Improvements in and relating to Electrically Operated Musical Instruments, and more Especially of the Plano Type.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 10th June, 1890-Accepted, 19th July, 1890
.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Electrically Operated Musical
Instruments, and more Especially of the Plano Type.
We, JOSEPH DART CASE and CLARK WRIGHT EVANS, both residing at Plainfield,
Union County, in the State of New Jersey, one of the United States of America,
Gentlemen, 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 :-
Our invention relates generally to electric piano players.
The object of our invention is to provide means whereby the expression, as well as
the tones, will be given perfectly and the nature of our invention consists in
constructions and combinations whereby the keys are struck with varying force, so
that the object of our invention is obtained.
Referring to the accompanying Drawings:
Figure 1, represents a diagrammatic view of our invention;
Figure 2, a modification, and
Figure 3, a sheet of music arranged in accordance with our invention.
A, represents the cylinder over which the music sheet, A', passes, and is formed by
means of metal rings, a, arranged upon a bar, A2, and insulated from each other by
means of smaller rings, a', of gutta-percha or other non-conducting material, and is
connected by terminals, B, leading to the magnets, B', which operate the piano keys.
Said magnets, B₁, having a return wire, B2, leading to the batteries. C, C, C, are
terminals which rest upon the cylinder, A, between which passes the perforated music
sheet.
The terminals, C, are connected with a battery, D; terminals, C, are connected
with a battery, D', of greater power than battery, D'; and terminals, C, are connected
with another battery, D2, of still greater power than hattery, D', for the purpose of
throwing in or out greater or less intensity.
To allow of these terminals contacting, to throw in or out greater or less intensity,
the perforated music sheet, A', is provided with notes, a², which are of different width,
so that if a light contact or soft note is desired, the note, a², is made of a width that
will allow of only one terminal falling through and contacting; if a medium-note-is-
desired, the note is made sufficiently wide to admit of two terminals falling through
and contacting; if a strong contact is desired, the note is made sufficiently wide to
admit of three terminals falling through and contacting, and so on for any number of
terminals desired.
Instead of the cylinder as shown in Figure 1, the cylinder can be dispensed with
and the several terminals, B, and, C, connect with each other, as shown in Figure 2,
but we prefer the former arrangement.
We have also illustrated and described several batteries of different intensity in
connection with terminal contacts, for transmitting to the magnets the varying current
intensities or pressure, but it is evident to those skilled in the electrical art that the
different current intensities or pressure may be effected in various ways.
When the form shown in Figure 2, is used, the terminals, B, and, (, are separated
by the music sheet and make connection only when the terminal, C, falls through the
perforation in the music sheet.
We have for the sake of clearness shown but three terminals in Figure 1, and one
in Figure 2, that fall through the perforations in the music sheet, also three batteries,
and do not wish to be confined to that number, as any number of terminals and
batteries can be used. To produce tremelo effect we connect a make and break device,
preferably a vibrating magnet, E, with the return wire, 132, leading to the batteries,
and it is connected with the cylinder and operated in the same manner as the other

page_text: magnets. It is also obvious that the pedal action can be operated in the same manner
as the keys. The operation of the device is as follows :
The sheet of music, A', having the perforations for the notes, and perforations of
different width; for throwing-in or out one or more batteries or resistances to properly
express the tone desired, is passed over the cylinder, A-; the terminals, C, C³, C³, as
the note perforations pass under themi, fall into the perforations in the sheet and make
contact with the cylinder, to complete the circuit and cause the electro-magnets to
operate the piano keys.
a
If terminal. C, falls through a light blow is struck, if terminal, C, falls through
medinim blow is struck; and if terminal, C, falls through a sharp blow is struck, and
so on through the number of terminals and batteries used; the strength of the blow
being determined by the number of terminals that fall through the perforations in the
music sheet, A'.
