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US 3,998,122 AGranted
Electro-pneumatic action for player piano
OwnerRichard L. Carty, Iver F. Becklundinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The specification discloses a player piano action comprising an electric motor, a roll drive, and vacuum actuated automatic transmission which incorporates a traveling cylindrical housing to operatively engage and disengage the take-up and rewind spools. The action incorporates a pneumatic stack which is constructed to permit access to all bleed holes without disassembly. The vacuum for actuating the notes is supplied via a foot pump which is hinge mounted to facilitate repair of and access to the piano action.
Claims7
An electropneumatic player piano action comprising
- an electric motor having an output shaft;
- a spool box including a tracker bar, take-up spool, and journal means for mounting a piano roll on a removable rewind spool;
- means for coupling the output shaft of said electric motor to said take-up spool so as to cause said take-up spool to be engaged and rotated when said electric motor is operated in one direction, and;
- means for coupling the output shaft of said electric motor to rotate a removable rewind spool when said electric motor is rotated in the opposite direction;
- and
- a pneumatic stack;
- means for producing a vacuum to operate said pneumatic stack;
- and wherein said take-up coupling means and said rewind coupling means comprises:
- rewind gear means for turning said take-up spool;
- a worm gear attached to the output shaft;
- a traveling housing having an internal bore sufficient to accommodate said worm gear, and at least one circular exterior cross section;
- means for coupling said worm gear to said traveling housing so as to cause said traveling housing to translate in one direction when said electric motor is engaged to rotate clockwise, and in a second opposite direction when said electric motor is engaged to rotate counterclockwise;
- take-up spool engaging means attached to one end of said traveling housing for coupling said take-up spool to said electric motor when said electric motor is rotated in a direction to cause said take-up spool engaging means to engage said take-up spool;
- rewind spool engaging means attached to the other end of said traveling housing for coupling said rewind gear means to said electric motor when said electric motor is rotated in a direction to cause said rewind spool engaging means to engage said rewind gear means.
11 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.