US1333715A - Pipe-organ - Google Patents

Description

Hl B. HULBERT.

PIPE ORGAN.

APPLICATION HLED MAY :5. 19'11.

Patented Mar/16, 1920.

l N V EN TOR.

A TTORNE Y.

VWITNESS:

HOMER BL HULBERT, OF SPRINGFIELD, lvTASSACHUSETTS.

PIPE-ORGAN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 16, 1920.

- Application filed 15. 1917'. Serial-No. 168,642,

To a]?! i ma it may concern:

in it known that I, HOMER l3. HULBERT, a citizen of the United States of America, residing in 5})1i11gficll, in. the county of llainpden and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and ust'ul Improvements in Pipe-Organs, of which the following a specification.

This in vention relates to pipe organs. One object of the in vention is to provide a device or mechanism .ior automatically varying the length or the column of vibrating air in an organ pipe so that the pitch of the tone of the pipe may be gradually raised or lowered in order to produce an effect similar to that which is technically called "portamento on a violin; that is to v, the pwsage from one note to another in a continuous glide through all of the intervening tones. In

pipe rgans, as now coustriicted, so far as I am aware, there are no devices which will automatically accomplish this very desirable result. A second object o'l this invention is to provide a. device for automatically increasing or diminishing the loudness of the tone in an loudness oi? t :0 tone in any other pipe. A third object of the invention is to provide means a u'oniatically energizing the valve operati magnets o'l two adjacent pipes inorder to prevent a break in the tone when one pipe ceases to act and the adjacent one begins.

Broadly. this invention comprises a slide that is arranged on the outside of an organ pipe and adapted, by means ot a suitable lever device. as for example, a bell-cranklever. to be moved up or down by electroniagnets. thus varying the length of the col umn oi vibrating air in the pipe and consequently varving the pitch of the tone, either up or down, at the will of the player. It is to be understood that a slide is placed on each oi the pipes. The elecho-magnets are preferably, though not necessarily, ar ranged in an arc of a circle for mechanical convenience for operating the valve operat ing lever device which governs the movement of the slide on the pipe. A suilicicnt number of these electro-magnets is provided in order to cause the slides on the pipes to bev niovcd the required distance on the pipes i to accomplishthe desired result; that is to say, in order to lengthen o gan pipe irrespective oi the- -more air t enter the pipe.

or shorten the column of air in the pipe so as to produce a continuous and harmonious sound from one note to another.

The invention further comprises an electrical. connection between the last slide-- manual, of the organ whereby the operator iy sliding his finger along a flexible keyboard can conveniently control the opera tion of the slides on the pipes, as desired. Means are further provided for supplying compressed air in varying quantities or pressures from the wind chest of the organ to each of the pipes and simultaneously with the operation of the slides on the pipes. Also, means are provided for slightly lengthening the column of vibrating air in a pipe when. the operator exerts an increased pressure on the key which causes. or allows This would tend to lower the pitch proportionately but as the: entry of more air into the pipe would .naturally tend to raise the pitch, this lengthening of the column of air just compensates in the opposite direction and the pitch remains the same however loud the tone may be made by the introduction at more air into the pipe. Any further objects relating to the nature and purpose of this invention will be set forth in detail in the body of the specification and will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view showing in outline two organ pipes giving successive notes of the scale, the means for electrically controlling the flow of compressed air to the pipes, the electromagnetic means for varying the position of the slide which controls the length of the column of vibrating air in thepipe, and the electrical connections between a series of manually operated levers and the electro-magnets, also the electrical connections between said levers and the electro-magnetic devices which control the flow o1 compressed air from the wind chest to the pipes.

