REEDS FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS." IMPROVEMENT
Year: 1878

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Hermann Smith at the Office
"
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd December 1878.
HERMANN SMITH, of Brixton, in the County of Surrey.
REEDS FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS."
IMPROVEMENTS IN
My Invention relates to improvements in reeds for harmoniums, organs, and other
musical instruments, whereby an increased range of variations in qualities is
obtained and greater promptness of speech is secured under extended methods of
voicing, and it consists of additions to and modifications in the shape of the frames,
and also of the tongues of reeds, as hereinafter.described.
In reeds as ordinarily constructed the frame of the reed is made with a level sur-
face, and in the practice of voicing the tongue of the reed is slightly bent or curved
upwards or downwards, the upward bend tending to increase the roughness and
vigor of the quality, and the downward bend tending to increase the roundness and
smoothness of the quality. These two broad distinctions of voicing are carried out
to various degrees but the extent to which either can be carried is very limited
because the amount of air then passing before a decided action upon the tongue is
effected necessarily causes what is technically termed "slow speech."
Now my Invention has for its object obviating this defect and affording facilities
for carrying the voicing to greater differences of quality.
According to one mode of carrying out my Invention in order to effect these
objects, I add to each side of the upper surface of the reed frame a raised piece of
metal or other suitable material so shaped as to conform very nearly to the bend or
curve given to the tongue, whether upwards or downwards, and in the case of the
tongue having the upward bend the raised pieces are continued so as to form an
enclosure round the tip.

page_text: According to another modification, I bend or curve the tongue below the level of
the root and make the upper surface of the frame of such a shape that it very nearly
conforms to the bend or curve of the tongue so modified.
For some reeds, and particularly in the higher ranges, I leave the tongue straight
and form grooves or serrations on the upper surface of the frame, this latter modifi-
cation having a similar effect to that of the "nicking" of organ pipes in steadying
and strengthening the tone, whilst giving clearness of quality without impairing
the fluency of speech.
According to a further modification, I form two thin projections (by preference
of a triangular shape) on the under side of the tongue near the tip, one at each
side thereof; the deepest part of which projections, viz., that situate at the tip, is
about equal to the depth of the frame, the projections thence gradually diminishing
until they merge in the line of the tongue.
This arrangement admits of the tongue being set much higher than in the ordinary
manner, and the air is almost excluded from attack at the sides and has to pass
in front of the tip, the effect being similar to that produced by the ears added at
the mouth of organ pipes. This modification is particularly suitable for very light
reeds to which it is desired to give a stringy quality of tone.
Another improvement consists in forming a cup or hollow enclosure on the under-
side of the reed frame, with an aperture at a given point, or made adjustable in
position, the situation of the aperture determining the relation in which the draught
of air acts upon the tongue and influencing the quality of tone given.
This cup or hollow enclosure may either be formed in one with the frame or nay
be an addition of other material; in the latter case I may make it of india rubber,
or of several thicknesses of felt so cut as to form the shape of cup or euclosure
desired with the required position of aperture. In some cases this aperture may be
towards the extreme root or towards the extreme tip of the reed. It will be
obvious that according to the position of the aperture, whether so as to direct a
current of air forward of the tip of the tongue or at any determined point between
that and the root, the play of the tongue is so influenced that differences of quality
result. These additions to the under surface of the frame may be so arranged as
to be fixed either above or within the channel or tube proper to the instrument.
The improvements hereinbefore described may either be applied to existing reeds
as additions or incorporated in the manufacture of new reeds. They may also be
used in conjunction with the devices described in the Specifications to former
Letters Patent granted to me, dated the 8th of December 1875, No. 4242, and the
17th of January 1878, No. 227.
The Invention is applicable to instruments operating either by pressure or by
suction, and to beating reeds as well as free reeds, also to reeds operating under the
agency of electricity or magnetism in conjunction with the action of wind.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Hermann Smith in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 3rd June
1879.
HERMANN SMITH, of Brixton, in the County of Surrey.
REEDS FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS."
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
My said Invention relates to improvements in reeds for harmoniums, organs, and
other musical instruments whereby an increased range of variations in qualities is
obtained and greater promptness of speech is secured under extended methods of
voicing, and it consists of additions to and modifications in the shape of the frames
and also of the tongues of reeds, as hereinafter described.
In reeds as ordinarily constructed the frame of the reed is made with a level sur-
face, and in the practice of voicing the reed, the tip or forepart of the tongue is
slightly bent upwards or curved downwards, the upward bend from a reed otherwise
straight set tending to increase the roughness and vigor of the quality, and a down-
ward curve tending to increase the roundness and smoothness of the quality. These
two broad distinctions of voicing are carried out to various degrees, but the extent
to which either can be carried is very limited because the amount of air then
passing before a decided action upon the tongue is effected necessarily causes what
is technically termed "slow speech," and my said Invention has for its object
obviating this defect and affording facilities for carrying the voicing to greater
differences of quality.
According to my experience in the producing of imitative quality the form
of the reed is an important factor, which has not hitherto been sufficiently con-
sidered, and I have devised new arrangements for the more complete control of
variety of tone, and my Invention is in practical development of this view, that the
form or shape of the reed determines a specific action upon the air, different forms
causing different modes of displacement and dispersion to the air in the channel,
giving rise to harmonics, and varying the degrees of predominance in relation to the
fundamental tone.
In the accompanying Sheet of Drawings Figures 1 to 19 represent different
modifications of my said Invention, Figures 1 to 13 being side elevations and plans
of the upper side of reed frames and tongues; Figures 14, 15, and 16, longitudinal
sections and plans; Figures 17 and 18, longitudinal sections and plans of the under
side, and Figure 19, a longitudinal section and a plan of the upper side.
One mode of carrying out my said Invention in order to effect the before
mentioned objects is illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of my Drawings, I add to each
side of the upper surface of the reed frame a a raised piece b of metal or other suit-
able material, so shaped as to conform very nearly to the bend or curve given to
the tongue c, and in the case of the arrangement, Figure 2, the raised pieces bare
continued so as to form an enclosure round the tip, as shewn at d.
According to another modification which is illustrated in Figure 3, I bend or
curve the tongue, as shewn at e, so as to have a set lower than the level of the
root forming the upper surface of the frame of such a shape at f, that it very
nearly conforms to the bend or curve of the tongue so modified; Figures 4 and 5
are other varieties of reed frames having depressions to carry out the same principle;
Figures 6, and 7, and 8 are modifications in the frame showing elevations of a form
carried to greater extremes than those indicated in Figures 1 and 2.
For some reeds, and particularly in the higher ranges, the forms shewn in Figures
10 and 11 are suitable. In the frames a of these a small curve is cut near the tip,
as shewn at f, and the tongue c in Figure 10 follows that curve, whilst in the
arrangement Figure 11 the tongue remains straight, as is desirable in treating
smaller reeds. For reeds of still higher pitch I form grooves or serrations on the
upper surface of the frame, as shewn at g, in Figures 12 and 13, these latter modifi-
.

