IMPROVEMENTS IN ORGANS AND SIMILAR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Hélène Alexandre, of 2, Rue Ste. Appoline,
Paris, in the Empire of France, Organ Builder, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ORGANS AND SIMILAR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS."
Sealed the 3rd June 1870, and dated the 4th December 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Hélène Alexandre at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 4th December 1869.
I, HÉLÈNE ALEXANDRE, of 2, Rue Ste. Appoline, Paris, in the Empire
of France, Organ Builder, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ORGANS AND SIMILAR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS,"
to be as follows:-
My Invention applies particularly to organs with loose reeds, called
harmoniums, but certain parts apply equally to other kinds of organs.
The first part of the Invention consists in avoiding the intermittences
of wind in the bellows or blowing apparatus, and in obtaining a
continuous wind.

page_text: The mechanism comprises two modes, one purely mechanical, the
other an indicator to learn without a teacher to blow into the reservoir
which is fitted to all existing organs. I have different means of attaining
this result. The first consists in employing two pumps as usual to
arrange a mechanism, which making the pumps as one at a certain
moment allows of putting one pump into action before the other has
entirely produced its useful effect; this result is obtained by levers,
racks, springs, or other mechanical means. By extending this idea I
employ three pumps instead of two. The third fills up the blank or lost
time between the end of the production of the first pump and the
commencement of the production of the second pump. To completely
carry out the idea I employ an indeterminate number of pumps, but by
preference an odd number, 3, 5, 7, 9, or more. I work them with the
foot by the ordinary movement, or by converting this reciprocating to-
and-fro movement into a continuous circular movement, which by means
of a longitudinal shaft works each pump and regulates its points of
opening and closing in such manner that the vacuum produced in one
pump is always compensated by one of the following pumps, and there
is thus obtained a really continuous wind without any intermittence.
The second part of my Invention consists in dividing the instrument
into three parts distinct and independent, viz., 1, the case; second, the
bellows; and third, the sound board, the keyboard, and other parts. The
case is fixed and of very reduced dimensions. The sound board and other
parts are reduced to as little thickness as possible, and mounted on
pivots in such manner that by moving them on their pivots and closing
them they are lodged in the thickness of the case. The pedals serve as
pumps, and are likewise articulated so as to be depressed and lodged in
the case, which enables me to reduce the capacity of the instrument so
that an instrument whatever be the number of stops can be contained in
a case of not more than, say, 8 inches thick.
.
The third part of my Invention relates to the instrument itself, and
has for object to annex to the ordinary stops a special stop, which I call
double air or song (double chant), or singer (chanteur). This stop may
be composed of one or several plates or stops according with the unison,
and speaking or sounding together, that is to say, with the same valve,
although they may be contained or not in one box. This stop is
completely independent of the ordinary stops, and has for object to
produce the air or song, while the other stops produce the accom-

