Improvements in Music Sheets for Mechanical Musical Instruments.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Sept., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 29th May, 1890-Accepted. 5th July, 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Music Sheets for Mechanical Musical
Instruments.
I FRIEDRICH ERNST PAUL EHRLICH Managing Director of the "Fabrik Leipziger
Musikwerke vormals Paul Ehrlich & Co." of Gohlis near Leipsic Germany do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to music sheets for mechanical musical instruments which
are actuated or caused to play by the combined action of the music sheet and a
pin or finger connected to the mechanism controlling the sound producing parts
such as tongues, reeds, strings, chords or the like and causing them to emit the
required notes, and the object of the present improvements is to provide music
sheets which enable these instruments to play pieces of music of greater length
than is possible with the discs or music sheets heretofore employed. These improved
music sheets also admit of being readily exchanged and can be packed in the smallest
possible space.
The invention consists in constructing the music sheets by connecting together a
number of pieces in the form of segments of circles or discs any desired number of
which may be employed according to the length of the piece of music which they
represent. For an ordinary short piece of music about 3 or 4 segments are usually
sufficient which when spread out form a complete circle or disc but for relatively long
pieces, six ten or more segments may be employed being combined somewhat on the
principle of the parts of a fan so as to slide one over the other.
These segments may be composed of sheet metal card or other sufficiently stiff form
of paper, stiffened woven fabric or any other suitable material and are provided with
perforations, recesses or projections arranged or distributed in the usual manner in
accordance with the tune to be played. These segments are connected together at
the centre so that they can be slidden one over the other and be closed or shut up in
a similar manner to the parts of a fan or be opened out and moved forwards edge to
edge so as to enable the holes or their equivalents to act on the mechanism in the
proper order.
The invention further relates to engaging and disengaging devices for connecting
the several parts of the music sheet in such a manner as to enable them to be packed
together like the divisions or sections of a fan and also like the parts of a fan to be
successively opened or spread out when in operation.
With this object each segment
is caused to catch or engage with the one next to it or next following it so that after
one segment is pulled out it draws the next segment after it in such a manner that
the back edge of each segment neatly joins the front edge of the following segment
this being essential to secure the uninterrupted action of the holes or their equivalents
and obtain a regular or continuous playing of the instrument.
Before the instrument begins to play the improved music sheet is in the form of a
compact block and when the mechanism is set in operation the first segment in the
block say the bottom segment. for example is fed forwards or propelled over the
fingers or pins of the levers or mechanism. After a time the succeeding segment is
pulled out or forwards; this segment pulls out a third segment and so on until every
segment has been brought into action. At the same time the first segment after it
has done its work is stopped on the other side of the pins or fingers and in like
manner each segment after acting on the pins or fingers is stopped one after the
other and packed or filed together with the other in a block or pile ready for use as
before.
The aforesaid automatic engaging and disengaging device can be constructed in
various ways.
It may operate by means of a tape strip or band for example attached

page_text: to the segments at suitable intervals or by means of hooks pawls or catches with
suitably inclined surfaces which hooks engage and disengage at the required times
with corresponding holes or recesses in the segments or any other suitable combination
capable of producing the effects required may be employed.
Dated this 30th day of September 1889.
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Music Sheets for Mechanical Musical
Instruments,
I, FRIEDRICH ERNST PAUL EHRLICH, Managing Director of the "Fabrik Leipziger
Musikwerke, vormals Paul Ehrlich & Co.," of Gohlis near Leipsic, Germany, 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 :-
This invention relates to music sheets for mechanical musical instruments which are
actuated or caused to play by the combined action of the music sheet and a pin or
finger connected to the mechanism controlling the sound producing parts, such as
tongues, reeds, strings, chords or the like, and causing them to emit the required
notes, and the object of the present improvements is to provide music sheets which
enable these instruments to play pieces of music of greater length than is possible
with the discs or music sheets heretofore employed. These improved music sheets
also admit of being readily exchanged and they can be packed in the smallest possible
space.
:
The invention consists in constructing the music sheets by connecting together a
number of pieces in the form of sectors of circles or discs, any desired number of
which may be employed according to the length of the piece of music which they
represent. For an ordinary short piece of music about 3 or 4 sectors are usually.
sufficient, which when spread out form a complete circle or disc; but for relatively
long pieces, six, ten, or more sectors may be employed being combined on the
principle of the parts of a fan so as to slide one over the other.
