IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS PROVIDED WITH MOTORS
Year: 1884

page_text: Provided with Motors.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co, Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex do hereby declare the nature
of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO MECHANICAL MUSICAL
INSTRUMENTS PROVIDED WITH MOTORS," a communication to me from abroad by
James Morgan, of Brooklyn, New York, United States of America, Merchant to be
as follows:
This invention relates to mechanical musical instruments controlled by a
travelling music-sheet and having apparatus consisting of bellows and appur-
tenances for producing wind as required to effect the speaking of reeds, pipes or
analogous devices constituting the sound-producing devices.
The wind may be produced by force-bellows, or, in other words, bellows which
will produce a pressure of air greater than atmospheric pressure, or it may be
produced by suction-bellows which cause a reduction of the atmospheric pressure
in one part of the instrument and thereby render atmospheric pressure available
for operating the sound-producing devices.
The said invention consists partly in the combination with a mechanical musical
instrument provided with wind-producing apparatus, of a motor operated by the
wind produced in the instrument and serving to propel a travelling music sheet,
card or tablet whereby the playing of the instrument is controlled.
The motor consists preferably of a number of collapsible and expansible
chambers, severally of bellows-like construction, affixed to a body-piece containing
air ducts or ports, and having journalled in it a shaft provided with a crank which
is connected by pitman rods to the said collapsible and expansible chambers, &
037

page_text: rotary valve being carried by the shaft and serving to govern the ports of the
body-piece.
Wind produced by the wind-producing apparatus of the instrument operates the
motor. Pulleys on the shaft of the motor serve to transmit motion to rollers
having the music sheet of the instrument attached to them.
I combine with the motor a valve whereby its speed may be varied, and I may
use an index for facilitating the proper operation.
I also use a valve whereby the operation of the sound-producing devices will be
prevented during the rewinding of the music sheet.
Dated this 27th day of November 1884.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
For the Applicant.

page_text: Provided with Motors.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine Lake & Co, Patent Agents
Southampton Buildings in the County of Middlesex do hereby declare the nature
of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO MECHANICAL MUSICAL
INSTRUMENTS PROVIDED WITH MOTORS" 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 mechanical musical instruments and consists in the
combination with a mechanical musical instrument provided with wind inducing
apparatus, of a motor operated by the wind induced in the instrument and
serving to propel a traveling music sheet,, card or tablet whereby the playing of
the instrument is controlled.
The motor preferably consists of a number of collapsible and expansible
chambers, a number of ports communicating therewith, valves for such ports, a
shaft carrying said valves, a crank on said shaft and links connecting the crank
with the said chambers.
I combine with my motor a valve whereby its speed may be varied and I may
use an index for facilitating the proper operation.
I also use a valve whereby the operation of the sound-producing devices will be
prevented during the rewinding of the music sheet.
In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 is an end view of a motor embodying
my improvement, and an elevation of certain parts of a mechanical musical
instrument with the side of the case removed; Figure 2 is a front view of the
same parts, the front of the case being removed; Figure 3 is an end view of the
motor with certain parts removed; Figure 4 is a longitudinal section of the motor;
Figure 5 is a plan view of certain parts of the instrument; and Figure 6 is an
end view of a motor of slightly modified form. Similar letters of reference
designate corresponding parts in all the figures.
A designates the bellows of a mechanical musical instrument. It may be of any
suitable construction. As shown it is of the kind known as a suction bellows.
Any desirable number of bellows may be used.
B designates an equalizer of the ordinary or any other suitable form in
communication with the bellows.
C designates a roller whereby a traveling music-sheet S is propelled during the
playing of the instrument. The music-sheet may act as a valve to the ducts of sound
producing devices, or it may control the operation of devices whereby valves acting
in conjunction with the ducts of sound-producing devices may be opened and shut.
The sound-producing devices may consist of reeds arranged in a reed-board P or
they may be of any other kind.
The roller C is driven by a shaft C¹ provided with a belt pulley C*.
C designates a roller on which the music-sheet is wound up after the playing
of the instrument. This roller C³ is driven by a shaft 0 provided with a belt
nullay 05

