IMPROVEMENTS IN MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Merritt Gally, of Golden Square, in the County of
Middlesex, Mechanical Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.'
"
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Merritt Gally at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 2nd October 1878.
MERRITT GALLY, of Golden Square, in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS."
My Invention relates, first, to that class of musical instruments or attachments for
performing automatically upon musical instruments which are operated by means
of a perforated sheet of paper or other material.
In using perforated music sheets for automatic instruments it is a custom to
make the sheet in form of an endless belt, as the increasing size of a winding roll
when operated automatically is liable to change the "time" of the piece being
played.
The first part of my Invention consists in such a construction of the mechanismi
which moves the sheet as to secure to it a regular movement and to allow only a
corresponding winding of the roll. The motor shaft J may be turned by hand or any
suitable motive power. On this shaft is a roller Z, and above it another roller X,
between which the perforated sheet is drawn by the action of the motor. The
motor shaft J is connected either by belt, tooth, or friction gear to the roller I, upon
which roller the sheet is wound after passing between the small rollers X, Z. The
wheel of roller I turns loosely on the shaft, but is provided with a friction clutch
which causes it to turn the roller with sufficient force to wind the sheet upon the
increasing roll. When the strain upon the sheet is more than sufficient to wind it
upon the roll, the wheel I slips under the pressure friction roll p and turns on the
shaft. Thus the sheet is collected and wound on the roll. I only as fast as it is
allowed to pass between the motor rollers X and Z.

page_text: The object of the second part of my Invention is to provide for the rewinding
of one or more rolls of music mechanically while music is being performed by the
instrument. After the sheet has been used and wound upon roller I it is necessary
to rewind it before it can be used again or the music would be reversed. In order
that this can be done mechanically while another sheet is being rolled at I, the first
roll collected at I is placed at L, and rewound on roller K, while the second sheet
is being wound on roller I. Thus there is no interruption in the music from piece
to piece except the simple changing of the position of the rolls, and the several sheets
are always mechanically rewound and ready for use.
The third part of my Invention consists in a pneumatic key action which in
connection with the perforated sheet can be used not only for operating wind
musical instruments, but also those with strings, bells, drums, &c., or any instru-
ments which may be operated by hand or mechanical action.
•
In Fig. 2 the perforated sheet music is represented by O, O, passing from the
roll H over the air passage P. This air-duct is not provided with reeds and does
not produce directly any musical tone, but is used to exhaust the air from the air
chamber a² under the key Y, the air being drawn through the perforations in the
sheet O. The sides of the air chamber a² are flexible and allow moment of the key
when pressed upon at Y.
If the key Y were placed over a chamber only equal in size to the perforations
in the sheet the action of the key would be very weak unless the perforations were
very large, which would be impracticable, but by making the chamber a² much
larger in area under the key than the perforation of the sheet, a strong action of
the key is produced by the atmospheric pressure upon the entire area of the key
above the chamber. After the depression of the key it is returned to place as soon
as a portion of the sheet without perforation cuts off the air passage.
When the exhaust is cut off from the air chamber a² by the unperforated portion
of the music sheet, the sudden re-action of follower Y, starts open the tripping valve
c by means of the tripper b, in connection with one of the notches of the valve;
and as soon as an entry of air is thus established the chamber fills, and the key is
returned suddenly to its normal position.
A similar tripping valve is placed in the base of the pneumatic key Y2,, which
connects with an exhaust duct m², operating in connection with a line of perfora-
tions in the sheet for "expression." When the key Y begins its movement, if a
perforation in the sheet connects the exhaust with the duct of key Y, the valve c²
of key Y2 being open, the power of key Y2 is added to the power of Y, and increases
the force of push pin D. The lever D2 which operates the hammer g is pro-
vided with a moveable fulcrum which is made to slide to any point between t and
t¹, to increase or diminish the power of the stroke. This is moved by connection
with the sub-pneumatic keys. The expression pneumatic keys may also be
attached to the ordinary soft pedal apparatus for producing a variety of tone.
It will be seen that with a sufficient number of keys Y, any kind of musical
instrument can be played, either forming part of the entire mechanism, or as an
attachment to ordinary instruments such as pianos, organs, dulcimers, drums,
bells, &c.
In Fig. 1 the key Y is represented as operating the valve of the reed of an organ
and at the same time striking a bell in accord. Strings, trumpets, &c., might be
added, forming any desired combination of instruments, or the device may be used
in connection with an instrument containing only one of of the kinds mentioned.
In the Drawing, Fig. 1, the wind organ is shown as operated by the same pumps
as the pneumatic keys, both having a common air chamber S. They can, however,
be separated if desired.
In using the sheet O for operating the pneumatic keys Y, the perforations are
not required to be an elongated single opening to produce a long tone, but can be
made, as shewn, a number of small perforations near together. So long as they are
near enough together for any part of one or the other to remain over the opening
to chamber a², the key will remain depressed.

