Improvement in Combined Key-board and Mechanically-playing Organs.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Dec., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 29th Aug., 1891-Accepted, 10th Oct., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvement in Combined Key-board and Mechanically-playing
Organs.
I, FRIEDRICH ERNST PAUL EHRLICH, of Gohlis-Leipsic, Kingdom of Saxony,
Manufacturer of Musical Instruments, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion to be as follows:-
My invention relates to musical instruments having pipes or reeds producing
notes through the medium of a blast of wind, and which instruments are provided
with key-actions for playing by hand as well as with devices for playing them
mechanically.
The improvements constituting my invention consist in the particular construction
of the actions allowing the instruments to be played in one manner or the other,
and in the construction of the driving-gear for playing mechanically.
The actions serving to render the instrument capable for the said double use are
arranged as follows.
Each action comprises a valve attached to a spring-pressed lever, hinged at its
rear end and projecting with its front end over the rear end of the key serving to
operate the valve by the touch of the finger. Above the valve-lever is arranged
a vertically-oscillating arm, the free end whereof is connected to the valve-lever by
a string or other yielding medium, so that when the arm is raised, the valve-lever
will be raised also, and the valve opened, whereas, when the key is touched, the
valve-lever will be raised without affecting the arm. The said arm is placed under
the control of a note-sheet, or other equivalent device, through the medium of any
suitable transmitting-mechanism, comprising a beak or pin cooperating with the
perforations or other actuating portions of the note-sheet or its equivalent, and a
spring the parts being so arranged that, when a blank portion of the note-
sheet, &c., is opposite to the said beak or pin, the aforesaid arm will be in its
lowermost position, while an operative portion of the note-sheet, &c., coming into
register with the beak or pin, causes or allows the arm to be raised with the effect
of opening the valve.
Whenever the instrument is to be played by hand, the beaks or pins serving for
mechanical playing must all be maintained in inoperative position by means of a
blank portion of the note sheet, or by a blank strip of card-board, or the like, put
in its place.
For facilitating the changes required to be made, relatively to the bellow-
operating mechanism, when the inode of playing the instrument is to be changed,
the said mechanism is composed of a double-crank shaft, rods connecting the cranks
to the bellows and to the treadles, and means for conveying motion from the
crank-shaft to the note-sheet. On the said crank-shaft is fixed a toothed wheel,
while a pinion adapted to gear therewith is keyed on an axle capable of sliding in
its bearings, so that the pinion may be brought into and out of gear with the
wheel. This axle is provided with a hand-crank, and it is kept in the position in
which the pinion and the wheel gear together, by means of a bifurcated slide that
can be pushed behind a collar on the axle of the pinion.
In view of attaining certain advantages in playing mechanically I employ a
driving-gear requiring only to be wound up at intervals. This gear is composed.in
the first place of a barrel having a spur-wheel fixed thereto and containing a spiral
driving-spring secured with its respective ends to the barrel and its axle, as in
spring-barrels of watches. From the said spur-wheel motion is transmitted to the
note-sheet or its equivalent and to the bellows by any suitable mechanism, while
the winding-up is performed by a silent feed-motion, operated by treadles or
otherwise, and acting on a frictional feed-wheel fixed to the barrel-axle.

page_text: T
In order to prevent the driving-spring from being strained and the proper
speed from being exceeded by winding up excessively, the pawl of the feed-motion
has combined with it a' disengaging-device controlled by the said spring and con-
structed as follows. The carrier of the pawl consists in a two-armed lever pivoted
to an arm oscillating on the barrel-axle as centre. To one end of the said carrier
is pivoted the pawl, while in the path of the other end, which is bevelled on the
outside, is placed a stop operating to lift the pawl out of engagement with the
feeding-wheel every time the carrier, at the end of its back-stroke, is pushed with
its bevelled end under the said stop; the pawl under normal conditions,
reengaging with the wheel as soon as the carrier, on moving forward again,
becoines free from the stop. For preventing this reengagement when the spring
is wound up sufficiently, there is attached to the pivot of the pawl a-resilient
bar extending towards the barrel-axle and embracing the same with its end,
which is slotted; the said bar being arranged to be pressed against the boss of the
feeding-wheel in view of producing friction whereby the pawl is maintained in
disengaged state. The pressure on the bar is obtained by means of a spring-pressed.
lever pivoted to the head of the spring-barrel being opposite to the feeding-wheel,
the said lever straddling with one arm, which is bifurcated, the barrel axle, while its
other arm projects obliquely through a slit into the barrel so as to touch against
one of the convolutions of the driving-spring, the parts being so disposed that,
when the driving-spring is more or less expanded, it will keep the lever-free-from
the resilient bar, whereas when its convolutions are contracted to the fixed limit, it
allows the spring of the lever to press the latter against the resilient bar, which in
turn is thereby pressed against the boss of the feeding-wheel with the effect.
described above.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Combined Key-board and Mechanically-playing
Organs.
