Improvements in Organs and like Instruments in which Free Reeds' are Used.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 10th June, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 9th Mar., 1897-Accepted, 5th June, 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Organs and like Instruments in which Free Reeds'
are Used.
We JOHN DICKINSON BRUNTON of 6 Leighton Crescent London N.W. Civil,
Engineer and HERMANN SMITH of Brixton London S.W. Artist do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Improvements in organs and like instruments in which free reeds are used.
The invention consists of improvements in the bellows apparatus determining the
mode of distributing the wind, and controlling the same by mechanism in the
blowing apparatus when the organ is blown with a wind of varying pressure, or in
combination with equal pressure wind for special musical effects; also of new
arrangements in the sound-board and in the valve action connected therewith: and
also of a new method of associating free reeds and tubes or pipes in combination
with devices for modifying resonance and for varying the qualities of tones.,
For the distribution of the wind we provide in the bellows apparatus a shallow
tray, into which the wind is first delivered before it can reach the bellows reservoir
or the sound-board. This tray we divide by partitions into covered compartments,
each compartment having special conduits leading therefrom, either to the reservoir
or independently to one or other of the sound-boards which the instrument contains..
In these compartments the sucker valves on the outlets of the feeder-boards are
placed, and immediately over these valves, or so many of them as we allot for our
purpose, we affix a hinged lid or plate covering them, the lid or plate being kept.
up by a spring or springs, and so arranged in the tray in connexion with exterior
mechanism, that it may be closed or be left open. Whenever a lid or plate is in
any particular compartment held down by the mechanism, the sucker-valves cannot
act to deliver wind into that particular compartment and its conduits. The stop
action however we arrange so that on occasion the lid or plate may admit different
degrees of closure, and so of variation in the proportion of the amount of wind
permitted to pass. When wind from a weighted bellows is also at command, we
provide similarly for its distribution under control by our method. In the
construction of an organ with our devices above described, any number of outlet
sucker-valves can be parted off from the whole series for location in one compart-
ment, so that the amount of wind for each or for any sound-board or stop shall be
allotted and regulated in due proportion to suit the character of the stop and the
relative strength of tone which it is to bear in the instrument. We likewise
provide the player with mechanism by which according to choice any stop or
sound board shall be caused to sound under wind delivered from the spring reservoir
or direct from the feeder in the way that is called "expression" or shall remain
inder the influence of both methods, or be aided by wind from equal pressure, or
e under equal pressure only. Our device is applicable to feeders working
upwards to a horizontal feeder board, or to an inclined feeder-board, and is also
daptable at a distance from the blowing action.
In constructing our organ we place each valve on a block or plate which is
eparate and detached, and easily removable from the instrument and we frame the
pper-board of the sound-board, and partition it with holes, sufficiently large to,"

page_text: each one, admit its proper valve and valveblock or plate in its length and breadth,
and prefer for convenience to arrange these holes in two series alternating back and
front, thus allowing the C reed to be placed at the back, and the Creed at the
front row, and so on. Each reed has likewise its own detachable plate, each valve
is set directly under the reed it governs and thus both valve and reed are easily
accessible for cleaning, voicing, and tuning purposes. The valves we close by
weighted levers, which levers are actuated by stickers. When these stickers are
set out or arranged conformably to a roller-board, and its distances of touch then
the levers are placed so as to be parallel in direction, but when the stickers are set
out to the scale of the keys then these levers are set out in splayed fashion and
placed in two ranks for back and front series of valves. Preferably we place these
weighted levers within the sound-board, and actuate them by simple contact and
their valves also. By our device of weighted levers to close the pallets we
avoid the use of springs, although if springs are adopted the method of the sound-
board is not interfered with.
