Boyd Pistonola Player Action - Photos
photographs by David Evans, Hampshire, England


pistonola_action2.jpg (72 kb)
pistonola_kboard2.jpg (33 kb)

The Boyd Pistonola was developed by H C Goldman and C F Webb in London 
around 1912.  It was first demonstrated in November 1913 at a concert held in 
Ilford Town Hall, Essex, England, and again in April 1914 at the Corn Exchange, London. 

 

pistonola_regunit1.jpg (70 kb)
Roll motor regulator mounted on the side of the case.
 

pistonola_rollmotor1.jpg (55 kb)
Four-piston roll motor
 

pistonola_feeders1.jpg (72 kb)
Feeder pistons and spring-loaded reservoir (center)


pistonola_pistons1.jpg (72 kb)
The mechanism is ingenious, being the smallest player action ever devised.  In place of banks of large pneumatic motors it has a single tier of pistons for the note-striking and four in line for the roll-drive motor.  Even the feeders are pistons, and the reservoir is a spring-loaded piston. Valves are ball-bearings. By the 1920s Boyd were producing a more conventional player piano. 

pistonola_2pistons.jpg (14 kb)
Only the largest (action) piston is graphite, diameter is 1/2". 
The smaller pistons for the primary and secondary valves are brass.

26 February 2000