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MMD > Archives > February 2001 > 2001.02.28 > 10Prev  Next


Duplex Roll Player for Organ
By Bob Loesch

I have become the owner of a duplex roll player of unknown make,
and I'd like to access the collective wisdom of this august forum.
It was obviously from a pipe organ, as its control switches are
clearly labeled:

SW #1 Ped  1-12
      Grt 13-41
      Sw  42-73
SW #2 Ped  1-24
      Grt 25-41
      Sw  42-73
SW #3 Ped  1-18
      Grt 19-36
      Sw   (blank. might have been 37-73?)
SW #4 Ped  1-24
      Grt 25-48
      Sw  49-73

This information might be of use to the 'add-a-player' folks who needed
to know how the old-time player builders allotted their single
tracker-bar player's holes.

Also with the duplex player (and its attendant switching mechanism)
are two 73-note relays, one attached to each tracker.  The roll motors,
roll tracking mechanism, and tracker bars are Autopiano.  The
electrical portion of the switching looks like Aeolian (which it might
be), and the mechanical portion of the switching is vacuum operated,
as are the roll motors.

A photo (the only one, so far, as our weather has been really bad
of late) is at http://www.jps.net/rrloesch/Filler_duplexPlayer.jpg

The spoolboxes, roll motors, tracking regulators, and their attendant
vacuum and electrical switching are mounted in a steel frame which
looks like it was built to be mounted horizontally, like the drawer
of an Ampico grand.

More than this I cannot say, as the former owner didn't know what it
was out of.  So, what _is_ it?  Any and all information is greatly
appreciated.  Thanks!

Regards,

Bob Loesch, in beautiful Lake County, California, USA
http://www.jps.net/rrloesch

 [ If the device played standard 88-note rolls, then it seems
 [ that 73 channels of the tracker bar were played as assigned by
 [ the selected switch.  Only one switch was used at any instant.
 [ As the character of the music roll changed, e.g., an
 [ important tenor melody might appear, the switches enabled
 [ the operator to alter the split between the divisions.
 [ -- Robbie


(Message sent Wed 28 Feb 2001, 20:50:03 GMT, from time zone GMT-0800.)

Key Words in Subject:  Duplex, Organ, Player, Roll

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