Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Aug., 1886.
Complete Left, 24th May, 1887.
Complete Accepted, 24th June, 1887.
NŇ...
HERMANN SMITH 29 Shaftesbury Road, Hammersmith in the County of Middlesex,
Artist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My Invention relates firstly to a new mode of arranging the blowing apparatus, of
harmoniums, organs and like kind of musical instruments and adapting the same to
be operated by the player in an advantageous manner.
I use two detached feeders placing them within the supporting framework or case
in an upright but inclined position assigning the hinged part to the top and so
fixing the pair of feeders that they present the breadth of their front boards at an
angle inclining toward each other. The inclination of the backboards of the feeders
is such that in the fixed position within the case, the bottom edges diverge right and
left toward the back corners of the framework whilst the upper or hinged edges
approach or dip forward meeting at an angle centrally at the top level.
In consequence of the fixing of the backboards of the feeders in the inclined
position described the front or moveable boards fall forward by their own weight but
so adjusted that they are not allowed to fall to a vertical line and therefore the
feeders are maintained fully distended. Thus kept well within the vertical the front
boards which are provided with foot rests will when pressed describe in their motion
an upward arc and such it is easily seen is in faithful accordance with the natural
swing of the foot, which is radially from the player forward and upward.
The player obtains by this method of hanging the feeders a pleasant movement
for the feet, an easy leverage and a very sensitive hold upon the feeders. A long
feeder two feet or more can thus be used, having a fall of ten inches, giving ample

page_text: wind supply whilst by reason of the pendant arrangement the foot is relieved of the
weight of the board."
Springs inside or outside to act upon the feeders are not required although they
may be added if additional resistance is felt to be desirable. The intake of wind
is provided for at the backboards and connection with the wind chest whether direct
or through a reservoir is made by trunk work or by flexible tubing. The feeders
without intervening mechanism have motion communicated to them directly from the
feet placed upon foot rests affixed to the boards; but if a player accustomed to the
pressing down of harmonium foot boards prefers to continue such usago, a simple
oblique lever connexion is easily provided by means of which these feeders can be
agreeably actuated.
The second part of my Invention relates to the keyboard. Instead of making the
keys in the usual manner 1 divide oach key into two parts, and different woods
can be used for the fore part and the hind part and instead of balancing the key
upon the key pin rail on the under edge or lower level of the key, I raise tho
balancing point to the upper level of the key, obtaining a firmer bearing of the
key, avoiding the constant troubles arising from slackness and from friction.
The device for this purpose is a bearing slip of metal or of hardwood, which by
screws serves to connect the forepart and the hind part of the key. The slip is fitted
on the upper surface of the key, the key rail being correspondingly made higher than
usual so that the bearing level and the touch level of the key are equal.
A screw eye is substituted for the ordinary key pin, and having cloth washers
placed above and below, the tightness or the freedom of play can be regulated to a
nicety without any liability to jumping in action being possible. Any defect from
warping or twisting is readily remedied by means of the connecting screws of the
bearing slip, and the level of the front can be adjusted accurately without disturbing
the lovel of the lifting point at the far end of the key in its relation to the buttons of
the stickers which should rest truly upon the keys. These are matters of particular
importance when long keys are used and alike when a shifting key-board has to be
provided, because the utmost truth of level at the lifting points must be preserved else
the pitch in these wind instruments would be liable to vary with the shifting.
In the ordinary way the spacing of the fronts of the keys is regulated by knocking
with a hammer on one side with necessarily a deviation in the opposite direction follows
at the back ends. A possessor of an instrument can manage these new ways of
adjustment without calling in a skilled hand. Further to ensure regularity the oval
guide pins usually placed in the front rail are in my key board placed at the back set
in a rail at a suitable height. The oval pins I provide with a key hole slot to minimise
friction and above the slot on the surface a thin guide piece is fitted to aid the fine
regulation of the key. The key pins on the front rail are dispensed with and a swing
bar or a sliding wedge bar is placed beneath the front of the keys, nearly in line that
its rising or lifting edgo may come under and meet the points of the sharps when they
are depressed, this bar in fact performs the office of the touch rail and can be lifted or
adjusted in minute degrees by screw, cam or similar device, so as to alter the depth
of touch for particular effects as occasion requires.