I FRIEDRICH ERNST PAUL EHRLICH of Gohlis Leipsic in the Kingdom of
Saxony Manufacturer of Musical Instruments do hereby declare the nature of my
said 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 organs or wind musical instruments constructed with
automatic apparatus provided with exchangeable music sheets enabling, the said
• organs to play automatically in addition to the ordinary key board action enabling
them to be played by hand.
1.
My invention consists in the improved construction of the mechanism whereby
the instrument is enabled to play either automatically or by hand and in the
improved construction of driving gear employed for imparting motion to..the
automatic mechanism.
And-in order that my said invention may be fully understood. I shall now. proceed
more particularly to describe the same and for that purpose shall refer to the
several figures on the annexed. sheets of drawings. the same letters of reference
indicating corresponding parts in all the figures.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings represents in vertical section. an organ
or wind instrument provided with an ordinary keyboard action combined with
means or mechanism enabling it to play automatically and
i
Figure 2 represents the instrument in front elevation.
Figure 8 illustrates a detail of the driving mechanism in-plan.
Figures 3 to 7 drawn tota larger scale illustraterdetails of the construction.of.the
*"combined mechanism.
Figure 9 shows the driving gear adapted for a straight lined-musio-sheet and

page_text: Figures 10 to 16 relate to the motor mechanism as hereinafter explained.
In the apparatus illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 the supply of wind is controlled
by a valve attached to a lever a. The mechanism for operating this valve is
represented in elevation partly in section in Figure 3 the valve being represented
as having been moved to the open position by the action of the automatic mechanism.
Figure 4 represents the mechanism in plan. Figure 5 illustrates a detail hereinafter
referred to and Figure 6 represents the mechanism with the valve in the closed
position. Figure 7 illustrates the mechanism with the valve moved to the open
position by the action of the keys.
The instrument is provided with as many wind passages and valves b (arranged
side by side over a wind chest or chamber T) as there are notes and each valve is
acted on by a spring wrapped round a pin on a block and extending at c¹ to bar g
forming a stop or bearing for this extremity of the spring. This spring is so
arranged as to tend to push up an arm attached to a rocker ¹ pivotted at /° and
at the same time tends to press down the lever a and close the valve b. This valve
can be opened automatically by raising the arm from the position represented in
Figure 6 to the position represented in Figure 3 the said arm being connected to
the valve by a flexible connection such as a string or a flexible wire. The valves
can also be opened by the action of ordinary finger keys d which may be weighted
or leaded at for example so that the rear end remains in the lowest position when
the valve lever a is elevated by the arm h.
The upward movement of the arm his obtained by means of a beak or neb on a
lever & engaging with corresponding holes or depressions in a perforated or suitably
prepared travelling music sheet N Figures 3 and 5 being so arranged that when
the neb or beak falls into a hole or recess the lower arm k' of the lever k moves
upwards in the direction of the arrow (Figure 5) and acts upon a rod or wire
provided with a stop or buffer bearing against an arm 12 on the rocker h¹
(Figure 4). This movement of the arm k and wire I enables the rocker to oscillate
in its bearings and raise the arm so as to allow the valve to open and cause the
corresponding note or reed to speak. The valve remains open so long as the neb
on the lever remains in the hole in the music sheet N. When the movement of
the latter causes an imperforated or raised part to be presented to the neb on the
lever the latter moves in the opposite direction and the buffer on the wire/
acting on the lever arm ² causes the rocker to oscillate in the opposite direction
and close the valve at the same time returning to the position represented in
Figure 6. All the other valves in the instrument are controlled in the same
manner being opened and closed in accordance with the distribution and lengths of
the perforations or notes marked on the music sheet.
In order to work the valve by the action of the key d the front end of the
latter is depressed by the finger in the usual way and when the instrument is played
by hand all the levers k must be held back out of action by a plain portion of the
music sheet or by any other suitable support introduced between the backing m and
the grating or perforated cover n so that none of the valves are opened by the
automatic apparatus but remain normally in the closed position represented in
Figure 6.
Under these conditions when the front end of the key is depressed by the finger
the inner end of the key acts on the under side of the valve lever a and raising it
against the stress of the spring c c opens the valve as indicated in Figure 7.
The pressure of the spring cc' alone has to be overcome in this movement as the
connection Figure 7 between the levers a and h being of a flexible nature is
incapable of transmitting motion from the lever a to the automatic mechanism.
When the key d is released by the performer the valve b is closed automatically
by the action of the spring c.