page_text: paniment; generally and especially with "expressive" organs the part of
the air is always drowned or deadened by the accompaniment, but with
my system the air may be as dominant as is desired, as it may be
composed of several stops acting together while the accompaniment çan
only be composed of one stop.
Many mechanical devices may be adopted for the improvement of this
instrument, and in order to make myself clearly understood I will
describe one by way of example. Suppose an ordinary instrument with
percussion or not composed of one or several stops and an ordinary
keyboard. I prolong the sound board and annex thereto my double air
sound board composed of one or several stops; I likewise prolong the
keyboard, only I vary the depression or sinking, that is to say, that by
exerting a certain degree of pressure the keyboard will act on the
ordinary stops; this depression being obtained I preserve a lost time,
and by continuing to press on the keyboard but with a little more
force I act on the stop of the double air; I thus obtain two different
effects with the same touch by acting as I wish, either on the ordinary
stops or on the special stops. It must be understood that I do not give
the double depression as the only means of obtaining the desired result.
I can obtain the same result by an escape placed at the end of the
keyboard or under it, the essential feature is the application to organs,
whatever be the number of stops of which they are composed, of a
special stop, speaking or sounding, as before explained, and intended to
produce the air with an indeterminate number of notes dominant over
the stops of the accompaniment, and with the facility of suppressing this
advantage according to the requirements of the piece to be executed by
using only the ordinary stops..
An important part of my Invention consists essentially in causing as I
may wish an indeterminate number of notes to sound on both of the stops
in action, whether the ordinary stops or the special stop together or
separately. I obtain with one keyboard the effect which is generally
obtained with two instruments, that is to say, I have the result of two
instruments with only one.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Hélène Alexandre in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 3rd June 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HELENE
ALEXANDRE, of 2, Rue Sainte Appoline, Paris, in the Empire of France,
Organ Builder, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of December, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-third
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Hélène Alexandre, Her special licence that I,
the said Hélène Alexandre, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Hélène Alexandre, 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 ORGANS AND SIMILAR MUSICAL
INSTRUMENTS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Hélène Alexandre, 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 Hélène Alexandre, 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, reference being had to the Drawings hereto
annexed, and to the figures and letters marked thereon, that is to
say:
My Invention applies particularly to organs with loose reeds, called
harmoniums, but certain parts apply equally to other kinds of organs.
The first part of the Invention consists in avoiding the intermittences
of wind in the bellows or blowing apparatus, and in obtaining a
continuous wind.

page_text: The mechanism comprises two modes, one purely mechanical, the
other an indicator to learn without a teacher to blow into the reservoir
which is fitted to all existing organs. I have different means of attaining
this result. The first consists in employing two pumps as usual to
arrange a mechanism, which by making the pumps as one at a certain
moment allows of putting one pump into action before the other has
entirely produced its useful effect; this result is obtained by levers,
racks, springs, or other mechanical means. By extending this idea I
employ three pumps instead of two. The third fills up the blank or lost
time between the end of the production of the first pump and the
commencement of the production of the second pump. To completely
carry out the idea I employ an indeterminate number of pumps, but by
preference an odd number, 3, 5, 7, 9, or more. I work them with the
foot by the ordinary movement, or by converting this reciprocating to-
and-fro movement into a continuous circular movement, which by means
of a longitudinal shaft works each pump and regulates its points of
opening and closing in such manner that the vacuum produced in one
pump is always compensated by one of the following pumps, and there
is thus obtained a really continuous wind without any intermittence.
The second part of my Invention consists in dividing the instrument
into three parts distinct and independent, viz., 1st, the case; 2nd, the
bellows; and 3rd, the sound board, the keyboard, and other parts. The
case is fixed and of very reduced dimensions. The sound board and other
parts are reduced to as little thickness as possible, and mounted on
pivots in such manner that by moving them on their pivots and closing
them they are lodged in the thickness of the case. The pedals serve as
pumps, and are likewise articulated so as to be depressed and lodged in
the case, which enables me to reduce the capacity of the instrument so
that an instrument whatever be the number of stops can be contained in
a case not more than, say, 8 inches thick.
The third part of my Invention relates to the instrument itself, and
has for object to annex to the ordinary stops a special stop, which I call
double air or song (double chant) or singer (chanteur). This stop may
be composed of one or several plates or stops according with the unison,
and speaking or sounding together, that is to say, with the same valve,
although they may be contained or not in one box. This stop is
completely independent of the ordinary stops, and has for object to
produce the air or song, while the other stops produce the accom-

