US802333A - Pneumatic coupler for organs. - Google Patents

Description

110.802,333. PATENTBD 001117, 1905.

J. SLAWIK. PNEUMATIG GOUPLER FOR ORGANS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 18,1900.

2 SHEETS-SHEBT l.

4? INvEN-ro a. Jse/oh- SZMWR.

5 4 5 i Arron NEY.

.mouw s :mmm cc. wow-umonmmins wlsnmorma. uv c.

No. 802,333. PATENTED OCT. 17, 1905.

J. SLAWIK. I

PLW'JUMATIC GOUPLER POR ORGANS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 18,1900.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

FMLA.

VVITNESSES. INVEN'TOF l Jose/1772 Szazwf' CD] WQQHIM) EJMMZr/Z manzwA u. mmm.: ca. PnnraAumomwums. wAswNGTuu u n vst JOSEPI-I SLAVVIK, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

PNEUMATIC COUPLER FOR ORGANS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented oct. 17, 1905.

Application filed July 18,1900. Serial No. 24,058.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH SLAwrK, a citi- Zen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pneumatic Couplers for Organs, of which the following is a specification.

Thisinvention relates toapneumatie coupler for organs of that class wherein a plurality of keys or keyboards are coupled to their respective sound devices and to each other, wherebythe playing of a key or keys of one of the keyboards bythe proper operation of the coupling mechanism causes a sounding' of one or more of the sets of sounding devices simultaneously.

The object of the invention is to provide a coupling of this character in which the eX- pense of manufacture shall be reduced to a minimum and which shall be instantaneous in action, thereby insuring full quality of tone simultaneously with the depression of a key.

The invention consists in the particular combinations of parts shown in the drawings, described in the specification, and. more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a sectional elevation of a pneumatic coupler and 'its immediate connections constructed and arranged in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation ofthe coupler, showing in dotted lines the passage-ways and in a diagrammatic manner the connection between the several passage-ways and the pallet-rail. Eig. 3 is a top plan view of a portion of the pallet-rail. Fig. -L is a bottom plan view of the same, and Fig. 5 is a transverse section of one of the sections of the intermediate coupler.

In carrying my invention into effect I employ two chests,which I designate the greataction chest l and the swell-action chest 2, which control the passage of air through the sounding devices 3 and 4, respectively. The said action l is under control of the lower keyboard, which actuates the great pallets 5, arranged along the great-pallet rail 6. 'Ihe swell-action is controlled by the upper keyboard, which actuates the swell-pallets 7, arranged along the swell-pallet rail 8. These actions are always open as far as the ordinary organ-sound effect is concerned.

Both of the actions 1 and 2 are constructed alike. Consequently a description of one action will sufhce for both. Each action is prol vided with a wind-chest 9, into which open the seats of the sounding devices 3 and 4. The seat is formed by projecting the metallic end of the sounding device into the wind-.chest and securing thereon an annular boss l0, preferably of wood. The boss forms a seat against which a diaphragm-valve ll normally rests, and by the movement of said valve against and from said seat the air is cut off or allowed to pass through the sounding devices, it being understood that each sounding device has a corresponding key on the keyboard, which controls its sounding device thrfough the medium of its respective pallet 5 or t.

The means for manipulating the valve ll is as follows: Arranged below each diaphragmvalve is an opening 12, which leads into an exhaust-passage 13, having two valve- seats 14 and 15, of which the latter connect-s with the outer atmosphere and the former with the wind-chest 16, located above it. Arranged centrally of the valve-seats le and l5 is a vertically-moving valve-stem I7, upon which and between the valve-seats are secured two valves I8 and I9, adapted to be alternately seated on the seats 1A and 15, respectively-that is, when the valve I9 is resting on its seat the valve 18 is away from its seat, so that air from the wind-chest I6 can pass through the passage 13 and through the opening l2 to press against the under side of each diaphragm-valve l1 to hold it to its seat and to prevent the passage of air from the chest 9 to the sounding device 3 or A. Then the valve 18 is seated against its seat 14C, the valve I9 is away from the seat l5 and the flow of air from the chest 16 is cut off, air from the passage 13 passing beneath the valve 19 and through the seat l5 to the atmosphere. The pressure of air in the chest 9 is now suiiicient to force the diaphragm-valve ll downward and to allow the air to pass through the sounding devices.

