Improvements in and relating to Automatic Musical Instruments:
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Jan., 1895-Accepted, 9th Feb., 1895
[Communicated from abroad by the Firm of IMHOF & MUCKLE, of Vöhrenbach,
Baden, in the Empire of Germany, and of 110, New Oxford Street, in the
County of London, Manufacturers.]
Improvements in and relating to Automatic Musical Instruments:
1, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent
Agents, 45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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 automatic musical instruments.
Whereas the devices heretofore used for operating the clack valves or
hammers of musical instruments are sufficient for such instruments as have rollers
provided with pins, these devices are inadequate when a perforated music sheet
takes the place of the pin rollers. The movement of the keys is not so precise,
consequently the device operates with less precision than in the case of the roller
system, therefore these musical instruments are of inferior value.
This inconvenience is remedied by the aforesaid invention which provides for
just as precise a sounding of the notes with perforated music sheets as with the
roller system.
As shown in Figure I of the accompanying drawing the perforated music sheet 1
is wound upon and from the rollers 2. Rollers 3 serve for guiding this music sheet
which passes over a roller 4. In this roller are grooves into which the pin 5 of the
key 6 can drop when it passes into a hole in the music sheet.
Use is made of a box 7 with compressed air and a box 8 communicating freely
with the atmospheric air. Tubes 9 extend from the box 7 to the box 8. Each of
these tubes corresponds to a key and is placed directly above the latter.
The tubes are not placed directly beside each other, as the keys in this case
would occupy too great a width for the music sheet, but they are alternated, as
shown in plan Figure II.
Rods or wires 10 coming from the keys extend through these tubes and carry
valves 11 above and below.
When the point of the key bears upon the music sheet the tubes are closed
from below, and when it passes into a hole in the music sheet it drops in consequence
of the weight of the valves, opens the tube below and closes it above, this latter
case being indicated in the drawing.
Each of these tubes communicates through a tube 12 with a bellows 13 the
bottom 14 of which is movable.
The bellows has two openings 15 and 16. Through the openings 15 the air can
enter from the tubes 9, while through the openings 16 the bellows can discharge
its air to the outside.
In the bellows is arranged a rocking lever 17 which alternately closes one or the
other of the two openings and is heavier on the side of the opening 16.
Above this device is the wind chest 19 with holes 18 for the reeds 18ª, these
holes 18 being adapted to be closed by flaps 20 and springs 21.
For playing the musical instrument the operation is as follows:- When the
point 5 of the key bears upon the music sheet, all the parts are at rest and the
lower valves close the tubes, so that no compressed air can pass into the bellows 13,
while the upper valves 11 are open and connect the tubes with the atmospheric air.
"

page_text: Accordingly the rocking lever occupies the position wherein the opening 15 and
the flap 20 are closed.
When however the key drops into a hole in the music sheet the lower valves
open the tubes 9, whereby the compressed air is caused to pass from the box 7
into these tubes, is conducted through the tubes 12 into the bellows 13, forcing
down the end of the rocking lever which has closed the opening 15, and closing
at the same time the other opening 16.
Thus the compressed air in the bellows 13 forces down the bottom 14 which
opens the flap 20 connected with it, whereupon the reed receives air from the wind
chest 19.
As soon as the key rises again on to the music sheet the tube 9 is at once closed
from below and the compressed air can no longer enter it, but at the same time
the tubes 9 are opened above towards the open box 8.
At this moment the compressed air in the bellows 13 can escape through the
tubes 12, while the left-hand part of the rocking lever drops down, the opening 16
is uncovered and the opening 15 is closed, so that the pressure of the spring 21
can instantly close the flap 20.
In lieu of the flaps 20, hammers may be operated to set the strings of a stringed
instrument, drum sticks or the like in motion.
It will be seen that the essential part of the improved arrangement is constituted
by the bellows 13 with the rocking lever 17.
As soon as the compressed air arrives it blows open the valve for the opening 15
and at the same time closes the opening 16, whilst on the cessation of the air
pressure the rocking lever reverses its position and during its movement allows the
compressed air to escape from the bellows through the two openings 15 and 16.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondents, I declare that what I claim is :-
In automatic musical instruments the operation of the clack valves, hammers or
the like by means of bellows 13 so that the admission of air reverses the rocking
lever 17, closes the opening 16 and moves the bottom 14 of the said bellows,
substantially as set forth.
Dated this 5th day of Januar 1905
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.