Improvements relating to Organ Stops and Couplers.
Year: 1895

page_text: PROVISIONAL 'SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to Organ Stops and Couplers.
1, JOHN CALVERT HELE, of 5, Mount Edgecombe Terrace, Stoke, Devonport,
Organ Builder, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to organ stops and couplers, and consists in means for
actuating the valves of the same.
According to this invention the valves of the stops and couplers are actuated
through the medium of levers pivotted at one end in the key slips of the manuals
or keyboards. The levers, of which there is one to each stop, are within easy
reach of the organist while playing. They project outwards from and are arranged
edgewise along the slips in such manner as to present flat bearing surfaces for the
fingers of the player to act on in operating the stops and couplers. The pivot of
each lever is adjacent to the free end of the next in succession. The levers of
the stops appertaining to the respective manuals are situated above the keys in
each manual.
Each lever is connected by suitable arms or rods to the valve of the stop
controlled by the said lever.
By depressing the free end of a lever.the organist opens the valve controlled by
said lever and admits compressed air to the tube of the stop. When it is desired
to close the valve the free end of the lever is raised. The action is the same for
each stop.
Dated this 19th day of July 1895.
NICHOLAS WATTS,
Bristol, Chartered Patent Agent.
Improvements relating to Organ Stops and Couplers.
I, JOHN CALVERT HELE, of 5, Mount Edgcumbe Terrace, Stoke, Devonport,
Organ Builder, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement :-
This invention has reference to organ stops and couplers, and consists in means
for actuating the valves of the same.
According to this invention, the valves of the stops and couplers are actuated
through the medium of levers carried on rods passed through the key slips of the
manuals or keyboards. The rods constitute pivots for the levers to turn. The
levers, of which there is one to each stop and coupler, are within easy reach of
the organist while playing. They carry finger plates or tablets projecting outwards
from and arranged edgewise along the slips in such manner as to present flat
bearing surfaces for the fingers of the player to act on in operating the stops and
couplers. The levers of the stops and couplers appertaining to the respective
manuals are situated above the keys in each manual. Each lever is connected by
suitable arins and rods to the valve of the stop controlled by the said lever.
By exerting, towards one end of a finger plate, a downward pressure thereon the
[Price dr

page_text: organist opens the valve controlled by the lever carrying the said finger plate and
so admits air from the wind-chest to the tube of the stop or coupler which the valve
governs. When it is desired to close the valve, the lever is raised. The action is
the same for each stop and coupler.
Referring to the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 represents, in plan, part of a manual or keyboard of an organ fitted with
my improved levers for stops and couplers. The valves of the tubes and the con-
nection of tho levers with the valves are also shown.
Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view showing parts of two manuals.
Fig. 3 shows a part of the wind-chest and valves in vertical section.
At Fig. 4 is shown, in front view, parts of two manuals. As in Fig. 2, the
levers for the stops and couplers appertaining to the lower manual only are shown.
The-arrangement of levers is the same in respect of all the manuals.
The levers a for the stops and couplers are arms which, toward their upper ends,
are shaped to present plates a¹ of metal or other suitable material, at a suitable
height above the keys. The plates are arranged to lie along the key slip b. Towards
their lower ends the levers are attached to rods c which are distinct from one
another and, as shown in dotted lines at Figs. 1 and 2, are extended through the
key slip b. The rods c carry adjustable arms d fitted with counterweights d'
employed to assist the operator to put a stop or coupler "off." The arms d are
connected by rods e to the valves f, which are cover shaped, having cavities below,
of the outline shown dotted at Fig. 1.
On the rods e are screwed adjusting nuts e¹ for taking up slack and wear.
The valves f, of which the two nearest the keyboard in Fig. 1 are shown "off,"
are pivotted at f' on the wind-chest g. Each valve controls a port g' by which
communication may be made between the wind-chest and the stop or coupler tube h
by way of the cavity in the valve.
In order to put a stop or coupler "on," the organist depresses the free end of the
finger plate a of the particular lever a which appertains to the said stop or coupler.
At Fig. 4 the middle of the three finger plates is more clearly seen as in the position
it occupies when depressed.
'
By thus depressing a finger plate, the valve thereby affected is moved so as to
bring the cavity in it over the port which the said valve controls and thus wind is
admitted from the wind-chest to the tube of the stop or coupler to which it appertains,
The valve which, in Fig. 1 is furthest from the keyboard is represented as "on."
The other two are shown as
"off."
To put a stop or coupler "off," the finger plate of the lever appertaining to such
stop or coupler is tilted back to the horizontal position by the organist, and the
communication between the wind-chest and the tube of the stop or coupler is
closed.
It will be seen that the movement required to put stops and couplers "off" and
"on" approximates to that appertaining to playing the organ and is therefore more
natural to the organist than a pull or thrust.
The finger plates may have names of the stops and couplers engraved or otherwise
made to appear thereon, or they may carry name tablets of ivory, bone or other
suitable material bearing the names.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
Improved means for putting organ stops and couplers "on and « off," consisting
of levers such as a with finger plates such as a ranged along the key slips of the
manuals and above the keys; the said levers being connected by rods such as c
and e and arms d, or the equivalents of such rods and arms, to the valves of the
stops and couplers in such manner that by exerting a downward pressure on any
finger plate towards one end thereof, the lever carrying such finger plate is tilted
and the stop or coupler appertaining to such lever is put
" on"; and is subsequently

page_text: put "off," when required, by an upward pressure exerted from below the underside
of the finger plate; substantially as hereinabove described with reference to the.
accompanying drawings.
NICHOLAS WATTS,
Bristol, Chartered Patent Agent.