IMPROVEMENTS IN AMERICAN ORGANS, HARMONIUMS, PIANOFORTES, PIANOFORTES & AMERICAN ORGANS COMBINED, & PIANOFORTES & HARMONIUMS COMBINED, OR OTHER REED INSTRUMENTS WITH ONE OR MORE SETS OF KEYS."
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Green and Charles Savage, American Organ &
Pianoforte Makers, of North West Gate, Cattle Market, Islington, Middlesex,
for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AMERICAN ORGANS, HARMONIUMS,
PIANOFORTES, PIANOFORTES & AMERICAN ORGANS COMBINED, & PIANOFORTES
& HARMONIUMS COMBINED, OR OTHER REED INSTRUMENTS WITH ONE OR
MORE SETS OF KEYS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Green and Charles
Savage at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th March
1881.
GEORGE GREEN and CHARLES SAVAGE, American Organ & Pianoforte Makers,
of North West Gate, Cattle Market, Islington, Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
AMERICAN ORGANS, HARMONIUMS, PIANOFORTES, PIANOFORTES & AMERICAN
ORGANS COMBINED, & PIANOFORTES & HARMONIUMS COMBINED, OR OTHER REED
INSTRUMENTS WITH ONE OR MORE SETS OF KEYS."
The objects of our Inventions are to construct a suction or exhaust bellows, also
a force or harmonium bellows, so as to be able to reduce size of case of American
organ, harmonium, or other reed instruments, without in any way diminishing the
supply of wind, also to produce a smooth, soft, & pipelike tone in a harmonium or
other force bellows reed instrument, also to combine a harmonium or force bellows
reed instrument with pianoforte without altering the weight of touch to finger
keys; likewise to use the above mentioned suction or exhaust bellows in our
combination pianoforte & American organ, patented October 8th, 1879, No. 4075;
also a pianoforte action to be used in our combination or other pianofortes to
lessen the friction & prevent blocking by means of a new set off or
escapement.
The principle of our Inventions are as follows:-
:-
1st. We make a bellows with a feeder or exhauster & resovoir & place one of
them at each end of instrument crosswise, so that the feeders or exhausters pull
towards centre of instrument, or place two of them in centre of instrument and pull
the feeders or exhausters towards end of instrument instead of the usual method
of pulling feeders or exhausters from back to front or up and down; by this

page_text: Invention we obtain a great saving of space without loss of bellows capacity; this
Invention applies to American organ or suction bellows & harmonium or force
bellows & to both sorts of bellows when used in combination with pianoforte.
2nd. Our Invention for producing a smooth, soft, & pipe like tone to harmonium
or force instrument. We place the reeds in channels or slots, so that the reeds
are covered by channels or slots, that is, over them; we then put a pallet board
underneath the channels or slots & reeds to place pallets on; by this method we
obtain a soft, smooth tone, also the assistance of the pressure of the wind to keep
pallets closed, & requiring but a very slight spring to keep pallets securely closed,
& thus producing a very light touch to the finger keys, or we can place pallets at
top of channels & reeds.
3rd. In combining harmonium with pianoforte we use the just described force
or harmonium bellows & the channels or slots for reeds with pallets beneath the
channels or slots & reeds; by this method we do not alter the weight of pianoforte
finger keys.
Our method for shutting off pianoforte when not required with harmonium we
use our Invention patented October 8th, 1879, No. 4075.
We will now describe the action to be applied to all kinds of pianofortes,
grands & uprights, with the combined wind instruments or without, as we may
think fit.
1st. We have a sticker or jack from the finger keys to hammer butt; this jack
works in a notch in the hammer butt in the usual manner; in the jack there is a
check wire put into it; this check wire with pad on end of it works or stops the
hammer from rebounding or recoiling, jamming itself against the check arm that
is in the hammer butt like unto W. Squire's Patent of 1852.
The part in the parts that we claim as our Invention is doing away with the
rubbing of the rack that the jack or sticker works in and also the mode of set off
in the top part of jack; we have a slot or long hole; the slot is clothed; behind
the jack is a lever hung from underneath part of hammer rail; in the lever is a
common oval or round key pin; this works in and into slot in jack, so when you
press the pianoforte key it raises the jack, the key pin being in the slot rises that
likewise, thereby making this the rack, register, or guide, thereby doing away
with the noise & friction that is now experienced with all actions of this
kind.
