US984256A - Mechanical musical instrument. - Google Patents

Description

'4 SHEETSSHEET l.

Patented Feb. 14, 1911.

\h\\\-7///////////// /A/////7/////////////////////////f H. P. BALL, MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT, APPLIUATION FILED FEB. 20, 1903.

iFIGML APPLICATION FILED PEKZO, 1903;

Patented Feb. 14, 1911.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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v w 5 5 w w H, P BALL, MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT. APPLICATION FILED FEB, 20, 1903.

984,256. Patented Febhl, 1911.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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6'0 TTORN Y UNITED" STATES PAEENT OFFICE;

HENRY Pinon satin, or NEW-YORK, N. Y., nssmnonor ONE-HALF TO s'AmurL INSULI),

'OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS MECHANICAL music an ms'rnumnu'r.

'12) all whomit rim-y concern: I

Be it known that I, HENRY PRICE BALL, a

citizen of the United States','residing"at New- York city, county and State of New York,

have invented certain new anduseful Ini-fl 'provements' in Mechanical Musical Instr-n ments, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to mechanical mu: slcal instrumentsof the type employing perforated music rolls and adapted when used "in connection with a piano, organ'or other snnllarinstrument, toproduce upon said in- .strument the musical tones constituting musical composition, and which are eliected bya'series of perforations in such music 'hy a valve the efi'ective air pressure. Such means for altering the normal value ofthe notes havc,-in practice, been found unsatisfactory, owing to the fact that the operator cannot through such means control the value of individual notes which are immediately;preceded or followed by other notes or.

; any particular .notefsuch asthe theme or melodynote, in a chord.

-My invention has for its object to control the value of the individual notes produced, Iwhcther produced simultaneously with other notes or not, by controlling the effective air pressure through either automatic or manual means, or both. My invention, therefore, consists in the mechanism employed for controlling tliecllective'air pressure exerted to produce; the individual notes. The general ob 'ect-o'f my invention is to perfect-and increase the variety of musical results obtainable through the use of mechanical musicalinstruments such, for example, as'accentuating the theme or melody notes or tones over and above the balance of I the tones. or in other Words. to. subdue the acc uupaniments and accent the air.'

Specification of Letters Yatent. PathtdFel). 14:,191L. Application filed-February 20, 1903. Serial No.

illustrate such a device as ma be employed to carrymyinvention into e v ect. I wish it understood, however, that I do'not limit myselfto ,the particular.meehanism shown, as

produce the sameresult.

it will be obvious that many other different forms of mechanism may be employed which will act in substantially the same manner to In the-device'which I-have shown in the drawings, the pneumatic mechanism em- :ever, arrange th'emechanism so that it will be operated by an under pressure.

ployed isad apted to be operated by the pres sure-of the atmosphere, made effective through exhaust apparatus. I may, how- Figure .l is a vertical section of a mechanical musical instrument taken on the'l nea=a of Fig. 3. 2 showstwo vertical sections taken respectively through the'top and b0t- .tom of the instrument onlthe line Z)b of Fig. 3, and alsolshowing a modificationot the arrangement of the pn'emnatics. Fig. 3

is a view showing the uppejitportion of the instrument in front elevatwil and the middle portion containing the pneumatics in four sections on the liner-c of F ig. 4. Fig. :t' is 'a plan view, and three horizontal sections a plan view of a portion of the musicstrip and the tip of the tracker-board. Fig. 6 is taken on the line (Z-(Z. ofFigQ3. 'Eigl 5is communicating ports and channels corre-.

sponding to Fig. '1'. Fig. 7 is a section through the secondary pneumatic on the line c-e ot Fig. 6. .Fig. 8 is a-detail sectional view showing the valves in the equalizing wind chest in a different position from that shown in Fig. 2.

