US1173507A - Harp-stop for pipe-organs. - Google Patents

Description

' Patented Feb. 29, 1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET I. a

W. E. HASKELL.

HARP STOP FOR PIPE ORGANS.

7 APPLICATION FILED APR. 29. I912. 1,173,507.

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HARP STOP FOR PIPE ORGANS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 29. 1912.

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W. E. HASKELL.

HARP STOP FOR PIPE ORGANS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 29. 1912.

1,173,507. I Patented Feb. 29,1916.

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HARP STOP FOR PIPE ORGANS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 29. 1912.

Patented Feb. 29, 1916.

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ITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILL AM E. HASKELL, or RRATTLEBoRo, VERMONT, ASSIGNOB To 'ESTEY ORGAN COMPANY, or BRATTLEBORO. VERMONT, A coRPoRATIoN or VERMONT.

' iIA-RP-sToP FOR PIJPE-ORGANS.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, VVILLIAM E; HASKELL, of Brattleboro, in the-county of Windham and State of Vermont, have invented a Harp-Stop for Pipe- Organs, of which the followingis a specification.

The object of the present invention is to provide a pipe organ with a stop-which shall give a tone similar to that of a manually played harp.

:In accordance with the present invention, each note of the harp stop comprises a glass bar which is struck by a pneumatically actuated hammer; a resonator associated with the glass bar; a corroborating open labial pipe; and key-controlled instrumentalities v for concurrently actuating said hammers and causing the corroborating pipes to speak.

The new stop isillustrated in accompanying drawings, wherein Y Figure 1, is .a vertical -cross section through one of the vibrating glass bars, the associated resonator, pipe and hammer, and the I pneumatic appliances for moving the hammer and for sounding thepipe. The section is taken on the plane indicated by the line 1-1, in Fig. 3. In Fig. 1, the hammer is shown in its idle position of rest. Fig. 2, is a view similar to Fig. 1, excepting that certain of the parts are shownin'elevation instead of in section, andthe hammer is shown in the position which it occupies just after it has struck the vibrating glass bar. Fig. 3, is a horizontal View, partly in section in the plane indicated by the line 3+3 in Fig. 1. Figs. 4 and 5, are face views of vibrating glass bars. Fig. 6, is a chart illustrating the arrangement of the various sounding devices of the stop as the same are assembled in the organ. Fig. 7 is a detailed view of one of the resonators and glass bars. Fig. 8, is a chart illustrating the dimensions of the glass bars and their resonators for the different notes in the stop. Figs. 9 and 10,'are enlarged detail sections of the retaining means for one of the vibrating glass bars, taken respectively at the places indicated at .99 and at 1010 inFig. 3.

In accordance -with the present invention, as illustrated in the drawings, each note of the harp stop of the organ comprises a -vertically hanging vibrating glass sound- Specification of Letters Patent.

"A, and setting it into vibration.

Ting bar A, a horizontal resonator B, a vertical swinging hammer C, and a vertical open labial pipe I The hammer C, is pivoted at its lower end at a, and it normally occupies the idle posltion shown in Fig. 1, resting against a padded stop rail 6, which extends longitudinally and horizontally and is common to allhammers for the same rank of glass sounding bars. The hammer is immediately acted upon by a striking pneumatic E,

which, when supplied withcompressed air,

V Patented Feb. 29, 1916. I Application filed April 29, 1912. Serial No. 693,785. I

When the draw. stop or stop key (as the case may be) is manipulated, which governs the harp stop, air under pressure is admitted into the stop chamber F. Communication between the stop chamber and a series of passagesd, is controlled by double valves G, of familiar construction, there being one of the double valves G, and one of the passages d, for each of the glass bars. Each'double valve G, is immediately governed by asolenoid H. Normally, each double valve G,

occupies the position shown in Fig; 1, and

accordingly, when the stop key or draw stop is manipulated, the air under pressure admitted into the chamber F, goes through each passage 03, and into the interior of a primary pneumatic I, maintaining it in expanded condition. The construction of the illustrated pneumatic is that shown in Letters Patent of the United States, No.

923,263, June 1, 1909. This primary pneumatic I, is connected with a double valve J,

controlling the admission of air from a wind-chest K, containing air under pressure to apassage 0, leading to the interior of a secondary pneumatic L, located within the wind-chest K.