Upon this method of constructing I am able to use with advantage black wood or
ebony for the fore-part of the keys of both the naturals and the sharps of the key
board and I make up the naturals with ivory or xylonite veneers on the sides of the
key, and the sharps I make up with a veneer or an inlay of a strip of ivory or
xylonite on the top and front theroof somewhat after the style in vogue in the
previous centuries although differing in the details and design.
In these black and fancy styles the back portion of the key is made of ordinary
plain wood, thus considerable saving in the cost is effected.
Key-boards of the new construction are specially suited to the small instruments
having my compacted tier system of pallets within wind chests now to be described.
Thirdly-The next improvements are in the pallet and sticker arrangements in
the wind chest (sometimes called the sound board).

page_text: My wind chest is set up vertically above the key-board, the necessary connexion
with the bellows being provided for and the length of such wind chest corresponds or
nearly so to the length of the key-board.
The chief feature of the improvements consists in the arrangement or grouping of
the pallets in tiers within the wind chest ensuring at the same time that each sticker
action from the keys meets directly the stem or central line of its proper pallet.
The central line of each pallet is immediately over the central line of each key but
instead of being restricted in the pallet work as in harmoniums and reed organs to
the half inch key space my tior arrangement of pallets whilst confined to the extent
of the key-board enables me to command a greater space for each pallet and to use
a large pallet.
The method is altogether different from the pipe organ plan of laying out series in
order of sizes of pipes and of interposed diminishing ranks. By my plan I preserve
in each tier a particular relation to the scale of notes, each adjacent pallet throughout
the tier standing in the relation as regards the notes they govern of minor third,
major third, fourth, tritone fifth or other interval selected according to the size of
pallet which I determine upon securing for the particular stop. Thus whatever the
size allotted, that size is common to all the pallets of the series of tiers forming the
stop, the quality of which must in grent measure depend upon the size allotted, or in
other terms upon the space given up to each note and each note has its separate
pallet. For example if the consecutive order in a tier is such that adjacent pallets all
through govern notos standing in the relation of major thirds to each other as
C, E, G, it follows that four tiors are required and that the size of each pallet
may be equal to the space occupied by four keys, that is to say two inchos is
allowed to cach pallet which means as will be seen that each channel or reed box may
alike be two inches in width.
The wind chest is made only of sufficient size that it may contain the stickers
held in a rack or frame and the pallets in tiers with room for lifting by sticker
action on their stems. Each sticker has a tapped wire passing through a bushed
hole in the bottom of wind chest and outside a button on the point of the wire is
regulated to meet the end of the key, whilst the upper end of the sticker meets the
pallet stem.
The back of the wind chest may be solid or it may be a hollow framed board (as in
my Patent set forth No. 68 of 1880) according as the character of the stop is
designed but the front has as many distinct boards as there are tiers called pallet
boards, and each is fitted on a leather bed so that it can be detached with all its
pallets and reed boxes and any requirement be easily attended to. These boards
may be placed vertical or at an inclination outwards, and in either case the wind
chest is shaped suitably to take them. They may be solid or may be made up as a
rack, if solid then holes are cut to be covered by the pallets, if as a rack the pallets
cover the separated spaces and bed upon the bars, or there is an intermediate veneer.
or plate, or shaped bed over or upon which the pallets are fitted.
The pallot being made large is a provision that it may fall promptly by its own
weight and be held close by reason of the area it affords to the pressure of the
enclosed air.
The stem projects from the hinged end of the pallet forward, over and beyond the free
end of pallet so that the sticker can engage and by pushing up the stem lift the pallet.
One important feature of the system is that the pallet should fall on an inclined
surface, therefor stem and pallet together form or enclose an angle, considerably less
than a right angle, and if instead of an inclined front of wind chest an upright front
is used as in some instances it may be then a bed rest for the pallet is provided by a
triangular or wedge shaped piece af wood being mounted, and pierced with holes to
meet the holes in the front board.
These conditions are essential to the true fitting and working of the pallets which
do not rely upon spring pressure for their true closure, indeed the only spring used
is very light and only serves to check rebound or displacement.

page_text: The reeds and reed-boxes are affixed outside over the orifices cut or formed in the
front boards of the wind chest and will be described in a later section.
