US576029A - Pneumatic organ - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

M. CLARK.

PNEUMATIC ORGAN.

No. 576,029. Patented Jan. 26,1897.

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(Remodel) CLARK. PNEUMATIC ORGAN.

Patented Jan. 26, 1897.

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v M. CLARK.

PNEUMATIC ORGAN.

m. 576,029. Paten ed-Jan. 26; 1897.

UNiTEr) STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MELVILLE CLARK, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

PNEUMATIC ORGAN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 576,029, dated January 26, 1897.

Application filed December 2, 1895. Serial No. 570,727- (No modeLi To (all whom it rrmy concern.-

Be it known that I, MELVILLE CLARK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pneumatic Organs,which are fully set forth in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

This invention relates to organs which are adapted to be operated by pneumatic action, such pneumatic action being controlled by appropriate music-strips according to wellknown principles and methods.

The invention consists in improvements in the pneumatics and connections therefrom to the organ-action proper, by which pneumatic action is adapted to be mounted upon and connected. with the ordinary organ-action and acts upon the same pitman or plunger which is acted upon by the depression of the key when the instrument is played by hand.

My invention comprises, further, specific spring-actuated devices for unwinding and rewinding the music-strip.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical sectiou from front to rear through an ordinary action of common construction having my pneumatic action mounted upon and connected with it, certain supplemental parts being omitted and the connections thereto being broken away. Fig. 2 is a section at the line 2 2 on Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the music-sheet and winding apparatus. Fig. 4 is a detail section at line 4 4. on Fig. Fig. 5 is a section at the line 5 5 on Fig. 1. Fig. 0 is a detail plan showing a modification of the structure shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a continuation of Fig. 1, showing the same vertical pneumatic-chamber which is shown in Fig. 1 and the additional parts at the rear thereof which are broken away and omitted from Fig. 1. Fig. 8 is a detail section at the line 8 Son Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a detail in the nature of a diagram, showing the method of providing any desired number of principal or secondary pneumatic connections operated by one primary pneumatic. Fig. 10 is a rear elevation.

The familiar form of organ-action shown at the left-hand part of Fig. 1 and situated in the ordinary position with respect to the case comprises, with other parts, the manualkeyA, plunger or pitman T, valve O, mounted upon the under side of the top (Z of the vacuum-chamber D, and may comprise any number of sets of reeds, with their appropriate mutes E E, and the customary swell-chamber, of which the fixed top F and the swell-valves F are shown in the customary relation to the reed-chambers and mutes. At the rear of this customary action there is mounted and extends upright the pneumatic exhaustchamber D, which communicates at its lower end with the main exhaust-chamber D and is otherwise closed, except as it has communication, as hereinafter explained, with the primary and secondary pneumatics L L, &c., and N N, &c.

.T is the tracker-range. It projects horizontally, being mounted by its rear edge on the forward edge of a horizontal board J, which is mounted sidewise on the upper end of the pneumatic vacuum-chamber, which is secured directly to the upper edge of the pneumatic vacuum-chamber D and projects horizontally forward and at its forward edge is traversed by the music-strip K, which runs from the roll K onto the roll K being wound by the spring-actuated train hereinafter described, connected to the latter roll, and adapted to be wound by hand, as hereinafter described, onto the former roll.

From the forward edge of the trackerrange, which is traversed by the music-strip, the ducts j j, corresponding to the several keys of the instrument, lead through and communicate directly with ductsj, &c. ,which extend in the same direction in the board J to the pointy, where they turn at right angles and emerge from the lower side of the board, communicating, respectively, with the ducts (Z d in the forward wall D of the pneumatic vacuum-chamber D. Said ducts (Z and d communicate inwardly through said wall by the port 61 with the primary pneumatics L L, mounted within the pneumatic vacuum-chain her and actuating the levers L L respectively, and each provided with a vent-openingl smaller than (Z The levers L L are fulcrumed at their lower ends and pressed upon the primary l neumatics, respectively, by the springs L Each of these levers carries the valvesM M, mounted rll on a common stem, which stem extends through the front wall D the valve M scating upon the inner side and the valve 31 upon the outer side of the wall, and closing, respectively, the inner and outer ports of the cross-duct D, through which the stem of said valves M and M extends. The crossduct-s D communicatethrough vertical d uets D and D, respectively, with the secondary pneumatics N and N, which are mounted upon the outer or forward side of the wall D of the pneumatic vacuum.chamber.

