US700413A - Self-playing instrument. - Google Patents

Description

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(Application med Nov. 25, 1901.)

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELLSWORTH E. FLORA, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,.ASSIGNOR TO FAR- RAND 'ORGAN COMPANY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORA- TION OF MICHIGAN.

SELF-PLAYING INSTRUMENT.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 700,413, dated May 20, 1902.

Application filed November 25, 1901. Serial No. 83,549. (No model.)

T0 all whom t may concern:

Beit known that I, ELLsWoETH E. FLORA, a citizen of the United States, residing in Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois,have invented a newand useful Improvementin Self-Playing Instruments and Attachments, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to self-playing instruments and playing attachments for pianos and organs. Its main object has been to provide Within the instrument or attachment means whereby-the operator may vary the musical effects produced in playing by shutting oif some of the notes-as, for instance, the base notes may by the invention be Wholly or partly suppressed during the playing of a melody by the upper notes, and when the base has the melody the higher notes may be suppressed in the same manner. These and many other variations from the music-sheet are rendered possible by the invention, so that the operator by the exercise of his fancy may have different renderings at his command of the same piece. The means employed for this purpose consist of a series of mufiers arrangedin proximity to the trackerrange and adapted to be moved into contact With the music-sheet as it passes over the same, and thus to prevent the entrance of the air into the range-passages through the perforations in the sheet. I make these mufiiers so that each will close the openings of several notes-six or eight, for instanceand operate them by means of finger-keys which are supported in any convenient way at the front of the instrument or attachment, and preferably by an inner cover, which is placed over the music-sheet and rollers to deaden or conceal any noise given off by them.

The nature of myimproveinent Will be fully understood from the description thereof given belowvand from the accompanying drawings, in Which- Figure l is a front elevation of that part of an instrument or playing' attachment to which my invention has been applied. Fig. 2 is a vertical section. Fig. 8 is a detail section showing the device for locking the inner cover when raised.

In said drawings, 5 represents the trackerrange, 6 the usual perforated music-sheet,

and 7 '7 the rollers carrying the sheet. In front of the tracker-range and in close proximity thereto are the series of mufliers S S, consisting of plates or squares of soft felt or cloth, mounted on the upper ends of levers or keys 9 S). These levers or keys are adapted to be depressed to carry the mu'filers against the 1n usic-sheet as it nieves over the trackerrange, and for that purpose they are located in front of the music-sheet and Where the operator can conveniently reach them. I prefer to pivot them loosely on a rod 10, supported in the inner cover 1l, and t0 make openings in the latter for the finger-pieces 12 12, with which each lever or key is provided and by pressing on which thel operator moves the inuiiiers into action. The keys or levers at their upper ends are provided with plates or enlargements 15, adapted to support the muffiing material 8, and springs 1I keep the keys in their normal or non-acting positions, as will be seen at Fig. 2.

As will be understood from what has already been said, each mufiier is large enough to shut off a number of the notes, and I have shown eight as covering a tracker-range of the ordinary compass. Any one or more of them can be depressed at will, and thus prevent the sounding of the notes of the instrument controlled by the trackerpassages, which are thus cut olf, and they may bekept in action for long or short periods, as desired, and by their aid the operator is enabled to vary the musical effects of the pieces played to a much greater extent than is now possible.

The inner cover referred to is pivoted at the back edge of its top portion upon studpivots l5 and extends from-thence over and down in front of the music-rollers. It practically covers the Well in which the musicrolls are located, though it does not effect an air-tight closure of the same or in any Way affect the supply of air to the trackerrange. A recess 1G is formed in it for the speed-regulating lever 17 and another at 1S for the power-regulating lever 19. It is capable of being turned upon pivots 15 to permit changing the music-sheet, and it is also preferably made transparent at 20, so that the operator may be enabled to read the direetions as to speed and expression given on IOO the music-sheet. It is indented or let inward along its front, as shown, so the fingerpieces l2 may be positioned at convenient incline and sufficiently near the regulating devices 17 and 19 to enable them to be operated by the ngers without removing the hands from those devices. The cover ll is closed except when the music-sheets are being changed; but it is in no sense a substitute for the ordinary outer cover, a portion of which is shown at 2l and by which the Well is closed when the instrument or attachment is not in use. lVhen turned up, the mutliing devices are out of the Way, so they do not interfere with the changing musicsheets.

The cover ll is desirably provided with means whereby it may be locked in the open position, and for this purpose one of the ears 22, attached to the cover and receiving the pivot l5, is provided with a spring 28, extending downward, and when the cover is raised this spring rides over the incline 24- and catches on top of the same, and thus locks the cover against closing. To the end of this spring is attached an operating-rod 25, traveling in the curved slot 2G and extending to the outside of the instrument or t0 some point Where the rod can be pushed upon to force the spring off from the top of the incline 24.

I claiml. The combination with the music-sheet and tracker-range of a self-playing instrument or playingattachment, of means adapted to be put in operation While playing automatically and serving to prevent the air from entering the range-passages when they are uncovered by the perforations in the music-sheet, substantially as specified.

2. The combination with the music-sheet and tracker-range of a self-playing instrument or playing attachment, of means operable by hand While playing automatically and serving to prevent the air from entering the range-passages when they are uncovered by the perforations in the music-sheet, substantially as specified.

3. The combination with the music-sheet and tracker-range of a self-playing),` instrument or playing attachment, of mufliers controlling different tracker-range openings and adapted to be positioned against the sheet and over the tracker-range during the automatic playing, and thus to exclude the air from the range or any portion or portions thereof desired, substantially as specified.

Lt. The combination with the music-sheet and tracker-range of a self-playing instrument or playing` attachment, of a series of mulilers adapted to be positioned at Will over the tracker-range and each covering and excluding the air from a plurality ofthe rangepassages, substantially as specified.

5. The combination with the music-sheet and tracker-range of a self-playing instrument or playing attachment, of means for excluding the air from the tracker-range passages when uncovered by the perforations of the sheet, such means being operable by finger-keys, substantially as specified.

G. The combination with the music-sheet and tracker-range of a self-playing instrument or playing attachment, of means operable by finger-keys t'or excluding the air from the range-passages when uncovered by the sheet, and an inner cover for the sheet and its rollers, acting also to support said keys, substantially as specified.

7. The combination with the music-sheet and tracker-range of a self-playing instrument or playing attachment, of mulllers for muliling portions of the tracker-range, and an inner cover ll by which said muifiers are supported, substantially as specified.

8. The combination with the music-sheet and tracker-range of a self-playing instrument or playing attachment, of mul'llers for mnllling portions of the tracker-range, and a hinged inner cover by which the muillers are supported and moved out of the Way when changing the sheets, substantially as specihed.

Q. The combination in aself-playing instrument orplaying attachment, of a music-sheet, music-sheet rollers and tracker-range located in a well in the instrument or attachment, an outer cover for closing the Well when the instrument or attachment is not being used, an inner cover for the well adapted to suppress the noises made by the rollers, and inulfiing devices supported by said cover and acting to inutile portions of the range, substantially as specified.

ELLSWOR'll-l E. FLORA.

Witnesses EDW. S. Evnnrs, ll. lil. MUNDAY.

IOO

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