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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
10
FEBRUARY 22,
1919
TO ENLARGE SIMPLEX PLANT
PATENTS EXPRESSION ACTION
PNEUMATIC ACTION FOR PLAYER
Factory at Worcester, Mass., to Be Greatly En-
larged—Plans Made for Three Additions
Rudolph Wurlitzer Mfg. Co. Secures Assignment
of Important Hope-Jones Patent Covering
Expression in Musical Instruments
Details of Patent Just Granted Joseph A. Obst
for Improvements in Construction and Oper-
ation of Player Actions
WASHINGTON, D. C, February 17.—The Rudolph
Wurlitzer Mfg. Co., North Tonawanda, N. Y.,
are the owners through assignment by Robt.
Hope-Jones (deceased), same place, of Patent
No. 1,292,321 for an expressive action for musical
instruments.
The present invention relates to musical in-
struments, especially to that class in which a
vibratory member is set into motion by a ham-
mer blow, and it has for its object to provide
an actuating mechanism for imparting a move-
ment of greater or less rapidity to a hammer or
other member by applying thereto an initial
force, to set it into motion at a predetermined
speed, and after a suitable interval has elapsed
and before the hammer has completed its motion
to modify this speed by causing another force
to act thereon to accelerate the motion.
WASHINGTON, D. C, February 17.—-Joseph A.
Obst, Pawtiicket, R. I., was last week granted
Patent No. 1,292,362 for an improvement in the
construction and operation of pneumatic actions
for musical instruments. The present construc-
tion particularly adapts itself to the employment
of a single valve control for the motor pneu-
matic, in contradistinction to the double valve
control ordinarily employed, and embodying pri-
mary and secondary valves, but it is to be under-
stood that while the invention is shown and
described as a single valve action, the principles
are equally applicable to the double valve action.
The object of the invention is to simplify the
construction and lessen the cost of devices of
this character, and in particular to increase the
responsiveness of such devices by improvements
directed to the control of the bleed devices.
WORCESTER, MASS., February 17.—The Simplex
Player Action Co., of this city, which are run-
ning day and night in an endeavor to fill orders,
have just consummated arrangements to build
three additions to their plant on Blackstone
street, in order to take care of increased busi-
ness. The company will not wait until spring
to go ahead with the project because the room
is needed as soon as it can be secured, so that
work is likely to be under way before the end
of the month. Plans have been prepared for
the addition by Cutting, Carleton & Cutting, the
prominent architects of this city, and bids will
be closed with the builders this week.
The plans call for brick and fireproof struc-
tures, as the present buildings are of brick. At
the corner of Blackstone street and Charles a
four-story factory building will replace the piles
of lumber that have graced that site for years.
It will be fifty 'feet by fifty-five, with tar and
gravel roof.
In the rear of the Blackstone
street and Charles street factories will be erected
two connecting buildings, a dry kiln and store-
house for the sawing and storage of lumber used
in the manufacture of the actions.
These buildings will be one story high, 115
feet by 35. The brick houses on the site have
been razed and as soon as the bricks have been
removed the ground will be ready for the
foundation work.
The company owns land in the rear of these
factories on Charles street, which may be further
utilized if the business keeps on growing as
fast as it has in recent years.
The development of this enterprise has been
watched with a great deal of interest by the
people of this city, who are proud of the Sim-
plex player and the institution which makes it,
under the capable direction of Theodore P.
Brown, the inventor of the Simplex pneumatic
principle, and the president and treasurer of the
company, and the news of the further extension
of their vast plant affords a good deal of satis-
faction to the people of Worcester.
THROUGH FIRE BUT STILL PLAYS
Durability of the Autopiano Emphasized After
Passing Through Big Fire in Cuban Theatre
The Autopiano Co., New York, are just in re-
ceipt of a letter from their dealer in Havana.
Cuba, E. Custin, relating an incident of a fire
which totally destroyed one of the largest build-
ings in Havana, the Centro Asturiano.
The Campoamor Theatre, one of the principal
film theatres of Havana, which occupies a sec-
tion of the building, was very seriously damaged
by the fire and water, but the Autopiano which
they purchased of Mr. Custin more than two
years ago, although subjected to the intense heat
of the fire and being water soaked at the same
time, upon being tested, greatly surprised the
management of the theatre by playing with the
same perfection as before the fire and withoul
a single note failing.
This same Autopiano has withstood the acid
test in that it has played twelve hours daily for
the past two years without necessitating any
repairs whatsoever in all that time.
PLANNING FOR BIG PLAYER YEAR
WORCESTER, MASS., February 14.—Victor John-
son, president of the Worcester Wind Motor
Co., of this city, reports a continuance of heavy
orders, and in view of the fact that 1919 is sure
to be a big player year, he is planning for an
increased output of his wind motors, pneumatics
and supplies for player manufacturers. He re-
ports a general improvement in the labor situ-
ation.
The Samuel Bittel Music Co., Oweusboro, Ky.,
has increased its capital stock from $10,000 to
T ?r
$25,000.
~ '~
While Devoting Oar Efforts to the Large
Task of Meeting the Unexampled Demand
for
M. Schulz Company
Player-Pianos
We are able to announce that the 1919 models exceed
all previous achievements in the special features of
Easy Pumping
Musical Effects
Responsiveness to Control
Simplicity
Durability
and
Supreme Value Based on the Combination
of Highest Quality with M o d e r a t e Price
We shall be most glad to hear from you if you find
interest in linking your player-piano merchandising repu-
tation to the "BEST and livest player proposition on
the market."
MORE THAN 140,000 of our Pianos
and Player-Pianos have been made and
sold to date.
M. SCHULZ COMPANY
Founded 1869 .
General Offices
3 Factories in
Schulz Building
711 Milwaukee Ave.
CHICAGO
Lit
'.A.
CHICAGO
Southern Wholesale Branch
1530 Candler Bldg_
ATLANTA.-GA^. _.... :1