Fig. 2 is a plan view or one or the manuals oi the instrument, showing a strip of flexible material located, preferably though not necessarily, immediately in front and slightly lower than the ordinary key-board ot the instrument. This strip of flexible material shown with the usual keys of an organ indicated therein, either by paintii r or other suitable means. This flexible strip is composed of some insulating material which will effectively insulate it from the levers which are immediately below it and which are sh wn in F 1 and 3.

l ig. dis a front elevational view, partly in section, showing series of manually operable levers which are used to close the electrical circuits to one or more of the slideoperating electro-magnets. It also shows,

part of the figure, a set of conin the lower tact wires that are arranged in an inclined position and are embedded in a plate composed of suitable insulating material and so relat d to the curved end of the contact lever, that when more pressure is exerted on the flexible key-board, the curved end of the le er will successively engage wires which are electrically connected to electro-magnets which operate the bell-crank levers on the pipes for causing them to move toward the left.

l ig. is a detail horizontal sectional view on an enlarged scale considered as taken on the line of Fig. 1 showing the slides and the electro-magnets for operating the,

same.

Referring to the drawings in detail: Two of the adjacent pipes of an organ are indicated at 1 and 1 in a conventional manner and may be considered the a and #:a pipes in any octave. The electrically operated valves 2 in the wind chest 2 for controlling the flow of compressed air to each of the pipes are shown in a general way. it is to be umlerstood that a chest 2 with ralves therein employed for each pipe. The ordinary keys o1. the organ are shown as a whole at 3; the white ones being shown at l and the black ones at 5.

Slidably mounted on the outside ends of the two pipes 1 and 1, indicated at 5 and 6 respectively, are slides. These slides, as shown, are operated by any suitable means, as by bell-crank levers T and 8 which can be moved by the series of electro- magnets 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13, live of which shown for each slide. lhese magnets are individually located in the branch circuits 1 1-, 1 1, 1 1 14 and 141 which lead to a plurality of contact wires 15 that are fixed or en bedded in the base piece of insulating material 16. It will be noticed that the wires 15 are arranged in an. inclined direction, whereby the curved and flexible contact fingers 17 which engage the wi es 15 may successively close the circuits of the magnets as 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, depending upon the degree of pressure exerted by the player on the contact devices as will be explained. 18 designates a plurality of pivotally-mounted levers that are arranged immediately under a strip of flcxible and insulating material 19 which constitutes what may be termed a flexible key board and these levers operated by pressing downward and sliding the linger up or down the scale on the upper surface of this key-board. The above mentioned strip of flexible material extends the whole length of the key-board of the instrument. llt is situated immediately above and in contact with the manually operated contact closing levers 18. This strip of material has painted or otherwise indicated thereon, the usual keys oi the instrument as shown at 1 and 5.

Below each of these indicated keys there are shown five oi the levers 18, each one of which is provided at its lower end with a curred flexible finger 17 already referred to. These levers are pivot-ally connected With the instrument by means of a rod 20 which is insulated :lrom the instrument. T his rod has connected thereto a wire 21 that leads to one terminal of the battery 21. The connections to the terminals of the electro-magnets 9 to 13 of the first series and to the terminals 13 of the second series of electromagnets shown, it will be noticed, are in series with the other terminal of the battery 21 by means of the wires LP, 15, 16, etc. The purpose 01 this arrangement is that when the operator slides his linger along or up or down the scale of the flexible key-board 19 exerting a downward pressure thereon, he will energize in succession the different electro-magnets associated with each of the pipes and when the last magnet of one pipe is energized it will. also cause the energization of the first magnet of the next pipe so that the bell crank 8 of that second pipe will be attracted toward the left hand end where one oi? the magnets 13 is located in order to be ready to take up the tone at the instant the preceding pipe stops. F or instance, in the drawing, Fig. 1, the levers 7 and 8 which control the slides 5 and 6 respectively will be in position that the columns of vibrating air in the two organ pipes which produce successive notes the scale will be substantially Uhe san'ie length at the same moment, thereby producing a gradual loudness of sound from one pipe to the next. Furthermore, in order to increase the loudness of the tones it is necessary to increase the amount of compressed air that enters the pipes. This accomplished by means of the electro-magnetically operated valves shown at 2. These valves are operated simultaneously with the slides 5 and 6. It is a well-known fact that when the pressure of air in a pipe is increased it tends to raise the pitch of the tone. This throws the pipe out of tune with the rest of the instrument. In order, therefore, to be able to swell a single note in the organ some means must be provided where by the slide on the pipe may be automatically lowered at the same time that more air is admitted to the pipe, in order to compensate for the natural raising of the pitch which is caused by the introduction of more air. This is accomplished by means of the curved flexible finger 17 at the lower end of the lever 18 engaging, in succession, the inchned contact wires 10. lVncn the loudness of the tone is to be increased, the operator presses harder on the keys represented on.