When the primary pneumatic I, occupies its expanded position, shown in Fig. 1, the double valve J, is held uplifted so that the interior, and the exterior of the secondary pneumatic L, are subjected to equal.

pressure, and the movable lower wall of the secondary pneumatic, is maintained in its lowermost position, shown in Fig. 1, by gravity. A double valve M, is connected with the secondary pneumatic L, and it normally occupies the position shown in Fig. 1,

double valve G, to the. position shown in Fig. 2. This closescommunication from the stop chamber F, to the passage d, and vents said passage to the open a r and, accordlngly, the primary pneumatic I, collapses by gravity, thus lowering the double valve J. This cuts off the supply of air from the w1ndchest K, to the passage 6, and vents said passage to the open air. Accordingly, the secondary pneumatic L, is collapsed by the greater external air pressure w thin the wind-chest K, thus lifting the double valve M, and opening the single port which admits wind to effect the sounding ofa glass bar and the speaking of its corroborating pipe. This lifting of the double valve M admits air under'pressure from the wind-chest into the wind passage 7, and closes the vent therefrom to the open air. Part of the air thus admitted to the wind-passage f, enters and expands the striking pneumatic C, and part of it passes through the passage 9, to the corroborating pipe D. Accordingly, the hammer C, strikes the glass bar A, putting 1 it in vibration, and the corroborating pipe D, speaks until the finger of the organist is removed from the corresponding key of the keyboard. .When the finger is removed from the corresponding key,,all of the instrumentalities resume the normal idle position of rest shown in Fig. 1. g

By reason of the loose connection N, between the striking pneumatic E, and the hammer C, illustrated in Fig. 1, and the adjustable padded limiting stop h, which limits the outward expansion of the striking pneu-. matic, the hammer strikes the glass sounding bar by its momentum, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2, and is instantaneously moved by the spring a, (and by its rebound), to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 2, so that it does not mufile the vibrations of the glass sounding bar. The hammer has an inserted cushioned, thick soft felt striking pad i, and it is weighted by a transverse lead plug j, at its head, so as to increase its striking momentum.

The details of the vibrating glass sounding bars and of their resonators are of great importance in the production of the desired quality of tone. A-harp'string, when plucked by the finger of a skilled harpist, emits a pronounced sound, followedby a characteristic vibration. Extended experiments show that the quality of the harp tone can be secured by a properly selected and mounted bar of glasswhen reinforced by a properly proportioned and located resonator and by a soft, corroborating labial pipe which Wlll give a sustained tone as long as the corresponding key of the organ is held.

Each glass bar A, is suspended in front of its own resonator and hangs vert cally. At the top of the resonator is a bracket k,

carrying a horizontal rail 0, (Fig. 10), hav'-.

between the outerface' of the glass bar and the collar n, and by a felt-strip 9, between the inner face of the glass bar and the rail 0. The lower portion of the glass bar is held in place between a felt strip 1', (see Fig. 3), at the front face of a horizontal rail P, secured to a bracket k, on the'under side of the resonator and a second felt strip 8, in front of the glass bar, which iscarried by 'a rail Q, which is slidingly and yieldingly mounted upon two rods 25, and is maintained in its outer position by springs u. Accordingly, the lower portion of the glass bar is loosely held, leaving it free to vibrate but at the same time it cannot make bearing against a rigid material either front or back.

The glass bar is suspended at a nodal point. The hammer strikes it at its middle and the suspending aperture m, is one-fourth of the length of the glass bar below its top. The retaining felted rails P, and Q, are located one-fourth of the way up from the lower edge of the glass bar. Each glass bar is provided with a second nodal hole to, (See Figs. 4: and 5), symmetrically located with respect to the hole m. The glass bars are made in the first instance of appropriate dimensions, but owing to the lack of homogeneity in the glass and the difliculty of getting it of exact uniform thickness, tuning is sometimes necessary. By cutting away at the opposite sides as indicated at m, m, in Fig. 4, the pitch is flatted, and by both to obtain symmetry) the pitch is sharpedr It is important to use'the best quality of plate glass. 7

Each resonator is of wood and it is rectangular in cross section. The vertical di mension or depth of the resonator is greater than its width, except inthe upper octave, and the horizontal dimension or length is greater than either width or depth,.as is It is closed at the other end by an adjustable tuning stopper S, similar to the tuning stoppers used in stopped labial pipes. The

interior width of each resonator is slightly greater than that of the glass bar associated therewith, and the frontedges of the four walls of the resonator are beveled externally to a sharp edge as indicated at y, in Figs. 1-

and 3.. It is important in order to get the proper effect that this beveled edge should be presented.

