A NEW OR IMPROVED WIND INSTRUMENT
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Pierre Joseph Meeus, of Paris, in the Empire of
France, Engineer, for the Invention of "A NEW OR IMPROVED WIND
INSTRUMENT."A communication.
Sealed the 4th May 1855, and dated the 14th November 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Pierre Joseph Meeus" at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
14th November 1854.
I, PIERRE JOSEPH MEEUS, of Paris, in the Empire of France, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "A NEW OR IMPROVED
WIND INSTRUMENT," (communicated to me by a foreigner,) to be as follows:
This improved musical wind instrument is played by means of keys, and
harmonious sounds are produced by air. slightly compressed, causing reeds or
tongues to vibrate. In this instrument there are compressed air chambers
or reservoirs, from which air is distributed at will through.channels, in order
to cause the vibration of reeds or tongues, and to obtain the desired
power, sonority, and fullness by its abundant and continuous supply, whether
to produce uniformity or expression. Uniformity is produced by means of
several large reservoirs, which empty themselves into particular chambers as
quickly as the supply to these latter is absorbed. Expression is obtained
by means of certain apparatus for producing upon the stops the desired

page_text: degree of tone and harmonic effect at the will of the performer, that is to
say, the performer is enabled to produce on any part of the key-board any
desired effect; for example, he can supply the upper octaves with a different
wind to that for the lower octaves reciprocally, and so on, for every key-board.
The hand key-boards may by certain apparatus be united with or separated
from each other, and may be divided so that all the stops may be separated,
and toned with a different "expression." There are one, two, or more
hand key-boards, and one pedal key-board, the stops of which are separated,
whereby the greatest variety of execution can be obtained, and different
parts of accompaniment, bass, &c. may be simultaneously or separately
produced.
Figure 1 is a vertical cross section through the middle of the instrument,
which has 13 stops, forming 30 registers; Figure 2 is a side view. A, A, are
two pedal air pumps, under the command of the performer; B, B, two pumps
set in action by some other power; C, reservoir for the air produced by the
pumps A, A; D, reservoir for that produced by the pumps B, B; E, channels
for conducting the air from the reservoir D to the reservoir C; F, valve for
opening a passage to the air into this reservoir; G, channel for conducting the
air from C into the box or chamber H; I, regulating valve, connected to the
upper flap of the moderating blower, and which gives passage to the air
thereto; J, regulating blower, which supplies air to all the stops of the instru-
ment through the channel K. This, blower is worked by a weight, and thus
maintains a perfectly equal supply of air. Ke, air channel, for conducting air
into the sound boards of the bass stops of the second hand key-board; K",
channel for air to the sound boards of the high stops of the same key-board;
Ke, channel for conducting the air into the sound boards of the bass stops of
the first hand key-board, and also for supplying the pedal stops; Kd, channel
for conveying the wind into the sound boards of the high stops of the hand
key-board, and also for supplying the pedal stops. Wind thus furnished
through several channels supplies the greatest volume necessary to the
greatest and most instantaneous vibration of the free reeds (anches libres).
I chamber for receiving the wind from the two pedal pumps A, A. By
means of the valves M and N, the performer is enabled to obtain air for
playing with or without expression. M, valves, opening a passage to the
air from the chamber L to the reservoir C. The valves are in direct com-
munication with the expression register, and close when effects of expression
are used; while, on the other hand, the expression valves open when the
others close. N, expression valves, worked by a separate register, and which

