Improvements in Pedal Attachments for Use in connection with Automatic Musical Instruments,
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 20th June, 1899 -Accepted, 5th Aug., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by THE AEOLIAN COMPANY, a Corporation organized
and existing under the laws of the State of Connecticut, having a place of
business at the City of Meriden, State of Connecticut, and an office at No. 18,
West 23rd Street, in the Borough of Manhattan, City and State of New
York, United States of America, Manufacturers].
Improvements in Pedal Attachments for Use in connection with
Automatic Musical Instruments,
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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:-
This improvement relates to the pedal attachment of automatic playing devices,
such, for example, as the "pianola." The object of this improvement is to
arrange the pedal on its operating rod or shaft in such manner that when
the playing device is not in use the pedal can be swung out of the way and
permit the playing device to be moved close to a wall or other vertical surface.
A pedal attachment embodying this improvement will be described and the novel
features pointed out in a claim.
In the accompanying drawing Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a piano
casing which is partly in vertical section, and of an automatic playing device
provided with a pedal attachment. Fig. 2 is a detail top view on an enlarged
scale of a portion of the pedal attachment. Fig. 3 is an elevational view on an
enlarged scale of a pedal attachment embodying my invention. Fig. 4 is a
detail elevational view on an enlarged scale of a portion of the pedal attachment.
Similar letters of reference refer to corresponding parts throughout the figures.
A represents a portion of a piano, a one of the pedals thereof, and B an
automatic playing device, for example a pianola" having a pedal attachment.
This attachment, as is usual in this class of devices, is operated by a lever (not
shown) within reach of an operator. This lever operates a shaft, carrying an
arm which gives longitudinal movement to a vertical rod or shaft 63, carrying
a pedal C. A guide carried by the casing 4 of the "pianola" is provided for
the end of the shaft 2.
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C represents the pedal having a collar c which is loose upon the shaft 2. The
collar c of the pedal is normally held against a collar c¹ by means of a spring 3.
The collar c is adjustable on the shaft 2 by means of a set screw and the
adjustment of this collar permits of the adjustment of the pedal according to the
height of the piano pedal a. represents a flange or rim on the collar and c
a recess or opening in said flange in which a pin on the collar c fits. The
purpose of this arrangement is to prevent rotary movement of the pedal when
in operative position. When the pedal is to be moved out of operative position
it is moved vertically against the action of the spring and rotated on the shaft
until it is in a position similar to that shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2. If desired

page_text: a second recess or opening may be provided in the flange with which the pin
may be engaged when the pedal is out of operative position. c represents an
adjustable collar on the shaft 63 for limiting the vertical movement of the pedal
when it is to be moved out of engagement with the flange or rim .
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondents, I declare that what I claim is:-
1. The combination of a longitudinally movable rod or shaft, an adjustable
collar on said shaft, a pedal carried by said shaft and adapted to be moved
vertically thereon independently thereof, and means for holding said pedal in
engagement with said collar.
2. The combination of a longitudinally movable rod or shaft, an adjustable
collar on said shaft, a pedal carried by said shaft so as to have vertical and rotary
movement thereon, and a spring for holding said pedal in engagement with
said collar.
3. The combination of a longitudinally movable rod or shaft, an adjustable
collar on said shaft, a rim or flange on said collar provided with an opening or
recess, a pedal carried by said shaft so as to have vertical and rotary movement
thereon, a pin on said pedal adapted to fit in said recess or opening, and a spring
for holding said pin in said recess, substantially as described.
4. The combination of a longitudinally movable rod or shaft, a collar on said
shaft, a pedal carried by said shaft, so as to have vertical and rotary movement
thereon and adapted to be locked with said collar, and means for limiting the
vertical movement of said pedal on the rod or shaft.
Dated this 20th day of June 1899.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.
Agents for the Applicant.