The means for moving the valve-stem 17 are as follows: Arranged upon the valve-stem is a diaphragm 20, which separates the windchest I6 from a series of ducts or passageways 21, one for each sounding device, each duct 2l of the great-action chest 1 being connected by pipes 22 and 23 with the greatpallet rail 6 and each duct 21 of the swellaction chest 2 being connected by pipes 24C and 25 with the swell-pallet rail 8, said pipes being attached at an intermediate point to the coupler chest 26. Consequently as the pallet corresponding to a particular note in either IOO IIO

action is raised the air is allowed to escape from the correspondingl duct 21, and the pressure of air in the chest 16 will raise the diaphragm 20. When the pallet is lowered and the escape of air is prevented, the pressure of air in the passage-way 21 will equal that in the wind-chest 16 and the diaphragm 2O will fall and seat the opposite valve 19, pressure beingrestablished in the channel 21 at the diaphragm 2O by means of the passage or channel 21 Screwing' through the casing of the great and swell action cylinders are screwvalves 22*L and 24, which regulate the size of the passage 21, leading to the conduits 22 and 24, thus regulating the passage of air therethrough.

The intermediate coupler-chest comprises a casing built up ot' a plurality ot' sections secured together by bolts 27, springs 28 being interposed between the nuts 29 upon the bolts and the side of the coupler-section adjacent thereto, so as to compensate for the shrinkag'e or swell ot' the material composing the sections. l/Vhile I have shown a coupler having seven sections, it will be apparent that I may employ more or less sections, as desired, to increase or diminish the harmonic eifcct.

The coupler-chest 26 is provided with a number ot' sets of transverse passages, the passages of each set being disposed one above another and the sets of passages being located side by side throughout the length ot' the chest. These various passages are numbered, respectively, from 30 to 49 and are connected in the manner described hereinafter.

The great-pallet rail 6 has in the present instance five openings 53 for each pallet 5, although more or less than this number may be used, dependent upon the extent of the coupler-chest. For convenience I have designated these openings by the reference-letters a, I), c, CZ, and e. The opening a is connected by a pipe 23 to the transverse passage 3() ot' the coupler-chest, and each of the openings c, tl, and a is connected by a pipe 52 to one of the other transverse passages ot' said coupler-chest. Thus the opening is connected to the transverse passage 36, thel opening@ to the transverse passage 38, the opening l to a transverse passage 40, corresponding with a higher or lower octave, and the opening e with a transverse passage 42, corresponding' with a higher or lower octave. In like manner the openings of the adjoining pallet-rail are connected to the passages 31, 37, 39, 41, and 43. The passage 30 is connected by a pipe 22 to the air-duct 21 of the g'reat-action chest 1, and the passage 31 is likewise connected by a pipe 22 with a corresponding and adjoining' duct 21 oi' said great-action chest, and in like manner the passages 32 and 33 are connected by the pipes 24 with ducts 21 of the swell-action chest 2. A vertical passage 50 connects the transverse passages 30 and 36, and a similar vertical passage 50 connects the transverse passages 31 and 37. (See dotted lines, Fig. 2.) A vertical passage 51 connects the transverse passages 32, 38, 40, 42, 34, 44, and 47, and a similar passage 51 connects the transverse passages 33, 39, 41, 43, 35, 45, and 46. Each passage 50 is connected by a pipe 54 either with the tral'isverse passage 48 or the passage 49. Pipes 25 serve to connect the passages 34 and 35, respectively, with the adjoining openings (t of the swell-pallet rail 8, and the passages 44 and 45 are connected, respectively, by pipes 44l and 45 with adjoining openings oi: said swellpallet rail.

Flow through any one ot' the passages 36 to 49, inclusive, is controlled by a valve 55, contained in a chamber 56, to which air under pressure is admitted or from which air can be exhausted through a pipe 57 under control o1" a suitable stop on the organ. Each ot' said passages 36 to 49, inclusive, has its continuity interrupted by a bridge 59, on each side oi which is formed a passage 58, and the ends of these passages can be closed or opened by the valve 55, depending' upon whether there is or is not a pressure of air within the chamber 56, the valve being flexible, so that the airpressure will close it against the ends ot' the openings 58, while in the absence of pressure it can open, and thus permit flow of air from one passage 58 to the other over the end ol. the bridge 59.

