Year: 1887

page_text: I, GEORGE FINCHAM, of Bridge Road, Richmond, in the Colony of Victoria, 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 of improvements in the construction of organs relates to those actions
known as combinations or compositions. Hitherto these actions have been produced
by mechanical contrivances alone or by air pressure on a "pneumatic lever" operating
upon a series of rods and levers and other mechanical contrivances which finally
actuate the several stops in the combination. These mechanical contrivances are
heavy and complicated and liable to incomplete action. Now my invention consists in
reducing the mechanical contrivances to a minimum by conveying air pressure to
chambers which each contain a pneumatic lever connected to a draw stop. I prefer
to convey this pressure to such chambers in the following way-I provide compressed
air reservoirs as usual and I lead the compressed air to a supply chamber in which is
a valve opening into a passage which leads to an intermediate air chamber from
which is a series of tubes each leading to a chamber containing a pneumatic lever
each of which levers is connected to one of the series of stops forming the desired
combination. I wish it to be understood however that the air pressure may be con-
veyed to the pneumatic lever chambers without the intervention of an intermediate
air chamber if so preferred. According to the method however which I have just
described and which I prefer each combination must have an intermediate air
chamber of its own and each such chamber may have as many tubes as may be
necessary to effect any required combination one tube being required to operate each
stop in such combination and one tube for closing those not required in the combina-
tion. The valve in the supply chamber is attached to a bell crank connected by a rod
with a button placed in a position convenient to the key boards. Further said valve
is connected to and operates a subsidiary valve in the supply passage below, opening
it to allow of the escape of the exhaust when the pressure is not on the intermediate
air chamber and closing it when the pressure is on.

page_text: The following table illustrates possible combinations obtainable by my invention
when say five pneumatic buttons are used although any other combination is equally
practicable from any set of pneumatic buttons.
In my drawings which illustrate this invention I have shewn how two stops may
be simultaneously opened and one closed according to my invention although there is no
reason why any number of stops may not be simultaneously operated by the pressure
of one button nor is there any limit except that of convenience to the number of
such buttons representing so many different combinations which may be used. It
will also be noticed that the combinations which are possible under my invention are
not limited to the stops on one side of the organ as is practically the case now but I
can with equal facility connect the stops on one side of the organ with those on the
other side by means of air tubes so as to produce combinations or compositions which
are practically impossible under existing methods.
Referring to my drawings which clearly illustrate my invention so that a person of
ordinary skill in the art to which it relates can make and put it into practice without
resorting to any device of his own. The ordinary air reservoirs are not shewn but
one or more of them is connected to the air supply chamber A in which therefore
there is a permanent air pressure. B¹ is a valve for opening and closing the connec-
tion to the air supply passage C leading into the intermediate air chamber D. B is a
rod for supporting said valve B' and also the exhaust valve B2. It is connected to
one arm of a bell crank E which is worked by a rod F, having a button F' at its
extremity. D¹, D' and D'are tubes leading to the chambers G¹ G and G³ containing
the pneumatic levers" H¹ H' and H³ which are connected by rods J' J* and J* to
slides L, L' and L³ for making and cutting off the connections in the slide chest M
and which are connected to the draw stops K', K and K. I have shewn various
other tubes proceeding from the intermediate chamber which can be connected to.
other pneumatic lever chambers and I have shewn various other tubes leading from
each of such pneumatic lever chambers which can be conducted to any other inter-
mediate air chambers so as to assist in producing such other combinations that may be
desired either by drawing or shutting off certain stops.
In each of the lever chambers is a diaphragm or partition N in which is a passage N¹

page_text: leading into the expanding pneumatic lever through a corresponding passage N2. P are
exhaust ports in such chambers and Q are flap valves at the mouths of the tubes.
It will be seen from the preceding description that i produce my combinations by
operating individually on cach draw stop by a pneumatic lever actuated by air pressure
preferably from an intermediate air chamber which connects any number of said
pneumatic levers including any manual or pedal and coupler draw stops without the
aid of combination levers or other mechanical contrivances save and except as
hereinbefore mentioned.
The intermediate air chamber is not an absolute necessity so long as the needful
pressure of air is conveyed to the pneumatic lever chambers in some way but I think
it very convenient to have such an intermediate chamber.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed 1 declare that what I
caim is
First. In the construction of organs the application of air pressure to each indi-
vidual pneumatic lever each such lever being separately attached to a draw stop by
means of a rod and slide substantially as herein described and explained.
Second. One or more intermediate air chambers between the ordinary air supply
chamber and the pneumatic lever chambers such intermediate chambers being con-
nected by tubes with such pneumatic lever chambers the pneumatic levers in which
are connected by rods to the slides and stops which they are intended to actuate
substantially as herein described and explained.
Dated this Ninth day of August One thousand eight hundred and eighty-seven.