The rectangular resonator has thick, strong, flat wooden walls. The mouth of the resonator is wider than the glass bar to facilitate the escape of the sound waves. These thick walls are beveled at their edges at themouth of the resonator. The size of each resonator lengthwise is of approximately the entire length of the corresponding glass bar.

Each of the corroborating pipes D, is an open pipe of the-proper speaking length to have the same pitch as the corresponding glass bar.

The harp stop as it has been made, in-

cludes four full octaves, that is to say, fortynine notes extending from C, to c. Accordingly, the pipe of lowest note is of four-foot speaking length. The lowest pipe is therefore of the properlength to give afourfoot'tone and it is two and one-half inches wide and three inches deep, (inside. measurements), the depth being the dimension between the front wall, in which the mouth I is formed, and the rear wall. The other pipes follow the recognized diminishing proportions for the remaining notes of the stop in accordance with well understood acoustic principles of pipe organ construction. The drawings illustrate the pipe D, conventionally only, and do not show its full length, orits proper proportions with respect to the illustrated resonator, since the dimensions of such pipes for different pitches are well known.

Each glass bar should be one-fourth of an inch thick. Inevitable variations are compensated for by tuning. Fig. 8, illustrates diagrammatically and by scale the proper length and width of all the glass bars of the stop, and the interior dimensions of the corresponding resonators. This chart indicates that in every instance the width of the'resonator is greater'than that of the corresponding glass bar. 'In each case, the

glass bar should be symmetrically located about three-eighths of an inch at the lowest the chromatic scale, the resonators'nearest I to that one whose glass bar is struck will respond, thus adversely modifying the desired tone. This is obviated by irregularly arranging the resonators and glass bars so that no two differing by a semi-tone shall be next each other. Fig. 6, is a diagram illustrating an irregular disposition which has been demonstrated to be efficient. sounding devices are arranged in four banks located vertically one above the otheigand the notes in each bank are disposed as indicated, so that neighboring notes are at least a full tone apart.

As indicated in Fig. l, the wind pressure in the chest K, should be relatively-high so as to efl'ectively impel the hammers C, while the pressure in the stop chamber F, may be relatively low since the wind there has but little mechanical work to perform.

I claim:

The I 1. A harp stop for pipe organs comprising, in combination, vertically hanging glass sounding bars, each suspended at a nodal point; pneumatically actuated hammers, each of which is located to strike the middle of one of the glass bars; a resonator rectangular in cross section for each glass bar, each resonator being horizontally disposed with its open mouth opposite its glass bar, with an adjustable stopper at its opposite end, the mouth of the resonator being wider than the corresponding glass bar and spaced therefrom a distance at least equal to the thickness of said bar, and the four walls of the resonator being externally beveled at its month; an open labial corroborating pipe for each glass bar; and key-controlled instrumentalities for concurrently actuating said hammers and causing the corresponding corroborating pipes to speak.

2. A harp stop for pipe organs comprising, in combination, vertically hangingglass sounding bars, each suspended at a nodal point; pneumatically actuated hammers, each of which is located to strike the middle of one of the glass bars; a resonator rectangular in cross section for each glass bar, each resonator being horizontally disposed with its open mouth opposite its glass bar, with a stopper at its opposite end, the mouth'of the resonator being wider thanvthe corresponding glass bar and spaced therefrom, and the four walls of the resonator being externally beveled at its mouth; a. corroborating pipe for each glass bar; and key-controlled instrumentalities for concurrently actuating said hammers and causing the corresponding corroborating pipes to speak.

. 3. A harp stop for pipe organs comprising, in combination glass sounding bars; pneumatically actuated hammers, each of which is located to strike one of the glass bars; a resonator for each-glass bar having its open mouth opposite its glass bar, the mouth of the resonator being wider than the corresponding glass bar and spaced therefrom; a corroborating pipe for each. glass bar; and key-controlled instrumentalities for each of which is located to strike the middle (of one of the glass bars; and a resonator rectangular in cross section for each glass bar,

each resonator being horizontally disposed with its open mouth opposite its glass bar, with an adjustable stopper at its opposite end, the mouth of the resonator being wider than the corresponding glass bar and spaced therefrom, and the four Walls of the resonator being externally beveled at its mouth.

5. A harp stop for pipe organs comprising, in combination, vertically extending glass sounding bars; a hammer for each bar; and a resonator rectangular in cross section for each glass bar, each resonator being horizontally disposed with its open mouth opposite its glass bar, the mouth of the resonator being wider than the corresponding glass bar and spaced therefrom, and the four walls of the resonator being externally beveled at its mouth.