The sectors may be composed of sheet-metal, card-board, or other sufficiently stiff
kind of paper, stiffened woven fabric, or any other suitable material, and they are
provided with perforations, recesses, or projections arranged or distributed in the usual
manner in accordance with the tune to be played. These sectors are connected
together at the centre so that they can be slidden one over the other and be closed
or shut up in a similar manner as the parts of a fan, or be opened out and moved
forwards edge to edge so as to enable the holes or their equivalents to act on the
mechanism in the proper order.
The invention further relates to engaging and disengaging devices for connecting
the several parts of the music sheet in such a manner as to allow them to be packed
together like the divisions or sections of a fan and to be successively opened or
spread out when in operation. With this object each sector is caused to catch or
engage with the one next to it or next following it, so that after one sector is pulled
out it draws the next sector after it in such a manner that the back edge of each
sector neatly joins the front edge of the following sector, this being essential to secure
the uninterrupted action of the holes or their equivalents and obtain a regular or
continuous playing of the instrument.
Before the instrument begins to play the improved music sheet is in the form of a
compact block, and when the mechanism is set in operation, the first sector in the
block, say the bottom sector, is fed forwards or propelled over the fingers or pins of
the levers or mechanism. After a time the succeeding sector is pulled out or forwards;
this sector pulls out a third sector and so on, until every sector has been brought into
At the same time the first sector, after it has done its work, is stopped on the
action.

page_text: other side of the pins or fingers, and in like manner each sector after acting on the
pins or fingers, is stopped one after the other and packed or filed together with
the other in a block a pile ready for use as before.
The aforesaid automatic engaging and disengaging device can be constructed in
various ways. It may operate by means of a tape, strip, or band attached to the
sectors at suitable intervals, or by means of hooks, pawls, or catches with suitably
inclined surfaces, which hooks engage and disengage at the required times with corre-
sponding holes or recesses in the sectors, or any other suitable combination capable
of producing the effects required, may be employed.
In the annexed drawing fig. 1 is a plan of the box of a musical instrument together
with a music-sheet of the improved kind. Fig. 2 is a sectional side-elevation, some
parts being omitted, and fig. 3 a sectional front-view corresponding to fig. 1; both
figures showing the upper part of the instrument only. Figs. 4 is a plan and figs. 5, 6
are sectional views of one arrangement of the device for connecting the sectors
of the said sheet. Figs. 7, 8 and 9 are respectively plan, front-view and side-view of
a modified construction of the connecting device. Fig. 10 shows the parts thereof
out of engagement. Fig. 11 is a plan and fig. 12 an edge view of portions of two
sectors with another arrangement of connecting-device, figs. 13 and 14 showing the
two sectors in different positions.
In figs. 1, 2 and 3 is the box of the instrument and a a¹ a³, &c., are the sectors.
These sectors are pivotally connected together at their centres by a sleeve b, arranged
to be slipped on a pin c fixed to the box k. On the top of the said box there is a
elevation i, designed to support the pile of sectors previous to their operation. is a
swivelling bar, such as is usually employed in like instruments, the same having on
its lower surface ribs that bear on the full portions of the music-sheet and serve to.
keep it down, while the parts of the mechanisms to be acted upon, press against the
sheet from below. In fig. 3 one such part, viz. a lever, h, having an upright finger,
is shown by dotted lines. d and e are two rollers by which the sector being at the
time under the action of the same, is drawn forward in the direction of the arrow ;
fig. 1.
The roller e is actuated by any suitable mechanism connected to the crank of
the instrument, but not shown in the drawing. The roller dis mounted on the end
of an arm pivoted to the box & in such manner that it may be brought into co-
operation with the roller e, or turned aside in view of allowing the music-sheet to be
exchanged. If the arm is in the position shown in the drawing, the sector being
between the-rollers is pressed by the roller d against the rollere so that when the
roller e rotates, it will draw along the sector through the medium of the friction
between it and the latter.