'In' this specification I will describe the device'and'itsavperation so far as relates to the production of two notes of the same key; I v. 6., a note having its normal value and a note accentuated or' otherwise increased -ahove thenormal value. ,Itwill be under- The accompanying drawings will serve to,

stood that in the device the co-acting pneumatic mechanisms, with the exception of the bellows, is repeated forea'ch noteto' be produced. Referring to thedrawings, 5 indicates the iuclosing case of the instrument, Iwhich may be given any suitable shape. Located in the upperpart of the instrument and in the usual posit-ion is'a tracker board 6. This tracker board is provided with twoseries of intermediate 01 the series ofducts S. For the purposes'of description, the series of that the. tracker. ducts 8 are not primarilyparaIIeLtracker ducts 7, 8, with the ducts of the series 7 located to the rear of and note tracker ducts but co-actwith. the tracker ducts 7 to accentuate notes'produced through the instrumentality of the tracker ducts 7.

It; will be understood that the note tracker-ducts 7 may be used independently of thef modifying tracker-ducts b.

Arranged to move over the tracker board is a perforated music strip 9, Figs; 3 and 5. Thlsstrip is provided with two series of perforations arrangedin alternate parallel,

zoneslongitudinally ofthe music strip; the perforations 10 or 10 constituting one series and the perforations 11 theother series.

The perforations 10, 10 I'will term forthe purposes of description the' note perforations and the perforations 11 the' modifying perforations. The note- perforations 10, 10, are arranged to register with note tracker ducts and the modifying perforations 11 with the modifying tracker ducts 8. p p H It will be observed that the perforations 10', 11, bear the same relation to-each other,

so faras regardsposition, as the tracker ducts 7 '8, and that consequently when the music strip 9 moves over the tracker board in the direction of the arrow, indicated in Fig. 5, the beginning ofperforations 10 and 11 will simultaneously be brought into relation with the tracker ducts-7, .8, and will act to produce an accented note; whereas, when the perforation 10'? moves over the tracker board therewill be produced a note .of normal value. a I

Q music strip. f

I will now describe the pneumatic mechanism which is 4 thrown into action by the movement of the music strip over the tracker board and which serves'to produce a note of normal value, oraccentua-ted above normal in accordance with the perforations in the Located belowthe tra cker-board' are the pneumatics. There are four 'pneumatics' for each note to be soundod," and these I term 15.. In the drawings, Figs. 1, 2, 3, four of,

for purposes of description-the primary pneumatics 12, the low ressurc secondarypneumatics 13,-the. high pressure pneumatics 14, the power pneumat-ics each type of pneumatics are shown and in 7 the drawings, Fig. 6, four-primary, one see- 1 shown as located in ,air passages-between the ;atmosphere and the s .condary pnenmatics l3. Correspondingprimary pneumatics might'alsobe located in the air passagesbetween the atmosphere and the high pressure neumatics 14, but such are not shown. I

be so used.

Each primary pneumatic 12 consists of a flexible dished diaphragm-16 secured at its :edges' in. a suitable chamber and having valves 18', 19. The space below each diaphragm is connected through air passages 20 with the tracker ducts 7 in the tracker board (5, and the s paces above the diaphragm 16 are connected through air passages 21, 22, 23 (see Fig. with the high pressure wind chest 24, Fig. 1.

from'the chambers above the-diaphragms 16 to the air passage-26, which communicates with the space below the dia hragms of the 26' to the external air. The spaces'above the diaphragms 16 are also connected through which bleed holes permit the air under the passages 20 into the spaces above the diaphragm and from thence through the high pressure wind chest 24, when the trackerducts 7 are closed to the atmosphere, thus equalizing a' pressure above and below the diaphragm 16.

Each secondary pneumatic 13 consists of a flexible diaphragm 28, secured at its edges in a suitable chamber and having mounted upon it a stem 29,]carrying the valves 30, 31. The valve 30 is yieldinglysupported on the valve stem 29 by means :of a spring 30*, and controls port 32. The valve. 31 controls the port 32. The spaces above the diaphragms 28 are connected through air-passages 34', 35-, 36, Fig. 7 with a low pressure wind chest 37 Fig. 2. 3 3 is an air-passage leading from the secondary pneumatic 13, to, the power pneumatic 15.

usual, of a vertically arranged bellows haying one-side fixed and the other side movable.

' Each power pneumatic 15 is provided with an arm40, which cpoperates with a hori: zontal rod 41,"and bell-crank 42, pivoted at 43. To the lower side of the horizontal arm of the bell-crank lever is secured a flat cushion 44, which is located over a key 45 of a piano or other musical instrument 46, The

lines Figs. 1 and 2.

