A New or Improved Guide for Use in Positioning Automatic' Playing Devices before the Keys of Pianos.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 20th June, 1899-Accepted, 22nd July, 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.]
A New or Improved Guide for Use in Positioning Automatic'
Playing Devices before the Keys of Pianos.
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:-
The invention relates to a guide for positioning an automatic playing device
known as a "pianola" belonging to a piano, and for preventing relative movement
between the two when the pianola" is in operation. A guide embodying the
invention will be described, and the novel features thereof then pointed out in
a claim.
"
In the accompanying drawing Fig. 1 is a top view of a piano and a "pianola"
in playing position before the piano and of guides embodying the invention.
Fig. 2 is an enlarged top view of a guide embodying my invention. Figs. 3
and 4 are each detail views of parts of the guide.
Similar leters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the
several figures.
A represents a keyboard of a piano and B a device such as a "pianola" for
automatically operating the keys of the piano. The device B is separate from the
piano, and when not in use it may be moved away from it. In bringing the
pianola in position before the keyboard, it is necessary that the playing fingers
of the pianola" be accurately placed over the proper keys, and the "pianola
held in this position, while it is being operated. This may be done by means
of guides C, C placed at each end of the "pianola," one part of each guide being
secured to the piano casing and the other part to the "pianola."
Each guide is made up of two parts c, c. The part à comprises an attaching
piece provided with slots which permit of its adjustment, and an arm e that
is hinged at one end to the attaching piece ². The arm is provided with an
adjusting screw against which the second part of the guide bears. This
screw is for the purpose of holding the "pianola" away from the keyboard so
that its fingers will be in proper position over the keys. The arm is also
provided with a curved surface which serves to guide the part cl into engage-
ment with the adjusting screw. The part is secured to the underside of the
key-board bed.
The part of the guide is preferably secured to the "pianola" and comprises
an attaching plate and a head which engages with the screw ³.
When the pianola" is not in use, the arms of the guides are turned inward

page_text: under the key bed of the piano as shown in dotted lines Fig. 2, so as to be out
of the way.
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. A guide for positioning an automatic playing device before the keys of a
piano comprising two parts, one of which is secured to the piano so as to be
adjustable thereon longitudinally of the key-board, and the other of which is
secured to the automatic playing device and is adapted to bear against the part
carried by the piano.
2. A guide for positioning an automatic playing device before the keys of a
piano, comprising two parts: one of said parts consisting of an attaching base,
an arm hinged to said base, and the other of said parts consisting of a piece which
bears against the said arm.
3. A guide for positioning an automatic playing device before the keys of a
piano comprising two parts; one of said parts consisting of an attaching base,
an arm hinged to said base, and the other part consisting of an attaching piece
and a head which engages with said arm.
4. A guide for positioning an automatic playing device before the keys of a
piano, comprising two parts, one of said parts consisting of an attaching base,
an arm hinged thereto, and an adjustable screw which is carried by said arm, and
the other part consisting of an attaching piece and a head which engages said
screw.
Dotal thin 90th day of Tuna 1900
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.