US871919A - Combined manually and mechanically operated piano. - Google Patents

Description

No. 871,919. PATENTED NOV. 26, 1907.

J. W. HARLEY, JR. COMBINED MANUALLY AND MEGHANIOALLY OPERATED PIANO.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 6,1906.

M zone-o PATENTED NOV. 26, 1907. J. W. DARLEY, JR. COMBINED MANUALLY AND MEGHANICALLY OPERATED PIANO.

APPLICATION ?ILED JUNE 6,1906.

i f lf/ l 1 No. 871,919. PATENTED NOV. 26, 190?. J. W. DARLEY, JR.

COMBINED MANUALLY AND MEOHANICALLY OPERATED PIANO.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 6,1906.

SHEETSSHEBT s.

q/vihwoaea im/l/t M I 7 .vwe-nfolc %ZWWWM PATENTED NOV. 26, 1907.

0. W. DARLEY, JR. COMBINED MANUALLY AND MEGHANIGALLY OPERATED PIANO.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 6,1906.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

Q vitneoow UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN WJDXRLEY, JR, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR TO ERNEST I. KNABE, JR,

Oh BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

COMBDVED MANUALLY AND MECHANICALLY OPERATED PIANO.

Specificationof Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 26, 1907.

Application fil d June a, 1906. smn No. 320,472.

To all whom it may concern: i

Be it known that LJOHN XV. DARLEY, Jr., a citizen of the United States, residing at Bah timore city, and State of Maryland, have in-- vented certain new and useful Improvements in Combined Manually and Mechanically Operated Pianos; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

- This invention relates to pianos having an auto-pneumatic player incorporated therein.

' It has reference more especially to that type of such instruments wherein the wippen-ac tuating rod or abstract is independently-on erable either by the key-lever or by a subpicent pneumatic striker, the pneumatics beth appended claims.

ing controlled from a tracker bar located in i ran t of the action and. having air-pipes leading to the pneumatics.

The main object is to simplify the general coi'istruciion and organization of instrunieins fl? this character.

i-i'i'nong other things, the i: we vides an improved structure and ment of "the piano-action and pncu playing apparatus, wherein the track pipes extend from the trackerJB-nr in dryergii'ig'clusters, leaving the front of the piano- 1 action exposed, and are carried down behind the keyboard through the widened spaces between adj accnt elements of the action. where the intermediate action-brackets are mounted. The mechanism of the action is also simplified, more particularly in respect to the wippen-actuating rod or abstract and the means for maintaining it in proper relation to the wippen, key-lever, and pneumatic striker 0r lifter.

Another feature of the invention pertains to the music-roll mechanism and the pneumatic operating motor therefor rockingly' mounted above the music-roll frame to allow displacement for access to the strings an improved, simplified and strengthened con struction of this character being 11]COII)O' rated in the present instrument.

One preferred embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and with reference to which the invent on will hereinafter be fully described, and then more particularly pointed out and defined in cross-section through the instrument, taken at the right of the pneumatic box and righthand action-bracket, and lookingat the opposite or left-hand end of the instrument, showing parts of the interior construction in elevation. Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-section taken through the instrument between the end and intermediate action-brackets, at the right of the music-roll frame, and looking in the same direction. as in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary front view of the interior con struction of the instrument, the frontpor tion of the piano-case being removed, and the bed of the keyboard being shown in vertieal section; this figure showing the music-- rol mechanism, tracker-b ar, pneumatic tubes or tracker-bar pipes, the top portion of the wind-chest, and the action-rails and supportf l rets therefor, but showing only two elem 's of the piano-action. In this figure, in"croie:liate portions are broken away for tness of illustration. Fig. 4 is a frag plan view shmving a portion of the l bottom, a horizontal rail which is o the feet of the action-brackets dates a part of the action-frame, ens ol' the pneumatic tubes or tracker-bar pipes. Fig. 5 is a perspective View of one of the intermediate action-bra okets, together with one of the supporting standards or frames at the front of said bracket upon which the latter is supported. Fig. 6 is a detail perspective of one of the vdppens. Fig. 7 is a detail perspective of one of the abstracts or wippen-actuating rods. Fig. 8 is a detail perspective showing a fragment of the lower rail in which the feet ofthe abstracts are guided, with a detach able front strip of said rail removed. Fig. 9 is a detail plan view, partly in horizontal section, showing the connection between the cranked air-supply pipe for the pneumatic motor and the music-roll frame. Fig. 10 is a detail plan view of one of the swinging arms In said drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical lli mentality upon the operation of the other.

