Patent GB-190328139-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in Apparatus for Perforating Music Sheets
Inventor: BALL HENRY PRICE
Filed: 1903-12-22
Granted: 1904-07-28
Abstract: 28,139. Ball, H. P. Dec. 22. Automatic instruments.-A machine for perforating music sheets is controlled either from a keyboard, on which the music is played, or automatically from an already-perforated sheet. A definite time interval is caused to elapse between the movement of the key, or the corresponding automatic impulse, and the operation of the punch, and the sheets are advanced intermittently, by a definite amount, between the movements of the punch. The automatic controlling-device may be pneumatic, as shown in Fig. 1, or electrical, as shown in Figs. 5 and 9. In the pneumatic device, a series of pneumatics F in the exhausted chamber B control air passages G leading to power pneumatics H. The electrical device consists, as in Fig. 5, of a fluid bath in which are two contacts J, K, or, as in Fig. 9, of a pointer M and metal roller L, contact in either case taking place through the perforations in the master roll, and energizing electromagnets w. The impulse in all cases is communicated through cords r, q to two pairs of bell-crank levers o, p which control individually the series of punches in the perforating- machine, shown in section in Fig. 1. Two shafts b, power-driven at the same speed by means of interposed gearing, carry a series of fixed toothed wheels hand loosely-mounted cams f. The cams are held at rest by the levers o until the latter are moved, when the latches g are released and engage with the toothed wheels h, carrying the cams round and causing the bell-crank levers s to shift the eccentric straps k to their operative position. When the note to be punched is short, the latches g pass clear of the levers p, and the cams f make one complete rotation. When the note is long, the latches are engaged by the levers p and released from the wheels h, leaving the cams f at rest in the position in which the punches are operative. The shaft i, driven through gearing at four times the speed of the others, is shaped to form an eccentric for operating the punches m. At each end of one of the shafts b is an eccentric operating a punch for making the rack holes at each side of the music sheets. The duplicate sheets N are given a step-by-step movement across the die-seat 0 by means of the pressure rollers P, Q, which are driven from an eccentric on the shaft i, and the motion is communicated by chain gearing to the roller V, where the teeth X, which register with sockets in the roller Y, take in the rack holes of the master roll A. By altering their relative speeds, the length of the perforations of the duplicates compared with those of the original may be altered. Fig. 5 shows a section of a machine in which the punches are operated by two shafts i and eccentrics provided with latches to co-act with toothed wheels on the shafts as above. In a modification (not shown), the contacts J, K of the electrical device are placed closely side by side beneath the music sheet, so as to be uncovered simultaneously by the perforations. The upper set of shafts and cams may be omitted, the cords r, q acting directly on the levers s.