on Key Board Instruments.
Year: 1885

page_text: on Key Board Instruments.
I CARL DEBUYSERE Engineer of 150 Silberburgstrasse, Stuttgart Wurttemberg,
16 METHOD OF
German Empire do hereby declare the nature of said invention for
AND APPARATUS FOR EXERCISING THE FINGERS FOR PLAYING ON KEY BOARD
INSTRUMENTS " to be as follows:-
This invention refers to a method and apparatus whereby the fingers are made
supple in a considerably shorter time than it is possible by long practice on pianos
or other keyed instruments.
The apparatus consists essentially of a row of levers, which are arranged close
to each other like the keys of a key-board, and which by means of a special
mechanism can be moved up and down according to a certain rhythm. On the
front end of these levers or keys are fixed easily moved thimbles or finger stalls,
into which the fingers of the operator using the apparatus can be put, whilst the
middle of the hand is so held in a clamp that during the practice the fingers only
can move up and down to the proper extent for the keyboard practice. The
apparatus may be fixed on to a stand in such a manner that the person exercising
the fingers can actuate the key levers himself by means of a treadle.
Of course a number of adjusting appliances is provided, so that the apparatus is
not only applicable for small and large hands and for beginners and practised
players, but also in order to produce variations in the movements of the levers, so
that in imitating every kind of finger practice on the keyboard a corresponding
abundant suppleness of the muscles of the fingers can be attained.
The apparatus may suitably be constructed as follows: A series of levers is
provided worked by adjustable and removable projections on a drum which is
revolved preferably from a treadle. Adjustable springs are provided which tend
to raise the front ends of the levers. On each lever is mounted a longitudinally
adjustable thimble, the thimbles on the middle levers being jointed in the length
direction of the levers while the thimbles on the two outer levers can also move
round a vertical axis. The levers may be spaced apart as required, and the rise of
the levers may also be adjusted.
.
The middle part of the hand is held in a clamp which is reversible for the right
and left hand and is movable or adjustable vertically longitudinally transversely,

page_text: and at an angle. The upper part of the clamp may for this purpose be hung in
a pin joint or in a universal joint which is adjustable vertically while the lower
part of the clamp may be movable round a hinge at one side and provided with
adjusting screw at the other side.
A roller or ball brake or equivalent means is provided at the flywheel or drum
for preventing the machine at starting from going in the wrong direction.
The apparatus may if desired be made double or for both hands, or even for
school use for more than one pair of hands.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
•
Method of and Apparatus for Exercising the Fingers for Playing
on Keyboard Instruments.
I, CARL DEBUYSÈRE Engineer of 150 Silberburgstrasse Stuttgart Würtemberg
German Empire do hereby declare the nature of said invention for a "METHOD OF
AND APPARATUS FOR EXERCISING THE FINGERS FOR PLAYING ON KEYBOARD
INSTRUMENTS" and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by. the following statement:—
This invention refers to a method and apparatus whereby the fingers are made
supple in a considerably shorter time than it is possible by long practice on pianos
or other keyed instruments.
The apparatus consists essentially of a row of levers, which are arranged close
to each other like the keys of a keyboard and which by means of a special
mechanism can be moved up and down according to a certain rhythm. On the
front end of these levers or keys are fixed easily moved thimbles or finger stalls
into which the fingers, of the operator using the apparatus can be put, whilst the
middle of the hand is so held in a clamp that during the practice the fingers can
only move up and down to the proper extent for the keyboard practice. The
apparatus may be fixed on to a stand in such a manner that the person exercising
the fingers can actuate the keylevers himself by means of a treadle.
Of course a number of adjusting appliances is provided, so that the apparatus is
not only applicable for small and large hands and for beginners and practised
players, but also in order to produce variations in the movements of the levers,
so that in imitating every kind of finger practice on the keyboard a corresponding
abundant suppleness of the muscles of the fingers can be attained.
