US321820A - Reed-organ - Google Patents

Description

G. B. KELLY.

l REED ORGAN.

(No Model.)

Patentedv Jul 5.. l rl. m

' Zar' llmllllln.

IUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE B. KELLY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

REED-ORGAN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 321,820, dated July 7, 1885.

l Application filed Ft brnary 5, 1885. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, t may concern:

Beit known that I, GEORGE B. KELLY, of Boston, in the county of Suiiolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Reed or Other Musical Organs, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention has for its object the qualifying or improving of the tone produced by a musical reed, in a reed musical instrument more particularly, so that such tone will partake of and be like a diapason, iiute, or pipe tone of a pipe-organ; and the invention consists, in substance, in combination with a musical reed in connection with the usual and proper construction and arrangement of parts for sounding the same in a musical instrument, of a tube, pipe, or hollow cylinder placed over and in communication with the reed-chamber of such reed, provided internally with one or more transverse diaphragms or partitions, each of which diaphragms or partitions has one or more openings or perforations, all substantially as hereinafter fully described.

In the accompanying sheet of drawings is illustrated the present invention, Figure l being a view in vertical cross-section of a portion of a reed musical instrument with its musical reed, and having connected therewith a tube or pipe prepared according to this invention. Fig. 2 is a detail cross-section on line 2 2, Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a plan view of one of the diaphragms; Fig. 4, a vertical cross-section of one of the tubes with its diaphragm; Fig. 5, a view in vertical cross-section, in modificacation; Fig. 6, a plan view of a diaphragm or partition having two openings.

ln the drawings, A represents a wind-chest of a reed musical instrument, B, a valve located therein over a passage, C, in the partition D. E is a chamber above such passage O and communicating therewith, in which chamber are two musical reeds, F G, in a reedblock, H, and over openings J K, to their respective chambers L M, each of which chambers has a passage, N, arranged to be opened and closed by a slide or register, P, having openings Q to correspond with the passages N whenmoved into proper position therefor, the several parts being constructed and arranged to operate in connection with a force or pressure bellows, (not shown in the drawings,) proper communication being made between the wind-chest and said bellows, in the usual manner, all of which are constructed and arranged for operation, as usual, in reed musical instruments, and needing no particular description herein.

R S are two tubes or pipes, made of'wood or of any suitable material and having open ends a b. Each tube is placed and secured in a socket, T, in the block U, so that its lower end, a, will be overI and open to a passage, N, of its respective reed-chamber L or M. In each oi these tubes is a transverse diaphragm or partition, V, which diaphragm has a central vertical opening or passage, W", through it. The diaphragms or partitions V are made of wood .or of vany suitable material, are inserted in the tube at any proper points and distances apart, and preferably so as to closely lit the internal periphery of its tube to hold it in its position after being placed, and yet free enough to be moved up and down therein, as desired, in any suitable manner.

Vith the wind-chest A connected with any suitable force or pressure bellows, and the slide or register P moved into position for its openings Q to be coincident with the passages N, and the valve B opened, air from the bellows passes from the wind-chest through opening C, to and through the reeds F G, intoy reedchambers L M, through the opening J K, and out through the passages N, openings Q, in slides, into and through the tubes R S, and the passages XV in their respective diaphragins, and sounding the reeds.

The usual and ordinary tones produced by musical reeds, more especially when .a force or pressure bellows is used without the tubes R or S and their diaphragms, are more or less harsh, disagreeable, and reedy;77 but by the use of a tube, B or S, with its perforated diaphragms applied as described, the tone produced by the same reed will be entirely relieved of such harshness and reedy quality, and will be so qualified and improved that it will be like or resemble the tone of a diapason or flute or pipe tone of a pipe-organ, the tone being smooth, round, and full. The tone produced by such a construction and arrangement IOO of transverse perforated diaphragms in a tube, as described, can be varied somewhat by arranging the diaphragms in different positions within the tube relatively to the length of the tube and to each other-as, for example, the tone produced by a reed with the arrangement of the diaphragms in the tube R would be softer and not so loud or brilliant as the tone produced from the same reed through the tube S with its arrangement of diaphragms, although each tone would still preserve the character of a pipe-tone.

