IMPROVEMENTS IN MECHANICAL PIANOFORTES, ORGANS AND SIMILAR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS A
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake of the firm of Haseltine Lake
& Co. Patent Agents Southampton Buildings London for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MECHANICAL PIANOFORTES, ORGANS AND SIMILAR MUSICAL
INSTRUMENTS A communication to him from abroad by J. Lacape and Co,
"
of Paris France.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th September 1882.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, and Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London, "IMPROVEMENTS IN MECHANICAL PIANOFORTES,
ORGANS, AND SIMILAR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS [A communication to him from
abroad by J. Lacape and Co, of Paris, France.]
"
This invention relates to improvements in mechanical pianos and organs, and is
also applicable to other mechanical musical instruments in which the execution of
musical works is effected by notation upon wooden or metal cylinders or the like, or
upon sheets of cardboard, metal or other material, the operation of these cylinders
or sheets being effected either by the hand or by the foot, or by any mechanical
means, or by electricity.
According to the said invention I employ a pedal in place of the crank-handle
usually employed in mechanical pianos. I also provide a fly wheel with an endless
screw and a worm-wheel for transmitting to the music cylinder the movement of
the said pedal. The said cylinder, in addition to its rotary motion, is arranged in
such a manner that a to-and-fro longitudinal movement may be imparted to it.
I also provide special mechanism for changing the tunes, and a spring key
board for transmitting to the hammers of the instrument the action of the
cylinder.
The pedal is situated at one side and in the same horizontal plane as the existing
pedals of the ordinary pianos; it is pivoted in the lower part of the framework of
the piano and is coupled to one end of a connecting rod, the other end of which is
coupled to a lever or beam. The latter is, on the one hand, pivotted on a fixed pin

page_text: or stud, and, on the other hand, to the lower end of a long connecting rod coupled at
its upper end to a fly wheel. This fly wheel is loose upon the extremity of a
horizontal shaft but is connected to this shaft by means of a spring pawl or click
each time that the pedal is worked in the proper direction. The said horizontal
shaft is mounted in suitable bearings fixed to the wooden frame-work which
supports the whole of the mechanism and is connected internally to the sides
of the piano. The central part of this shaft is provided with an endless screw
gearing with a worm-wheel loose upon a shaft. This shaft is fixed at a suitable
point to the framework and has at one side of the worm-wheel an extension
designed to serve as a trunnion for the rotary cylinder. The worm wheel is
furnished on one of its sides with a pin or projection passing into the cylinder to
connect it therewith and impart motion to the said cylinder, and a screw is provided
for stopping the cylinder when it arrives at the end of its course. The other side
of the worm wheel has a small projection, which, at each revolution, acts upon a
lever designed to raise an index or pointer, visible on the key board-of the
instrument, at each change of the tune.
The rotary cylinder carries upon its entire surface the points of notation of the
tunes and is mounted in a special manner, that is to say, at one end this cylinder
rests upon the extension of the worm-wheel shaft, and, at the other end, it is provided
with a journal or central shaft forming a trunnion and turning in a suitably
arranged opening in a metallic support fixed to the framework of the
instrument. This cylinder in addition to the movement imparted to it by means
of the said pin or projection on the worm-wheel has a to and fro longitudinal
movement upon its trunnions which permits the automatic adjustment of the points
upon its surface in relation to the keys of the spring key-board. The exact position
of the cylinder during its rotation is ensured by means of a sliding blade hereinafter
described.
The trunnion, at one end of the cylinder, has circular grooves equal in number to
the tubes on the cylinder, and the space between two of such grooves is equal to the
thickness of the points of notation; moreover, the extremity of the said trunnion is
screw-threaded and carries a nut furnished with a pin or projection at one point of
its circumference. This nut comes against a fixed collar at each change of tune, in
order, first, to bring the said sliding blade in proper relation to one of the circular
grooves, and, second, to bring the points of notation in proper relation to the keys.
During one revolution of the cylinder, the projection upon the nut comnes against a
pin fixed to the aforesaid metallic support so as to arrest the said nut and cause the
same to move back upon the screwed part of the said trunnion a distance equal to
the space between the said circular grooves; this backward movement of the nut
permits, when a change of tune is required, the longitudinal movement of the
cylinder, which is effected by means of a spring constantly in contact with it, and
only acting upon the cylinder when the mechanisin for changing the tune is
operated. Each tune has the duration of one revolution of the cylinder and, when
it is desired that the same tune should be played several times in succession, it is
only necessary to let the cylinder begin again as many revolutions as desired; in
this case the projection on the said nut does not come against the pin and, therefore,
the nut does not move upon the trunnion, and when the operating button is pressed
in order to change the tune, the spring pushes the cylinder to the place it must
occupy to play the next tune in succession, whilst its position is exactly regulated
by the nut coming against the fixed collar.