The partsas described serve to.produce a note of normal value, .as follows: When a perforation 10 passes over a tracker-duct 7,

The valves 18 control portsf25, leading diaphragms 16 to be exhausted through the ;Each power pneumatic 15 consists, as is 'keys andinstrument are indicated in dotted air isallow'ed to enter under thediaphr'agxn wish it understood, however, that they may imounted upon it a. stem 17, carrying the secondary pneumatics 13. he valvedisks 19 control ports 27, leading 'fromthe passage bleed holes. 20, with the air passages 20,

, pneumatic, at such time; occupies the posi- 16 of a primary pneumatic which primary tlon shown at 121 at the left of Fig. 6, and

,atsueh time the air in the space above the pressure'ot the atmosphere under the diaphragm 16 causes the diaphragm 16 who moved upward or explode to the position I phere to enter under the diaphragm 28 of a secondary pneumatic The air above the avind chest 37.

shown at 12 on the lifting the valves l8, 19, closing port25, and opening port 27. The openingot' the port 27. allows air atthe pressure of the atmos 13. which at such time occupies the position diaphragm 28- at such time is exhausted under The pressure of the atmosphere under the diaphragm 28 causes such'diaphragm, and with it. 'the valves 30,131, as shown at 13, Fig. (3. .to move upwardthereby closing ports 2-32, 32

.-\\'hen, however, the valve occupies the position shown 'at 13, Fig. C,- both ports are closed by their valves, but if the pressure 30 is such as to overcome the spring 30, the disk 30- yields for the passage otair from the power pneumatic through the'passages 33, 34'a1id to the low tension This action permits-the low n'essnre wind chest 37 to exhaust. the air through the port38 and passage 33 from in front of the bellows of the power pneumatic 15, therebypermitting-the pressure of the atmosphere on the out-side of the bellows to above the disk collapse the bellows moving a rod.41 and through causing the cushion 44 on the horizontal end of the bell crank to strike a key of the piano 'it a bell crank lever 42,- thereby and produce a note. It will be observed that dependent the blow imparted by the bell ci'ankwill be upon the degree of exhaustion of air from in front of the -bellows"15 through low prcssurewii id ches 37, and, assuming that such degree of exhaustion isunit'orm under normal condit:ions,.it.-is evident that the blows imparted by each f'the part. of the airpassage 33. Each'cha-mber diaphragm 47 by.

bell cranks to the keys will be uniform.

I will now describe how a note may be accented-z Each high pressure pneumatic '14 consists of a flexible diaphragm 47,secured at its edges in av suitable chamber and having mounted upon it a stem 48 carrying a val vc 49, which moves within a chamber 50,

and controls a port 52., The interior of these chambers is connected through passages 515.23, 22, Fig. 3, with the high pres sure wind chest '24; The space below the no diaphragm 47 is-connected through the pas--' sage- 53 v with a modifying' tracker-duct 8, and the spaceabove the diaphragm-forms with the space zlre'low its a bleed hole 53, which 50 is connected right of Fig. 6, thereby] y y tions- 10, 11, is moved over tracker board indicated at 13 Fig. 7. e

the action of the phragm 4T aud'm the passage 53; to be i lrawn under the action of thc'lngh pressure twmd chest 24, through vhejn the trackerduct-s 8 areclosed to the other words, rendering the diaphragm 47 and valve 49 lnactivejat such time. Assummg now that music strip havmg perforaber- 50 above thediaphragm being'atsuch time exhausted through the high. pressure wind-chest 24. The diaphragm'47 will therefore be liftedtandwill raise valve 49 and i open port 52, thereby subjecting the inside l'of the bellows 15 to the exhaust from the 1 high pressure wind chest 24, acting through l the'chzunbel' 50 and air passages 51, 22, 23. It willlbeobsta'ved by reference to JJigs. 3 and 5 that the: perforations 1'0, 11, are adapted to register with 'the tracker ducts 7, 8, at the same primary pneumatic l2, secondary pneumatic I 13, -a l 1igh pressure pneumatic 14, and a power penmnaticlS, will be actuated at ap proximately the same moment, and such power pneumatic will be subjected to an exhaust action represented by the difference between the pressure of the atmosphere and the exhaust from the high pressure wind 'chest, (ui in other words,the-power pneumatic will at suchtime be subjected to the exhaust fronrthe high pressure windchest, instead of that from the low pressure wind chest, thus the notestruck upon the piand I bleed hole permits the air under'the diaatmosphere. thus equalizing the pressure" above and below the dlaphragm 47, or*in the chamber 50,

