Abstract: A key drive device to be installed on a musical instrument with a keyboard partly located above a leg block via a key bed, including: drive units to be at least partly inserted into a removal space in the key bed. In a state in which the drive units are installed, at least one drive unit which drives at least one key located above the leg block includes: (a) a first portion at least a part of which is inserted into an insertion space portion of the removal space between the leg block and the keyboard; and (b) a second portion at least a part of which is disposed in other space portion of the removal space, a dimension of the second portion in at least one of a vertical direction and a horizontal short-side direction being larger than that of the first portion.

Abstract: An automatic player piano is a combination between an acoustic piano and an automatic playing system, and a grand piano and an upright piano are used as the acoustic piano; the grand piano has action units prompter than action units of the upright piano so that a half-stroke recorded through the grand piano is not reproducible by the upright piano; the automatic playing system causes the hammers to rotate toward the strings without any escape thereby compensating the poor promptness with the short keystroke of the keys until the rotation of hammers.

Abstract: In a musical keyboard instrument, a keyboard having a plurality of keys that pivotally move about a frame is mechanically isolated from a tone generator having a plurality of operating members allowing musical tones to be generated in response to the keys being depressed. A plurality of key-depression detection devices are arranged for the keys so as to detect the key-depression operations applied to the keys. A drive control device drives the operating members so as to generate musical tones in response to key-depression signals output from the key-depression detection devices upon detection of the key-depression operations applied to the keys. Thus, it is possible for the player, in particular, a weak person, to easily and rapidly perform key-depression operations, thus realizing desired musical performance of the musical keyboard instrument.

Abstract: An automatic player piano prolongs acoustic sounds in playback as if a player pushes down a sostenuto pedal, and a controller is responsive to a first piece of music data information representative of key-on state, a second piece of music data information representative of key-off state, a third piece of music data information representative of pedal-on state and a fourth piece of music data information representative of pedal-off state so as to play a tune by using key actuators associated with the keys; when the first piece of music data information is supplied to the controller for a key, the controller instructs the key actuators to change associated the key from the key-off state to the key-on state; when the second piece of music data information is supplied to the controller without the third piece of music data information for a key, the controller instructs the key actuator to change the key from the key-on state to the key-off state; when the second piece of music data information is supplied to the

Abstract: Improvements in player piano devices. Repetitive striking of a piano wire by a hammer head associated with a depressed piano key is accomplished by means of a rotating paddle that strikes a projecting portion of the hammer head attendant each revolution of the paddle.A foot pedal means activates and de-activates a power source that effects rotation of the paddles, there being as many paddles as there are hammer heads.The means for de-activating the power source also serves to stop the rotation of the paddles and positions the non-rotating paddles in non-interfering relationship with the projecting portion of the hammer heads so that the piano can be played conventionally when desired.

Abstract: A toy piano has a set of sound-producing elements disposed within a frame, and a set of key-shaped levers pivotably supported on the frame along a normally horizontal axis for movement from a first position to a second position, respectively. A set of hammers is pivotably disposed within the frame for striking the sound-producing elements; the hammer-contacting ends of the levers normally rest on the hammers, respectively, for preventing the release thereof. The sound-producing means are actuated either manually by depressing one of the levers and releasing it thereafter so that a corresponding hammer is then made to impinge on one of the sound-producing elements, or automatically when a cam-shaft is permitted to periodically strike at least one of the released hammers.