The connecting-device shown in fig. 1, and more in detail by figs, 4, 5 and 6, consists
for two sectors such as a and a¹ in a small inclined tappet 1, projecting upward from
the end of a strip of metal m, which is fixed to the rear outer corner of the sector a,
and in an edge, being the front edge of a hole o punched into the forward outer
corner of the sector a¹, and arranged to register with the tappet 1 of the sector a
when both sectors are in juxtaposition: If the sectors are made of card-board the said
edge p is preferably provided with a mounting n of metal for the purpose of
preventing its abrasion.
☐
When a tune is to be played, the bar is turned aside into the line f¹, fig. 1, the
pile of sectors forming the music-sheet, is placed with its sleeve b on the pin c, the
lowest sector, whose front portion is without perforations, is drawn forward by hand
and brought in engagement with the rollers de, and the bar is returned to its
normal position, all the sectors except the lowest one, which is under the bar f; being
then in rear of the latter. If the roller e is now put in rotation by the operating
mechanism of the instrument, the said lowest sector (sector a, fig. 6) will be advanced,
and, when its tappet comes into register with the hole o of the sector being above
the former (sector a¹, fig. 6) the tappet engages with the hole, as shown especially
by figs. 4 and 5, and draws the second sector along. In like manner all the other
sectors are drawn forward one after the other.
it is still pushed
After any sector, say the sector a¹, fig. 1, has left the rollers d

page_text: forward by the following sector, in this case sector a², on account of the sectors
touching each other with their radial edges. But as soon as the sector al has passed,
and is. free from the radial edge of the elevation i, it will have the tendency to dis-
engage from the sector a", because its normal position is below that of the latter. In
order, however, to bring about this disengagement with certainty, an inclined plate g
is fixed to the instrument above the said edge in such position that it will bend
down the sector a' on passing under it (see fig. 3) and thus allow the sector a² to slide
upon the former. The sector a', and whatever sectors precede, are thereupon pushed
forward together by the friction existing between them, but as soon as they meet any
resistance, such as the post g, provided for this purpose, they will slide further one on
the other, so that they may finally be pushed together completely by hand to form again
a pile. If the plate 7 should not be considered sufficient for the purpose of dis-
engaging the sectors, a surface inclined upwardly in the direction of motion of the
sectors, may be formed on the top of the elevation i near the edge i¹ as shown in
dotted lines in figs. 1 and 2, this surface operating to raise the forward edge of any
sector while the contiguous edge of the preceding one is depressed.
In view of properly guiding one sector after the other under the bar f, this bar is
provided with the inclined plates, the lower edge whereof is at such distance from
the top of the elevation i as to allow only one sector to pass at a time.
In the modified arrangement of the connecting-device shown by figs. 7 to 10), one
of the cooperating parts consists in a tappet A, formed at the end of the angular strip
of metal m¹, fixed to the sector a, the said tappet projecting upward, outside of the
periphery of the sector, while the other part is constituted by the portion p¹ of a
strip of metal n', secured to the sector a', the portion p projecting radially from
the latter so as to be in the path of the tappet when the same is moving.
Preferably the tappet is bent to embrace the edge of the disk a¹ (see fig. 9).
Figs. 7 and 8 show the two sectors in juxtaposition, the parts and p being in
engagement with each other, while fig. 10 shows the sector a¹ partly slidden
upon the sector a.
The connection between the two sectors represented by figs. 11 to 14 is produced
by a tape fixed with one end to the sector a at its rear edge, and with its other
end in the middle of the sector a', the tape having such length as to be stretched out
when the sectors are in juxtaposition (see figs. 11 and 12). If under these con-
ditions the sector a is moved forward, it will draw the sector a¹ along with it, whereas
if sector a is bent down and sector a is advanced, the latter will slip upon the
former (see fig. 13), the tape then becoming slack and folding together until, when
the sector a¹ has been pushed completely on sector a, it will lie entirely between them,
as shown by fig. 14.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :
1. In a rotating music-sheet for mechanical musical instruments, the combination
of a plurality of sectors, superposed and pivotally united at their centres, and
having connecting-devices whereby each sector, on being moved forward, is enabled
to draw along the following one and to slide upon the sector that precedes, sub-
stantially as described.
2. In a rotating music-sheet for mechanical musical instruments, the combination
of a plurality of sectors, superposed and pivotally united at their centres, the; said
sectors having tappets, such as land A, and edges, such as p and pl, against which the
tappets of the preceding sectors.act, substantially as specified.
Dated the 29th day of May 1890.
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
Agents.