AN IMPROVED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edmund Hunt, of Glasgow, in the County of
Lanark, North Britain, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "AN
IMPROVED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT." -A communication from abroad by
Mason Johnston Matthews, residing at Boston, Massachusetts,
United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edmund Hunt at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
1st January 1875.
I, EDMUND HUNT, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North
Britain, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "AN IMPROVED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT," (a communication to me
from abroad by Mason Johnston Matthews, residing at Boston,
Massachusetts, United States of America,) to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to an improved musical instrument in which
there is combined with the usual parts of any suitable known variety of
the harmonium or American organ
a distinct action comprising

page_text: percussive and checking details with a special resonance box acting in
connection with a series of plates or musical vibrators of steel or other
suitable metal. The tones produced by this added combination of parts
resemble those of the harp or are between those of the harp and those of
the pianoforte, and they blend well with those of the harmonium or
organ with which the action is combined.
The Inventor applies to the combination the designation piano-harp
cabinet organ.
The piano-harp details are fitted above the middle and back parts of
the organ or harmonium details, the keys of the latter being connected
to a series of secondary horizontal levers placed over their inner ends.
The secondary levers are connected to details corresponding to those of an
ordinary pianoforte action, but modified to suit the position of the series
of metal vibrators, and arranged so that they can be put into or kept out
of action by a stop or slide in order that the piano-harp tones may be
combined with the organ tones or not at any time at the option of the
performer. The resonance box is placed at the back and has in front of
it a sound board which is inclined forward, and is slightly twisted being
fixed to metal clbow brackets which are fixed to the bottom of the
resonance box. To the front of the sound board there is attached a
metal casting for holding the metal tongues or vibrators, a strong double
rib or grooved part being formed along the upper forward corner of this
casting. The vibrators are set with their bottom ends against the back
rib or after side of the groove and are held by pinching pins screwed
through the front rib, and they project upwards and forwards in an
inclined position. The hammers turn in an upward and inward direction
when striking, the vibrators being centred so that they tend to fall
forward away from the vibrators after the strokes.
The arrangement of the piano-harp details may be modified so as to
make the hammers strike either directly upwards or downwards, but the
Inventor considers that the position of the vibrators and action of the
hammers first herein-before described will yield the best development of
the musical tones.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the Edmund Hunt in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
30th June 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDMUND
HUNT, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Patent
Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the First day of January, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the
thirty-eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Edmund Hunt, Her special
licence that I, the said Edmund Hunt, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Edmund Hunt, 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 "AN IMPROVED
MUSICAL INSTRUMENT," communicated to me by Mason Johnston Matthews,
residing at Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America, upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Edmund Hunt, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my,
or their, or one of their hands and scals, 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 imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters.Patent. -
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Edmund Hunt, do hereby 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 in writing, reference being had to the accom-
panying Drawings, that is to say:-
The said Invention relates to an improved musical instrument in
which there is combined with the usual parts of any suitable known
variety of the harmonium or American organ a distinct action comprising
percussive and checking details with a special resonance box acting in

page_text: connection with a series of plates or musical vibrators of steel or other
suitable metal. The tones produced by this added combination of parts
resemble those of the harp, or are between those of the harp and those
of the pianoforte, and they blend well with those of the harmonium or
organ with which the action is combined.
The Inventor applies to the combination the designation piano-harp
cabinet organ.
The piano-harp details are, in one modification, fitted above the middle
and back parts of the organ or harmonium details, the keys of the latter
being connected to a series of secondary horizontal levers placed over
their inner ends. The secondary levers are connected to details corre-
sponding to those of an ordinary pianoforte action, but modified to suit
the position of the series of metal vibrators, and arranged so that they
can be put into or kept out of action by a stop or slide in order that the
piano-harp tones may be combined with the organ tones or not at any
time at the option of the performer. The resonance box is placed at the
back and has in front of it a sound board which is inclined forward, and
is slightly twisted, being fixed to metal elbow brackets which are fixed
to the bottom of the resonance box. To the front of the sound board
there is attached a metal casting for holding the metal tongues or
vibrators, a strong double rib or grooved part being formed along the
upper forward corner of this casting. The vibrators are set with their
bottom ends against the back rib or after side of the groove, and are
held by pinching pins screwed through the front rib, and they project
upwards and forwards in an inclined position. The hammers turn in
an upward and inward direction when striking, the vibrators being
centered so that they tend to fall forward away from the vibrators after
the strokes.
The arrangement of the piano-harp details may be modified so as to
make the hammers strike either directly upwards or downwards, but the
Inventor considers that the position of the vibrators and action of the
hammers first herein-before described will yield the best development of
the musical tones.