page_text: open passage to the air from the pumps A, A, for the purpose of graduating
the expression (nuancer l'expression) into the sound-board of the first hand
key-board. O, valve in the wind channel to the reservoir, for the purpose of
intercepting the action of the wind from the reservoir J upon the first hand
key-board, while the wind always acts upon the stop of the second key-board
or pedal key-board. P, chamber of the upper key-board, which receives
wind through the channel K, the emission from which is modified at will by
valves which correspond with the reeds or tongues of the upper stops; Q,
separating partition in the chamber P. This separation might be multiplied,
so as not only to separate the bass from the high notes, but all the notes or all
the stops, as might be desired. Ra, valve for allowing passage to the wind
from the chamber P, to supply the bass stops of the second hand key-board;
Rb, valve for allowing passage to the wind from the chamber P to supply the
high stops of the second key-board. These valves are caused to act by an
oscillating pedal S. Each valve is enclosed in a box. The pedal S serves also
to work the expression bellows T. The action upon the oscillating pedal is
reproduced upon the notes played. All the herein-before mentioned combina-
tion of means tend to set our reed stops (jeux de languettes) in vibration, and
to produce harmonious effects. The reeds are spread over one, two, or more
hand key-boards, and upon one pedal key-board.
5.
In the instrument shewn in the accompanying Drawing, five complete stops
(jeux complets) are placed upon the first (bottom) hand key-board, four
complete stops upon the second (upper) hand, key-board, and four complete
stops upon the key-board of the separate pedals.
The stops of the several key-boards are placed distinctly and separately,
thus the stops of the first key-board are placed horizontally, and below; the
stops of the second key-board are placed in the upper part of the case, and
also horizontally; the stops of the pedal key-board are placed at the back
and vertically. These arrangements permit of the application of the air being
divided, and avoid or prevent any confusion of sound, and by means of the
various combinations, the Inventor has been able to produce through reeds,
tongues, or blades, the effects, produced by organs with tubes, and also dramatic
music. The series of reeds, tongues, or blades of key-boards are placed upon
acoustic compartments or boxes.
In order to obtain certain effects of fullness, of softness of tone, and im-
proved tones, the Inventor has had recourse to the application of harmonic
boxes thus, for stop No. 5 of the first hand key-board, he applies a closed
box U above the series of valves; and to the stops Nos: 1 and 2 of the

page_text: second key-board, a closed harmonic box Ub; to the stops Nos. 2 and 4, a
closed harmonic box U°..
What is claimed as new is the construction of a keyed wind instrument
with reeds, tongues, or blades, which produces, by certain combinations of
bellows, and by the aid of harmonic boxes, the effects of pipe and chamber
organs.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Pierre Joseph Meeus in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 14th May 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, 'PIERRE
JOSEPH MEEUS, of Paris, in the Empire of France, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the eighteenth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Pierre Joseph Meeus, Her special licence that I, the said Pierre
Joseph Meeus, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said Pierre Joseph Meeus, 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 "A
NEW OR IMPROVED WIND INSTRUMENT," (communicated to me by a foreigner
residing abroad,) upon the condition (aniongst others) that I, the said Pierre
Joseph Meeus, by an instrument in writing under my hand, and seal, 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.
NOW KNOW YE; that I, the said Pierre Joseph Meeus, do liereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto
annexed, that is to say:
This improved níusical wind instrument is played by means of keys, and

page_text: harmonious sounds are produced by air slightly compressed, causing reeds or
tongues to vibrate. In this instrument there are compressed air chambers or
reservoirs, from which air is distributed at will through channels, in order to
cause the vibration of reeds or tongues, and to obtain the desired power,
sonorousness, and fullness,; by its abundant and continuous supply, whether
to produce uniformity or expression.. Uniformity of tone is produced by means
of several large reservoirs, which empty themselves into particular chambers as
quickly as the supply to these latter is absorbed. Expression is obtained by
means of certain apparatus for producing upon the stops the desired degree
of tone and harmonic effect at the will of the performer, that is to say, the
performer is enabled to produce on any part of the key-board any desired
effect; for example, he can supply the upper octaves with a different wind to
that for the lower octaves reciprocally, and so on, for every key-board. The
hand key-boards may by certain apparatus be united with or separated from
each other, and may be divided so that all the stops may be separated, and
toned with a different expression. There are one, two, or more hand key-
boards, and one pedal key-board, the stops of which are separated; whereby the
greatest variety of execution can be obtained, and different parts of symphony
accompaniment, bass, &c. may be simultaneously or separately produced.
Figure 1 is a vertical cross section through the middle of the 'instrument,
which has thirteen stops, forming thirty registers; Figure 2 is a side view.
A, A, are two pedal air pumps or bellows, under the command of the per-
former; B, B, two pumps, set in action by some other power; C, reservoir for
the air produced by the pumps A, A; D, reservoir for that produced by the
pumps B, B; E, channels for conducting the air from the reservoir D to the
reservoir C; F, valve for opening a passage to the air into this reservoir; G,
channel for conducting the air from C into the box or chamber H; I, regu-
lating valve, connected to the upper flap of the moderating blower, and which
gives passage to the air thereto; J, regulating blower, which supplies air to all
the stops of the instrument through the channel K. This blower is worked by
a weight, and thus maintains a perfectly equal supply of air. Ka, air channel
for conducting air into the sound boards of the bass stops of the second hand
key-board; K', channel for air to the sound boards of the high stops of the
same key-board; Ke, channel for connecting the air into the sound boards of
the bass stops of the first hand key-board, and also for supplying the pedal
stops; Kd, channel for conveying the wind into the sound boards of the high
stops of the hand key-board, and also for supplying the pedal stops. Wind
thus furnished through several channels supplies the greatest volume necessary

