US945885A - Automatic playing attachment for musical instruments. - Google Patents

Description

P. WELIN.

AUTOMATIC PLAYING ATTACHMENT FOB. MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 20 1903. RENEWED JUNE 15, 1909.

Patented Jan. 11,1910.

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APPLICATION FILED NOV. 20, 15103. RENEWED JUNE 15,1909.

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Patented Jan. 11, 1910.

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UNITED STATITES'IPATENT OFFICE.

PETER WELIN, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, 0F ONE-HALF TO SIMPLEX PIANO PLAYER COMPANY, OF WORCES- TEE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS, AND ONE HALF T0 LAURA A. KRELL, OF NEWCASTLE, INDIANA.

AUTOMATIC PLAYING ATTACHMENT FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 11, 1910.

Application filed November 20, 1903, Serial No. 181,969. Renewed June 15, 1909. Serial No. 502,328.

To. all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PETER IVELIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at VVorces' ter, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Automatic Playing Attachment for Musical Instruments, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of automatic playin attachments for musical instruments whic are controlled by strips or sheets of perforated paper.

The es ecial objects of this invention are to provi e simple and efficient means for controlling an automatic playing attachment for musical instruments of the class referred to so that certain notes of a musical composition may be played softly, while other notes are accented or played more loudly; to provide a single controlling mechanism which when shifted to one position will subdue the bass or lower notes, and when shifted to. another position will subdue the treble or higher notes; and to provide adjustable stops 'coiiperatin with the controlling mechanism, and whic may be adjusted to difi'erent positions to suit the stiffness of the action of the keys of the instrument in connection with which the playing attachment is to be used.

To these ends, this invention consists of the automatic playing attachment for musical instruments, and of the combinations of parts therein as hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the claims at the end of this specification.

In the accompanying three sheets of drawings, F igurel is a sectional view of sullicient parts of an automatic playing attachment for musical instruments to illustrate the application of my invention thereto. Fig. 2 1s a fragmentary view of a portion of the two separate wind trunks which control the bass and treble notes respectively. Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detail view of the valve-box showing the arrangement of ports therein. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the slide-valve and connections for oper ating the same. Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectioml view showing the controllingvalve in normal or central position, Fig. 7 is a similar view showing the controlling valve shifted to the position it occu ies when the treble notes are to be subdue or played li htly, and Fig. 8 is a similar view showing the'valve in the position it occupies when the bass notes are to be subdued or played lightly.

In an automatic playing attachment for musical instruments constructed according to this invention, the ordinary feeders or foot-operated bellows are connected to exhaust the air from a main wind chest, the main wind chest being provided with the ordinary storage"bellows. In addition to this main wind chest, I provide a low-tension wind chest which is normally connected with the main wind chest, and which is provided with a small light tension storage bellows having springs which are of less power than the spring of the main storage bellows.

The operative parts which constitute the action of an automatic playing attachment for musical instruments constructed accordin to this invention may be of the usual or or mary construction.

The air tension for the action of the instrument is furnished through two se arate wind trunks or air passages. One 0 these wind trunks is connected to operate the bass or lower notes, while the other wind trunk is connected to operate the treble or higher notes.

The especial object of this invention is to provide simple, inexpensive and eflicient means for connecting either one of the wind trunks or air passages either with the main wind chest when the notes controlled thereby are to be struck with full force, or for connecting it with the low tension Wind chest when the notes controlled thereby are to be subdued or struck more softly.

The construction which I preferabl em-' ploy for this purpose consists essentia ly of a single slide-valve which not only serves the that the extent of throttling which can be accomplished by this valve may be adjusted according to the stiffness of the action of the piano keys or other keyboard to which the construction is applied.