P 1 are bridges extending horizontally across the two rows of secondary pneumatics for the purpose of givingsupport to the bell.- cra-nk levers Q Q, which are fulcrumed at their angles, respectively, upon posts P P, the, secured to the bridges I l in front of the secondary pneumatics, respectively. Q Q are flexible straps or links which connect the vertical arms of the bell-crank levers Q with the vibrating end of the respective pneumatics.

R R, the, are connecting-rods which ex tend from the forward end of the horizontal arms of the bcllcrank levers, respectively, down to the rear ends, respectively, of the lovers S S, &c., which are fulcrumed at a at the upper edge of a bar S, which is mounted on topof the swell-chamber underneath the manual. Said levers S, at their forward ends, stand above the buttons it, &c., on the pit men or plungers T, which constitute the familiar connection from the manual-keys to the reed-valves. The connecting-rods R are provided with adjustable stops R and R", respectively, above and below the bell-cranklever arms and the lever-arms S, for the pur pose of adjusting properly the connection from the bell-crank levers to the levers S to prevent lost motion.

\Vhen an aperture in the music-strip Ii passes the mouth of a duct in the trackerrange, the primary pneumatic corresponding to and communicating with said duct, being exposed to the suction of the organ-bellows by reason of being within the pneuniatic vaeuuni-chamber, tends to fill, and thereby to actuate the lever L or I) pertaining to it in a direction to cause the valve M to seat on the outer side of the wall D of the pneumatic vacuuni-chamber, unseating the valve M from the inner side, and thereby putting the secondary pneumatic in communication with the vacuum-chambcr, causing said sccondary pnetunatic to be collapsed by the suction and to actuate the bell-crank lever Q, and through the connecting-rod R and. lever to operate the pitman pertaining to the key and reed to which the uncovered duct in the tracker-range corresponds, the actuation of the pitman and its valve being, as will be seen, precisely the same as it would receive by the depression of the manual-key by hand.

In order to obtain the necessary power and stroke to give the reed-valve the same extent of opening by this means as it would receive by a depression of the key in playing an in. Slilllll'lOlllJ by hand, it is necessary to provide secondary pneumatics of size GOI'LOSPOIltllllg to the hardness of the action that is, strong enough to do the work as promptly and fully as it can be done by hand that is, to open the valve wide.

It will be evident that if the secomlary pneumatics were arranged all side by side in a single row, each in line with the manualkey to which it corresponds, such pneumatics would be limited in width to the space allowed each key on the manual. 'lhus limited, it is impossible to give the pneumatics sufficient power to operate the valves as they are operated in playing the instrument by hand; but bysctting the pneumatic vacuumchambcr uprightand arranging them in a plurality of horizontal rows and setting the corresponding individuals of the different rows out of line vertically, that is, offsetting them from each other, the set-off being the amount of the lateral distance which pertains to each key of the manual, I can make the pneumatics as bread as desired and as long as desired, the increase of the breadth only necessitating a greater number of rows and. consequent increased height of the pneumatic vacuum-chamber, and the increase of length also necessitating simply the increase in height of the pneumatic vacuum-chamber, and such increased height is not objectionable up to a limit much beyond what is ac tually necessary for the purpose. No inequality in the action of the pneumatics of the several rows upon the reed-valves respectively to which they pertain results from their different heights, the only difference caused by that difference in height being a difference in the length of the connecting-rods 1, and since said connecting-rods operate by a pull and not by a push and are therefore not rendered more liable to spring by their increased length this increased length does not in any respect affect their action.

I have shown both the n-imary and secondary pneumatics arranged in two rows, oil sct,thercforc, half their width; but it will be understood that the construction does not involve any limitation to two rows, and the pneumatics may be arranged in any number of horizontal rows without departing from the principle involved. The levers Ti and TP, which pertain to the respective rows of primary pneumatics, being of different length and being preferably as a matter of convenience all ftiilcrulned on the same bridge or rib 7, the difference in their leverage upon the respective pneumatics may be compensated by a corresponding difference in the tension of the springs L which press them against said primary pneumatics.

