Fourneaux

Biography

Fourneaux of Paris patented, in 1863, his 'pianista,' a device that used pneumatics to press mechanical 'fingers' upon a piano's keys as directed by perforated cardboard sheets. Set in motion by a hand crank, the mechanism could be attached externally to any piano, with the fingers positioned over the keyboard much like the later cabinet player pianos. The pianista was exhibited at the Philadelphia Exposition of 1876, and a fair number of the machines were sold commercially. However, for reasons the author says are unknown, the invention was never further developed, and it became obsolete owing to its limited capabilities and high cost. It nonetheless marked an important early commercial milestone in player-piano history, and John McTammany's subsequent 1868-era work is described as substituting a foot-pedal action and perforated paper rolls for Fourneaux's crank-and-cardboard system.

Highlights

• In 1863 patented the 'pianista,' a device using pneumatics to press mechanical fingers on piano keys according to a perforated cardboard
• Exhibited the pianista at the Philadelphia Exposition in 1876, and a number of the machines were sold
• The invention was never further developed and became obsolete due to its limited possibilities and high cost

Source

Alfred Dolge, Pianos and Their Makers, Vol. I (1911), pp. 133, 134, 135.

Public domain.