An Improved Apparatus for Playing on Keyboard Musical Instruments Mechanically.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Sept., 1892-Accepted, 25th Mar., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Apparatus for Playing on Keyboard Musical
Instruments Mechanically.
I, LUDWIG HUPFELD of Leipzig-Eutritzsch in the German Empire, Musical
Instrument Manufacturer, 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 :-
This invention relates to an improved device to be attached to or upon key
instruments for the purpose of operating or playing the same by means of a
perforated or slotted sheet, or strip, or disc.
The object of the invention is to provide a device of this kind which can easily
be attached to the instrument and by means of which any desired melody can he
played perfectly on any key instrument.
The invention consists in the construction and combination of parts and details,
as will be fully described and set forth hereinafter, and finally pointed out in the
claims.
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 is a vertical transverse sectional view of one construction of my improved
attachment for playing key instruments.
Fig. 2 is a detail top view of the key presser.
Fig. 3 is a detail longitudinal sectional view of a modification of the same.
Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view of the device for raising and lowering the key
presser.
Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of my improved playing attach-
ment, the same being mounted to pass into the casing of the key instrument.
Fig. 6 is a sectional plan view of the same.
Fig. 7 is a vertical transverse sectional view of the same.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
The improved playing attachment can be arranged in two different ways, either
to depress the outer ends of the keys, and in that case the mechanism is arranged
above the keyboard and outside of the same, or the device can be arranged to
raise the inner ends of the key levers, and then the device is arranged below the
keyboard. Both constructions in general are the same, and only differ somewhat
in details and the manner of application. In the construction in which the mechanism
is above the keys, said mechanism is placed into a casing A, supported by legs B,
which may be provided with devices for raising and lowering them, which devices
are not shewn and may have any desired construction. To plates b, b¹, on a
transverse rail B2, extending across the top of the casing, a series of angle-
levers a are pivoted in line, in such a manner that one shank of each lever
projects from the under side of the transverse rail B² and a bevelled spring or
toe a' on the end of the other shank of each lever projects above the tops of the
plates and can be acted upon by the perforated or slotted music sheet C, which
rests upon and slides over the plates b, b', and is wound upon a roller D, suitably
mounted in bearings on the casing A, and from which roller it can be unwound
upon another and similar roller upon the opposite end of the casing, the latter
roller not being shewn.
The levers a pass through suitable slots in the rail B². The levers a are
arranged in two groups and between the same a wheel q is mounted, from the
rim of which a series of teeth g' project, that can enter apertures arranged in a
longitudinal row on the music strip or sheet C. Said wheel g is fixed on a suitable
shaft g', journalled in the casing A, and said shaft and wheel are driven by means
of suitable bevelled gearing 7, from a shaft p, on one end of which a crank or
key or any other suitable device for rotating it can be applied.

page_text: The inner end of each downwardly projecting shank of the lever a is connected
by a pull rod with the crank end f³ of a wire or rod f', mounted to turn in
suitable bearings or sleeves on the under side of the plate A³ of the casing A,
which wire or rod f¹ is provided on the ends opposite the ones provided with the
crank with a crank arm f2, that can act on the upper end of a screw gon a
lever, pivotted between suitable jaws of a rait C2, arranged in the casing below
the horizontal partition A³ and extending in the direction of the length of the
apparatus.
On the opposite end of each lever a spring h³ acts, which is fixed in the casing
or on a suitable rod in the same and serves to press down one end of lever,
thereby pressing the head on the screw g against the corresponding crank f2. To
that end of the lever h on which the spring h³ acts, a friction lever kis pivotted,
which is provided on its lower end with a segmental friction surface k¹, that can
rest upon and be actuated by a friction roller E, mounted in the casing A and
parallel with the front of the keyboard, which friction roller E is rotated by the
shaft p or driving mechanism of the same by means of a belt W3 shewn in dotted
lines in Fig. 6. The friction lever k is provided with a fixed arm i, to which,
at mis pivotted one end of an angle lever 1, pivotted to suitable jaws on the
lower end of a screw block K', into the threaded aperture of which a screw K
is screwed, the upper end of which screw is mounted to turn in a socket A³ in
the top of the casing A, said screw being provided above the socket with a squared
end on which a key M can be applied for turning said screw and thereby raising
and lowering the screw block K, and thus adjusting the angle lever in relation
to the corresponding key F. On that end of the lever adjacent to the key a
clip L is fastened by means of two screws n, of which the inner one is passed
through a slot n' of the said clip, thus permitting of adjusting said clip laterally,
so that the free end of the same will be directly above the centre of the key. On
said free end of the clip L, a downwardly projecting key presser is fastened,
which is preferably provided with a felt or leather head.