by the key-levers 6, and are-independently operable by said key-levers, as well as by the pneumatic strikers or lifters 7 which-are ar" ranged to operate on the feet of said abstracts, as hereinafter ex lained; so that the instrument can be playe either manually or mechanically without effect of one instru- Said pneumatic strikers or lifters 7 are repre sented as the ordinary puppets or studs ar ,ranged in a longitudinal row and vertically I movable in guide-openings therefor in the top of the pneumatic box, which contains the series of pneumatics 9 (shown in Fig. 2) for elevating said strikers when the instrument is being played mechanically.

j The piano-action is arranged and mounted on a rigid action frame, which comprises the outer or end brackets 10, the intermediate brackets 11, arranged in widened spaces between adjacent elements or units of the action, the longitudinal upper action-rail 12 secured to the backs of said brackets, and a lower horizontal rail 13 attached to the feet of depending logs of said brackets. This lower rail 13, disposed behind and below the keyboard, while herein referred to as a single rail, -(}0n'1]'),IlSPS three separate sections of pieces, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4; and the intermediate action-brackets 11 have their depending legs formed as forks or yokes 14 which arch or straddle the spaces between adjacent rail sections and have their feet attached to and rigidly connecting the ends of said rail sections, as will be clearly understood by reference to Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5.

The upper rail 12 is the usual action-rail, common to piano -act1ons, the hammers,

- wippens and associated controlling.devices being attached to and supportedthereby-in the usual manner. The lower rail 13 (w ose three sections or parts may be considered as a single rail) has a series of narrow transverse slots 15 therein, constituting guideways for .the feet of the abstracts 5, as hereinafter explained. The front ends of said slots 15 are formed by the inner side of a strip 16 detachably secured to and constituting a part of the rail, so that upon removal of said strip 16 the ends of the slots 15 are opened to receive the feet of the abstracts.

Said slots 15 are moreover in teriorly lined or cushioned with felt or appropriate bushing material, the inner side of the strip 16 being lined or covered with similar material.

Considering for convenience one element of the action, it is observed that the abstract 5, disposed behind the key-lever, has a forcap 19, carrying an upright pin 20, said cap.

ward projection or lug 17 that bears on an adjustable capstan-screw 18 upstanding at the rear end of the key-lever. At its upper end, the abstract has an adjustable-head or 19 being shown; screwed on a threaded stem and provided with lateral holes to receive an adjusting tool, which can be inserted through or between adjacent elements of the action. Said cap 19 bears under the cloth cushion or felt 21on the under side of the wippen, and its-top pin 20 is inserted through a perforation in said cushion orfelt, or stuck through the same, and protrudes into a recess 22 in the wippen,which recess is shown circular with a contracted mouth or slot covered by the felt 2.1, affording ample clearance to avoid contact .of the pin 20 with the' walls of said recess as the wippen is rocked by the up and down movement of the abstract. This contrivance uides and maintains the upper end of the a stract in proper relation, pro- 'viding a pivotal connection with the wlppen,

but not a positive connection. The abstract moves substantially 1n a vertical line,

its upper end bein prevented from lateral motion, though al owed to move sli htlyback and forward to accommodate itself to a,

desirably flattened, as shownin Fig; 7, to

provide a fia't substantial bearing for the sub- ]acent striker or lifter 7. Said wire foot or frame 23 has a vertically sliding fit in .one of the aforesaid felt-lined or cushioned slots 15 of the lower rail 13; thus affording a substan' tial guide for the loweriend of the abstract,

reventing turning or lateral'or forward or v a free up and down movemen By the foregoing construction, the abstract is held in proper relation with the key, pneumatic striker and wippen, though without positive connection with any ofthese parts, and the usual guide-links are eliminated, thus dispensing with the necessity of adjusting the centers or pivotal point of connection of such links. At the same time the abstract is independently movableso as to be adjusted with respect ,to the kc and striker, more ackward movement thereof, while allowing especially to permit its ug 17 to be set upon" the capstan-screw 18 on the rear end ofthe key-lever, when the instrument is being assembled or adjusted. Moreover, after the piano is assembled, an abstract can be removed from the-action byremoving the key, lifting the wippen with one hand, and pressing down the abstract with the other until the pin 20 disengages from the hole in the felt 21, when the abstract can be withdrawn from the guide 15.

