Mechanically keyed optical organ

Claim 2

An organ comprising: a frame; means mounted on said frame for rotating an optical record that has numerous closely spaced optical tracks; a light source on said frame for shining light through the optical record; light pickup means including a photocell, positioned on a side of the record opposite the light source for generating electrical signals corresponding to the light reaching the light pickup means; a plurality of closely spaced shutters movably mounted on the frame, each shutter pivotable between a blocking position wherein it blocks the passage of light from an optical track to the light pickup means, and an unblocking position spaced therefrom; spring means for urging said shutters toward said blocking positions; a plurality of rods slideably mounted on said frame for sliding along their length, each rod having a first end which bears against one of said shutters and an opposite second end; and a plurality of manually depressable keys coupled to said second ends of said rods to slide them along their lengths.

Claim 3

The organ described in claim 1 wherein said shutters have end portions normally lying between the record and light pickup means, which have corrugated sides that interfit one another.

Claim 4

The organ described in claim 1 wherein: said shutters are pivotally mounted on a common axle that is mounted on the frame and that extends through holes in the shutters; and said first ends of said rods abut portions of the shutters which lie opposite the shutter portions that normally block light from passing from the record to the pickup means.

Claim 5

An organ comprising: means defining a plurality of light pickup regions; means for directing a plurality of light beams which time vary in predetermined patterns at said pickup regions; photocell means responsive to light at said pickup regions for generating electrical currents; means responsive to said photocell means for generating sounds; a plurality of light shutters selectively movable between first and second positions wherein they respectively block or unblock said light beams from reaching said pickup regions; and manually operable means for moving said shutters, said shutters having corrugations on opposite sides that interfit the corrugations on adjacent shutters, whereby to minimize leakage of light between shutters.

Claim 6

An organ comprising: means defining a plurality of light pickup regions; means for directing a plurality of light beams which time vary in predetermined patterns at said pickup regions; photocell means responsive to light at said pickup regions for generating electrical currents; means responsive to said photocell means for generating sounds; a plurality of light shutters selectively movable between first and second positions wherein they respectively block or unblock said light beams from reaching said pickup regions; and manually operable means for moving said shutters, said shutters having corrugations on opposite sides that interfit the corrugations on adjacent shutters, whereby to minimize leakage of light between shutters.

Claim 7

An organ comprising: a frame having a forward portion and opposite side portions; an elOngated keyboard extending laterally along said forward portion of said frame and having a plurality of keys spaced from one another along the length of the keyboard; means for pivotally mounting said keys on said frame; means defining a plurality of light pickup regions at a location on said frame which is substantially at one side of said keyboard; means for directing a plurality of light beams which time vary in predetermined patterns at said pickup regions; photocell means responsive to light received at said light pickup regions for generating electrical signals; means responsive to the output of said photocell means for generating sounds; light control means including a plurality of elements movably mounted at said pickup region, each element movable between first and second positions to respectively pass or not pass one of said light beams to said photocell means; and means for coupling said keys to said elements to move them, including a plurality of rods slideably mounted on said frame, said rods extending parallel to one another primarily in a direction parallel to the length of the keyboard but at a small angle with the length of the keyboard, each rod having an outer end coupled to one of said elements to move it and an inner end, said means for coupling also including connecting means coupling the inner ends of the rod to locations on said keys spaced a uniform distance from the axis of pivoting of the keys on the keyboard, whereby to provide substantially the same resistance to depression and substantially the same distance of depression for the keys.

Claim 8

An organ comprising: a frame having a forward portion and opposite side portions; an elOngated keyboard extending laterally along said forward portion of said frame and having a plurality of keys spaced from one another along the length of the keyboard; means for pivotally mounting said keys on said frame; means defining a plurality of light pickup regions at a location on said frame which is substantially at one side of said keyboard; means for directing a plurality of light beams which time vary in predetermined patterns at said pickup regions; photocell means responsive to light received at said light pickup regions for generating electrical signals; means responsive to the output of said photocell means for generating sounds; light control means including a plurality of elements movably mounted at said pickup region, each element movable between first and second positions to respectively pass or not pass one of said light beams to said photocell means; and means for coupling said keys to said elements to move them, including a plurality of rods slideably mounted on said frame, said rods extending parallel to one another primarily in a direction parallel to the length of the keyboard but at a small angle with the length of the keyboard, each rod having an outer end coupled to one of said elements to move it and an inner end, said means for coupling also including connecting means coupling the inner ends of the rod to locations on said keys spaced a uniform distance from the axis of pivoting of the keys on the keyboard, whereby to provide substantially the same resistance to depression and substantially the same distance of depression for the keys.

Claim 9

The organ described in claim 5 wherein: said light control means includes a light conducting member constructed of flexible light-conducting material, said member having an edge portion containing a plurality of slits dividing it into a plurality of flexible light conducting fingers that form said elements, the ends of said fingers normally spaced from said pickup regions but deflectable to said pickup region to receive light; and the outer end of each rod lies adjacent to a different one of said fingers, so that when the rod is slid along its length toward a corresponding finger the rod deflects the finger to a pickup region.

Claim 10

The organ described in claim 5 wherein: said elements of said light control means includes a plurality of shutters pivotally mounted on the frame to block and unblock the passage of light between said pickup regions and photocell means; and the outer end of each rod lies adjacent to a different one of said shutters, so that when the rod is slid along its length towards a corresponding shutter, the rod pushes on a shutter portion to pivot the shutter to an unblocking position.

