US574040A - Reed-organ - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

W. S. MOSES. REED ORGAN N0, 574,040. Patented Deo. 29, 1896.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. S. MOSES.

REED ORGAN Patented Deo. 29

:Rs cn. pHoro-Mmc. wnsnma (No Model.) 4 sheetssneet 3. W. S. MOSES.

REED EGAN.

No. 574,040. Patented 1300.29, 1896.

l(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet, 4.

W. s. MOSES. l

REED ORGAN.

No. 574,040. Patented Deo. 29, 1896.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

VILLIAM S. MOSES, OF TRACY, MINNESOTA.

REE D-ORG'AN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 574,040, dated December 29, 1896.

Application filed November Z9, 1895, Serial No. 570,491. (No model.)

[o all wwm/ t may concern.-

Be it known that l, VILLIAM S. MOSES, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Tracy, in the county of Lyon and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Reed-Organs; and I do hereby 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 accompanyingdrawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The object of this invention is to provide a reed-organ in which a plurality of reeds are employed for each tone, the reeds being positioned in independent reed-chambers which are provided with valves connected to levers operated by the bellows, so that said valves can be opened successively to increase the volume of sound.

The invention also embodies the application to such a reed-organ of an improved substituting and transposing keyboard.

The invention consists in providing` a reedorgan with a plurality of reed-chambers the valves of which are connected to a lever operated by a swinging board forming a part of the bellews,the valves being connected to the lever so that they will he opened successively.

The invention further consists in connecting to the swinging board means for indicating the number of valves which are opened.

The invention further consists in the improved substituting and transposin g keyboard, which is adapted to be used in connection with the reed-organ; and the invention further consists in the construction and combinationbf the parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this speciiication, Figure l is a vertical sectional view of a reed-organ constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a front elevation, parts being broken away to show the mechanism for shifting the substituting and transposing keyboard. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation. Fig. 4 is a detail plan view of the reed mechanism. Figs. 5 and G are detail views of the means employed for holding the coupler-boards in operative position, and Figs. 7, S, and 9, detail views of the means for holding the substituting and transposing keyboard at different elevations.

The supporting-frame ofthe organ may be of any suitable or approved construction, and it is provided with a transverse board A, upon which the key-levers A' are pivoted in the usual manner. Above the forward ends of the key-levers A is mounted the substituting and transposingkeyboard hereinafter described.

B designates a transverse board which is secured at its ends to the side pieces of the frame of the organ and supportsv the reed mechanism. Upon the board B at its front and rear edges are secured strips b, to which the sounding-hoard C is attached, leaving an intervening space forming the soundingchamber. Along the center of the soundinghoard C is attached an upright strip C,

which is provided with a series of vertical openings c, which communicate fwith the soundingchamber through corresponding openings in the sounding-board C. The upper part of the openings c is enlarged, and within said enlarged portion of each opening c tits a piston c, the lower end of which is provided with a packing which abuts against the shoulder formed by the enlarged upper portion of the openings c when said piston is in its normal position. The pistons c' are connected to the rear end of the key-levers A by rods a, so that by depressing the forward end of a key-lever the corresponding piston will be elevated for the purpose hereinafter mentioned.

In the strip C, on opposite sides of each opening c and at different distances above the shoulder therein, are ports c2 and c3, which connect the openings C. with independent airpassages formed on each side 'of the strip C' by the vertical reed-boards D and the vertical projections CX of said strip, a continuation of the air-passages on each side of the strip C being formed by the horizontal reed-boards D', which are su pported at a suitable distance above the sounding-board C by means of projections CZX, corresponding with the projections cX. Through the reed-boards D and D extend openings d, over which the reed-plates E are placed, so that the free ends of the tongues e of the reeds will be on aline with IOO said openings. On the outerside ofthe reedboards D and D are secured strips F to form reed-chambers through which the air passes to vibrate the tongues e, as hereinafter described. The strips F are provided with openings which communicate with the reedchambers, said openings being covered by valves I F', which are operated by levers G G, pivoted to supports carried by the rear strip b and eoi'lnectetll toa swinging board forming part of the bellows, as hereinafter described. The rodsj", which connect the valves Ii" to the levers G, extend through aperttiu'es in said levers and are provided on their outer ends with adjustable heads or stops f, against which the levers strike for drawing upon said rods. lt will be noted that the rear ends of the rodsf extend beyond the levers G at different distances, and by this arrangementJ when but a slight movement of the levers is made, but a single valve or pair of valves will be opened7 while a complete movement of said levers will open all the valves or mutes successively.

