and other Musical Instruments.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 21st May, 1887
Complete Left, 17th Jan., 1888
Complete Accepted, 2nd Mar., 1888
and other Musical Instruments.
I FRIEDRICH ERNEST PAUL EHRLICH of Gohlis near Liepsic do hereby declare the
nature of this Invention to be as follows:-
:-
This Invention relates to an improved arrangement of mechanism which being
operated by hand power applied to a crank handle or by a spring or other motor
plays automatically upon keyboard instruments such as Pianos Organs and Harmoniums
also upon Zithers or the like by means of perforated or other music sheets or
equivalent controlling devices which can be readily changed according to the tune
to be played.
The apparatus may be temporarily fixed in any suitable manner directly over the
keys of the piano, harmonium or other instrument to be played or it may form an
integrant part of the instrument. In the interior of this apparatus, there is a shaft
which rotates continuously when the apparatus is working. The power for striking
the keys of the piano or for acting directly upon the hammers or fingers, striking or
plucking the wires or strings or their equivalents, proceeds from this shaft and acts
in combination with suitable auxiliary mechanism between the said main shaft and an
arrangement of levers, which latter are intermittently brought into operation by the
music sheet, in the usual manner.
This auxiliary or intermediate mechanism, various forms of which are hereinafter
described, all possess this same peculiarity in common, that in consequence of the
falling of a lever into a hole in the music sheet (assuming that a perforated sheet is
employed, for example,) a corresponding part of the intermediate mechanism is put
in gear with or caused to be operated by the continuously rotating main-shaft and is
thus caused to strike the corresponding key or otherwise to cause the corresponding
note to be sounded.-The said main-shaft may carry an eccentric or other lifting
device, which imparts vertical reciprocating parallel motion to a bar, arranged over
the keys or wires to be struck or the string to be plucked, or may carry a roller or

page_text: cylinder with a roughened surface, that is to say, a surface presenting considerable
frictional resistance. In the former case, the excentric or its equivalent on the
main-shaft acts upon a pusher or the like controlled by the music-sheet, and capable
of forming a temporary connection, between the continuously moving part and the
part of the musical-instrument that is to be acted upon, and in the latter case, the
roller or cylinder acts upon a wheel or disc, connected with a barrel, which is rotated
when the said disc is pressed against the roller and by winding up a cord on the
barrel, operates a lever or other instrument that strikes the key or otherwise produces
the desired note. The same result can be obtained by the mechanical equivalents of
the barrel and cord, such as a rack and pinion or excentric and excentric rod or the
like connected with the lever or instrument, acting on the key or other sound-
producing part. The pedals for playing forte or piano according to the tune are
operated by similarly arranged mechanism controlled by the music sheet.
Another part of this Invention consists in the employment of bent wires forming
levers with axes of different lengths in the construction of the intermediate or
controlling mechanism which enables music sheets to be used that have very narrow
spaces between the lines of notes and yet enables the apparatus to work over three
four or more octaves on the keyboard at once.
The music sheets employed in this apparatus may be of any known or suitable
form. The circular perforated music sheets or discs used in Aristons for example
may be employed with advantage or the action of the apparatus may be controlled
by pin barrels or by boards with pins or projections or other equivalent devices.
According to one mode of carrying out this Invention the force applied to set the
entire apparatus in motion acts upon a main driving shaft which by means of
excentrics imparts a moderately rapid reciprocating or up and down motion to a bar
extending the whole length of the keyboard-The driving shaft is connected with the
mechanismı employed for feeding or propelling the music sheet by suitable mechanical
connections-The music sheet acts upon noses or pins carried by lever arms connected
by links with a bell crank or bent lever-The other arm of this lever is connected to
an extension of a connecting or pushing piece which normally occupies a position in
which it is out of the path of the aforesaid reciprocating bar but when a key is to be
struck is pushed forward by the action of the music sheet between the said bar and
the key.
