Improvements in and relating to Self Playing Musical Instruments.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Oct., 1899-Accepted, 23rd Dec., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Self Playing Musical Instruments.
I, GEORGE CROYDON MARKS, of 18, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane,
London, W.C., Consulting Engineer, (a communication from abroad by Charles S.
Batdorf, of 31, Burling Slip, New York City, New York, United States of
America, Inventor) do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
Certain features of my invention are applicable to pneumatic self-playing
instruments generally, although I have herein shown and described them as
embodied in automatically bell-ringing mechanism the distinguishing feature of
which is that the bells are struck or actuated internally in contra-distinction to
the usual method in automatic musical apparatus, of causing musical vibrations
by external impact.
In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1, is a front elevation of the essential parts
of my improved apparatus; Fig. 2, is a side elevation of the same; Fig. 3, a plan
of the same; Fig. 4, a sectional elevation on plane of line 4, 4, Fig. 1; Fig. 4º,
a sectional view showing a modification; Fig. 5, a diagramatic view in sectional
elevation illustrating the operation of the essential parts of the apparatus; Fig. 6,
is a diagramatic view illustrating the construction and arrangement of parts by
which the release of the coin is effected at the termination of a prescribed opera-
tion; Figs. 7 and 8, are sections upon plane of lines 7, 7, and 8, 8, respectively;
Fig. 6; Fig. 9, is a view of the induction board; Fig. 10, a cross section thereof
on plane of line, 10, 10, Fig. 9; Fig. 11 is a front view upon an enlarged
scale of the coin receiver; Fig. 12, a top view of the same; Fig. 13, is a sectional
elevation upon plane of line 13, 13, Fig. 11; Fig. 14, is a vertical section upon
plane of line 14, 14, Fig. 12; Fig. 15, is a section upon plane of line 15, 15,
Fig. 11; Fig. 16, is a sectional elevation upon plane of line 16, 16, Fig. 3;
Fig. 17, is a sectional elevation taken upon the rear side of the speeding wheel;
Fig. 18, is a section upon plane of line 18, 18, Fig. 3; Fig. 19, a top view of the
tripping latch, adjoining parts being broken away; Fig. 20 is a sectional elevation
illustrating the feed of the music strip; Fig. 21, a portion of the music strip
showing the perforations for effecting the release of the operating mechanism;
Fig. 22, a sectional view showing a modification of the releasing mechanism;
Fig. 23, a view of the under side of the secondary bellows; Fig. 24, a sectional
elevation on line 24, 24, Fig. 23.
R, is the receiving tube, for conducting a coin from the receiving slot r, to a
step r, from which it rebounds, passing over the guard into the actuating
device A. The actuating device A, consists of two opposed jaws or bearings a, a,
respectively, connected with opposite poles of an electrical circuit a², in such
manner that the coin dropping between them, forms an electrical bridge or
connection, closing the circuit and thereby bringing into play an electrical
motor M.
One of the jaws a, is rigid, while the other a¹, is pivotally supported and in

page_text: its normal position is inclined toward the first named jaw a, being held in such
normal position by a retractile spring a³, which tends constantly to force the
lower end of the jaw a', against a stop a,said lower end of the pivoted jaw a¹,
being provided with an adjustable bearing screw a³, for the purpose of providing
for the accurate adjustment of the said pivoted jaw a', with relation to the jaw a.
By this means the opposed surfaces of the jaws a, a¹, may be regulated with
accuracy with relation to the diameter of a prescribed coin. which the jaws are
designed to retain between them until the completion of a prescribed operation.
The opposed edges of the jaws a, a', are preferably formed with ✓ shaped
grooves as shown in Figs. 13 and 15. The jaws being set at an angle with relation
to each other, converging towards their lower ends, it necessarily follows that
these grooved surfaces act as calipers, gauging in the thickness as well as the
diameter of the coin introduced between them. The depth and angle of the
grooves is so regulated with relation to the inclination and adjustment of the
jaws a, a, that a coin of a given denomination which has been reduced in thick-
ness by ordinary wear (but not sufficient to render it valueless) will be caught
and held between the extreme lower edges of the jaws, until released at the end
of the prescribed operation; whereas a comparatively new coin of full thickness
will be held between the jaws in a position above that of the thinner coin pro-
portionate to the difference in thickness and the relative inclination of the jaws.
By this arrangement false discs of metal of less thickness than that of a worn but
serviceable coin will obviously drop through the. jaws without effecting the
prescribed operation of the musical apparatus or other mechanism connected
with a receiver. It will thus be seen that my receiving jaws gauge both the
diameter and thickness of an operative coin, a result not heretofore attained.