6. A harp stop for pipe organs comprising, in combination, glass sounding bars; a hammer for each bar; a resonator rectangular in cross section for each glass bar, each resonator having its open mouth oppositeits glass bar, the mouth of the resonator being wider than the corresponding glass bar and spaced therefrom, and the four walls of the resonator being externally beveled at its mouth.

7. A harp stop for pipe organs comprising, in combination, glass sounding bars, a hammer for each bar; and an open mouthed resonator rectangular in cross section with its mouth opposite each bar, said mouth being wider than the width of the bar, and the.

dimension of said mouth lengthwise of the bar being greater than the width of said mouth.

8. A harp stop for pipe organs comprising, in combination, glass sounding bars; a

pneumatically actuated hammer for each bar; an open mouthed resonator with its mouth opposite each bar; a corroborating pipe for each bar; and key-controlled instrumentalities for concurrently actuating said.

hammers and causing the corresponding cor-,

roborating pipes to speak.

ing, in combination, glass sounding bars; a

hammer for each bar; a resonator opposite each bar; a corroborating pipe for each bar; and key-controlled instrumentalities for concurrently actuating said hammers and causing the corresponding corroborating pipes to speak.

10. A harp stop for pipe organs comprising, in combination, sound bars; a hammer for each bar; and an open mouthed wooden resonator with its mouth opposite each bar, each wall of the resonator being externally beveled at the mouth of the resonator where said wall is. oppositethe-inner face of the sounding bar. I

11. A harp stop for pipe organs having,

in combination, a vertically hanging glass nodal holes; a padded collar surrounding said pin in frontof saidbar; and a yieldingly mounted movable padded rail in front of said bar at its lower nodal hole.

12. A harp stop for pipe organs having, in' combination, a vertica lyhanging glass sounding bar havinga hole at a nodal point near each end and midway between its sides; a suspending pin passing through the upper of said holes; a padded sleeve around said pin and within said upper hole; padded rails backof said bar at the top and bottom nodal holes; a padded collar surrounding said pin in front of said bar; and a padded rail in front of said bar at its lower nodal hole.

a '13. A harp stop for pipe organs having,

- pin and within said upper hole; padded rails back of said bar at the top and bottom; a padded collar surrounding said pin in front of said bar; and a padded rail in front of said bar at its lower end.

14. A harp stop for pipe" organs having, in combination, a vertically hanging glass sounding bar having a hole at a nodal point near its upper end and midway between its sides; a suspending pin passing through the upper of said holes; rails back of said bar at the top and bottom; a collar surrounding said pin in front of said bar; and a yieldingly mounted movable rail in front of said bar at its lower end.

15. A harp stop for pipe organs having, in combination, glass sounding bars; a pivoted hammer for each of said bar's. said hammer being weighted by an inserted lead plug at its head and having a thickly padded striking face; a padded stop rail against which said hammer rests; a striking pneumatic loosely connected with said hammer; a padded stop limiting the impelling movement of said pneumatic; and a spring to return the hammer to its position of rest.

16. A harp stop for pipe organs having, in combination, glass sounding bars; a pivoted hammer for each of said bars, said hammer being weighted at its head having a thickly padded striking face; a stop rail against which said hammer rests; a striking pneumatic loosely connected with said hammer; a stop limiting the impelling movement of said pneumatic; and a spring to return the hammer to its positionof rest.

17. A harp stop for pipe organs having, in combination, vertically disposed glass sounding bars; an upstanding pivoted hammer for each of said bars, said hammer being weighted at its head and having a thickly padded striking face; a striking pneumatic loosely connected with said hammer; a stop limiting the impelling movement of said pneumatic; and a spring to return the hammer to its position of rest.

18. A harp stop for pipe organs having, in combination, vertically disposed glass sounding bars; an upstanding hammer for each of said bars, said hammer being weighted at its head and having a thickly padded striking face; a striking pneumatic loosely connected with said hammer; and a stop limiting the impelling movement of said pneumatic.

19. A harp stop for pipe organs'having, in combination, glass sounding bars; a hammer for each of said bars, said hammer being weighted at its head and having a thickly padded soft striking face; and a striking pneumatic connected with said hammer.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM E. HASKELL.

Witnesses:

- H. S. WELLMAN, A. L. HARRIS.

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