page_text: to the greatest and most instantaneous vibration of the free reeds (anches
libres). L is a chamber for receiving the wind from the two pedal pumps
A, A. By means of the valves M and N, the performer is enabled to obtain
air for playing with or without expression. M, valves, opening a passage
to the air from the chamber L to the reservoir C. The valves are in direct
communication with the expression register, and close when effects of expres
sion are used, while, on the other hand, the expression valves open when the
others close. N, expression valves, worked by a separate register, and which
open passage to the air from the pumps A, A, for the purpose of graduating
the expression (nuancer l'expression) into the sound board of the first hand
key-board; O; valve in the wind channel to the reservoir, for the purpose
of intercepting the action of the wind from the reservoir J upon the first
hand key-board, while the wind always acts upon the stop of the second
key-board or pedal key-board; P, chamber of the upper key-board, which
receives wind through the channel K, the emission from which is modified
at will by valves, which correspond with the reeds or tongues of the upper
stops; Q, separating partition in the chamber P. This separation might be
multiplied, so as not only to separate the bass from the high notes, but all the
notes, or all the stops, as might be desired. Ra, valve for allowing passage
to the wind from the chamber P, to supply the bass stops of the second hand
key-board; R, valve for allowing passage to the wind from the chamber P to
supply the high stops of the second key-board. These valves are caused to act
by an oscillating pedal S. Each valve is enclosed in a box or covered case.
The pedal S serves also to work the expression bellows T. The action upon
the oscillating pedal is reproduced upon the notes played. All the herein-
before mentioned combination of means tends to set the reed stops (jeux
de languettes) in vibration, and to produce harmonious effects. The reeds
are spread over one, two, or more-hand key-boards, and upon one pedal
key-board.
In the instrument shewn in the accompanying Drawing, five complete stops
(jeux complets) are placed upon the first (bottom) hand key-board, four
complete stops upon the second (upper) hand key-board, and four complete
stops upon the key-boards of the separate pedals. The stops of the several
key-boards are placed distinctly and separately, thus: the stops of the first
key-board are placed horizontally, and below; the stops of the second key-board
are placed in the upper part of the case, and also horizontally; the stops of
the pedal key-board are placed at the back, and vertically. These arrange-
ments permit of the application of the air being divided, and avoid or prevent

page_text: any
confusion of sound, and by means of the various combinations the Inventor
has been able to produce through reeds, tongues, or blades, the effects produced
by organs with tubes, and also dramatio music. The series of reeds, tongues,
or blades of key-boards are placed upon acoustic compartments or boxes. In
order to obtain certain effects of fullness, of softness of tone, and improved
tones, the Inventor has had recourse to the application of musical or harmonic
boxes: thus, for stop No. 5 of the first hand key-board, he applies a closed
box U above the series of valves; and to the stops Nós. 1 and 2 of the second
key-board, a closed harmonic box Ub; to the stop Nos. 2 and 4, a closed
harmonic box Uº.
And having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what is claimed as new is,
the construction of a keyed wind instrument with reeds, tongues, or. blades,
which produces, by certain combinations of bellows, and by the aid of harmonic
boxes, the effects of pipe and chamber organs, all as herein-before described,
and represented in the Drawings hereunto annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Pierre Joseph Meeus, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Sixth day of May, One thousand eight hundred
and fifty-five.
PIERRE JOSEPH MEEUS. (L.S.)