IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF ORGANS
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Willis, of Rochester Terrace, Camden
Road, in the County of Middlesex, Organ Builder, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF ORGANS."
Sealed the 5th September 1868, and dated the 9th March 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Willis at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
9th March 1868.
I, HENRY WILLIS, of Rochester Terrace, Camden Road, in the County
of Middlesex, Organ Builder, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF ORGANS," to be as
follows:-
This Invention relates, firstly, to the steadying of the wind in organ
bellows. This object I effect in the following manner, viz., instead of
applying the weights commonly used for expressing the wind with
proper force to the surface of the bellows I suspend or support them
by springs of any suitable form, character, or material, which springs
may also be applied in the way most fit for the peculiarity of the bellows
or situation. By this means the action of the weights upon the bellows
will be modified by the elasticity of the springs.

page_text: The Invention relates, secondly, to a novel method of actuating the
slide movements or stops of the organ by compressed air and by exhaus-
tion. These means I bring into play by the aid of a three or four way
cock operated by a draw stop rod or equivalent means, the turning of
which cock will admit air to or withdraw it from a pneumatic apparatus
of peculiar construction, which apparatus may be applied directly to the
slide movement or stop.
This part of my Invention is more particularly applicable to great
organs, as it is designed to simplify the means of transmitting motion to
distant parts of the organ as well as to obtain prompt action.
To illustrate my improvement I will suppose that it is required to draw
one of the slides of an organ to bring an additional rank of pipes into
use. The draw stop rod ordinarily provided to operate the slide instead of
being connected with trackers, as usual, is jointed to an arm affixed to the
spindle of, say, a three-way cock. This cock connects with an air trunk
and a vacuum trunk and by its third vent with the pneumatic apparatus
before mentioned. This apparatus consists of a chamber divided horizon-
tally by a plate which forms a seat for a double floating valve. The upper
part of the chamber is closed by a flexible diaphragm, to which is fitted
a rigid central disc. Through the centre of this disc passes a vertical rod,
which extends upwards to connect with and give motion to a bell crank
mounted on a fixed fulcrum; the rod also extends downwards through
the dividing or valve plate, and through the floating valve, which is
retained on the rod by stops that allow of its receiving a slight inde-
pendent motion. This valve is formed somewhat like a reel, its flanges
being on opposite sides of the dividing plate, and each being pierced with
a small hole for the purpose to be presently mentioned. The bell crank
is connected by means of a rod with the slide to be drawn, and the
rocking therefore of the bell crank will move the slide in its grooves.
The connection of the three-way cock and the pneumatic apparatus is by
a tube or channel which leads to the lower division of the chamber.
Suppose now the cock to be turned so as to bring the exhaust trunk and
the pneumatic apparatus into communication, the air will be drawn from
the chamber, and the disc carried by the flexible diaphragm will be
depressed by reason of the pressure upon it of the external air; the
disc rod will therefore pull down the bell crank and draw the slide. The
descent of the disc rod will draw down the valve until the upper flange
of the valve rests upon its seat, but its descent will be gradual, as it will

page_text: not move until the stop or the rod reaches it, and when it reaches its
seat the exhaust action will not suddenly cease by reason of the opening
in the valve. The reverse action of the slide is obtained by bringing the
chamber in communication with the air trunk, when air will enter the
chamber, lift the diaphragm and disc to their former position, when the
bell crank will be rocked and caused to thrust in the slide. The floating
valve will in this case be lifted by the stop at the lower part of the disc
rod, and when forced up to its seat by the back pressure of the air it
will not produce a concussion, for the upward movement of the disc will
continue by reason of the air passing through the opening in the lower
flange of the valve. The vacuum may be produced in any suitable
manner, as, for example, by air pumps. A more simple means will
however be by inverting an ordinary organ bellows and placing the
valves outside. In this case the weight must be. fastened to the under
surface of the bellows.
The third head of the Invention relates to the conversion of the
chambers in connection with the "ways" of the cock from pressure to
vacuum trunks, or vice versa, in order that certain stops may be drawn
and yet remain silent until influenced by the pedal or other movement
intended to govern the pressure or vacuum reserves, the object being to
produce results similar in effect to the French system of combining the
stops of the organ so as to cut off the supply of wind from the pipes fed
by certain valves in certain wind chests. The above result I obtain
by making a pedal neutralize the action of the draw stop by admitting
air at a pressure to the vacuum trunk or producing a vacuum in the air
trunk. The pneumatic valve that operates the slide to draw it will then
act in an opposite direction and tend to keep it closed. By reversing the
state of things in the air and vacuum trunks by the release of the pedal
the slide will be drawn without the further aid of the draw stop.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of March, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-
first year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Henry Willis, Her special licence that I,
the said Henry Willis, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Henry Willis, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION
OF ORGANS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Henry
Willis, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 Henry Willis, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto
annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to
say) :-
This Invention relates, firstly, to the steadying of the wind in organ
bellows. This object I effect in the following manner, viz., instead
of applying to the surface of the bellows the weights commonly used
for expressing the wind with the force required I suspend or support
them from springs of any suitable form, character, or material connected
with the top or moving part of the bellows. These springs may be
applied in the way judged most fit for the peculiarity of the bellows
or situation.
In the accompanying Drawing I have shewn two plans of carrying
out the principle of elastic suspension.
Fig. 1 is a section of a bellows within which the weight is placed.
The weight a is supported on hangers, which are attached to coiled
springs b, b, pendent from the under side of the top of the bellows;