Notwithstanding the relatively close arrangement of the lines of notes on the
music sheet with which the links necessarily correspond the apparatus is enabled
to operate on the intermediate parts or pushers which are set considerably wider apart
in order to act upon the keys. This is effected by extending the axial part of the
bent or bell crank levers laterally according to the distance between the keys so that
the lower arm of each of the said levers is always situated opposite to the corre-
sponding key-For this purpose the intermediate axial parts or centres on which the
said levers oscillate are arranged not in the same line but side by side or one over
the other as found most convenient according to the shape and general arrangement
of the apparatus.
con-
According to another arrangement the motive power is transmitted by a
tinuously rotating driving cylinder acting as a friction wheel and the intermediate
device brought into action at the proper moment by the music sheet consists
essentially of intermittently rotating friction wheels or discs carried on the arms
of the levers operated by the music sheet in such a manner as to be placed in contact
with the driving cylinder at the times when the corresponding note is to be sounded.
When the nose of one of the controlling levers enters a hole in the music sheet
for example a spring causes the lever to oscillate and bring the corresponding disc
into contact with the driving cylinder-The disc is consequently caused to rotate
with the cylinder and winds up a cord upon a barrel or operates an equivalent
mechanical device which moves a lever acting upon the key or other sound producing
agent.
In cases where the apparatus does not require to be capable of being readily
removed from the piano or other instrument but is permanently attached thereto

page_text: as in the case of piano organs for example the last mentioned lever is arranged to act
directly on the hammer action by means of a hopper pivoted on the ends of the lever
and engaging with the butt of the hammer for example. The duration of the
striking action is regulated by the length of the perforations or their equivalents in
or on the music sheet and the parts are returned to their normal position after
each note by a spring or springs. According to another arrangement the spring
which brings the disc into contact with the driving cylinder is dispensed with the
cord being so arranged in an oblique direction that the light spring acting on the
lever connected to the cord is sufficient to press the disc against the driving cylinder
with sufficient force. With this arrangement the resistance or pressure applied
at the operating end of the said lever tends to increase the force with which the said
disc is applied against the cylinder and a powerful action is consequently obtained.
In order to limit the action of the disc a recess is formed in its periphery in such
a position that when the cord or its equivalent has been wound up or otherwise
operated to the required extent this recess is presented to the driving roller which
thereupon ceases to impart motion to the disc-The disc is also provided with
a smooth projection which is capable of slipping on the felt covered surface of the
driving roller and assists in bringing the disc back to its normal position. This
arrangement has the effect of causing the apparatus to act less abruptly or harshly
and gives it an elastic touch resembling that of the human fingers.
In place of being acted on directly by the music sheet the levers carrying the discs
and barrels may be operated by intermediate levers connected by links with the levers
carrying the projections or noses which engage with the music sheet. The con-
nections between the levers may be adjusted by screws and the lengths of the axis of
the intermediate levers are adjusted according to the difference between the intervals
separating lines of notes on the music sheet and the intervals between the keys
or strings in the instrument.
The cords wound on the barrels as hereinbefore described may operate sliding rods
or pushers working in suitable guides and acting on the keys instead of levers
or such pushers may be operated by a pinion on the axes of the discs engaging with
rack teeth on the pushers or the rotation of each disc may wind up a spring coiled on
its axis and connected to a sliding rod or pusher in such a manner as to impart
the necessary impulse thereto when the disc is rotated. With this arrangement
an excentric or cam may be employed to operate the pusher being rotated by
the action of the spring which is released at the proper moment.
In order to prevent the levers operated by the cords from flying back too far and
to prevent the barrels from paying out an unnecessary length of cord a pin is
provided on the side of each disc which catches against the cord and thereby stops
the rotary motion of the disc and barrel.
TL 0135
1007

page_text: and other Musical Instruments.
I, FRIEDRICH ERNST PAUL EHRLICH, of Gohlis, near Leipsic, kingdom of Saxony,
manufacturer of musical instruments, 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 mechanisms which, on being operated by hand-power
applied to a crank-handle, or by a spring or other motor, play automatically upon key-
board instruments, such as pianos, organs and harmoniums and also zithers or the like,
under the control of perforated or other music-sheets or equivalent devices which can
be readily changed according to the tune to be played.