In practice, however, this t'lilferenee may be disregarded without affecting the result; that is to say, inequality of pressure of the levers against the pneumatics within the limits to which such inequality is liable to exist in the structure shown does not produce any perceptible difference in the promptness of action of the pneumatics, and this is the only respect in which a difference could be caused by difference in the pressure of the levers on the pneumatics.

As indicated, the parts constituting the pneumatic action above described are designed and adapted to be applied to organs of customary construction without change in the organ-action itself and, except for ap pearance, without change in the case, though the pneumatic action will preferably usually be suitably inclosed in an upright extension or appurtenance to the organcase. Not only for this reason, but because I do not consider it desirable to impose upon the organ-bellows the additional work of winding and rewinding the music-roll, as is sometimes done, I prefer to have this process performed by some simple mechanical means, such as a spring-actuated train, suitably governed for rewinding. I have shown such devices in Figs. 3 and 4. The shaft 1& of the windingroll 1 extends through its bearing in the side post H of the frame which supports both rows and is actuated by a train represented by the wheels V, V, V and V the last of which is on the shaft o which is suitably connected by familiar ratchet devices (not shown) with a mainspring X in a drum or barrel X, which has also rigid with it a large gear X which meshes with a pinion X on a shaft 00 which has also fixed to it a brake-wheel X, which is pressed upon by a brake-shoe having a screw-stem 00 which is set through a spring-bar X suitably supported on the framework. The shaft 12 extends through the frame Z, which supports the train, and outside said frame-bar has the beveled gear X which meshes with the beveled gear X whose shaft, as well as the shaft U is journaled in a bracket U, secured to the outer side of the frame-bar Z. The shaft of the gear X extends forwardly, while the shaft 63 is produced laterally, said shafts terminating before penetrating the front and end walls B and B, respectively, of the cabinet-work. Said walls are provided with eyes I) and b in line with said shafts, respectively, adapted to admit and seat a crank-handle key G, the ends of the shaft being squared to receive such key, so that the driving-spring may be wound either by the operator seated in front of the organ or through the eye Z) at the end.

For rewinding the strip onto the roll K, I em ploy a train consisting of the gears K and K, inside the frame-bars E, and beveled gears K K, mounted in a bracket K similar to the bracket U. The shafts 10 and of the gears K and K respectively, are produeed, respectively, toward the front and toward the end walls of the case, which are provided with eyes for the insertion of a key. The details of this structure may be understood from Fig. 4, although that figure represents, primarily, the corresponding devices in a winding-roll, the arrangements being precisely similar, the same key being used, so that the operator seated at the front of the organ can rewind in order to repeat any portion of the music and the same thing can be done by one standing at the end of the ease.

The time of the music, due to the speed of the winding process, it will be understood, is regulated by the screw-stem of the brakeshoe, whose pressure upon the brake-wheel may be varied at will by screwing it in or out through the spring-bar X.

\V is a spring secured to one side of the frame in which the rolls are mounted. At its upper end it alfords a bearing for the lefthand end of the roll K, which operates by endwise pressure against the hub or roll, thereby forcing the opposite end It into engagement with the portion It of said shaft which is permanently journaled in the opposite side bar key of the frame.

It will be understood that by pressing the roll endwise to the left it may be disengaged at 7c for removal.