page_text: D designates the shaft of a motor whereby the traveling music sheet is
propelled. This shaft is journalled in suitable supports and extends through a
trunk E. Near one end it is provided with belt pulleys D¹ D'. Belts I J extend
from the belt pulleys D1 D2 to the belt pulleys CC. The belt J is crossed but
the belt I is not crossed.
The trunk in the motor illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 is provided with
three ports a¹ a³ a³ communicating under control of a valve b with a duct or
passage c extending between the trunk E and the equalizer B. The valve b
consists of a disc of metal or other appropriate material affixed to the shaft D and
rotating with said shaft. It has a port b¹ which, during its rotation successively
'establishes communication between the several ports a¹ a² a³ and the duct or
passage c. A spring 6' acting against the end of the shaft D forces the valve
tightly against the end of the trunk.
On the sides of the trunk E of the motor shown in Figures 1 and 2 are arranged
collapsible chambers F1 F2 F3 which may be constructed similarly to organ bellows
with movable boards and flexible sides and ends of india-rubber, cloth or analogous
material. The ports a¹ a² a³ communicate with the interior of these chambers.
The ports a a² a³ extend through the trunk E from end to end. At the end which
is the farther from the valve b, a valve e is arranged. This valve is loosely fitted to
the shaft D so that it can slide lengthwise thereof, but it is caused to rotate with the
shaft by means of a pin or spur extending from the shaft and entering a slot in
the said valve. The valve e is provided with ports e. The port of the valve e is.
arranged at the opposite side of the shaft D to the port of the valve b.
Links GGG connect a crank arranged on the shaft D near the end where the
belt pulleys D1 D2 are located, with the movable boards of the chambers F F F³.
Whenever air is exhausted wholly or partially from the equalizer whichever of
the chambers F1 F2 F3 happens to be in communication with the same will be
exhausted of air to about the same extent as said equalizer and whichever of said
chambers shall have been collapsed will be expanded by the entrance of air into
it and thus motion will be imparted to the shaft D. The valve e will be held to
the adjacent end of the trunk E by air pressure.
The chambers F' F2 F3 will then
successively be collapsed and expanded and a continuous motion will be imparted
to the said shaft D. Arrows are used to indicate the direction of the rotation of
the shaft of this motor.
The motor illustrated in Figure 0 is the same as the one shown in Figures 1, 2,
3 and 4 except that it has an additional chamber F and additional port a'. The
arrows which are used to illustrate the direction of the motion of its shaft indicate
that its shaft turns reversely to the shaft of the motor shown in Figures 1, 2,
3 and 4. By re-arranging the ports of its valves be, its shaft may be made to
turn in the same direction as the shaft of the motor shown in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4.
Instead of suction bellows, force bellows may.be used.
As the belt J is crossed and the belt I is not crossed it is obvious that the motor
is adapted to rotate the rollers C C³, in reverse directions. The motor of course is
not intended to operate the two rollers in opposite directions simultaneously but
only to impart motion to the roller C for the purpose of winding up the music-
sheet during playing and subsequently to impart motion to the roller C³ for the
purpose of rewinding the music sheet on the latter after playing. When either
roller is rotated by the motor the music sheet is unwound from the other roller
and in being unwound causes the latter to rotate. I will now describe means
whereby the motor may be caused to impart motion to either roller at pleasure.
The roller C is journalled in a frame K which is hinged at d so that by disengaging
the said roller from its driving shaft C₁ the said frame may be elevated above its
normal position to facilitate access to parts below it. The shaft C is journalled
in bearings in such way that it may be slid longitudinally. It has at one end
a male clutch s and the other end of the adjacent journal of the roller O has
a corresponding female clutch 8. By shifting the shaft C¹ lengthwise it may be