The under part of lever that the key pin is in is made so in form that it is right
angles with pin in jack, so when the pin rises with the jack this part of the lever
comes forward or nearer the back part of jack or sticker; in the jack right
opposite the bottom part of the right angle of lever there is a screw pin or what
is known in the trade as hopper pin & button; this screw pin is tapped into the
jack bearing on the face of lever behind the jack, so as the pin rises the lever that
is in right angles with the pin pushes the button on pin and throws jack out of
the notch in hammer butt, thus effecting what is known in the trade as a
set off or escapement, preventing blocking, this being regulated with the hopper
screw pin.
What we particularly claim as our Inventions are the construction of the
channels or slots in reed block or pan, pallet board, and position of reeds for a
harmonium or force bellows reed instrument, or when combined with pianoforte,
so as to obtain the assistance of the wind to keep pallets closed; we also claim the
Invention of putting bellows at ends or centre of instrument, as before described,
for American organ, harmonium, pianoforte & American organ combined, &
pianoforte & harmonium combined; we likewise claim as our Invention the novel
mode of escapement in pianoforte action & the method in which the jack is kept
in its place.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said George Green and Charles Savage in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 8th September 1881.
GEORGE GREEN and CHARLES SAVAGE, American Organ and Pianoforte Makers,
of North West Gate, Cattle Market, Islington, London, in the County of
Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AMERICAN ORGANS, HARMONIUMS, PIANOFORTES,
PIANOFORTES AND AMERICAN ORGANS COMBINED, AND PIANOFORTES & HAR-
MONIUMS COMBINED, OR OTHER REED INSTRUMENTS WITH ONE OR MORE SETS
OF KEYS."
Our improvements in American organs, harmoniums, pianofortes, pianofortes and
American organs combined, and pianofortes and harmoniums combined, or other
reed instruments with one or more sets of keys without interfering with weight of
touch to the finger of the performer.
The objects of our Inventions are to construct a suction or exhaust bellows, also a
force or harmonium bellows so as to be able to reduce the size of case of American
organ, harmonium, or other reed instrument without in any way diminishing the
supply of wind, also to produce a smooth, soft, & pipe like tone in a harmonium
or other force bellows reed instrument, also to combine a harmonium or force
bellows reed instrument with pianoforte without altering the weight of touch to
finger keys, likewise to use the above mentioned suction or exhaust bellows in our
combination of the pianoforte and American organ patented October 8th 1879,
No. 4075, also a pianoforte action to be used with combination or other pianofortes
to lessen the friction and prevent blocking by means of a new set off or escapement.
The principle of our Inventions are as follows:-
Firstly. We make a bellows with a feeder or exhauster and reservoir, and place one
of them at each end of instrument crossways so that the feeders or exhausters pull
to the centre of instrument, or place two of them in the centre of instrument and
pull the feeders or exhausters towards the end of instrument instead of the usual
method of pulling feeders or exhausters from back to front or up & down.
By this Invention we obtain a great saving of space without loss of bellows.
capacity; this Invention applies to harmoniums, or force bellows, or American
organ, or suction bellows, and to both sorts of bellows when used in combination
with the pianoforte.
Secondly. Our Invention for producing a smooth, soft, pipe like tone to
harmonium or force reed instrument. We wake a reed block on pan with channels
or slots so that the reeds are covered by them, we then place a pallet board under
the reeds, channels, or slots, the said pallet board being slotted to place pallets on;
by this method the wind must pass the pallet before arriving at the reed. We thus
obtain a soft, smooth, pipe like tone, also the assistance of the pressure of the wind
to keep the pallets closed, and a very light touch to the finger key as it requires a
very light spring to keep the pallets closed to prevent the reeds from speaking.
We can also place pallets at top of channels and reeds if so desired. Another great
advantage we claim is that by placing the reeds at top of board, they are more
easily tuned or withdrawn without reversing or turning over the block or pan as
in ordinary harmoniums.
Thirdly. In combining harmonium with pianoforte we use the aforesaid reed
block or pan with pallets beneath the reeds, channels, or slots; by this Invention
we do not alter the weight of pianoforte touch of finger keys. We also claim the
novel manner in which we have constructed and adapted our bellows, thereby
obtaining a direct pull for working the feeders. Our method for shutting off piano
when not required with harmonium is the same action as we use for shutting off

page_text: piano when not required with American organ as patented by us October 8th 1879,
No. 4075.