My invention includes a further feature, which, though especially useful in combination with the upright pneumatic vacuum; chamber, is of a more extended utility. Generally stated, this feature consists in a construction by which a single set of primary pneumatics is made to operate a plurality of sets of secondary or principal pneumatics and connections to such secondary or principal pneumatics of a nature which permits the location of such pneumatics and their corresponding reeds and reed-chambers in any convenient place and at any distance from the primary pneumatics or from the other set or sets of secondary or principal pneumatics, so that,in fact, from one set of primary pneumatics and one music-strip a plurality of organs may be operated; that is, a plurality of entire sets of reeds not necessarily organized within the same case or in any special relation to each other or to the keyboard or music-strip. The principal feature of this part of my invention is represented in the drawings in connection with the features already described, and consists in providing in the board D which forms one side of the pneumatic vacuum-chamber and which has the cross-port D, through which the principal or secondary pneumatics are alternately vented and operated by the suction from the vacuum-chamber, a plurality of ducts corresponding to D opening into said cross-port D. For the purpose of illustratin g such plurality of ducts I have shown in Fig. l a second duct D andin detail View, Fig. 9, I have shown additional ducts D D, the. These additional ducts extend each a short distance from the cross-port D and then turn at right angles and emerge at the outer surface of the board D and are there provided with metal mouthpieces D D 850., adapted for connection with. small rub- IOC ber tubes 2 2, &c., which lead up through apertures J J, &c., in the board .I, located between the ducts], and thence in any direction to any distance desired to similar metal terminals D the, inserted in ducts at in the board D which may be mounted wherever convenient and have mounted upon it a series of principal pneumatics N IV, 850., mechanically connected with the valves C C the, of a set of reeds F I mounted in reed-chambers in convenient position to have their valves operated by mechanical connection with the pneuniaties N and most conveniently, as illustrated, on the same board D their outer walls being shown at 1 &c., and having the valves 0 hinged to them in the customary manner. It will be understood that communication from a vacuum-chamber must be made with the reed chambers and controlled by proper mute. The vertical position of the pneumatic vacuum-ehamber D makes it very convenient to mount the board D upon the back of said pneumatic vacuumchamber and to make communication from such chamber into the reed-chambers for the reeds I by means of: a horizontal slot d in. the back (2 of said chamber D, said slot communicating with the individual ports (I through the board .1) into the several reed-chambers f A mute D located within the pneumatic vacuum-chamber I) and operated in any familiar manner by connections with its stem or rock-shaft, which. will protrude beyond said chamber at the end, serves to control the entire set of reeds thus mounted on the board D For the purpose of illustrating this method of construction I have shown a set of subbass-reods mounted on the board D and this serves to illustrate the advantage of the form of connection provided from the primary pncumatics, consisting in the ilexible tubes, because it is desirable, or at least convenient, to use a much greater portion of the length of the instrument for the set of subbassreeds than is occupied by the corresponding keys of the manual. Thus, for example, for two and one-half octaves of subbass I may n tilize the entire length of the instrument on the rear side of the pneumatic vz'icuum-chamber I), thus obtaining space for reeds 01: any desired timbre or quality of tone, giving them any width necessary for the specific purpose and obtaining also opportunity for pneumatics wide and powerful enough to operate the valves with certainty and promptness.

I have shown a convenient and compact arran geinentan d mechanism for connecting the pneuinatics i with the valves 01": the subbass set. The work to be done by the pneumatics being the same for all the reeds, since that work consists, mainly, in lifting the valves, which are the same size for all the reeds, the pneumaties may be uniform in size. I locate them at the lower part of the board 13 pivotin g their oscillating walls at the lower edge, so that the action is obtained from their upper edge, and I locate the valves for the reedchambers at the lower part; but in order that they may be gravity-valves, requiring no springs to seat them, I form an oblique shoulder toward the lower end of the outer or rear wall l of the valve-chamber and make the valve-port lead through such oblique shoulder, to the lower corner of which the valve is hinged, the upper end of the val ve being weighted to cause it to seat promptly, notwithstanding that it is not set directly downward, but only obliquely. From the hinged end of the valve I extend a iingta' 1.5- downward, and from the upper ii'oirward edge of the oscillating wall of the pi'icnn'iatio 1 ex tend a rigid linger n so that it terminates substantially directly behind the lower end of the valve-linger c, and by means of the flexible strap N I connect the linger 0", so that the pneumatic may operate by a substantially direct pull on the lever-arm ol' the valve which the linger c constitutes.

I claim 1. In combination with a reed-ingan hav ing a manual-action, a vertical pneumaticchamber at the rear and pneumatics in a plurality of rows mounted on the forward side of such pneumatic-chaniber; and lover connections from the pneumatics respectively arranged in parallel vertical fore-and-at t planes extending respectively to the pitnien ot' the manual action.

2. In combination with a reed-organ having manualaction, a vertical pneumatic chamber at the rear, the principalpneumatics mounted on the forward side of such chamber, and lover connections from the exterior of such pneumatics extending in parallel vertical planes to the pitinen of themanual-keys respectively.