described, and at the" moment, consequently a wall be accented over notes operated by the' lojv pressure exhaust. At such' time the Valve 30 of the secondary pneumatic 13 will close the 'por't2325 as the pressure to whichit is subjected on its upper side by the exhaust 'from the high pressure wind chest 34, will be less than thatto whichitis subjected on its lower side from the low pressure wind chest 37. i

The mechanism so 4 related 'w'holl'y to. the'autom'atic means employed for sounding a. normal note and an accentuated note. I will now describe means which may be manually operated to modify a note.

Referrin to Figs. 2 and 8: There is shown as located etwecn the air passages 23,136, a w ind'ches't 54, and which I term theequal-.

far as described had izing wind chest, in that itis employed to limit the volume of high pressure exhausted alrwlnch 1s thrown at any timeinto the low pressure wind chest, and alds in mainta ning a constant difference between the high and low pressure wind chests' This wind chest 54 is connected with the high-pressure wind chest, through a port-55, and with the low pressure windchest, through a port 56.

Arranged to be reciprocated in the wind chest 54, is a rod 57, and 'mountedupon this rod are valves 58, 59. The valve 58 controls the port 55,'and the valve59 the port 56.

In order to reciprocate the rod 57, I make use ofthe vertical rod 60, the upper and lower ends of which are provided with crank arms 61, 62; the crank 62 is'connected to the rod 57 ,and the crank 61 to a horizontal 'rod (33, pivotally connected to hand-lever 64, pivr.

oted atf65, to the front of the instrument. By moving the hand-lever 64 in the are of a circle, the rod 57 will be reciprocated andthe valves 58, 59, caused to move over the ports 55, 56, .openmg and closing them in any degree required, and thus permitting the pressure in the respective wind chests to be varied; as for instance, increasing the exhaust in the low pressure wind chest 37 and decreas- .mg the exhaust in the high pressure wind chest 24. Of course,it will be understood,that by varying the pressure in the wind chests 23, 36, the force exerted by a power pneumatic 15 upon akey 45 will be altered inproportion to the variation in exhaust pressure, For example, if it is, desiredtoplay an ac companiment very softly and the melody simultaneousl therewith, but louder, the

lever 64 is ad usted to shift the valve 59, to

the position shown in full lines either Figs, 2 or 8, to-close the port 56. This throws all of the power pneumatics 15, which respond to the accompaniment perforations-10*, on the low pressure wind chest 37, causing them when actuated to collapse with little force and impart-a correspondinglylight touch to the key operating levers. The melody notes which respond to the'perforations 10,

11, however, are'thrown onto the high pres sure wind chest 24 and are in consequence producedw1t-h an intensity proport onal to the pressure produced by the-performer in exhausting the high pressure wind chest 24,

and this being. under his control through I the foot pedals 70, may be varied as desired.

. described, but itwill lie-observed that by a- Notes produced by the perforations 10, accompanled by aecentin perforations 11. are sounded with increase intensity, as above fullopening ofboth ports 55 and 56 as in dicated by dotted'linesin Fig. 2, all notes,

