IMPROVED MEANS AND APPLIANCES TO BE EMPLOYED IN CONNECTION WITH MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS FOR PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR REPRODUCING TUNES WHICH HAVE BEEN PLAYED THEREON
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Paterson, of Queen's Square Place, in the County
of Middlesex, for an Invention of "IMPROVED MEANS AND APPLIANCES
TO BE EMPLOYED IN CONNECTION WITH MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS FOR
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Paterson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th March 1881.
_THOMAS PATERSON, of Queen's Square Place, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVED MEANS AND APPLIANCES TO BE EMPLOYED IN CONNECTION WITH
MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS FOR REPRODUCING TUNES WHICH HAVE BEEN PLAYED
THEREON."
My Invention consists in electrical and mechanical arrangements by which the
action of a pianoforte, organ, or other keyed instrument when played upon produces
such a modification of a mechanism combined with it that a piece of music once
played upon it may at any time be repeated by the automatic machinery set in
motion by electricity, clock work, or other means.
In carrying out my Invention I adopt mainly the following arrangements, taking
as example when applied to a piano:-Under the keyboard I arrange a web, band,
or other suitable material, which is stretched on and passes over rollers; this band
may be actuated by any suitable means. When the keys are depressed in the act
of playing, a pin which, according to one form of my arrangements is fitted on the
under side of the keys, passes through the web and perforates same. The web is
kept continually passing under the keyboard by any suitable means at a regular
rate of motion. When the tune is finished, and it is required to reproduce same
from the perforations same can be effected in the following manner :-On a bar or
rod I arrange contact pieces, one or more for each key, and in front of same is a
bar, between which and the contact pieces the web or band is caused to travel, and
as each hole or opening comes opposite the contact pieces electrical contact is formed

page_text: with the hammer, and the note or notes required are produced. The electrical
contact thus momentarily formed directs an electrical current through an arrange-
ment by which an electro magnet becoming magnetic during the period of contact
draws back and releases the hammer, by which the string is struck in the case of a
stringed instrument, or the stop which opens and closes the excess of the air current
to the pipe reed in the case of wind instruments; or the electro magnet may be so
arranged that the hammer or stop may be drawn back and released twice, or any
other larger number of times during the time the perforation in the web allows the
electrical contact to continue. When the tune is reproduced by mechanical means
a projection or depression in the web, or by a pin on the web itself is used, so that
when these are brought in position same causes the hammer to be released, pro-
ducing the note or notes required. When applied to the organ or reed instruments
the note is produced in a similar way, allowing the air to pass to the pipe or reed.
In place of the web a roller may be used, which, as the same passes under the key-
board, receives pins or holes formed by the depression of the key or keys.

page_text: +
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Thomas Paterson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
10th September 1881.
THOMAS PATERSON, of Queen's Square Place, in the County of Middlesex.
IMPROVED MEANS AND APPLIANCES TO BE EMPLOYED IN CONNECTION WITH
MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS FOR REPRODUCING TUNES WHICH HAVE BEEN PLAYED
THEREON."
My Invention consists in electrical and mechanical arrangements, by which the
action of a pianoforte, organ, or other keyed instrument when played upon produces
such a modification of a mechanism combined with it that a musical composition
once played upon it may be at any time repeated by the automatic machinery set
in motion by electricity, clockwork, steam, or other means. In carrying out my
Invention I adopt substantially the following arrangements, taking as example
when applied to a piano-Under the keyboard I arrange a web or band of any
suitable material, which is stretched on and passed over rollers. The rollers over
which the band is stretched may be moved by clockwork or by any other suitable
means. When the keys are depressed in the act of playing, a movable pin, which,
according to one form of my arrangements is fitted on the under side of the keys,
passes through the web and perforates same. The web is kept continually passing
under the keyboard by any suitable means at a regular rate of motion. When the
musical composition is finished, and it is required to reproduce same from the
perforations, same can be effected in the following manner:-On a bar or rod I
arrange contact pieces insulated from one another, one or more for each key, and in
front of same is a bar, between which and the contact pieces the web or band (in
this case of insulating material) is caused to travel, and as each hole or opening
comes opposite the contact pieces electrical contact is formed, directing an electrical
current through an arrangement by which an electro magnet becomes magnetic during
the period of contact, draws back and releases the hammer by which the string is
struck in the case of a stringed instrument, or the stop which opens and closes the
access of the the air current to the pipe or reed in the case of wind instruments; or
the electro magnet may be so arranged that the hammer or stop may be drawn back
and released twice or any other larger number of times during the time the
perforation in the web allows the electrical contact to continue. When the tune is
reproduced by mechanical means a projection or depression in the web or thin
sheet of metal is used, or a pin may be inserted in the web or in a cylinder prepared
to receive it, which may be used instead of the web; or indentations may be made
in a cylinder, or web, or band to serve the same purpose, so that when brought into
position same cause the hammer to be released, producing the note or notes required.
When applied to the organ or reed instruments the note is produced in a similar
way, allowing the air to pass to the pipe or reed. In place of the web a roller may
be used, which as the same passes under the keyboard receives pins, or holes or
indentations are formed in it by the depression of the key or keys. The rollers
may be shifted laterally in the way now in use in barrel organs, so as to utilize the
whole surface of the web or roller.
In order that my Invention may be clearly understood I will now proceed to
describe same by reference to the accompanying Drawings.

