US1788561A - Player piano - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 13, 1931. A, H.V Bor-:TTcHl-:R *15:2788561 PLAYER PIANO Filed Jan. 27, 1927 4 Sheng-Sheet 1 @am m @i m;

Jan. 413, 1931. A. H. BOETTCHER 1,788,561

PLAYER PIANO Fil-ed Jan. 27, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 24a, La nfl/,M

Jan. 13,1931( A. H. BoE'rTcHE 1,788,561

PLAYER PIANO Filed Jan. 2v, 1927 I 4 sheets-sheet s Jan. 13, 1931. A. H. BoET'rcHER I 1,783,551

' PLAYER PIANO Filed Jan. 27, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 @f Jr 1 69 F Erpe Ma? [,do 65 "lof WEYIIYJE SWITCH CNTII'DL SWITCH Patented Jan. `13, 1931 UNITED". STATES y'P Arrnv'r OFFICE..l

ARTHUR II.

Bon'r'roHnn, OI" EvANsTON, ILLINOIS, AssIsNOR` To GULBRANsnN COM- rANY, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,

A CORPORATION or ILLINOIS PLAYER PIANO Application filed January 27, 1927. Serial No. 163,898.

' This` invention relates to player pianos, and more particularly to that type of player piano in which the action is exhausted by.

manually operated means` as distinguished from the so-called` reproducer player piano in Whichthe action exhausting means is power driven. A

In player pianos of the type to Which my inventionis particularly adapted, the action 1% is exhausted by a power unit operated by pedals. As the roll motor'is connected to this unit and exhausted thereby, the volume of Vair handled is comparatively great, and of this volume 50% andsometimes more is required for the operation of the roll motor. By providingl suitable means oroperating the music sheet .Winding and revvinding mechanism Without the employment oi a pneumatically actuated motor, the yvolume of air required to` be handled by the action exhausting means can be reduced-by at least one-half. vThis gives a much Amore delicate andaccurate controllof the expression by the player and also renders itmuch easier to Operate the pedals. In view of the fact that the volume of airhandled When the roll motor is eliminated is comparatively small, any change inthe 'speed or rate of operationV ofthe pedals Will produce a relaof the action system With a corresponding variation in expression.V In vievv' of thisv Jfact it will be obvious that, by reducing the volume oi air to be handled, I greatly 5increase the ease of operation of the exhaust, ingvunit, and I also igve very delicate control of vthe expression. V'Ihislatter feature is Ofparticular importance as many persons tively great change in thetension in the air v prefer this type of player piano in vievvof sov that `all individuality v in This is the` hausting means, and it Willbe obvious that any means Which materiallyincreases the accuracy and delicacy of control Vof the expression by the player is ot great merit. This is particularly true Where such means lso materially yincreases the ease of operation of the exhausting unit. f

In its broader aspects my invention contemplates tho elimination oi the usual pneumatic motor employed 'for operating the spool and the `roll chuck.V I also provide means whereby the speedy of rotation-Of the spool and the rollchuck` can be readily varied Within Wide limits, such means being free of the eiiect of inertia and responding instantaneously to any' adjustment made for variation in speed. An additional feature ,of my'invention is the provision of means for preventingoperation of the spool until the proper air tension has been produced in the action to ensure'proper operation of the player pneumatic. Further objects and advantages ivill appear from the detailed descri ption. y

In theldraivings zy Figure l is arfront view'kof a player piano of known construction, With the front boards of the case removed, illustrating my invention as applied;`

Figure 2 `is a detail view, in elevation, of the twoI driving Wheels and associated parts;

" Figure Sis af section taken substantiallyT on line 3-3 of Figure 2;

connections between.' the same and the shift Y i lever and the Wheel adjusting yoke, and e I.associated parts,

, Figure 5 is a vparts illustrated in Figure 4;

Figuref 6 is Va d'agrarn of the motor circuit;

yFigure 7 is a plan view ofthe r'e-roll lever diagram, in plan, ot the and associated parts illustrating a modified:

form.;

, Figure 8 isa sectioni taken isubstantially on lineB-S of Figure 7; v i p v Figure 9 is a. section taken substantially on line 9-#9 of Figure 7 Y l. F iguremlO :is ariragmentary elevation of l the i'e-roll lever shaft and the motor reverse switch and associated parts;

