US3598894A

US3598894A - Apparatus for activating the stop slides of organs

Info

Publication number: US3598894A
Application number: US849708A
Authority: US
Inventors: Karl Michel; Franz Heissler
Original assignee: HERMAN L SCHLICKER
Current assignee: HERMAN L SCHLICKER
Priority date: 1968-08-19
Filing date: 1969-08-13
Publication date: 1971-08-10
Anticipated expiration: 1988-08-10
Also published as: DE1797122B1

Abstract

An apparatus for activating stop slides in the air chambers of an organ has air motors each engaging a piston connected to a slide, said piston being moved within a pressure cylinder by the action of a pressure means.

Description

United States Patent [72] Inventors Karl Michel Tauberrettersheim; Franz Heksler, Markelsheim, both of, Germany 2! Appl. No. 849,708

[22] Filed Aug. 13, 1969 [45] Patented Aug. 10,1971

[ 73] Assignee Herman L. Schlicker Buffalo, N.Y.

[32] Priority Aug. 19, 1968 33 Germany [54] APPARATUS FOR ACTIVATING THE STOP SLIDES OF ORGANS 10 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S. Cl 84/338, 84/343, 84/369 [51] lnt.Cl Gl0h3/l0 Primary Examiner-Richard B. Wilkinson Assistant Examiner-John F. Gonzales Almrney--Ernest F. Marmorek ABSTRACT: An apparatus for activating stop slides in the air chambers of an organ has air motors each engaging a piston connected to a slide, said piston being moved within a pressure cylinder by the action of a pressure means.

PATENTED AUG 1 0 |97| SHEET 1 BF 2 FIG. 1

IN VEN TORS PATENTEB mm 01971 7 (3,598 894 sum 2 0F 2 5 25 lfikman IN VEN TOR5:

ikel an/ BY Mas/UL APPARATUS FOR ACTIVATING THE STOP SLI'DES F ORGANS The invention relates to an apparatus for activating the stop slides in the air chambers of organs.

It has been known heretofore to draw the stop slides manually by means of a lever system. This, however, is only feasible with small organs, because of the necessary large force for large organs it is expensive and difficult to build in.

Another known but unsuitable device are traction magnets or electromagnets; however, excessive heat is generated due to the required voltage which in turn changes the pitch of the organ pipes, especially when the organ is played for a long time. Wear and tear at the electric switch terminals, in addition to their extreme complexity and sensitivity leave this' stop slides, however, due to the low pressure generated, an

unusually large bellows is needed to create the required tension force. As such, this method necessitates an organ case of mammoth proportions.

Lastly, with heretofore known methods of connectingv several bellows for simultaneous activation of many slides, a common occurrence was that the organ or play air reaching the pipes was subject to oscillations or thrusts whereby the quality of the sound emanating from the pipes suffered.

It is therefore among the principal objects of the instant invention to obviate the aforementioned known disadvantages.

It is another object of the invention to insure that the activators for the stop slides will be of simple construction, assembly and operation and will require little space. I

It is stillanother object to provide for pressure means for the activation of the slides that is separate and independent of the pressure means such as air, for sounding the organ pipes, thereby obviating any interference with the sound emanation.

It is still another object of the invention to prevent the generation of heat even during constant operation and thus to facilitate the maintenance of the required voltage.

It is still another object to provide for speed control of the i stop slides, such as activating the slides very quickly where there is relatively high air pressure.

With the above and other objects of the invention in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of various devices, elements and parts, as set forth in the claims hereof, certain embodiments of same being illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described in the specification.

Briefly, the activation of the slides in accordance with the invention is accomplished by the addition of small space saving air motors each for one slide, connected to the organ frame. These air motors are practically noiseless andwork free of lubrication and attendance. They may be easily mounted by the organ builder without the aid ofa specialist. In an environment excessively hot, damp or filled with air pollutants, the motors function well due to the lack of sensitivity of their parts.

In the accompanying drawings,

FIG. I is a fragmentary schematic view of a wind box with five stop slides in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a large scale fragmentary elevational view, partly in section, of an activating device; and

FIG. 3 is a large scale fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of a modified activating device.

In carrying the invention into effect in the embodiments which have been selected for illustration in the accompanying drawings and for description in this specification, there is provided an air chest or wind box 1 having pipe slots 2 and stop slides 3.

Activating mechanisms such as air motors 4 are provided to activate each stop slide 3 by pressure means such as for instance compressed air, or rarefied air, hereinafter referred to as compressed air.

The .air motors 4 are connected to a distributing conduit 5 to receive the pressure means, delivered by an air or vacuum pump 6. The supply of compressed air is held in a compensator tank 7. An electric motor 8 drives the pump 6.

FIGS. 2 and 3 show two modifications of the air motor. Referring now particularly to FIG. 2, the air motor 4 comprises a movable piston 9, in a two-way pressure cylinder 11. The piston 9 is connected to a stop slide 3 of the air chest 1 by means of its piston rod 13. Thepiston 9 works in one direction and is supported on its base by the return spring 15. The sealing of the piston 9 is accomplished by a membrane 17.

A three-way magnetic valve 19 is provided which is flanged to the pressure cylinder 11. A magnetic coil 21 positioned just next to the core spindle 22 controls the valve-once the electric current flows through the coil 21. This is done by the organist touching the appropriate control button for the series of stop slides 3, on the action table. As in the preferred embodiment, of FIG. 1, the modification of FIG. 2, employs the conduit 23 to deliver the pressure means from the source 6.

The three-way valve 19 is set in a predetermined way so that the chamber 24 is open towards the atmosphere. Where raretied air is used as the pressure means, the piston 9 is moved to the left by the tension of the compression spring 15, which in turn closes the stop slide 3. In order to open the stop slide 3, the three-way valve 19 is switched so that the connection to the low pressure source 6 is opened, thereby creating low pressure in the chamber 24. This puts the spring 15 under tension and moves the piston to the right.

