Certain Improvements in Pedal Attachments for Reed Organs.
Year: 1887

page_text: Certain Improvements in Pedal Attachments for Reed Organs.
I LAWRENCE ALONZO SUBERS of Phoebus, Elizabeth City County State of
Virginia United States of America Gentleman 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 object of my Invention, is to provide a pedal attachment which can be used in
connection with any ordinary organ and which while comparatively inexpensive will
afford the same facilities for pedal practice as the pedal structure of an expensive
organ. This object I attain in the manner which I will now proceed to set forth,
reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which :-
Figure 1 is a view showing an ordinary form of reed organ with my improved
pedal attachment.
Figure 2 is a detached perspective view of the attachment with a portion of the
covering removed to show the internal construction.
Figure 3 is a longitudinal section of the pedal attachment on a larger scale than
Figures 1 and 2.
Figure 4 is a plan view on the same scale as Figure 3 but also having a portion
of the covering removed to expose the interior construction.
Figure 5 is a detached sectional view on an enlarged scale of part of the attachment.
The fixed framework of my improved attachment comprises opposite end bars and
transverse connecting bars ³, suitably located, and properly secured together to
insure the desired rigidity of said fixed frame. At each end of the rigid frame is an
adjustable strip a which has inwardly projecting tongues a adapted to suitable guide
openings in the fixed frame, these adjustable end strips permitting the frame of the
attachment to be expanded to suit instruments of different widths in connection with
which the attachment may have to be used.
In order to close at the front the space between the fixed frame and the end strip a
when the latter is drawn out, a folding wing strip bis hung to the front end of each

page_text: strip a this wing strip being turned in against the end bar of the fixed frame after the
adjustable end strip has been withdrawn to the desired extent.
Figure 4 shows two different adjustments the movable end strip at one end of the
frame being fully withdrawn and that at the other end partially withdrawn.
Between the reed board d and the top board d' at the rear of the attachment is a
vacuum chamber f, which communicates through lateral passages f¹ with a vacuum
box A, the latter being in communication through a tube B with the vacuum box or
chest C of the organ.
That portion of the pedal structure which contains the vacuum box A is beyond the
front of the lower portion or box of the organ case, so that facilities are afforded
for the ready attachment of the ends of the tube B to the casing of the pedal struc-
ture, and also to the underside of the projecting vacuum chest of the organ.
As a means of effecting this attachment I prefer to use a piece of rubber tubing,
which fits snugly at each end in a central opening in a plate g, the plates being secured
by screws to the casing h of the pedal structure and to the underside of the vacuum
chest C of the organ, and suitable packing being interposed between the plates and
casings, so that no particular care need be taken in forming the opening in the casing h
or in the underside of the vacuum chest, the ends of the flexible and elastic tubes
being slightly compressed in forcing them into the openings in the plates g so as to
ensure the necessary tight fit.
The action of the regular bellows of the organ thus provides for the maintenance of
a partial vacuum in the chamber f. If desired, the vacuum box A may extend
entirely across the frame of the attachment and may communicate with the vacuum
chest of the organ at each end of the latter, instead of at one end only, as shewn.
The reed board d carries in the present instance two sets of reed blocks F and G,
the reeds of one block being of higher power than those of the other and each valve
controls two openings, one for a reed of each block. Each reed block is provided
with a stop valve m connected by a suitable rod to a knob m³ conveniently located at
the front of the pedal structure, so that either of these valves may be opened or closed,
as the performer may desire. By this means, either set of reeds may be used or both
sets may be used together; hence the power of the attachment may be so regulated
as so harmonize perfectly with the power of the organ in connection with which the
attachment is used.
If desired, only one set of reeds may be provided with a stop, the other set being
always in action and the power of the attachment being regulated by throwing the
stopped set into or out of action, or more than two sets of reeds may be used, if
desired, each set, or all of the sets but one being provided with a stop valve.
The pedals H are hung at their front ends to a pivot rod n and are acted upon by
springs n' tending to elevate their inner ends which act upon the levers J, the latter
in turn acting upon the valve pins p. Each lever J is recessed on its underside for
the reception of the pivot rod s and a spring t carried by the lever, bears against this
pivot rod and prevents the accidental detaching of the lever J therefrom, but permits
it to be readily detached when occasion requires.
The above described attachment forms a self-contained structure, which can be
made at small cost, and can be used in connection with any ordinary form of organ,
the attachment being simply inserted beneath the organ, so as to serve as a pedestal
or foundation for the latter. When this has been effected, all that remains to be done
in order to render the attachment operative is to provide a connection between the
vacuum box of the attachment and the vacuum chest of the organ and this can be
effected in a few moments by means of the devices described all of the connections
being outside of the organ case and readily accessible.
I thus construct a cheap attachment, which can be used with any organ, and
which provides the organist with the same facilities for pedal practice as are now
provided by expensive pedal organs.
In cases where the organ is constructed on the forced blast, instead of on the
vacuum principle, the arrangement of the reeds and valve mechanism may be
modified to accord with this change.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said Invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :-
:-
First. The combination in a pedal attachment for organs of the fixed frame and
adjustable end strips whereby the attachment is adapted for use with organs of
different widths substantially as described.
Second. The combination in a pedal attachment for organs of the fixed frame the
adjustable end strips, and the folding wing pieces substantially as described.
Third. The combination of a reed organ having a vacuum or pressure chest, a
pedal attachment having a vacuum or pressure box, and a pipe or tube located outside
of the organ casing and forming a communication between the vacuum or pressure
box of the attachment and that of the organ substantially as described.
Fourth. The combination of the vacuum or pressure chest of the organ or pedal
attachment, the flexible connecting tube, and a connecting plate secured to the
casing of said vacuum chest and having an opening for the reception of said tube
substantially as described.
Fifth. The combination of an organ with a pedal attachment having two or more
sets of reeds, valves and pedals controlling the action of the reeds, and a stop or stops
whereby one or more of the sets of reeds may be rendered mute substantially as
described.
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