Presto

14
October 3, 1925.
PRESTO
PRACTICAL TALKS
ON PLAYERPIANO
Causes of Irregularity in Pneumatic Control
and How to Correct the Defects for
Which They Are Responsible, in
Simplest Manner Possible.
THINGS TUNER SHOULD KNOW
Invaluable Suggestions, Even Directions, for Puzzled
Repair Men Who Find Their Experience In-
adequate in Emergency Cases.
By HENRY F. PELTIER.
"What causes the music sheet to slow up and
pumping become harder at the end of music roll?"
There are several causes, but the very first im-
pression I want to make is—
Never tamper with governor spring unless abso-
lutely necessary.
Should the music sheet move irregularly, or jerky,
remedy as follows:
First—Clean off all old grease and dirt that have
collected on to bearings, chain and brakes, also brake
drums. To get brake drums smooth I do as follows:
After cleaning off grease or oil and dirt, I replace
chain and then run motor on reroll position, holding
a small piece of 00 (double 0) sandpaper against
brakedrum while running until it becomes good and
clean.
To clean brake-drum on take-up spool, put in music
roll to cover tracker only; then, by putting reroll
lever about half way you should be able to race
motor, thereby moving take-up spool faster, or use
silencer; use same method to clean brake-drum as
above. Or put reroll lever to "reroll" position and
move take-up spool by hand.
Now the Motor.
Second—Remove all slides and guards, taking care
not to bend wires connected to them. If the motor
has metal bases remove them and also number them
in order taken off, also mark the top of base, and
have a. piece of two or three 0 sandpaper—the finer
the better. Put paper on perfectly smooth and clean
surface; place metal base (face) flat on same, holding
base with forefinger and thumb, one at each end of
base, respectively; move base back and forth full
length of paper, starting with moderate pressure,
easing up on pressure as you progress, smoothing
out ridges on face of base.
You will perceive as you grind down the face at the
start the deep scratches on face of bases. Keep up
the work until these disappear entirely.
The smoother you do work on face of bases the
longer your motor will run without trouble, whether
made of cast iron or silver composition.
The Motor Slides.
First—Look at bottom, or face, and note if any
high spots or worn places appear. You undoubtedly
will find worn spots on opposite corners. Level these
the same as you did with the metal bases, using same
process, but use clean paper or shake off dirt on
paper you used.
For Wooden Base Motors.
Here we cannot remove bases, but we can get
them as good as new and level, too.
If you have not a flat block for your sandpaper,
use one of the'slides as follows:
Cut sandpaper long enough so you can bend same
over each end of motor slide, and have width of paper
about % inch wider than block.
Now go ahead and rub off all traces of scratches,
etc., on motor bases. Heavy pressure first; lighter as
you proceed. These scratches are produced by dust
particles getting under slides and wearing away mate-
rial that they come in contact' with, on both faces
and slides.
After grinding down slides make sure that you
have them perfectly square or level. (Better try
them with a straight edge, such as a try-square, or
the edge of a new name card; hold up to light and
note if, at ends, you can see light. If so, you have
rounded the ends of slides; try again and get them
straight.)
The slides should be held by the hand in the same
way you did with the bases, as described above.
To Graphite Motor Slides.
Take a piece of newspaper, laying same on level
surface; sprinkle some pulverized graphite on same,
and rub slide face until glossy black.
Or you may do this: Dip tip of finger in water,
then in graphite; then rlib same on slide until good
and black. After putting it on in this way make sure
you did not leave any high spots. In order to make
sure, rub slide block on paper that has been put on a
level surface.
Re-assembling Motor.
Return motor slides to their respective positions,
taking care not to bend rods connected thereto. If
slide is connected to rod by a small hinge tighten
leather nut snug, but do not strip thread, or, in other
words, do not keep on turning nut until it will not
held.
If connecting rod is so bent that it must be passed
through a bushed opening on slide do not tighten nut
snug, for if you do so you will cause slide to raise
up off seat at every revolution of crankshaft, which
will cause a jerky movement or not run at all. On
the other hand, if bushings are worn so that there
is any play between rod and bushing or opening hole
is worn oblong, it will be necessary to rebush same,
which is very seldom done.
If you have no bushing cloth, raise bushing by
putting flat end of a toothpick under each side of
cloth until it is back to normal; then replace rod.
Remember, it must be free, not tight in its bearing.
It is a good idea to put some pulverized graphite
in hole of bushing before replacing connecting rod.
Rod should have about 1/32-inch sidewise play.
All bearings on crankshaft should be free and have
end play of at least 1/32 of an inch.
Replace guards in their proper position and see
that they do not bind the slide valves; about 3/32
inch play should be allowed for swelling or dampness
both for up and down movement and side play.
All bearings on motor crankshaft should be free
after slide valves are replaced; turn motor crank-
shaft slowly by hand and see that the valves open
both ports equally. If not, bend wires or connecting
rod, into lower slide or out to raise same.