A further improvement consists in the attachment to or before the tip of the
valve of a movable lip, preferably of leather, which lip we so fit, suspend, or adjust
that when the valve is opened and the reed is speaking, the lip will by the current
be drawn against the opening, and the more closely as the strength of the wind is
increased by the blowing. The object of this device is to check the force of
wind acting upon any reed or reeds which exhibit a tendency to gain a power
disproportionate to that of other reeds. Very generally it is found that the largest
free reeds in the scale absorb too great a share of the wind when under increased
force from the blowing apparatus, and we have devised the lip to obviate this
defect in an organ.
The lip can be applied to any number of valves at discretion and be made to
extend round the sides of the valves if necessary.
Our invention includes in an organ a new method of adapting pipes or tubes in
combination with other devices for use with free reeds.
We are aware that pipes have long been used in connection with free reeds in
the usual way of organ builders as directly intended to sound the note proper to
the length of pipe so used. Also we are aware that pipes or tubes of smaller
dimensions have been set immediately over free reeds to act as qualifiers of the
harshness of tones, and commonly these tubes have been of short lengths
intended to correspond to an aliquot part of the wave-length of the sound heard.
We have found both methods quite inadequate to fulfil musical demands in the
special regulations of qualities of tones.
These ordinary utilizations of resonance we depart from; we do not affix the
reeds themselves to the pipes, neither do we rely upon tubes open or stopped
merely as resonators for loudness set over reeds.
Our improvements have for their aim harmonie beauty of tone and variety in
quality by means and methods within the control of the voicer.
We now proceed to describe these improvements.
Between the pipe and the free reed plate we interpose a well containing interior
walla upright or inclined and adjustable so as to be set at any desired degree
of approximation over the reed to influence the flow and direction of the issuing
stream of wind, and to vary and modify by means of partial occlusion of orifice
the quality of tone. Above these walls we place a plate or plates also adjustable,
either horizontal or inclined and partly covering the top of the well or we use
a sliding plate or plates with an aperture or apertures partially occluded by a dise
or slide so as to regulate thereby to such degree as may seem desirable the
strength and character of the issuing tone. The well thus fitted may be of
whatever depth is considered desirable for the particular quality of tone designed:
we find that a well which is the cube of the sectional area of the pipe it
accompanies is generally useful, but the depth may be diminished or may be
increased, even to a quarter of the length of the pipe above it, when some
more special accoustical result is designed. Above this well and held by a

page_text: rack or other suitable fixing, we place the pipe and adjust it so as to leave an
open space between the pipe and the well for the free air to circulate. The
outward air is in fact drawn into the pipe by the interior vibrating current,
and to facilitate this action of suction we bevel inwardly the edges of both
pipe and well. The distance at which the pipe is to be kept from the well will
vary from an eighth of an inch to three quarters of an inch as the voicer may
decide. The pipes we use are approximately of the lengths used by organ
builders; but whether the pipes exceed these or are less in length is more a
question of affecting quality than pitch. Each pipe is covered at the top, or is
balf stopped, or is open according to the design for quality, but one chief feature is
a slot which we make in the pipe extending it may be to one quarter or one
third of the pipe length. This slot is partially covered by an adjustable slide
held by suitable clips or bands and this we name the harmonic slide, as,
according to the degree of occlusion effected by it, in the position at which it
is set over the slot in its length, so the reinforcement of resonance of harmonic
tone is varied or regulated.
Some parts of our invention are capable of adaptation to the system of
construction upon which the instruments known as American organs are based.
Dated this 10th day of June 1896.
JOHN DICKINSON BRUNTON,
HERMANN SMITH,
Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Organs and like Instruments in which Free Reeds
are Used.
We, JOHN DICKINSON BRUNTON, of 6 Leighton Crescent, .London N.W. Civil
Engineer, and HERMANN SMITH, of 66 Sandmere Road, Brixton, London S.W.
Artist, and Builder of Free Reed Organs, 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:-
Improvements in organs and like instruments, in which free reeds are used.