L

page_text: In the accompanying drawings an apparatus. constructed according to this
invention is shown in sectional side elevation at Figure 1, in Figure 2 in plan and
in Figure 3 in front elevation, whilst Figures 1, 3, 4, 4ª and 5 show details and
Figures 6 and 7 modifications in the arrangement of the apparatus.
The bed plate A2 of the apparatus forms at the same time the table or top plate
of a stand, which is provided with a treadle and connecting rod (not shown) for
actuating a fly wheel R fixed to a shaft situated thereunder, as shown in Figures 1
and 3. A strap or cord conveys motion from a small pulley a connected to this
fly wheel R to a larger pulley S, the shaft of which carries a drum W and is
mounted above the bed plate A². On the drum or cylinder W are fixed projections
or lugs N, which act on the shorter ends of certain two armed levers H and thereby
cause the other or front ends of the latter to move up and down according to the
position of the lugs.
These levers H are all movably fixed to a rocking shaft D which is mounted in
the framing L which also carries the bearings of the shaft of the drum W. On the
front end of the levers H are thimbles, F, constructed like ordinary sewing
thimbles, for the insertion of the ends of the fingers of the player and the said.
thimbles turn on hinges fl as shown more clearly in the enlarged part sectional
side view Figure 4 of the drum W and levers H and in the detail views Figure 4°
of the thimble. The hinges f₁ are fastened to plates f². These plates may be
adjusted and fixed according to the length of the fingers of the player on the
levers H. For this purpose there is a plate f³ with a longitudinal slot f6 screwed
on to the lever H. In this slot the head of the screw f³ slides, which at the same
time goes through the plato f* that carries the jointed thimble Ff. For the
further longitudinal guidance of this plate f there is a second screw f' screwed
into the lower plates on which latter the plate f³ is guided by means of the slot
for the screw f. If the nut belonging to the former screw f³ is loosened the
plate f carrying the thimble can be moved longitudinally and by screwing up the
nut again fixed.
Another mode of fixing the thimble is illustrated in Figures 6 and 7. In this
case the thimble F with joint.f' is as before described fixed to the upper plate ƒ³
another lower plate f is in like manner screwed on to the lever H. The first
Damned plate is turned up at an angle at one end and contains a screw thread for
a screw f3 which is held in one end of the bent up end of the lower plate by means
of a shoulder and collar and in which the screw" can turn but not slide. If the
head of the screw f³ is turned the thimble F can be moved forwards or backwards
for adjusting the action.
The thimbles F may be lined with cloth in order not to. injure the fingers of the
person practising.
All the thimbles F are not made movable in one direction only as shown in
Figure 4 on the joint f. But on some levers namely the two outer ones the
thimbles besides being movable at f¹ in one direction also have a vertical axis
going through the middle of the thimble, for the purpose of preventing cramp
to the two outer fingers which in practice take a more or less slanting position to
the levers.
2
Such a thimble movable in two directions is shown in Figure 4ª. The pin f¹ of
the joint is not here immediately connected to the plate f; but by means of a
small circular disc f, which is movable in a circular shaped recess in the plate f
and turns on a pin f³ arranged at right angles to the pin f¹. In order that the
movement of the thimble should not be too great a stop plate f is provided
against which two projections on the circular disc f' strike in their most outward
positions.
The levers H (of which four are shown in Figure 2), may either lie close to
one another or for certain kinds of finger practice suitable spaces may be left
between them.
For this purpose certain space pieces Z Figures 1 and 2 may be arranged which
are as, wide as the levers and may be made of the form shown in Figure 1. By
.

page_text: means of such space pieces Z it is possible to keep the levers H at a suitable
distance from each other. For instance as shown in Figure 2 the two levers
situated next to the fly wheel are separated from each other by means of two
space pieces Z and the others by one space piece Z. If it is desired to alter this
order of levers and space pieces it is only necessary to draw out the space piece,
move the lever along the shaft D and again fill up the gap.