The invention consists in the improved construction of an apparatus of this kind
that may be temporarily fixed above the keys of the piano, harmonium or other instru-
ment to be played, or which forms an integrant part of the instrument. In the
interior of this apparatus there is a driving-shaft which rotates continuously when the
apparatus is working. The power for striking the keys of the piano, or for acting
directly upon the hammers or fingers striking or plucking the wires or strings, or their
equivalents, proceeds from this shaft and acts in combination with suitable auxiliary
mechanism, arranged between the said shaft and a series of levers cooperating with
the music-sheet in the usual manner.
This auxiliary or intermediate mechanism, various forms of which are hereinafter
described, all possess this same peculiarity in common that, in consequence of a lever
engaging in a hole in the music-sheet (assuming for example that a perforated sheet is
employed) a part of the intermediate mechanism is put in gear with, or brought under
the action of the continuously rotating driving-shaft and is thus caused to strike the
corresponding key or otherwise to produce the sounding of the corresponding note.
The said driving-shaft may carry an eccentric or other device which imparts transverse
reciprocating motion to a bar arranged over the keys or wires to be struck, or the
string to be plucked, or it may carry a roller or cylinder with roughened surface, that
is to say a surface presenting considerable frictional resistance. In the former case
the eccentric, or its equivalent, on the driving-shaft acts upon a transmitting-piece
controlled by the music-sheet and capable of forming a temporary connection between
the reciprocating bar and the part of the musical instrument that is to be acted upon,
whereas in the latter case the roller or cylinder acts upon a wheel or disc having fixed
to it a barrel, which is rotated when the said disc is pressed against the cylinder and
by winding up a cord on the barrel, operates a lever or other instrument that strikes
the key or otherwise produces the desired note. The same result can be obtained by
the mechanical equivalents of the barrel and cord such as a rack and pinion or an
eccentric and eccentric rod, or the like, connected with the lever or instrument acting

page_text: on the key or other sound-producing part. The pedals for playing forte or piano
according to the tune, are operated by similarly-arranged mechanism controlled by the
music-sheet.
Another part of this invention consists in the employment of bent wires forming
levers with axles of different lengths in the construction of the intermediate or
controlling mechanism, which allows music-sheets to be used that have very narrow
spaces between the lines of notes and yet enables the apparatus to work over three,
four or more octaves on the key board. The music-sheets employed may be of any
known or suitable form. The circularly-perforated music-sheets or discs used in my
mechanical musical instrument, called "Ariston," for example, and for which letters
patent A.D. 1882, No. 3660, have been granted to me, may be employed with advantage,
or the action of the apparatus may be controlled by pin-barrels or by boards with pins
or projections, or other equivalent devices.
In the drawings annexed hereto Fig. 1 represents in elevation and Fig. 2 in plan
an auxiliary or intermediate mechanism comprising an eccentric ¹, bar y, and
transmitting-piece t. Fig. 3 shows a modification thereof. Fig. 4 represents an
auxiliary mechanism consisting in a roller or cylinder a, wheel or disc b, winding-
barrel and cord e¹. Fig. 5 is a side view of the lower part of lever c. Fig. 6 shows
a mode of directly operating the hammers k striking the strings k¹. Fig. 7 is an
elevation of an improved arrangement of the mechanism represented in Fig. 4, the
case of the apparatus being marked G. Fig. 8 is a part of the ground plan corre
sponding to Fig. 7. Fig. 9 represents a modified form of the construction shown in
Fig. 7, the corde being arranged so as to exercise a pull upon a bar g', instead of
drawing upon a lever g. Fig. 10 is a modification of the arrangement represented in
Fig. 9, the depression of the keyf being effected by a rack and pinion e' in lieu of a
cord e and barrel e³. In Fig. 11 the said depression is produced by an eccentric e¹.
Fig. 12 represents a mechanism for operating a pedal, P, and Fig. 13 is an outside
view of the apparatus fixed to the key-board of a piano.