page_text: paniment; generally and especially with "expressive" organs the part
of the air is always drowned or deadened by the accompaniment, but
with my system the air may be as dominant as is desired, as it may be
composed of several stops acting together, while the accompaniment can
only be composed of one stop.
Many mechanical devices may be adopted for the improvement of this
instrument, and in order to make myself clearly understood I will
describe one by way of example. Suppose an ordinary instrument with
percussion or not composed of one or several stops and an ordinary
keyboard, I prolong the sound board and annex thereto my double air
sound board composed of one or several stops. I likewise prolong the
keyboard, only I vary the depression or sinking, that is to say, that by
exerting a certain degree of pressure the keyboard will act on the
ordinary stops; this depression being obtained I preserve a lost time, and
by continuing to press on the keyboard but with a little more force I
act on the stop of the double air; I thus obtain two different effects with
the same touch by acting as I wish either on the ordinary stops or on
the special stops. It must be understood that I do not give the double
depression as the only means of obtaining the desired result. I can
obtain the same result by an escape placed at the end of the keyboard or
under it, the essential feature is the application to organs, whatever be
the number of stops of which they are composed, of a special stop
speaking or sounding, as before explained, and intended to produce the
air with an indeterminate number of notes dominant over the stops of
the accompaniment, and with the facility of suppressing this advantage
according to the requirements of the piece to be executed by using only
the ordinary stops.
An important part of my Invention consists essentially in causing as
I may wish an indeterminate number of notes to sound on both of the
stops in action, whether the ordinary stops or the special stop together
or separately. I obtain with one keyboard the effect which is generally
obtained with two instruments, that is to say, I have the result of two
instruments with only one.
Harmoniums have not been so generally used as pianos for I believe
the following reasons:-First, their clumsy form; second, the difficulty
of working the pumps, blowers, or blowing arrangement. This difficulty
is so great an impediment that all masters say that the pupil who can
work the blowers has accomplished the greatest part of his task; this

page_text: kind of organ (harmonium) has been called ", expressive," from the
effect called expression by the wind issuing directly from the blower
without passing through the reservoir. The larger and more powerful the
blowers are the greater the difficulty for the performer; if they are
small the operation becomes impossible, and all the jerks or strokes are
sensibly and disagreeably marked, while the insufficiency of wind
deprives the instrument of all its tone qualities: It is hence obvious
that the expressive harmonium has no value and is unsuccessful, except
with very powerful' wind; which necessitates large blowers. This is one
of the drawbacks to the introduction of expressive organs. To apply
such powerful blowers the instrument loses all appearance of elegance as
hitherto constructed, and the form has a considerable artistic and com-
mercial importance. . I obtain the desired results by a new arrangement
of blowers, and the Invention will now be best understood by reference to
the accompanying Drawings.
Fig. 1 is an end view of a harmonium constructed according to my
Invention; Fig. 2 is a front elevation, and Fig. 3 is a vertical section of
the same; Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20,
21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, & 31 are views of parts in detail.
Figs. 1, 2, and 3 show an harmonium with five stops, one of which is
percussion; it is supplied with air from two blowers, having 0.2688 area
and 0.38 extension when open, see Fig. 4. The blowers of a harmonium
of the best makers with five ordinary stops have 0.272 area and 0.17
extension, see Fig. 5. It will thus be seen that my blowers have nearly
the same area and double the contents, and these contents get four times
larger in this sense that the performer in playing rarely uses the whole
contents of the blowers, as the two extreme positions of shut and open
are never completely made, so that I presume that he loses 4 centimetres
at each operation. The ordinary blowers do not really produce more than
0.09 useful extension, while my blowers produce 0.30, consequently
three and a half times more contents; as seen by the Drawings Figs. 6'
and 7; Fig. 6 being a view of a blower of old construction, and Fig: 7
being a blower made according to my Invention. Another important
consideration consists in the construction of the blowers themselves. I'
make them of card or pasteboard instead of wood;, it might be said that
the blowers of accordions and other similar instruments are made of paste-
board, but to my knowledge larger instruments have not been thus made,
and these improvements have necessitated much study for producing.a