In order to prevent the spaces which are put in from moving back out of place
whilst the operator is practising a ledge Z' is provided with suitable pegs e² which
enter into the table.
On the back end of the lever H there is a helical, spring h³ Figure 1 which
tends to raise the front of the lever. The tension of these helical springs which
may be adjusted as required by means of the fly nuts ³, must be overcome by the
pressure of the fingers, and in the different degrees of tension of these springs a
means of altering the resistance at the levers as required against the down pressing
of the same by the finger of the practiser is thus attained. The rise of the key
levers may also be arranged as required. For this purpose pieces are laid under
the front under sides of the levers see Figure 1 of different heights, upon which
the said levers H fall. The higher these pieces k are, the smaller will be the rise
of the levers. In order to prevent noise when the levers strike the ledges, the
latter are covered with cloth.
The lugs or projections N of the drum or cylinder W (which may be made
hollow) may either be screwed thereon, or in order to be able to change the lugs
without much loss of time they may be removably fixed in slots of the form shown
in Figure 5 in the outside of the hollow drum. Each lug N has on its underside
two projections n of a dovetail or other suitable section, which exactly fit into the
slots n of the drum. The lugs with their projections n are put into the slots n²
and pushed along the slots in the direction of the arrow, and move under the
overlapping edges n³ of the outside of the drum so that the said lugs cannot rise
out of the drum.
In this position the lugs are held by springs n (see also Figure 4), so that they
cannot slide out of the slots n n³ by themselves. In taking the lugs out of the
slots they are pushed in the opposite direction to that indicated by the arrow and
taken out. In this manner the lugs may as desired be quickly and easily placed
and changed according to the style of finger practice to be used.
The hand of the operator is put into an apparatus which consists of an upper
and a lower part Figures 1 and 3.
The upper part consists chiefly of a hollowed out cheek B shaped to correspond
to the upper part of the hand which for the purpose of great pliability is hung in
a joint b. In order that the capability of displacement of this cheek B according
to the position of the hand of the player may be as many sided as possible, the
cheek B is joined by the before nained joint to an adjusting screw b, which
works in a nut fixed to a slide b³ and which can move up and down therein. The
slide 6 slides backwards and forwards horizontally on the bar B' and is fixed by
the set screw b. The bar B¹ slides on the pillars C C which are screwed. into the
plate A attached to the main bed plate or table and it may be fixed at any suitable
height by means of set screws c.
The joint which joins the cheek to the adjusting screw b may also be arranged
as a universal joint as shewn in perspective at Figure 1. The bolt of the upper
joint bu is at right angles to that of the lower joint b¹¹¹ and if the upper joint b
is allowed to turn on the lower end of the adjusting screw b movement of the
cheek B is allowed in almost every direction.
The lower cheek or rest E is. in like manner movable in several different
directions. Firstly the upper surface of the said check or rest E is somewhat
curved to fit the palm of the hand and at a certain angle to the horizontal. The
slanting position of the cheek or rest may be altered within certain limits. For
this purpose the rest E see also Figure 3ª is joined on one side by a joint e² joined

page_text: with the bar E¹, whilst on the other end it is fixed by an adjusting screw e¹ which
can be screwed up and down in a nut on the bar E¹.
The bar E is movable on the rods E' which also slide on the before mentioned
pillars not only in a horizontal lateral and to and fro direction, but is fixed on
these rods by means of a nut e³ on the lower screwed part of a stud e underneath
the said rods in different positions as the stud e is not four sided, but round,
therefore it may be fixed at any angle in the slot formed by the two rods E². For
instance the direction of the slanting upper surface of the lower cheek or rest E as
shown in Figure may be changed to the other side, so that the cheek or rest may
serve for the reception of the right as well as the left hand. The rods E² are also
adjustable up and down on the pillars C C and may be fixed by tightening the set
screws c at any suitable height.
The pillars CC which carry the described hand clamping apparatus are screwed
on to the plate A which slides backwards and forwards in relation to the levers H.