This peculiar vertical arrangement whilst it reduces the depth of an instrument
increases the height according to the number of tiers comprising the stop. For
instance in an arrangement governing minor thirds, three tiers would be required,
permitting of pallets an inch and a half in width, and for the augmented fourth six
tiers permitting pallets full three inches in width. But I am able to reduce height
and enlarge depth a little whilst still keeping to the method by disposing tiers both
front and back, a four tier arrangement is thus converted into two tiers in duplicate
level, and the compactness that may thus be given to small instruments is obvious,
whilst the gain of a large air space for cach note enriches the quality of the instrument
to a very remarkable degree. A whole stop on this system of construction can
advantageously he placed over the key boards in pipe organs and will afford quite a
new quality of tono contrasted with pipe tone.
In developing the application of the system especially that just described as
employing duplicate levels, I make small and portable instruments of three octaves
more or less to which I give the name "concert regals" as representatives of the
clarionet, horn, flute, oboe and bassoon respectively fitted to take the parts of these
orchestral instruments in concert and chamber music.
The portability is further cared for by making each instrument so that the upper
portion, that is to say the key-board, wind chest and appurtenances can be readily
detached from the lower portion holding the bellows or feeders.
This is accomplished by means of dovetail runners and grooves or similar device,
whereby also another object is attained namely the temporary adjustment of the
key-board during playing to a centralized relatedness to the player such as the piano-
key-board presents.
All the upper part is therefore slid along on the lower portion a few inches to tho
right hand and then so stands that middle c is found by the player in the usual
position, else on these essentially solo and treble instruments the notes would
seemingly be played in the bass region of sounds a contradiction of habit somewhat
inconvenient to the player.
As the clarionet and the horn are transposing instruments they are necessarily
provided with a shifting key-board, which is caused to move within the main frame
on which the wind chest finds support.
In the larger development of the system to organs of full scale and to those in
which two manuals are provided, the wind chests are placed back to back and in case
of more stops than one to each manual they are placed one above the other and the
stickers made to pass through bushed holes in top of wind chest so as to come into
contact with the action work of the stop above. So also as in organs of this class the
restriction of the length so as only to equal that of key-board need not be maintained,
therefore it is provided that by means of roller board action, the half inch scale may
be converted into one inch scale and thus the full five octave scale will occupy
something under six feet an extent which can usually be allowed without
inconvenience.
Thus still keeping the vertical tier arrangement and the two inch width for each
pallet and note the serial contiguity of major thirds is replaced by one of major
seconds, or a series governing augmented fourths becomes an arrangement of a series
governing minor thirds with no retrenchment of the allotted spaces of three inches.
The custom of having graduated sizes as in pipes of pipe organs may on occasion
be followed but it should be but partially admitted reducing the sizes only at the
upper treble and giving the equivalent addition of space to the bass. My experience
with free reeds proves that on the whole in stops of fine quality a just balance of
tone is attained by equal or nearly equal apportionments of space and it is in view
of that result that my vertical tier system has been cheifly devised.
The system can be readily adjusted so as to give a distinct wind chest to each tier,
a modification occasionally useful in the larger style of organs.

page_text: It should be noticed that for organs with pedal-board the arrangement described in
the first part of the feeders and the mode of working them will be found particularly
advantageous.
The last improvement to be described relates to the reed-boxes and their interior
adjuncts. A whole series of boxes may be uniform in shape and size or may be
graduated in sizes more or less but in either case any newly devised construction of
Boxes includes several parts capable of being very accurately adjusted and these
together and in combination constitute the means by which the strength of tone, the
quality of tone and the fulness or volume of tone are modified and they are in all
particulars available for the exercise of the voicers skill so that the character of any
stop and the balance of the scale can be altogether altered at pleasure.
Different shapes of boxes may be adopted according to the character of tone it is
intended to develope. The shape of box I prefer to use on account of the facilities it
affords under my treatement is a quarter of the octagon, after that the shape to bo
chosen might be a quarter of a circle or again some select triangular form and use
will soon shew why these and similar shapes are the most convenient.
Anything approaching to pipe length after the manner of organ pipes should be
avoided and indeed tubular forms are the least desirable because of liability to be
affected in pitch by changes of temperature.
