IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FREE-REED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexandre François Debain, of Paris, Place
Lafayette, No. 116, Manufacturer of Organs and Pianofortes, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FREE-REED
MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS."
Sealed the 27th January 1871, and dated the 2nd August 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexandre François
Debain at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 2nd August 1870.
I, ALEXANDRE FRANÇOIS DEBAIN, of Paris, Place Lafayette, No. 116,
Manufacturer of Organs and Pianofortes, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FREE-REED
MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS," to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to cause the vibration by the aspired
air of the free reeds or metal tongues which form the fundamental
principle of aspiro-phonetic instruments.
'
The improvements consist in making the sound board of a simple
plank pierced with apertures corresponding with the reeds placed on its

page_text: upper surface in groups of two. Enclosing partitions about half an inch
in height surround each of these reeds, separating it from the other one
of its group.
A series of dampers or shutters moving on leather hinges
hermetically close each compartment.. In order to cause either one of
the group of two reeds to sound, the little damper covering its special
compartment is lifted by means of a register, and the free air penetrating
can then be drawn by the action of the bellows through the reed and
apertures in the sounding board, and thus produce the note touched on
the key board. Each one of the group of two reeds has two registers,
the first of which governs a soft sound, to which the second adds a
special force. A box or frame divided underneath into as many com-
partments as there are reeds completely surrounds all this portion of the
sound boards. This box which is padded all over internally in order
to deaden the sound of the reeds, has at its upper part and above each
compartment openings which are closed by a second series of dampers,
which in progressively opening under the action of another set of
registers, or of the knee pieces hereafter referred to, give to each one of
the group of two reeds an independent strength or fulness. The key
board pivots at the back, and can be raised so as to lay open all the
sound board, an arrangement which permits by opening each damper the
reeds placed in any or all of the compartments to be got at, and their
harmony to be readily equalized. The sound board is similarly jointed
at the back in order to permit the lower part of the instrument where is
the valve mechanism for regulating the emission of sound placed in the
air chamber above the bellows to be got at.
The method for the transmission of the movement of the key board to
the valves regulating the emission of sound may be endlessly varied.
The buttons of the registers instead of being, as is usual, above or at the
sides, are, according to this Invention, placed in front of or before the key
board, so that the performer while playing can reach them easily with
his unemployed fingers. They are in a row, large and small alternately,
the large ones governing the sound from the reeds, and the small ones
adding to it a special force. Knee pieces complete the register or stop
system. One placed in the middle when inclined to the right produces
a soft tone from the reeds, when pushed to the left it adds all the
strength, an arrangement which permits of a very sensible crescendo
effect being produced. The other knee pieces give at will the tones of
the bass notes or those above them. The equalization of the harmony.

page_text: of the reeds is produced by slightly curving or warping their tongues for
about a third of their lengths. This takes from them their ordinary
metallic and harsh sound, and gives a sonorous roundness, resembling
the notes from wooden pipes. The same result can be produced by
keeping the tongues flat, but hollowing out the reeds a little, in order to ..
allow a little air to pass underneath the tongue..
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by the said Alexandre François Debain in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 2nd February 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALEXANDRE
FRANÇOIS DEBAIN, of Paris, Place Lafayette, No. 116, Manufacturer of
Organs and Pianofortes, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Second day of August, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-
fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Alexandre François Debain, Her special
licence that I, the said Alexandre Francois Debain, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Alexandre
François Debain, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FREE-REED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Alexandre François
Debain, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed.
in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent..
J
"
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alexandre François Debain, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained.