Figure 11 is a fragmentary detail of one of the switch operating cams and its associated switch button;

Figure 12 is a fragmentary View of one end portion of the spool box and associated parts, showing` the driving` connections between the collar shaft and the spool and the roll chuck in the modified form illustrated in Figures 7 to 11; and

Figure 13 is a diagram of the motor circuit in the form illustrated in Figures 7 to 11. i

The player piano illustrated is of known construction and includes the pneumatic stack 1 with which are associated the player pneumatics (not shown), this stack being exhausted by means of a unit 2, the pump members or bellows 3 of which are operated by pedals 4 in a known manner. The unit 2 includes a throat 5 connected by exhaust tube 6 to stack 1. This unit is disposed in the lower portion of the case beneath keyT bed 7 upon. which are mounted the usual sustaining and melody levers. A bracket shelf 8 is mounted above stack 1 and supports the spool box 9 in which. are mounted spool 10, roll chucks 11 and 12. and tracker bar 18 in a known manner. The spool 10 and roll chuck 11 have driving connection with counter shaft 111, this coni'iection bein controlled by a shift lever 15 in a known manner for rotating the spool in winding direction, or rotating the roll chuck 11 in rewinding direction, as required. The piano so far described is of well known construction and its operation is well understood in this art and need not be set fort-h more in detail.

A rectangular frame' 16 is secured to b acket shelf 8 a-diacent spool box 9. This frame rotatably supports an upper drive shaft 17 and a lower counter shaft 18 disposed coaxially with counter shaft 14 and, in fact. forming' a continuation theieof. Preferably, shaft 18 is connected to shaft 14 by a suitable connecting` device that these two shafts can be disconnected if it becomes desirable' or necessary. though the shafts 18 and 14 can be made in one piece. Shaft 17 is driven, by a worm drive 18, from a should be of uniform speed, this motor bemounted upon the bracket shelf 8.

The shafts 17 and 18 are provided with driving wheels mounted thereon and' connected by a belt, these wheels being constructed for radial expansion and contraction. Each of the-wheels includes a pairof collars 19 and 20, collar 19 being freely slidable on the shaft and collar 2O being secured the shaft. These collars are connected by supporting members or strips 21 of resilient material, these members being suitable electric motor 19 whichV preferably in the form of leaf springs which possess appreciable strength and rigidity. In the form illustrated there are four of these members and each is provided at itscentral portion with a belt receiving member 22 of centavo-convex cross-section, this member forming a segment of a pulley formed by contact with each other of the members 22 when the driving wheel on either shaft is reduced toits minimum diameter. A belt 23 passes about the members 22 of the i'espective driving wheel structures, establishing driving connection between the shafts .17 and 18.

An adjusting yoke 24 is slidably mounted on the shafts 17 and 187 the longer arm 25 of this yoke contacting with collar 19 slidable on shaft 17, the shorter arm 26 contacting with the collar 19 slidable on shaft 18. As will be noted more clearly from l" Vre 2, the collars 19 and 20 on shaft 17 are oppositely related to the corresponding collars on shaft 18, so that when the yoke is shifted in one direction one of the wheels will be expanded radially and the other wheel contracted, and vice versa. This serves to vary the respective diameters of the wheels simultaneously and at the same rate and in opposite relation. As the respective diameters of the wheels are oppositely varied, slight movement of the yoke is sutlicient to produce a very decided change in the speed of rotation of shaft 18 relative to shaft 15, giving very accurate control o-f the rate of rotation of spool 10 or of the roll chuck 11, as desired. Though a somewhat .i lar result could be accomplished by other mechanism for giving this variable adjustment of the driving connections between the shafts, l prefer to employ the particular type illustrated and described as this is instantaneously responsive to any changes in position of the yoke 24 and is free of rotating` parts which, due to inertia, would in any way interfere with the immediate response of the driving connections tol adjustments of the yoke to effect speed variations.