The supply of compressed air or "wind" may be obtained by any suitable...
apparatus or by means of the mechanism illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 worked by
pedals o o¹ acting through suitable connecting rods upon a crank shaft p (shown in

page_text: dotted lines in Figure 2 and in plan in Figure 8) which transmits motion through a
connecting rody to the bellows r. The latter force air into the wind chest T a
compensating bellows S being provided in order to obtain an approximately uniform
pressure in the said wind chest. A fly wheel is provided in any convenient
position on the crank shaft p in order to equalise the rotary motion of the latter.
The movement of the music sheet N is also derived from the shaft p. When the
music sheet is of the circular or disc form being provided with perforations or their
equivalents arranged in concentric circles motion may be imparted to it by means
of bevel gear u (Figure 1) a shaft u¹ and a worm and worm wheel or skew
gearing a driving a vertical shaft u³ on which the driver or disc carrying the music
sheet is secured.
When the music sheet requires to travel in a straight line the driving gear is
arranged as represented in Figure 9 the shaft of the worm wheel being arranged
in a horizontal position and being provided with a roller n' which propels the sheet
by friction acting in combination with a suitable upper roller as indicated in the
drawing. Circular music sheets may be propelled in like manner by means of
friction obtained by rollers rotating-in-contact-with-the-sheet.
When
The driving mechanism may be conveniently arranged as represented in
Figures 2 and 8 to be worked either by hand or by foot the requisite movements
being obtained either by means of the pedals o o¹ or by means of a crank handle v.
The said crank handle is fixed upon one end of a shaft v' (Figure 8) working in a
long bearing w and provided at the other end with a bevel or cone wheel v².
the crank handle is not in use this wheel occupies the position represented in
Figure 8. When the mechanism is to be worked by means of the crank handle the
pedals o o' are disconnected from the-crankshaft-p-and-the shaft v-is-pushed-
inwards so as to put the bevel wheel v² into gear with a corresponding bevel wheel
upon the shaft p after which a bifurcated slide, or forked bolt.y with bevelled ends
is pushed under a collar or boss of the wheel 2 on the shaft_v_by_means_of_a
projecting knob and retains the wheels v² and c
2
in gear.
Figures 10 and 11 represent in side and end elevation respectively (being partly
in section) an improved arrangement of driving mechanism for the automatic action
of the organ or musical instrument and Figs. 12 to 16 illustrate details of the same
as hereinafter explained. In this case the motive power is derived from a spring
or weight which acts continuously and in a regular or uniform manner upon the
mechanism of the instrument being wound up or maintained in tension by the
application of suitable motive force. Under these conditions, a relatively small
spring barrel or a relatively short drop (in the case of a weight) is required and a
perfectly uniform action is obtained. In the example illustrated a clock spring 1
is employed being arranged in a barrel 6 connected with a toothed wheel 7 for
transmitting the motion.
The motive power is transmitted to the spring by means of a crank shaft 9
provided with a fly wheel 10 and worked by pedals 12 and connecting rods 11 but
any other suitable combination of mechanism may be employed being operated by
muscular or other power.
One extremity of the clock spring 1 is connected at 2 as represented in the
detail Figure 12 to a rotary shaft 13 the other extremity being connected at 3
with the barrel 6. The latter together with the wheel 7 is loose upon the shaft 13.
An arm 15 likewise loose upon the shaft 13 is capable of receiving vibrating
motion from a connecting rod 16 worked by a crank 17 on the crank shaft 9. The
shaft 13 also carries a grooved wheel 19 which revolves with the shaft. The
arm 15 is provided with a noiseless or friction pawl 20 pivotted on a pin 18 so as
to be capable of slipping in the groove of the wheel 19 when the arm 15 moves
upwards until an incline 22 on the tail of the pawl comes in contact with a stop
or roller 28 which lifts the other end of the pawl out of the groove in the
wheel 19. When the arm 15 moves downwards the pawl is jammed with a
wedging action in the groove in the wheel 19 thereby causing the latter to rotate

page_text: in the direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 11 and winding up the motor
spring 1. The wheel 19 is prevented froin rotating in the 'opposite direction by a
pawl 21.
In case the spring is wound up at a more rapid rate than it runs down it would
be liable to be overwound but this is obviated by causing the pawl 20 to be
automatically released or thrown out of action for a certain time so that although
it continues to reciprocate or move with the arm 15 it ceases to act on the
wheel 19 until after the spring has run down to a certain extent.
object the arrangement hereinafter described is employed to control the action of
the driving pawl.
With this
Pivotted at 24 to the spring barrel 6 or wheel 7 is an arm 25 Figure 10 which
is constantly in contact with the outer convolution of the clock spring being
arranged to project through a slot at 23 (Figures 11 and 13) in the end of the
barrel so as to act on the edge of the spring 1. A lever 26 pivotted on a centre
near the axis of oscillation of the lever 25 is provided with a forked arm embracing
the shaft 13 (Figure 13) and the upper end of this lever bears against the back
of the arm 25 as indicated in Figure 10 the pressure on the lever being dependent
on the stiffness of a spring 27.
