Improvements in and relating to Electric Apparatus for Playing Mechanical Pianos, Organs, and other Keyed Musical Instruments.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Oct., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 12th July, 1893—Accepted, 23rd Sept., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Electric Apparatus for
Playing Mechanical Pianos, Organs, and other Keyed
Musical Instruments.
I, ALPHONSE ANTOINE MUGNIER, of 16, Boulevard Magenta, Paris, in the
Republic of France, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
My invention relates to an electric apparatus for automatically playing mechanical
pianos, organs and other keyed musical instruments which have heretofore been
played by means of a crank."
I will proceed to describe my said invention in connection with mechanical
pianos it being understood that it is applicable to other keyed musical instruments.
One of the principal distinctive features of my apparatus consists in the employ-
ment between the shaft of the crank and the shaft of the motor, of a transmitting
gear so that this motor as it turns can cominunicate its rotary motion to the shift
of the crank, whilst, if the crank is to be used for playing, the shaft of this crank
can turn independently of the motor and transmitting gear.
Another distinctive feature of my invention lies in the use of au automatic
circuit breaker acting in combination with the perforated paper of the apparatus
for stopping the instrument as soon as the piece is finished.
In order that my invention may be properly understood I have represented in the
accompanying drawing by way of example an arrangement divided in accordance
therewith.
Figure 1 shows an elevation, partly in section, of the whole electric apparatus
for playing pianos.
Figure 2 represents an upper view of the same, taken on the line 1-2 of
Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a vertical section on the line 3-4 of Figure 1.
Figure 4 shows to an enlarged scale an elevation and Figure 5 a side view of
an automatic circuit breaker.
Figure 6 represents the position of the circuit breaker during the performance
of a piece.
Figure 7 shows the position of the same at the end of a piece or before the
commencement of the same.
In these several figures similar letters of reference designate corresponding
parts.
The mechanical piano to which I have supposed my invention to be applied is
one of those in which the keys are actuated by means of a paper band a pierced
with holes corresponding to the notes. This band is supported by rollers b and
passes below a presser bar . It is not necessary to describe either the mechanism
by which the keys are set in motion or the arrangement of the action of the piano,
as these features are well known and independent of my said invention.
This being understood I will now set forth the arrangements and operation of the
apparatus for playing the piano.
The shaft with the crank e enables the instrument to be played by hand if
desired, for this purpose the shaft carries a bevel pinion which transmits the
motion to a second bevel pinion y mounted upon the shaft h.
Upon the latter shaft is provided a spur wheel which actuates a crown
wheel mounted upon the shaft of one of the rollers of the automatic apparatus.
An electric motor k is preferably placed behind the piano at the lower part of
the same.
The rotary armature of this motor is connected by a belt with a fly
wheel m at one end of a shaft n. At its other end this shaft n carries a pinion o

page_text: which transmits the movement by an endless chain p to a wheel q loosely mounted
upon the crank shaft d.
Upon the latter shaft d is secured a camr the projecting part of which may
hear against a pawls pressed by a spring t and mounted upon the front of the
wheel g.
It will be readily understood that if under these circumstances the electric
motor is set in motion it operates by the belt . the fly wheel m which transmits
its motion to the wheel q. The latter bearing with its pawl's against the cam r
turns the crank shaft d' which operates the action of the piano by the gear
wheels fgij
If on the other hand it is desired to play by hand for which purpose the crank is
turned in the direction of the arrow X Figure 1, it is easy to understand that the
shaft d is turned but that in each revolution the projecting part of the cam
raises
the finger s so that the wheel 9 cannot be turned and does not communicate any
motion to the transmitting device of the electric motor.
With the object of avoiding any disagreeable noise the extremity of the pawl s
is preferably provided with indiarubber or leather. I may replace the camir and
pawls by any silent automatic coupling or ratchet device or by any mechanism
fulfilling the same object.
The circuit of the electric motor is provided with all the necessary auxiliary
devices, such as the circuit breaker u rheostat and the like. The rheostat may
be of any construction and placed at any point of the instrument it serves to
regulate the rate at which the performance takes place.
may arrange the electric communications in any desired manner. In the
drawing the conductors wand z coming from the source of electricity are attached
to the terminals y and z, and the circuit breaker u and rheostat v are included in
the circuit leading to the motor.
