US1680385A - Automatic mechanism for operating drawers of automatic musical instruments - Google Patents

Description

Aug.l 14, 1928.

H. J. LA JOIE AUTOMATIC MECHANISM FOR OPERATING DRAWERS OF AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Filed oct. 4, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l @Mffiw mmf Aug. 14, 192s.

H. J. LA JOIE AUTOMATIC MECHANISM FOR OPERATING DRAwERs OF AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS` 2 Sheets--Sheetl 2 27? Wertcl' d?, muy.; 1/1,7% my Mm@ Patented Aug. 14, 1928.

y UNITED star-ss earner erica.

EUBERT J. LA JIE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO ATO PNEUMATC .ACU-)EON cor/Traun, or new Youri. u. Y.,

.A UGBQRATION OF NEW YORK.

AUTOMATIC Musi-reunieron or'sn'efrrue DRAWER-s or AUTOMATIC MUSICAL I INSTRUMENTS.

Application iea october e, 1926. serial no. 139,259.

It iscustomary in automatic musical instruments, particularly vpneum atically 1 operated grand player pianos, to arrange the music sheet manipulating mechanism in a drawer which can be moved in and out under the instrument case.` This drawer is hcavyand sometimes cramps so that the opening and closing thereot is dil'icult, particularly tor a woman or child.

The object of the present invention is to provide an automatic `ineuianism under the control of the operator for opening or for closing or for both opening and closing` the drawer. To dol this, I secure a powerful pneumatic such'as a cylinder and piston on the bed ot the musical instrument and connect ythe moving member thereof to the drawer. The operation ot this pneumatic preferably is controlled bythe setting of the gearing which drawsthe music sheet forward or backward over the tracker-bar and this connection is preferably arranged so that' the mechanism for operating the drawer will operate to open the drawer as the 11e-rolling ot the music sheet takes place.

The drawer operating mechanism is also arranged to close the drawer as the playing ot the music sheet commences. 'lhisclosing operation ot the drawer operating mechanism is preferably controlled by a switch arranged in convenient position on the drawer so that the operator can start the music sheet in operation, adjust the tempo control, and then throw the drawer control switch so that the automatic mechanism which closes the drawer will work after the music sheet manipulating` mechanism has been adjusted for the desired operation.

By these general combinations, the drawer can be closed or opened or both opened and closed automaticalljif, adding to the 'comfort of the operator.

rlhe best 'form of apparatus for practicing the invention now known is shown in the accompanying two sheets of` drawings, referring to which Fig. lisa general plan ot the mechanism with my improvement applied thereto, the outline ot the piano case being indicated in dotted lines;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view partly in diagram; f Y

Fig. 3 is a detail ot the re-play switch;

\ l? 3a is a section through the movable part ot said switch; and

Fig. il is a detail ot the drawer control switch. Y f c Referring to the drawings and in detail, D designates the drawer which has tracks running on rolls secured to the bottom of the piano case so that it can be moved in or out in the usual way.

The drawer D is kept from cramping as. it is moved, by a shaft 10 journalled on the bottom of the piano case, which shaft has bent ends 1-11 forming levers which are connected by links 11G-11() to the'drawer.

The drawer is provided with the usual middle compartment inv which are arranged plungers or Vbearings for the music spool R, the aperturcd tracker bar T andthe take-up roll YW. rEhe apertures in the tracker bar are connected by tubes to the player action which may be secured to the bottom oit the piano bed or which may be carried by the drawer as is well understood T he usual pneumatic motor M is arranged i in the lett hand compartment in the drawer. rllhis inotorr drives a crank-shaft 12 having a sprocket gear 13,v which by sprocket chain 1li drives a sprocketgear 15 seflured'on a driving` slialit 1G slidably journalled in partiti-ons in the drawer. rthis driving shaft 16 'has a. pinion 17 which can mesh with a gear 18 on the take-up roll `W, A clutch 19 is secured on said shaft 16 in position to engage or disengage with a sprocket gear 2O loosely ournalled on the shaftv 16. The gear 2O by a chain 21 drives a sprocket gear 22 secured on a shaft n8, which'carries tue right.

hand bearingv or spindle 24CV for the 'music spool.. T he lett end vor usual spring-pressed spindle 25 for the music spool is arranged in line. with spindle 2li. Any ordinary music spool B can be snapped in between and held in the bearings or spindles 2st and 25 in the usual way.

A pivoted lever 26 engages the clutch 19. This lever is connected by a rod 27 Vto the music sheet control button or knob 28. As shown, the pinion 17 is inengagement with gear 18 and theinusic sheet S is being drawn forward over the tracker T for playing'.V It the music sheet control button 28 is moved to the lett, the pinion 17 will 'be disengaged axially Vrom'gear 18 and the clutch'19 will be engaged with the Uear 20, whereby the music spool R will be rotated and the music sheet S will be drawn backward over the tra^kcr bar T and rewound.