Another way to regulate motor is as follows: Put
motor in place; connect up to tube; place reroll lever
at "Reroll"; hold motor shaft with finger and thumb;
let same turn very slowly, starting at left. Observe
when crankshaft or motor pneumatic is all the way
back as far as it will go. You should see cloth bend
in slowly; this should happen just before dead center
is reached, or at dead center. Follow up at each
pneumatic with same proceeding.
Brakes.
The brake at upper right-hand side of music box
should have just enough tension to take the flutter
out of music sheet when playing. Always see that
brake-drums are clean at every tuning.
Take-up spool, in tracker box, should have at least
1/32-inch play on its bearings; if not, loosen pivot at
left end. Be sure the paper lines up and that flanges
are not too far to left or right, so that music paper
will not rub against them and the edge be turned; for
if this happens you disturb tracker device.
Chains should be free. If an idler is on see that
spool turns when chain moves. If it does not turn,
remove and clean bearings of same; graphite before
replacing; use no oil.
Also see that brake on take-up spool does not come
in contact when playing. Take-up spool should be
free when playing. Only a few drops of good sperm
oil should be used on metal to metal bearings.
To Test Upper Brake.
Put on music paper, set lever to play, but hold end
of paper by finger and thumb of either hand; draw
paper out slowly and note, while doing so if tension
is tighter at one point than at some other; if so, look
at screw that holds brake-block and see if it is not
too tight. This block should be free to move up and
down with ease.
To Regulate Motor Speed.
Now try a piece of music and see if it will play
through without trouble.
Music sheet should travel seven feet, when tempo
pointer is at seventy, in one minute.
Presuming motor starts promptly at No. 10 and
only runs 6 feet of paper at No. 70, what would you
do?
To speed up motor, tighten governor spring; make
sure that it is the governor spring. To make speed
slower, loosen or weaken spring.
The tension on some governor springs is regulated
by a small nut at end of same; others by removing
spring and spreading the leaves of spring apart to
speed up motor, or bending same closer together to
slow up motor.
Now, how about motor speeding when pumping
hard and slowing up on light pumping?
PATENT FOR A. G. GULBRANSEN.
According to a recent Patent Office announcement,
A. G. Gulbransen, president of the Gulbransen Co.,
Chicago, has been granted patent rights on a player-
piano, the manufacturing rights of which have been
assigned to the Gulbransen Co.
MICHIGAN DEALER MOVES.
B. J. Hopkins, Marshall, Mich., has moved his
piano store from the space occupied in the Trupiano
store in North Eagle street to larger quarters in a
choice location on the same street.
FRAUD IN ADVERTISING
SCORED AT CONVENTION
Better Business Bureaus Co-operating with
Newspapers, Can Protect Legitimate
Business, View of Post Office Official.
Publicity, as the most effective method of fighting
fraud and deception in the advertising and sale of
merchandise, securities and service, was stressed by
business men, government officials and publishers in
addresses before the National Better Business Com-
mission of the Associated Advertising Clubs of the
World, which concluded its annual convention in In-
dianapolis, Ind., last week. G. F. Olwin, manager of
the Better Business Bureau of Indianapolis, and presi-
dent of the commission, presided.
"Fakers and promoters find the printed word con-
vincing and profitable," said H. J. Donnelly, solicitor
of the Post Office Department, Washington, D. C.
"Better Business Bureaus, working in close co-opera-
tion with newspapers and trade publications, can pro-
tect legitimate business and the public by striking
back blow for blow. Swindlers fear publicity above
anything else because it conveys to their prospective
victims the thought of investigation before purchase,
destroying their business wherever the exposure be-
comes known."
Louis E. Kirstein, vice-president of William
Filene's Sons Company, Boston, told the convention
that the advertisement that claims the most does not
necessarily sell the greatest volume.
The Black and White orchestra, popular "jazz
band," of this city, has recently been organized for
the coming season.
DECKER
J L ^ EST. 1856
SL SON
Grand, Upright
and
Welte-Mignon
(Licensee)
Reproducing
(Electric)
Pianos and Players
of Recognized
Artistic Character
Made by a Decker Since 1856
699-703 East 135th Street
New York
KREITER
The Leading and Most Popular
Pianos and Players
Grands, Players, Uprights and
Reproducing Pianos
The Results of Over Forty Years'
of Experience.
Kreiter Pianos Cover the Entire Line
and no Piano Dealer who tries these in-
struments would supplant them by any
others. A trial will convince.
Kreiter Mfg. Co., Inc.
310-312 W. Water St., Milwaukee, Wis.
Factory: Marinette, Wis.
WILLIAMS
PIANOS
The policy of the Williams House is and always
has been to depend upon excellence of product
instead of alluring price. Such a polioy does not
attraot bargain hunters. It does, however, win the
hearty approval and support of a very desirable
and substantial patronage.
Maker* of Williams Pianot.
Epworth Piano. «nd Ortf.a.
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