page_text: cations having a similar effect to that of the "nicking" of organ pipes in steadying
and strengthening the tone whilst giving clearness of quality without impairing the
fluency of speech.
In the arrangements hereinbefore described the bends or curves may be situate at
parts of the tongue other than the tip, and their shape may be varied as required.
As general indications of the characteristics of these reeds it may be mentioned
that the arrangement Figure 1 favors the production of horn quality of tone, Figure
2 cremona," Figure 3 flute like, Figure 4 cornet, Figure 5 string quality, and
Figures 6, 7, and 8 may be taken as trombone and clarionet. The particular results
will however depend upon the scale of reed used and their treatment and the skill
of the voicer in adapting each kind to its purpose.
<<
According to a further modification, which is illustrated in Figures 14, 15, and
16, I form two thin projections h (by preference of a triangular shape) on the side
of the tongue near the tip, one at each side thereof; in Figure 14 these projections
are shewn on the under side, in Figure 15 on the upper side, whilst in Figure 16
they are shewn as applied at both sides, the deepest part of the projections, videlicit,
that situate at the tip, is about equal to the depth of the frame, the projections
thence gradually diminish until they are in the line of the tongue; but the shape and
positions of these projections may be varied as found expedient.
This arrangement admits of the tongue being set much higher than in the ordinary
manner, and the air is almost excluded from attack at the sides and has to pass in
front of the tip, the effect may be considered as being similar to that produced by
the ears added to the mouth of organ pipes. This modification is particularly suit-
able for very light reeds to which it is desired to give a stringy or breezy quality
of tone.
Another improvement, which is illustrated in Figures 17, 18, and 19, consists in
forming a cup or hollow inclosure i on the under side of the reed frame a, with an
aperture at a given point, or made adjustable in position, the situation of the
aperture determining the relation in which the draft of air acts upon the tongue
and influencing the quality of tone given. This cup or hollow enclosure may either
be formed in one with the frame, as shewn in Figures 17 and 18, or may be an
addition of other material, as in Figure 19; in the latter case I may make it of
india-rubber or of several thicknesses of felt, as shewn, so cut as to form the shape
of cup or enclosure desired, with the required position of aperture. In some cases
this aperture may be towards the extreme root or towards the extreme tip of the
reed, a simple means is shewn in Figure 19 of regulating the aperture of the cup
by moving a leather slide 1, having an aperture m, which may be either made to
coincide with the aperture k, or to cut off the same to a greater or less extent as
required. It will be obvious that according to the position of the aperture, whether
so as to direct a current of air forward of the tip of the tongue or at any determined
point between that and the root the play of the tongue is so influenced that
differences of quality result. These cup-like additions to the under surface of the
frame are distinct and separate from the channel or tube proper of the instrument,
but may be so arranged as to be fixed either above or within the same.
The improvements hereinbefore described may either be applied to existing reeds
as additions or incorporated in the manufacture of new reeds. They may also be
used in conjunction with the auxiliary devices described in the Specifications to
former Letters Patent granted to me, dated the Eighth of December, One thousand
eight hundred and seventy five, No. 4242, and the Seventeenth of January, One
thousand eight hundred and seventy eight, No. 227. An example of this appli-
cation is shewn at n in Figure 9, the form of the frame being similar to that shewn
in Figure 8, but carried to an extreme extent.
It is obvious that the various improvements or devices hereinbefore described
may also be combined in one reed, and that two different forms may be used upon
one channel in order to produce a compound quality of tone, a method particularly.
of value used in connection with the auxiliary devices before referred to.

page_text: The Invention is applicable to instruments operating either by pressure or by
suction, and to beating reeds as well as free reeds, also to reeds operating under the
agency of electricity or magnetism in conjunction with the action of wind.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into effect, I
would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original, and
therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the hereinbefore, in part recited
Letters Patent is,―
First. Constructing the frames of reeds for musical instruments with elevations,
depressions, grooves, or serrations, substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore
described.
Second. Constructing reed tongues with projections near the tip of the tongue,
substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore described.
Third. The employment of cups or hollow enclosures on the under side of the frames
of reeds separate and distinct from the channels or tubes proper of the instrument,
substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described.
Fourth. The combination in one reed of two or more of the improvements or
devices hereinbefore described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Hermann Smith, have to this my Specification
set my hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of May, One thousand eight hundred
and seventy nine.
HERMANN SMITH. (L.S.)