A box like form suits roeds best.
The back of the box serves as the reed plate or for fixing the same and the reed is
screwed to it, and the plate covers the aperture in the wind chest.
Inside the box the orifice through which the air passes after setting the reed in
vibration is partially occluded by a small slider which is regulated and fixed by a
screw eye and preferably the slider is made of ivory or xylonito.
There are also within the box two or more other adjustable pieces which I call
impact plates and the position of these, their height and angle of inclination are
varied as the skill of the voicer determines and these plates can afterwards be fixed in
position.
The lid of the box is fitted to allow of regulation in the extent to which it is set
open, or if it is closed then an orifice made in the lid gives free exit for the tone and
the size of the opening may be varied by adding a slider for that purpose.
Also an extra slide is sometimes arranged in the front of hox.
Notwithstanding that the reed boxes are alike in dimensions throughout the series
the differences of pitch to which they have to conform are accomodated through these
various devices and the aptness of their adjustments.
The width of boxes allowed upon this tier system enables me to use with advantage
two of my former Inventions, the double reeds described in my Patent No. 227
of 1878, and the variety of broad reeds described in my Patent No. 7777 of 1884 and
further I avail myself of the width of the reed plate to introduce on the plate a reed
or reeds additional such as the octave and the twelfth to the original reed, thus
acquiring a compound tone often desired.
The front board of the wind chest has upon it a clip bar into which the bottom edge
of the reed plate which is bevilled fits and a brass screw eye at the top fixes the plate
air-tight by a single turn.
The reed boxes with their reeds are entirely under command, can be taken off the
wind chest for tuning and replaced without trouble.
In stops for the quality of which the proper adjusted positions of the several impact
plates have been decided upon, the reed boxes may for facility or convenience of
manufacture be originally made up with one or more of these impact plates
permanently fixed leaving sufficient devices at command for the final art of the voicer.
And the reed boxes need not necessarily be separate boxes, each detachable if it is
more conducible to economy, they may for soine stops be made up in series in block
form and suitable modifications be arranged for manipulating the reeds.
The tiers of boxes are covered by a silked shade only for the muffings and
enclosures with which reed tones are commonly treated are here unnecessary and

page_text: would spoil the qualities of tone and limit the full expression of the instrument which
is almost life like in sensitiveness. For this reason my Organs have the distinguishing
"Vivatone Organs."
name
The several parts of my Invention may be used separately or in combination and
are applicable, or some of them to organs, harmoniums, reed organs and like instru-
ments of various naunes, whether they are operated by the agency of compressed air
or by suction.

page_text: other similar Musical Instruments.
HERMANN SMITH. 29 Shaftesbury Road Hammersmith County of Middlesex,
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
stutement:
This Invention relates to certain improvements in connection with Harmoniums,
Organs, or other wind Instruments, and is designed for improving the quality of tone
derived from the reeds, and obtaining more variety and fullness of sound together with
improved details in the mechanical construction of such instruments, and by reason
of the compactness of the arrangements, producing small instruments capable of
representing or taking the place of some orchestral wind instruments.
In order that the Invention may be well understood and explained in detail, I have
hereunto annexed a Sheet of Drawings, on which letters of reference are marked on
corresponding parts on all the Figs. alike.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1. represents as an example, a vertical section of an instrument constructed
in accordance with the general features of this Invention.
Fig. 2 represents a diagram plan view of the front moveable portion of the feeders,
showing the position they assume in relation to the player.
Fig. 3 represents a vertical end section of one of the reed boxes.
Firstly The Invention relates to a new mode of arranging the blowing apparatus,
of harmoniums, Organs, and like kind of musical instruments, and adapting the same
to be operated by the player in an advantageous manner.
I use two detached feeders placing them within the supporting framework or
case A in an upright but inclined position, assigning the hinged part to the top, and
so fixing the pair of feeders that they present the breadth of their front boards at an
angle inclining towards each other vido Fig. 2. The inclination of the backboards
of the feeders is such that in the fixed position within the case, the bottom edges
diverge centrally right and left toward the back corners of the framework whilst the
upper or hinged edges, approach or dip forward meeting at an angle, centrally at the
top level.