page_text: engaged with and disengaged from the roller C. The shaft may be so shifted by
means of a lever L fulcrumed at and provided with a pin entering a circum-
ferential groove in the shaft. A spring acting against the end of the shaft C¹
normally forces it towards the roller C and causes it to maintain engagement with
the said roller.
The shaft C is also supported in bearings so that it can be adjusted lengthwise.
It is provided with a clutch m adapted to engage with a clutch m¹ on the journal
of the roller C³. A pin m² extending from the lever L enters a circumferential
groove in the shaft C and hence said lever will, when oscillated, move this shaft
lengthwise as well as the shaft C¹. When the lever moves one shaft into engage-
ment with its roller said lever moves the other shaft out of engagement with its
roller.
A slide valve M serves to control the passage of air through the duct or passage c
for varying the speed of the motor to give expression to the music being played.
This valve may be operated by a rod M' extending from it through the front of
the case of the instrument.
It is desirable to propel the music sheet by a motor in this manner and to control
the speed of the music sheet without varying the force or speed with which the
bellows are operated for causing the speaking of the sound-producing devices.
The stem of the valve M is provided with notches or suitable graduations n n¹ &c.,
each of which corresponds to some particular time for the music when pulled out
even with the casing. By this scale the operator can easily control the speed of
the music-sheet, as for instance, to prolong a note the valve is pushed in, as shown
in Figure 1, which causes the motor to stop entirely, for slow music the valve is
partially opened, and for quick music it is wholly opened. The valve is kept tight
on its seat by the suction or pressure induced by the bellows. The notches or
marks n n &c. are lettered or otherwise indicated.
N is a valve adapted to close the port p and thereby prevent the reeds speaking
during the rewinding of the sheet on the roller C³. As here shown this valve is
moved sideways by the rod p¹ whose outer end is connected to a lever L' operated
by the lever L as shown in Figure 5, but this valve may be operated independently
or in other suitable manner.
When the motor is operating the roller C, the valve N is open, and when
rewinding becomes necessary this valve is closed, and the work of the motor
transferred from the roller C to the roller C³, both operations being effected simul-
taneously and by one movement of the lever L.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
First. The combination with a mechanical musical instrument, of a motor
operated from the wind-inducing apparatus and serving to propel the traveling
music-sheet, card or tablet of the instrument.
Second. The combination with a mechanical musical instrument, of a motor,
substantially such as described, operated from the wind inducing apparatus and
serving to propel the traveling music sheet, card or tablet of the instrument.
Third. The motor consisting of a number of collapsible and expansible chambers,
a number of ports communicating therewith, valves for such ports, a shaft
carrying said valves, a crank on said shaft, and links connecting the crank with
the said chambers.
Fourth. The combination with a mechanical musical instrument, of a motor
operated from the wind-inducing apparatus and serving to propel the traveling
music sheet, card or tablet of the instrument, and a valve for varying the speed of
the motor.
Fifth. The combination with a mechanical musical instrument, of a motor
operated from the wind-inducing apparatus and serving to propel the traveling

page_text: music-sheet, card or tablet of the instrument, and a valve for varying the speed of
the motor and having an index connected there with for indicating the time of the
music.
Sixth. The combination with a a mechanical musical instrument, of a motor
operated from the wind-inducing apparatus and serving to propel the traveling
.music-sheet, card or tablet of the instrument, and a valve adapted to prevent the
passage of wind to the reed cells during rewinding of the music-sheet.
Seventh. The combination of the trunk E, ports a¹ a² etc., shaft D, chambers F' F',
links G¹ G² etc., and valves b, e, substantially as specified.
Eighth. The combination of the trunk E, ports a¹ a² etc., shaft D, cham-
bers FF etc., links G1 G2 etc., valve b fixed to the shaft and valve e loose on the
shaft, substantially as specified.
Ninth. The combination of the trunk E, ports a² a² etc., shaft D, cham-
bers F¹ F2 etc., links G¹ G² etc., valve b fixed to the shaft, spring 6º and the valve e,
loose on the shaft, substantially as specified.