page_text: Fig. 3 shows electrical bar and contact piece; Figs. 4, 5, and 6 plan, longitudinal
section, and cross section of one form of appliance for insertion of pins in web or
cylinder to produce perforations; Fig. 7 shows arrangements for producing inden-
tations in thin metal cylinder or web.
In these Figures A, A, is web or cylinder; B, electrical bar; C, contact spring;
R, R, rollers; D, perforating pin, sliding in E, Fig. 2; K, keys; F, spring to raise
the raise the perforator D after it has passed down into the hole H. In Figs. 4, 5,
and 6, L groove piece containing pins P and screw, which actuates slide N, said
screw being actuated by pinion acted upon by the rise and fall of the key, the
slide pressing forward pins P. The band A, travelling over the rollers R, is
perforated by pressure on the key K in playing said key, depressing perforator D.
On releasing the key the perforator D returns to its normal position by means of
the spring F. To reproduce the tune from the perforated web same is caused to
travel between the electrical bar B and contact spring C, and as each perforation
comes between same contact is formed and the note produced. In Figs. 4, 5, and 6
arrangements are shewn whereby pins are employed to produce the required
perforations. The pins are arranged in suitable groove under the keyboard, and
on depression of a key a pin is forced through the web or cylinder A. On the key
being released another pin is brought over the opening by means of spring or
pawl acting on a spiral or screw bar, forcing same forward. In Fig. 7 the roller R
is grooved or fluted, said flutes or grooves coming under each key of the instrument,
so that on the key being depressed the band or cylinder A, formed of thin metal, is
acted upon, producing an indentation for the purpose, as hereinbefore described.
The perforator shown in Fig. 2 is applied in this case, but such pin or perforator
may be attached to the key. The Invention can be used with a simple keyboard,
without attachment to any musical instrument, in order to produce webs or cylinders
for employment with suitable instruments. When it is desirable to give greater
force to the formation of the perforations or indentations, or the insertion of the
pins than the performer can conveniently give, I employ the depression of the keys
only to put in or out of gear apparatus by which perforations or indentations are
produced or pins driven in by power.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature and object of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed or carried out in
practice, I hereby declare that I claim the Invention of " Improved Means and
Appliances to be Employed in Connection with Musical Instruments for Repro-
ducing Tunes which have been Played thereon," substantially as same is herein-
before set forth and described, in which the following are important points or
features:-
(1). The arrangement of web or cylinder, in which by the action of keys perfora-
tions or indentations are produced, or pins inserted, substantially as and for the
purpose hereinbefore described.
(2). Reproducing tunes from such web or cylinder by electrical or mechanical
means, substantially as herein before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Paterson, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Ninth day of September, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty one.
Witness,
T. MORGAN,
21, Cockspur Street,
S.W.
THOMAS PATERSON. (L.S.)