This circuit breaker u serves only for optionally interrupting all electric
communication between the apparatus and the source of electricity.
For the stoppage at the end of each piece my apparatus is provided with an
automatic circuit breaker, as above stated.
This circuit breaker is represented in detail in Figures 4, 5, 6 and 7.
It comprises a fixed part 1 provided with a contact spring 2 upon which bears a
lever 3. In its normal state the lever 3 is kept away from the contact spring 2 by
a helical spring 4 surrounding the pillar 5 and secured at one of its ends to a
fixed pin 6.
The spring 2 is insulated from the lever 3 and in the state of rest these two parts
do not touch each other. But when the paper is introduced into the automatic
apparatus the edge of this paper pushes the lever 3 against the contact spring 2,
Figure 6, the circuit is then closed and the apparatus is set in motion. When the
piece is finished the paper presents in front of the lever 3 a notch or recess 7 which.
enables the said lever to recede from the contact spring 2; the circuit is
interrupted and the apparatus stops automatically.
The electric current passes to the contact pieces 2 and 3 through wires 8 and 9
connected to the main conductors 10 and 11 by metallic parts 12 which support the
box containing the rollers of the automatic apparatus.
A main circuit to which the conductors are connected at 13 and 14 may serve for
lighting the piano.
This conductor for the supply of the light may or may not be independent of the
circuit for the supply of the power. It will be observed that the above described
piano is only given as an example of the application of my invention, and that the
fatter can be applied to keyed musical instruments of any kind irrespective of the
arrangement of the automatic apparatus which operates them.
Dated this 19th day of October 1892.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Electric Apparatus for
Playing Mechanical Planos, Organs, and other Keyed
Musical Instruments.
I, ALPHONSE ANTOINE MUGNIER, of 16, Boulevard Magenta, Paris, in the
Republic of France, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My invention relates to an electric apparatus for automatically playing
mechanical pianos, organs and other keyed musical instruments which have hereto-
fore been played by means of a crank.
I will proceed to describe my said invention in connection with mechanical
pianos, it being understood that it is applicable to other keyed musical instruments.
One of the principal distinctive features of my apparatus consists in the
employment, between the shaft of the crank and the shaft of the motor, of a trans-
nitting gear, so that this motor as it turns can communicate its rotary motion to
the shaft of the crank, whilst, if the crank is to be used for playing, the shaft of
this crank can turn independently of the motor and transmitting gear.
Another distinctive feature of my invention lies in the use of an automatic circuit
breaker acting in combination with the perforated paper of the apparatus for
stopping the instrument as soon as the picce is finished."
In order that my invention may be properly understood I have represented it by
way of example in the drawing left with my Provisional Specification and in the
drawings filed herewith.
In the drawing filed with my Provisional Specification,
Figure 1 is an elevation, partly in section of the whole electric apparatus for
playing pianos.
Figure 2 represents a sectional plan of the same, taken on the line 1-2 of
Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a vertical section on the line 3-4 of Figure 1.
Figure 4 is an elevation of an automatic circuit breaker drawn to an enlarged
scale.
Figure 5 is a side view of the same.
Figure 6 represents the position of the circuit breaker during the performance of
a piece.
Figure 7 shows the position of the same at the end of a piece or before the
commencement of the same.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 8 represents a vertical section of a modification of the circuit breaker
taken on the line 5-6 of Figure 9, showing the position of the pallets of the
automatic circuit breaker during the performance of a piece.
Figure 9 is a plan of the general arrangement of the electric actuating apparatus
and automatic stopping device, the paper being supposed to be interrupted to show
the parts.
Figure 10 is a front view of the electric contact device taken on the line 7-8 of
Figure 9.
Figure 11 shows the position of the pallets of the circuit breaker and of the
contact device at the end of a piece or before its commencement.
Figure 12 is a front view showing the position of the parts for transmitting the
movement when the instrument is operated by hand.
