Organs, and similar Musical Instruments.
Year: 1886

page_text: Organs, and similar Musical Instruments.
We, JOHANN MATHÄUS GROB, ALFRED OSCAR SCHULTZE, and ANTON VINCENZ
NIEMCZIK, all of Eutritsch, Leipzig in the German Empire, Merchants, do hereby
declare the nature of said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MECHANISM FOR
MECHANICALLY PLAYING PIANOS, ORGANS, AND SIMILAR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
"
These improvements have reference to a mechanism for transferring the action
brought about by perforations in a travelling note sheet on to a series of friction
roller segments formed at the ends of a series of levers, and caused by the
perforations in the note sheet to press against, and be set in motion at the
required intervals of time by, a revolving friction roller, in such manner as to
press down and relieve the keys or actuate the mechanism of the musical
instrument.
Referring to the accompanying drawing:-
Fig. 1 is a front view of the mechanism of this invention, Fig. 2 a vertical cross
section through the middle of the same and Fig. 3, a view of details, being a section
through cross piece P.
K. is a casing in which the mechanism is mounted. h are levers of an inverted
T form carried in a bearing i so as to be able to oscillate freely therein. One of
the ends of these levers is jointed at to levers h¹ which at their other two ends
are formed with roller segments or roller friction surfaces. One of the roller
segment arms of the levers h come over the keys T of the musical instrument.
W is a roller. P is a vertical side piece recessed to receive a portion of the bell
crank levers (Fig. 3). L is a shaft on which is formed or fixed a disc n provided
with projecting pins n¹ for engaging into corresponding holes and carrying round
a note sheet S of circular form, to which rotary motion is transmitted from the
shaft W¹ of the roller W through band pulleys r, rl, shaft a screw 8 and worn
wheel 8 so that when the roller W revolves so will the note sheet S. As usual
this latter has perforations such as o a few only of which are shewn in the drawing.
The arm g of the bell crank levers are normally kept pressed down by the note
heet S, a stay or guard P¹ being mounted so as to prevent it bulging outwards.
The levers are connected by rods to the angle levers b, each of these consisting

page_text: of a bar or rod capable of oscillating between two longitudinal bearing bars u, v,
arm m jointed to one end of its corresponding rod and arm bearing against
the upper end of the corresponding lever h. Springs fact so as to keep the
levers h, h¹, pressed upwards. This action of the springs is also communicated to
the bell crank levers 7 through h,.b, m, and l' so that the arms g of the said levers
are pressed against the note sheet S (Fig. 3). When one of the perforations o
comes over the end of the arm g this latter will fall into the same, pressed by its
corresponding spring in the direction shewn by the arrow, the corresponding roller
segment will be raised and pressed against the revolving roller W, thereby being
moved in the direction shewn by the arrow, and with it the lower arm of the
lever h¹ pressed against the key T. When the perforation o in the note sheet
shall have passed away from that particular lever this latter is again pressed
back by the note sheet S the key ↑ bringing the roller segments of the lever h¹
back into the position shewn in Fig. 2.
Thus the invention consists of a mechanism which transmits the movement,—
occasioned by the perforations of a note sheet,-to a roller segment or roller
segments, that is, or are, pressed against a quickly revolving roller.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim, is:
The angle levers 7 and draw or connecting rods 11, in combination with the angle
levers b, levers h, roller segment levers h¹ and roller W substantially as described
and shewn for the purpose specified.