- Rockin’ Patent: US Patent No. 1,243,645
- Filed: 15 February 1915
- In the name of: Harold A Van Valkenburg
- Title: Sound Producing Device
- What’s claimed: “A device for producing the effect of hoof beats, comprising a. valve chest having a vacuum chamber throughout its length, a plurality of bellows, the movable side of each of which carries a member adapted to strike a coacting member when said bellows is collapsed, valves adapted to place said bellows in communication with said vacuum chamber, and other valves operated by the movable sides of said bellows and govern ing the operation of the next succeeding bellows.”
- Why this patent rocks: This patent appears to be the ‘Fotoplayer’, an automatic mechanical orchestra used by movie theatres to produce photoplay music to accompany silent films. It was a form of player piano, electrically-driven, with augmented orchestral effects, including organ pipes, percussion instruments and assorted sound effects (whistles, bird song, thunder etc.). For more information, see here.
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