Abstract: An electromagnetically operated valve assembly having a valve closure means attached to a vertically suspended armature supported at its top portion, is held in magnetic fields at both the top and bottom portions of the armature, caused by permanent magnets reacting to iron or other permanent magnets. The movement of the armature is guided to insure close alignment and to eliminate side play by means of a main frame assembly mounted in a pipe organ wind chest so as to control air under pressure from the wind chest into at least one pipe organ. The permanent magnet at the bottom portion of the armature cooperates with an iron core of a solenoid mounted to the main frame assembly, to close or open the valve. The valve may also be provided with a second solenoid to both assist moving the valve to the open position, and to aid in holding the valve in the open position.

Abstract: Electrically and manually operable stop controls for a musical instrument such as an organ are disclosed. One embodiment of the stop control is a drawknob carried by an a transfer plate mounted for horizontal motion adjacent a solenoid having an iron core. Vertical hinge members at opposite ends of the solenoid support the transfer plate. A permanent magnet is mounted on each hinge member in general alignment with the iron core, the hinge members being spaced apart sufficiently to insure that only one permanent magnet at a time is adjacent the iron core, to thereby provide a manual magnetic and gravity-operated toggle motion. Application of an electrical direct current of selected polarity to the solenoid permits electrical shifting of the transfer plate. In a further embodiment, the drawknob is secured to a pivotally mounted armature having a cross-member which carries permanent magnets. Solenoids are mounted at opposite ends of the cross-member to provide electrical shifting of the armature.

Abstract: Electrically and manually operable stop controls for a musical instrument such as an organ are disclosed. One embodiment of the stop control is a drawknob carried by an a transfer plate mounted for horizontal motion adjacent a solenoid having an iron core. Vertical hinge members at opposite ends of the solenoid support the transfer plate. A permanent magnet is mounted on each hinge member in general alignment with the iron core, the hinge members being spaced apart sufficiently to insure that only one permanent magnet at a time is adjacent the iron core, to thereby provide a manual magnetic and gravity-operated toggle motion. Application of an electrical direct current of selected polarity to the solenoid permits electrical shifting of the transfer plate. In a further embodiment, the drawknob is secured to a pivotally mounted armature having a cross-member which carries permanent magnets. Solenoids are mounted at opposite ends of the cross-member to provide electrical shifting of the armature.

Abstract: An improved striker mechanism for percussion instruments such as chimes, bells, drums, and the like, is disclosed. A clapper is mounted on an armature for motion between a rest position and an impact position. A solenoid-permanent magnet set is provided to hold the clapper in its rest position. Energization of the solenoid by a short electrical drive pulse produces a magnetic field in the solenoid core which repels the permanent magnet and drives the clapper to impact a percussion instrument sound-producing surface. The drive pulse is sufficiently short that it does not impede rebound of the clapper, so that the rebound force cooperates with the magnetic attraction of the permanent magnet to the solenoid to return the clapper to its rest position, substantially without bounce, thereby producing a highly damped clapper motion.

Abstract: An electronically actuated system for a control clock device is provided with an instrument panel arranged in such fashion that an operator having virtually no familiarity with the technical aspects of the system can set up a program of activity, such for example as the playing of various melodies on a carillon on different days of the week, and varying them automatically from day to day. The panel is provided with controls in the form of push buttons, dials and lights, appropriately labeled, a digital clock face showing the time of day in hours, minutes and seconds, selectors for the day or days during the week when a program is to be played, and a selector for any one or more of the programs from a bank of programs. Visual displays show what has been set up in the device as a check against errors which the operator may have made during the setting.

Abstract: An electronic sound system especially effective with bell sounds synthesizes the approximate sound of each bell in a set of 49 switch operated bell sounds. The synthesizing is accomplished by utilizig an envelope generator for each partial of a group of 7 partials for each of the 49 sounds, in association with a single 73 note wave generator. The envelope generators for low partials of each group of 7 are slow attack, slow decay relatively long envelopes. The envelope generators for the high partials of the same group of 7 are fast attack, fast decay relatively short envelopes, and envelopes for certain intermediate partials are fast attack with combined short and long decay envelopes of intermediate length. There is a single wave generator for each of 73 tones, the wave generators having circuits interconnecting them with partials of common frequency of the various groups of 7 partials for the respective keys.

Abstract: A magnetic tape strip for the reproduction of bell sounds is set to play one or more of a multiple number of different melodies or programs wherein the programs are arranged on tape segments in parallel groups with each group separated from each adjacent group by an appropriate divider or "window". Half of the groups of programs are recorded or encoded on one end of the tape and play during tape travel in one direction and the other half recorded or encoded at the other end of the tape and play during travel in the opposite direction.Mechanism acts to physically stop tape travel after completion of each program and when two or more programs are to be played, rewind the tape in the direction opposite the direction of travel needed to play the next selected program. In the event an end of play sensor fails to stop tape travel at the end of a program, an optical sensor will stop tape travel.

Abstract: A dual loudspeaker is set up to handle separately high frequency and low frequency sounds in the same piece of equipment. The apparatus comprises a single housing having a vertical partition dividing the housing into two chambers. A high-frequency driver in one chamber feeds into a relatively short horn path to a high frequency bell. A low-frequency driver in the other chamber feeds into a relatively longer horn path to a low-frequency bell. The high-frequency and low-frequency bells are located side by side on opposite sides of a partition and feed into a progressively expanding horn which serves simultaneously the output of both drivers.

Abstract: A tape recorded system especially advantageous for reproducing a melody played on bells and a striking of the hour at the appropriate interval makes use of clock controlled electronic logic operable at the conclusion of the melody. A pulse generated by the bell sound on the tape trips the mechanism to sound the proper hour and by providing sufficient time for decay produces a realistic bell tone.