the flexible finger board 19.

This causes the contact finger 17 to engage successively the different inclined contact wires 15, whereby the lever 7 will be attracted correspondingly toward the left thus lowering the slide 5 and lengthening the column of vibrating air in the pipe and compensating for the raising of the pitch of the tone through the simultaneous introduction of more air, by means of the valves 2 in the air chest 2, said valves being operated when the lever 18, by means of the arms 18 closes the circuits to the electromagnets in the air chest 2. It is to be understood that the contact wires 15 may be placed in a horizontal or other suitable position but it is less troublesome as far as mechanical or structural details are con- .cerned to arrange them, as shown, in an inclined position. It is for this purpose that the contact wires 15 are set in an inclined position, so that increased pressure on the key represented on the flexible strip 19 at 4; and 5 will cause the finger 17 to operate by flexure, and engage successively the wires 15 to cause the cnergization of electromagnets to the left thus lowering the slide 5 and compensating for the increased air pressure as above stated. It is to be understood that when the operator places his finger on the strip of flexible fabric 19, at the point 5, he can operate several of the levers 18, and thus simultaneously close the circuit to the several contact fingers 17, whereby several of the valve operating electro-magnets as 10, 11 and 12 are energized. As the operator slides his finger along the flexible strip 19 the corresponding levers 18 will be successively operated thus causing the bell crank 7 to swing to the right or left in agradual manner, n'ieanwhile the other 18 of the levers 18., according to the degree of pressure on the key board 19, are closing the contacts at 20 to the wind chest 2 to'supply compressed air to the pipe under operation. It is to be understood that the normal position of the levers 7 and 8 is vertical and that the same are moved either of the magnets are. energized.

to the right or left depending upon which The slide 5 is moved so as to automatically maintain the length of the column of vibrating air practically constant.

If the operator desires to make a louder tone, he can do so by increased pressure on the key board, for this will successively close the contacts 20, thus increasing the pressure inthe pipe, but in swelling a single tone the natural raising of the pitch through increased air pressure would naturally throw the pipe out of tune and to compensate for this and keep the pitch constant in spite of the increased loudness, the slides 5 and 6 are simultaneously lowered, which will lengthen the column of air in the pipe, thus lowering the pitch ust as much as the extra air pressure would raise it, thus securing an equilibrium of pitch.

lVhat I claim is:

1. In a pipe organ, the combination with the pipes of the same of aslide for each pipe for varying the length of the vibrating column of air therein, electro-magnets for controlling the operation of the slides, a source of electric energy, connections between the source of electric energy and the electromagnets, a plurality of circuit closing Wires, contact fingers to engage one or more of said wires to close one or more of the connections to said magnets to cause the slides to be shifted for producing a tone gradually varying in pitch in the pipes and from one pipe to the next, as set forth.

2. I11 a musical instrument of the kind described, the combination with the pipes and key board of the same, of a plurality of manually operable devices and electromagnetic means coutrolled by the devices for controlling the lengths of the columns of vibrating air in the pipes, as described, in a uniformly or gradually varying manner.

