US3115802A - Piano playing attachment - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 31, 1963 H. w. SWEENY 3,115,802

PIANO PLAYING ATTACHMENT Filed May 3. 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

HERBERT W. SWEENY BY V) W Dec. 31, 1963 H. w. SWEENY 3,115,802

PIANO PLAYING ATTACHMENT Filed May a, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. HER BERT W. SwEENY ATTORNEY United States Patent M 3,115,802 PIANO PLAYING ATTACHMENT Herbert W. Sweeny, 3708 Revere Drive, Toledo, 01120 Filed May 3, 1962, Ser. No. 192,259 1 Claim. (Cl. 84-160) This invention relates to mechanical piano players and an object is to produce a piano player which is readily adaptable to an upright piano and may be readily applied to or removed from the piano and when in place on the piano does not interfere with manual playing.

Another object is to produce a new and improved piano player in which the strings of the piano are struck by the usual hammers which are actuated by the armatures of solenoids energized by electrical circuits established by pneumatic means.

further object is to associate electro-magnetic means with each solenoid to insure that an extra force is imparted to the hammer substantially at the time of impact upon the piano string.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will here inafter appear and, for purposes of illustration but not of limitation, an embodiment of the invention is shown on the accompanying drawings, in which FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary schematic view in perspective of an upright piano having electrical playing mechanism associated with a player roll operator with a pneumatic control device;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged sectional View substantially on the line 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a somewhat diagrammatic view partly in section showing the pneumatic and electrical operating devices and also the wiring arrangements; and

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary sectional view on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 3.

The illustrated embodiment of the invention comprises an upright piano having the usual front panel assembly 10a and vertical side panels 1%. The piano has the usual row of playing keys 11.

FIGURE 2 shows the linkage associated with each of the keys 11 and at the inner end of each key is a vertical bar 13, the upper end of which is pivoted to a spring tensioned actuating arm 14. One end portion of the actuating arm 14 is pivoted to a depending bracket 15 suitably secured to a transverse wooden frame bar 16. Upon upward movement of the vertical bar 13 the actuating arm 14 imparts upward movement to a push arm 17, the upper end of which engages a pivoted block 18 to which is attached an arm 18a carrying the hammer 19 at its upper end. The hammer is adapted to strike against the wire W to create the tonal vibration. It will be observed that the actuating arm 14 has a lateral extension 20 on the under side of which is a curved cam-like surface 21.

It will be understood that the above describes a conventional upright piano structure. Detail description and il lustration of such structure are not considered necessary, because the same is well known to those skilled in this art. However the above description will afford the general organization to enable a better understanding of the embodiment of the invention hereinafter to be described.

In accordance with this invention a series of vertically disposed armature shafts 22 are provided, one being associated with each actuating arm 14. As shown, each armature shaft 22 has a ball end 23 which is engageable with the curved cam-like surface 21 so that when the shaft 22 is actuated in response to its solenoid, it will rock the respective arm 14 upwardly thereby to cause the associated hammer 19 to strike against its wire. A detail description will be given with respect to one of the armature shafts 22 and its associated members, but it will be understood that the same structure is associated with each of the actuating arms 14.

Patented Dec. 31, 1963 As shown each armature 22 is slidable axially through a solenoid 24. As above mentioned a ball 23 is mounted on the upper end of the shaft and at the lower end is a head 22a of plate-like form at the lower end. The solenoid is secured by a clamp 25 to a horizontal angle bar 26 which is secured at its opposite ends in any suitable manner to the vertical side panels 10b of the piano frame. Connected to the solenoid 24 and suitably insulated therefrom is an electro-magnet 27 disposed at the bottom end of the solenoid. As will hereinafter fully appear, when the solenoid 24 and the electro-magnet 27 are energized, the armature shaft 22 is caused abruptly to move upward thereby to impart operative movement to the actuating arm 14 for causing the respective hammer 19 to strike against the wire W. The purpose of the electro-magnet 27 is to impart an abrupt or quick action in the final movement of the armature shaft and overcome any decelerated tendency of the armature shaft in response to the action of the solenoid.

Referring particularly to FIGURES 3 and 4, 28 designates a housing, to the upper wall of which is connected a tube 29 leading to a suitable source of suction, of such nature that a slight degree of vacuum is created. Within the housing 28 is a baffle 311 adjacent the pipe 29. Dividing the housing 23 into compartments is a horizontal partition 31, the upper compartment being indicated at 32 and a series of vertically disposed partitions 33 dividing the lower compartment into a series of chambers 34. Leading from each chamber 34 is a tube 35 which extends to a tracker bar 36.

The tracker bar 36 is provided with a horizontal row of perforations and over the perforated face of the tracker bar passes the conventional perforated music strip or web 37, which is wound from a reel 39 to a reel 38. Any suitable means, such as electric motor means, may be employed for actuating the spindles for the reels 38 and 39, and regulated to rotate at the desired speed as will be readily understood by those skilled in this art.

