Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 16th June, 1887
Complete Left, 14th Mar., 1888
Complete Accepted, 27th Apr., 1888
I GEORGE THOMAS BEILBY of St. Kitts Hateford in the County of Midlothian,
Fellow of the Institute of Chemistry, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows :-
My improved Pneumatic action differs from the actions in ordinary use in the
structure of certain of its parts and in the method by which it is operated, my object
being to secure promptness and efficiency of action, with compactness of general
arrangement and economy of motive power. For the purposes of description it may
be divided into five principal parts as follows:-
First The Key or Draw Stop Valves.
Second-The Pneumatic Bellows which actuate Pallets, levers or slides.
Third The communicating tubes between the Key or Draw-stop Valves and the
Pneumatic Bellows.
Fourth-The apparatus or means for the exhaustion or compression of the air
which actuates the Pneumatic Bellows.
Fifth Arrangement of Couplers.
First. The Key or Draw Stop Valves and Circular Slide Valves consisting of a
Valve seat and Valve ground to fit air-tight to each other. The Valve works on a
centre pin which is provided with a washer and nut by which a spring is pressed
against the back of the Valve and keeps it in contact with the face of the seat.
Round the face of the valve seat are arranged certain sets of holes or ports. Each
set consists of three ports namely, a centre port which communicates with the tube
leading to the Pneumatic Bellows, on one side, a port communicating with the
apparatus for exhausting or compressing the air, and on the other side a port which
communicates with the atmosphere. Round the ground face of the Valve are certain
recesses which correspond with the sets of ports in the Valve Seat in the following
manner; the length of each recess is such that it exactly covers and places in com-
munication two out of the three ports in each set, so that in one position of the Valve
the centre port and the port on its one side are in communication, and in the other

page_text: position the centre port and the port on its other side are in communication. By the
movement of this Valve the Pneumatic Bellows can be put in communication either
with the exhausting and compressing apparatus or with the atmosphere. The Valves
are provided with stop pins by which their movement is confined within the limits
necessary for effecting the alternative communications with the Pneumatic Bellows.
A pin or stud is inserted at or near the edge of the Valve to which a tracker from the
Key or Backfall is attached. A spring attached to the same or to another stud pulls
against the key tracker and returns the Valve to its position of rest when the pressure
on the key is removed.
Second. The Pneumatic Bellows are of the form described by me in the Specification
of Patent No. 2483. A.D. 1885. They are built up of thin metallic plates corrugated
concentrically and soldered together in pairs alternately at their centres and edges so
as to make an air-tight structure. A tube is placed in the centre of one of the end
plates by which air enters or leaves the Bellows. A screwed wire or eye projects
from the centre of the other end plate; by this wire or eye connection with the pallet,
lever or slide is made.
Third. The communicating tubes between the Valves and Pneumatic Bellows are
preferably made of tin, lead or composition tubing. When the distance between the
key Valves and the windchests is moderate, tubing of inch bore is sufficiently large;
for extra long actions larger tubes may be necessary. The tubes between the Draw
Stop Valves & Pneumatic Bellows are larger than those between the Key Valves &
Pneumatic Bellows.
Fourth. The apparatus or means for exhausting or compressing the air which
actuates the Pallets, levers or slides is constructed on the principle of the fall pump
or Water injector pump. In some cases it is sufficient to insert the main air tube
from the Key Valves into the side of a water pipe through which water is falling.
The falling water draws in and carries down with it, air from the air tube and a
satisfactory exhaust is obtained at the Key Valves.
This expedient is useful when the waste pipe from the water motor which works
the Organ Bellows has a sufficient fall to make it available for use.
When the power required is considerable and economy of water is of importance
one of the various well known forms of water air pumps may be used either for
compression or exhaustion or for both.
An exhaust or compression equal to from to of an atmosphere is sufficient to
work the Pneumatic action promptly and efficiently if the dimensions of the various
tubes, passages Valves and Bellows are in proper proportion to each other.
While my improved system for obtaining the necessary exhaustion or compression
to work the Pneumatic action has obvious advantages under many circumstances; it is
evident that actions constructed according to my invention otherwise, may be actuated
by exhaustion or compression obtained by any other convenient means such as pumps,
steam injectors or the like.
Fifth. For the operation of Manual or Pedal Coupling the Key Valves are provided
with various sets of Ports with their accompanying tubes so that by the motion of one
Valve communication may be made with several sets of Pallets, levers or slides. The
exhausted or compressed air tubes to the separate Valves are arranged in sets which
are supplied by main tubes. These main tubes are controlled by Stop Valves so that
the motive air to any range of Pneumatic Bellows can be cut off. By this means in
a set of Valves corresponding with the manual of a complete Organ; by shutting or
opening the Stop Valves on the main tubes, any or all of the sets of Pneumatic
Bellows with their corresponding pallets may be brought into or thrown out of action
while the keys are being played on.
When it is desired to actuate any one Pneumatic Bellows or set of Bellows from
several separate Valves or sets of Valves it is necessary that in the Valves when in
their position of rest, the communication between the Bellows and the atmosphere
should be cut off, and this is effected by causing the Valve to travel past the position 5
in which the centre port and the atmospheric port are in communication so that the

