Device to permit reproducing or player pianos to serve as musical clocks

A modified player piano which is enabled, without significant structural alteration of the original player piano structure, to strike notes which represent the hour of the day, the modified player piano comprising:

• record means for operating the piano, the record means providing a sequence of pre-recorded tone signals for causing the piano to strike notes which announce the hour, the sequence comprising a first group of one or more tone signals for striking a first hour, a second group of one or more tone signals for striking a second hour, and a predetermined tone signal, located between the first and second groups of tone signals, the predetermined tone signal corresponding to a note which is different from the notes which are struck by the tone signals in the first and second groups;
• electric motor means providing power for moving the record means along a predetermined path;
• sensor means adjacent to the predetermined path, the sensor means responding to the passage of each tone signal, including the predetermined tone signal, to provide a corresponding control signal;
• action means comprising a plurality of cooperating elements which move in response to the predetermined control signal to strike a predetermined note;
• switch means connecting the motor means to a source of electricity, the switch means responsive to one of a movement of the action means and the predetermined control signal to disconnect the motor means from the source of electricity, the switch means responsive to a switch signal to reconnect the switch means;
• and
• timing means for supplying the switch signal to the switch means at a predetermined time.