Each chamber 34 has a port 40 which leads to the chamber 32 and controlling such port is a ball valve 41. The ball valve 41 is carried at the end portion of a spring contact arm 42 which is secured in place by an anchor screw 43. In the normal position of the spring arm 42 the free end portion engages an insulated stop 44 on the bottom wall of the chamber 34.

In the event that the hole in the tracker bar 36 served by a particular tube 35 is registered by a perforation on the music strip 37, atmospheric pressure is suificient to cause the spring arm 42 to move upwardly and actuate the ball 41 to close the port 4t). Thereupon the end of the spring arm 42 engages a contact screw 45 for closing the circuit. In this connection it will be observed that extending from the anchor screw 43, which provides an electrical connection, is a lead 46 extending to a transformer 47, which may be connected to the usual house current. From the contact screw 45 extends a lead 43 to one end of the solenoid 24. Extending from the opposite end of the solenoid 24 is a lead 49 which extends to a spring contact arm 59. Normally this contact arm 50 is in engagement with a contact point 51. Extending from the contact point 51 is a lead 52 extending to the transformer 47. There is a branch lead 53 extending from the lead 43 to one end of the electro-magnet 27. From the other end of the electro-magnet is a lead 54 connected to the lead 52.

From the above description it will be manifest that when the contact arm 42 is swung upwardly (FIGURE 3) so that the valve 41 closes the port 40, then the end of the arm 42 engages the contact screw 45 and establishes a circuit, energizing the solenoid 24 and the electromagnet 27, thereby causing the armature 22 abruptly to actuate the respective plate-like head 22a on the armature shaft for moving the spring contact arm 50 away from the contact piece 51, thereby breaking the circuit and deenergizing the solenoid. The circuit for the electromagnet 27 will remain closed so long as the ball '41 is seated against the port 40. This makes possible the pro-- duction of a sustained note.

Manifestly this entire operation takes place instantaneously. As soon as the perforation in the music strip 37 passes the aperture leading to the respective tube 35, then the spring arm 42 has sufficient resilience to move the end portion thereof away from the contact screw 45 and at the same time unseat the ball 41 sufficiently to uncover the port 40. Such movement of the spring arm 42 breaks the circuit to the electro-magnet 27. Thus the parts return to their original position until another perforation in the music strip 37 is encountered.

From the above description it will be manifest that a battery of solenoid-magnet assemblies, one being provided for each string or wire W of the piano are operated pursuant to the action of the music strip 37 passing continuously over the tracker bar 36. One or more perforations in the music strip may register with tracker bar perforations at the same time, thereby causing a number of the strings or wires W of the piano to be simultaneously struck by the respective hammers 19. By causing respective armature shafts 22 to actuate the several actuating arms 14, it will be manifest that the piano will in efiect be played in accordance with the particular perforations designating the music for a particular composition. Thus with this attachment in place on the piano, the piano can be played in a normal manner since the mechanism does not at all interfere with the normal playing of the keys. Thus the piano can be selectively played mechanically or manually.

Numerous changes in details of construction, arrangement and operation may be effected without departing ifrom the spirit of the invention especially as defined by the appended claim.

What I claim is:

A piano player attachment equipped with a perforated tracker bar over which a perforated web travels, said attachment comprising a battery of solenoids having armatures moveable to actuate the wire-engaging hammers respectively, a head on one end of each armature, an electro-magnet associated with each solenoid for augmenting the armature movement, pneumatic means responsive to the moveable perforated web, said pneumatic means including a housing, means to create a slight vacuum in the upper portion of said housing, a partition in said housing having a series of ports, one port being for each operating hammer of the piano, means separating the lower side of the partition into a plurality of chambers for said ports respectively, tubes leading from the tracker bar to said chambers respectively, a ball controlling each port, a spring arm carrying each ball and arranged in a chamber and normally holding the ball unseated, an anchor screw for one end of said spring arm, a contact member with which the free end of the arm engages when the respective tube is closed by the moving web, an electrical circuit including a lead from each contact member to its respective solenoid and also to its respective electro-magnet, a second lead extending also from each solenoid to a power source, a spring switch interposed in such second lead and actuatable by said head of the respective armature after a predetermined movement thereof, thereby to break the circuit for the respective solenoid, a third lead extending from said electro-magnet for joining said second lead beyond said switch so that the respective electro-magnet continues to be energized after the solenoid is de-energized and so long as the spring contact arm maintains engagement with the respective contact member, and a lead from the respective anchor screw to the power source for completing the circuit.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 576,342 Davis Feb. 2, 1897 1,073,133 Dorricott Nov. 11, 1913 1,767,739 Brown June 24, 1930 2,924,139 Green Feb. 9, 1960

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