The action-frame is mounted in place in the follondng manner: The outside or end bracketslO are supported on posts or bolsters screwed in the bed or wood bottom 24 of the keyboard, said posts having surmounting balls 26 on which are seated the socketed or cup-shaped forwardly-projecting feet 27 of saidbrackets 10, thus providing adjustable bearings for said brackets, the

posts or bolsters 25 being adapted to screw up and down in the bed 24 of the keyboard. The intermediate brackets 11 are supported on'yoke-shaped standards orframes 28, arranged in front of said brackets so as to straddle the respective groups of tracker-bar pipes, as hereinafter explained, the legs of said standards or frames being afiixed on said bed 24 of the keyboard. The tops of said standards or frames 28 are provided with sockets or cups-29, in which are seated the balls'30, which are ri 'dly but adjustably attached to the forward fiaet of said'brackets 11, said balls 30 being formed at the lower ends of threaded stems or bolts 31 inserted through bolt-holes in the feet of said brackets and secured in place by nuts, so as to pro-' The upper of the depending legs of the brackets at the rear of the keyboard. To set the actionframe mplace, it 1s simply necessary to seat the forward feet of the action-brackets upon their respective supporting standards 25and 28, the standards or posts 25 being first ad- 'usted to proper vertical position, and the )alls 30 carried by the feet of the intermediate brackets '11 being also properly ad justed vertically, and then fasten the upper ends of the brackets to the back frame of the instrument, as well understood. To lift out the action, it is only necessary to unfasten the screws at the rear upper ends of the action-brackets and then lift out the whole frame, comprising boththe upper rail 12 and .lower rall 13, together with the entire action stracts mounted in'the frame.

including the hammers, wippens and ab- In'the upper front part of the case is the pneumatic controlling instrumentality or music-sheet imechanism, mounted in the frame 35, and comprising the well-known tracker-bar 36 and perforated web or musicsheet 37 adapted to traverse the same for msv controlling the admission of air to the ducts of the tracker-bar, the music-sheet being rolled upon the remoyable; music-spool 38 and adapted in operation to unwind therefrom and wind onto the take-up roll 39. Said frame 35, is detachably mounted on arms or brackets 34 extending forwardly and upwardly from the yoke-shaped standards or uprights 28. Mounted upon said frame 35 is the pneumatic motor 40 for operating the music-rolls. Said motor 40 is rockingly supported by a cradle 41 whose arms are pivotally attached at opposite sides of the frame 35 coaxially with theshaft 42 to which rotation is transmitted from the motor shaft 43 by the sprocket-chain 44; said shaft 42 being operatively connected with the musicrolls 38 and 39 by the usual mechanism (not shown) for causing the take-up roll 39 to wind the nmsic-sheet as it travels over the the lower arm of which is in line axially with the axis of the cradle and is coupled or fitted to the flexible pipe 45. Said cranked pipe 46 constitutes one of the supporting'arms or sides of the cradle 41, the upper end or arm of said pipe being rigidly connected to the cradle, and the lower end being pivotally connected to the frame 35 by the construction shown-in Figs. 3 and 9. In this construction, the cranked pipe 46 has a yoke 47. passing around the sprocket 48 and havi a collar 49 surrounding a bushing 50 throng which runs the shaft 42, said collar 49 being interposed between the flanged outer end of' said bushing and a washer 51 placed against a boss 52 on the'side of the frame 35, to

which latter the bushing'50 is attached.

-For holding thccradle 41 rigidly in its normal operative position, a threaded stud 53 is shown projecting from the opposite side of the frame 35, engaging a notch in the supporting arm or side 54 of the cradle, and having a thumb-nut 55 screwed thereon against the said side of the cradle. This arrangement oftbe motor locates it more compactly andin a more convenient position instead of at the side of the music-framewhere it usually obstructs the upper part of the action and strings. When it is desired to have access to the strings or action for adjustment or tuning the thumb-nut 55 can be loosened and the motor can be swung forwardly to the dotted line position indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, the front panel of the-piano-caSe having first been removed. During the operation of swinging the motor forwardly,the flexible pipe 45 twists.

