IMPROVEMENTS IN MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS KNOWN AS AMERICAN ORGANS, OR THOSE KNOWN AS SUCTION INSTRUMENTS
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Morgan-Brown, of the Firm of Brandon
and Morgan-Brown, Engincers and Patent Agents, of 38, South-
ampton Buildings, London, and 13, Rue Gaillon, Paris, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS KNOWN AS
AMERICAN ORGANS, OR THOSE KNOWN AS SUCTION INSTRUMENTS." -A com-
munication from abroad by Auguste Théophile Rousseau, of Boston,
Massachusetts, United States of America.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Morgan-Brown'
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition
and Declaration, on the 11th November 1875, pursuant to the
9th Section of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
MORGAN BROWN, of the Firm of Brandon & Morgan-Brown, Engineers
and Patent Agents, of 38, Southampton Buildings, London, and 13, Rue'
Gaillon; Paris, send greeting.

page_text: SUCTION INSTRUMENTS," and have petitioned Her Majesty to grant unto
me, my executors, administrators, and assigns, Her Royal Letters
Patent for the same, and have made solemn Declaration that it has
been communicated to me from abroad by Auguste Théophile Rousseau,
of Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Morgan-Brown, do hereby
declare that the following Complete Specification, under my hand and
seal, fully describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed in and by the following
statement:-
This Invention of improvements in musical instruments known as
American organs, or those known as suction instruments, relates to
instruments which are known by a variety of names, among which are
American organ, American reed organ, cabinet organ, and parlor organ;
they are all suction instruments. The bellows are constructed so that
their action is exactly the reverse of that of the bellows of the har-
monium. In the latter case (the case of the harmonium) the air is first
received into the bellows and is forced or blown through the reeds.
In the former case (the case of the American reed organ) the air is
inhaled or sucked through the reeds into the bellows.
It is to all reed instruments by whatever name they are called having
suction, exhaust, or inhaling bellows that my Invention relates.
To simplify description I employ throughout this Specification the name
American organ, it being understood that it relates to instruments
having bellows of the exhaust class. The reeds of an American organ
are enclosed in a box or chamber; this box has a shutter hinged to one
of its sides; swell effects are produced mainly by the opening and
closing of this shutter. This in most makers' instruments is done
by the action of the knee upon a hinged board. The Mason and Hamlin
Organ Company employ also a means which works automatically in
connection with these shutters.
Some variation of tone power is obtained by the natural increase and
decrease of the tension of the springs which operate that part of the
bellows called receiver, answering to reservoir in the harmonium.
The means described are deficient in capacity for producing all the a
variation of power of which the instrument properly conditioned is

page_text: capable. So far as relates to the box having shutters it not only
somewhat unfavorably affects the character of the tone of the instru-
'ment, but it also opposes the free outlet of the sound. Moreover, when
the shutter is closed it is necessary that there should be some leak or
opening in the box communicating with the outside air. This opening
not being provided with any automatic means of adjustment does not
accommodate itself to the demand for air according to the number of
reeds in operation. Thus if the opening or leak referred to be pro-
portioned to the amount of air current necessary to the sounding of one
reed, it (the air current) will not be sufficient for a greater number of
reeds, the single reed would sound all right; but on the depression of.
additional keys, and consequent opening of additional reed valves, the
small current of air would rush to all the openings and be so divided
up that none of the reeds would speak. The disadvantages named
however are more than compensated for by the advantage of having
means for producing swell effects, hence the general adoption of such
means.
This Invention provides for the automatic control of the air current
in such manner that it is proportioned to the number of reeds required
to sound.
In the Drawings hereto attached and forming part of this Specifi-
cation, Figure 1 is a view of a part of the interior of the wind chest
of an American organ, and represents in plan view some of the
mechanism employed in carrying out my Invention.
Figure 2 is a sectional elevation representing more distinctly the
parts shown in Figure 1. The section is across the back part of
the wind chest, and is parallel with the front of the instrument.
Figure 3 is a side elevation of a detached part of the instrument
representing the stop work employed in connection with the apparatus
represented in Figures 1 and 2.
Figure 4 is an elevation of the stop work as seen from the back of
the instrument.
Figure 5 is a detached section of the right-hand back corner of the
instrument, showing a part of the wind chest, aspirator chamber,
bellows, reed valves, and keys, all of which are of ordinary con-