`The rod 27 connects by a link 29 to a lever 30 pivoted to a shaft 31 journalled in the drawer partitions. This shaft carries a lever 32 at its rear end, which connects by a link 320 to a slidable rod 33.

A valve box V is secured to the rear of the drawer and carries a re-roll pneumatic P and a re-play pneumatic P. A slidable rod 33 is loosely arranged in wings projecting from the pneumatics P and P and is provided with adjustable collars 34-34 which said wings can engage.

A re-ro-ll aperture 35 is arranged in the tracker T and is connected by tube 36 to the valve box V. Each music sheet is provided with a re-roll perforation 37. lVhen the perforation 37 uncovers the aperture 35, the reroll pneumatic P is operated and the music sheet operating gearing is set so that the re-winding or re-rolling will take place.

The take-up roll lV is provided with a groove fw, in which is itted a linger 38 secured on a small shaft 39, which shaft has a spring 40 normally moving the linger 38 into tight enga-gement with the take-up roll lV. A small lever or finger piece 41 is secured on the shaft 39l in position to engage a pivoted valve 42, which is pressed by a spring 43 into Contact with a cut-off switch 44 which has a hole 45. The parts 41 to 45 are Aarranged in the drawer in the vicinity of the tracker in the usual way. This switch and the parts 41 to 45 are shown in diagram at the rear of the drawer to illustrate the operation.

A tube 46 extends from the hole 45 to a re-play switch RS. This replay switch is shown in detail in Figs. 3 and 3a. lVhen the replay switch is in the position marked off, the tube 46 connects by a tube 47 to the valve chest of a switch pneumatic SP secured to Vthe rear -of the drawer. The movable leaf of this switch pneumatic SP has an arm fitting on a rod 48 which has a collar 49. The rod 48 is connected to operate an 'electric switch ES, which controls the usual electric motor which drives the exhaust or suction pump. The rod 48 extends forward and has a button 480 on its end which forms a motor control which can be manipulated by the operator. It the replay switch RS is in position as previously described, when the music sheet S is re-y wound, the opening is-uncovered and the motor is stopped.

The re-play switch RS is also connected by a tubev 5() to the valve box V. It the replay switch is set to on position when the aperture 45 is uncovered, the re-playing' pneumatic P will be operated and the switch pneumatic SP will not be operated. This will start the playing operation over again whereby the piece of music represented by the particular music sheet in position will be re-played. This replaying will continue until the operator stops the mechanism.V

The usual tempo control and motor governor are also arranged in the drawer as is well understood.

The parts previously described represent one well known form of mechanism of parts in a drawer of the character described. Any other known arrangement can be used ,as desired. The arrangements have been described in detail so that the cooperation of my improvements therewithcan be understood. Y

Vith the usual arrangements it is necessary for the operator to pull out and push in the drawer. Y

The main object of the Vinvention is to control the position of the drawer automatica-ll so that it will be in its closed position wliien playing and so that it will automatically open when the playing is over.

To accomplish this purpose, tlie drawer is Vmoved to open or closed position by a pneumatic which comprises a cylinder 51 secured to the piano case and having a piston 52 connected by an adjustable rod 53 to the drawer D. A pneumatic is preferably' employed as the operating mechanism because it sometimes is 'desired to open the drawer while playing and this can be done against the pressure of the pneumatic. A valve box 54 is secured to the piano bed and the same is connected by a pipe 55 to the suction pump. A double valve 56 controlled by a diaphragm 57 is arranged in the valve box 54 and is connected by a tube 58 to the rear of the cylinder 51. Another rdouble valve 59 operated by a diaphragm 60 is arn ranged in another compartment connected by a tube 61 to the front of the cylinder 51. A'tube 62 extends from the space under the diaphragm 57 to a drawer controlv switch DC arranged in the drawer D. This drawer control switch DC connects by tube 63 to a hole 64 in a block 65 of a setting switch SS arranged in the drawer. This switch SS comprises a valve disc 66 pivoted on the block 65. The disc 66 has a notch 67 which opens and closes hole 64, a stop 68 being employed to limit the motion of the disc l66.` A flexible tube 69 extends from the space under the diaphragm to a hole 70`in the block 65, which is opened and closed by a .hole 71 in the disc 66. The disc 66 is connected by 'a link l72 to alever 7 3 on the sha-ft 31. The details of thedrawer control switch DC are illustrated in Fig. 4. Y