In consequence of the fixing of the backboards of the feeders in the inclined
position described, the front or movable boards a fall forward by their own weight;
but so adjusted that they are not allowed to fall to a vertical line and therefore the
feeders are maintained fully distended.
Thus kept well within the vertical, the front boards, which are provided with foot
rests a will when pressed describe in their motion an upward arc, and such it is easily
"

page_text: seen is in faithful accordance with the natural swing of the foot, which is radially
from the player forward and upward.
The player obtains by this method of hanging the feeders, a pleasant movement for
the feet, any easy leverage, and a very sensitive hold upon the feeders.
A long feeder two feet or more can thus be used, having a fall of ten inches, giving
ample wind supply, whilst by reason of the pendant arrangement, the foot is relieved
of the weight of the board.
Springs inside or outside to act upon the feeders are not required, although they
may be added if additional resistance is felt to be desirable.
The intake of wind is provided for at the backboards a³, and connection with the
wind chest whether direct or through a reservoir is made by trunk work or by flexible
tubing b.
The feeders without intervening mechanisin have motion communicated to them
directly from the feet placed upon foot rests a' affixed to the boards a; but if a player
accustomed to the pressing down of harmonium foot boards prefers to continue such
usage, a simple oblique or toggle jointed lever connexion is easily provided by means
of which these feeders can be agreeably actuated.
The second part of my Invention relates to the keyboard. Instead of making the
keys in the usual manner, I divide ouch key into two parts e and c¹, and different
woods can be used for the fore part and the hind part, and instead of balancing the
key upon the key pin rail on the under edge or lower level of the key, I raise the
balancing point to the upper level of the key as at d obtaining a firmer bearing of
the key, avoiding the constant troubles arising from slackness, and from friction.
The device for this purpose is a bearing slip of metal, or of hard wood & which by
scrows serves to connect the fore part e with the hind part c¹ of the key.
The slip is fitted on the upper surface of the key, the key rail being correspondingly
made higher than usual so that the bearing level, and the touch level of the key are
equal.
A screw eye is substituted for the ordinary key pin, and having cloth washers placed
above and below, the tightness or the freedom of play can be regulated to a nicety
without any liability to jumping in action being possible. Any defect from
warping or twisting is readily remedied by means of the connecting screws of
the bearing slip d', and the level of the front can be adjusted accurately without
disturbing the level of the lifting point at the far end of the key in its relation to the
buttons of the stickers which should rest truly upon the koys. These are matters of
particular importance when long keys are used, and alike when a shifting key board
has to be provided, because the utmost truth of level at the lifting points must be
preserved, else the pitch in these wind instruments would be liable to vary with the
shifting.
In the ordinary way the spacing of the fronts of the keys is regulated by knocking
with a hammer on one side, when necessarily a deviation in the opposite direction,
follows at the back onds.
A possessor of an instrument can manage these new ways of adjustment, without
calling in a skilled hand. Further to ensure regularity, the oval guide pins e, usually
placed in the front rail are in my key board placed at the back, set in a rail at a
suitable height. The oval pins I provide with a key hole slot to minimise friction,
and above the slot on the surface, a thin guide piece is or may be fitted to aid the
fine regulation of the key. The key pins on the front rail are dispensed with, and a
swing bar for a sliding wedge bar is placed beneath the front of the keys nearly in
line, that its rising or lifting edge may come under and meet the points of the slurps
when they are depressed, this bar in fact performs the office of the touch rail, and can
be lifted or adjusted in minute degrees, by screw, cam, or similar device, so as to
alter the depth of touch for particular effects as occasion requires.
Upon this method of constructing I am able to use with advantage blackwood or
ebony for the fore part of the keys, of both the naturals and the sharps of the
keyboard, and I make up the naturals with ivory or xylonite veneers on hoth
sides of the key, and the sharps I make up with a voneer or an inlay of a

page_text: strip of ivory, or xylonite on the top and front thereof somewhat after the style in
vogue in the previous centuries although differing in the detail and design.
In these black and fancy styles, the back portion of the key is, or may be made of
ordinary plain wood, thus considerable saving in the cost is effected.
Key boards of the new construction are specially suited to the small instruments
having my compacted tier system of pallets within wind chests, now to be described.