I
According to the mode of carrying out this Invention represented by Fig. 1, the
force applied to put the apparatus in motion, acts upon a main driving-shaft which
by means of eccentrics imparts a moderately rapid reciprocating or up-and-down
motion to a bar y, extending the whole length of the key-board. The driving-shaft
is connected with the mechanism employed for propelling the music-sheet S by suitable
mechanical means, the said propelling mechanism being omitted in the Figure. The
music-sheet S acts upon noses or pins e carried by lever arms c connected by links v
with one arm of a bell-crank lever d. The other arm of this lever d is connected to
an extension of the transmitting-piece t, which normally occupies a position in
which it is out of the path of the aforesaid reciprocating bar y; but, when a key f is
to be struck, it is pushed forward by the action of the music-sheet so that it passes in
between the said bar and the key. In Fig. 1 the said piece t is moved forward when
the nose e leaves a hole of the music sheet S, while in the arrangement shown by
Fig. 3, it is thus moved when the nose e enters into a hole. Besides it will be noticed
that in this Figure the two arms of the levers d are placed opposite to each other.
Notwithstanding the relatively close arrangement of the lines of notes on the music-
sheet with which the links have necessarily to correspond, the apparatus is enabled
to operate on the transmitting-pieces t, which are set considerably wider apart in order
to act upon the keys f. This is effected, as represented in Fig. 2, by extending the
axial part d' of the levers d according to the distance between the keys f, so that the
lower arm of each of the said levers is opposite to the corresponding key. For this
purpose the intermediate axial parts or axles d', that are supported by and oscillato in
bearings 1, are arranged side by side, or one above the other, as may be found most
convenient in respect to the shape and general arrangement of the apparatus.
ν
According to another arrangement, shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the motive power is
transmitted by a continuously-rotating driving-cylinder a, acting as a friction-wheel,
while the intermediate device which is brought into action at the proper moment by
the music-sheet S, consists essentially of intermittently-rotating friction-wheels or
discs b, carried on arms of the levers c operated by the music sheet, the said wheels or

page_text: discs b being placed in contact with the driving-cylinder a at the times the corresponding
note is to be sounded. When a hole of the music sheet comes opposite to the nose e
of one of the levers c, a spring i causes the lever to oscillate and to bring the corre-
sponding disc 6 into contact with the driving-cylinder. The disc 6 is consequently
caused to rotate by the cylinder and to wind up a cord e' upon a barrel, or to
operate an equivalent mechanical device which moves a lever g acting upon the key f
or other sound producing agent. A full part of the music-sheet thereupon passing
under the nose e, the lever c is swung back, the disc b is brought out of contact with
the driving-cylinder a, the spring h returns the lever g to its normal position,
and the latter, by its pull upon the cord e¹, turns the barrel e together with the disc b
backward, so as to put them in a state for renewed action.
In cases where the apparatus does not require to be capable of being readily
removed from the piano, but is permanently attached thereto, the lever is arranged
to act directly on the hammer k by means of a hopper l', pivoted to the end of the
lever and engaging with the butt n¹ of the hammer, as represented by Fig. 6.
According to another arrangement (see Fig. 7) the spring i in Fig. 4, which brings
the disc b into contact with the driving-cylinder a, is dispensed with, the cord e¹ being
so arranged in an oblique direction that the light spring h, acting on the lever g
connected to the cord e¹, is sufficient to press the said disc against the driving-cylinder
with sufficient force. With this arrangement the resistance or pressure applied at tho
operating end 1 of the said lever g, tends to increase the force with which the disc b
is applied against the cylinder a, and a powerful action is consequently obtained. In
order to limit the action of the disc b, a recess b₁ is formed in its periphery in such
position that, when the cord e¹ or its equivalent has been wound up or otherwise
operated to the required extent, this recess is prosented to the driving-cylinder a,
which thereupon ceases to impart motion to the disc b. The disc is, moreover,
provided on its surface with a smooth part 2, which is capable of slipping on the
felt-covered surface of the driving-cylinder a and assists in bringing the disc b back
to its normal position. This arrangement has the effect of causing the apparatus to
act less abruptly or harshly and gives it an elastic touch resembling that of the
human fingers.