It is obvious that a current sufficiently strong to operate say ten keys or magnets at
one time, would act stronger upon a less number of magnets unless the surplus
currents were diverted or taken up or cut out from said remaining magnet or
magnets.
To obviate this difficulty we provide extra terminals to be thrown in or out of
circuit, by means of extra perforations or notes in the music sheet, which take up and
divert the surplus current, and thereby equalize the strength of current throughout the
instrument.
We have stated that the different current intensities or pressure may be effected in
various ways; thus for instance, a single battery of maximum intensity may be
substituted for a number of batteries of different intensity, in which case, variable or
other resistances are included in the circuit between one end of the battery and the
contact terminals, as indicated by dotted lines (Figure 1) wherein, F, represents
the single battery and, ff, f', the varying or variable resistance.
From the foregoing it will be noted that the herein described invention comprises a
main circuit, a number of separate batteries of different intensity in multiple arc
relation with said circuit, each battery having a number of contact terminals in multiple
arc relation, a number of separate magnets for actuating the separate piano keys, and
having separate contact terminals in multiple are relation with the main circuit, and
said contact terininals for the magnets and for the batteries being relatively grouped
and actuated by the music sheet, in order that currents of the same or varying intensity
can be directly transmitted to the separate magnets, as desired.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is-
T
1. In an electric piano player, the combination with electro-magnets for operating
the piano keys, a circuit and a battery or batteries therefor, two sets of one or more
oppositely located terminals in said circuit and a cylinder forming part of said circuit
and connecting said terminals, substantially as set forth.
2. In an electric piano player, the combination with electro-magnets for operating
the piano keys, a circuit therefor including two sets of oppositely located terminals,
one set of said terminals comprising terminals connected to two or more batteries of
different intensities, and a cylinder forming part of said circuit and connecting said
terminals, substantially as set forth.
3. In an electric piano player, the combination of a circuit having one or more
terminals connected with a battery or batteries, a divided cylinder forming a part of
said circuit and connected by other terminals with electro-magnets for operating the
piano keys, substantially, as set forth.
4. In an electric piano player, the combination of a circuit having two or more
terminals connected with batteries of different intensity, a divided cylinder forming a
part of said circuit and connected by other terminals with electro-magnets for
operating the piano keys, substantially as set forth.
5. In an electric piano player, the coinbination of a music sheet, electric supplies

page_text: of different intensities, electro-magnets, circuit connections, and oppositely located
terminals for each of such source of supply and actuated by said music sheet to make
and break such circuit connections, for transmitting currents of equal and of
varying intensity or pressure to said electro-magnets, substantially as set forth.
6. In an electric piano player, the combination of two or more batteries of different.
intensity, each having terminals, a perforated music sheet passing between said
terminals, and magnets for operating the piano keys included in said circuit, and.
connected with said batteries and with the conductor over which the music sheet.
passes, substantially as set forth.
7. In an electric piano player, the combination of a main circuit, separate electro-
magnets for the piano keys having terminals in multiple arc relation with one side of
said main circuit, separate batteries in multiple arc relation with said main circuit, and
each battery having a number of separate terminals in multiple arc relation forming
the other side of said main circuit, and a music sheet operating said electro-magnets.
and battery terminals, for directly transmitting to the magnets currents of the same.
and of varying intensities substantially as set forth.
8. In an electric piano player, the combination of electrically operated keys, one or
more terminals connected with a battery or batteries and connected with other
terminals in circuit with a make and break device for producing tremelo effect,.
substantially as set forth.
9. In an electric piano player, the combination of a music sheet, a source of electric
supply, electro-magnets, circuit connections and oppositely located contact terminals.
actuated by said music sheet to take up and divert surplus currents, to equalize the
strength of the current throughout the instrument, substantially as set forth.
10. A perforated music sheet for electric piano players having notes of different.
width in line with the regular notes for transmitting currents of varying intensity or
pressure to the magnets that operate the piano keys, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 10th day of June 1890.
une 1890.
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.