The invention consists of improvements in the bellows apparatus, determining
the mode of distributing the wind, and controlling the same by mechanism in the
blowing apparatus, when the organ is blown by wind of varying pressure for
special musical effects, and also of new arrangements in the sound board, and in
the valve action connected therewith, and also of a new method for associating
free reeds and tubes or pipes in combination with devices for modifying resonance,
and for varying the qualities of toues.
In order that our invention may be clearly rendered reference is made to the
accompanying sheet of drawings.
Similar letters of reference are used to indicate like parts in the views.
For the distribution of the wind we provide in the bellows apparatus a shallow
tray, Fig. 1a, about two inches in depth, into which the wind from the feeder-
boards is first delivered before it can reach either the bellows well, or any sound
board in the organ. This tray is shewn in plan with the feeder boards outlined,
and marked RF and LF, meaning right feeder and left, respectively.
The tray we divide into compartments by a partition or partitions, two such
compartments being shewn in Fig. 1, b, c, and in section in Fig. 2 b, c, and although
only two are shewn it is to be understood that others there may be, when particular

page_text: treatment of certain stops is held desirable. In these compartments the sucker-
valves on the outlets of the feeder-boards Fig. 1 d are placed (see also Fig. 2 d d)
and the intake sucker valves are shewn in Fig. 2 e upon the feeder board in front.
Each compartment aforesaid has a special conduit Fig. 1 ff' leading therefrom
either to the reservoir well Fig. 2 1, or independently to one or other of the sound-
boards, or to several such which the organ may contain. Further, directly over
the sucker-valves, or such number of them as we may select, we place a lid or lids,
binged, and uplifted by a spring. Fig. 2 g shews such a lid, and spring h, and a
pin i, which is connected with any suitable mechanism in order that it may press
down the lid, and prevent the passing of the wind through those particular sets of
suckers, either wholly, or partially, as the player may determine. The important
purpose to be served by the arrangement thus designed, is the control of the
amount, the force, and the character of the wind which is to reach any stop or
stops, (otherwise any soundboards,) during the progress of playing. Each compart-
ment may have lids to be closed at will by mechanism, so that any one or more
may be arranged for different degrees of closure. The feeder that is actuated by
the right foot from the foot rest, Fig. 2 j, is chiefly reserved to force the wind
direct to the soundboards in the way of effect denominated "expression," and we
provide the player with drawstops or other mechanism at his right hand, so that
any sound board may be caused to sound its reeds only in that way, and the
trunk Fig. 2 is intended to convey this wind past the reservoir well Fig. 21,
direct to the sound board. The feeder actuated by the left foot of the player is
chiefly used to supply wind to the reservoir bellows, Fig. 2 m, and this reservoir
being influenced by the pressure of springs, the wind delivered from that is called
spring wind" and so is of constantly varying strength, and the windforce acting
on the reeds is thus less in the command of the player. The springs Fig. 2 n n
tend to rapidly empty the reservoir of its supply of wind, which is derived from
the conduit and trunk Fig. 1 f1, and we provide the player with drawstops or other
mechanism at bis left hand, to direct this supply to the soundboards as he may
choose. It follows that any soundboard may be under the influence of both kinds
of wind, or may remain under one, or be aided by wind from a weighted bellows
of equal pressure, for we provide similarly for the distribution of wind derived
from a weighted bellows. In our method three distinct kinds of wind are made
available, to be allotted and regulated in due proportion, to suit the character of
the stop and to the relative strength of tone which it is to bear in the instrument.
It is obvious that as the front feederboard at its lower edge moves a distance of
sixteen inches at one stroke, or is able to do so, yet at half way upward in its
length, the distance there travelled in the same time is eight inches, and again
halfway higher the distance is but four inches, the force and amount of wind
delivered being similarly graduated in proportion, and on this principle we alloc
the compartments both as to location and to size. Thus the wind for the
"expression" is allowed the larger amount of space for sucker valves, and is given
from the lower half of the feeder boards, where the action is most vigorous and
most promptly effective. The upper portions of the feeders yield an ample supply
for the needs of the reservoir. Our device is applicable to feeders working upward
to a horizontal feeder board, or to an inclined feeder board, and is also adaptable
at a distance from the blowing action.