The yoke 24 is shifted into desired positionfby means of the tempo lever 27 (F igures l and secured to the shaft 28 rockably mounted on the under face of key bed 7. This shaft is provided with an arm 29 connected by rod 30 to arm 81 of a vertical shaft 82 r ckably mounted in suitable beaiings at one end of the case. At its upper end shaft 32 is provided with an arm 38 depending from the plate portion 24a lof yoke 211. Shaft 32 is further provided with an arm 36 connected by a rod 37 to a slide rod 38 slidable in hearings 39 secured to the under face of bracket shelf 8. A pointer 40 is secured on the slide rod 38 and extends through a slot 8a in shelf 8, this pointer moving in front of a tempo indicating dial (not shown). These connections between the tempo lever and they parts associatedtherewith are, broadly, old and 'well known in 'this art. The various arms 'of shaft 32V `and shaft 28 are so' proportioned th at the movement of lever v27 will impart but relatively small movement to yoke 24'and will impart the proper movement to slide rod v38 to indicate the tempo. In Figure 2 the yoke is shown in central position,this being the position the `yoke occupies when the tempo lever 27 isin the vertical position illust-rated in Figure 14. With the yoke in this position the effective diameters of the driving wheels on shafts 17 and 18 are equal. When the leve-r is moved tothe left, as considered in Figure 4, the yoke 24 is moved siinilarlyand 'acts to shift collar 19 on shaft 17 so as toeXpand the wheel on this shaft, collar 19 on shaft 18 Ibeing simultaneously shifted orslid along its shaft so as to correspondingly decrease the effective diameter of the driving wheel on this shaft. This results'iuincreasing the speed of rotation of shaft 18 relative tov the speed of rotation of f' shaft 17.` The extent of increase thus produced will depend upon the extent towhich the yoke 24 is shifted to the left. Ifhthe lever 27 be rocked in the other rdirection beyond central position, the speed ofv rotation of the'shaft 18 will be reduced relative to shaft 17. As the effective diameters of the driving wheels on the shafts are varied instantan'eouslywith the shifting ofthe yoke 24, this gives a `very quick and accurate coni trol of thet-empo. This arrangement also gives a very wide Vvariation inthe speed'of shaft 18, whichis frequently verydesirable for the proper rendition ofinusical selections. i

1t is desirable that means be provided to assure that the belt 23 will at all times have .proper frictional contact with the dri-fing e wheels for establishinguniform'driving connection therebetween and avoidingslippage. This resultmay be obtained by employing' a belt possessing appreciable elasticity orhy maintaining a nonelastiobelt taut suitablebelt tightener.` I have illustrated the latter method diagranima'tically infF-ig.

Ajn idler pulley vis rotatably mounted at thel upper end of an arm252) pivote-d at its lower end 25o, on a support-2id vfor swinging movement. This arni vis urged toward the belt'by a light tension spring 25e. .y Idler pulley 25a presses against one run of the belt and acts in a. known ir nner to upv any slack inthe belt maintaining itat theproper ensure maximum drivuegree of tautnoss to ing eiiiciency.

Shiftlever l5 extends through a slot 8h through bracket shelf 8 and'jis provided its Vlowerend `with-an elongated head 1-1 which is Y slotted longitudinally'` 'lier Areceptionof al finger 42 formed' at the-inner end of a 'communication therewith.

A'wardly,awayfrom.button as to pe slieet'ontothe spool 10 off ofi-rollr 12. lVheii this lever is rocked'in the other direction shift lever 15 is thrown into position to rewind the roll, as is well known. Rod 43 is connected to ylow-Lr 15 b a tension s )rino 51.

This spring permits movement of lei/'er 50 beyond ie-windilig),L position.

A double acting switch 53 of known typiv is mounted upon one of the equalizer bellows 3a of the unit 2. This switch is con-y nected in the circuit of nthe electric motor and includes push buttons 54 and 55 for closing and opening Vthe motor eircuit,"respec,

tively. An angle `finger 56-is secured onthe movable leaf of a pneumatic 57 which is mounted on equalizer' bellows 3a and is in A button'operating finger 58 is pivoted on the bellows throatfat one end at 59 and is rconnected at its other end by a rod 60 to an-arm 61 se,-

cured to shaft 49. `Normally the shift lever 15 is `in 'neutral position and the yoke 24 is in central position, the levers and 27 being 'in the positions illustrated in'Figure 4. In

starting toplay, assuming thatfthe button of switch 53 has been pressed and the circuitrof the motor openedpthe pedals/1 are first operateduntil the proper operatingiten- 1 lsion is producedfin the action system. This.

serves to'collapse the rpneumatic sulliciently to depress button 54, bymeans of bracket 56p,l closing the switch and starting the motor. Lever v50 is then moved to the left.

