Improvements in Means for Automatically 'Playing Stringed 'Instruments.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Aug., 1896--Accepted, 7th Nov., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Means for Automatically 'Playing Stringed
'Instruments.
I, SAMUEL HEY of 17, Hanover Street, Keighley in the County of York
Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention as communicated to
me from abroad by William Sumner Reed of Leominster, State of Massachusetts,
United States of America, Gentleman, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in 'and by the following
statement:-
This invention relates to apparatus for operating fingers and pickers applied to
a banjo or other like instrument, and it consists in the improved automatic
apparatus which I will now proceed to describe and claim.
Of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of' this specification,-
Figure 1 represents a perspective view, showing a banjo provided with fingers
and pickers which form a part of my improved automatic playing apparatus.
Figure 2 represents a perspective view, showing two of the pickers on a larger
scale.
Figure 3 represents a perspective view, showing one of the pickers and its
guide.
Figure 4 represents a front elevation of my 'improved apparatus, the casing
and portions of the apparatus being shown in section.
Figure 5 represents a side elevation of the apparatus, the casing being also
shown in section.
Figure 6 represents a sectional view of the channel-board hereinafter referred to.
Figure 7 represents a sectional view of one of the pneumatic operating 'devices
and a side elevation of a part operated thereby.
Figure 8 represents a view of a portion of a perforated sheet used to control
the apparatus.
Figure 9 represents a perspective view, showing the apparatus and its casing.
The same letters of 'reference indicate the same parts in all the figures.
In the drawings-
a represents a cabinet or casing, which may be of any desired form and style,
and is preferably composed in part of glass in its upper portion, the glass being
arranged to expose to view the banjo b or other stringed instrument which is
played by the apparatus hereinafter described, the 'banjo being secured in position
by brackets d d or other supporting mearis.
e e represent a series of fingers, which are arranged to act upon the strings 'f. of
the instrument to vary the operative length of the same, the fingers being
substitutes for the fingers of the human hand, and arranged to press the strings
downwardly upon the neck of the banjo or upon the usual frets attached thereto.
Each finger is adjustably secured by means of a set-screw es, Fig. 7, to one of the
rods e', which is operated by a pneumatic apparatus constructed as follows:
9 represents a channel-board, which is affixed within the casing and has a series
of wind passages or channels 'g' '(see Figure 6), which extend from the outer
convex face of the board g to the rear face thercof. The ends of the channels gl
on the convex outer face of the board are in line with each other, and are arranged
to be covered by the perforated sheet h, which is moved across the convex face

page_text: of the channel-board by means of feed-rolls i i¹ arranged above the channel-board,
said feed-rolls being driven by belts from a shaft j driven by an electric or
other suitable motor k. The sheet h, as here shown, is in the form of an endless
band, as indicated in Figure 5. The wind passages g' (Fig. 6) are connected by
tubes m with a series of primary pneumatics (Fig. 7), which are collapsible
chambers composed of rigid side-pieces and a bellows-like flexible connecting-piece,
each primary pneumatic being located in a suction-chamber o, from which air
is continuously exhausted through a pipe p extending to an exhaust-bellows q
driven by a connection with the driving-shaft (Fig. 5), said connection
comprising a worm q' on said shaft, a worin-wheel 2 meshing with the worm,
and a pitman 3 connecting the worm-wheel with the lower portion of the
exhaust-bellows. Each primary pneumatic n is normally closed by means of a
spring n¹, as shown in full lines in Figure 7. When an orifice in the sheet h
coincides with a channel g' in the channel-board, air is admitted, under atmospheric
pressure, to the interior of the primary pneumatic, and in conjunction with the
partial vacuum caused in the chamber o, causes the primary pneumatic to expand,
as shown in dotted lines in Figure 7, the spring n being weak and permitting this
action. The primary pneumatic is provided with a contracted vent n, opening
into the suction-chamber o, and of less capacity than the channel g' and air-
conduit m, said vent permitting a limited escape of air from the primary pneumatic n.
into the suction-box o, and thus permitting a current of air to pass through the
channel g' and conduit m, to expand the primary pneumatic. The expansion of
the primary pneumatic n causes the lifting of a valve r, which covers a port in
a partition separating the exhaust-chamber o from an air-supply chambers which.