The attached stop slide 3 is thereby opened, and frees the organ air in the direction of the pipes. The impact sound caused by the movement of the piston 9 is rendered practically inaudible by damper disks 25, made of a suitable material such as for instance, rubber -or felt. The air motor 4 is firmly mounted on the air chest 1 by means of a supporting bridge 26.,

In the modification of FIG. 3, the piston 10, cylinder 12, piston rod 14, return spring and magnetic valve 20 are depicted-essentially in the same manner as described for FIG. 2. The principal difference, however, is that in FIG. 3 the piston 10 is not sealed by a membrane, but by a cuff gasket 18.

The effect of the air motors 4 is different from the above described operation when instead of a low pressure or rarefied air there is provided a pressure creating device 6 such as for instance an air compressor. In this instance the control of the three-way valve I9'causes the compressed air to enter into the chamber '24 moving the piston 9 against the power of the return tension spring 15. In reversing the current, the air escapes from the chamber 24 and the return spring 15 will retract the piston 9.

To facilitate operation of the air motor 4 a liquid under pressure may be employed instead of the air. In this case a return conduit is needed for the released liquid; however, this conduit is unnecessary with compression or rarefied air, because the exhaust from the chamber 24, that is the pressure compensation, goes directly into the atmosphere.

Possible exhaust or air compensating noises may be reduced to an inaudible minimum in a simple manner by known sound absorbing means, such as for instance, particular materials with a large porous surface.

It is preferred if not essential that a special device, such as a compressor or vacuum pump produce the pressure means and that the pump be kept separate from the source for the air supplied to the organ.

The three-way valve is set in such a manner, when compressed air is used, that when the piston activates the respective slide, the pressure fluid can engage the piston in the pressure cylinder, whereupon the restoring force is created preferably by compression of a spring. in order to close the slide, the three-way valve is set in such a manner that the pressure cylinder forms a connection with the atmosphere.

Due to the excess pressure, the pressure fluid escapes into the atmosphere, readying the device for subsequent closing.

At negative pressure, on the other hand, there is a pressure compensation with the atmosphere so that the restoring force, such as the spring becomes effective and closes the slide.

The work piston 9 may either be a single acting piston with a restoring force, preferably in the form of the spring 15, or be a double acting piston. For a double acting piston, the supply valves to the two chambers, namely one on each side of the piston must be adjusted in a way that the pressure fluid may operate alternately upon either side of the piston. Thus, when the piston proceeds in one direction, the slides 3 are activated, and upon reversing, the piston travels in the opposite direction and again closes the slides 3. In this instance the control element is preferably a four-way valve accomplishing the following: connection of the pressure fluid to one chamber; and from the latter selectively to the atmosphere; and connection between the second chamber and the atmosphere.

The adjustment of either the three-way valve 19 or a fourway valve into the various flow paths can be achieved with optional standardizing agents. The valves, preferably magnetic, are activated or controlled, as indicated before, from the action table by means of double stop switches.

Certain of the advantages of the invention have already been herein referred to. It may be useful, however, to allude particularly at this point to the fact that the pressure means for the activation of the slides are separate and independent from the air for sounding the organ pipes, thereby obviating any interference with the sound.

2. The air motors are very small, and thus space saving.

3. They produce little heat, work free of lubrication and attendance and are practically noiseless.

4. Their simplicity facilitates easy mounting by a layman.

5. Additionally they function well under extremes in climatic and atmospheric conditions due to their lack of sensitive parts.

6. As there is little heating even during constant operation,

the required voltage, of from 12 to 24 volts may be maintained.

7. The speed of the motors is easily regulatable, due to the high air pressure, and as such the stop slides may be activated quickly.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to be secured by Letters Patent is as follows:

1. An apparatus, for use in connection with activating the stop slides of an organ, the sound of which is generated by a compressible sound generating fluid the entry of which into the organ pipes is controlled by said stop slides,

comprising in combination,

a cylinder for each stop slide connected with relation to said organ,

a piston oscillatable in said cylinder in opposite directions, and connected to said slide, said piston when activated activating said slide,

and fluid pressure means separate and apart from said compressible sound generating fluid and operable for activating said piston to move in at least one of the opposite directions in said cylinder thereby activating the slide thereof.

2. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said fluid is compressed air.

3. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said pressure means is rarefied air.

4. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 1, and resilient means operable to retract said piston.

5. An apparatus, as c aimed in claim 4, wherein the movemeans operable for operating said valve means.

9. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 1, and sealing means comprising a lip shaped seal ring on said piston.

10. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 1, and sealing means comprising a membrane being sufficient to seal off at least a portion of the interior of said cylinder against said piston in all positions of said piston.

Claims

1. An apparatus, for use in connection with activating the stop slides of an organ, the sound of whIch is generated by a compressible sound generating fluid the entry of which into the organ pipes is controlled by said stop slides, comprising in combination, a cylinder for each stop slide connected with relation to said organ, a piston oscillatable in said cylinder in opposite directions, and connected to said slide, said piston when activated activating said slide, and fluid pressure means separate and apart from said compressible sound generating fluid and operable for activating said piston to move in at least one of the opposite directions in said cylinder thereby activating the slide thereof.

2. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said fluid is compressed air.

5. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 4, wherein the movement of said piston in said cylinder is controlled by a three-way valve.

6. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said piston is double acting and the movement of said piston in said cylinder is controlled by a four-way valve.

7. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 1, and valve means, forming control means for said pressure means.

8. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 7, and magnetic switch means operable for operating said valve means.