3. In combination. with an organ having manuataction, a pneumatic vacuuin.-chainber erected vertically at the rea r; the prima ry pneumatics mounted upon the inner side of the forward wall of said chamber, and the sec ondary or principal pneumatics mounted upon the exterior of said wall, said primary pneumatics being arranged in a plurality of horizontal rows whose corresponding indi viduals are offset laterally, the d nets to said primary pneumatics being all parallel and formed in said. .t'orward wall and opening at the upper end thereof; the horizontal board J having ducts j, and cross-portsj in a single transverse row commui'iicating with said ductsj, respectively, and adapted to register with the upper mouths of the priniary-pinniina-tic ducts; and the tracker-range alnitting and secured at the forward edge oi the board J, and having its ducts registering with the ducts): substantially as set forth.

-i;. In a pneumatic organ, in coinbiiiiation with the vertical pneumatic vacuinn-ehaniberhaving principal or secondary pneinnatics mounted upon the outer side of one wall; additional secondary or principal piiieumaties mounted upon the opposite wall; erossports through one wall, and a plurality of ducts leading from said cross-ports, one duct leadin g to the pneumatics mounted on said wall, and the other leading to the outer side of the wall, and flexible tubes connected at said lastmentioned ducts and extending to the additional pneumatics; the reed-chambers pertaining to said additional pneumatics, and suitable mechanical connections from the latter to the valves of said chambers: substantially as set forth.

5. In a pneumatic organ, in combination with the vertical pneumatic vacuum-chamberhaving principal or secondary pneumatics mounted upon the outer side of one wall; additional secondary or principal pneumatics mounted upon the opposite wall; cross-ports through one wall and a plurality of ducts leading from said cross-ports; one duct leading to the pneumatics mounted on said wall, and the other leading to the outer side of the wall; and flexible tubes connected at said lastmentioned ducts and extending to the additional pneumatics also mounted on the vertical pneumatic-chamber, and suitable mechanical connections from said additional pneumatics also mounted on the vertical pneLunatic-chamber, and suitable mechanical connections from said additional pn eum at-ics to the valves of their respective reed-chambers: substantially as set forth.

6. In a pneumatic organ, in combination with the upright pneumatic vacuum-chamber, the horizontal traeker-range forward of said chamber, and the ducts leading from said tracker-range rearward to the wall of the pneumatic vacuum chamber; the primary pneumatics within said chamber; the valves which they respectively actuate, and the ports through the forward wall of said chamber controlled by said valves; ducts in said walls from said cross-ports, and secondary or principal pneumatics mounted on said Walls to which said d ucts respectively lead additional ducts in said wall leading from said crossports respectively, and terminating at their other ends at the outer side of said wall; additional pneumatics mounted upon the rear of said upright pneumatic vacuum-chamber,

and suitable ducts leading into said additional pneumatics respectively, and flexible tubes connected at one end at the outer end of the additional ducts in the forward side of the pneumatic vacuum-chamber, extending thence up between the ducts leading from the tracker-range, and thence over the upper end of the pneumatic vacuum-chamber and connected at the ports leading into said additional pneumatics, respectively: substantially as set forth.

7. In a pneumatic organ, in combination with the pneumatic vacuum-chamber and the ports 1) leading through its wall and the valves which control such ports and means for operating such valves, a plurality of ducts leading into said ports, and plurality of pneumatics connected with such ducts respectively, and reeds corresponding to such pneumatics respectively having their respective valves operated thereby: substantially as set forth.

8. In combination with a manual action of a reed-organ, the upright pneumatic-chamber at the rear, and the horizontal forwardlyprojecting tracker-range mounted at the upper end of the pneumatic-chamber; the primary pneumatics within the chamber, and principal or secondary pneumatics mounted on the forward side of the chamber; bellcrank levers having their fulcrums supported in front of the pneumatics respectively; the levers S operating at their forward ends upon the pitmen of the n1anual-action respectively, and connecting-rods R from the rear ends of said levers to the horizontal arms of the bellcranks, and links from the vertical arms of the bell-cranks to the oscillating ends of the secondary pneumatics respectively: substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, in the presence of two witnesses, at Chicago, Illinois, this 21st day of November, 1805.

MELVILLE CLARK.

lVitnesses CHAS. S. BURTON, JEAN ELLIOTT.

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