Improvements in and relating to Apparatus for Playing Keyed Musical Instruments.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 27th June, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 17th Mar., 1894-Accepted, 21st Apr., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Apparatus for Playing Keyed
Musical Instruments.
I, ALPHONSE ANTOINE MUGNIER, of 16 Boulevard Magenta, Paris, in the
Republic of France, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
The apparatus employed for automatically playing pianos and other keyed
musical instruments have heretofore been placed above the key-board, in order to
attack the key nearly like the hand of the performer. This arrangement possesses
among other inconveniences that of masking the key-board and of being
cumbersome.
My invention has for its subject an automatic mechanism arranged so that
it may be employed below the key-board, thereby obviating the aforesaid
inconveniences.
In order that my invention may be readily understood I will proceed to describe
with reference to the accompanying drawing, but only by way of example, an
arrangement by which the said invention may be realized.
Figure 1 shows a vertical section of the apparatus transversely to the length of
the key-board of the instrument.
Figure 2 represents a view from above of part of the mechanism.
In these two figures similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts.
a is a key of the key-board, below which is provided an automatic apparatus b,
such as for example one of those known by the names of melotropes, pianistas,
auto-pianists.
These apparatus are provided with pins e designed to strike the keys. According
to my invention I place the apparatus below the key-board and cause the pins e to
act, not upon the keys but upon bell crank levers d each of which is movable upon
an axis e carried by a bracket n or fixed in any other suitable manner below the
instrument.
The movement of each of the levers d is transmitted through a rod f to a
corresponding second bell-crank lever g adapted to move upon an axis h.
In its turn each of the levers g actuates a rod i arranged to move vertically and
which raises the key a of the key-board.
In the drawing the extremities of the levers d and 9 are flattened so as to
operate suitably in contact with the pins c and rods i, and also in such a manner as
to enable them to be easily connected to the rod maintained by the nuts k.
But it is well understood that I may vary the forms, dimensions and
arrangements of detail of my apparatus without departing from the scope of my
invention.
The operation of the improved apparatus will be readily understood by a simple
inspection of the drawing.
By turning the crank or handle which actuates the apparatus b, each time
when one of the pins c descends it operates the corresponding lever d, and the
latter, raising the rod i, through the intervention of the connecting rod ƒ aud
lever g, acts upon the key a and raises its extremity.
By this movement the key sets in motion the action m of the piano, organ or
other musical instrument to which the keyboard belongs.

page_text: I may employ any desired automatic apparatus in combination with my aforesaid
transmitting mechanism, and arrange the apparatus so that it may be actuated
either by hand or by mechanical means.
Dated this 27th day of June 1893.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Apparatus for Playing Keyed
Musical Instruments.
I, ALPHONSE ANTOINE MUGNIER, of 16 Boulevard Magenta, Paris, in the
Republic of France, Manufacturer, 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:-
The apparatus employed for automatically playing pianos and other keyed
musical instruments have heretofore been placed above the key-board, in order to
act upon the key nearly like the hand of the performer.
This arrangement possesses among other inconveniences that of masking the key-
board and of being cumbersome.
My invention has for its subject an automatic mechanism arranged so that
it may be employed below the key-board, thereby obviating the aforesaid
inconveniences.
In order that my invention may be readily understood I have shown by way of
example in the drawing left with my Provisional Specification, an arrangement by
which the said invention may be conveniently and advantageously carried into
practice.
Figure 1 shows a vertical section of the apparatus transversely to the length of
the key-board of the instrument, and
Figure 2 represents a view from above, of part of the mechanism.
Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in both the said
figures.
a is a key of the key-board, below which is provided an automatic apparatus b,
such as for example one of those known by the names of melotropes, pianistas, and
auto-pianiste.
-
These apparatus are provided with pins c designed to strike the keys.
According to my invention I place the apparatus below the key-board and cause
the pins c to act, not upon the keys but upon bell-crank levers d each of which is
movable upon an axis e carried by a bracket n or fixed in any other suitable
manner below the instrument.
The movement of each of the levers d is transmitted through a rod f to a
corresponding second bell-crank lever g adapted to move upon an axis h.
In its turn each of the levers 9 actuates a rod i arranged to move vertically and
which raises the key a of the key-board.
In the drawing the extremities of the levers d and 9 are flattened so as to
operate suitably in contact with the pins c and rods i, and also in such a manner as
to enable them to be easily connected to the rod maintained by the nuts k.
But it is well understood that I may vary the forms, dimensions and
arrangements of detail of my apparatus without departing from the scope of my
invention.
The operation of the improved apparatus will be readily understood by a simple
inspection of the drawing.
By turning the crank or handle which actuates the apparatus 6, each time when
one of the pins c descends it operates the corresponding lever d, and the latter,

page_text: raising the rod i through the intervention of the connecting rod ƒ and lever 9, acts
upon the key a and raises its extremity.
By this movement the key sets in motion the action m of the piano, organ or
other musical instrument to which the keyboard belongs.
I may employ any desired automatic apparatus in combination with my aforesaid
transmitting mechanism, and arrange the apparatus so that it may be actuated
either by hand or by mechanical means.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
9
The system of automatic mechanism enabling all the apparatus heretofore used
above the key boards, such as pianistas, melotropes and the like, to be arranged
below the key board, consisting in the arrangement of bell-crank levers d and
connected by a rod f corresponding to each key a of the key board which is raised
at its extremity by means of the rod i each time when one of the pins c is lowered
so as to set the mechanism m of the piano, organ or other key board instrument in
movement, substantially as described with reference to the drawing.
Dated this 17th day of March 1894.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.