Patent GB-190207045-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in Machines or Apparatus for Recording Music.
Inventor: PRINCE GEORGE EDE
Filed: 1902-03-22
Granted: 1903-03-05
Abstract: 7045. Prince, G. E. March 22. Music recorders; printing music.-Consists of an apparatus for obtaining a printed record of music played upon a keyboard instrument. A carriage 2, Fig. 1, which extends the whole length of the keyboard, is reciprocated by an eccentric 8 on a shaft 7, so as to keep time with the music, the period of each movement being not greater than the time of the shortest note. Levers 11 corresponding to each key are connected with their several keys and move with them. The levers 11 are connected at their outer ends with spring bolts 20, which serve as stops for sliding bars 17, and at their inner ends with vertical sliding rods 14, which pass through eyes 16 in the bars 17. The bars 17 are urged towards the right-hand side of the Figure by springs 18. The rods 14 have projections 15 which register with projections 3 on the carriage 2 so long as the levers 11 are not actuated, and the rods are thus moved to and fro by the carriage. When, however, one of the levers 11 is actuated by a key, the corresponding rod 14 is lifted so that its projections 15 are freed from the carriage, and, the bolt 20 being drawn at the same time, the bar 17 moves to the right and thus moves the top of the rod 15 to the right. The movement of the rod 17 also causes a pinion 44, of which there is one corresponding to each key, to gear with a fluted roller 24, which is moved by pawl and ratchet gearing from the carriage 2. Each pinion 44 carries a pulley carrying an inextensible cord 46, which is also attached to a pulley 47. The pulley 47 is acted on by a spring, so that when the pinion 44 is disengaged from the roller 24 the cord returns to its normal position. The cords 46 corresponding to the white keys carry blocks 48 capable of sliding on them but supported by washers 49, Fig. 7. When a key is struck, the block receives a step-bystep upward movement, in consequence of its connection which is then made with the carriage 2. The height to which the block rises depends on the length of time the key is held down. The rod 14 is at the same time disconnected from the carriage, and is therefore not actuated by it, until the key is released, when the projections 3 once more actuate it and cause it to press the block 48, which is then raised, against an inking-ribbon 37 similar to that used in type-writers. Behind the inking- ribbon is a travelling sheet of music paper 33, and behind the paper is a type-block 34. The paper thus receives an impression corresponding to the position of the block 48. Referring now to Fig. 7, A, B, &c., show the positions of the blocks 48, one of them, together with a cord 46, being provided for each white key. The type-block is also shown. Each column of type corresponds to the same note, but the members of each column correspond to different durations of the note, so that the higher a block is raised, the longer is the duration indicated by the printed sign. The black keys are provided with cords 50, which have no blocks of their own, but have buttons 59 which can be set by a sliding bar 52, so as to come underneath blocks on either side. These buttons are higher up on their cords than the buttons 49, and thus raise the blocks at each step sufficiently high to cause the printing of the sharp or flat sign, which is seen in the Figure immediately above each note sign. The type block has two sets of type, one for sharps and one for flats, and either can be brought into action by moving the type plate, according to whether it is intended to play in a sharp or a flat key. The white keys of course operate as before, if struck. For keys with 6 or 7 sharps or flats in which the notes B, C, E, F require to be sharpened or flattened as the case may be, special cords 57 are provided. These can be moved into position, after the manner of the strings 50, by a sliding bar 61. If for instance, as in the case shown, it is required to play in the key of C# where it is necessary to sharpen B and E, the cords 57 are appropriately moved, and the pulleys 45 which properly belong to the C and F keys are disconnected by a special mechanism and connected with means for actuating the cords 57, so that when C and F are struck, B# and E# are printed. The apparatus also includes actuating-rollers 31, 32 for the music paper, printing-discs 70 for ruling the lines, and a marker 68 for indicating the bars. 41 is a member of some gearing for moving the inking-ribbon. At the end of each bar all the levers which are then in operation are acted on by a rail 78, which is moved by star-wheel gearing from the main driving-shaft. All the blocks which happen to be raised then fall to their normal positions after having caused their notes to be printed. The Provisional Specification describes an apparatus in which the types are movable, and are raised by a travelling band or the like common to them all, with which each is connected as soon as the corresponding key is struck.