Patent GB-190711867-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to American Organs, Harmoniums, or other Musical Instruments Operated in Part by the Feet
Inventor: WRIGHT EDWIN
Filed: 1907-05-22
Granted: 1908-03-26
Abstract: 11,867. Wright, E. May 22. 0 r g a n s , harmoniums, &c.-In organs, harmoniums, or other musical instruments operated in part by the feet of the performer, pedals are provided on both the treadles to enable the operator to play a pedal part in the music, and means are provided to lock the treadles in position while doing so. By an arrangement of levers placed adjacent to the keyboard, either of a series of mutes can be operated, means being provided for retaining them in the operative position if necessary. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a series of spring levers e, e‹, &c. are pivoted on the treadles, their movements being limited by stop-pins. Each lever has a pin affixed to it, which passes through an opening in the treadle and is connected by links to double-armed levers g<2> ; these levers have pins j which contact with doubled-armed levers i connected to bell-crank levers l, strikers m, and levers n which are in connexion with the pallets. The rail i has preferably an endlong movement for throwing the pedals out of action, and the rail n<1> has a rising and falling movement for uncoupling the pedals from the manual reeds. When either of the key levers e, e‹, &c. is operated, the movement is transmitted through the above-mentioned parts to the corresponding pallet ; but alternatively, pneumatic connexions may be employed, the parts j opening valves which govern the admission of air to the pallet motors. To the underside of the footboard d, a pneumatic chamber o is attached, having valves p, p<1>, and preferably of bellows form. The bottom board o<1> of the chamber o is provided with an extension o<2> passing between rollers o<3>, thus allowing for slight movements of the extension o<2>. To lock a treadle against movement in the upward direction, the performer takes the pressure off a footplate q so that a spring q<1> raises the plate, allowing the valve p<1> to close under the action of a spring p<2>. Each footplate q may be hinged to the footboard or kept in position laterally by loosely-fitted dowel pins. The footboards are provided, at their outer ends, with hooks fitting into slots on the organ and retained in position by sliding metal plates. Attached to each footboard at its inner end is a loop of cord or catgut d<1> passing over a pulley d<2> which is attached to the bellows webbing. The reeds are divided into three sections having mutes r<1>, s<1>, t<1> operated by pneumatic motors r<2>, s<2>, t<2> and pallets u. To raise the mute s<1>, two levers placed near the keyboard are depressed simultaneously, so that the T-piece y is depressed by the arms w<2>, x<2>. This tilts a lever y<3> opening the valve of the motor s<2>, which expands and through the lever s<3> operates the mute s<1>. A plate z is tilted by the crank of the mute until the former rises above it, whereupon the plate s falls back, retaining the mute in a raised position. The mute can be released by operating a draw-stop which is connected to a link z<2> engaging a pin z<4> on the plate z. To raise either of the mutes r<1> or t<1>, the performer operates only one of the levers. This rocks the T-piece y in one or the other direction, opening the valve of another motor which transmits motion to another mute in the manner previously described. The T-piece may be arranged to act directly on the mutes, or the three mutes may be raised and lowered simultaneously by an ordinary draw-stop action.