Claim 11

The organ described in claim 5 wherein said means for coupling includes pairs of cam members, one member of each pair mounted on each key and the other mounted on the frame, said cam members extending across one another, and the inner end of a corresponding rod extending substantially perpendicular to most of its rod length and lying between the pair of cam members, so that depression of a key urges sliding of the rod along its length.

Claim 12

The organ described in claim 5 wherein: each of said keys is elongated, extends perpendicular to the length of the keyboard, and pivots about an axis perpendicular to the length of the key; and said means for coupling includes a plurality of cranks pivotally mounted on the frame about axes substantially perpendicular to the axis of pivoting of the keys, each crank having a first arm pivotally coupled to the key and another arm pivotally coupled to an inner end of a rod, whereby the rods help stabilize the positions of the keys.

Claim 13

An organ comprising: means defining a plurality of light pickup regions; means for directing a plurality of light beams which time vary in predetermined patterns at said pickup regions; photocell means responsive to light received at said pickup regions foR generating electrical signals; a plurality of light control elements movably mounted at said pickup regions, each element movable between first and second positions to respectively pass or not pass one of said light beams to said photocell means; a plurality of manually depressable members; a plurality of rods mounted to slide along their length, each rod having an outer end disposed against one of said light control elements, and each rod having an inner end portion that is bent in a return curve which forms a pair of legs spaced along the length of the rod; and a plurality of pivotally mounted linking members, each having a first arm coupled to one of said depressable members to be pivoted by it and each having a second arm extending between the legs at the inner end of a rod.

Claim 14

An organ comprising: means defining a plurality of light pickup regions; means for directing a plurality of light beams which time vary in predetermined patterns at said pickup regions; photocell means responsive to light received at said pickup regions foR generating electrical signals; a plurality of light control elements movably mounted at said pickup regions, each element movable between first and second positions to respectively pass or not pass one of said light beams to said photocell means; a plurality of manually depressable members; a plurality of rods mounted to slide along their length, each rod having an outer end disposed against one of said light control elements, and each rod having an inner end portion that is bent in a return curve which forms a pair of legs spaced along the length of the rod; and a plurality of pivotally mounted linking members, each having a first arm coupled to one of said depressable members to be pivoted by it and each having a second arm extending between the legs at the inner end of a rod.

Claim 15

The organ described in claim 10 including a frame apparatus having first bearings pivotally supporting said linking members about axes substantially perpendicular to said rods, and having a plurality of narrow elongated recesses each extending parallel to a rod and receiving said bent inner end portion of the rod, the second arm of each linking member extending into a corresponding slot.

Claim 16

An organ comprising: means defining a plurality of light pickup regions; means for directing a plurality of light beams which time vary in predetermined patterns at said pickup regions; photocell means for converting light into electrical signals; light conducting means for conducting light from said light pickup regions to said photocell means, including a plurality of elongated light conducting elements individually movable between first positions wherein they carry light along at least part of a path that extends from a corresponding light pickup region to said photocell means and second positions wherein they do not carry light from the light pickup region to the photocell means; keyboard means having a plurality of manually operable keys; means coupling said keys to said light conducting elements for selectively moving said elements in response to operation of said keys; and means responsive to the output of said photocell means for generating sounds.

Claim 17

An organ comprising: means defining a plurality of light pickup regions; means for directing a plurality of light beams which time vary in predetermined patterns at said pickup regions; photocell means for converting light into electrical signals; light conducting means for conducting light from said light pickup regions to said photocell means, including a plurality of elongated light conducting elements individually movable between first positions wherein they carry light along at least part of a path that extends from a corresponding light pickup region to said photocell means and second positions wherein they do not carry light from the light pickup region to the photocell means; keyboard means having a plurality of manually operable keys; means coupling said keys to said light conducting elements for selectively moving said elements in response to operation of said keys; and means responsive to the output of said photocell means for generating sounds.

Claim 18

The organ described in claim 12 wherein said light conducting means includes a member constructed of resilient light conducting material having an edge portion with a plurality of slots therein dividing it into a plurality of fingers forming said light conducting elements.

Claim 19

The organ described in claim 12 wherein: said means defining a plurality of light pickup regions includes means defining a slit for blocking light except along a predetermined path; and said light conducting elements have end portions which lie over and away from said slit when the elements are respectively in said first and second positions.

Claim 20

An organ for use with an optical record comprising: a frame; means for rotating an optical record on said frame; means for shining light through said optical record; means for masking a region at a side of the optical record opposite said means for shining light, except for an elongated pickup area; a light collector having a sheet-like edge portion containing a plurality of slits that divide the edge portion into a plurality of optical fingers, said light collector mounted on said frame with the ends of the fingers near said elongated pickup area; photocell means coupled to said light collector to receive any light picked up by any of said optical fingers; speaker means coupled to said photocell means for generating sounds; and manually operable means for selectively deflecting said optical fingers between positions away from and over said pickup area.

Claim 21

An organ for use with an optical record comprising: a frame; means for rotating an optical record on said frame; means for shining light through said optical record; means for masking a region at a side of the optical record opposite said means for shining light, except for an elongated pickup area; a light collector having a sheet-like edge portion containing a plurality of slits that divide the edge portion into a plurality of optical fingers, said light collector mounted on said frame with the ends of the fingers near said elongated pickup area; photocell means coupled to said light collector to receive any light picked up by any of said optical fingers; speaker means coupled to said photocell means for generating sounds; and manually operable means for selectively deflecting said optical fingers between positions away from and over said pickup area.

Claim 22

The organ described in claim 15 wherein said manually operable means includes a plurality of rods slideably mounted on said frame, said rods having outer ends adjacent to said optical fingers to deflect them and having inner ends, and said manually operablE means also includes manually depressable members coupled to said rods to slide them along the frame.