Patent GB-190404675-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in Apparatus for Recording Music Played on a Key-board.
Inventor: MACLACHLAN RONALD
Filed: 1904-02-25
Granted: 1905-01-12
Abstract: 4675. Maclachlan, R. Feb. 25. Music recorders; organs and like instruments ; pianofortes.-An electric apparatus which records upon a roll of prepared paper c' notes played on a keyboard, has also a device for aiding the conversion of the record so formed into ordinary musical notation. The paper employed may be one of those described in Specifications No. 27,243, A.D. 1897, and No. 14,138, A.D. 1899, [Abridgment Class Paper &c.], or of any kind which is darkened by the passage of an electric current. Ordinary absorbent paper may, for example, be saturated with sodium phosphate solution, dried, saturated with manganese sulphate solution, and dried again. The prepared paper is damped, and led by feed-rollers f, g over a brass or metallic contact-roller e connected to one terminal of a battery. A series of contact-pieces e<1>, e<2> rest upon this roller, each contact-piece being connected to a thin bent strip of metal e<5>, Fig. 7, under a key k of the keyboard. These contact-pieces e', e<2> are preferably of german silver, and are fixed between battens of wood or vulcanite, resting in saw cuts in these battens. Contact-pieces e', e', from sharps and naturals respectively, project from opposite sides to the roller e. The connecting- wires e<3> are insulated and are gathered into two cables s, n for the sharp and natural connections. These cables are coiled round a grooved bobbin m and thence pass under the keyboard. Each wire passes below a board, to which the bent metal strips e<5> referred to above are fixed, and reaches its strip through a saw-cut. The sharp saw-cuts are longer than those of the naturals in order to keep the sharp and natural wires separate. The other battery terminal is connected to a comb-like piece of metal e<6>, Fig. 7, beneath the keyboard, this piece having a projection for each key. On depressing a key, its bent metal strip e<5> makes contact with a corresponding projection of the comb-like piece e<6>, and a current flows through the paper, causing this to be marked for a distance depending on the time the key k is held down. Paper is fed over the contact-roller e from a supply roll c which rests on two bearing-rollers c'. The bearing-rollers may be covered with cloth and be mounted in a water tank c<4> to serve for damping the paper. The paper c' passes over a guide-roller b<1>, which also may be mounted in a tank b<3>, and then under a a piece of felt b<2>, on which water drops. The feed-rollers are driven by any suitable means, and the felt may be replaced by a spraying-device. The electrically-made records are converted into ordinary notation by the aid of a scale t, Fig. 10, which is placed across the paper strip and has notes marked on it corresponding to those represented by the contact-pieces e<1>, e<2>. The paper has a continuous line i' traced along its middle, either electrically or by an indelible pencil, and the scale has a pointer t<5> which is placed on this line. The pointer can be adjusted to different notes on the scale t, for transposing purposes. Preferably the scale is used in a special frame t<1> having feed-rollers t<2>, t<3> at one end, worked by a handle. The upper part of this frame is hinged to admit of the introduction of the paper, which justs fits between the frame sides, and passes under a glass plate. The scale is placed in slots at one end of this glass plate, which may carry marks showing the length corresponding to each kind of note and other marks showing bars. The paper may also be ruled. The Provisional Specification states that contact is made at the keyboard by a metallic washer or the like attached to each key, which forms a bridge between two metal plates. It also states that three pins or points are arranged at equal distances around the contact-roller at one end, and four such pins at the other, in order to mark the paper and permit of the music being written in treble or double time ; also that means may be provided to give an audible time-indication. The recording-portion of the apparatus may be placed on the top of the piano or the like, or at a distance.