The pivoted jaw a¹, at the completion of a single operation of the machine,
is tripped by a rock lever, actuated as hereinafter described, for the purpose
of releasing the coin. In order to secure a quick return of the movable jaw a¹,
to its normal position, the engaging end 61, of the lever B, is formed with a spring
latch d, which, while it trips the jaw a', in its upward movement, yields suffi-
ciently to pass over the end of the said jaw without disturbing it, as this end 61, of
the rock lever B, is again depressed.
upon
bottom
of the
Attached to the rear of the rock lever B, is a spring guide 2, project-
ing rearward over the inclined chute 13. at the
vertical slot bt. Pieces of lead, or other soft, non-resilient material
falling
the step pl do not rebound toward the receiving
jaws, a, a, but instead fall off the step 1, and onto the end of the lever B, where
they rest until that end of the lever is depressed to trip the jaw ¹. When this
action takes place the spring guide 62, encounters the upper surface of the chute 63,
yielding thereto, and forming a guide for the discharge of the lead or other
spurious soft material, insuring its discharge through the opening 6+, and prevent-
ing the possibility of its escape into the interior of the apparatus.
The motor M, is connected by a belt m, with a comparatively large driving
wheel n, upon the power shaft N, to effect a proper reduction in speed. Upon the
power shaft N, is situated the pinion n¹, meshing into the gear wheel o, upon
the countershaft O. This countershaft is provided with the cranks o, o, by
which the primary and reserve exhaust bellows Z, Z, are operated, the latter of
which Z, communicates through the vacuum passages, with the main vacuum
chest V. In the vacuum chamber V, a series of actuating bellows v, one for each
of a series of openings i, in a tracker or induction board I, over the upper
edge of which the perforated music strip S, passes. Each actuating bellows v, is
connected by a rock lever v¹, with a puppet valve 2, normally covering a valve
opening, communicating with a valve chamber 4, into which opens an exhaust
duct 5, connected by a suitable tube or conduit 6, to a bell-actuating bellows W.
Openings v, connect each valve chamber, with the atmosphere.
Each of the bell actuating bellows W, is connected either directly or indirectly
with a device for actuating the bell internally, and in so far as my present in-

page_text: vention is concerned, the mechanism for causing the vibration of the bell by
means of an internal stroke is of secondary importance. Thus in Fig. 4 a
lever L, carrying a bell L', which is actuated internally; while in Fig. 4ª, a modi-
fication of this arrangement is shown in which the rod w, connects directly with
the internal bell-actuating device.
It is to be understood that the bell and actuating mechanism herein shown
is used by way of illustrating the principle involved, and that any other resonant
musical instrument may be substituted for the bell, and any suitable or equivalent
device be employed for actuating the same internally, provided the same be
connected and controlled by a pneumatic bellows in turn controlled auto-
matically by means for regulating the admission or exhaustion of air. Further-
more it is to be noted in this connection that while the pneumatic devices herein
shown and described are arranged to operate by exhaustion of air, (the partial
vacuum system) the same result may obviously be effected in substantially the
same manner under a system of pneumatic pressure above that of the atmosphere.
The endless music strip of perforated paper or other material is drawn over the
tracker" or inlet board I, by means of the friction roller D, preferably provided
peripherally with rubber or other suitable elastic material. This driving roller D,
is mounted upon the extension shaft D', having the collars d', d', and resting in
the bifurcated bearings d², d, situated upon a stationary part of the apparatus,
the shaft D', being retained in position by locking screws or equivalent
devices d³, d. When in position in the bearings named this extension shaft D',
is coupled to the speed shaft F, mounted in suitable bearings upon the frame.