To the under side of the transverse board 13, near its rear edge, is secured a strip h, `from which the bellows ll is supported, the sounding-chamber above the board 13 commu nicating with the bellows by openings h', which extend through the boa-rd B and strip 7l. The rear board ll.' of the bellows is hinged to the strip 71 and depends therefrom, while the front board ll2 thereof is at an inclination, as shown in Fig. l, and is rigidly secured to the strip 71, and to the side pieces of the organ-frame, the boards ll and lll being connected at their sides and lower ends by a flexible fabric or folded leather 71,3. Upon the board lli" of the bellows ll is a supliilemeutal bellows, the object of which is to exhaust the air from the bellows or chantber H. The supplemental bellows consists of a board I, which is hinged at its lower end to the board ll2 and is provided with the usual folded leather 'i a-nd with a elapwalve t". The supplemental bellows communicates with the main bellows by an opening through the board il?, which is covered by a clap-valve, and said supplemental bellows is operated by pedals K K, which extend through the front board of the organ- `frame and are connected to the board I by tlexible connections the board being provided with projections if, to which the connect ions 7n are attz'tched. 'lhe supplemental bellows is held normally closed by a spring 1'", and it will be noted that though l have described but a single supplemental bellows there are two employed, which are operated by the indepent'lont pedals K.

L designates a vertical bar or support, which is rigidlyseeu red to the rear edge of the board l; and is provided at its upper and lower ends with guideafollers l', over which passes a cord M, which is attached at one end to the hinged board ll and at its other end to a sliding in dieatorM, having a pointerm, which extends through a slot in the upper front board N of the organ-frame and travels over an indicatt'rr-plate ill?, liig. lllv this arrangement, the pointer 'nt will indicate the number of valves or m tites F' ol the reet'l-clntntbers which are opened, as the levers which operate the valves and the cord that operates the indieator are all connected tothe hinged board Il" of the bellows ll.

'lhe operation ofso much of my invention as hereinbel'ore described isas follows: When the forward end of one ol the keydevers N is depressed, it will raise the correspontliug piston c' above the ports c` and c, and the extent to which the bellows have been opel ated to exhaust the air in the chamber ll will determine the volume of sound, or rather the number of tongues e which are vibrated to produce the desired tone. rlhe air being drawn into the reed-chamber vibrales` the tongue c by passing through the opei'iiug rl, from which it goes to the sounding-eham ber through the port c-2 or c and vertical opening C. Thus it will be noted that the reeds are played by the suction of air caused b v the bellows ll, and the performer is advised of the number of valves or unites that are opened by glancing at the indicator or poin ter m. [y locating the ports f1? and c one above the other a partial depression of a key-lever will open but one of the ports, and consefptcntly allow but two sets of reeds to be operated upon.

rlhe keyboard which l employl for operating the key-levers A is constructed somewhat similar to that shown in my latent No. H12/2, dated July i), 18H5, certain changes being embodied to adapt it for this use.

The board O is supported at its rear end upon a cross-bar o and at its forward end resls upon across-piece ll), said board carrying the keys lt, tracl e1.'-pins r, and coupler-brnu'ds S, as well as an upwardly-projecting bar o, which passes through a slot in the board N and etigages a stop-pin u, let into one of a series of holes in the board N, these parts being constructed and arranged as shown and described in the patent above referred to. The `forward end of the board O is tilted upward by a pair of levers 'l T, which are operated from the pedal T through the interposition of a lever 'l"" and conneeting-rods t and t'. When the forward end of the board O is raised, it can be slid to either the right or left by the pedals Y V, which are eotmeeted to a cross-piece Y by rods t u, the crosspiece having an ell) )\i\le\'cr r, which is connected at its upper end to rods t"2 rl, which extend from each end of the boardv O, being attached to depending lugs thereon. ly this arranget ment when the board is ltilted it can be slid to the right by depressing the footpedal "v" on the right and tothe left by depressing the pedal on the left, the movement rocking the cross-piece V', which will oscillate the arm 'tf'.