In arranging a series of such tubes with their diaphragms to a scale of a number of octavos ot' reeds in a musical instrument, the tubes connecting with the reeds producing the highest notes should preferably be quite short, and the series should gradually increase in length down to the lowest notes, and when such short tubes are used it preferable to have only one diaphragm or partition, as shown in Fig. t in vertical eross-section,which shows a tube with one perforated diaphragm suitable for the upper or highest notes ot the scale. w

One diaphragm need only be used in any of the tubes ot' the series, if desired; but better results are produced in the tubes used for the lower and bass notes by having two diaphragn'is, as shown.

rIhe locations ot the diaphragms in the tubes can be determined and arranged in any suitable manner-as, for example, by testing and trying the tones and adjusting the diaphragms by moving them up or down within the tube until in the right position to produce the quality ot' tone desired, and when so adj usted they can, if desired, be secured in any suitable manner to prevent accidental displacement. rIhey can be set permanently or arranged to be moved as desired, or they can be arranged to be adjusted in any other or suitable manner-as, Vl'cr example, as shown in Fig. 5, which shows in vertical cross-section a tube, It, in two parts, X Y, one, X, adapted to closely lit over the other,Y, so it can slide up and down thereon similar to telescope tubes. `As shown in this ligure, one diaphragm, V, .is placed at the top of the portion X, and the other at the top of the portion Y, and by slid ing the portion X up or down on the part Y the diaphragms will be adjusted as desired. More than two parts, X. or Y, can be used it' necessary.

The diaphragms can be arranged to be moved in the portions X. or Y so as to be adjusted in each portion as desired, and also more can be used if deemed necessary.

The diaphragms can be made ofilexible material-such as india-rubber, leather, &c. and secured in any proper manner.

The chamber E need only have one reed in lieu ol` two7 and in such case only one tube would be used, as is obvious.

Although the present invention is shown in connection with parts of a musical instrument constructed and adapted i'or operation in connection with a force or pressure bellows, obviously it can be used in connection with a musical instrument operated by an exhaust or suction bellows.

It' desired, more than two diaphragms with their respective passages IV can be used;also the passages IV can be ot' any desired shape in cross-seetion-such as elliptical, square, &c.-although it is preferable to have them round or circular. rIhe tube or pipe can also be of other shapes 'incross-seetion-such as elliptical or square, &e.-and the diaphragm can have more t-han one passage through it, as shown in Fig. G, which is a cross-section on same line as Fig. 2, but showing two passages, V, in the diaphragm, and three or more passages can be made, if desired.

Although this invention is more particuularly described and shown in connection with a reed musical instrument having reeds for the sounding devices, obviously the invention can be applied to musical instruments having other sounding` devices-such as pipes-and in such case the tube could be part of the pipe itself, and provided with the Itransverse diaphragms, as described.

I do not claim, broadly, a tube or pipe in combination with a reed and its chamber of a recdprgan, as such is not new, but,

IfIaving thus described my invention, what I claim isl. The combination, with the reed and its chamber, of a tube arranged above the register or slide, and provided with one or more internal transverse perforated diaphragms or partitions, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. The combination, with the reed and ils chambenot' a tube provided with one or more internal transverse perforated diaplnfagms or partitions, arranged to be adjusted therein, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. rIhe eombination,with a reed and its reedchamber,of a tube provided with one or more internal transverse perforated diaphragms or partitions,and arranged to lit within a socket, T, in the block U, substantially as and l'or the purpose specited.

4. In a reed musical instrument, the combination, with its reed and reed-chamber, ot a tube made in two or more parts, one or more ot which parts are adapted to slide on the other or others, and each provided with one or more internal transverse perforated diaphragms or partitions,V, substantially as and for the purpose specilied.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence ol" two subscribing witnesses.

GEO. I3. KELLY.

Vitnesses:

EDWIN W. BnowN, IVM. S. BnLLows.

IOO

Images