AN IMPROVED MACHINE WHICH, WHEN PLACED IN ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION WITH A PIANO, HARMONIUM, OR ORGAN, PRINTS THE MUSIC AS IT IS PLAYED
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Herbert Young Dickinson, of Enbridge, Newbury, in
Berkshire, for an Invention of "AN IMPROVED MACHINE WHICH, WHEN
PLACED IN ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION WITH A PIANO, HARMONIUM, OR ORGAN,
PRINTS THE MUSIC AS IT IS PLAYED,"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Herbert Young Dickinson at
"AN
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th April 1880.
HERBERT YOUNG DICKINSON, of Enbridge, Newbury, in Berkshire.
IMPROVED MACHINE WHICH, WHEN PLACED IN ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION WITH A
PIANO, HARMONIUM, OR ORGAN, PRINTS THE MUSIC AS IT IS PLAYED."
This machine consists of wheels driven by a weight or spring or other suitable
power which serve to carry a strip of paper at a regular speed past a number of
pins. Some of these pins are stationary and some are moved by electro-magnets.
The electric circuits are completed by the depression of the keys of the instrument
played upon. As the strip of paper moves it is ruled with five treble staff lines
and five bass staff lines.
The pins serve to print the notes. The very high and low notes are printed an
The depression
octave lower or higher, as the case may require, and are marked so.
of these notes will therefore close two circuits, one for printing the note (which is
the same one as used for printing the note in a different octave), and one which is
common for indicating the octave higher or lower.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Herbert Young Dickinson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
12th October 1880.
HERBERT YOUNG DICKINSON, of Enbridge, Newbury, in Berkshire.
"AN
IMPROVED MACHINE WHICH, WHEN PLACED IN ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION WITH A
PLANO, HARMONIUM, OR ORGAN, PRINT THE MUSIC AS IT IS PLAYED."
To effect the object proposed I use one, two, or more wheels, one of which (D in
the Drawing) is acted upon by clock-work or a weight, or other suitable motor, so
that it moves at a regular rate of speed. The prepared paper, afterwards described,
is passed round this wheel often enough to "nip" and so to continuously draw the
roll of paper over the table B and under the box C from the roll or coil made on
the wheel A. Within the box C are a set of rulers which rule on the paper i, i, as
it passes over the printing table B five treble staff lines and five bass staff lines.
The paper then passes under the pins in C, these being connected by wires with the
keys of the instrument played upon. The return wire for the electric current for
the stationary pins is attached to the table B. The movable pins in C are acted
upon by electro-magnets. The electric circuits are completed by the depression of
the keys of the instrument played upon. When a note of the key board of the
musical instrument is depressed, the movable pin which works in connection with
the said note is also depressed, and marks a fine line on the paper. This line will
correspond_in_length with the length of time during which the noto is held down
by the finger, so that the lines marked on the paper will vary according to the
length of time the notes are held down, the position on the paper of the lines so
marked will correspond with the position of the notes struck on the key board.
The pins are also so placed that if a note would fall inconveniently high or low, if
printed in its proper position, the said note will be printed an octave lower or
higher, as the case may require. The depression of these notes will therefore close
two circuits, one for printing the note (which is the same one as used for printing
the note in a different octave) and one which is common for indicating the octave
higher or lower. After the paper passes away from the machine at E the various
notes printed as above described can be valued, and if necessary can be written out
or printed in the ordinary musical notation. If more convenient, the paper could
be collected round the wheel D and uncoiled afterwards. There may be a catch to
the wheel D so that the machine may be started or stopped at will, or the
motive power may be thrown out of gear by any ordinary mechanism for that
purpose.
The prepared paper which I prefer to use is similar to that used with Caselli's
telegraph, but any paper so prepared as to be acted on in a similar way may be
used.
Having now described the nature of my Invention and the method of carrying
the same into effect, I would have it understood that what I claim as my
Invention is,―
The method of printing music, substantially as above set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Herbert Young Dickinson, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eleventh day of September 1880.