Fourthly. The pianoforte action we have invented is of novel construction. It
is so constructed to obviate friction in the jack or sticker together with a principle
of set off of sticker or jack, preventing what is commonly known by the trade term
of blocking of hammer. The description of the Invention is as follows, & which is
intended to be applied to all kinds of pianofortes in conjunction with wind
instruments or without.
In
Firstly, we have a sticker or jack from the finger key to the hammer butt, which
sticker or jack works into a notch in hammer butt in the usual manner.
the jack is a check wire with pad on end which, by an upward movement, prevents
the hammer from rebounding or recoiling, jarring itself against the check in
hammer butt, as in W. Squire's Patent of 1852. The Invention we claim is the
doing away entirely of the rack in which the jack or sticker works and substituting
in its place a common oval or round key pin on which the jack or sticker works
through a cloth bushed slott let into the jack or sticker. The pin itself is connected
with a lever immediately behind the jack or sticker which is hung from the under
part of hammer rail. By pressing down the finger key the jack is raised, and
the pin being in the slott & connected with the lever is raised also, thus acting
as a guide to the jack, keeping it securely in its place, greatly reducing friction, &
doing away entirely with the noise so common in actions of this kind. The under
part of lever to which the pin is connected is brought forward by the motion
of the pin going upwards in the raising of the jack, and is consequently brought
into contact with the button on the jack and having the effect of forcing the jack
out of the notch in the hammer butt, thus effecting what is known in the trade as a
set off or escapement and effectually preventing the hammer remaining against the
string, or what is known as blocking, the set off being regulated by the button
on the hopper pin.
What we particularly claim as our Inventions are the construction of the reed
block or pan with slots or channels over reeds & pallets board, & pallets under
reeds & slots or channels when used as a harmonium or force reed instrument, or
when combined with pianoforte, also the novel construction of the before described
bellows and of escapement in pianoforte actions and the method in which the jack
is kept in its place & friction prevented.
Having thus stated the nature of our Inventions, we will now proceed to describe
more particularly in what manner the same is to be performed by the aid of the
accompanying Drawings. Fig. 1, section of American organ bellows for saving
space, shewing reservoir and fedeers open & closed; Fig. 2, section shewing reed
block or pan with channels or slots for harmonium or force instrument; Fig. 3,
section shewing bellows for harmonium when used in combination with pianoforte.
In the arrangement shown in Fig. 1 A represents of American organ the reservoir
or suction bellows; B, the feeder or exhauster; C in Fig. 2 represents the key' of
harmonium or piano; D, the plunger communicating between key C and pallet E;
F, the reed block or pan containing the reeds N and plate under which is slot or
channel H; under end of reed N is placed a sliding rail I covered with cloth to
admit of taking reed N in or out; G shews the channel or slot over reed N; J, the
mute for shutting off the wind when not required with pianoforte. This is opened
& closed by an ordinary stop action. K, the swell; L, the spring for keeping
pallet E closed; M, the air chamber, the arrows indicate direction in which the
wind travels to set reeds vibrating; O in Fig. 3 the reservoir for bellows when
used in combination with pianoforte; P, the feeders; Q, pedals; R, air trunks;
S, webbing passing over rollers T giving direct action. Having described the
nature of our Inventions and the manner the same may be carried out, desire it to
be understood that we do not confine ourselves to the precise details of arrange-
ments herein described and shewn in the Drawings, as the same may be varied
without departing from the essential features of the Inventions, but what we
particularly claim is the construction of reed block or pan, the position of pallets,

page_text: they being placed in such a manner as to obtain the assistance of the wind to keep
them closed; also the construction of the bellows, before described. The explanation
of Figures 4, 5, 6, & 7 is as follows:-Fig. 4 shews the pianoforte action in repose;
Fig. 5, the action with finger key pressed down & held in check after escapement
or set off; Fig. 6 shews front of jack with slot for metal or wood pin to work in;
Fig. 7, an improved hammer butt. Figs. 4 & 5, U, the jack; V, the setting off
lever; W, the pin or moveable rack working in slot Z; X, the regulating hopper
pin with button attached; Y, the centre on which lever & pin or moveable
rack is hung or worked. What we claim in the pianoforte action is the moveable
lever V & pin W attached working or hung on centre Y, either combined or
seperate acting as a moveable rack, & without confining the centre to the precise
position shewn in Fig. 7.
We claim the grooved & tongued or dovetailed notch piece in hammer butt.
In witness whereof, we, the said George Green and Charles Savage, have
here unto set our hands & seals, this Eigth day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.