The passages 46, 47, 48, and 49 are connected, respectively, by means ol' pipes 46*L to 49, to the pedal-swell. Thus the openingl /1 ot' the great-pallet rail 6 is connected to the pedalswell through the medium of the pipe 23, passages 30 and 50, pipe 54, passage 49, and pipe 49, the adjoining opening being connected to the pedal-swell by the pipe 23, passages 31 and 50, pipe 54, passage 48, and pipe 482. The opening b of the swell-pallet rail is connected to the pedal-swell by the pipe 44", passages 44 and 51, passage 47, and pipe 47, and the adjoining'opening oi' said pallet-rail is connected to the pedal-swell by means ol the pipe 45, passages 45 and 51, passage 46, and pipe 46L.

Then a pallet 5 ot' the great-pallet rail 6 is lifted, a corresponding' note of the great-action chest is sounded, the opening t of said pallet-rail providing' for the escape of air from the duct 21 through pipe 22, passage 30, and pipe 23. It' con'imunication through the passage 36 is permitted, such lifting ot' the pallet 5 will also permit additional escape through said passage. It the passage 49 is open, there will be a connection with the pedal-swell. If the ilow through the passage 38 is open, the great-pallet rail will be connected to the swell-action by the opening' c, pipe 52, passages 38 and 51, and pipe 24, and in like manner the lifting of said pallet will connect the great-pallet rail with other sound ing devices higher or lower through the me- IOO ICS

dium of the openings l and e if the correspending passages 40 and 42 are open. The lifting of the swell-pallet 7 will render operative a sounding device of the swell-action and if the flow through the passages 44: and 47 is open will at the same time connect said swell-pallet rail with the pedal-swell by reason of the connections between the opening?) and the pipe 4:7, and the description with reference to the operation of one pallet applies to all.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patentv l. In a pneumatic coupler for organs, the combination of a plurality of sounding devices, a pallet-raill having a plurality of openings simultaneously opened or closed by the movement of the pallet, and an interposed couplingchest having a plurality of passages, Valves and connections, whereby it provides a normally open communication between one of the sounding devices and one of the openings of the pallet-rail, and Valved communication between one or more of the other sounding devices and one or more of the other openings of the pallet-rail, said coupling-chest comprising a single structure composed of a series of superposed blocks, and bolts serving to secure together the blocks of the series, substantially as specified.

2. In a pneumatic coupler for organs, the combination of a plurality of sounding devices, a pallet-rail having a plurality of openings simultaneously opened or closed by the movement of the pallet, and an interposed coupling chest having a plurality of passages, valves and connections, whereby it provides a normally open communication between one of the sounding devices and one of the openings of the pallet-rail, and valved communication between one or more of the other sounding devices and one ormore of the other openings of the pallet-rail, said coupling-chest comprising a structure composed of a series of superposed blocks and bolts securing together the blocks of the series, said bolts and blocks being combined with elastic means whereby expansion and contraction ofthe blocks is permitted without loosening the joints between the same, substantially as specified.

3. The combination of the sound-chest and a sounding device having a pipe projecting into the chest, a ring surrounding the projecting mouth of said pipe, and a diaphragm-valve in the chest so disposed as to seat itself simultaneously upon the end of the pipe and upon the ring surrounding the same, substantially as specified.

4. In a pneumatic coupler for organs, the combination of a sound-chest, a pallet-rail having a plurality of openings simultaneously opened or closed by the movement of the pallet, a coupling-chest having a series of passages and connections between said passages and the pallet-rail and sound-chest, said coupling-chest being composed of a series of superposed sections with vertical securing bolts and nuts, and springs interposed between said nuts and the coupling-chest so as to permit expansion and contraction of the latter, substantially as specified.

5. In a pneumatic self-playing musical instrument, an air-chest composed of separable parts joined together for forming an air chamber or passage and a clamping device for drawing said parts together, said clamping device including yielding means to compensate for any shrinkage or expansion of the parts and prevent opening of the joints between said parts.

6. In a pneumatic self-playing musical instrument, a plurality of separable valveshelves containing air-passages and means for clamping said shelves together including one or more springs connected and operating to force the shelves together to allow the parts of said shelves to expand and contract and to prevent opening at the joints.

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

JOSEPH SLAWIK.

Images