--that is, both the accented and unaccentcd,

will be sounded with maximum intensity. Of course it is to be borne'in mind that,

when hi h tension is applied to chamber 36,

the chec valve 76 prevents the low tension bellows 73 from having communication withthe chamber 36, since at this t me the ten- $1011 in thls chamber 1s much greater than that in the rear of the valve 76. A forward or right handmovement of the rod 57 from the position shown in Fig; 8=opens the port 55 without opening the port 56, and the tens1on 1n 7 the [intermediate chamber 54: is -made equal to that in the high tension chamber 23, so that a, backward movement of the arm 57 will close the port 55 and open the port 56', so that high tension, commensurate alone to the cubic contents of chamber 54 may act effectively upon chamber 36. This may be accomplished without reopening the port-55, so that in effect momentary high tension is'appliedto the passages 36, 35, etc'.,

until the tension in the intermediate ch'amher 54 has been reduced by the operation of pneumatics. In this operation, the check valve 7 6 prevents the interference of the large low pressure bellows '(3 with the momentary change in tension by the manipulation of the'valve 59 to open ort 56. In a word, the intermediate cham er 54.- may be described as actingin this operation as a vacu- ,um pocket, causing a sort of a je'rkupon the air in what are normally low pressure passages.

- 'It now only remains for me to describe how the high and low pressure exhausts are obtained.

i Mounted on the baclr of the high and low pressure wind chests is the bellows 66, normally mamtamed in a collapsed condition there may be two, is provided on its movable face w1th the outwardly opening Valve 68, and 1s connected. to the high pressure wind che'st through the outwardly opening valve 69. This. (or these) bellows are adapted to be actuated by means of the foot treadles 7 O,

by means. of the springs 67. This bellows,

in the usualmanner. Mounted on the'front of the high'pr'es'sure windchest is a high pressure bellows 71., Fig. 1,conta1mngsprmg 72, and a low pressure bellows 73, F 1g. 2,

.vent the exhaust in the high pressure: wind chest from -acting upon the exhaust 1n the low pressure bellows as will be readily understood.

The valve 76' serves to prevent the high pressure exhaust from acting upon the exhaustin the low pressure chest, bellows, etc.,

in the following manner: When the valves 5 8 and-59 of the equalizing wind. chest 54 are adjusted to the-position indicatedby dotted lines in F 12, the volume of high pressure exhaust which, is thust-hro'wn in is effective withi ithe p'assages'35 and 36, but not within the chest- 37 as communication between these passage! and the low pressure chest 37 is'closed. bytlle va1\"e'76.- This valve therefore, serves' to maintain the pressure in. the 'low pressure ches-t 3-7,, while. at thesame tinie'permittiugthe high pressure exhaust volume of chest 24,-to'be thrown in at will to accent ormodify one or more 'notes.

The valve 76, acts'in a similar-manner, when the valves 58 and 59 of the "equalizing chest 54 areadjusted as indicatedin dotted lines,

in" Fig.1. 2 to throw the: high pressure wind chcst'24c, into communication with the secondary pneumatics13. 'Su'ch high pressure exhaust becomes effective throughout the passages and 3(libut-not within the low pressure wind chest 37, by reason of the ac;

ingpassage. It will be seen that in shifting the' valves tion of valve 76, in closing the communicat- 5S,-59,' from the posit-ion shown in full lines in Fig. 8, to that shown'in dotted lines. the port '55, bet-weenthe equalizing chest and the lllglLlH-GSSUIG chest, continues closed, but the port 56 to the low pressure chest is opened.

As the equalizing chest is comparatively small, the amount of exhaust volume represented by its capacity which may be thus suddenly thrown into the low-pressure chest 36, at the-will of the operator', is. therefore limited and the resulting action produces only a momentary efi'ect, such for example, -as i'night be required inaccenting a single note or chord. On theother hand, by alight puinping'acti-onon the pedals, the low pres sure equalizing bellows may be caused to open the valve 75,- and equalize the pressure in the high and low pressure "wind chests, thereby sounding all notes very -softly \VlNtlleI accented or not, as the high pres: sine chest has. atthat time, a low degree of exhaust-ion. It will therefore be seen that acimplcte range of expression is' obtained without being limited in any manner what-- ever, andit is entirely withinthe control of the operator to produce just the effects which he desires. In Fig.2 1 have shown a, slight modificati'ou of the ports and air passages hetween the pneu natics, Such modification consists in rearranging the passage 38, so that it extends inthe plane-of and includes the valves 31-and 49 of both pncuniatics 13 and, :14, and is merelyintended to show that such inodification can be made. The result is the same although the method of operation of the par 5 isslightly different.