Figure 13 is a similar view showing the position of the same parts when the
instrument is actuated by electrical means.
Figure 14 is an end view of Figure 12, and

page_text: Figure 15 is an end view of Figure 13.
Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in these several figures
of the drawings.
The mechanical piano to which I have supposed my invention to be applied is one
of those in which the keys are actuated by means of a paper band a pierced with holes
corresponding to the notes. This band is supported upon rollers and passes
below a presser bar c. It is not necessary to describe either the mechanism by
which the keys are set in motion or the arrangement of the action of the piano, as
these features are well known and independent of my said invention.
This being understood I will now set forth the arrangements and operation of the
apparatus for playing the piano.
The shaft with the crank e enables the instrument to be played by hand if
desired for this purpose the shaft carries a bevel pinion which transmits the
motion to a second bevel pinion g mounted upon the shaft h.
�
Upon the latter shaft is provided a spur wheel i which actuates a crown wheel j
mounted upon the shaft of one of the rollers b of the automatic apparatus.
An electric motor kis preferably placed behind the piano at the lower part of
the same.
The rotary armature of this motor is connected by a belt with a fly
wheel m at one end of a shaft n. At its other end this shaft n carries a pinion
which transmits the movement by an endless chain p to a wheel q loosely mounted
upon the crank shaft d.
22
0
Upon the latter shaft d is secured a cam r the projecting part of which may bear
against a pawl's pressed by a spring and mounted upon the front of the wheel 7.
It will be readily understood that if under these circumstances the electric
motor is set in motion it operates by the belt the fly wheel m which transmits
its motion to the wheel The latter bearing with its pawls against the cam
turns the crank shaft & which operates the action of the piano by the gear
wheels fg ij.
If on the other hand it is desired to play by hand, for which purpose the crank
is turned in the direction of the arrow X, Figure 1, it is easy to understand that
the shaft d is turned but that in each revolution the projecting part of the cam r
raises the fingers so that the wheel q cannot be turned and does not communicate
any motion to the transmitting device of the electric motor.
and
With the object of avoiding any disagreeable noise the extremity of the pawls is
preferably provided with india rubber or leather. I may replace the cam
pawls by any silent automatic coupling or ratchet device or by any mechanism
fulfilling the same object.
The circuit of the electric motor is provided with all the necessary auxiliary
devices, such as the circuit breaker u rheostat V and the like. The rheostat inay
be of any construction and placed at any point of the instrument; it serves to
regulate the rate at which the performance takes place.
I may arrange the electric communications in any desired manner. In the
drawing the conductors to and coming from the source of electricity are attached
to the terminals y and z, and the circuit breaker and rheostat V are included in
the circuit leading to the motor.
This circuit breaker serves only for optionally interrupting all electric
communication between the apparatus and the source of electricity.
For the stoppage at the end of each piece my apparatus is provided with an
automatic circuit breaker, as above stated.
This circuit breaker is represented in detail in Figures 4, 5 and 6 and a
modification of the same in Figures 8 to 15.
The form shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6 comprises a fixed part 1 provided with a
contact spring 2 upon which bears a lever 3. In its normal state the lever 3 is
kept away from the contact spring 2 by a helical spring 4 surrounding the pillar 5
and secured at one of its ends to a fixed pin 6.
The spring 2 is insulated from the lever 3 and in the state of rest these two
parts do not touch each other. But when the paper is introduced into the automatic

page_text: apparatus the edge of this paper pushes the lever 3 against the contact spring 2,
Figure 6, the circuit is then closed and the apparatus is set in motion. When the
piece is finished the paper presents in front of the lever 3 a notch or recess 7 which
enables the said lever to recede from the contact spring 2; the circuit is interrupted
and the apparatus stops automatically.
The electric current passes to the contact pieces 2 and 3 through wires 8 and 9
connected to the main conductors 10 and 11 by metallic parts 12 which support
the box containing the rollers of the automatic apparatus.
A main circuit to which the conductors are connected at 13 and 14 may serve
for lighting the piano.
This conductor for the supply of the light may or may not be independent of the
circuit for the supply of the power.
