US353895A - Organ-coupler - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

F. STONE.

ORGAN GOUPLER. No. 353,895. Patented Dec. '7, 1886.

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levers and the packings being simply confined in the longitudinal grooves f. A plain top plate or vencer, A2, preferably of the same width as the channeled board, and extending throughout thelength of the coupler, is then fixed to the board A', covering the bearing felts or packings I, for confining and incasing the shafts or straight portions of the leverwires, so that a bar having a plain smooth exterior both top and bottom is produced,with the wires passing through the bar and lightly pressing the felt I upon their surfaces,so as to give slight friction at the bearings to hold the levers steady, but not so as to interfere with their free action.

The plate or veneer A2 may be fixed to the part A by gluing it on, or by means of screws, nails, or other suitable fastenings. I prefer, however', to glue the said parts together.

In couplers as heretofore constructed the coupling-levers have each been attached to the bar by means of independent bearings or fastenings for each lever, or for each end of each lever, thus making a number of parts, and requiring many operations and considerable labor to construct and assemble the parts in manufacturing the couplers, whereas by my invention the several bearings of the entire series of levers are made by two continuous packing-strips, and the entire series of levers are conncd by the single plate A2.

Along the rear edge of the support-bar A is a hinging-strip, M, by which the coupler is attached to the action-frame of the instrument. Said strip I provide with aY series of slots or recesses, m, corresponding to the spacings of the pitman, and the arms or rearwardly-offsetting portions bof the several levers B project through said slots, and are thereby retained in proper relation to each other, and longitudinal sliding movement of the wires in their bearings is prevented, and the free action up and down of the rearends, b', is permitted. The hinging-strip being continuous gives proper adjustment to all of the series of levers B by the single operation of fixing 'it in place. The strip M can be attached to the support bar by a continuous hinge, m2, of fabric, or by small metal hinges at intervals. The strip M may be fixed in position on theinstrument by means of screws, nails, glue, or other fastenings, as desired. The coupler, when thus hinged'to the actionframe, is brought into operative position by elevating the front edge ot' the bar by any suitable means and substantially in the ordinary manner heretofore ernployed with couplers of this class.

Alf desired, the channels d can be formed in the under side of the board A, thelevers being introduced into the channels from below and the 'veneer or covering piece fixed on the bottom instead of on the top of the channeled board.

Among the advantages incident to my invention may be mentioned the greater facility in manufacture, as there are few parts, and

the channels for the levers can be formed quickly and simply, and thecontinuouslongitudinal grooves and packing strips permit of all of the bearings for the series being conveniently made at once instead of making a number of separate bearings for the levers. A single top plate or veneer confines theentire series of both levers and packings, while the single back strip, M, which is required for hinging, also gives adjustment location of all the levers to their proper relative positions, and confines them iiomlongitudinal movement in their bearings without an extra piece. The levers being inclosed within the support-bar in the manner shown prevents an accumulation of dust in the bearings. The top plate makes a neat smooth finish, while it also strengthens and stiffens the bar. This construction of the couplerbar is thinner and narrower than the couplers heretofore in. use, there are no projecting portions, the barbeing plain and smooth externally, and consequently the coupler occupies less space in the organ, thus giving compactness to the action.

The fabric hinge m2 covers the topsof the recesses m, and serves to prevent the levers swinging up far enough to allow their front ends to catch under the key-buttons C, as is sometimes the case with other couplers.

Vhat I claim as of my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is*

1. In an organ-coupler, the combination, with the series of wire coupling-levers, having their ends b and b bent as shown, of a supporting-bar composed of a thin board having a series of parallel diagonal channels of suiiicient depth to receive the wire formed therein, within which the shaft or body portion of the lever-wires is inclosed, and a thin veneer covering said channels from side to side ofthe bar, and conning the wires therein throughout their straight portion, substantially as shown and described.

2. The combination, with a series of torsional coupling-levers, of a supporting-bar having a series of diagonal channels, and a continuous hingingpiece provided with a series of openings for longitudinally confining the several levers in the series, joined by a flexible connection with the supporting-bar, substantially as set forth.

3. An organ-coupler having a series of torsional acting wire coupling-levers, the shafts or straightportion of which'areinclosed within an externally-plain supporting-bar, within which are disposed a series of bearings formed by strips of fabric extending across said wires and conned by grooves against lateral displacement, and a hinging-strip having openings through which the wires extend, as set forth.

4. An organ-coupler wherein the supportbar is provided with longitudinal internal grooves, f, containing continuous upper and under packingstrips of felt or similar fabric, as I and h, extending across and forming bear- IOO IIO

torsional action Within said diagonal channels, v the felt packing-strips I. disposed in said lonr 5 gitudinal grooves, the plate A21 covering and confining said packing-strips and levers, and the recessed hinging-bar M, all constructed and arranged substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

- Witness my hand this 19th day of June, A. D. 1886.

FRANK STONE.

Witnesses:

CHAs. H. BURLEIGH, ELLA P. BLENUs.

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