The aforesaid music-roll mechanism and operating motor being supported by the upright narrow frame 35, which is erected uponits bottom plate, block or board 56, it is de-J sirable to brace the upper part of said musicframe in order to strengthen the same andprevent displacement or breakage during shipment of the instrument. For this purpose I have devised the following construction; A block 57 secured on the top offrame 35 is pivotally embraced by the forked orbifurcated front end of a brace 58, as by means of pivot-screws passing through the arms of said bifurcated brace and secured into the block. The rear end of saidbrace 58 is secured. by a screw 59 to the back frame of the instrument thus affording a rigid brace for the musicrame. hen desired, the screw 59 can be unfastened, and the brace can be swung upwardly and forwardly, after the pneumatic motor 40 has, been swung forwardly, as just previously described, thus providing a clear passagol for the removal of the action.

The air-tubes or tracker-bar pipes 60, affixed to and communicating with the respective ducts of the trackerbar 36, extend or fan out therefrom in two laterally diverging groups or divisions, as shown in Fig. 3.

These groups or divisions of p es extend oppositely far or approximate y as far as the intermediate action brackets 11, and are then bent and carried downwardly and rearwardly in narrow compact clusters, passing through the respective yokes 28 and through or under the corresponding forks 14 of the intermediate brackets 1],.thence being car- I ried or distributed to the pneumatics in the pneumatic box 8 below the keyboard. Thus the pipes are arranged in such manner as to expose practically the entire front 'of the piano-action, leaving ample access for adjustment, etc.

7 Both groups of pipes 60 may comprise integral pipe lengths, extending from the tracker-bar to the opposite ends'of the musicroll frame and thence downwardly and rearwardl y through the action as above described, butin the illustrated construction both groups are arranged in (letachably-connected sections or divisions, which for convenience may be referred to as primary and secondary pipe lengths, the secondary pipe lengths being eontinuations of the primary pipe lengths. The primary pipe lengths extend from the tracker-bar 36 to the opposite ends of the plate, block or board 56 on which the musicroll frame is erected, the ends of said primary pipe lengths being distributed f an-like along the widths of said board and being cemented or otherwise atlixed in ducts or openings therein. Said ducts 111 the ends of the board 56 register with ducts in suluacentblocks 01,

which are dctachably clamped across the bottoms of the ends of the board .or blocks 56, flat packings being interposed to insure non-leakage of air. In the latter blocks 61 the upper ends of the secondary pipe lengths are cemented or atlixed, so that the secondary pipe lengths constitute 'continuations of the primary pipe lengths. The blocks '61 are shown'screwed or otherwise detachably but I rigidly allixed to vertical flanges 63 of the arms or brackets 34, while the bottom board or block 56 is similarly attached on the horizontal flanges 62 of said arms or brackets. This constructionis similar to one employed in an instrument shown in'my copending application Serial No. 277,989, filed the instrument illustrated in my aforesaid application Serial No. 290,794, the two groups of pipes, after passing through the lower part of theaction, being carried horizontally toward the opposite ends of the instrument as far as the ends of the wind- -chest, and thence being carried downwardly at opposite ends of the wind-chest and detachably connected to continuing plp'e lengths (which for convenience may be termed tertiary pipe lengths), said tertiary pipe lengths being supported removable grids or frames and being in conifiiunication with the pneumati'csuithin the wind-chest. The horizontal runs of the two groups of pipes 60, behind the action-brackets, are inclosed in and supported by a narrow longitudinal tube 64,'arranged horizontally between the action-brackets and the strings 4,

and atlixed to and supported onbracl ,ts 65 attached to the back frame of the ca said brackets 65 being arranged between the breaks or spaces between the-sections of rail 13, so that the forks 14 of the intermediate action-brackets 11 straddlesaid brackets 65 as well as the groups of tracker-bar pipes above the same, allowing-the action frame to be set down in place or to be lifted out without interference. The length of said horizontal'tube 64 is desirably commensurate or approximately commensurate with the length of the wind-chest S, and the two groups of tracker-bar pipes inclosed in. said tube extend to and out from its ends, and are thence bent downwardly and at the same time forwardly, and have their lower ends distributed to ducts in the vertical boards 06, the ends of said pipes being cemented or otherwise aflixed in said ducts. Said vertical boards 66 are detachably secured to the aforesaid grids, designated by the numeral 67, holding the tertiary pipe flengths 68,

which register with the pipe lengths 60.