If desired the key presser L' can be secured on the end of a bent lever L²,
the opposite end of which is passed through an aperture in the lever l, which
lever L² can be adjusted laterally on the end of the lever and locked in the
desired position by means of the nut n² as shewn in Fig.3.
The operation is as follows: As long as the music sheet C, which is held on the
transverse rail B2 by a suitable lever W, acts on the bevelled ends or prongs a¹ of
the levers a and holds them down, the inner ends of said levers a are raised and the
cranks are bent down and press down the screws g and levers / whereby those
ends of the levers h on which the springs act are raised and are also the friction
levers k, and their friction surfaces are not in contact with the friction roller E
which rotates in the direction of the arrow a¹. As soon as the bevelled prong or
toe a¹ of a lever a, arrives at a slot or aperture in the music sheet it snaps forward,
the corresponding spring presses down the corresponding lever h, and the friction
surface of the corresponding friction lever k is brought in contact with the friction
roller E and swung in the same direction as the arrow 2, whereby that end of the
lever connected with the arm i of said friction lever is raised and the opposite
end carrying the key presser is depressed and in turn depresses the key. When
the length of the slot in the music has passed the bevelled prong or toe a¹ of
lever the solid part of the music sheet acts on said toe again and presses it
inward, whereby that end of the lever h, opposite that one acted on by the
spring is depressed and the one acted on by the spring is raised, and thus the
friction lever is raised from the friction roller E and swung back in the inverse
direction of the arrow 2. The levers L can be adjusted vertically, so as to be in
proper position for the key, and the key pressers can be adjusted laterally, so
as to be over the longitudinal central lines of the keys. In the construction shewn
in Figs. 5, 6 and 7, the casing A is mounted to slide on rails P secured to the
piano casing G. In this construction the shaft p has a cog wheel V' engaging a
pinion V on a crank shaft N in the side of the piano casing, as shewn in Figs. 5
a,

page_text: and 6. In this construction the cranks fact on the standards g of the levers h*
pivotted on a rail X, the opposite ends of said levers being pivotted to the
friction levers k. Each friction lever is provided with an arm, having a
pivot m, on which the forked end of a vertically sliding push bar rests, the
upper end of which can press the upper end of the key F inward. A screw u
at the inner end of the key lever rests on a shoulder or abutment of the rod /*
and serves for adjusting the key lever in relation to said push rod. Whenever
an angle lever snaps upward the friction surface of the friction lever comes in
contact with the roller E, the rod 14 is moved upward and acts on the key as shewn
in Fig. 5. The plates b, b, are pivotted at e, e, and provided at their opposite ends
with transverse slots d, d, through which pins c, c, pass. These plates b, b', to
which said levers a are pivotted, permit of aligning the prongs or toes a¹, according
to the music sheet in case the same has warped or contracted.
It is evident that the above described mechanism can be used with a rotative
music sheet or disc, as well as with a longitudinally movable sheet.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim, is:-
1. In a mechanical key playing attachment for playing key instruments, the
combination with a key presser of a friction lever connected with the same, a
friction roller adapted to act on the friction lever, and mechanism substantially as
herein shewn and described, for moving the friction lever toward or from the
friction roller, and a vertically adjustable block in which the key presser is pivotted,
substantially as set forth.
2. In a mechanical playing attachment, the combination with a key presser of a
friction lever connected with the same, a friction roller adapted to act on the
friction lever, a screw block in which the key presser is pivotted, a screw screwed
into said screw block and serving for vertically adjusting said block, and
mechanism substantially as herein shewn and described, for adjusting the friction
lever by the action of a perforated music sheet, substantially as set forth.
3. In a mechanical playing attachment, the combination with the pivotted
lever 1, of a friction lever connected with the same, a friction roller adapted to
act on the friction lever, mechanism substantially as herein shewn and described,
for shifting the friction lever toward or from the friction roller by the action
of the perforated music sheet, and a laterally adjusting key pressing head on one
end of the lever 1, substantially as set forth.
4. In a mechanical playing attachment, the combination with a rail B², the
adjustable plates b, b', pivotted on the same, angle levers a, pivotted in said
plates b, b, the rods f, the crank rods f¹, the levers h, the friction levers k,
the friction roller E, and key pressers actuated by said friction lever, substantially
as set forth.
5. In a mechanical playing attachment, the combination with a rail B², of the
pivotted plates b, 61, resting flat upon the rail B² and pivotted to the same, a
series of levers a, pivotted in said plates, key pressers, and mechanism substantially
as herein shewn and described, for operating the key pressers, substantially as
set forth.
1
CAPITAINE & VON HERTLING,
89, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.