46
In constructing our organ, we make the soundboard on a new plan admitting of
the removal of each valve separately for immediate inspection if from any cause
imperfect action arises, and this from the outer surface without need of opening
the interior of the soundboard.
We frame the upper board with divisions equal to the number required for the
series of reeds, or cut holes for the same purpose, and in each hole or in the spaces
between the divisions we fit the valves. We find it convenient, in order to have
less length of soundboard, to arrange that these holes shall be in two series
alternating the scale, thus the C reed is placed in the back row, and the C in the

page_text: front row, and so on. Each valve is mounted on a block or rim having a plate
above affording a margin wider than the block, the block being hollowed, and the
plate cut, to admit the reed on its plate. The arrangement is shewn in Fig. 3 in
which z is the soundboard, y is the valve, and block fitting therein and upheld by
the plate, and x is the reed and reed plate fitting into the valve block, making
together one complete whole accessible in every part when the need arises, without
delay.
The utility of this arrangement is great, for the soundboard contains only the
fixed levers and the stickers actuating them. To operate the valves we use
weighted levers designed to force the valve close to its seat, the pressure of the air
then in addition holding the valves in place.
Fig. 3 shews the lever o, weighted with leads p p at the end, operated by the
upward movement of the sticker 9, and at the valve end is the wire screw-
threaded, with adjustable leather button, meeting the valve. By our device of
weighted levers we avoid the use of springs, although should the spring method be
adopted, the plan of the sound board is not interfered with. The action from the
keyboard all through we have designed to work by simple contact, dispensing with
pull downs. The wire sticker in Fig. 3 has adjustable buttons at the bottom
exterior to the soundboard, at the height within necessary to meet the lever, and
at the top exterior, where the wire is further weighted with lead to ensure prompt
return.
The sticker frames is removable and, is screwed to the front edges of the sound-
board. When the levers are fitted outside, then the sticker frame is arranged to
suit. When these stickers are set out or arranged conformably to a roller board
and its distances of touch, then the levers are placed parrallel in direction, but
when the stickers are set out to the scale of the keys then these levers are set out
in splayed fashion, and placed in two rows for the back and front series of valves.
A further improvement consists in the attachment to or before the free end of
the valve, of a moveable lip preferably of leather, which lip we fit, suspend, or
adjust, that when the valve is opened and the reed is speaking, this lip will be
drawn by the current of wind up to the opening, and more closely as the strength
of the wind is increased by the blowing. The object of this device is to check the
force of wind acting upon any reed or reeds which exhibit a tendency to gain a
power disproportionate to that of other reeds, which may arise from causes of
a nature which voicing cannot ameliorate. Very generally too it is found that the
largest or lowest reeds in the scale, absorb too great a share of the wind when they
are under force of greatly increased strength of wind, and we have devised this
lip to obviate such defect in organs. The lip does not require illustration, it can
be applied to any number of valves at discretion and be made to extend round the
sides of valves if necessary.
Our invention includes in an organ a new method of adapting pipes or tubes in
combination with special devices for use with free reeds. We are aware that pipes
have long been used in connection with free reeds in the usual way of organ
builders, as directly intended to sound the note proper to the length of pipe so
used; also we are aware that pipes or tubes of smaller proportional size have been
set immediately over free reeds, to act as qualifiers of the harshness of tones, and
commonly these tubes have been of lengths in a measure intended to correspond to
an aliquot part of the assumed length of wave of the sound heard. We have
found both methods quite inadequate to fulfil musical demands in the special
regulations of qualities of tone.