The coupling of the shafts D', and F, may be effected by any well known
mechanical expedient, as by the stud 4, upon the shaft d, fitting in the slot f, in
the end of the speed shaft F. Adjustable longitudinally upon the speed shaft F,
is the friction wheel G, secured in said shaft by means which will cause it to
rotate with said shaft, as by the feather f¹, or equivalent. The position of the
friction wheel G, upon the shaft F, is regulated by the screw E, mounted parallel
to the shaft F, through the medium of the leading nut e, provided with a bifur-
cated lateral arm c¹, which engages with the shouldered hub g, of the friction
wheel G. Thus by turning the screw in one direction or the other the friction
wheel G, may be adjusted towards or away from the axial line of the driving
disc C. This driving disc C, is feathered to the end of the cross shaft H, having
the mitre gear h, which meshes into the mitre pinion o², upon the countershaft Q,
thereby receiving motion and power which it transmits through the friction
wheel G, to the speed shaft F, and its extensions E. The disc C, is pressed against
the friction wheel G, by a spiral spring, as well as by a tension or steadying
roller c¹, opposed to the said friction wheel G. The face of the disc C, is prefer-
ably serrated or roughened to increase the frictional contact with the periphery
of the wheel G. It is obvious that as the friction wheel is made to approach
to or recede from the axial line of the transverse shaft H, the speed of the shaft F,
and extension 1), will be correspondingly increased or diminished so that the
perforated music strip S, will pass over the induction board more or less speedily.
The music strip S, passes from the containing box S¹, under the tension frame s¹,
over the guiding surface s³, under the tension roller, over the induction board I,
around the driving roller D, under the tension roller 4, over the tension frame s¹,
and thence back to the box S¹, in which it is deposited in even layers by the
folder J, upon the rock shaft J. This rock shaft J1, is provided with a crank j.
which is connected by the pitmen j', eccentrically to the wheel n, upon the
shaft N, or to a crank on said shaft. It is to be understood that this arrangement
for feeding and controlling the music strip S, may be varied and modified to
meet the requirements of special use without departing from the spirit and
intent of the invention.
Each perforated strip controls and terminates the operation of the device, irre-
spective of the length of the tune or strip in a simple, direct and positive manner.
To accomplish this I provide the strip S, with one or more terminal perforations t.

page_text: These are preferably arranged in the margins of the strip beyond the tune per-
forations, although they may be arranged in any other portion of the strip not
common to any of the musical perforations, provided of course that the cor-
responding inlets, t, 2, in the induction board are correspondingly situated.
In the arrangement shown in the accompanying drawings, the releasing
mechanism is duplex in character for the purpose of guarding against accidental
stoppage owing to a possible crease or defect in one edge of the music strip.
For instance the two marginal perforations t, finally reach and coincide with the
marginal inlets 1, 2, in the induction board I. The inlets t, t, communicate
each with the interior of one of the two bellows T1, T2, situated in the
secondary vacuum chest V2, which is connected with a primary vacuum chest V,
by the conduit VI. Resting upon the bellows T", is the stem of a puppet valve P,
situated in a chamber 1, communicating with the atmosphere, the puppet
valve P, when seated closing the port p, which communicates by the passage p²,
with the internal valve chamber 73, communicating with the interior of the
secondary vacuum chamber V2, when the valve 1', is raised. The stem of this
latter puppet valve P¹, rests upon the bellows T2, and both valves P', and P",
are raised by the bellows T', T, against the resistance of spiral springs 2*, p³.
The chamber, communicates by means of the conduit 7, with the interior of the
releasing bellows Q, which is connected by means of the rod q', with the releasing
lever B of the receiving device.
Air admitted to the strip S, to the inlet t¹, expands the bellows T (since there
is a partial vacuum in the chamber V2, owing to its connection with the chamber
raising the valve P', from its seat, and closing the opening p, to the atmosphere,
and putting the chamber p, in communication with the interior of the releasing
bellows Q. Should air be admitted at the same time through the port 2, in the
induction board I, the bellows T, will also expand, raising the puppet valve 11,
from its seat, and opening communication through the passage 22, with the valve
chamber P', thus establishing communication indirectly with the primary vacuum
chamber V, and causing the releasing bellows Q, to collapse, and release the coin
or otherwise effect the stoppage of a prescribed operation.
It will thus be seen that in the arrangement of the parts above described,
air must be admitted to both the inlets 1, 2, before the releasing bellows Q,
can be collapsed, since the operation of either of the puppet valves P, P¹, inde-
pendently would not open communication between the vacuum chamber V2, on the
one side and the conduit q, to the releasing bellows Q, upon the other. This
arrangement is especially desirable where it is required to guard against the
accidental release and stoppage of the apparatus by reason of an accidental kink,
bend or other irregularity in one edge of the strip as it is not to be presumed that
the strip would become bent or distorted in like manner at coinciding points.
In the case of the coin-releasing device it is important in that the coin receiver
and the bells or other instruments and actuating parts shall be immediately re-
turned to their normal positions, after the release of the coin, in order that the
former shall be ready to receive succeeding coins which might otherwise pass
without actuating the apparatus.