page_text: solid construction and practical results; and it is only by attending to
such small details that I found it possible to obtain such advantageous
results. The case stands thus:-In harmoniums the blowing apparatus
is the part that wears most especially at the hinge from which the
blowers are in some way suspended, and this part requires to be made
very strong. I obtain this result in the following way, which is shown
at Fig. 8-The two vertical parts of the hinge are joined above to
two solid pieces of wood a, a, connected by the hinge 6 and the skin
or leather c, whereby all escape of wind is avoided. In Fig. 9 the
vertical pleats or folds are also joined or not to the wood pieces as before,
but I also fit to its upper part a pin h on which the blower oscillates
without wear to the same and without noise, because the joint is properly
greased.
The folds of my blowers are numerous, and I will now describe the
importance of this part of my Invention. Figs. 10 and 11 represent the
old and the new blower, both having equal distance from a to. b, but
from the nature of my blowers the distance from b. to c varies to a
considerable extent and in proportion to the number of the folds, and
this in the useful moment, that is to say, when the blowers in closing
naturally lose their. power. By the foregoing the importance of a good
and powerful blower has been shown. Hitherto it has been a difficult
matter to reduce the size of the case, but by my Invention the same has
been overcome.
In Figs. 12, 13, and 14, a represents the part of the case that contains
the blowing apparatus; 6 that part which contains the keys, keyboard,
etc. Fig. 13 represents the blower when compressed and in repose.
Fig. 14 shews the blower, being in some sort part of it. It will be seen
that by the action of pushing the foot does not loose its weight, and this
is of an immense advantage, as hitherto the weight of the foot is
generally lost during the stroke; the least pressure of the foot produces
an effect upon the blower, whether slow, quick, light, or strong, the
action of the foot on the blower is instantaneous, and the intention as it
were of the performer being carried out immediately, and not after the
lapse of a shorter or longer time, but in the very moment it is intended.
Fig. 15 shows an arrangement of harmonium having the bellows
turned up out of the way, and Fig. 16 shows the same when in action,
the blowers being hinged on at a. I thereby obtain a smaller case. This
construction is more particularly applicable to small instruments with

page_text: a construction of this power and 1 stop. The blowing apparatus is
insufficient and fatiguing, but if the horizontal pedal blower has the
advantage of directly transmitting the impression of the artist by the
foot then it is impossible to use it because of its insufficiency, especially
when applied as shown at Fig. 17, where the capacity of the case is not
reduced, and in applying it with my system of suspension which I claim
as my Invention, if it reduces the capacity of the case, if it is suitable
for a 1 stop, I know that it is insufficient for an instrument having a
larger number of stops. Another inconvenience of the pedal blower
shown at Fig. 18 is as follows:-The pressure on it would be vertical if
the performer stood upright, and the weight of his body would assist in
the effort to produce compression of the air, but as the performer is in a
sitting posture he has no abutment as it were, and is obliged to exert a
large force, wherefore the fine and delicate modulations are impossible to
be obtained. My novel blowing apparatus is arranged in an entirely
different way, see Fig. 19; here the direction of the pressure is
reversed and moves in a circle round the centre a, which gives every
facility for the muscles of the leg; the chair or seat serves as an
abutment, and if the resistance to overcome were at its maximum at the
starting point b, where the muscles have all their power, the resistance
will always diminish as it approaches to c, where the leg and the blower
have produced their effect, the spring d being intended for re-expanding
the blower and naturally pushing back the leg, whereby the muscles are
allowed rest and are ready for the next stroke.
By the foregoing the great importance which I attach to this novel
blowing arrangement will be understood, which alone admits of power
without at all taking up more space, a solution of a problem till now
unattained, and which I shall once more illustrate by the following
examples, see Figs. 20, 21, and 22. The advantage of this blower of
large power and direct pressure would evidently cause a number of
imitations, and all means would be employed to imitate it under
other forms, and I think it useful to mention some constructions
which for a moment have appeared promising to me, but which I have
subsequently found far inferior to that just described. Fig. 23 shows
one such arrangement; here the blowers are of a quadrangular form and
vertical, with direct or indirect movement; this construction has the
fault of producing very sensible blows or jerks, and the upper part soon
wears out. Had I been able to compress them regularly their enormous

