Electrical stop control for musical instruments and action magnet

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. Fixed permanent magnets adjacent the path of the cross-member provide a toggle action. Another embodiment includes a stop control tablet secured to a pivotally mounted armature having a cross-member spanning a pair of control solenoids. A further embodiment utilizes a permanent magnet mounted on the movable armature to improve the efficiency of an action magnet.