adapted to o crate on. the lower end of said rod and to li t the same.

4. In an automatic instrument, the combination of apneumatic motor for operating music-winding devices, a rocking cradle supporting said motor and allowing the same to swing bodily, an air pipearranged substantially coaxial with the axis of said cradle, and a cranked pipe connecting said motor and air pipe.

5. In an autopneumatic instrument, the combination of a note-selective mechanism including its operating shaft, a motor therefor nrovably supported, an air pipe for said motor and a cradle supporting said motor and. fulcrumed coaxially with said shaft and said air pi 0, both of which are connected with saic motor, whereby the motor can be swung out of operative position without disturbing the operative. relation between the same and the said ndte-sclective mechan ism. j

6. in a combined manually and mechanical'l "operated instrument, the combination of tie manual keys, piano-action roper, note-selective mechanism above the eys, a longitudinal series of pneumatics below the keyboard, there being a rclatively'tvide space between two adjacent key-levers, and the pipes connecting the note-selective mechanism and pneumatics, said pipes being carried. together from the note-selective mechanism and arranged in a narrow compact cluster pg'psing through said widened space between the key-levers, and. thence being s read or distributed to the pneumatics be ow the the keyboard.

. 7. In a combined manually and mechancally operated instrument, the combination of the manual keys and piano action, a

trackerbar above the key-board, and pneumatics below the same, and pneumatic pipes connecting the ducts in the tracker-bar -with the pneumatics, said pipes diverging on the bed' of the keyboard within said widened spaces, a note-selective mechanism supported by said standards, and pneumatic pipes extending therefrom through said standards, and a series of pneumatics below the keyboard'connected with the respective pipes.

9. In a combined manually and mechanically operated instrument, the combination of the keyboard and piano-action, there being relatively widened spaces between adjacent key-levers at suitable lmations,

narrow "hollow standards niounted on the bed of the keyboard in said widened spaces. a block mounted upon said standards, a note-selective mechanism supported by said block, neumatic ipes extending from the note-so ective mec ianism to the ends of the block and secured therein, and secondary pipe lengths registering therewith and arranged in said hollow standards and leading below the kc *board, and,pneumatics connectedto the lower ends of said pipes.

10. In an autopneumatie instrument, the combination with the piano-action and pneumatic playii'ig apparatus, of the key-board bed, upright standards mounted thereonv constituting supports for the mechanism of of the autopneinnatic instrument, and a key-lever frame arranged to rest on the keyboard and adapted to be pushed back or withdrawn, having recessed or cutaway spaces to accommodate said standards, and

a series of key-levers supported on said keylever frame, the key-levers diverging at opposite sides of the standards.

11. The combination of a piano-action com rising a plurality of elements, the manual keys therefor, a tracker-bar in front of the action, and pipes extending therefrom in two opposite or diverging groups, each group being carried in a narrow compact cluster down through the key-board between adjacent key-levers, the spaces between such key-levers being relatively widened, and a series of pneumatics connected with the lower ends of said pipes.

-12. The combination of a piano-action,

key-board being located between said trackerbar and neumatics, there being a relatively widened space between two adjacent 'keylevers, and a gang of pipes passing through the key-board in such widened space and connecting the tracker-bar and pneumatics.

13. The combination of the key-levers and action, there being relatively widened spaces therein at intermediate points, action-brackets in said spaces, a pneumatic-controlling a paratusin front of the action and above t e key-board, hollow supports therefor located in said spaces in front of said actionbraokets, pneumatics below the key-board, and pipes connecting said apparatus and pneumaties, said pipes being carried through said hollow supports. 14. The comblnation with the keys and key-board bottom, of a tracker-bar frame/a tracker-bar carried thereby, chambered supports therefor mounted on said bottom, pipes extending from the tracker-bar through said supports and down through said bottom, the key-levers being deflected apart at opposite-sides of said supports, and'pneumatics' connected with said pipes. 15. The combination of the key-levers and action, there being relatively widened spaces therein at intermediate points, action-brackets in such spaces, a pneumatic-cont-rolling apparatus supported in front of the action,

and pipes extending therefrom in diverging groups which are carried downwardly in front of the action and through the keyboard in such spaces. 16. The combination with the key-board bottom, of a tracker-bar frame, chambered supports therefor mounted on said bottom, and tracker-bar pipes extending through said supports, and bottom.

17. The combination with the'key-board bottom, of a tracker-bar frame, chambered supports therefor mounted on said-bottom, a- 4 tracker-bar carried by said frame, primary lengths of tracker-bar pipes extending therefrom, and secondary lengths of pipes arranged in said supports and passing through said bottom, the contiguous ends of said pipelengths being det'achably connected together.

18. The combination of a music-spool supporting-frame and its bottom board48 upon which said frame is erected, a tracker-bar ,carried by said frame, primary lengths of tracker-bar pipes extending therefrom and having their ends secured in ductsor openings in vsaid board 48, and secondary pipe lengths, and a block or blocks provided with ducts in which the ends of said secondary pipe lengths are secured the said block or blocks being secured directly to said board 48 with the ducts thereof in registration.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature, in presence of two witnesses. I

JOHN W. DARLEY, JR. Witnesses:

A. M. PARKINS, Osooon 1'1. DowELL,

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