IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF ORGANS
Year: 1851

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
WILLIS, of Manchester Street, in the County of Middlesex, Organ Builder,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Twenty-eighth day of February, in the fourteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Henry Willis, Her especial license, full power, sole privilege and authority,
that I, the said Henry Willis, my exors, aduñors, and assigns, and such others
as I, the said Henry Willis, my exors, adñiors, or assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times during the
term of years therein mentioned, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-
Tweed, my Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF ORGANS;" in
which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso obliging me, the said Henry
Willis, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, particularly to
describe and ascertain the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, and to cause the same to be inrolled in Her
Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in
and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large
appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Henry Willis, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention and the

page_text: manner in which the same is to be performed, is particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following description thereof, reference being had to
the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon
(that is to say):-
The objects sought to be attained by the present Invention are, first, to give
a rapid utterance to organ pipes of large dimensions, and that with a decreased
expenditure of muscular power on the part of the organist.
Second, to improve the effect of the swell organ and bring the tone of the
pipes in the swell box under more perfect command than heretofore.
Third, to steady the action of the bellows, levers, draw stops, swell shutters,
composition pedals, and like moving parts, and prevent all unnecessary friction
between vibrating arms and levers and their bearings or chases.
Fourth, to bring the stops more thoroughly under the command of the
performer, so that he can effect a variety of changes by putting in or drawing
out such stops as may be required, without the use of pedals as heretofore,
and without removing his hand from the key board.
And, fifth, to effect a saving of space by improving the arrangement of
some of the internal parts of the organ.
I will first describe my improvements in the construction of valves whereby
I am enabled to effect the first-named object. In Sheet I. of the accompany-
ing Drawings forming part of this my Specification Fig. 1 is a side, and Fig. 2
a plan view of a new construction of valve which I apply principally to the
pedal organ. This valve is provided with two rectangular openings for the
passage of the wind, and they are each supplied with a grating to support
the valve covers which are composed of flexible leather a, or of vulcanized
sheet rubber covered with a woven fabric on one side only to prevent its
stretching. The peculiarity of this valve is that it is opened by the rolling up
of the valve cover, by which means the great resistance offered by the pressure
of the wind in the air chamber to the opening of large valves, hitherto so
detrimental to developing the capabilities of both the organ builder and
performer, is counteracted; and thus the builder is enabled to increase the
capacity of the instrument without the fear of its being beyond the muscular
power of the player to bring the various stops into use as they may be required
for the efficient performance of any given piece of music. The pieces of
flexible material a, forming the valve covers, are affixed at one edge to the
valve seat by means of a cross bar 6 bolted thereto, and at their other edge to
a roller c. The diameter of this roller is enlarged at the part c*, and to this
enlarged part is attached a band or tape d, which is connected by a wire at e, to
the tracker or connecting rod from the pedal or the key in the usual way of con-

page_text: necting valves with such parts of the organ. By the depression of the key or
the pedal the tape d is drawn in the direction of the arrow 1, and the roller is
caused to move in the direction of the arrow 2, and thus uncover the valve
opening. In order to bring back the roller and cover the valve immediately
the pressure of the key or pedal is removed, the extremities of the roller are
made of a less diameter than the part on which the valve cover is wound, and
to these parts tapes f, f, are attached, which are connected at their opposite
ends to coiled springs, secured by pins to a stationary bar. The action of this
elastic attachment is that it will yield to the pull of the tape d, and as soon as
the pressure of the key or pedal ceases it will cause the roller to return and
cover the opening in the valve. In order to understand this action it should
be remembered that the effect of giving the roller three different diameters,
and attaching it as shewn, is to make it a rolling lever having its fulcrum in
the line of the valve cover; the drag therefore upon it by the tapes d and f
although they are both in the same direction, will from the fact of being on
opposite sides of the fulcrum cause the roller to move in opposite directions.
In order to make this valve answer readily to the touch of the performer I
prefer to make the roller of hollow light wood or of paper; instead of attach-
ing the valve cover to a roller as above described I sometimes adopt the
following modification, whereby I am enabled to produce a very efficacious,
secure, and noiseless valve. In place of the roller I attach the valve cover to
a piece of wood or other light substance which is a segment of a much larger
cylinder than the roller, and apply to the middle thereof a still larger segment.
to which the central tape is secured, as in the former case; when, therefore,
a drag is put on this tape to open the valve the segment will rock and lift up
the cover in like manner to the roller. A similar means to that above
In both
mentioned is also employed for returning the cover to the valve seat.
these instances the soundness of the valve is insured by the pressure of the
wind upon the valve cover.
Another improvement which I have effected in the construction of valves is
shewn in section at Fig. 3. Instead of using a hinged flap of wood coated
with leather for closing the valve opening I employ a piece of elastic sheet
brass a, somewhat larger than an ordinary wooden valve, and fix it in its
proper position by a screw with a pin set behind it to keep the valve in its
place. The brass is curved and bedded exactly as a trumpet tongue fits
its reed; 6 is the spring for assisting in keeping the valve close up to its seat;
and c is a wire connected to the extremity of the valve, for the purpose of
pulling it open.
It will be understood that the action of this valve is some-
what like that before described, inasmuch as it is not required to overcome the