Those ordinary utilizations of resonance we depart from; we do not affix the
reeds themselves to the pipes, neither do we rely upon tubes open or stopped merely
as resonators for loudness, set over reeds. Our improvements have for their aim
harmonic beauty of tone, and variety of quality, by means and methods that are
within the control of the voicer. These improvements we proceed to describe.
Between the pipe Fig. 5 A, and the free reed Fig. 4 B attached to its plate, we

page_text: interpose a well C, containing interior walls D, and in Fig. 6 in plan D, D¹, these
walls are upright, or inclined, or curved as sections of an arch, and are adjustable
so as to be set at any degree of approximation desired, over or beside the opening
or frame of the reed, in order thus to influence the flow or direction of the issuing
stream of wind, and to vary and modify by means of partial occlusion of orifice
the quality of tone. Above these walls we place other rooflike pieces, also
adjustable, either horizontal, or inclined, and partly covering the top of the well,
or we use a sliding plate or lid with an aperture or apertures, which again are
occluded partially by a disc or slide so as to finely regulate thereby the strength
and the character of the issuing tone, F 4 E, E. The well thus fitted may be of
whatever depth is considered fittest for the particular quality of tone sought; we
find that a well, which is the cube of the sectional area of the pipe it accompanies,
is generally useful, but the depth may be increased even to a quarter of the length
of the pipe above it, when some more special accoustical result is designed, or may
be more shallow than the cube.
Above this well, and held by rack or other suitable fixing, we place the pipe,
and adjust it so as to leave an open space between the pipe and the well for the
free air to circulate. The outward air is in fact drawn into the pipe by the interior
vibrating current, and to facilitate this action of suction we bevel inwardly the
edges of both pipe and well, as seen in Fig. 4 and 5. The distance at which the
pipe is to be kept from the well will vary from about an eighth of an inch, to three
quarters of an inch, as the voicer may decide. The pipes we use are made approxi-
mately of the lengths used by organ builders, but whether the pipes exceed these,
or are less in length, is more a question affecting quality, than pitch of tone
calculated according to pipe lengths.
Each pipe is preferably covered at the top, or is half stopped, but for some
quality of tone it may be open, but one chief feature is a slot, which we make in
the pipe, extending it may be to one third or one quarter of the pipe length,
Fig. 5 F. This slot is partially covered by an adjustable slide, beld by suitable
clips or bands G, and this we name the harmonic slide, as according to the degree
of occlusion effected by it, in the position at which it is set upward on the length
of the slot, so the reinforcement of harmonic tone is varied or regulated.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is,-
Improvements in organs using free reeds,
First. The combination of feeders and a feederboard with a tray divided into
compartments, with hinged lids, and with conduits and trunks for the purposes
stated, whereby the wind for the supply of the "reservoir" is governed, and is
delivered specially from the upper half of each feeder, and the wind for the
"expression" is delivered specially from the lower half of each feeder, in the
manner as herein substantially described, set forth, and illustrated in the drawings
annexed Figs. 1 and 2.
Second. The combination of a soundboard with exteriorly removeable valves,
valve-blocks and plates, and reeds, in the manner as herein substantially described,
set forth and illustrated in the drawings annexed, Fig. 3.
Third. The combination of a valve with a weighted lever, and sticker operating
the same, substantially as herein described, set forth, and illustrated in the
drawings annexed Fig. 3.
Fourth. The combination of a valve with a flexible lip, to reduce the wind force,
substantially as herein described.
Fifth. The combination of a pipe or tube with a detached well with adjustable
interior walls, and roofplates, and reed and reedplate, affixed to the well as herein
described substantially, and set forth, and illustrated in the drawings annexed,
Figs. 4, and 5, and 6.

page_text: Sixth. The combination of a pipe with an adjustable slide covering a slot in the
same, substantially as herein, described, set forth, and illustrated in the drawings
annexed Fig. 5.
Dated this Ninth day of March 1897.
JOHN DICKINSON BRUNTON,
HERMANN SMITH,
Applicants.