is connected with the atmosphere through an air-passages, the inner end of
which is directly over the valve ŕ. The raising of the valve r by the primary
pneumatic n causes said valve to open the passage and close the passage s', so
that the chambers is connected with the exhaust-chamber o, and air is exhausted,
therefrom and from a secondary pneumatic t, which is constructed substantially
like the primary pneumatic n and communicates with the chambers through a
passage t
The
The secondary pneumatic t is normally held expanded, as shown in
Figure 7, by means of a spring 2, and is provided with an arm or finger t³, which
engages an offset formed on the rod e¹ that operates one of the fingers e.
exhaustion of air from the chambers and the pneumatic t causes the latter to
collapse and its finger t³ to move the rod e¹ and finger e in the direction indicated
by the arrow in Figure 7, thus forcing the finger e down upon the string over
which it is located. When the perforation in the sheet passes away from the
channel g in the channel-board, the interior of the primary pneumatic n is shut
off from communication with the atmosphere, and is closed by the spring n', thus
releasing the valve r, which drops and closes the passage and opens the
passages, whereupon air enters the chambers and secondary pneumatic t, and
permits the spring t to expand the secondary pneumatic, the arm raising the
corresponding finger e from the string of the banjo. The closing of the primary
pneumatic by the spring n is facilitated by the exhaustion of air from said
primary pneumatic, through the vent n, the air-inlet m of said pneumatic being
at this time closed by the sheet h.
It will be seen from the foregoing that whenever a perforation a¹ or b¹ in the
sheet coincides with a wind-passage connected with one of the primary
pneumatics n, the corresponding finger e is depressed, and then released.
uu represent a series of pickers, one for each of the strings f. Each picker
is of curved form, and attached to the outer end of a rod or shank u', the inner
end of which is connected with a bell-crank lever u³, which is pivoted at u* to a
bracket or support u³ connected preferably with the rim of the banjo-head,
although said bracket may be supported in any other suitable way. The shank u
of each picker is adapted to oscillate on its supporting lever, and is provided with
& stud or pinu (Fig. 3) which enters an elliptical groove or guide u in a fixed
ear u supported on an extension 8 of the bracket u³. When the lever u² is

page_text: oscillated on its pivot, as hereinafter described, the resulting movement of the
shank u causes the pin us to travel around in the elliptical guide us, thus giving
the picker first a forward and downward movement toward the accompanying
spring, whereby it is caused to engage and pick the string, and then an upward
and backward movement, which raises it above the string.
Each of the bell-crank levers u² is connected by a rod u with one of the
secondary pneumatics t in the same manner that the finger e is shown as connected
with said secondary pneumatic in Figure 7, so that whenever a perforation in
the sheet intended to operate a picker coincides with a channel 9' which is
connected with a picker-operating primary pneumatic n, the accompanying picker
is given a forward movement, and when the perforation passes away from the
channel, the release of the secondary pneumatic t gives the picker a backward
movement, the picker being guided in its movements by the elliptical groove u,
as above stated. 10 represent springs, which are secured to the levers u² and to
the picker-shauk u', and have a tendency to lift said shanks as far as the walls of
the elliptical guide u will permit.
It will be seen that there is one secondary pneumatic t for every finger, and one
for every picker, each secondary pneumatic being accompanied by a primary
pneumatic, and a suction-chamber o and air-chamber s. Hence, by suitably
perforating the sheet h, any desired sequence in the operation of the fingers and
pickers may be obtained, and any desired tune played upon the instrument.
In Figures 5 and 9, I show toy figures w w, to which motion is impartel by the
motor k, through suitable connections, comprising a disk w', which is driven by a
belt w, and a rod w³ eccentrically secured to said disk and moving in a guide in
the casing a.
:
I do not limit myself to the described details of mechanism, and may variously
modify the same, without departing from the spirit of my invention.
The bracket 3 is provided with pads us of yielding material, such as felt,
chamois-skin, etc., arranged to bear upon the rim of the banjo and to act as sound-
insulators, or in other words, to prevent sound from being conducted from the
pickers and the bracket to the body of the banjo. The brackets u³ are provided
with screws u, by which they may be attached to the rim of the banjo or other
suitable support, said screws passing through slots u which are provided to permit
the vertical adjustment of the brackets and the pickers to adapt the latter to the
height of the strings of the banjo. The levers u², instead of being angular or of bell-
crank shape, may be straight levers or rocking arms, in which case the rods u would
be arranged substantially at right angles with said levers. The cars in which
elliptical guides us are formed, are provided with slots u which receive the attaching
screws 23 by which the ears are secured to the bracket-arms u8, said slots and screws
permitting the adjustment of the ears u.