As described in my aforesaid application Serial No. 290,794, the wind-chest has a re movable or detachable front plate 69, whose ends project beyond the opposite ends of the wind-chest'S is similar to that employed in "the arrangement is such that both.

wind-box, and the grids 67 are rigidly affixed to the back side of the ends of said. front mate 69, extending rearwardly beside the CDdS Of the windwbcst. The tertiary pipe lengths 68 have their ends cemented in or other ise aliixed in the ducts or back boards 76 of th grids, which ducts register with those in boards 66, and said pipe lengths 68 pass com the grids along the inside of the front plate which front plate is recessed to receive said pipes; and inside the Windchest the pipes connect respec 'vely with the pneumatics corresponding to the respective ducts of the tri-icnenbar. It is observed that groups of the tracker-bar pipes 60, supported in the tube Gt, can be lifted out after the actionii'am is renewed, by unfastening the boards from the back boards 70 of the grids The wiiid-clie"t or vacuunnbo); of course in conne on with any suitable Wind inducing apparatus, such the usual bello ws ojiicrated by the performer 5 feet,

which also furnishes power through the aforesaiil pipe :5 and cranked pipe 46 for operating the pneumatic motor 40 which runs the music-sheet, all of which is so well known that spccit rep sei'itaticn aml fmthcr explanation the will be unnecessary.

Having th 3 described my inv What 1' cl, a new and desire to secuie by litni'crs I? L line United Statesi i. in a combined manually and me mnic+ iment, the combination of a piano-action eluding the hammer and wippen, StLl(l .V )l')(-ll1 having a cushion of appropriate material on its under-shin and hav ingalso a recess with a contracted mouth extent no: to the under, side of the wippen andv covered by :4 id cushion, a vertically-dis posed abstract or wippen actuating rod ally operated ii whose head bears under said cushion and carries an upright pin inserted through said c hion and. into said recess, there being sufficient clearance to avoid contact of said pin with the walls of said recess, a'key-lever and er both arran 'ed for operatmechanical s tin id abstrac and n'ieans for holding the abstract in proper-relation 'to said key-lever and striker.

2. In a combined. manually and mechanicall operated instrument, the combination of a piano-action including. the hami'ner and \vippen, a key-lever, an abstract vertically.- disposed behind the rear end of the hey-lever and supported and liftable thereby, a mecha-nical striker arranged to operate on. the foot of said abstract, there being no positive connection between said abstract and keylevenor strl er, said abstract carrying at its 'upner end a pin par Wally-seated in the under side of the ivippen and constituting guide for the np zer end of the abstract, and'ai'ixed gui-il-rwuy in which the lower part of the abstreet is slidably fitted to allow an up and down movement.

3. In a combined manually and mechanically operated instrument, the combination of a piano-action including the hammer and wippen, said Wippen having a recesstherein and. having a cushion covering the mouth of said recess on the under side of said Wippen, an abstract Whose head bears under said cushion and is provided with a pin inserted through said cushion and into said recess, a key-lever, means whereby said abstract. is supported" at an intermediate point by the key-lever, fixed. member having a guide- Way in which the foot of the abstract is'fitted to slide vertically, and a mechanical striker arranged to operate on the foot of said abstract.

i. in a combined manually and mechanically operated instrument, thecombinatioh of a piano-action including the hammer and Wippen, a key-lever, an'abstract verticallydisposed behind the rear end of the key-lever and supported thereby, the head of said abstract being pivotally seated against the unconstituting the foot of the abstract, a rail having a transverse slot in which said frame is fitted. to allow only an up and down movement, and a mechanical striker arranged to operate on the bottom of said foot of the abstract. h

5. in an instrument of'the character described, the combination of a series of vertically-disposed abstracts or Wippon-actuating rods Whose feet consist of rigid Wire frames, a horizontal rail having a corresponding series of transverse slots constituting guide-ways for said feet, key-levers arranged to operate on the abstracts above said rail, and mechanically-actuated strikers arranged to operate on the feet of said abstracts below said rail.

6. In an instrument of the character described, the combination of a series of vertically-disposed. abstracts or w'ippen actuating rods Whose feet consist of rigid Wire frames with flattened bottoms, a horizontal rail hav ing a corresponding series of transverse slots in which said feet are slidably fitted and guided, said rail hating a detachable strip forming end-walls of said slots,;,key-levers operating on said abstracts above said rail,-

plurality of action-brackets attached theretov and mounted on said bottom andhaving depending legs'behind said bottom and fa. lower rail attached to the feet of said legs, an action mounted in said frame comprising hammers and wippens ivotally-connected to the uparranged to operate on said abstracts, and

mechanically-actuated strikers arranged to operate on the feet of said abstracts below said lower rail.