page_text: centre port is absolutely closed by a blank portion of the Valve face. The Valve has
then three positions instead of two :-
1st. The centre port communicates with the exhaust.
2nd. The centre port communicates with the atmosphere.
3rd. The centre port is closed.
When this arrangement is adopted there is a danger that the Valve may pass the
second position so quickly that the equilibrium between the air within the Bellows
and the atmosphere without, is not completely restored and the pallet or slide is not
perfectly closed so that cyphering or other faults are caused. In this case it is
necessary to provide another atmospheric port somewhere in the system. This atino-
spheric port may be simply a minute leak hole but is preferably controlled by a
balanced Valve which opens automatically when the differential pressure is partly
reduced in the system by the temporary opening of the atmospheric port of the Key
Valve; it is again automatically closed whenever the full differential pressure comes
on the system by the opening of the motive air port in the Key Valve.
My improved Pneumatic action may be applied to Organs in a variety of ways,
either as a purely tubular Pneumatic System of connecting the Keys & Pallets, or
in connection with a partially mechanical system. For extra long actions it may be
combined with magneto electric communications, for example the Keys & Draw Stop
handles may be connected with their respective Key & Draw Stop Valves by a
Magneto electric system, the remaining distance being covered by the improved.
Pneumatic System.
Dated this Thirteenth day of June 1887

page_text: Actions for Organs.
I GEORGE THOMAS BEILBY of St. Kitts Hateford, County of Midlothian 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:
The accompanying sheets of drawings illustrate this invention as follows:―
Sheet 1. shows details of the key valves-figs. 7. 8. 9. 10. being diagramatic.
Sheet 2. fig. 11. is a section of a windchest with the pneumatic bellows in position
under its pallet. Fig. 12. is an equilibrium valve and branch coupler tube.
Sheet 3. shows diagramatically, the application of this invention to an organ with
two manuals and pedal.
The Key valves as shown in figs. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5 and 6-Sheet 1. are circular slide-
valves, consisting of a valve seat a and valve b ground to fit air-tight to each other
the surfaces being so finely ground and polished that the necessary air-tightness is
obtained without the use of any fluid lubricant.
The valve b works steadily and freely on a centre pin c which is provided with a
washer e and nuts d by which a spring f is pressed against the back of the valve band
keeps it in contact with the face of the seat a.
Round the ground face of the valve seat a are arranged certain holes or ports x. y. z.
Each set consists of three ports namely: the centre port y which communicates with
the tube y leading to the pneumatic bellows, the port z which communicates by
the tube with the apparatus for exhausting or compressing the air by which the
pneumatic bellows are actuated, and the port which communicates with the
atmosphere.
Round the ground face of the valve b are certain recesses n which correspond with
the sets of ports x. y. z in the valve seat, in the manner shown in the diagrams figs. 8
and 9 Sheet 1. In fig. 8 the ports y. and z. are brought into communication by the
recess or slot n while in fig. 9 the ports x and y are in communication.
By the movements of the valve b the port y and tube y¹, and through them the
pneumatic bellows, can be brought into communication either with the supply of
exhaust or compressed air through the port z, or with the atmosphere through port x.
The necessary movement is communicated to the valve from a key, backfall, or lever,
by a tracker t attached to the pin h.
The spring i attached to the pin g pulls against the tracker t and returns the valve
to its position of rest when the pressure on the key or lever is removed. The stop-
pin s moving in the slot o limits the movements of the valve.
The key valves as shown are really quadruple as each of the
constitutes a complete valve and four of these sets are shown.
sets of ports x. y. z
Each of these sets is