page_text: capacity would certainly have given good results. I therefore tried to
guide the blowers, see Fig. 24. a, a, are wheels, and b, b,.small rails on
which the wheels run; c, the blower; d, the solid back; and e, the pedal.
In spite of all these precautions the blower had always a tendency to
twist, thereby producing blows as aforesaid. I have replaced those
rollers and rails by a parallel motion without obtaining better results. I
have also tried the horizontal quadrangular blower without obtaining
satisfactory results, either when placing the blower near the bottom, as
shown at Fig. 27, or near the top, as shown at Fig. 26, or at the sound
board, as shown at Fig. 25, with this latter arrangement the keyboard is
in its usual place, the sound board is placed altogether above it, and the
blower occupies the space usually assigned to the latter; this construction
certainly admits of smaller dimensions, but still it causes a great length
of transmission. The two first parts of my Invention hence comprise,
first, the new blower; secondly, as a result a new form of instrument,
both of which I claim...
The third part of my Invention refers to a novel effect which I call
"double chant," consisting of means for detaching at the will of the
performer one or more notes throughout the keyboard, while giving all
the others a minor position, and. this not only in a neat and exact way for
the musical effect which it is desired to produce, but also that the
performer feels under his fingers the effect which he wants to produce.
In the piano, the organ, and' the harmonium the accompaniment drowns
the melody; in the organ it has been tried to remedy this by registers
and also by dividing the sound board lengthways into two parts, and by
some other means, only a general result has been obtained, that is to say,
if it is desired that the higher notes should predominate over the lower
several stops may be opened in the former and one at the latter; or if
the contrary effect is desired, which does not often happen, the opposite
operation may be performed, the same as for "fortes" when they are
divided in two parts, and act in a general way on half. the extent of the
keyboard, but this only gives a general and not a partial effect; what I
produce is a special effect inherent in the note I wish should predominate.
Supposing the five fingers of the hand each. to seek a key on the board,
then at the option of the performer one or more may produce a pre-
dominant note, the first finger may be dominant and the others ordinary.
I can successively add or unite all the others to it, and so for all the.
other fingers. I can make the thumb and the little finger on the right

page_text: or the left hand predominant together or separate. I choose these two
fingers because they are opposite and represent the extreme limits of the
hand, but all the other fingers have the same advantages; the right and
the left hand are also free and independent of each other, and the effect
produced by one does not interfere with the other. This want in the
organ and the difficulty in producing at will the predominant note have
been the object of many attempts, which I need not here enter into. I
myself and many others have naturally preferred the double depression,
but as hitherto made it offered serious inconveniences, so much so that
instead of adding to the effect by a simple mechanical addition special
stops were added, which if not used for this special effect rendered no
sort of service and became useless. I therefore set myself the double
aim of obtaining the "double chant," that is to say, one or more notes
predominating at will without detracting from the instrument all the
advantages which the number of stops give either while employing
this combination, which I call the "double chant," or when using the
instrument in the ordinary way. For this purpose I have devised a
special mechanism which in a clear and precise way indicates to the
performer the moment that the dominant note is going to sound without
fear of confusion, that is to say, without fear of sounding a dominant
note when on the contrary it should be a simple note.
Figs. 28 and 29, and 28 and 29ª, illustrate the manner in which this
part of my Invention may be carried into effect. a is the key tracker
which turns on the point e; b represents the valve or the valves of the
stops in front, c those of the stops at the back; d represents a series of
weights or springs, which do not act except when required, they are
mounted on a pin or joint f. If the performer wants to use the ordinary
instrument this pin or joint is lowered by means of a register, and the
valves have only the ordinary pressure of the ordinary springs; if on the
contrary the "double chant" is to be used the weights or springs are
lowered on to the valves that actuate the "double chant," and this double
pressure is indicated in a neat and precise way the moment you attack
a special stop, thus supposing an ordinary weight of 100 grammes on the
valves b and c, I should have to overcome a resistance of 200 grammes,
as in all instruments; only if I want to obtain the special stop for the
"double chant" I lower my series of weights or springs, and I then have
100 grammes on the front stops and 200 grammes on the back stops;

