US1232664A - Tenison-regulating apparatus for pneumatic self-playing musical instruments. - Google Patents

Description

L. B. DOMAN.

TENSION REGULATING APPARATUS FOR PNEUMATIC SELF PLAYING MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.7. I9I5.

1,232,664. Patented July 10, 1917.

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L. B. DOMAN.

TENSION REGULATING APPARATUS FOR PNEUMATIC SELF PLAYING MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-7| I915.

1,232,664. I Patented July 10, 1917.

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w 'IIIIIIII UllllTED TATES PATENT LE'WIS 33. DOMAN, 01* EAST SYRACUSE, NEVJ YORK, ASSIGNOB TO THE AMPHION PIANO PLAYER CGMPANY. A GORPGRA'IION OF NEW YORK.

TENSION-REGULATING AEPARATUS FOR PNEUMATIC SELF-PLAYING MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

Application filed August 7, 1915.

1 '0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEWIS B. DOMAN, a citizen of the United States and resident of East Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga, in the State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Tension- Regulating Apparatus for Pneumatic Self- Playing Musical instruments, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to certain improvements in tension regulating apparatus for pneumatic self-playing musical instruments.

The main object is to provide a simple and efficient regulating device capable of being set by the operator for automatically maintaining any desired degree of air tension in the main chest of the wind-inducing device within the capacity of such device, for playing a musical composition with cor responding force according to the size of the room in which the instrument is located, without in any way interfering with the relative tone modulations as controlled by the expression regulating means usually employed. in this class of players.

Other objects and uses relating to specific parts of the apparatus will be brought out in the following description.

In the drawings- Figure l is a perspective view of a tension regulating device embodying the various features of my invention, and a portion of a wind-inducing device connected thereto.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged top plan partly n section of the valve board and pneumatic for controlling the operation of the main governing pneumatic, a portion of the valve on the board being broken away.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken on line 3-3, Fig. 2.

Fig. d is an enlarged longitudinal vertical sectional view of the main tension regulating device, including the valve chest flap valve and its operating pneumatic.

This apparatus is adapted to be used for regulating the air tension 1n any suitable wind-inducing device, as A of a self-playing musical instrument having any of the well known forms of pneumatic actions and other appurtenances, not shown but ordinarily used in players of this character, said tension regulating apparatus comprising a Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 10, 1917.

Serial No. 44,263.

valve chest 1 having a chamber 2 connected by a relatively large pipe 3 directly to the air chest A of the wind-inducing device so that the air tension in the chamber 2 will be substantially the same as that in the wind chest A. One side (as the top) of the valve chest 1 is provided with a plurality of atmosphere ports e' the outer ends of which are normally covered by a flexible flap valve 5 which is yieldingly held at one end by one or more coil springs 6 while its opposite end is attached to the free end of the movable side 7 of a suitable pneumatic S.

The ports l are preferably arranged to communicate with the chamber 2, but their inner ends are preferably covered by a body 9 of some porous material, such as felt, for the purpose of muliling the sound of any air currents which may be set up in the chamber 2 by the opening of one or more of the ports l.

The surface of the valve chest -l to which the valve 5- is applied is preferably curved longitudinally, while the flexible valve 5 normally follows such curvature when closed, the object of the curvature being to enable the valve to open the ports l of each row, one at a time, and in sequence, from the free end of the movable side of the pneumatic 8 which normally holds the corresponding end of the flap valve against its seat while the spring or springs 6 perform a similar function for the opposite end of the valve and also serve to keep the valve tight and flat across the ports d.

The pneumatic 8 extends lengthwise of and above the valve chest 1 and is secured thereto by brackets -10-, while the free end of the movable side 7 is connected by a retracting spring l1 to a suitable anchorage -12 upon the corresponding end of the valve chest 1, as shown more clearly in Figs. 1 and 4, said pneumatic being connected by a pipe or conduit l3- to a port 1 l in a valve board 15. This valve board is provided with an additional port "16 connected by a conduit l7 to the main wind-chest A, bot-h of the ports 1-land 16 being arranged side by side and opening through the same side of the valve board, the port 1fl normally opening to the atmosphere, while the port 16 is normally covered by a D-valve l 8 slidable along and upon the valve board to connect both ports when desired. This valve is guided along a suitable way 19 and is connected by a link 20 to the movable side of a relatively small pneumatic 2l which is connected by a conduit -22 to the main wind chest A and is, therefore, influenced by varying air tensions in said chest against the action of a retracting spring 23, the latter being secured to an adjusting lever 24. to vary the tension of the spring for a purpose presently described.

This lever is adapted to be operated at will to increase or decrease the tension of the spring 23, the maximum tension o'f Which is suilicient to counteract the influence of the maximum air tension in the pneumatic 2l as produced by the maximum air tension in the main chest A of the wind inducing device, so as to permit the pneumatic player action to operate with a maximum force, or fortissim'o effects, in playing a musical selection. On the other hand, the lever may be adjusted to diminish the tension of the spring 23 to any desired degree for causing the player action to operate with correspondingly diminished force through the several gradations from fortissimo to pianissimo.