In Figure 12 the spring 1 is represented as being nearly run down but when it
fully wound up it assumes the position indicated in dotted lines so that the
upper part at 4 is moved to the position indicated at 5. This causes the arm 25
Figure 10 to move to the position indicated by the dotted lines in this figure
being enabled to yield to the pressure of the spring 27 transmitted through the
lever 26 which also assumes the position indicated by the dotted lines. When in
this position the forked end of the lever 26 comes in contact with a resilient bar
or arm 29 pivotted or attached at 30 to the pawl 20 and allows the spring 27 to
press the end of the arm 29 against the boss or centre of the wheel 19 the said
arm 29 being provided with an elongated hole for the passage of the shaft 13 as
represented in Figure 16. Under these conditions that is to say when the spring 1
tends to be overwound the friction between the end of the arm 29 and the wheel 19
prevents the pawl 20 from re-engaging with the periphery of the said wheel after
it has been put out of gear by the stop or roller 28 acting on the tail of the pawl
so that the driving arm 15 reciprocates without acting on the spring 1 and this
condition is maintained until the said spring has run down or expanded sufficiently
to act upon the lever 26 through the arm 25 and release the free end of the
arın 29 so as to enable the pawl to re-engage with the periphery of the wheel 19
and wind up the clock spring as before.
Figures 14 and 15 illustrate a convenient arrangement of mechanism for trans-
mitting the motion to the music sheet of an instrument such as that hereinbefore
described.
According to this arrangement the crank shaft of the said instrument is
represented at p and the music sheet at N. The regular or uniform motion of the
wheel 7 obtained as hereinbefore explained with reference to Figures and 11
for example is transmitted from the wheel 7 through a wheel 8 to a shaft 32 driving
the crank shaft p through bevel gear and transmitting rotary motion to the music
sheet or disc N through a friction. roller 36 on a shaft 35 driven by bevel gear 34
or other suitable connection. The movement is regulated by a vane or flier on a
spindle 38 driven by a worm 37.
The advantages of this arrangement are obvious when it is considered that a
relatively large amount of space would be required in order to obtain a correspond-
ingly uniform motion with the aid of ordinary clock work worked by a large
Morcover the ordinary driving
spring or a heavy weight with a long drop.
mechanism being limited in its action requires to be periodically wound up at
certain intervals whereas in the improved mechanism the power is continuously
applied and the motor constantly maintained in action by means of suitable
mechanism (such as the pedals 12) without any interruption of the action of the
spring or motor.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. An arrangement for mechanically playing an organ provided with a key
board in which the valves (b) are each connected by a flexible connection i and
spring with an arm on a rocker or shaft which is moved to the position for
closing the valve (Figure 6) and to the position for opening the valve (Figure 3)
by the reciprocating movements of a connecting rod (1) and a lever (k k¹) acted on
by a music sheet (N) substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to
Figures 1 to 6 of the accompanying drawings.
2. The combination of the automatic arrangement hereinbefore described and
claimed with the finger key (d) so arranged that when the said key is depressed
the valve lever a is lifted against the stress of the spring c c substantially as
hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 6 and 7 of the accompanying
drawings.
3. For automatically playing an organ having a key board a driving mechanism
consisting of a shaft p receiving motion from pedals o o' or from a crank handle v
and wheel put in and out of gear with a wheel by means of a slide or bolt y
with an inclined end the said shaft p being connected with the mechanism working
the bellows and with the mechanisin uun² u³ for working the music sheet
substantially as herein before described with reference to Figures 1, 2, 8 & 9 of the
accompanying drawings.
4. An improved driving mechanism for automatically playing organs having
-key-boards and in which a suitably prolonged uniform movement is obtained by
means of a spring or weight wound up by the frequent or continuous application
of motive power-provision being made to obviate-over-winding by means of an
-automatic-device-which-intervenes at the proper moment to prevent the motive
power from acting upon the spring or weight until the application of the motive
power is required substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in
Figures 10 to 16 of the accompanying drawings.
5. A releasing device for controlling the application of the motive power as
hereinbefore described and claimed in the preceding claiming clause and consisting
of a lever (26) in contact with an arm (25) acted on by the spring 1 (Figures 10
and 12) the said lever being caused by a spring 27 to act upon or lock a resilient
bar or arm (29) connected with the driving pawl so as to hold the latter out of
action when required substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the
accompanying drawings.
6. The general arrangements and combinations of parts constituting the
improvements in combined key board and mechanically playing organs substantially
as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated 01 1
J
1001
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
Agents.