page_text: first resistance of the wind in the same manner as the rigid valves heretofore
used, but by reason of the elasticity of the brass it is enabled to uncover the
opening gradually, instead of by a sudden effort.
The second head of the Invention, which refers, as before stated, to the
swell organ, consists in placing the bellows which supply that organ with wind
in the swell box itself, so that the air as it is expelled from the pipes is drawn
into the bellows and used again. The effect of this novel application of the
bellows is, that the compression of air in the swell box when the front is
closed and the pipes of the swell organ are sounding, and consequently emitting
wind from the external bellows, is entirely prevented, and thus the liability of
the pipes to speak out of tune by reason of the vibration being checked
is avoided, and a more subdued tone is obtainable than by the plan ordinarily
in use, there being no tendency for the air to force a passage through the
crevices of the swell box.
The improvements forming the third head of the Invention are shewn at
Figures 4, 5, and 6, in Sheet I. of the Drawings. Instead of having a
cylindrical fulcrum pin for the bellows levers, and affixing the same in the
levers by means of collars that bind against the sides of the levers, I tap
the fulcrum pin with a coarse thread and screw it into the lever, as shewn at
Fig. 4, whereby I remove all tendency for the lever to get loose upon its pin,
and also ensure the steady and comparatively noiseless working of the bellows.
Fig. 5 shews the mode of attaching a trace to its lever with the threaded
centre pin. In this instance it will be seen that a square thread is used. The
threaded centre pin is passed through the forked end of the trace and through
the lever, the lever being set in such a position that it will be clear of the sides
of the trace, and as no tendency can exist to alter the relative position of the
parts, all friction between the trace and the lever will be avoided so long
as the joint remains sound.
At Fig. 6 the threaded centre pins are shewn as employed in connecting
together the parts which communicate the action of the draw-stop rod to
the slide. The draw-stop rod is connected to the "square" or bell crank lever
shewn at a, the fulcrum of which consists of a threaded pin b, and the
connection of the square with the trace c leading to the slide is effected by a
similar pin d. From these examples it will be seen that the threaded pin
is applicable in all cases throughout the organ where steady bearing pins
or firm hinge connections are required for vibrating levers or moveable arms.
The fourth head of the Invention refers, as before stated, to a means
of drawing and shutting off the stops; and in order to assist in the performance
of this operation I avail myself of what is now generally known in the trade