The operation is substantially as follows: vAssuming the drawer to be in its outermost or front position, the operator places a music spool in position and connects the music Sheet to take-up roll. He then loo fit)

throws the music sheet control button to the right and operates the motor control to start the suction pump in operation, so that the music sheet will be drawn forward over the tracker. If the drawer control switch DG is in off positioii, tlie tubes 62 and 63 are not in communication, and the dra-wer operating mechanism is out of operation as the music sheet is initially drawn forward over the tracker. This gives the operator the opportunity to set the tempo control. As soon as the parts are properly in operation, the operator throws the control switch DC to on position. rlhis connects tube G2 and 63. Air is now admitted through openings 64, tube 63, tube 62 under diaphragm 57 which lifts the Valve 56 to the position shown in Fig. 2. This connects the suction or tension ofthe pump X through tube 58 with the rear of the cylinder 5l. lThis will draw the piston 52 to the rear and will close the drawer. Air is 'admitted to the front of the piston 52 through pipe 61 so that this operation can take place. This will close the drawer automatically without any effort on the part of the operator. The drawer control switch DC may be set in on position if desired before the apparatus is started in operation but it is usual to start the music sheet properly in operation and set the tempo lever before operating the drawer control switch DC to close the drawer;

When the re-roll action starts as )reviously described, the set-ting switch Stv is shifted so that the hole is uncovered and the hole 64 is covered. This permits air to pass through tube 69 under the diaphragm .60 which will operate the valve 59. This will connect the suction pump with the front ioil' the cylinder 5l through the tube 6l, and

the piston 52 will be drawn forward and the drawer opened as the valve 56 will move forward and connect the rear end of the cylinder to the atmosphere through tube 5S. 'Ilius as the re-rolling starts, the drawer will be moved forward automatically Ato open position. If the ie-play switch is off when the re-rolling is finished, the entire mechanism will stop operation andthe drawer will be left in its forward 'or open position. If the re-play switch is on when the ire-rolling has been effected. the re-play pneumatic P will be operated and the gearing will vbe shifted so that the music sheet will be drawn forward again and as this operation takes place, the setting switch SS will be moved to the position shown in Fig. 2 and the valves 56 and 59 will be operated so that the pneumatic 5l and into closed position. Thus the re-playing will take place with the drawer in closed position.

The entire drawer operating mechanism 52 will pull the drawerv can be lrcpt in an inoperative position by leaving the drawer control switch D() in oft position. Thus the operator has the automatic operation of the drawer under his control. i

Thisautomatic operation of the drawer vforms a pleasing addition to the usual meel tion, what I claim and desire V-to secure by Letters Patent is:-

l. In an automatic musical instrument, thecombinatioii of a slidable drawer, music sheet manipulating vrmechanism carried by said drawer, and automatic mechanism mounted on said instrument and connected to said drawer to open and close the same.

2. In a pneumatically operated musical instrument, the combination of a slidable drawer, music sheet manipulating.mechanism carried thereby, and a pneumatic mounted on said instrument and connected to said drawer tofinove the same.

3. In an automatic musical instrument, the combination of a slidable drawer carryingthe music sheet iiianigulating gearing, automatic mechanism for moving the drawer, and connections from the gearing for causingthe mechanism to operate to open the vdrawer as the re-rolling of the music-sheet .tal-ies place.

4. In a pneumatically operated musical instrument, the combination of a. slidable drawer carrying the vmusic sheet manipulating gearing, a pneumatic for moving the drawer, and a setting switch controlled by said gearing for causin 0f the said mechanism to operate to open the drawer as the re-rolling of the music sheet takes place.

5. In a piieumatically operated vmusical instrument, the combination of a slidable drawer carrying lhe music sheet manipulating gearing, a pneumatic mechanism for moving the drawer, and a control switch on the drawer for controlling` the operation of thepneuniatic mechanism.

6. In a pneumatically operated musical instrument, the combination4 of a slidablc drawer carrying the music sheet manipulating gearing, a pneumatic mechanism for moving the drawer, a setting switch con#` trolled by the gearing for causing the pneumatic mechanism to open the drawer as the re-rollmg of the music sheet takes place, and

a control switch on the drawer for throwing the pneumatic mechanism into operation to close the drawer.

7. In a pneumatically operated musical instrument, the combination of ar slidablel drawer carrying the music sheet manipulating gearing, a pneumatic mechanism for moving the drawer, and a setting switch controlled by the gearing for causing the pneumatic mechanism to operate Vto open the drawer as the re-rolling of the music sheet takes place, which setting switch lalso sets the parts so that the pneumatic mechanism will operate to move the drawer inwardly.

8. In a pneumatically operated musical instrument, the combination ot' a slidable drawer carrying the music sheet manipulating gearing, a pneumatic mechanism for moving the drawer, a setting switch controlled by the gearing for causing the pneudrawer whereby to permit movement of saidV drawer by said pneumatic.

In testimony whereof Ifhave hereunto affixed my signature.

HUBERT J. LA JOIE.

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