page_text: and this sensible increase of weight on the key shows clearly the exact
moment that I attack the stop thus rendered special. I assume here a
weight of 100 grammes as basis and the back stops as an example, but it
is understood that these weights are simply assumed figures, as they may
be more or less. I also assume the back stop, or the stops become
special, but I may obtain a similar result on the front stops, or in any
other position.
What I claim especially is the facility of voluntarily augmenting or
diminishing the pressure on the key or either of the valves, so that the
finger of the performer is made to feel the precise moment that the
"double chant" is to be obtained, and for causing this supplementary
pressure immediately to be taken off, and for restoring the original or
ordinary touch of the key, my Invention possessing this feature in contra,
distinction to all the hitherto attempted means where the pressure was
uniform, and could not be altered at the performer's will.
The fourth part of my Invention refers to the "fortes." In instru-
ments the length is generally divided into two parts above the keyboard,
and covered by a hinged flap, which is open more or less, and which is
called the forte. When this flap is completely closed the sound is
naturally low; the more it is opened the easier the sound escapes, but if
this flap or forte is of great length it is evident that when it is opened if
several notes are touched they become high or low according as the flap
is open or shut, but it is not possible to obtain simultaneously a high
and a low note. I have however remedied this defect in the following
manner, see Fig. 30-a is the top of the sound board; b, b, the valves of
the ordinary stops; c is a box divided into as many compartments as
there are notes, it is at its upper part pierced with openings corresponding
with the openings of the stops, and likewise covered with valves e, the
valves having stems d of this or other construction to allow the
valves and e to act together. It will be observed that the stems d
should be so short that the valves 6 may be raised enough to sound, but
not so as to lift the valves e; if it is desired to obtain the stronger
"forte" the double pressure lifts the valves e which produce the forte.
It will be observed that with this arrangement I obtain as much forte on
the note as I desire without affecting the adjoining note, and I have thus
sounds as subdued as I please according as I make the depth of this box
or as I cover it more or less with felt, and just in proportion to the

page_text: arrangement of this box the exit of the forte becomes more sensible as I
open the forte valve. I can place this arrangement of fortes either above
or below the keyboard.
Another part of my Invention consists in arranging a certain number
of blowers, by preference an uneven number, either blowers of my
Invention or ordinary blowers; by means of a cranked shaft, a handle,
and fly wheel I give these blowers alternative movements combined in
such a way as to avoid the puffs produced by ordinary blowers. The
latter part of my Invention consists of mechanical arrangement which I
apply to the ordinary pedals, and which has for its object to draw a pedal
before the other has produced all its useful effect, sec Fig. 31. If the
blower or the pedal a is provided with a bracket b it performs part of its
stroke before touching the pedal or blower c; it then drags it with it.
When the pedal a has come to the bottom of its stroke the blower c has
only performed part of its stroke, a rises by the force of its spring, while
the bracket d on the blower c pushes it in its turn; by this means there
is never one blower entirely shut and one entirely open, but both are
constantly working, in different degrees it is true, but still in a manner
that will produce a continuous flow of air hitherto so much desired to bo
obtained. I claim as this part of my Invention the use of any suitable
mechanical movement for obtaining this result by working the blowers
simultaneously before they have produced their whole useful effect.
In witness whereof, I, the said Hélène Alexandre, have hereunto
set my hand and scal, this First day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
HELENE ALEXANDRE. (L.S.)