IMPROVEMENTS IN REED ORGANS OR LIKE MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS PROAL
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Baillie Hamilton of Studland Street Hammer-
smith in the County of Middlesex for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
LETTERS PATENT to James Baillie Hamilton of Studland Street Hammer-
smith in the County of Middlesex for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
REED ORGANS OR LIKE MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Baillie Hamilton at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 7th September 1883.
JAMES BAILLIE HAMILTON of Studland Street, Hammersmith in the County of
Middlesex "IMPROVEMENTS IN REED ORGANS OR LIKE MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS "
One part of my Invention relates to the construction and arrangement of the
sound board of a reed organ in which the pallet or valve precedes the reed as is
usual in pipe organs
In such cases it is desirable to bring the reeds as close as possible to the pallets
so as to make the intervening space as small as possible as the said space if
excessive interferes with the speech of the notes.
This part of my Invention has for its object to effect this desired close proximity
of the reeds and pallets without on the one hand keeping the bars of the sound
board too deep for the proper speech or on the other hand too shallow for the
requisite strength and stiffness seeing that the pallets depend for their efficiency
upon the perfect straightness and rigidity of the bars.
According to my said Invention I make a fixture of the superstructure, thus
onabling the bars of the sound board to be shallow and get rigid and allowing also
the reeds to be situated as closely as is desired to the pallets and to each other and
I moreover provide a more convenient and perfect mode of access to the reeds
for tuning or other purposes. I effect this by means of a plug of wood or " breech-
piece" which contains all the reeds common to the pallet which it overlies, there
being such a plug or "breech-piece" for each such set of reeds controlled by one
pallet
The reeds are supported or held on the side of the plugs or breech-pieces
towards the pallets, and a hole passes through the plug or "breech-piece" abo ve
each reed allowing it to communicate with its corresponding orifice above, which is
[Price 6d1
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controlled by a slide of the ordinary kind-Each "breech-piece or plug passes
between the bars of the sound board, which are grooved so as to hold the said
breech-pieces or plugs against the "table" which covers the bars of the sound
board and also to keep the reeds from actual contact with the pallets-The plugs
or "breech-pieces" are preferably so shaped as themselves to close " airtight
entrance beween the bars of the sound board
the
Another part of my Invention has for its object a proper development of tone
after the current of air has passed through the reed plug and slide hole-Over the
upper board beneath which the slides work is a board (which I term the "cavity-
board") having therein holes or spaces corresponding to the reeds and of the
diameter or width admissable by the scale of the instrument-In order to widen
out this scale without increasing the length of the instrument I provide a row of
holes or spaces at each side of the series of first named holes or spaces, the former
opening into the latter by alternate sides. Thus the side holes can be double the
diameter or capacity of the central holes or spaces which correspond to the reeds
-I call the larger holes at the side "mouths" and the central smaller ones
"nostrils "By inserting plugs into the "nostrils" I am able to regulate the size of
the orifice which communicates with the "mouths either by raising or lowering
the plugs or by turning them-Tie plugs may also be hollow and prolonged into a
tube, its length and closure greatly affecting the tone-The "mouths
may be
" to
treated in the same way, but I prefer as a rule to allow the "cavity-board
diminish in depth from bass to treble in such a way that by merely boring holes I
secure the depth of "mouths" and "nostrils" required-The said "mouths" may
be further " shaded" or shielded by any device commonly in use for such a
purpose
"
وو
The Invention may be used in combination with ordinary reeds or with my own
Patent compound reeds

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent and of an
Order of the Lord Chancellor filed by the said James Baillie Hamilton in the
Patent Office on the 12th March 1884.
JAMES BAILLIE HAMILTON of Studland Street Hammersmith in the County of
Middlesex "IMPROVEMENTS IN REED ORGANS OR LIKE MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS."
In cases where the "pallet" or valve precedes the "reed" as is usual in pipe
organs it is desirable to bring the "reeds" as close as possible to the "pallets" so
as to make the intervening space as small as possible as the said space if excessive.
interferes with the prompt "speech" of the notes.
"
"
"
.
My Invention has for one of its objects to effect this desired close proximity of.
the "reeds" and " 'pallets" without on the one hand keeping the "bars" of the.
"sound-board too deep for the proper speech or on the other hand too
shallow for the requisite strength and stiffness seeing that the "pallets" depend
for their efficiency upon the perfect straightness and rigidity of the bars. I will,
describe my Invention with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section. Figure 2 a transverse section and Figure 3 &
plan of so much of an instrument as is necessary to illustrate my Invention.
"
"
:
:
According to my said Invention I make a fixture of the superstructure thus
enabling the bars a of the "sound-board" to be shallow and yet rigid, and
allowing also the "reeds "b to be situated as close as is desired to the "pallets" c.
and to each other and I moreover provide a more convenient and perfect mode of.
access to the "reeds" for tuning or other purposes I effect this by means of a 'plug'.
or "breech piece" of wood metal or other material' D which contains or holds all the
reeds or reed tongues common to the "pallet" which it overlies there being.
such a "plug" or "breech piece" for each such set of "reeds" or reed tongues.
controlled by one "pallet." The "reeds" or reed tongues are supported or held
on the side of the "plugs" or "breech pieces" towards the "pallets" and a hole d.
passes through the "plugs" or "breech piece" D above each "reed" or reed,
tongue allowing it to communicate with its corresponding orifice e above, which
is controlled by a slide f of the ordinary kind. Each plug or "breech piece" D
passes between the bars a of the "sound board" the said "plugs" or breech pieces.
being provided with projecting pieces d' at each end which hold the said plugs or.
"breech pieces" against the "table" g which covers the bars a of the
« sound
board" and also keep the "reeds" from actual contact with the "pallets" during
the movement of the reed tongues. The said projections on the plugs or * breech
pieces" also close sufficiently "air tight" at back and front the entrances between
the bars of the sound board. It will be understood that the reeds may be
manufactured so that all the reed tongues of a given note common to and covered"
by one pallet are in one plate or frame which will constitute the plug or breech
piece. In order to properly develope the tone after the current of air has passed
through the reed plug and slide hole I fix over the "upper board" beneath which
the "slides" work a board H (which I term the "cavity board" or "honeycomb "
from its appearance) having therein holes or spaces h corresponding. to the position
of the "reeds" and of the diameter or width admissible by the "scale" of the
instrument. In order to widen out the scale of this cavity board or honeycomb
without in like measure increasing the length of the instrument I provide a row.
of holes or spaces h³ at each side of the series of first named holes or spaces the
former opening into the latter by passages h³ at alternate sides as shewn-in
Figure 3. Thus the side boles h³ can be double the diameter or capacity.of the
central holes or spaces h. I call the larger holes mouths and the smaller ones h