Thirdly: The next improvements are in the pallet and sticker arrangements in the
wind chest (sometimes called the sound board).
My wind chest g is set up vertically above the key board, the necessary connexion
with the bellows being provided for and the length of such wind chest corresponds,
or nearly so to the length of the key board.
The chief feature of the Improvements consists in the arrangement or grouping of
the pallets in tiers within the wind chest ensuring at the same time that each sticker
action from the keys, meets directly the stem or central line of its proper pallet.
The central line of each pallet is immediately over the central line of each key, but
instead of being restricted in the pallet work as in harmoniums and reed organs to the
half inch key space, my tier arrangement of pallets whilst confined to the extent of
the key board, enables me to command a greater space for each pallet, and to use a
large pallet.
The method is altogether different from the pipe organ plan, of laying out series in
order of sizes of pipes, and of interposed diminishing ranks.
By my plan I preserve in each tier a particular relation to the scale of notes, cach
adjacent pallet throughout the tier standing in the relation as regards the notos they
govern, of minor third, major third, fourth, tritone, fifth, or other interval selected,
according to the size of pallet which I determine upon securing for the particular stop.
Thus whatever the size allotted, that size is common to all the pallets of the series of
tiers forming the stop, the quality of which must in great measure depend upon the
size allotted, or in other terms upon the space given up to each note, and each note
has its separate pallet.
For example if the consecutive order in a tier is such that adjacent pallets all
through govern notes standing in the relation of major thirds to each other
as C. E. GE it follows that four tiers are required, and that the size of cach pallet
may be equal to the space occupied by four keys, that is to say two inches is allowed
to each pallet, which means as will be seen, that each channel or reed box may alike,
be two inches in width.
The wind chest is made only of sufficient size, that it may contain the lifting wire
or stickers, held in a rack or frame, and tho pallets in tiers with room for lifting by
sticker action on their stems. Each sticker has a screwed wire passing through a
bushed hole in the bottom of wind chest, and outside a button fitted on the point of
the wire is regulated to meet the end of the key, whilst the upper end of the sticker
meets the pallet stem.
The back of the wind chest may be solid, or it may be a hollow framed board (as
in my Patent set forth No. 68 of 1880) according as the character of the stop is
designed, but the front has as many distinct boards as there are tiers, called pallet
boards, and each is fitted on a leather bed so that it can be detached with all its pallets
and reed boxes, and any requirement easily be attended to. These boards may be
placed vertical, or at an inclination outwards, and in either case the wind chest is
shaped suitably to take them. They may be solid or may be made up as a rack, if
solid then holes are cut to be covered by the pallets, if as a rack, the pallets cover the
separated spaces, and bed upon the bars, or there is an intermediate veneer or plate,
or shaped bed over or upon which the pallets are fitted.
The pallet being made large is a provision that it may full promptly by its own
weight, and be held close by reason of the area it affords to the pressure of the
enclosed air.
The stem ¹ projects from the hinged end of the pallet forward, over and beyond
the free end of the pallet so that the sticker can engage, and by pushing up the stem,
lift the pallet.

page_text: One important feature of the system is that the pallet should fall on an inclined
surface, therefore stem and pallet together form or enclose an angle, considerably less
than a right angle, and if instead of an inclined front of wind chest, an upright front
is used, as in some instances it may be, then a bed rest for the pallet is provided by a
triangular or wedged shape piece of wood being mounted, and pierced with holes, to
meet the holes in the front board.
These conditions are essential to the true fitting and working of the pallets, which
do not rely upon spring pressure for their true closure, springs indeed may be entirely
lispensed with when the pallets are thus inclined, or if used the spring need only be
very light so as to serve only to check rebound or displacement. It is however for
convenience sake, and to meet the exigencies of space, expedient to allow a stop or
stops so arranged that the pallets are in a horizontal position or nearly so; and in
such caso the pallets still fall and hold their place by gravity, but the closure is not so
steady nor the fitting generally so sound, and therefore light springs become almost a
necessity for ensuring soundness of wind.
The reeds and reed boxes are affixed outside over the orifices cut or formed in the
front boards of the wind chest, and will be described in a later section.