page_text: in communication with a separate pneumatic bellows and pallet, so that a single
movement of the key and valve can open four distinct pallets.
The use of these quadruple valves conveniently replaces the more cumbrous forms
of manual and pedal couplers.
When this pneumatic coupling is used it is necessary that when the keys are at rest
the communication between the pneumatic bellows and the atmosphere should be
closed. The necessary positions of the key valve b on the seat a, are shown on the
diagrams on Sheet 1.
Fig. 7 is the position when the key is at rest, the port y. is closed by a blank portion
of the valve face.
Fig. 8. is the position when the key is down and the valve and pallet are full open.
Fig. 9. is the position when the key is returning to rest and the port y. is opened to
the atmosphere and the pallet is shut.
In Fig. 10 the valve has returned to its position of rest and the communication
between the pneumatic bellows and the atmosphere is closed, so that the same bellows
can now be acted on from another key valve.
When this arrangement is adopted there is a danger that the valves may pass the
third position (fig. 9.) so quickly that the equilibrium between the air within the
bellows and the atmosphere without, is not completely restored and the pallet is not
perfectly closed. In this case it is necessary to provide an additional atmospheric
port somewhere between the key valve and the pneumatic bellows. This atmospheric
port may be simply a minute leak hole, but is preferably a balanced valve which opens
automatically when the pressure is partly reduced in the system by the temporary
opening of the atmospheric port in the key valve. This equilibrium valve closes
automatically whenever the full differential pressure comes on the system by the
opening of the key valve.
Fig. 12. Sheet 2 shows a valve of this description partly in section. The tube U
ends in a valve seat E. S. to which the valve O is accurately ground. A sufficient
fall of pressure within U by the opening of a key valve connected with Y. draws up
the valve to its seat E and shuts out the atmosphere. On the other hand when the
pressure in U rises by the shutting of the key-valve, the valve O drops onto the guide
rest G. and opens the tube U to the atmosphere.
The weight of the valve O is suitably adjusted to the area of the valve, according
to the degree of exhaust which is employed to work the action. The guide G runs on
a screw cut on the outside of E. S. so that the amount of opening allowed to the
valve O can be adjusted to any required degree.
Fig. 11. Sheet 2 is a longitudinal section of a windchest showing a pneumatic
bellows N in connection with a pallet P. The Pneumatic bellows N is of the form
described by me in the specification of patent number 2483. A.D. 1885. It is built
up of thin metal plates M, corrugated concentrically and having central holes. These
plates are soldered together in pairs, alternately at their edges and central holes, so as
to make an air-tight structure. The tube T is soldered into the central hole of the
bottom plate. The bellows is secured to the bottom board B of the windchest, by
the nuts and washers V which run on a screw cut on the outside of the tube T.
The pneumatic bellows as shown in these drawings are arranged to work by exhaust,
not by compressed air.
The connection with the pallet P. is made by a screwed wire W. and trace R. in the
manner shown.
Fig. 13. Sheet 3. is a diagram showing, generally, the application of this invention
to an organ with two manual organs and a pedal organ. K¹ is the first manual.
K the second. K³ is the pedal. a¹ a² a³ are the corresponding key valves.
UUU³ are the equilibrium valves & branched-coupler tubes. T¹ T T are the
long tubes to the windchests. H¹ H2 H3 are the windchests in which N. N. N. are
the pneumatic bellows, and P. P. P. are the pallets. L', L³, L³, are the main exhaust
tubes to which the tubes from the ports z. z. z. in the key valves are connected
Each of the four main tubes of each set L. is provided with a stop valve actuated
by a draw stop or equivalent device

page_text: When any one of these stop valves is shut no exhaust is available at the corre-
sponding ports of the key. valves and consequently the corresponding pallets do not
respond to the movements of the keys. The handles by which these main stop
valves are opened or closed correspond with the coupler stops of an ordinary Organ
action.
In the Organ here represented the following are the pneumatic couplers :

page_text: 2. The arrangement of multiple sets of ports in key or draw stop valves as
described and shown and for the purposes mentioned in the foregoing specification and
drawings.
3. The use of metallic pneumatic bellows in combination with key or draw stop
valves as described and shown in the foregoing specification and drawings.
4. The use of equilibrium valves in combination with key or draw stop valves as
shown and described in the foregoing specification and drawings.
5. The use of water air pumps or exhausters for actuating the pneumatic actions of
Organs substantially as described in the foregoing specification.
6. In combination, the complete system of constructing and working pneumatic
actions for Organs, all substantially as described in the foregoing specification.
Dated this 10th day of Munk 1000
GEORGE THOMAS BEILBY,
Applicant.