page_text: Fig. 2 shows a bellows on the top of which is a cross bar c formed
with hooked ends to receive springs b, b, from which the weights a, a,
are suspended. By this mode of applying the weights, whether within
or outside the bellows, the action of the weights upon the bellows
will be modified, and an elastic pressure due to the intervening springs
will be put upon the air contained in the bellows. This will enable
me often to dispense with the use of what is known as the concussion
valve, the elastic pressure produced by that valve in the air trunk
being obtained by my improved mode of mounting the weights and
the steady tone essential to the proper speaking of the pipe secured.
The Invention relates, secondly, to a novel method of actuating the
draw stops of the organ by compressed air and by exhaustion. These
means I bring into play by the aid of a three or four way cock operated
by a draw stop rod or equivalent means, the turning of which cock
will admit air to or withdraw it from a pneumatic apparatus of peculiar
construction, which apparatus may be applied directly to the slide
movement or stop.
This part of my Invention is more particularly applicable to large
organs, as it is designed to simplify the means of transmitting motion
to distant parts of the organ as well as to obtain prompt action.
Fig. 3 shews in sectional elevation the mode of carrying out the
second head of the Invention, where to illustrate my improvement I
have supposed that it is required to draw one of the slides of an organ
to bring an additional rank of pipes into use. A is the draw stop rod
ordinarily provided to operate the slide. This rod instead of being
connected with trackers, as usual, is jointed to an arm a affixed to the
spindle 6 of a three-way cock B. This cock connects with a vacuum
trunk C and an air trunk D, and by its third passage E communicates
by means of a tube E* with the pneumatic apparatus before mentioned.
This apparatus consists of a chamber F divided horizontally by a plate f
which forms a seat for a double-flanged floating valve G. To give this
valve the requisite lightness I form it of two discs of vulcanite made
fast to the opposite ends of a hollow barrel of wood. The upper part
of the chamber is closed by a flexible diaphragm of leather or other
suitable material embraced at its centre by rigid discs H. Through the
centre of these discs passes a vertical rod I, which is made fast thereto
and extends upwards to connect with and give motion to a bell crank K
mounted on a fixed fulcrum. The rod also extends downwards through

page_text: the dividing or valve plate f, and through the floating valve G, which
is retained on the rod by stops or buttons that allow of its receiving
a slight independent motion. The flanges of this valve G it will be
seen are on opposite sides of the dividing plate f, and each is pierced
with a small hole for the purpose to be presently mentioned.
The
bell crank K is connected by means of a rod L with the slide M to be
drawn, and the rocking therefore of the bell crank will move the slide
in its grooves and open or cut off the communication between the wind
chest N and the rank of pipes which the slide commands, the con-
nection of the three-way cock and the pneumatic apparatus being by
a tube, or it may be a channel leading to the lower division of the
chamber. Suppose now the cock to be turned so as to open the exhaust
passage and bring the exhaust trunk and the pneumatic apparatus into
communication the air will be drawn from the chamber, and the flexible
diaphragm will be depressed by reason of the pressure upon it of the
external air; the disc rod I will therefore pull down the bell crank
and draw the slide M. The descent of the disc rod will draw down
the valve G until the upper flange of the valve rests upon its seat, but
its descent will be gradual, as it will not move until the stop or button
immediately above it by the descent of the rod reaches and bears upon
the valve. When the valve reaches its seat the exhaust action will
not suddenly cease by reason of the opening made through the upper
disc of the valve. The reverse action of the slide is obtained by opening
the air passage D, as shewn at Fig. 4, and thus bringing the chamber
into communication with the air trunk. Air will now enter the chamber
and lift the diaphragm and disc H to the former position, and the bell
crank will be rocked in the opposite direction, thus causing it to thrust
in the slide and cut off the wind from the rank of pipes it commands.
The floating valve will in this case be lifted by the stop or button at
the lower part of the dise rod, and when forced up to its seat by the
back pressure of the air it will produce no concussion, for the upward
movement of the diaphragm and disc H will continue by reason of
the air passing through the opening in the lower flange of the valve.
I would here remark that the bell crank may be dispensed with in
cases where the slides are sufficiently far apart to admit of the pneu-
matic apparatus being placed with the disc H vertical. This arrangement
allows of the thrust upon the slide being in a line with the axis of the
valve rod I. The vacuum for working this apparatus may be produced