Figs. 7 and 8 show, moreover, the combination with the mechanism comprising the
cylinder a and the discs b, of levers d with axles d¹ of different lengths, similar to
those described relatively to Fig. 1, the arms of the said levers which are opposite to
the lines of notes of the music-sheet, being connected by links with the levers c
engaging with the music-sheet, while their other arms are connected by means of
adjustable links o¹ to levers o, to which in this case are pivoted the discs and
barrels e. It will, however, be readily perceived, that, provided the levers c and d
be suitably arranged, the discs b and barrels et may be pivoted directly to the
levers d.
The cords e¹ wound on the barrels e², as hereinbefore described, instead of actuating
levers, may operate sliding bars or pushers g', Fig. 9, working in suitable guides q
and r and acting on the keys f; or such pushers g¹ may be operated so as to be pressed
down against the keys, by a pinion e fixed to the disc band engaging with rack-
teeth on the pushers 9', as shown in Fig. 10; or said pushers may be operated by
an eccentric e¹, Fig. 11, and the returning of the pusher to its normal position
may be effected by the spring h, Figs. 9 and 10, or by a spiral spring h¹, Fig. 11,
which turns back the eccentric after the action of the cylinder a on the disc b
has ceased.
In order to prevent the levers g operated by the cords e², from flying back too far,
and to prevent the barrels e² from paying out an unnecessary length of cord, a pin 6'
is provided on the side of each disc b, which catches against the cord and thereby
stops the rotary motion of the disc and barrel.
The pedals are operated essentially in the same mode as hereinbefore described with
reference to the production of the notes required. As represented in Fig. 12 the
pedal P is connected by a bar t¹ to the end 2 of a lever g, pivoted at 3, the other end
of which lever is actuated by the cord e¹ in quite the same manner as already

page_text: explained. That is to say, as soon as a nose (alike to the nose e, Fig. 7) enters a hole
of the music-sheet, the disc b is brought into contact with the roller a and rotated,
so that the barrel winds up the cord e¹ and causes the pedal P to be pressed
down.
The described mechanism may also be employed with instruments having strings
that are sounded by pulling and suddenly releasing the same, as in mechanically
operated zithers. In this case the said mechanisins may be combined with the
contrivances described in the specification of my British patent A.D. 1886, No. 6391,
or the lever g or bar g' is provided with a small pendent bar or jack pivoted thereto
and having a nose adapted pull the string when the lever g or bar gi is operated by
the mechanism, while the said nose, when returning to its position of rest, slides
across the string without acting thereon, the said pendent bar or jack being guided
by an inclined surface which causes the nose to slip off the string at the proper
moment.
Although circularly-perforated music-sheets are preferred, sheets or controlling-
surfaces of other forms and kinds may be employed, the said sheets or surfaces
being secured, guided and operated in any suitable and known manner.
For practical use the described mechanism are inclosed in a case G, such as
shown in section in Fig. 7, and in an outside view by Fig. 13.
For the purpose
of attaching this case to a piano, organ or harmonium, it is provided at its
underside with brackets forming screw-clamps adapted to be fastened to the key-
board, and having set-screws for regulating the position of the apparatus relatively
to the keys.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. The combination together of a music-sheet or surface S of a circular or other
form, lever chaving a nose and pressed against the said sheet or surface, driving
friction-cylinder a friction-disc b pivoted to the lever c, lever g or bar g¹ connected
to the disc b by a barrel e and string e, or their described equivalents, and spring h
operating to return the lever g or bar gl and disc b to their state of repose,
substantially as and for the purpose specified.
2. The combination, with the mechanism claimed above, of a lever d with axle d',
the lever c being connected to one arm of the lever d, while the disc bis pivoted to
its other arm or to a lever o connected with the same, substantially as and for the
purpose described.
3. The combination together of a music-sheet or surface S of circular or other
form, lever c having a nose e and pressed against the said sheet or surface; lever d
with axle d' connected to the lever c, driving-shaft with eccentric ¹, bar y to which
a reciprocating motion is imparted by the eccentric, and transmitting-piece t connected
to the lever d, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Dated the 17th day of January 1888.
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
Agents.