page_text: The perforations separated sufficiently to produce a cut-off by the intervening
material, two distinct movements of the key are produced.
One of the advantages of the pneumatic key action is that it will work perfectly
and strongly with perforations in the sheet, so small that if used directly over the
reeds they would not produce any tone whatever. This also allows of a much
narrower sheet being used, as a greater number of lines of openings can be made
in the width of sheets commonly used, and by alternating the keys or otherwise
placing them in separate lines the keyboard may be comparatively short.
The fifth part of my Invention consists in the peculiar construction of a voice
tremolo. The ordinary valve tremolo produces a bubbling sound and deadens the
tone, not imitating the tremolo of the human voice. The fan tremolo is also defec-
tive in this respect. The tremolo of the human voice is produced by a rapid
contraction and expansion alternating in the walls of the passage to the larynx,
but the free and clear passage of the tone is not obstructed. To imitate this
tremolo I make an opening in the side of the air duct S, Fig. 1, and cover this
opening with a flexible wall W.
When the vibrator
To the outside of the wall I attach the vibrating motor T.
is thrown to the dotted line the air in the duct is suddenly expanded and again
condensed on the return of the vibrator. The tremolo is thus produced without
in the least obstructing the duct, and the tremolo of the voice is closely imitated in
a clear full tone.
:
The vibrator T may be operated by wind, wheel, or by any mechanical action
that will produce a simple vibrating motion.
The sixth part of my Invention consists in a mechanism operated by perforations
in the music sheet to produce expression of tone as very soft, soft, loud, very loud,
&c. The reeds, cords, bells, or other musical devices are inclosed to shut in the
sound, as shewn in Fig. 1, and valve doors E (more or less in number as desired),
are connected with operating keys, so that the valve doors are opened or closed as
indicated by perforations for such keys in the music sheet representing the expres-
sion required.
The foot pedals 1, 1, connect with the bellows V, V₁, and exhaust the air from the
exhaust chamber V%. The pedals also connect by means of connecting rods d, d¹,
with cranks on the motor shaft for moving the sheet. The fly wheel R is connected
directly with the pulley Z³, and is loose on the shaft except as it is connected by
means of a spiral spring Z³, Fig. 3, which is attached one end to the shaft and the
other to the fly wheel. The spring is sufficiently strong in tension to carry the
motor shaft Z, by means of a belt from Z³ to Z, without winding up the spring.
If, therefore, the fly wheel is retarded by means of the brake Z2, the paper motor
will be retarded during the winding up of the spring without disturbing the regu-
larity of the pedal motion. By this means the performer can hold on to any note
of the music at will without changing the time of the pedals.
CLAIMS.

page_text: Fifth. The combination with the pneumatic key action of a mechanical musical
instrument of the perforated music sheet and a tripping valve, operated substantially
as and for the purpose specified.
Sixth. The combination with the primary keys of a pneumatic key action of
sub-pneumatic keys, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
Seventh. The combination with the sub-pneumatic key Y2, of the tripping valve
operated by the initial movement of the primary key Y, substantially as specified.
Eighth. The combination with an air passage of a musical instrument of a per-
forated music sheet in which perforations for the passage of air through the sheet
arranged in a single troup represents a single continuous tone, substantially as
specified.
Ninth. The combination with the pneumatic key action of a musical instrument
of a perforated music sheet in which certain perforations represent "expression," as
soft, or very soft, loud, or very loud, tremolo, or other modification of tone sub-
stantially as specified.
Tenth. The door or doors E, operated directly or indirectly by the music sheet,
substantially as and for the purpose specified.
Eleventh. The doors (one or more) in combination with the pneumatic key or
keys Y; substantially as specified.
Twelfth. In a musical instrument the tremolo, consisting of a flexible wall of the
air duct to or from the reed or pipe of a wind musical instrument, and a vibrator
for vibrating the flexible wall, substantially as specified.
Thirteenth. A moveable fulcrum, mechanically operated in the key action of a
musical instrument for the purpose of increasing or diminishing the power of the
stroke:
Fourteenth. The motor for the music sheet of a mechanical musical instrument
and the bellows for the instrument, both connected to the foot pedals, substantially
as specified.
Fifteenth. In a mechanical musical instrument the motor shaft with a brake for
retarding the same, and a yielding connection between the shaft and its driving
device, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Merritt Gally, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.