The position of the wind chests may of course be varied, and the pallets be actuated
by a pulling up, as by a pushing action, according as the convenience of organ
arrangement may determine.
This peculiar vertical arrangement whilst it reduces the depth of an instrument
increases the height according to the number of tiers comprising the stop. For
instance in an arrangement governing minor thirds, three tiers would be
required, permitting of pallets an inch and a half in width, and for the
augmented fourth six tiers, permitting pallets full three inches in width.
But I am able to reduce height and enlarge depth a little whilst still keeping to the
method by disposing tiers both front and back, a four tier arrangement is thus
converted into two tiers in duplicate level, as in design shewn at Fig. 1, and the
compactness that may thus be given to small instruments is obvious, whilst the gain
of a large air space for each note enriches the quality of the instrument to a very
remarkable degree. A whole stop on this system of construction can advantageously
be placed over the keyboards in pipe organs, and will afford quite a new quality of
tone contrasted with pipe tone.
In developing the application of the system especially that just described as
employing duplicate levels, I make small and portable instruments of three octaves
more or less, to which I give the name concert regals as representatives of the
clarionet, horn, Auto, oboe, and bassoon respectively, fitted to take the parts of these
orchestral instruments in concert and chamber music.
The portability is further cared for by making each instrument so that the upper
portion, that is to say the keyboard, wind chest and appurtenances can be readily
detached from the lower portion holding the bellows or feeders.
This is accomplished by means of dovetail runners and grooves or similar device,
whereby also another object is attained namely the temporary adjustment of the key
board during playing to a centralized relatedness to the player such as the piano key
board presents.
All the upper part is therefore slid along on the lower portiou a few inches to the
right hand, and then so stands that middle cis found by the player in the usual central
position, alse on these essentially solo and treble instruments, the notes would seemingly
be placed in the bass region of sounds, a contradiction of habit somewhat inconvenient
to the player.
As the clarionet and the horn are transposing instruments, they are necessarily
provided with a shifting key board which is caused to move within the main frame
on which the wind chest finds support.
In the larger development of the system to organs of full scale, and to those in
which two manuals are provided, the several separate wind chests are placed back to
back, and in case of more stops than one to each manual, they are placed one above
the other, and the stickers made to pass through bushed holes in top of wind chest

page_text: so as to come into contact with the action work of the stop above. So also as in Organs
of this class, the restriction of the length, so as only to equal that of keyboard need
not be maintained, therefore it is provided that by means of roller board action, the
half inch scale may be converted into one inch scale, and thus the full five octave
scale will occupy something under six feet, an extent which can usually be allowed
without inconvenience.
Thus still keeping the vertical tier arrangement and the two inch width for each
pallet and note, the serial contiguity of major thirds is replaced by one of major
seconds, or a series governing augmented fourths becomes an arrangement of a series
governing minor thirds, with no retrenchment of the allotted spaces of three inches.
The custom of having graduated sizes as in pipes of pipe organs may on occasion be
followed; but it should be but partially admitted reducing the sizes only at the upper
treble and giving the equivalent addition of space to the bass.
My experience with free reeds proves that on the whole, in stops of fine quality
a just balance of tone is attained by equal or nearly equal apportionments of space,
and it is in view of that result that my vertical tier system has been chiefly
devised.
The system can be readily adjusted so as to give a distinct wind chest to each tier,
a modification occasionally useful in the larger style of organs.
It should be noticed that for organs with pedal board arrangement described in
the first part of the feeders, and the mode of working them will be found particularly
advantageous.
The last improvement to be described relates to the reed boxes and their interior
adjuncts as shewn at Fig. 3. A whole series of boxes may be uniform in shape and
size or may be graduated in sizes more or less, but in either case, my newly devised
construction of boxes includes several parts capable of being very accurately adjusted,
and these together and in combination constitute the means by which the strength of
tone, the quality of tone, and the fullness or volume of tone are modified, and they are
in all particulars available for the exercise of the voicers skill, so that the character of
any stop, and the balance of the scale can be altogether altered at pleasure.
Different shapes of boxes may be adopted according to the character of tone it is
intended to develope. The shape of box I prefer to use on account of the facilities it
affords under my treatment is a quarter of the octagon, as shewn at Fig. 3, after that
the shape to be chosen might be a quarter of a circle, or again some select triangular
forn, and use will soon show why these and similar shapes are the most convenient.
