Patent GB-310429-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in automatic musical instruments combined with apparatus for reproducing recorded sound
IPC: G10H3/06
Filed: 1929-04-25
Abstract: 310,429. Zoppa, A. E. April 25, 1928, [Convention date]. Optical and electric sound-reproducing apparatus associated with player-pia.nos and the like.-An automatic musical instrument such as a player-piano is combined with apparatus for reproducing sound electrically from a record which is integral with and so operates synchronously with the tune-sheet of the musical instrument. The sound-record which may be photographic or electroconductive, is of such a kind as to effect the operation of a loudspeaker. Fig. 4 shows apparatus for reproducing photo-electrically, sound recorded photographically on the margin of a player-piano record sheet 17 by a process such as is described in Specification 310,430. The perforated music sheet 17 is enclosed in a chamber 16, and passes a trackerbar 20 which controls the playing of the piano as the sheet unwinds from a roll 18 on to a roll 19. The end portions of the rolls 18, 19, and the margin of the sheet, carrying the soundrecord, project into a partitioned-off dark portion of the chamber 16. Casings 22, 26 are mounted in the dark chamber, providing supports for a constant light source 23 and lens 24, and a photoelectric cell 27. The sound-record passes between the lamp and the cell 27, which latter effects the operation of a loud-speaker 31, preferably through a thermionic amplifier connected as shown. Instead of using a music-sheet having a photographic record formed thereon, a sheet may be used having the auxiliary sound-record formed on the margin of the sheet as an electrically-conducting coating of varying width. For reproducing sound from such a record, the apparatus shown in Fig. 6 is provided. A brush 43 is arranged in contact with the record surface, and a fixed electrode is so placed that the record moves closely past it but without touching it. The electrode 45 is connected to the grid 46 of a valve, and the brush 43 is connected to a generator 44 arranged as shown. By this means, variations in capacity between the record and the electrode 45 set up current oscillations in the valve corresponding to the recorded sound, which is reproduced by the loud-speaker 51. Instead of using a separate loud-speaker, the telephone receiver mechanism may be so mounted that the sounding-board of the piano acts as the loudspeaker diaphragm. The amplifier may be housed in a casing, fitted with control knobs and dials, at the front of the piano. The Specification, as open to inspection under Sect. 91 (3) (a) states also that the perforated music-sheet having the sound-record thereon is run at a considerably higher speed than usual. The sound-record may, however, be made on a separate film which is run at a greater speed than the piano music-sheet. For this purpose, the arrangement shown in Fig. 7 (Cancelled) may be used. The piano music-sheet 61 is mounted on rollers 62, and the sound-record 64 is on reels 65, coaxial with and operated simultaneously with the rollers 62. The reels 65 are considerably larger in diameter than the rollers 62, so that the sound-record travels at a higher speed than the sheet 16. The sound-record may be a magnetic record, produced on a steel tape or wire, instead of being of the photographic type. In either case, a suitable reproducing device 68, adapted to operate a loud-speaker, is provided. This subject-matter does not appear in the Specification as accepted.