The mechanism for changing the tune is worked by means of a button at the
end of a rod passing into the front of the piano. This rod is connected to a lever
or beam pivoted upon the aforesaid metallic support; the lower part of the said
lever is forked or slotted to receive a pin fixed in a sliding piece which it is
designed to move. This sliding piece is provided with a blade designed (upon
the said button being operated in order to change the tune) to enter one of the
aforesaid circular grooves in the trunnion so as to prevent any longitudinal move-
ment of the cylinder while regulating exactly the position of the points upon the

page_text: surface thereof in relation to the keys of the spring key-board, which is bereinafter
described, the action of the said blade not interfering with the rotary motion of the
cylinder.
The upper part of the said lever is provided with an arm designed to engage
with the key-board and maintain the same constantly in contact with the cylinder;
when the key-board is not in operation, a roller, carried by one arm of a lever
actuated by the aforesaid lever, supports the said key-board.
The key-board is of the same length as the cylinder and has as many keys as
there are rows of points upon the cylinder. It is pivoted, by means of trunnions
at its extremities, upon sliding pieces, one of which is mounted upon the framework
and the other is connected to the aforesaid metallic support; the latter sliding
piece has a groove in which fits a pin serving as a guide for the key-board during
its movements. The said key-board is made with a series of keys, each of which
has an inclined point designed to be raised upon the passage of the points on the
cylinder during the rotation of the latter. The keys are pivoted upon forked
pieces fixed to a longitudinal bar which carries at its upper part a number of
springs, and at its lower part a comb, and at its back part a number of stop-pins
and guide rods, equal in number to the keys. Each guide rod is connected to one
of the said springs which tend to keep the points of the said keys in contact with
the points on the cylinder; the upper part of each guide rod is terminated by a
plug or stopper which strikes against the bridge of the instrument each time that
the point of the key is raised. The action of the guide rods of this special key-
board does not interfere with the working of the ordinary keys of the piano either
when the said guide rods occupy one of their positions or when they occupy the
other.
The mechanism and hammers of the piano are completely independent and can
be worked either by the ordinary key-board operated by the fingers, or by the
special key-board operated by the cylinder.
It will be obvious that some of the said improvements are applicable to
mechanical musical instruments operated in a different manner from that above
described.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
7th March 1883.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co, Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London, "IMPROVEMENTS IN MECHANICAL PIANOFORTES,
ORGANS, AND SIMILAR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS"-A communication to me from
abroad by J. Lacape and Co., of Paris, France.
This Invention relates chiefly to mechanical pianos and organs; but is also
applicable to other mechanical musical instruments in which the execution of
musical works is effected by means of pins fixed in wooden or metal cylinders or
the like, or upon sheets of card-board, metal, or other material, the operation of the
cylinders or sheets being effected either by the hand or by the foot, or by any
mechanical means, or by electricity.
The present improvements which are represented in detail in the accompanying
drawing, comprise the employment of a pedal in place of the crank handle usually
employed in mechanical pianos; and a fly-wheel with an endless screw gearing
with a worm-wheel for transmitting to the music cylinder the movement of the
said pedal. The said cylinder is arranged in such a manner that in addition to its
rotary motion a to-and-fro longitudinal movement may be imparted to it. I also
provide special mechanism for changing the tunes, and a spring key-board for
transmitting to the hammers of the instrument the action of the cylinder.
The pedal a is situated on one side of the centre of the piano, and in the same
horizontal plane as the existing pedals of ordinary pianos; it is pivoted at b in
the lower part c of the frame of the piano and is coupled to one end of a connecting
rod d, the other end of which is coupled to a lever or beam e. The latter is pivoted
at one end on a fixed pin or stud f and at the other end is coupled to the lower end
of a connecting rod g coupled at its upper end to a crank-pin fixed in the fly wheel h.
This fly wheel is loose upon the extremity of a horizontal shaft i, but is connected
to this shaft by means of a spring pawl or click Fig. 4, so as to cause the said
shaft to rotate whenever the pedal is moved in the proper direction. The shaft i
is mounted in bearings j fixed to the wooden frame which supports the whole of
the mechanism and is connected internally to the sides of the piano. The central
part of the shaft i is provided with an endless screw gearing with a worm-wheel
loose upon the shaft m, Figures 3 and 4. This shaft is fixed at a suitable point to
the frame and has at one side of the worm-wheel an extension designed to serve
as a trunnion for the rotary cylinder. The worm-wheel 7 is furnished on one of its
sides with a pin or projection n passing into the cylinder to connect it therewith
and enable it to impart motion to the said cylinder, and a screw o is provided for
arresting the movement of the cylinder when it arrives at the end of its course.
The other side of the worm-wheel has a small projection which, at each revolution,
acts upon a lever designed to raise an index or pointer, visible on the key-board
of the instrument, at each change of the tune.
The cylinder p carries upon its entire surface the points of notation of the tunes
and is mounted in a special manner, that is to say, at one end this cylinder rests
upon the extension of the shaft m and at the other end it is provided with a
journal or central shaft q forming a trunnion and turning in a suitably arranged
aperture or bearing in a metal support fixed to the frame of the instrument.