8. In a combined manually and mechanically operated instrument, the combination of the keyboard bottom, an action frame mounted on the rear of said'bottom having an upper action-rail and having alower action-rail behind said bottom, said lower rail having a series of transverse slots therein, an action mounted in said frame comprising hammers'and wippens connected to said upper rail and wippen-actuating/rodsor abstracts whose feet are slidabiy fitted and movableup and down in said slots in said lower rail, 9. series of key-levers, the abstracts being vertically-disposed behind the rear ends of said key-levers and supportedthereby but not positively-connected therewith, and a series of pneumatic strikersarranged to operate on the feet ofsaidabstraets below said lower rail, there being no positive connection between said abstracts and strikers.

9. In an autopneumatic instrument, the combination of a music-roll frame, a bottom support therefor upon which said frame is mounted, a fixed member in the instrument,

and-aconnecting brace between said frame and member,'whieh brace is pivotally-attached to one and ;is detachably-fastened to the other, allowing'the brace when its detachable'end is u-nfasiened to he swung out of position.

10. In ancaut pneumatic instrument, the combination of an uprightmusicd'oll frame, a support the efoi' on which said frame is mounted, a block attached on the top of said frame, and a brace havinga forked end embracing and pivotally-connected with said block and having its opposite end detachably fastened to a fixed member within the piano-case. 11. In-an autopneumatie instrument, the combination of music roll mechanism, aframe therefor, a pneumatic operating motor for said mechanism rockingly mounted above said franie, an air-supply pipe, and, a pipe coupled therewith and connected with said motor, said pipe being also pivotally attached to the side of said frame and constituting a rockin or swinging support for said motor.

12. In an autopneumatic instrument, the comb ination'of a pneumaticmotor for operating music-winding devices, a, rockingcradle supporting said motor and allowing the same to swing bodily, an air-pipe arranged substantiall coaxial with the axis of said cradle, and. a pipe connecting said air-pipe and motor and constituting a supporting arm. of s id cradle. I

- "I. I1, 'anautopneumatie instrument, the

eombination of a 'musicroll frame, an operating shaft for music-winding devices mounted thereiit and having a gear-wheel at the side of the frame, a superimposed pneumatic motor whose motor-shaft is geared with said wheel on said operating shaft, a cradle rockingly-mounted on said frame and holding said motor, an air=supply=pipein line with the of saidcradle, a pipe connecting said air-supply pipe and motor, said pipe having a rigid yoke-like arm passing around said wheel of the operating shaft'and having a pivotal bearing on said shaft, whereby said pipe constitutes a rocker-arm of the cradle.

14. In an autopneuinatic instrument, the

combination with the key-levers and keyhoard bottom,- of yokes mounted on the rear of said bottom, an acti0nframe comprising an upper rail and lower rail which latter is composed of separate sections and action- .bracke'ts attached to said upper rail and having forks whose legs are attached to adjacent ends of the sections of said lower rail, said brackets being mounted or supported on said yokes with the aforesaid forks depending behind said yokes, an action mounted in said.;..

frame comprising hammers and wippens con 'nected to the upper rail and abstractscon nected to or held in position by said lower ,5

rail, said abstracts being supported by said key-levers, strikers arranged to operate on the feet of said abstracts, a tracker-bar in front of the action, tracker-bar pipes branchingthereform in groups which are carried in having open bottoms, the manual keys, :1.

pneumatic-playing apparatus, a pneumatic controlling mechanism in front of the action, and pneumatic tubes or pipes extending therefrom to the said pneumaticlaying apparatus, said pipes bein arrange or bunches and carried through said-passages in said action-brackets to the pneumatic-playing apparatus.

in clusters 1' 16; In an autopneumatlc instrument, the,

combination with the keyboard, of a yoke mounted rearwardly thereon, an act-idn bracket mounted'onsaid *oke' having a rearward depending fork, an a bunch orciuster of tracker-bar pipes extending through said yoke and through or under said fork.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature,

"in'presence of two witnesses.

' v JOHN- w. DARLEY, JR.

Witnesses: Y

' HERMAN E. Anni-ms,

- CHARLES R. Bonner-1e.

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