Hi All,  Today  I received a small crank organ that I bought from an
auction on eBay.  The crank organ is in the shape of a church, with a
crank coming out the back.  The organ is very old and it was advertised
as being from the 1890s.  I got the unit for a little over one hundred
dollars.

All that I can say is that it is the most I have ever paid to see how
something works.  I am very amazed that the unit does anything at all,
considering the abuse the unit has seen!  Now, for those of you who
might like to know how the thing works, while saving one hundred
dollars, here it is!

The crankshaft has two gears on it, a two-inch-diameter gear and a
worm gear.  As you turn the crank the two-inch-diameter gear drives
a worm gear at a high rate.  This fast turning worm gear drives a
two-bladed fan that is in a chamber.  This fan/chamber creates the air
used to make the reeds sing.

The worm gear on the drive shaft turns a three-inch-diameter gear
that has four slots on it.  As the gear turns it lets four reeds at a
time sing.  Rather than play a tune the crank organ produces a series
of chords.  While this unit is sort of a disappointment, I now know
how it works, and so do you!

John Conrad Kleinbauer