I accomplish this by forming the valve chambers +, and p, in such manner that
they communicate with the atmosphere (as through the vents 7, and port 29-
said openings being closed by the valve 2, and the valve P respectively, when
said valves are raised to communicate with the vacuum, as hereinbefore set forth.
Thus when the valve, starts to return to its normal position, air immediately
enters through the vents 7, not only expediting the closing of the valve but also
instantaneously relieving the partial vacuum in the bell-actuating bellows W,
and restoring the bell or other resonant instrument and its actuating parts to
their normal positions. In like manner the release of the puppet valve P, in-
stantaneously admits air to the releasing bellows Q, causing it to rock back the
lever B, and allow the retractile spring a³, to return the jaw a', to its normal
position. In this connection it is to be understood that the bellows v, and T1,T%, are

page_text: each provided with vent valves u, which allow them to collapse in vacuo after the
air pressure has been cut off.
It will be readily understood that to increase or diminish the degree of per-
cussion exerted by the internal strike upon the bell or equivalent resonant
musical instrument it is desirable to regulate and control the pressure exerted by
the atmosphere, whether applied internally as herein before intimated, or exter-
nally as herein shown and described. I accomplish this by increasing or diminish-
ing the resistance to be overcome in expanding or collapsing the primary or
secondary bellows Z or Z¹, preferably the latter. A convenient way of accomplish-
ing this result is to suspend upon the underside of the bellows Z', one or more
weights X, in such manner that they may be adjusted in position in relation to
the fulcrum or hinge end of the bellows. Thus in the drawings the weights X X,
are shown as suspended upon screws Y, with which they engage, so that by
turning the screws in one direction or the other the leverage exerted by the
weight may be adjusted with delicacy in effecting a desired result. By this means
I am enabled to augment or diminish the volume of sound produced, accentuating
or softening the tone at will.
In incorporating the coin receiver R, in the case of the apparatus it is enclosed in
glass or other transparent medium in such manner as to expose the electrical contacts
or holdings jaws a, a¹, under all conditions of use. Since the coin is held by the
jaws until the completion of a tune or other prescribed operation there are decided
advantages in providing for its exposure while performing its functions as a circuit
closer, aside from the attractiveness of the exhibition. For instance, the sub-
stitution of a disc, equivalent in size and weight to the prescribed coin can be
immediately detected, or any other irregularity or obstruction observed and
rectified.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:
1. In pneumatic musical apparatus, operated automatically by means of a per-
forated music strip, two special air induction passages communicating with operat-
ing and controlling valves which must be simultaneously opened in order to
release the actuating mechanism, together with said musical strip formed with
openings which may be simultaneously brought info coincidence with said air
ducts, for the purpose described.
2. In pneumatic musical apparatus operated automatically by means of a per-
forated strip, the combination with the strip feeding mechanism, and with the
power mechanism, of the discs C, spring c, on the shaft H, the friction wheel G,
feather to the feed shaft F, and provided with the shoulders g, leading nut e, with
the bifurcated arms e¹, and the adjusting screw E, the whole arranged and operat-
ing in substantially the manner and for the purpose described.
3. In pneumatic musical apparatus, the combination of a music strip S, formed
with coinciding openings t, t the induction board I, formed with inlets t¹, ta, com-
municating with the pneumatics T1, T2, said pneumatics situated in the vacuum
chamber V, the puppet valve P, operated by the pneumatics T¹, the puppet
valve P¹, operated by the pneumatics T2, the conduit q, and the releasing
bellows Q, arranged and operating substantially in the manner and for the
purpose described.
4. In pneumatic musical apparatus, the combination of the induction board I,
the perforated music strip S, the containing box S¹, the tension frame s¹,
guide, tension roller ³, driving roller D, tension roller s, and the folder J,
the whole arranged so as to insure a continuous even feed of the music strip to
and from the induction board I, substantially in the manner set forth.
5. In pneumatic musical apparatus the combination of a perforated time
strip, the induction board I, and pneumatics connected therewith for actuating
bell-ringing mechanism, the vacuum chamber V, the primary exhaust bellows Z,

page_text: and means for operating the same, the secondary bellows 7, a rotatable screw
suspended upon the under-side of said secondary bellows %, and a travelling
nut weight X, adjustable upon and by means of the screw Y, with relation to
the fulcrum end of said secondary bellows Z, the whole arranged and
operating substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
MARKS & CLERK,
18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., .
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, and
25, Cross Street, Manchester, Agents.
MARKS & CLERK,
18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, and
25, Cross Street, Manchester, Agents.