Hereby it is possible to bring the hand of the operator into a position as near as
may be for the proper required key board practice to the key levers. For this
purpose the plate A is provided with a peg a let therein, which carries a nut for
.a screw a. The latter is is provided with a bearing in a dovetailed or other.
suitably shaped underplate A¹ round which the upper plate A fits, as in the slide
rest of a lathe, it follows therefore that by turning a handle a on the screw a, the
upper plate or slide A may be moved near to or far from the levers H.
Lastly, the lower dovetailed plate A together with the whole lever apparatus
and clamping appliances is movable in the same direction as the upper plate or
slide A on the bed plate A2, as a bolt A³ which holds the dovetailed plate A¹ and
the bed plate A2 together can side in a slot in the said bed plate. This is for
moving the centre of the drum W further away from the centre of the pulleys and
tightening the gut or strap which communicates motion to the pulley S connected
to the drum.
In order to prevent the drum W from turning the wrong way when being driven,
a brake appliance is provided on the flywheel R which stops the latter directly it
revolves in the opposite direction to that indicated by the arrow. This brake
appliance consists of an eccentrically placed india rubber roller K which is held on
the underside of the bed plate A². Instead of the roller K, the action of which will
be seen from the drawing, an india rubber ball placed in an eccentric groove might
also be used as in sewing machines.
The apparatus as described may now be used for finger practice as follows:-
After the lugs N have been put into the desired order and positions in the drum W
for the practice contemplated, and the key levers H with the space pieces Z have
been arranged at the proper distance from each other, the hand which is to be
exercised is put between the upper and lower cheeks B and E and by turning the
milled head of the adjusting screw b the cheek is screwed tolerably tightly on
to the hand, the height of the lower cheek E is adjusted and the proper lateral and
also the angular or slanting position is secured by the screws c c and e.
When the hand is clamped in this manner, the fingers are put into the corre-
sponding thimbles F and by turning the handle a the upper plate or slide A is
pushed as near as required to the levers H so that the hand takes somewhat the
position shown in dotted lines. in Figures 1 and 4. The practiser who has already
Bet himself before the apparatus on a chair, actuates the fly wheel R by means of
a crank and "treadle" whereby the drum W is set in motion and the levers move
up and down precisely according to the number and order of the lugs. The
practiser always has therefore to press the thimbles F against the regulated
resistance of the springs h², just as on a piano or other keyed instrument and
attains in a considerably shorter time than by practising on a keyboard itself a
great pliability of the fingers.
In the invention of this apparatus it has chiefly been aimed at to make the most
exact imitations of the keyboard play by the universal capability of adjustment of
all the mechanism and parts of the apparatus.

page_text: "
:
In Figures 6 and 7 two modifications of the ordinary arrangement of the
apparatus are shown. Instead of making the keylevers H double armed, they may
also be made one armed (Figure 6) and the required drum W for actuating the
levers may be underneath them, or the levérs H may also be arranged as bell
crank levers, whereby the drum W is situated behind them (Figure 7). Naturally
these alterations do not change the nature of the invention.
x
Having thus particularly described, and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
First: As a substitute for ordinary practice on a piano the method by mechanical
means according to which the fingers are being moved mechanically in accordance
with requirements of actual play or practice, the fingers being put into thimbles
or finger stalls which are worked mechanically up and down, the hand of the
operator being at the same time held in the required position by suitable
appliances substantially as set forth.
Second. The apparatus for carrying out the method firstly claimed consisting of
a row of keyboard levers which are worked up and down by a drum provided
with lugs, in combination with a pair of clamps in which the hand of the operator
is held and which can be adjusted in position in all directions substantially as set
forth.
Third. The appliances for holding the hand of the operator consisting mainly of
two clamp halves B and E, which can be adjusted to any required position by
means of set screws be c and a, and of the adjusting parts B₁ E¹ C and A.
Fourth. The thimbles F arranged at the ends of the key levers and adjustably
connected thereto.