Anything approaching to pipe length, after the manner of organ pipes should
be avoided, and indeed tubular forms are the least desirable because of liability to be
affected in pitch by changes of temperature. A box like form suits reeds best.
The back of the box & serves as the reed plate, or for fixing the same, and the
reed is screwed to it, and the plate covers the aperture in the wind chest.
Inside the box, the orifice through which the air passos after setting the reed in
vibration is partially occluded by a small slider m which is regulated and fixed by a
screw cyc, and preferably the slide is made of ivory or xylonite.
73
There are also within the box two or more other adjustable pieces, which I call
impact plates and n' and the position of these, their height and angle of inclination
are varied as the skill of the voicer determines, and these plates can afterwards be
fised in position. The mouth plate or lid of the box o is fitted to allow of regulation
in the extent to which it is set open, or if it is closed, then an orifice made in the lid
gives free exit for the tone, and the size of the opening may be varied, by adding a
slidor o for that purpose, also an extra slide may be sometimes arranged in the front
of box.
Notwithstanding that the reed boxes are, alike in dimensions throughout the series,
the differences of pitch to which they have to conform are accomodated through these
various devices, and the aptness of their adjustments.
The width of boxes allowed upon this tier system, enables me to use with advantage
two of my former Inventions, the double reeds described in my Patent No. 227 of
1878 and the variety of broad reeds described in my Patent No. 7777 of 1884, and

page_text: further I avail myself of the width of the reed plate, to introduce on the plate another
reed or reeds additional, such as those giving the octave, and the twelfth to the original
reed, thus acquiring a compound tone often desired.
The front board of the wind chest has upon it a clip bar, into which the bottom
edge of the reed plate which is bevilled fits, and a brass screw eye at the top fixes it to
the front board air tight by a single turn, or as a modification slots may be formed in
the bottom edge of the plate to fit on taper heads of screws fixed in the board, which
screws can be tightened up so as to keep all air tight.
The reed boxes with their reeds are entirely under command, can be taken off the
wind chest for tuning and replaced without trouble.
In stops for the quality of which the proper adjusted positions of the several impact
plates have been decided upon, the reed boxes may for facility or convenience of
inanufacture be originally made up with one or more of these impact plates permanently
fixed leaving sufficient devices at command for the final art of the voicer. And the
reed boxes need not necessarily be separate boxes each detachable, if it is more
conducible to economy, they may for some stops ho made up in series in block form,
and suitable modifications be arranged for manipulating the reeds.
The tiers of boxes are covered by a silked shade only, for the mufflings and enclosures
with which reed tones are commonly treated, are here unnecessary, and would spoil
the qualities of tone, and limit the full expression of the instrument which is almost
life like, in sensitiveness. For this reason my Organs have the distinguishing name
"Vivatone Organs."
The several parts of my Invention may be used separately, or in combination, and
are applicable, or some of them to organs, harmoniums, reed organs, and like
instruments of various names, whether they are operated by the agency of compressed
air, or by suction.
Having now particularly described, and ascertained the nature of my said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :—
1. In Harmoniums, Organs, or such like wind instruments, the construction, and
adaptation thereto, of feeder bellows, so placed, and inclined in position relatively to the
player, that the feet pressing on the attachod foot, rests, push the front board of such
feeders, directly away from the player, divergently right or left, describing in their
action, an upward are of movement, substantially as described herein, and shewn in the
drawings annexed.
2. The making of the keys for such instruments in two parts, cach key divided at
the balance rail, and connected at the top, by a rigid strip of metal, wood or other
substance, whereby the levels of each portion front or back can be regulated,
substantially as described.
3. The arrangement of pallets within the wind chest or sound board, in series of
tiers, cach tier preserving particular relation to the scale of notes, for the purpose of
obtaining wide spaces for air chambers for each note, substantially as described
horein.
4. The method of duplicating such tiers of pallet work back and front, and their
particular application to small instruments, and instruments designed in such a manner,
as to represent orchestral instruments, substantially as described herein.
5. The novel construction and arrangement of reed boxes, or air chambers, with
their variable and adjustable "impact plates," substantially as described herein.