page_text: in any suitable manner, as, for example, by air pumps. A more simple
means will however be to invert an ordinary organ bellows, placing
the valves outside. In this case the weight must be fastened to the
under surface of the bellows.
"
The third head of the Invention relates to the conversion of the
chambers in connection with the "ways
of the cock from pressure
to vacuum trunks, or vice versa, in order that a selection of stops may
be drawn and yet remain silent until influenced by the pedal or other
movement intended to govern the pressure or vacuum reserves, the
object being to produce results similar in effect to the French system
of combining the stops of the organ so as to cut off the supply of wind
from the pipes fed by certain valves in certain wind chests. The above
results I obtain by making a pedal neutralize the action of the draw
stop by admitting air at a pressure to the vacuum trunk, or producing
a vacuum in the air trunk, as the case may be. The pneumatic valve
that operates the slide to draw it will then act in an opposite direction
and tend to keep it closed. By reversing the state of things in the
air or vacuum trunks by the release of the pedal the slide will be
drawn without the further aid of the draw stop. This will be better
understood by reference to the diagram, Fig. 5, which represents a
group of stop rods O connected to three-way cocks P, which com-
municate with a common trunk Q, and severally with a pneumatic
apparatus and a compressed air reserve chamber by pipes R and S.
A selection of these stops is shewn as drawn for the purpose of being
brought into use at the pleasure of the performer. The others not
having been selected must be understood to be cut off from the control
of the pedal, which is to put the selected and drawn stops in due course
in or out of use. The normal state of the trunk Q I will assume to
be that of vacuum, it being connected by suitable pipes Q', Q³, with
a vacuum chamber through a large three-way cock T. The opening
of the cocks P to this vacuum trunk Q causes the slides to be drawn,
as described with reference to Fig. 3, but by reason of the trunk being
capable of receiving air at a pressure a reverse action or the closing
of the stops (the cocks P remaining the while quiescent) will take
place. The three-way cock T is coupled with a pipe U leading from
the compressed air chamber. By means of a pedal V brought within
range of the performer's feet this cock is operated, the normal position
of the pedal being that shewn in the diagram, where it is supposed

page_text: -
to be locked, the cock T opening a passage between the vacuum chamber
and the trunk Q to draw the stops, as already stated. This drawing
of the selected stops having taken place the player not having an
immediate use for the ranks of pipes which they command will raise
the pedal to the dotted position, and thereby reverse the position of the
cock T, throwing air into the vacuum trunk Q, which air will through
the pneumatic apparatus of the several selected stops close the slides (M,
Fig. 3) and prevent those stops from sounding. When, however, the
performer has arrived at that portion of the piece where the selected
stops are required, he will by the depression of the pedal V cut off the
air from and open the vacuum chamber to the trunk Q, the effect of
which will be instantly to draw the selected stops which were before
closed by the pressure of air and bring the drawn stops into use. In
applying this movement to organs already built it may be found con-
venient to use compressed air to draw the stops. In such case it will
be convenient to reverse the position of the pedals.
Having now set forth the nature of the "Invention of Improvements
in the Construction of Organs," and explained the manner of carrying
the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that under the above
in part recited Letters Patent I claim,-
First. Steadying the wind in the organ bellows in the manner and
for the purpose above described.
Secondly. The means above described for actuating by the aid of
compressed air and exhaustion the draw stops (stops and couplers)
of organs.
Thirdly. The application to pneumatic apparatus of the floating valve
constructed and acting as above described.
Lastly. The means above described for bringing into use any desired
selection of stops.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Willis, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, the Seventh day of September, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.