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In the 980525 MMD Bob Loesch wrote about an attachment to Autopiano
pneumatic systems called Flexotone. I presently have in my shop a
Haines Brothers piano with that attachment and it appears to be intact.
The system was removed from the piano when I received it, but all the
parts are there and just need to be reinstalled.

My observation is that this is a system of mechanical linkage to intro-
duce expression into the piano. It works by moving the hammers, in
three divisions, closer to the strings, thereby reducing the distance
and causing the piano to play softer in the particular division.  There
are felted rails which ride on the back of the hammers, lifting the
hammers closer to the strings.  By using this attachment along with the
soft bass and soft treble push buttons, one could provide quite a bit
of expressive control to the piano.  However, it would require a tre-
mendous amount of practice on the part of the player-pianist to work
all this mechanism.

I intend to take pictures of this mechanism, since it is so rare.  Very
brief mention is made of the Flexotone in Harvey Roehl's "Player Piano
Treasury," and there it is described as an attachment that may be ret-
rofitted to an existing player.  I would not want to be the technician
assigned to that project.

Nathan Woodhull
Lima, Ohio