page_text: as the pneumatic lever, whereby the air compressed by the bellows is made the
motive power for working the stop rods and the machinery in connection
therewith. I will first describe the action of the pneumatic lever as applied
to the clavier, in order that an important improvement which I have effected
in its construction may be clearly understood; and I will then shew the con-
nection of the lever, or rather of a series of these levers, with the stop rods
and slides.
In Sheet I., Fig. 7 represents, in longitudinal elevation, (being partly in
section,) a pneumatic lever and its appendages, with my improvement applied
thereto; Fig. 8 is a view of one end, and Fig. 9 a view of the other end of the
same. a is a chamber supplied with compressed air from the organ bellows,
and in this chamber a series of holes are cut for the purpose of forming
a communication between the chamber and a series of small bellows b, b, placed
above it, one over each opening. On the other side of the openings within
the air chamber valves or pallets c are fitted, for the purpose of closing
the same and cutting off the passage of air to the bellows, or, as they are
termed, the pneumatic levers. Each valve is kept up to its seat by the
pressure of the air in the chamber a, assisted by the pressure of a spring d.
To the extremity of each valve ca rod e is attached, which forms a con-
nection between the valve and the long arm of a rocking lever f. This
lever is acted upon by the depression of one of the keys by the performer,
such movement being communicated through the rod g to that lever, whereby
it is drawn into the position shewn at Fig. 7 when the pneumatic lever is
required to act. The effect of this is to pull open the valve c and admit air
into the bellows b, which, having connection through the rod h with the valves
of the organ, will cause it to open the same and allow the pipes to speak.
This action will be instantaneous, and immediately the performer withdraws
his finger from the key the valve c will be closed by the spring d, and draw up
the long arm of the lever f, while at the same time it depresses the shorter
arm of the lever, which is connected by a rod i to a valve (which I term my
improved compensating escape valve), and by raising it opens a vent. This
valve is intended to rise and allow the air to escape after the pneumatic lever
has effected the opening of the valves before mentioned; and in order that it
may act without any great power being required in the spring d, I have con-
structed it in the following manner :-k is a lever having its fulcrum at 7; and
to the opposite ends of the lever the valve covers m, m*, for closing the
air vents n, n, are attached, the one for acting against the outside and
the other against the inside of the stationary part of the pneumatic lever. The
face of the inner cover m* is somewhat larger than that of the outer cover m,

page_text: whereby the pressure of the wind is made to assist in closing the valve; and a
slight spring o attached to the cover m may be also employed for a like
purpose.
I will now proceed to describe the improved mechanism whereby the
performer is enabled to throw any combination of stops into or out of use
through the agency of the pneumatic lever.
In Sheet II. of the Drawings, Fig. 1 is a plan view of two claviers, say, for
the great and the choir organ, some of the keys of the great organ being
removed to shew the construction of the parts beneath; Fig. 2 is a sectional
elevation of the same. The other Figures, which represent a continuation of
the mechanism, will presently be particularly referred to.
In Figures 1 and 2, a, a, a, are the key slips, and b, b, b, are studs or
buttons attached to horizontal rods or wires c, which pass through holes in the
key slips, and are capable of moving freely therein. It is by the driving in of
these buttons, which can be effected by the thumb of the performer while in
the act of playing, as shewn in the enlarged view, Fig. 3, that the pneumatic
levers are started into action, and made to draw or shut off the stops, or any
combination of stops, that may be required to be suddenly thrown out of
or brought into use for the efficient rendering of particular passages of musical
compositions.
In order to render this part of the Invention perfectly clear, I have traced
a single-stop movement by blue color, and a movement for actuating a
composition" or an arbitrary combination of stops I have shewn by red
color. I will first explain the single stop movement:-The blue stud 6 in the
key slip of the great organ is connected by the wire c to the arm d of
a horizontal roller e, which extends from one end to the other of the key
board, and is capable of rocking in the bearings prepared to support it. One
extremity of this roller e is bent so as to form a second arm at right angles to
d, and to it a vertical rod f is attached; when, therefore, the stud b is driven
in, the roller e will be rocked in its bearings and depress the rod f. The upper
end of this rod f is connected to the valve lever of a pneumatic apparatus,
similar to that described with reference to Fig. 7, Sheet I. This connection is
shewn at Fig. 4, Sheet II., which represents, in front view, several pneumatic
levers, arranged somewhat after the manner in which they might be packed in
the organ. Fig. 5 also shews this attachment, the pneumatic levers being in
this instance in longitudinal section.
It will be unnecessary here to repeat how the pneumatic lever is thrown
into action by the pulling down of the rod f, but it will be at once understood
that wind is admitted into the bellows g, which is caused to expand instantly.