F or example, assuming that the lever is adjusted to diminish the tension of the spring 23 to just sufiicient for retracting the movable side of the pneumatic .21 when the player is at rest, then it is evident that the slightest air tension produced by the action of the wind-inducing device in the main wind chest A will cause a partial collapse of the pneumatic 21; against the action of the spring 23 suflicient to cause the valve -l8 to cover both ports 14. and l6, thereby placing the pneumatic S in communication With the main tension chest A and causing the operation of the movable side of the lastnainedpneumatic against the action of its retracting spring -11 to open the flap valve 5. i

This opening of the valve 5 to uncover one or more of the ports in sequence Will place the main Wind-chest in communication with the atmosphere, thereby limiting the degree of air tension which may be produced in the main chest to a relatively low degree and causing the player action to operate with a correspondingly subdued force for pian'issimo effects.

Again, if the lever 2l is adjusted to increase the tension of the spring to a de gree between its possible maximum and minimum tensions, it is evident that it will require a greater degree of air tension in the wind-chest A and pneumatic 21 to operate said pneumatic sufliciently to shift the valve l8 to cover both ports, and as soon as this result is accomplished the pneumatic 8 will be instantly placed in communication With the main chest A and, together with the valve 5, will be operated to uncover one or more of the ports -1 in sequence to establish a higher limit of tension in said main chest, which, of course, Will operate the pneumatic player action With a corresponding degree of force between pianissii'no and fortissimo.

In like manner, the lever may be adjusted to other positions for tensioning the spring 23 to greater or less degrees for causing a corresponding limitation of the maximum degree of air tension capable of being produced in the wind-chest A, and thus permitting the device to be set to assure the playing of a musical selection at or below any desired degree of force without in any way afiecting the tone modulations produced bythe controlling nie'chanisni usually employed in connection with this class of players, it being understood that the maximum force with which the player action operates depends upon the air tension in the main chest A of the Wind-inducing device, and that this tension is controlled by the tension of the spring 23 as produced by the adjustment of the lever 24", but it is evident that the spring ll instead of being of just suffic'ient tension to retract the movable side of the'pneuniatic 8*, may have an increa ed tension just suflicient to allow the operation of the pneumatic 8 under comparatively low air tension in the wind chest A 'suilicient to cause the player action to be operated with pianissimo effect, under which conditions the valve 18 might be adjusted to connect both ports for pianissi no playing or returned to its normal position leaving the port l l uncovered for fortissinio playr in is also evident that various other forms of devices might be used to accomplish the same result, namelyi of limiting the air tension in the wind-chest to any predetermined degree during the playing of a musical selection, and, therefore, I do not limit myself to the eXact structure shown and described. v

What I claim is: j

1. In a tension-regulating device for pneumaticactions, the combination with a windin'ducing device, of a pneumatic communieating therewith and operated by air tension therein above a certain degree, and means controlled by said pneumatic for ad- Initting atmospheric air to said device when the tension therein exceeds said degree.

2; In a tension regulating device for selfplaying musical instruments, the combination with a main wind chest of a windinducing device, and automatic means including a pneumatic operated by air tension in the main chest above a predetermined degree for reducing such air tension to or below said degree.

3. In a tension regulating device for self playing musical instruments, the combination with a main wind chest of a wind-inducing device, a pneumatic operated by air tension in said device above a certain degree, and means controlled by said pneumatic for keeping the air tension in said chest at'or below a predetermined degree, said means having a portion thereof adjustable at will to cause such tension to be maintained at or below a different degree.

l. In a tension regulating device for selfplaying musical instruments, the combination with a main wind chest of a wind-inducing device, an atmosphere port communicating with said chest, a valve for said port, and pneumatic means operated by an increase of air tension in the main chest above a predetermined degree for operating said valve to restore the tension to or below such degree.

5. In a tension regulating device for selfplaying musical instruments, the combination with a main wind chest of a wind-inducing device, an atmosphere port communicating with the main chest, a valve for said port, a pneumatic for opening said valve, and means for placing said pneumatic in communication with the main chest to cause it to open the valve when the air tension exceeds a predetermined degree.

6. In a tension regulating device for selfplaying musical instruments, the combina tion with a main wind chest of a wind-inducing device, means for opening and closing communication between the main chest and the atmosphere including a pneumatic, and means operated by an increased air tension in the main chest above a predetermined degree for placing the pneumatic in communication with the main chest and causing it to operate automatically.

7. In a tension regulating device for self playing musical instruments, the combination with a main wind chest of a wind-inducing device, a supplemental chest in direct communication with the main chest and provided with an atmosphere port, a valve for said port, a pneumatic for operating the valve, separate ports connected,respectively, to the main chest and to said pneumatic, a slide valve covering the main chest port and adjustable to cover and uncover its com panion port, and pneumatic means operated by the air tension in the main chest above a predetermined degree for adjusting the valve.

8. In a tension regulating device for selfplaying musical instruments, the combination with a main wind chest of a wind-inducing device, an atmosphere port communicating with the main chest, a valve for said port, a pneumatic for operating said valve, separate ports connected, respectively, to the main chest and to the pneumatic, a slide valve covering the main chest port and adjustable to cover and uncover its companion port, pneumatic means operated by the air tension in the main chest above a predetermined degree for adjusting the slide valve, a retracting spring for the last-named pneumatic, and means operable at will for varying the tension of the spring to cause a corresponding variation of the maximum air tension in the main chest.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 27th day of July, 1915.

LEWIS B. DOMAN.

Witnesses:

MARGARET M. BROWN, C. W. BLANDING.

Copies 0! this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

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