- I wish it understood that} do not limit myself to themechanism'shown for creating det ail arrangement of means maybe employed.

Having thus claim l i prising a tracker-board having two series of tracker-ducts corresponding in .number,

duced inc-ludingas a part .thereofa high value of saidexhausts, 2. A mechanical musical instrument comprising a tracker-board,haviug two series of between .the two exliausts' for varying the correspondingjn number, a series of priinatics, said pneuniatics each having two ported relative to the pueumatiqa' series of power pneuinat-ics, exhaust apparatus, and

parts. 4

3. A mechanical musical instrument of dining devices, a source of high exhaust energy-and a source-of low exhaust energy,

devices and sources, of energy, and means controll ng the applicat on of said energy-to said devices. comprising a pneumatic for haust. energy and a; pneumatic having a ..valve adaptedto yieldingly close communication between said passage and said source of low exhaust energy.

- 4. ,pmechanical iausical instrumenthaving its tone producing devices subject to two ed valve for'controlling one of said sources valve,'said' valve being capable of operation independently of said pneumatic.

5. In a. mechanical 'musical instrument, and in combination with the .key-strrlrmg wind dependent of said high andglow pressure chests together with valve meehanismzfor controlling the introduction of air into' the interinediatewind chest and from the intermediate chest to the high pressure chest.

prising tone producing devices. a high exhaustrbainber, a low -exhaust. chamber, and a transfer channel; means/whereby said with said high exhaust chamber thereby the high audlow pressure exhaust, or othercausing said channel to be highly exhausted,

series otducts, and an intermediate means I ducts arranged in staggered relation and v lnzll')"1)1181111121t1p8,t seriesof secondary pneu-v poi'tsand passages between the respective.

the class described comprising sound m passages-connecting said sound producing" controlling communication between one'jofi said passages and said-source of high. ex-

sourcesof-energy, andhaving a spring seat- 1 of energv..a pneumatic for actuating saidmechanism and controlling pneumatics, a high pressure wind chest, a low pressure chest, an intermediate wind chest, in-

6. 'A- ineehanical musical instrument comvalves, one fixed and the other spring-supchannel can; be placed in communication the exhaust is increased in saidlow exhaust i exhausted channel can be placed in communicationwith said 10w, v exhaust chamber vices and controlling pneumatics,' a source, of high exhaust energy,-a transfer compart- .of low exhaust and said low exhaust com operator for shutting off said'transfer compertinent from said source of high exhaust means whereby said highly exhausted chan-c nel can be shut off from said high exhaust chamber, and means whereby said'highly whereby the exhaust iuisaitl low; exhaust chamber is increased by transfer of exhaustfrom said high exhaust chamber. '7. In a mechanical musical-instrument,- and in combination with the tone producing dement, and a manually operated valve for establishii'ig communication between said. source. of highexhaust energyland said transfer compartment, a source of low exhanst energy, a low exhaust compartment, and an automatic valve between said source p'artment, and means under control of the energy and-for establishing communication lie-{W001isaid transfer C(HIIPI'LI'UDQM; and said E low exhaust compartment, said automatic \'a I ve serving to shut ofl' communicationwith f said source of low exhaust encrgy,\vh ercby i' compartment by 'hig'hexhaust in said transier compartment.

'haust, selective. means coacting' with said 'lm-ausgfor prm'lucmg theme notes, means,

81 A mechanical musical instrument com:

prising tone'producing devices, a source of energy, means connected' to said source of energyfor producing a high pressure ex-- (militvtflllb said source of energy for producnig a low T liess'ure exhaust, selectlve 0 J- 0 I Z means enacting- Wltlrsard last named means for producing accbmpaniment notes, an independent equalizing chamber and means for .varymg. the. respective value of. Saudi ex- 9.- In 'a "mechanical musical instrument and incombina tion with the key striking mechanism and controllingpneumatics, a

highpressnro exhaust-chest, a low pressure exhaust chest having twocompartments, a communicating chamber between said'chests, hand controlled valvesin said chamber for )laoin saidhi' 'h res'sure chest into com fi l a u munication with one .of the compartments of said low pressure-chest independent of the other com partment.

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