Referring to the accompanying drawings forwdetail descriptionofan automatic playing attachment for musical instruments constructed according to this invention, as shown in Fig. l, B designates the ordinary feeders or pedal-operated bellows. Each of these feeders comprises a bottom section 10 which is hinged at its forward end and is provided with valve-openings l2 controlled by the ordinary flap valve 13. The feeders B are each connected with the main wind chest W through a series of ports controlled by a flapvalve 14. At the rear of the wind chest W are the two main wind trunks or passages D and E which are shown most clearly in Fig. 2. The air tension in the wind trunk D controls the striking devices for sounding the bass or lower notes, and the air tension in the wind trunk E controls the striking devices for sounding the treble or higher notes. The operative train for striking each note, as shown in Fig. 1, comprises a channel 15 which may be connected-with a trackerboard channel in the ordinary manner." The air is exhausted from the channel 15 through spin-hole or restricted passage 16. Whenever the tracker-board hole connected with the channel 15 is opened by reason of a perforation in the aper, atmospheric air is admitted to the ciannel 15, raising the primary valve 17 and admittin atmospheric pressure to the channel 18. The admission of atmospheric pressure to the channel 18 raises a puppet or controlling valve 19 to open a connection between the strikin bellows 20 and the wind trunk D. The air tension in the windtrunk D is thus permitted to collapse the striking pneumatic 20 which operates a hammer 21 to depress a key K. This form of pneumatic playing action is of wellknown construction, and while I have illustrated my invention applied to control this articular form. of playing action, it is to be understood that my invention is equally applicable for regulating or controlling other actions.

The regulatin devices which I employ for controlling t e air tensions in the two separate wind trunks. D andE of the bass and treble of the action, respectively, are most clearly illustrated in the'second sheet of drawings. As shown in'Fig. 3, I provide a low tension wind chest..23 which is partitioned oil from the main wind chest/ W. Connected with the low tension wind chest 23 is a low tension storagebellows L which has a comparatively light spring 24 tending to expand the same. he spring 24 is pre erabl considerablyweaker than the s ring 22 o the mainstorage bellows S,'wh1ch is connected with the main wind chest W. On top of the main wind chest W, I provide a valve-box C, and inside the valve-box C, I provide a reglulating slide-valve or frame F. The ports w ich are controlled by the slide valve F are most clearly illustrated in Fig. 4. As shown in this figure, the slide-valve F controls ports 26 and 27 which are connected with the wind trunks D and E respectively before referred to, and a port 25 which connects with the low tension wind chest 23,

as shown by dotted lines. The wind trunks D and E have a horizontal partition between them lying immediately at the rear of the main wind chest W, and the wall separating the wind trunks D and E from the main wind chest W in that part of the construction which is below the valve-box is loca cl in front of the the port 28 to be hereinafter referred to. as shown by extensions of such partition in Figs. 6 and 7. Also opening inside the frame of-the slide valve F is the port 28 which always, forms an open connection between the inside of the slide-valve F and the main wind chest W.

The-operating connections -for the slidevalve F are most clearly illustrated in Fig. 5. As shown in this figure, 29 designates a pivoted lever which is connected by a link 30 to the stem 31 of the slide-valve F. At op 'osite sides of the lever 29 are blocks 32 an 33. Threaded into the blocks 39 and 33 are screws 34 carrying re ulating stops R .for limiting the extent to w ich the lever 29 may hereinafter e lained, the regulating stops R are regards as an important feature of the construction, as' by means of these stops, the extent to which the connection between the main wind chestW and the low tension wind chest 23 may be throttled or restricted ma be limited according to the stiffness or ightn'ess of the piano action or other keyboard in connection with which the playing attachment lsto be used.

The operation of the controlling devices for an automatic musical instrument as thus constructed is most clearly illustrated .in the third sheet of drawings. As shown in Fig. 6, when the slide valve F occupies its normal or central position, the main wind chest W will have miobstructed connection throu h 26and 27 with the wind trunisD and E before referred to,-and through the port 25 the main wind chest W'will also have unobstructed connection with the low tension wind chest 23; When the slide-valve is moved from normal posit i0n,-for example, when moved to the left as illustrated in Fi 7 the valvepasses over the ort 27, an wi cut ofi-direct connection of t 1e main wind chest therewith, and at the same time,

one side of thetapering or V shaped end of the slide valve will serveto throttle or restrict the port 25. That is to say, when ports 26 and 27 and behi d be moved in either direction. As

the ports main wind chest. or the low tension wind the valve is shifted to this position, connection will be opened from the low tension wind chest 23 to the wind trunk E which controls the treble notes, and at the same time, the normally opened connection 25 between the main wind chest IV and the low tension wind chest 23 will be partly cut off or throttled, the extent of such restriction being limited by one of the regulating stops R before referred to. "hen the parts occupy this position, the bass notes will be sounded with full force, while the treble or high notes will be subdued and played softly. In the same manner, when the slide-valve F is shifted in the opposite direction, the port connecting with the wind trunk or passa e D which controls the bass notes, will e connected with the low tension wind chest and the opposite side of the V-shaped end of the slide valve F will cut off or restrict the pprt 25, so that the bass or lower notes will played softly, while the treble or higher notes will be struck with full force.