In the arrangement represented in Figures 4, 5 6 and 7 the paper acts by its
edge for the closing of the circuit and the automatic stoppage; the same result
may be obtained by the whole surface of the paper, as will be set forth with
reference to Figures 8 to 15.
The shaft d with the hand wheel e enables the instrument to be set in motion by
hand if desired with this object the said shaft carries a forked piece c¹ in
which is articulated a fingers pressed by a springs and held by an india-rubber
ring f
Upon the shaft placed in the prolongation of the shaft d is keyed a piece
terminating in the form of a pick; the same shaft carries the wheel which
receives the movement of the electric motor by an endless chain p.
q
For starting the movement and the automatic stoppage I employ an interruptor
constructed in the following manner:
On a shaft are mounted the pallets m¹. This shaft carries at one of its.
extremities a lever n provided with a return spring of and a rod k¹ upon which
rubs the brush when the circuit is closed, as shown more particularly in
Figure 10.
The parts being thus arranged it will be understood that when the paper band a
is introduced into the automatic apparatus the lower face of this paper lowers the.
pallets m; from this results that the rod k' which is connected to one of the poles
of the exciting circuit of the electric motor through the wire 8' comes in contact
with the brush connected by the wire 91 with the other pole of the same circuit.
Under these conditions the exciting circuit is closed, the electric motor is set in
motion and the paper band continues to be moved forward.
The movement of the electric motor is transmitted by the chain p to the wheel y,
secured upon the shaft g on which is mounted the piece the broadest part of which
bears against the fingers which is moved or operated and also the shaft d with the
hand wheel in the direction of the arrow, Figure 13.
As soon as the paper band a has left the pallets m' the latter, under the action of
the antagonistic spring o', are raised, and the rod k', receding from the brush,
breaks the exciting circuit of the electric motor and the latter stops of itself. This
state of rest is represented in Figure 11.
If, instead of employing the electric actuating apparatus, it is desired to play by
hand and for this purpose the hand wheel e is turned in the direction indicated by
the arrow, Figure 8, it is easy to understand that the shaft d and piece c¹ are turned,
but that in each revolution the fingers, acting upon the piece by its narrowest
extremity, follows the inclined plane of this piece so that the shaft g' cannot be
operated and does not communicate any movement to the transmitting device of
the electric motor.
In the case of the movement by hand an interruptor enables the exciting circuit
of the electric motor to be broken, in order that the lowering of the pallets m¹ by
the paper may not cause the motion of the motor.
It will be observed that the above described piano is only given as an example of
the application of my invention, and that the latter can be applied to keyed musical

page_text: instruments of any kind irrespective of the arrangement of the automatic apparatus
which operates them.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
First. The apparatus for playing automatic pianos, organs and other similar
keyed instruments chiefly characterized by the employment of an engaging and
disengaging ratchet or other driving device between the device for transmitting
the movement of the motor and the shaft for the hand wheel which enables the
instrument to be actuated by hand, substantially as hereinbefore described, and for
the purpose specified.
Second. In an automatic keyed instrument the actuating device constituted by
the combination of the electric motor k, the shaft d, wheel m, shaft n, pinion o and
wheel with a cam and a finger s substantially as described with reference to
Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the drawing.
Third. In an automatic keyed instrument the modification of the actuating
device, which consists in the combination of the electric motor, the shaft gl, a
wheel and a piece, with a shaft d, a forked piece c', a finger's and a spring s¹,
substantially as described with reference to Figures 9, 12, 13, 14 and 15 of the
drawing.
Fourth. In an automatic keyed instrument the automatic interruptor or circuit
breaker constituted by a contact piece 2 and a lever 3 caused to approach each
other under the action of the paper of the automatic apparatus and separated from
each other by a spring 4, substantially as described with reference to Figures 4, 5,
6 and 7 of the drawing.
Fifth. In an automatic keyed instrument the automatic interruptor or circuit
breaker, comprising a rod and a brush caused to approach each other under
the action of the paper bearing upon pallets m' and to separate from each other by
a spring o', substantially as described with reference to Figures 8, 9, 10 and 11 of
the drawing.
Dated this 12th day of Inul 1902
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.