page_text: |two modifications of the action details of the piano-harp cabinet
organ.
Figure 1 is a vertical section of one modification as in a plane at right
angles to the front of the instrument, which, front is to the right-hand
side of the Figure.
Figure 2 is a front view of the resonance box drawn to a smaller scale
than Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a detached sectional view of the parts for putting the
piano-harp details into or out of action.
Figure 4 is a vertical section of the second modification and with tho
front of the instrument shown to the left-hand side of the Figure.
mounted the sub-levers H.
с
In the first modification the keys C, key frame D, main wind chest D¹,
valve action D, and the bellows action below the main wind chest, are
all of ordinary construction and need no description. At the back of
the key frame D is a rail E, on the top of which is a metal platform F
reaching over the fulcrum pin rail c of the keys, and supporting its front
edge a rail G. This rail G has grooves cut accross it, in which are
Lengthwise of this rail G is cut a saw kerf,
in which is inserted a wire. The sub-lever H being also provided with a
saw kerf rests down on the wire, and thus is held in the position required.
The front end of the sub-lever H is thin and is provided with a slit, so
that it will pass easily between the regulating nuts f. On the back end
of this sub-lever H is mounted the jack J; the upper end of this jack J.
engages with the knuckle j in the hammer butt, K. The regulators i
mounted in the rail. I operate on the under side of the sub-lever H for
the purpose of raising or lowering the jack J, and determining its exact
position in relation to the knuckle j; this provides against the necessity.
of resorting to the usual method of cutting or filing. the parts for adjust-
ment. In ordinary cases this means of regulation would be unavailable.
It is valuable, for the purpose specified, only in combination with the
sub-lever H. The regulator jin the jack J acts on the front or bevilled
face of the hammer rail L; by this is obtained the lateral adjustment
of the jack J in relation to the knuckle j. The check consisting of the
parts marked Q, R, , is simple in construction. When the action is in
its normal condition the wire Q nearly touches the face of the check
head r.
On the depression of the key C, the check head ", and the
wire Q, rise and separate at the same time. On the escape of the jack J

page_text: from under the knuckle j the hammer P falls in advance of the rising of
the key C, and causes the check wire Q to come in contact with the check
head, thus preventing the rebound of the hammer P. Slightly in
advance of the key C regaining its normal position the check head » is
released from the check wire Q, leaving all the parts in condition for a
repitition of the blow. The main rail E, the regulator rail I, and the
hammer rail L, each supporting parts of the action are held in their
proper positions by the pieces of wood ✗, one at each end fixed on
brackets Y. Thus, with the exception of the wire and nuts f mounted
in the key C, all the parts of the action already described are connected
together in compact form, and can be regulated and adjusted inde-
pendently of the instrument to which the attachment is to be made.
The provisions of this arrangement are important, inasmuch as they
favorably affect the queston of expence in the manufacture.
To the back of the main case of the instrument is attached a resonance
box W; this box adds materially to the body and quality of the tone.
The sound board U is graduated in thickness on the principle adopted in
the pianoforte, and is mounted as follows:-At each end of the resonance
box W inside a block w is fastened; these blocks w are not in the same
plane, but are so placed that when the sound board U is fastened to
them it shall be slightly twisted. The spring brackets V shown in full
lines in Figures 1 and 4, and in dotted lines in Figure 2 are placed a
few inches from each end at the nodes of the board. Before the sound
board U is mounted in its position these spring brackets V stand a little
forward of the plane of the blocks w, so that means is afforded for
applying strain to the sound board without checking vibration. On the
sound board U is mounted a metal casting T, and in this are mounted
the tongues T¹. The casting T is formed with a groove having its inner
face hollowed, so that each tongue T shall be gripped by the small
gripping pieces and screws with all possible rigidity close up to the outer
edge of the casting T. By this means a clear and prolonged sound is
produced and all check upon vibration is avoided. This casting T is
screwed to the end rails of the resonance box W and against the feet t,
until sufficient pressure has been applied to the sound board U. The
pieces of wood half an inch, more or less, wide are placed one near
each end. Another piece of wood is placed under the lower side only
of the plate. There are no bearings between the feet t on the upper
side of the plate T, and only one bearing between them on the lower