Vshifting lever 15 into windingposition, Aand thespeed' of travel of the music sheetis'controlled by lever 27. When the selectionfhas beenplayedlever 50 Yisnioved in a clockwiseA 'direction' into re-winding position. andthe lever 27is moved in a counter clockwise direction into its extreme position in this direction so as to rotate counter shaft 18' at high speed, rotating the roll chuck 11 and consequently roll 12, at-high speed. 'lorrewinding the musicl sheet thereon. During i this re-'-;vincling of the music sheet the pedals 4 are 'not operated so that the vacuum not maintained in the action. system. 4This -per- Vmits the pneumatic57 to be Vexpanded by itsl associatedspring, moving the finger A56 upof raisingof ,thisbuttonfv As Vsoioniasthe music sheet i has k.been Acompletely re-wound lever 50 is movedinto'it's extreme position in a clockwise direction causing thefinger Ni th thi.,

58 to depress button 55S, opening the switch, and stopping the motor.

In Figures 7 to 13, inclusive, I have illustrated a modified form of my invention in which the shift .lever l5 associav d parts are omitted, the re-winding of the music sheet being accomplished by reversing til-e direction of the motor cui and coi euently *l directieL of dri or the niet.

obiect in view I provide-a reir ing switch 62 of known type which is connected the noter circuit. switch G2 is provided with push buttons G3 and (El for play and re-vroll, respectively. A second Th is switch G5 of known type is connected in in the motor circuit and is provided with switch buttons 66 and (3.7 for and opening the motor circuit, respect-iv liv. Two pairs of arms G8 l g ano` G9 secured to shaft 49 ofthe re-roll lever 550. Each arm is provided with a cam element 70 at its outer end, these cam elemen s being disposed for moving the switch butt is inw'1 rdly into operative position. Iteferrl Figures 8 and 9, it will he noted that the arms are spaced apart somewhat further than the arms 69 so that the cams 70 of the pair of arms lead the cam elements of the second pair of arms. In starting to play, the lever 50 is moved in a counter clockwise direction into full playing position. This movement of the lever serves to move button 63 of switch G2 inwardly so as to rotate the motor shaft in playing direction, aft-er which button G6 of switch 65 is moved inwardly to close the motor circuit. hen the selection has been played the lever 50 is moved in a clockwise direction into re-winding position at which time button 6e of switch. 52 moved inwardly reversing the direction of drive of the motor. When the music sheet has been completely re-wound lever 50 is turned into its extreme position in clockwise direction, moving the button G7 of switch 65 inwardly and opening` the motor circuit.

When the reversing switch arrangement is used, the drive pinion and the re-roll sprocket are mounted upon the counter shaft 14 in such manner that the pinion is driven by the shaft only when the motor is operated in winding or playing direction, the sprocket rotating with the shaft only when the motor is driven in re-winding direction. Obviously there are numerous ways in which this can be accomplished, such as suitable ratchet and pawl devices, or clutch devices, and it is not thought necessary to illustrate or describe this feature in detail.

lVhat I claim is l. In a player piano having an action and exhausting means therefor, a motor independent of the action exhausting means, and mechanical driving connections between said motor and the spool and the roll chuck of the piano.

2. In a player piano having an action and exhausting means therefor, a motor independent of the action exhaust-ing means, and variable speed mechanical driving connections hetween said motor and the spool and the roll chuck.

3. In a player piano having an action and exhausting means therefor', drive shaft Larven independently of the action exhausting means, a counter shaft having driving connection with 'the spool and the roll chuck, and variable speed driving connections between the shafts.

In a player piano having an act-ion and exhausting means therefor, an electric motor,-a drive shaft driven from said motor, a counter shaft having driving connection with the spool and the roll chuck, and variahle speed driving connections between the shafts.

5. In a player piano having an action and exhausting means therefor, a drive shaft driven independently of the action exhausting means, a counter shaft having driving connection with the spool and the roll chuck, and variable speed mechanical driving connections between the shafts.