rlhe coupler-boards S are raised into an operative position by a rocleshaft lV, having inwardly-projectiug arms which bear against the underside ofthe coupler-boards, the rockshaft being operated bya pedal IV', which is connected to a depending arm w of the rockshaft by the interposition of a bell-crank lever w' and connecting-rods 102. In order to hold the Acoupler-boards in an operative position and thus permit the performer to use his feet to pedal the bellows, I pivot upon the inner side of the front board of the organframe a swinging bar or latch Y, having notches y at its lower end which engage the pedal W and hold it depressed. This latch is provided with a transverse slot through which a cross-bar y' passes for guiding the latch, said cross-bar being supported by lugs or brackets y2. The latch is provided with a forwardly-projectingoperating-arm yg, which extends through an opening in the front board of the organ-frame, and to the outer side of said front board is pivoted a catch g4, which is adapted to engage the arm v3/3 and hold the latch Y against the action of a spring g5, connected thereto. A swinging bar or latch X is also provided for supporting the substituting and transposing keyboard at different elevations, and as the pedal which tilts the keyboard is pivoted to the front board of. the organ-f rame said latch is provided with a head an, which engages the under edge of the pedal to hold the rear portion thereof elevated. The swinging bar or latch X is provided with a forwardly-projecting arm 0c', that extends through an opening in the front board of the organ-frame, and by means of this arm the latch can be operated to disengage it from the pedal. By this arrangement the forward end of the keyboard can be held in a tilted position, so that when the keys a-re operated upon they will depress the key-levers to a certain distance and thus raise the pistons c to a limited extent to uncover as much otthe ports c2 c3 as desired. When the parts are arranged so that the operation of the keys will uncover only the ports c3, but two reeds will be acted upon to produce a tone.

To the Lipper part of the frame of the organ is hinged a transverse strip Z, which overlies the keys and is padded on its under edge to receive the force of the returning keys and arrest them by the inertia of the strip. This strip also provides for holding the keys on the same horizontal plane.

The reed-organ hereinbefore described provides an instrument in which the volume of sound can be increased and diminished at the will of the performer, and the parts are so constructed and arranged that they are operated by pedals.

IIavin g thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination in a reed-organ, of airexhaust mechanism having a movable board, the board being connected to a plurality of valves covering the reed-chambers, whereby the movement of the board will open the valves successively.

2. In a reed-organ, the combination, of airexhaust mechanism communicating with a sounding-chamber, a plurality of reed-chambers having valves, and means substantially as shown connected to the air-exhaust mechanism for operating the valves successively.

3. In a reed-organ, the combination, of airexhaust mechanism communicating with the sounding-chamber, the air-exhaust mechanism having a swinging board, a plurality of reed-chambers and passages connecting said reed-chambers with the sounding-chamber, valves ,covering openings in the reed-chambers, and a lever, or levers, connected to the swinging board and to the valves, substantially as shown and described.

et. In a reed-organ, the combination, of airexhaust mechanism, a sounding chamber communicating therewith, and a plurality of reed-chambers connected to the soundingchamber and provided with valves; together with means connected to the valves and to a board of the air-exhaust mechanism for opening the valves successively as said board is moved, and an indicator or slide for indicatin the number of valves that are opened.

5. In a reed-organ, the combination, of airexhaust mechanism, a sounding chamber communicating therewith, a strip having a series of vertical openings and ports which lead to the reedchambers, valves covering openings in the reed-chambers, and means connected to the valves and to a swinging board of the air-exhaust mechanism, substantially as shown and described.

6. The combination in a reed-organ, of a sounding-chamber connected with means for exhausting the air therein, a strip having a series of openings communicating with the sounding chamber and ports at different heights or distances apart which lead to the reeds, and pistons located in the openings and adapted to uncover the ports successively, substantially as shown and for the purpose set forth.

7. The combination in a reed-organ, of a sounding-chamber connected with means for exhausting the air therein, a strip having a series of openings or passages communicating with the sounding-chamber and ports at ditferent heights or distances apart which lead from said passages to the reeds, pistons located in the openings and adapted to uncover the ports successively, and means for operating the pistons, substantially as shown and for the purpose set forth.