page_text: side. The number and arrangement of the screws used in mounting the
board are shown in Figure 2. The sound board U is mounted so as to
lean forward at the top; this is for the purpose of bringing the tongues T¹
near to the hammers P that strike them. These hammers P are so
arranged that they shall have when in motion sufficient gravity to insure
their falling to their bed or hammer drop S, independently of the
momentum given them by the blow upon the tongues T¹.
Coupling and uncoupling of the action is effected by means of the
frame M which works on pivots in the pieces marked O. The parts
between and connected with the frame M and the stop draw x are the
roller lever ¹, the tracker rod x³, the lever ³, and the wedge x', all
clearly shown in Figure 3. These pieces O are fastened in the pieces N,
which in turn are fastened in and are supported by the pieces X. When
the stop x is drawn the frame M is in the position shown in plain lines
in Figures 1 and 3, and admits of the required movement of the hammer
stem P¹ without contact between it and the rail m and m¹. When the
stop is pushed in the frame M is in the position shown in dotted lines in
Figure 1. The front rail m raises the hammer P and releases the
knuckle from the jack J, while the back rail m' presses on the back of
the stems or hammer shanks P, and insures that neither by the move-
ment of the stop nor by any contact between the jack J, and the
knucle shall the hammers P be forced against the tongues T¹.
j
The arrangement of the whole percussion action and of the resonance:
box W is such as to offer no obstruction to the application of solo sets of
reeds, such as are usually employed in and mounted on the back part of
the wind chest of a cabinet organ. When such solo stops are not
applied it is optional to employ the action and manner of construction so
far described or to employ the modification represented in Figure 4.
In this Figure the resonance box W is shown as mounted on the
platform of the wind chest, and the tongues T¹ occupy nearly a horizontal
position. The hammers P are arranged so as to strike a downward blow.
The supplementary lever or sub-lever H is here shown as mounted on
the cap or swell box H₁ of a cabinet organ. The front end of this sub-
lever His acted upon by the button / above and by the button h¹ below;
the button / serving to depress the sub-lever H and the button to
raise it again, so that the sub-lever regains its normal position by the
spring power which closes the valve D³, and not by weights such as are
ordinarily used with the keys of a pianoforte. On the depression of the

page_text: Hunt & Improved Musical Instrument.
2. The subject matter of the above clause in combination with a reed
organ, as set forth.
3. The sub-lever H arranged relatively to the keys C of a reed
organ, and to the jacks J, and butts K, for the purpose of effecting a
5 downward blow of the hammer P in combination with metal tongues, as
herein set forth.
4. The check wires Q and R arranged relatively to each other and to
the sub-levers H, so that on the depression of the keys C and the
consequent elevation of the sub-levers H at the end bearing the jack J,
the check wire Q will come in contact with the outer face of the check
head, as herein set forth.
5. The subject matter of the above clause in combination with the
keys C of a reed organ, as set forth..
6. The check R inserted in the keys C of a reed organ in combination
with the check wire Q, as and for the purpose set forth.
7. The adjusting rail I with the supplementary regulators i mounted
therein in connection and combination with the sub-levers H, sub-
stantially as and for the purpose specified.
8. The coupling frame marked M, m, m³, with the pieces N, O,
O supporting it, as and for the purpose specified.
9. The employment of a movable hammer rail for the purpose of
coupling and uncoupling when combined with a reed organ, substantially
as described.
10. The stop action consisting of the parts marked x, x², x, x³, x, for
the operation of the frame M, as specified.
11. The hammer rail L, regulator rail I, main rail E, together with
the parts supported by each, all connected together by the pieces
marked X, and constructed substantially as and for the purpose
specified.
12. The percussion action mounted on metal or other supports at the
back of the key frame D, as described.
13. The resonance box attached to the back of the case of a reed
organ when said resonance box has a sound board mounted therein, as

page_text: herein specified for the purpose of intensifying musical tones educed
from metal oscillators or vibrators.
14. The resonance box W with the parts connected therewith mounted
on the wind chest of a reed organ, substantially as and for the purpose
specified.
15. The metal plate T having along its upper edge a groove with a
fluted back forming a flat bearing surface for one side of the reeds,
said reeds being held rigidly in position by means of screws passing
through the front of the metal plate T to the metallic strip, which is
also provided with a groove, and which forms a bearing for the other side
of the reeds when constructed and arranged to operate, as herein
specified..
°
16. The hammers P arranged so as to strike a downward blow upon
steel or metal tongues, when said tongues are used in combination with a
reed organ, as herein specified.
17. The spring brackets V or their equivalent when placed at or near
the nodal points of the sounding board used in combination with metal
tongues, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
In witness whereof; I, the said Edmund Hunt, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of June, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
five.