page_text: struction, except so far as relates to such parts as are herein-after
described.
The holes A, represented in dotted lines in Figure 1, answers to the
ordinary holes communicating with the wind chest B and bellows B¹
of an American organ. These holes A do not communicate directly
with the wind chest in this Invention, but are cut through the bottom
board of a supplementary chamber A', see Figures 1 and 5. The
chamber A' communicates with the wind chest B through the opening C;
on the under side of this opening C is mounted a valve D; when this
valve D is held wide open the air pressure is equal on both its upper
and lower sides, in the wind chest B and in the supplementary
chamber A', so that the instrument is free to act in the ordinary
way; but as this valve D closes the pressure becomes unequal in
degrees proportioned to the size of the opening. The smaller the
opening the less will be the pressure in the wind chest B, and the
softer will be the sounds produced by the reeds, which being mounted
on the upper board of the wind chest B communicates almost directly
therewith. Thus it will be seen that the utility of my Invention consists
in the proper controlling of this opening C, which may be called in con-
nection with the valve D aspirator.
On the right-hand end of Figure 2 is a representation of a small
cuckoo or moderator bellows E. This bellows E is mounted on and has
an air communicator with the wind chest B, so that when the ordinary
exhaust bellows of the instrument are in operation a vacuum is being
produced in the wind chest. B so that the cuckoo bellows is sucked
thereto. This bellows E is connected with the aspirator valve D by
the rod F, the bracket lever G, and link I. To this link I is joined
another link J which is connected with one end of the balance lever J'.
On the other end of this balance lever J' is another link J' which in
turn is joined to the regulator bellows K. The direct air communication
of this regulator bellows K is with the supplementary chamber A¹,
and not with the wind chest B, as is the case with the moderator
hellows E.

page_text: and in such manner as will readily suggest itself to any organ mechanic
of ordinary skill.
First, as to the automatic operator.-When the ordinary bellows of
the instrument are at work, and the moderator bellows left free, it (the
moderator bellows) will be drawn perforce of the air towards the wind
chest B, which movement would close the aspirator valve D entirely
were it not that there is an opposing exhaust power in the supple-
mentary chamber A¹ drawing it open. Thus far, the provision described
would not be sufficiently sensative to secure an even and regular supply
of exhaust power necessary to good musical effects. The additional
provision is supplied by the regulator bellows K. The exhaust power
which draws this bellows K downwards is in the supplementary
chamber A¹, and the power tending to counteract this movement is
in the wind chest B, so that it is in the approaching to and receding
from an equilibrium of power in both compartments (the wind chest B
and the chamber A') that the wind supplied is regulated. For example,
when only one reed is in operation a given outside atmospheric re-
sistance is opposed to the exhaust power of the bellows. The opening
of the valves to two or more reeds will reduce that resistance so that
the aspirator will open a little or much accordingly, and in proportion
to the size of the opening will be the approach to or departure from
the establishment of equal pressure on both the upper and lower
sides of it, so that the regulator bellows K will be moved upward
and downward in such alteration as the number of reeds in operation
require.
At the right-hand side of the moderator bellows E is mounted on a
block attached to the wind chest the lever L; this lever L has fastened
towards its thin end two metallic springs set so that one of them is acted
upon a little in advance of the other; this, together with the elliptical
O form of the lever L, provides against a too sudden transition from soft
to loud, and secures a slowly increasing forte at start, and a rapidly
increasing fortissimo towards the latter part of its movement. This
lever L is affected by the knee through the medium of the board L', the
bent wire rod L³, and lever N.
5
The means for securing or preventing the action of the apparatus
are shown in Figures 3 and 4. O is an ordinary bent lever such as is
commonly employed in harmoniums; O' is an articulated joint which

page_text: imparts a movement to the bracket lever P, push pin P¹, and moderator
bellows E, so that when the lever O is in the position shown in full
lines the swell apparatus is at rest. When the bent lever O is in the
position shown in dotted lines the Invention is in operation.
Having thus particularly described the said Invention, I have to
state that it is not restricted to the precise details herein described
or delineated; but that what I believe to be novel and original and
claim as the Invention is,-
First. The auxilliary bellows apparatus, as herein-before described, in
combination with an American organ or suction instrument, substan-
tially as and for the effect and purpose set forth.
Second. The bent lever O having an articulated joint in combination
with the auxilliary bellows apparatus, as and for the purpose set forth.
Third. The regulator bellows K and aspirator C, D, in combination
with the supplementary chamber A¹ when said chamber A' has an
air communicator with the exhaust bellows of an American organ.
.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Morgan-Brown, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Eleventh day of November,
´in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
five.
WILLIAM MORGAN-BROWN. (L.S.)