3. In a pipe organ the combination with the pipes thereof, of a slide for each pipe for varying the length of the column of vibrating air, electromagnetic devices for moving the slides, and electro-magnetic devices for controlling the supply of compressed air to each of the pipes and operated simultaneously with the movement of the slides, manually operated contact means electrically connected to said devices and located adjacent to the key-board for causing the energization of both of the said electromagnetic devices, the electro-magnetic devices of adjacent pipes which produce successive notes of the scale being simultaneously energized to cause the tones of the adjacent pipes to be substantially of the same pitch for the purpose described.

4. In a pipe organ, the combination with the pipes thereof, of a slide for each pipefor varying the length of the column of vibrating air therein, electric contact de- Eli vices, a plurality of electro-magnets "for operating the slides, electrical connections between the contact devices and the electromagnets, means for closing the contact devices oi said electre-niagnets to change the position of the slides, valve devices for varying the air pressure in the pipes, which latter deviccsare operated simultaneously with said contact devices that close the circuits to the electro-magnets for the purpose described.

5. The combination With the pipes of an organ, oi electro-magnetic means for varying the lengths of the columns; of vibrating air therein, including slides and electro magnets connected to shift them; means to supply compressed air to the pipes, valves for controlling the air, manually operated means to cause the operation of said electro-magnetic means and the simultaneous operation of the valves to vary the supply or compressed air to the pipes.

6. A pipe organ having, in combination with the pipes thereof, a slide on each pipe for varying the pitch by changing the length of the column 01 vibrating air therein, means including electro-magnetically op erated valves and electric connections therefrom for varying the supply and air pressure in the pipes, electro-magnetic means for operating the slides including a plurality of manually operable electric contact levers for each note of the instrument, flexible contact lingers carried by the levers, a plurality of circuit closing contact Wll'GSl spaced from each other and engaged by the flexible contact fingers, said levers also serving to simultaneously close the electric con nections to the valves for varying the supply of air to the pipes, whereby upon increased manual. pressure being applied on the levers, the air supply and the length of the column oi? air in the pipes Will be varied by operatingthe slides on the pipes through the electric connections. to the electro-magnetically operated valves and slides, thus compensating for the natural rising of the pitch through the increased air pressure.

7 A pipe organ having devices for varying the lengths of the columns o1 air in the pipes thereof, electro-magnets for operating the devices, a plurality of contact levers each lever having a contact finger for closing the circuits to said magnets a plurality of inclined contact strips with which the fingers engage to close successively the cir-' cuits to said magnets, whereby the slide de- \'i00s are movable at a uniform rate of motion for the purpose of gradually varying the pitch of the tones of the pipes.

8. The combination in a pipe organ, of pipes, a slide for each pipe, electro-magnetic means for operating the slides, electric contacts under the control of the operator for operating said slide operating means and additional electro-magnetic means for simultaneously controlling the supply of compressed air to the pipes as the slides are operated, for the purpose of changing the tones of the pipes, either for raising or lowering the same, said slides serving to compensate for the raising 01 the pitch of the note through increased air pressure by simultaneously lengthening the column of air in the pipe.

9. In a pipe organ, the combination, oi pipes, aslide for each pipe for varying the column or vibrating air therein, electromagnets for operating the slide of each pipe, contacts, connections from the contacts to the elcctro-magnets, and including a source of electric energy, flexible fingers in the connections and means for comprising a flexible strip for operating the fingers when pressure is applied to said strip.

10. In a pipe organ, the combination, oi pipes, means for varying the length of the column of vibrating air in each pipe, elec tro-magnets for operating said means, electro-magnetic means for varying the air pressure in the pipes, tWo sets of electric contacts, connections from the respective contacts to said electre-magnets, a source of energy in the connections, means for simultaneously closing the two sets of contacts and a flexible strip engaging the contact closing means to operate the contact closingmeans when pressure is applied thereto, said contact closing means being so const-ucted as to cause a progressive or step by step movement of the means for varying the length of the column of vibrating air in the pipes and variation of the air pressure therein as the length of the column is varied.

HOMER B. HULBERT.

Images