6. In a player' piano having an action and exhausting means therefor, an electric motor, a drive shaft driven from said. motor, a counter shaft having driving connection with the spool and the roll chuck, and vari.- ablc speed mechanical driving connections between the shafts.

7. In a player piano having pedal operated action exhausting means, a motor independent of the exhausting means, and mechanical driving connections between said motor and the spool. and the roll chuck.

8. In a playerl piano having pedal operated action exhausting means, a motor independent of the exhausting means, and variable speed mechanical driving connections between said motor and the spool and the roll chuck. v

9. In a player piano having pedal operated action exhausting means, a motor independent of the exhausting means, a counter shaft having driving connection with the spoolV and the roll chuck, a drive shaft driven from said motor, and variable speed driving connections between the shafts.

10. In a pla-yer piano having pedal operated action exhausting means, a motor independent of the exhausting means, a counter shaft having driving connection with the spool and the roll chuck, a drive shaft driven from said motor, and variable speed mechanical driving connections between the shafts.

11. In a player piano having pedal operated action exhausting means, an electric motor, variable speed driving connections between the motor and the spool and the roll chuck, and control means for adjusting said Vso driving connections and for closing and opening the motor circuit.v

12. In a player .piano having pedal operated action exhausting means, anl electric motor, variable speed and reversible driving connections between the motor and the spool and the roll chuck, means for adjusting said driving connections, and `a single control means for closing the motor circuit-and reversing the drive, said control means acting' to operatively connect the motor to the roll chuck when moved into one extreme position f and to open the motor circuitupon continued movement beyond drive reversing position.

V13. In a player piano, an electric motor, a-

drive shaft driven by said motor, a counter shaft, variable speed driving connections between 'said shafts., the forward drive pinion and the re-roll; sprocket being mounted on' the counter-shaft, means foradjusting said driving connections, manual control means for moving the shift lever into spool driving position as the control means -is moved into its extreme position in one direction, said control means moving the shift lever into roll chuck driving position and minimum, the motor circuit being normallyl open through said supplemental control means.

14.-. In a player piano, an electric motor, variable speed driving connections between the motor and the spool and theroll chuck, said connections including the shift lever, a Vcontrol lever, operating connections between said control lever and the shift lever for lmoving the latter into either of its operative positions, said operating connections including yielding means permitting continued movement of the control lever after the shift lever has been moved thereby into full re-rolled position, a control switch in the motor circuit, means actuated by .the control lever for opening said switch asvsaid control lever ismoved in one direction beyond re-roll position, and means actuated by the tension in the action exhaust unit for closing said control switch when the ten` cuit being normally open, and means actuatedby the air` tension in the action exhaust system for closing the motor circuit when said tension reaches a predetermined minimum. i Y

17. In a player piano, an electric motor, driving connections between the motor and the spool and the roll chuck, the motor circuit being normally open,and means in communication with the action exhaust system Vand actuated by the air tension therein for closing the motor circuit when said tension reaches a predetermined minimum.

18. In aplayer piano, an electric motor,

driving connections between the motor and the spool and the roll chuck, a motor control lever, and means controlling the motor circuit and actuated by said lever when moved into one operative position for closing said circuitand driving the motor in music sheet unwinding direction, said controlling means also including means actuated by the lever when moved into its other operative position for reversing the direction of drive of the Vmotor and subsequently opening the motor circuit.

19'. In a player piano, an electric motor, driving connections between the motor and the spool and the roll chuck, a motor` control lever, an operating switch in the motor circuit, areversing switch in the motor circuit, means for closing the reversing switch in Aone direction and subsequently closing the operating switch as the control lever is` moved into one operative position, and means for closing the reversing switch in the other direction and subsequently open-A ing the operating switch by continued movement ofk the control lever into its other operative position.

20. In a player piano, a drive shaft, a counter shaft i having driving connection with the spool and the roll chuck, driving wheels on the shafts, .a belt establishing driving connection between .the wheels, and meansfor varying the speed at which the counter shaft is driven through the wheels and belt while maintaining constantthe relation between the belt and the wheels.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my nainethis 22nd day of January, 1927. A ARTHUR I-I. BOETTCHER.

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