US542054A - Key-holding device for pipe-organs - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 7

H.151. HODGSON.

KEY HOLDING DEVICE FOR PIPE ORGANS. No 542,054. Patented July 2, 1895.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIc HERBERT EDlVIN HODGSON, OF NORFOLK, VIRGINIA.

KEY-HOLDING DEVICE FOR PIPE-ORGANS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 542,054,da.ted July 2, 1895.

Application filed March 15, 1895. Serial No. 541,840. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERBERT EDWIN Hone- SON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Norfolk, in the county of Norfolk and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Key-Holding Devices for Pipe-Organs; andl do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Figure l is a partial section showing asutficient part of an organ to illustrate the manner of applying my invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same. Fig. 3 shows the key-holding devices on a larger scale. Fig. 4: is a plan, on a larger scale, of the operating devices at the front.

In the drawings a portion of an organ-framework is illustrated at A. This and other parts can be of any ordinary form or of any preferred construction.

It will be understood that the essential parts of the present invention can be used at either of several places and in any of several of keyed musical instruments, though it is more particularly intended for use in pipe organs, and for the sake of illustration 1 have selected parts from such an organ in the drawlngs.

B indicates the front board or casing, through or below which the keys generally protrude far enough for playing. The keys are indicated by D, they being supported or held by pivot-pins and fulcrum-bars at d in any preferred way. As is well known, it is often desirable when playing these organs to have one or more keys held down after being depressed by the fingers of the player for a longer or shorter period, so that the tone produced by the pipe controlled by such key or keys will be sustained after depression. I accomplish this purpose by means of a simple mechanism havingbutfew cheaplyand simply constructed parts, which are readily accessible at all times and can be easily and quickly adjusted.

E E indicate a series of catches, preferably consisting of screws arranged in a line across heads e.

the series of keys and near their rear ends. They are inserted into the upper sides of the keys and are accessible at all times, so that they can be adjusted, as may be required, either to perfect their operation or to vary it, as may be desired.

F indicates a supporting-bar capable of holding up each or all of the keys. In the present construction this is accomplished by securing to the lower edge of it, or by forming thereon, a lip or flange adapted to engage with the under sides of the catches or screw- This lip or flange is provided by securing a plate f to the lower edge of the supporting-bar F. The latter is suspended on trunnions at f, which are carried by standards O O, secured to the frame A. This bar F extends continuously across the series of keys and can be so placed that any one of the latter shall be suspended therefrom when the outer end is depressed by the finger of the player. The pivots f and other parts are so arranged that the bar F is held by gravity alone in its normally operative position. This can be attained by having an adj ustable stop or stops, as at c, which shall hold the greater part of the bar in a rearward inclined position and behind the vertical plane of the pivots at f, and in consequence of this the lower end of the bar presses forward by gravity. The parts are so adjusted that the stop-flange f shall normally hang above the catches or screws at E. If the stop at c is made adjustable, there is possible a delicate regulation of the normal position of this flange f The mode of operation of the devicesso far described will be readily understood. hen

the bar F is in working position, any one of the keys D which is depressed will be prevented from returning to its normal position, because, as the outer end moves downward and the inner end upward, the screw at E as it rises strikes the cam-like lower surface of the bar F and swings it slightly backward until its head 6 rises above the flange f and immediately thereafter the bar F, under the action of gravity, returns forward and throws the flangef under said head 6. After this the finger can be removed from the key D, and the latter will remain depressed, and the pipe which is sounded by its depression will sustain its tone independently of the :fi-nger of the player; butas soon as any other key is subsequently depressed it will release each and all that are at that time being held up, for its screw E will as it rises strike the inclined edge of the bar F and swing it backward-that is, push it from underthe catches on the previously-depressed keys. Consequently there is no interference of one key with another and the sound of one pipe is instantly cut off before another one speaks.

By examining the drawings it will be seen that it is necessary for the key D (any one of them) to be depressed to or nearly to its'lowermost limit of movement in order to bring into play the suspending bar F. Before this lowermost limit is reached it is possible to depress the keys and allow them to return in the usual mannerthat is to say, in my construction there is possible an adjustment of the parts of such nature that the sustaining of the tones irrespective of the fingers of the player can be accomplished or not at the will of the player, according as he depresses the keys to a greater or less extent. Thus when playing an organ with manuals he' can play for a longer or shorter time in the ordinary manner upon the upper manual, for instance, and then after striking one or more tones which he wishes sustained in the pipes controlled by that manual he can depress the corresponding keys far enough to actuate the suspending-bar F, and then pass to thelower manual and play thereon under the accompaniment of the sustained tones above. Numerous other ways of using this mechanism will be readily understood by organists; but as it is desirable under many circumstances to move the bar F to and from its working position I combine with it a push-bar G. This is mounted to slide back and forth, its

inner end bearing against the bar F and its outer end passing through the front casingpiece B. The player pushes upon the end piece at H and thereby forces the bar F backward on its pivotsfand holds it in such position that none of the catches at E will strike its flange.

To permit the return of the bar F, I employ a swinging lever J, pivoted atj, immediately behind the front wall B, its end j passing through an aperture in, or otherwise engaging with, the push-bar G. At its other end it is provided with a push-piece I, which passes through an aperture in the front casing B, and when pressure is exerted upon this latter the bar G is brought forward and the bar F again swings down into its working position.

As indicated by the drawings, I make the push-piece Hof one color,ofbone,-ivory, or equivalent, and that at I of similar-material of another color, the former preferably being white and thelatter black. These push-pieces are not similar to the knobs used for operating stops, as devices of the latter sort would require too much time for manipulating. 'On the contrary, they are made with concave front surfaces, so thatthe finger or thumb of the player can instantly engage with them and by a slight push effect their purpose.

I am aware of the fact that key-holding de- Vices have been heretofore made or suggested of various sorts; but I believe myself to be the first to have constructed and arranged a mechanism for this purpose similar to the one I have shown and having numerous advantages incident thereto. It will be noted that l dispense entirely with the numerous small, delicate, and spring-actuated parts that have been heretofore suggested to be placed below the keys, and covered andinclosed by the more or less permanent parts of the instrument. The addition to the keys is at the very minimum of cheapness and simplicity, consisting merely of a row of ordinary screws easily inserted into the upper faces of the keybars and always readily accessible to permit cleaning, adjustment, and repair. The only other important part is the bar F, so arranged as to dispense entirely with springs, and yet capable of delicate adjustment, it being also above the keys and readily accessible and removable at any time.

What I claim is- 1. The combination with the keys, of the cam-like stops secured to the keys, the supporting bar F, adapted to engage with the aforesaid stops, means extending to the front of the case for moving at will the bar F into and out of operative position, and a stop sup.- plemental to the said means arranged to hold the bar F in its operative position and away from the position to which it will be normally carried by its gravity around its axis, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with the keys D, of the screws E arranged in a row transversely of the ICC keys and respectively inserted in the upper sides thereof, the swinging sustaining bar F, and the adjustable stops at c for regulating the position of the bar, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HERBERT EDWIN HODGSON. \Vitnesses:

H. H. BLISS, ARTHUR L. BRYANT.

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