8. The combination in a reed-organ, of a sounding-chamber, a strip having a series of openings communicating with the soundingchamber and ports which lead to the reeds, valves covering openings in the reed-chambers; together with mechanism for exhausting the air in the sounding-chamber, and

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means connected to the air-exhaust mechanism and to the valves of the reed-chambers for opening said valves successively, substantially as shown and for thc purpose set forth.

f). rl'he combination in a reed-organ having a series of reed-chambers and a soundingchamber communicating with each other by passages and ports, the ports bein g located at different heights, substantially as shown; of pistonslocated in the air-passagcsand adapted to be moved over the ports; key-levers for operating the pistons, and mechanism for exhausting the air in the sounding-ehamber, substantially as shown and for the purpose set forth.

10. The combination in a reed-organ having a series ot' reet'l-chambers and a soundingchamber communicating with each other by passages and ports, substantially as shown; of pistons located in the air-passages and connected to operating-levers :for uncovering the ports; valves covering openings in the reedchambers; together with mechanism for e.\:- hausting the air in the sounding'-chamber, and means connected to the air-exhaust meehanism and to the valves l'or opening said valves successively, lor the purpose set forth.

ll. The combination in a reed-organ having a series of reed-chambers and a soundingchamber communicating with each other by passages and ports, substantially as shown; ol pistons located in the air-passages and connected to operating-lm'crs for uncovering the ports; valves covering openings in the reedchambers; bellows 'for exhausting the air in the sounding-chamber, said bellows having" a swiiiiging board, and means connected to the swinging board and to the valves for operating the valves by exhausting the air in the bellows, substantially as shown and vfor the purpose set foi-th.

l2. The combination in a reed-organi having a series oi' reet'l-chaml'icrs and a soun ding- Chamber communicating with each other by passages and ports, substantially as shown; oi' pistons located in the air-passages and connected to operating-levers for uncovering the ports; valves covering openings in the reedchambers; together with a bellows or chamber located below the sonnding-chamber and communica-ting therewith, said bellows or chamber having a swinging board and suppleinental bellows for exhausting the air therein; and means connecting the swinging board with the valves of the recd-chanibers, substantially as shown and for the purpose set forth.

The combination in a reed-organ having a series of reed-chambers and a soundingchamber communicating with each other by passages and ports, substantially as shown 5 of pistons located `in the air-passages and connected to operating-levers Al`o r uncovering the ports; valves covering openings in the reedchambers; bellows for exhausting air from the sounding-chamber, said bellows having a swinging' board which is connected to the valves of the reed-chambers `i'or opening them successively; and an indicator located at the front of the organ-franie and connected to thc swinging board for indicating the number of.' valves that are open.

l-i. The combination in a reed-organ having a series ol reeds located on opposite sides ot passages which communicate with the sounding-chamber, ports connecting the 'passages with the reed-chambers and located at dilt'erent planes, pistons located in the passages and connected to operating-keys, said. pistons being adapted to cover and uncover the ports; together with means for exhausting the air in the sounding-chamber, substantially as shown and for the purpose set iorh.

l5. The combination in a reed-organ having a series of reeds located on opposite sides ol' 'passages which communicate with the soundingl chamber, ports connecting said reeds with said passages, and pistons locateffl in the passages and operated to uncover the ports successively; ot a substituting and transposing keyboard having keys which arc connected to the pistons for ol'icrating thc saine; and means for tilting the forward end ol the keyboard, substantially as shown and for the purpose set forth.

1G. The combination in a reed-organ, ol' a substituting and transposing keyboard snpported at its rear end upon a bar; levers pivoted to the organ-frame so that they will engage the under side ol the kt'iyboard; a pedal connected to the levers substantially as shown; a pivoted latch having notches which engage the pedal and a slot through which a guide-bar passes, a spring for throwing the latch in engagement with the pedal, and a catch for holding the latch againstthe action of the spring', substantially as shown and described.

17. In a reed-organ, the e nnbination, ol' a transverse strip Z hinged to the frame so as to overlie the keys, the under edge ol. the strip being provided with a pad, substantially as shown and for the purpose set iforth.

In testimony whereoiI I al'ix my signature in presence oli' two witnesses.

XVILLIAM MOSES. XVtnesses: i

W. H. Jnsscr,

HELEN E. Jnsscr.

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