In connection with the above-described apparatus, I employ a coin-controlled
mechanism for starting and stopping the motor k, so that by dropping a coin in a
slot provided for its reception in the casing, the apparatus will operate for a
predetermined length of time, and will then automatically stop. Any suitable
coin-controlled mechanism may be employed for this purpose.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. In an apparatus of the character specified, the combination of a motor, a
suction device and a sheet-feeding device operated by the motor, and a perforated
sheet moved by said feeding device, a series of fingers and a series of pickers
arranged to act on the strings of a musical instrument, and. a series of finger-
operating pneumatics operated conjointly by the said perforated sheet and by the
exhaust device.
2. In an apparatus of the character specified, a finger or picker operating
mechanism comprising a primary pueumatic normally closed, a channel-board

page_text: connected by an air-passage with the primary pneumatic, a suction-chamber
arranged to.co-operate with air admitted to the primary pneumatic to expand the
latter, the primary pneumatic having a contracted opening into the suction-chamber,
a secondary pneumatic normally expanded, connections between said secondary
pneumatic and the finger or picker to be operated, an 1 meaus operated by the
expansion of the primary pneumatic to connect the secondary pneumatic with the
suction-box, and by the collapse of the primary pneumatic to disconnect the secondary
pneumatic from the suction-chamber.
3. In an apparatus of the character specified, a finger or picker operating
mechanism comprising a primary pneumatic normally closed, a channel-board
connected by an air-passage with the primary pneumatic, a suction-chamber
arranged to co-operate with air admitted to the primary pneumatic to expand the
latter, the primary pneumatic having a contracted vent-opening into the suction-
chamber, a secondary pneumatic normally expanded, connections between said
secondary pneumatic and the finger or picker to be operated, an intermediate air-
chamber between the secondary pneumatic and the suction-chamber and having air
connections therewith and an independent air-inlet, and a valve adapted to alter-
nately close the said air-inlet and the connection between the intermediate chamber
and the suction-chamber, said valve being arranged to be actuated by the primary
pneumatic.
4. An apparatus of the character specified, comprising a banjo, fingers arranged
to act on the strings of the banjo, rods carrying said fingers and passing through
the neck of the banjo, and sheet-controlled pneumatically operated mechanism for
actuating said fingers.
5. An apparatus of the character specified, comprising a banjo, pickers arranged
to act on the strings of the banjo, supporting brackets mounted in suitable relation
to the head of the banjo and projecting over said head without contact therewith,
bell-crank levers pivoted to said supports and to the shanks of the pickers, and
sheet-controlled pneumatically operated mechanism for oscillating said bell-crank
levers to opérate the pickers.
6. An apparatus of the character specified, comprising a banjo, pickers arranged
to act on the strings thereof, fixed supports adjacent to the head of the banjo,
bell-crank levers pivoted to said supports and jointed to the pickers, means for
oscillating said bell-crank levers to give a back-and-forth movement to the
pickers, and endless guides engaged with the pickers and adapted to raise and
depress the same.
7. A finger or picker operating mechanism comprising a suction-box, a spring-
closed primary 'pneumatic within said box provided with a sheet-controlled air-inlet
and with a vent communicating with the suction-box, a spring-expanded secondary
prieumatic outside the suction-box; an air-chamber between the secondary pneumatic
and the suction-box and having air connections therewith and an independent
. air-inlet, and a valve which normally closes the connection between the suction-
box and air-chamber when the primary pneumatic is closed and opens said connection
and closes the independent air-inlet of the air-chamber when the primary pneumatic
is expanded.
.
8. An apparatus of the character specified, comprising spring-depressed finger e,
a rod or shank supporting the same, and means for opérating said rod, the finger being
adjustably mounted on the rod.
9. In an apparatus of the character specified, the combination of a banjo, a bracket
or support formed to bear on the rim of the banjo and provided with an arm u
(see Fig. 2) overhanging the banjo, bell-crank levers pivoted to said support, wire-
shanks pivoted to said levers and having pins engaged with guides on the arm u
and pickers on the outer ends of said shanks, each composed of a bent neck and a
flattened end portion.
10. The finger-supporting bracket us having sound-insulating pads us of yielding
material arranged to bear on the rim of a banjo.
11. The finger-supporting bracket u³ formed to bear on the rim of a banjo and

page_text: provided with attaching-screws and with slots receiving said screws to permit the
vertical adjustment of the bracket.
12. The combination of the finger-supporting bracket levers pivoted thereto,
pickers connected to the upper ends of said levers, and picker-operating pneumatics
connected with the lower ends of said levers.
Dated L: AL 1
11900
SAMUEL HEY.