IMPROVEMENTS IN HARMONIUMS AND OTHER MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Baillie Hamilton, of Greenwich, in the County of
Kent, Esquire, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN HARMONIUMS AND
OTHER MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.”
Scaled the 1st August 1876, and dated the 16th May 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Baillie Hamilton at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 16th May 1876.
JAMES BAILLIE HAMILTON, of Greenwich, in the County of Kent, Esquire.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN HARMONTUMS AND OTHER MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS."
My Invention relates to a new form of reed of a compound naturo, combining
specifically a tongue reacted upon by a spring-loop, ring, or other similar elastic
constraint, as already described in the Provisional Specification of Hermann Sinith,
dated the 8th day of December 1875, No. 4242, together with a rod forming a pro-
longation of the reed tongue, and also an adjustable weight affixed to the rod, the
ring, or the tongue, for the purpose of effecting, first, change of pitch; second, change
of quality; third, conversion of a fundamental into an harmonic tone.
The combined parts consist of a reed frame, tongue spring prolongation rod, and
weight.
The relative function of the combined parts thus represents means for tho adjust-
ment of weight for variation of pitch, alteration of form, for variation of quality,
and for causing the tone to be harmonic instead of fundamental.
The form of constraint may be that of a simple ring constructed of wire or other
flexible material, or various forms of spring resistance offering similar elasticity.
may be substituted.
The position of connection with the roed may fall upon any point of the reod
tongue, or its prolongation, and may be attached to the reed frame or other mode of
support independent of the reed frame. In the same way the weight may be
upon any part of the whole mass formed by the reed and its prolongation and con-
trolling ring, and according to its position will either lower the fundamental note
given by the reed, or will raise it to some harmonic of the whole mass.
The adjustment of the weight may be effected by a screw, or by sliding upon the
rod supporting the weight, or by coiling the rod upon itself, or in any other .con-
venient mode.
More than one such prolongation rod may be used, and one may be acted upon;
-

page_text: by the loop or spring, while the other may be acted upon by the weight, the rod
being either in direct or reverse position.
Variations of reed may be used, the one above described being that used in
harmoniums, but the combination may be applied to beating reeds or any form of
vibrator capable of being driven by wind. This form of constraint combined
with pendulating action may be applied to other vibrators not driven by wind,
such as tuning fork prongs, bars, or strings acted upon by percussion or friction for
the purpose of varying the fundamental tone or for producing harmonic tone.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said James Baillio Hamilton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 16th
November 1876.
JAMES BAILLIE HAMILTON, of Greenwich, in the County of Kent, Esquire.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS."
My said Invention relates to a new form of reed of a compound nature, combining
specifically a tongue reacted upon by a spring-loop ring, or similar elastic constraint
as described in the Specification of Letters Patent granted to Hermann Smith, dated
the Eighth day of December One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, No.
4242, together with a rod forming a prolongation of the reed tongue, and also an
adjustable weight affixed to the rod, the ring, or the tongue, for the purpose of
effecting, first, change of pitch; second, change of quality; third, conversion of a
fundamental into a harmonic tone.
The combined parts consist of a reed frame, tongue spring prolongation rod, and
weight.
The relative arrangement of the combined parts thus presents means for the
adjustment of weight, for variation of pitch, alteration of form, for variation of
quality, and for causing the tone to be harmonic instead of fundamental.
The form of constraint may be that of a simple ring constructed of wire or other
flexible material, or various forms of spring resistance offering similar elasticity may
be substituted, yet without necessities of tension.
The position of the connection of the spring with the reed may fall upon any
point of the reeds tongue, or its prolongation, and the spring may be attached to
the reed frame, or other mode of support independent of the reed frame. The
weight also may be upon any part of the whole mass formed by the reed, its pro-
longation, and constraining ring, and according to its position will either lower the
fundamental note given by the recd, or will raise the pitch to some harmonic of
the whole mass in vibration.
The adjustment of the weight may be effected by a screw, or by sliding upon the
rod supporting the weight, or by coiling the rod upon itself, or in any other con-
venient manner.
More than one such prolongation rod may be used, in which case one may be
acted upon by the loop or spring, while the other may be acted upon by the weight,
the rod being either in direct or reverse position.
Variations of reed may be used, the one above described being that used in
harmoniums, but the combination may be applied to beating reeds or any form of
vibrator capable of being driven by wind pressure or suction. This form of constraint
combined with pendulating action may be applied to other vibrators not driven by
wind, such for example as tuning fork prongs, bars, or strings acted upon by per-
cussion or friction, for the purpose of varying the fundamental tone, or for
producing harmonic tone, and these may be also excited by sympathy, and so
ruact.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood I shall now proceed
more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer to the several

page_text: Figures on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, the same letters of reference
indicating corresponding parts in all the Figures.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings represents a side elevation of a reed
frame, and tongue, with its ring, and combined therewith a prolongation rod and
weight; and Figure 2 is a corresponding plan of the same. a is the reed frame, to
which is attached one extremity of the tonguo b; c is the ring, which in the
example shewn is made double, and is connected by its extremities d, d, to opposite
sides of the frame a; t is the prolongation rod attached to the tongue bat one end,
and screw threaded at its opposite end for the adjustment of the weight u, by
varying the position of which the fundamental note given by the reed may be
lowered or the pitch be raised to some harmonic of the whole mass. The dotted
lines in Figure 1 indicate the nodal division, which may however take place in
other positions.
Figure 3 shows the weighted rod as applied to a reed tongue in the reverse
direction. In some cases both rods may be combined with one reed tongue.
Figure 4 is a side elevation of a similar arrangement to that shewn in Figure 1,
but with a modified form of ring or loop.
Figure 5 represents a prolongation rod or wire, in which the relation of weight is
determined by the coiling of the rod or wire itself.
Figure 6 is a side elevation of another modification, in which the ring c is formed
by passing the wire under one or more staples rivetted to the tongue b at c', one
end of the wire being bent or coiled round and attached to the frame a at d¹, whilst
the opposito end is prolonged to the extent desired, and ends in a tendril u, the
coils of which may be varied in number. By the clongation or contraction of this
tendril different relations of weight and pendulating lengths are obtained, and the
modifications of pitch thereby determined.
These modifications are also influenced by the enlargement or contraction of the
ring by the act of drawing the wire more or less through the staples, and also by
varying the angle of the rod and tendril in relation to the tongue.
Figure 7 is a side clevation illustrating a different relation in the position of the
parts of the combination.
It is obvious that the form and arrangement of the combined parts may be further
modified in various ways. For example, the rod may be connected by one or more
springs of a straight, V shaped or seginental, curved, or other form suitably affixed
either to the reed or reed frame, according to the required relations of the parts, so
as to produce a tilting action or reciprocating resistance. The rod may also be
flattened as a blade, or the weight may be flattened out in order to take advantage
of effects produced by resistance of air to extended surface, or wings may be added
to the ring or to the recd for the same purpose.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is or may be used or carried into effect, I
would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original and
therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited
Letters Patent is, the mode or method of varying the tone of reeds and other
vibrating portions of musical instruments, and of converting a fundamental tone
into a harmonic tone by the employment in combination with auxiliary spring
devices of prolongations having adjustable weights, substantially as herein-beforo
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Baillio Hamilton, have to this my
Specification set my hand and seal, the Sixteenth day of November One
JAMES BAILLIE HAMILTON. (L.S.)