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nostrils." By inserting "plugs" or
"vent pegs
into the nostrils" h. I am
able to regulate the size of the passages h³ which communicate with the "mouths "h*
either by raising or lowering the plugs or by turning them. The plugs may also
be hollow and prolonged into a tube as shewn at i. its length and closure greatly
affecting the tone. The "mouths" may be treated in the same way as shewn at i³.
I prefer as a rule to allow the "cavity board' to diminish in depth from bass to
treble in such a way that by merely boring holes I secure the depth of "mouths"
and "nostrils" required. The said "mouths" may be further "shaded" or shielded
by any device commonly in use for such a purpose.
"
As regards the artificial excitation of any note that may be naturally "slow of
speech "I take advantage of the proximity of the " pallet" to the reed and place
upon the pallet a "light" spring / as shewn in figure 2 which spring when the
pallet is closed slightly forces the reed into the orifice of its frame. When the
pallet is opened the reed tongue being relieved of the pressure of the spring recoils
which precipitates the act of vibration. This spring k preferably acts upon the
projection or "unison bar" of the compound reeds described in the Specification
of my Patent N° 5630 A.D. 1881 and in order to prevent its "catching" the reeds
as the plugs or breech pieces are withdrawn it is curved into a "hump" and its
"free" end may be buried in a "cavity" bored out of the substance of the "pallet."
The said spring is preferably flat and covered with leather or other soft substance
at k³ so as to prevent its jarring on the return of the pallet.
There may be placed over a whole stop or series of notes a further enclosure M
as shown in figure 1 in the form of a tube running the length of the instrument
and common to every note in the same stop the orifices from the notes opening
into it. The said tube will be expanded towards the treble so that the treble notes
have the advantage of the wide open mouth whilst the bass notes have the benefit
of the tube which becomes longer as the notes deepen. Figure 4 represents a
modification wherein the slide f is situated at a higher level the part H being
severed at the line marked 1-2 in Figure 2 and the slide arranged between.
Owing to this the bars a can be directly and firmly affixed to the under part of H.
This Invention although described with reference to an instrument wherein the
wind is used under pressure may also be adapted to a system of suction bellows
such as is used in American Organs. It may also be used in combination with
ordinary single reeds or with the double treble or compound reeds described in the
Specification of my said Patent N° 5630 A.D. 1881.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and the manner in which 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 hereinbefore in part
recited Letters Patent is:
First In reed organs or like musical instruments arranging or constructing the
parts as herein before described so that the bars of the sound board are shallow
but rigid and so also that the reeds are situated close to the pallets substantially as
illustrated by the accompanping drawings.
Second-Mounting all the reeds common to one pallet on a plug or breech piece
which can be readily alidden into place or removed from the instrument substantially
as herein before described and illustrated by the accompanying Drawings. Also the
modification wherein the said plug or breech piece is constituted by the several
reed tongues required being fitted upon one frame as herein before described.
Third: In reed organs or like musical instruments making the super-structure
rigid with the pallet board so as to form a combined solid structure containing the
slides and with spaces for the reception of plugs or breech pieces containing or
carrying reeds or reed tongues substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated
by the accompanying drawings.
Fourth-In combination with reeds arranged closely to the pallets as claimed
by the preceding first claiming clause the employment of a
"
"cavity board or

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honey comb" with "mouths" hand "nostrils h arranged substantially as
hereinbefore described and illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
Fifth-In pallet arranged in close proximity to the reeds as claimed by the
preceding first claiming clause the employment of a spring for artificial excitation
of speech in the manner described and illustrated in figure 2 of the accompanying
drawings.
Sixth-The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the improvements
in reed organs or like instruments as hereinbefore described with reference to the
accompanying drawings.
In witness whereof I the said James Baillie Hamilton have to this my
Specification set my hand and seal this first day of March One thousand eight
hundred and eighty four.
JAMES. BAILLIE HAMILTON. (L.S.)