page_text: in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had to the
Drawings hereunto annexed, that is to say:
The object of this Invention is to cause the vibration by aspired air of
free reeds or metal tongues suitably prepared and arranged, and this
forms the fundamental principle of my improved instrument or apparatus,
which I name or call the "aspirophone."
an
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The Drawing Figure 1 hereunto annexed, represents in vertical section
aspirophone" with two sets or four half sets of reeds. The number
of sets or half sets of reeds, as well as the number of key boards, as alsò
the mechanical arrangements and combinations of this instrument may
be varied; Figure 2 is a partial plan of the action of the registers; and
Figure 3 gives separate views of my modification of free reeds to produce
pure quality of tone.
a
The improvements consist in making the sound board of a simple
plank a pierced with small mortices or holes o corresponding to the
division or size of the reeds, which are placed on its upper surface, and
arranged in half sets, each half set of which is acted upon by its corre-
sponding half of the key board. Enclosing partitions b, about inch in
height surround each of these half sets of reeds and separates the one
from the other. A series of shutters or dampers c moving on leather
hinges hermetically close each compartment. In order to allow either
one of the half set of reeds to sound, the little shutter covering its
special compartment is lifted by means of a register d, and the air thus
freely admitted can be drawn by the action of the exhaust bellows S
through the reeds n and morticed holes o. in the sound board, and thus
produce the notes touched upon the key board. Each one of the half
set of reeds has two registers, the first of which produces a soft sound to
which the second adds an increased force. An expression box or
chamber B, divide underneath into as many compartments as there are
sets or half sets of reeds, completely envelopes or covers all this portion
of the sound board. This box which is lined or padded all over
internally in order to deaden the sound of the reeds, has at its upper
part and over each compartment openings f, which are closed by a
second series of shutters c', which in opening under the action of the
second set of registers di, or of the knee levers or actions hereafter
referred to, give to each one of the set or half set of reeds an independent
strength or fulness of sound. The key board Cover the expression box or
chamber B is hinged at the back, and can be raised so as to lay open all

page_text: the sound board, an arrangement which by opening each shutter, permits
for the purpose of tuning or regulating, a ready access to the reeds that
are placed in either of the compartments. The sound board to which
underneath is attached the pallet mechanism m for regulating the
emission of sound is also similarly hinged at the back to admit of this
mechanism as well as the air chamber B₁ that is over the exhaust
bellows S to be got at.
The method for the transmission of the movement of the key board to
the pallet levers on which the pallets regulating the emission of sound
are fixed, may be endlessly varied in consequence of the numerous
combinations rendered possible by my Invention, and need no detailed
description, as the Drawings will render them sufficiently clear. The
knobs or handles of the registers g instead of being as is usual above or
at the sides of the key board are according to this Invention placed in
front of or before the key board, so that the performer while playing can
reach them easily with his unemployed fingers; they are in a row (as
shewn in Figures 1 and 2) large and small alternately placed upon a bar
or moulding h, the large ones governing the sound from the reeds, and
the small ones adding to it an increased force. Knee levers or actions i
complete the system of registers: One placed in the middle when
inclined to the right produces a soft tone from the reeds. When pushed
to the left it adds all the strength, an arrangement which permits of a
very sensible cressendo or diminuendo effect being produced. Other knee
levers or actions may be employed to give at will together or separately
the full power of either the base or treble divisions of the instrument
without affecting the registers previously opened. In Figure 1 the
arrows clearly show, the course taken by the air drawn by the exhaust
bellows.
My modification of the free reed to produce a pure tone consists in
hollowing out its frame somewhat as shewn in Figure 3, it thus gives a
sonorous roundness of tone resembling that produced by a flue pipe
instead of its ordinary metallic and harsh sound. Similar results can be
produced by slightly curving or warping its tongue for about a third of
its length (see n, Figure 1).
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,―
Firstly. The general construction and arrangement of instruments as
above described and shown.

page_text: Secondly. The construction and employment of free reeds bent or
curved for a portion of their length in the manner and for the purposes
described.
Thirdly. I claim the modification shown in Figure 3, namely,
hollowing out the frame of the reed by which I am enabled to obtain
the same sonorous roundness of tone.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexandre François Debain, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of
January, One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.