This cylinder in addition to the movement imparted to it by means of the pin or
projection on the worm wheel, has a to-and-fro longitudinal movement upon its
trunnions which permits the automatic adjustment of the points upon its surface in

page_text: relation to the keys of the spring key-board The exact position of the cylinder
during its rotation is ensured by means of a sliding blade hereinafter described.
The trunnion g at one end of the cylinder is made with circular grooves 8,
Figure 5 equal in number to the tunes on the cylinder, and the space between two
of such grooves is equal to the thickness of the points of notation; moreover, the
extremity of the trunnion q is screw threaded and carries a nutt furnished with a
pin or projection at one point of its circumference. This nut comes against a fixed
roller at each change of tune in order first to bring one of the said circular grooves
into proper relation to said sliding blade, and second, to bring the points of notation
in proper relation to the keys. During one revolution of the cylinder the projec-
tion upon the nut t comes against a pin u fixed to the metal support r so as to
arrest the said nut and cause the same to move back upon the screw-threaded part
of the trunnion q a distance equal to the space between the said circular grooves;
this backward movement of the nut permits the longitudinal movement of the
cylinder when a change of tune is required which movement is effected by means
of a spring v constantly in contact with it and only acting upon the cylinder when
the mechanism for changing the tune is operated. Each tune is played during one
revolution of the cylinder and when it is desired that the same tune should be
played several times in succession, it is only necessary to allow the cylinder to
make as many revolutions as may be desired; in this case the projection on the
nut t does not come against the pin u and, therefere the nut does not move upon
the trunnion, and when the operating button x is pressed inward to change the
tune, the spring v pushes the cylinder to the place it must occupy to play the next
tune in succession, whilst its position is exactly regulated by the nutt coming
against the fixed roller t'.
The mechanism for changing the tune is actuated by means of a button x at the
end of a rod y passing into the front part z of the piano. The rod y is connected
to a lever or beam A pivoted at B upon the metal support r; the lower part of this
lever is forked or slotted to receive a pin fixed in a sliding piece C which it is
designed to move. This sliding piece is provided with a blade D which is designed
(when the button is operated in order to change the tune) to enter one of the
circular grooves in the trunnion 9 so as to prevent any longitudinal movement of
the cylinder, while regulating exactly the position of the points upon the surface
thereof in relation to the keys of the spring key-board, which is hereinafter
described, the action of the said blade not interfering with the rotary motion of the
cylinder. When the blade D enters one of the said grooves, the spring key-board is
in proper relation to the notes or points on the cylinder. The upper part of the
lever A is provided with an arm Ê designed to engage with the key-board and
maintain the same constantly in contact with the cylinder as shown in Figure 6;
when the key-board is not in operation the roller F, carried by one arm of a bent
lever G actuated by the lever A, supports the said key-board, as shown in Figure 7.
The key-board is of the same length as the cylinder and has as many keys as
there are rows of points upon the cylinder. It is pivoted, by means of trunnions K
at its extremities, upon sliding pieces H, I; the piece H is mounted upon the
frame and the piece I is connected to the support r; the sliding piece I has a
groove in which fits a pin K¹ serving as a guide for the key-board during its move-
ment. The said key-board is made with a series of keys L, each of which has a
bevelled or inclined tooth at its extremity designed to be raised upon the passage
of the points on the cylinder during the rotation of the latter. The keys are
pivoted upon forked pieces fixed to a longitudinal bar M which carries at its upper
part a number of springs Q, and at its lower part a comb N, and at its back part
stop-pins O and guide rods P equal in number to the keys. Each guide-rod is
connected to one of the springs Q which tend to keep the inclined teeth of the
keys L in contact with the points on the cylinder; the upper part of each guide-
rod is terminated by a plug or stopper R which strikes against the bridge S of the
instrument each time that the tooth of the key is raised, as will be understood by
referring to Figure 1, in which the key-board is represented in the position which

page_text: it occupies when in operation. The action of the guide-rods of this special key-
board does not interfere with the working of the ordinary keys of the piano either
when the said guide rods occupy their operative position or when they occupy the
position shown at P', Figures 1 and 7.
The mechanism T and the hammers of the piano are completely independent and
can be worked either by the ordinary key-board operated by the fingers, or by the
special key-board operated by the cylinder.
It will be obvious that some of the said improvements are applicable to
mechanical musical instruments operated in a different manner from that above
described.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondents, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim the above described improvements in mechanical pianofortes, organs
and similar musical instruments, particularly characterized as follows, that is to
say :-
First. The employment, in combination with the improved mechanism, of a pedal
for actuating the cylinder of the instrument, substantially as set forth.
Second. The employment of a fly-wheel, an endless screw or worm, and a worm-
wheel for transmitting motion from the pedal to the cylinder, substantially as set
forth.
Third. The peculiar mode of mounting the cylinder, substantially as set forth.
Fourth. The mechanism substantially as described for changing the tunes.
Fifth. The spring key-board designed to act upon the hammers, substantially as
set forth.
In witness whereof I the said William Robert Lake have hereunto set my
hand and seal this Seventh day of March in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty three
TIM DOD
TH