In applying my invention to piano players or similar constructions, it will be seen that changes are not required in the operative parts of the action; that a single con trolling valve is used to subdue either the bass or treble as desired; and that the degree of throttling or restriction may be controlled by the regulating stops so as to ada t the construction to piano actions of di erent stiffness.

I am aware that numerous chan es may be made in practicing my invention by those who are skilled in the art without departing from the scope thereof as expressed in the claims. I do not wish, therefore, to be limited to the construction I have herein shown and described, but

\Vhat, I do claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. In a playing attachment for musical instruments, the combination of keyactuating pneumatics, a wind trunk for the key-actuating pneumatics which sound bass or lower notes, a separate wind trunk or passage for the key-actuating pneumatics which sound treble or higher notes, a main wind chest, a low tension wind chest having a storage bellows connected therewith, both of said wind chests being exhausted from a commgn set of feeders, and means for connecting either of said wind trunks to either the chest as desired.

2. In an automatic playing attachment for musical instruments, the combination of keyactuating pncuinatics, a wind trunk for the lmy-:u-t1mti11g pnemnatics which strike bass or lower notes, a separate wind trunk for the key-actuating pnemnatil-s which strike treble or higher notes, a main wind chest, a low tension wind chest, a normally open connection between said wind chests, and a single controlling device for opening con nection between one of said wind trunks anti the low tension wind chest and for simultaneously restricting the normally open. connection between the main wind chest and low tension wind .chest.

3. In an automatic playing attachment for musical instruments, the combination of key-actiuiting pneulnatics, a'wind trunk for the key-actuating pneumatics which strike bass or lower notes, a separate wind trunk for the key actuating pneumatics which strike treble or higher notes, :1 mai win chest, a low tension wind chest, and singl controlling device which when shifted to one position will open connection between one of the wind trunks and the low tension wind chest and simultaneously restrict the connection between the mam wind chest and the low tension wind chest, and which when shifted to a different position will open connection between the other wind trim and the low tension wind chest and alsio simuL taneously restrict the connection between the main wind chest and the low tension wind chest.

4. In a playing attachment for musical instruments, the combination of a main wind chest, :1 low tension wind chest, separate wind'trunks for the striking pneumatics which sound bass and treble notes respectively, and a. slide-valve controlling ports for connecting either wind trunk to the main wind chest, or to the low tension wind chest, and having a V-shaped end section controlling a port forming a normally open connection between the main wind chest and low tension wind chest.

5. Inaplaying attachment for musical instruments, the combination of striking pneu- 105 matics, separate wind trunks for the striking pneumatics which sound bass and treble notes respectively, a main wind chest, 9. low tension wind chest, a normally open connection between the main wind chest and low 110 tension wind chest, a slide valve for connecting one wind trunk with the low tension wind chest, and for simultaneously restricting the connection between the main wind chest and low tension wind chest, and an 115 adjustable stop for limiting the extent of such restriction.

6. In a playing attachment for musical instruments, the combination of key-actuating pneumatics, separate wind trunks for the 120 key-actuating pneumatics which sound bass and treble notes respectively, a main wind chest, :1 low tension wind chest, a slide valve connecting one wind trunk to the low tension wind chest when shifted to one posi- 12 tion, and simultaneously throttling the connection between the main wind chest and the low tension wind chest, and connecting throther wind trunk to the low tension wind chest, and also simultaneously throt- 13 so w tling the connection between the main wind chest and the low tension wind chest when shifted to another position, and two adjustable sto s for limiting the throttling action of the s ide-valve.

T. In an automatic playing attachment for musical instruments, the combination of key actuatin Pneumatics, separate wind trunks for t e keyactuating neumatics which sound bass and treble notes respec tively, a main wind chest, :1 low tension wind chest, a slide valve for throttling a normally open connection between the main wind chest and the low tension wind chest, and for connecting either of said wind trunks to the low tension wind chest; a lever operating the slide valve, and an adjustable stop for limiting the motion of said lever in either direction to thereby limit the extent of throttling between the main wind chest and low ten- 9 sion wind chest to ads t the construction for use with piano or ot er actions of varyin stiii'ness.

n testimon Y whereof I have hereunto set my hand, in t e witnesses.

PETER WELIN. Witnesses:

PHILIP W. SOUTHGATE,

JOHN F. CRowELL.

presence of two subscribing 25

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