page_text: On the top of the bellows rests a vertical rod h, which is connected to a bell
crank lever or "square," similar to that shewn at i, Fig. 5, and this again is
attached to a "tracker" or rod k, which is connected to an arm of a roller 7.
A similar tracker from another arm on this roller connects it with a square
valve lever m, which actuates the valves of a second pneumatic lever acting
under a pressure of air like the former. By the T square lever being driven
into the position shewn in the Drawing, air will be let into the bellows n, in
connection with the trace o, which commands the slides p, p, and thus (by the
expansion of the bellows) the trace o will be driven in the direction of the
arrow, and cause the holes in the slides to come into coincidence with the
holes in the sound board; I would here remark that each trace is capable of
being acted upon by two bellows, for the purpose of being driven either to the
right or left as required, and thereby moving the slides so as to open or shut
off the stops to which they respectively belong. The manner in which the
bellows are arranged for this purpose is shewn in plan view at Fig. 6, but
other arrangements may be adopted as may be thought most convenient. It
will be understood that for each bellows there is a distinct valvular apparatus,
and the bellows being arranged in pairs to work the slides in opposite
directions, the action of the parts is so arranged that only one bellows of each
trace can be inflated at the same time. Thus supposing the bellows n,
Fig. 6, to have been just inflated, and caused to act upon the slides as above
described, the bellows n*, which acts on the same tracker, will be collapsed as
'shewn.
I would here also remark that the object of employing a second set of
pneumatic levers is to afford increased facilities for drawing or cutting off a
great number of stops simultaneously. Thus supposing there to be twelve
trackers connecting the roller with twelve pneumatic levers, it is obvious
that, on the performer driving in the blue stud b, Fig. 1, and through its
connections causing the roller to rock, the twelve pneumatic levers will be
caused to act simultaneously each upon its respective stop, but these will all
belong to one and the same organ.
It now remains to explain how the pushing in of one of the studs in the key
slip of, say, the great organ, can be made to act upon the stops of the swell and
choir organ; one movement for effecting this change of stops is indicated in
the Drawing by red color. The number of stops thus combined is arbitrary,
and the whole is termed a "composition" or combination, and according to
the compass of the organ, will the number of compositions be determined.
now the red stud b be pressed in, it will, through the wire c and arm d, cause
the roller c to rock, the bent end of which is connected by a vertical wire 1.
If

page_text: with an arm of a roller 2. This roller forms the medium of connection between
the three organs, and is provided with four projecting arms. One of these
receives, through the wire 1, the impulse given to the stud b, and communicates
it to the roller. Another arm transfers this motion through the wire 3 to the
roller e', and thence through the red wire f to the first set of pneumatic levers
and so to the great organ stops in the manner already described. The third
acts upon the wire 4, which rocks the roller e of the swell organ, and thereby
communicates through its wire f the necessary motion for drawing the stops of
the swell organ. The fourth arm acts upon a wire 5, which causes a roller
e of the choir organ to rock, and thereby communicate through a tracker,
similar to that marked 6, the motion for drawing the stops of the choir organ.
It will be unnecessary to follow these movements further, because each organ
is similarly provided with pneumatic levers, and the action of those for the
great organ having been explained, the organ builder will readily trace the
movement in the other cases. By continuing the movement to the pedal
organ a similar effect may be produced upon the stops of that organ.
Throughout the foregoing explanation of my improved arrangement for drawing
and shutting off the stops, I have described the effect as being produced by
acting on the studs of the great organ, but it is obvious that whatever clavier
the performer may be using, analogous facilities will be within his reach
through the arrangements of studs on each key slip.
The last head of my Invention refers to the packing of the pneumatic levers
in the organ, so as to avoid the useless multiplication of air chambers for
supplying the bellows with air, and thereby saving at once considerable space
in the organ and effecting an economy in the manufacture. This improvement
is shewn at Figures 7 and 8, Sheet I., and consists simply in arranging the
bellows in two tiers, and carrying up an air passage to the second tier between
every two adjoining bellows on the lower line.
Having now described my Invention of improvements in the construction of
organs, I wish it to be understood that under the above in part recited Letters
Patent, I claim,―
First, the construction of valves above described, by which I am enabled to
overcome the resistance of the air gradually instead of by a sudden impulse,
which is the action of ordinary valves.
Secondly, I claim supplying the bellows of the swell organ exclusively with
air drawn from the swell box, for the purpose above set forth.
Thirdly, I claim the employment of threaded centerings for the purposes
above mentioned, or any analogous use in organs.
Fourthly, I claim the bringing the stop movements within reach of the

page_text: performer's hands, so that by the use of manual power he may, without re-
moving his hands from the key board, be enabled to draw or shut off any stop
or composition of stops as may be required.
And further, I claim the application to pneumatic levers of the improved
escape valve, whereby the reiterating power of the pneumatic lever is greatly
increased, and the touch of the organ is improved.
And, lastly, I claim the mode of arranging the pneumatic levers as above
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Willis, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of August, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-one.