Improvements in and relating to Combined Pianofortes and Reed Organs.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Oct., 1892--Accepted, 26th Nov., 1892
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COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Combined Pianofortes and Reed
Organs.
I, JOHN SAVILLE, of 1 Cobden Street Staleybridge Road, Ashton-under-Lyne,
in the County of Lancaster, Pianoforte Manufacturer, 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 :-
This invention relates to combined pianofortes and reed organs and its principal
objects are to obtain simplicity of construction and arrangement, certainty of
action, and complete control over each element of the combination.
According to these improvements, I arrange the reed pan of a suitable reed
organ below the key board of the pianoforte and parallel therewith so that its
pallets may be operated from the clavier by pokers. The pokers are carried in
guides which are capable of lateral movement or adjustment, in order to accommodate
any difference in pitch between the keys of the clavier and the pallets in the reed
pan. The inlet to each row of reeds, which are vibrated by a current of air
in tension (suction), is controlled by a damper, so that any row or rows or all
of them may be cut off at will. In addition, the reed pan is carried in trunnions
and arranged to be tilted forward or backward on the trunnions, thereby putting the
reed organ element into or out of connection with the pianoforte.
I will particularly describe my said invention with reference to the accompanying
drawings in each of the figures of which similar parts are denoted by similar
letters..
Figure 1 represents in front, and Figure 2 in end elevation, the combined piano-
forte and reed organ.
Figure 3 is a sectional side view of the key board and reed organ.
Figure 4 is a front view of part of the key board and of the reed organ.
Figure 5 is a plan of the key board, some of the keys being removed.
Figure 6 is a front view of the pokers through which the action of the keys is
transmitted to the reed pallets.
Figure 7 is a plan of the reed pan.
Figure 8 shews the poker guides in plan and side view respectively.
Figure 9 represents a back view of some of the pokers and their guides, both this
view and those shewn by Figure 7 being drawn to a larger scale.
Figure 10 is a cross section, also drawn to an enlarged scale, of the key board and
reed pan.
The reed organ represented by the drawings has two full rows of reeds 1, 2, 3, 4,
which are controlled by the stops 1, 2, 3, and 4*. A larger or smaller number of
rows of reeds and of direct and combination stops may be employed if desired, and
they may be constructed and arranged in the usual manner.
The reed pan D is arranged immediately below the key board of the pianoforte,
which also may be of any ordinary construction, the bottom door or front panels
below the key board being removed to make room for the organ.
At each end of the keyboard frame there is secured a strap A, to the under-
side of which is fixed a hook or pendent bearing B, for the trunnion C. These
trunnions are fixed at about the centre of each end of the reed pan D, so that
the reed pan may have a slight tilting motion imparted to it without much effort.
To permit this motion, the reed pan is mounted at a short distance below the
keyboard framing.
The motion of the keys Z, when the instrument is being played, is transmitted
to the reed pallets E, (one of which is shewn in plan by Figure 11), so as to

page_text: open them, through the pokers F, the pallets being closed and the pokers returned
automatically by the springs G. These pokers communicate with the pallets through
the series of holes H, Figure 7, each of which is formed in the reed pan immediately
above a pallet.
Since the pitch of (or distance between) the organ reeds is less than that of the
pianoforte keys, it follows that if the pokers at the centre of the keyboard are
arranged to move vertically, those on either side cannot do so, because the respective
keys will not be immediately above their pallets. To provide for this, I mount
the pokers in guides I, Figures 8 and 9, which are secured upon the keyboard
frame in such a manner that they may move to one side or the other in a horizontal
direction only, as indicated by the dotted lines. By this means, the pokers at the
ends of the reed organ are enabled to take the sloping direction shewn by Figure 6,
and each key of the clavier can act directly upon its pallet. The under side of
each key may have a piece of soft leather or felt affixed to it at the point of
contact with the top of the poker. The pokers being guided at their lower ends
by the holes H, do not need a rigid guide at I, hence these guides may be quite free
to move in the horizontal direction as already described, but it is found advisable to
fasten them to their rail by the screws J, just so tightly that they may be moved
to the right or left with a small effort.
When the instruments are to be used in combination the reed pan of the organ is
in the position shewn by Figures 3 and 4. If it be desired to put the organ out of
action, the handle K is moved upwards. On the spindle of this handle there
fixed
an arm L, on the upper end of which is mounted a bowl M, just below the front
plank N, of the keyboard framing. The motion of the handle presses the bowl
upon the under side of the plank, and depresses the front of the reed pan. The
pokers are thereby lowered out of contact with the keys, and their motion cannot
therefore be transmitted to the reed pallets.
The bellows O are arranged vertically in front of the sound-board, and are
actuated through the cords P, which pass over the pulleys R to the foot blowers Q.
The bellows and blowers may be constructed as in ordinary American reed organs.
It will be evident that the performer having to employ both feet in blowing,
cannot use the piano and forte pedals of the pianoforte in the usual manner. To
enable him to avail himself of their action, I employ the stops S Figure 1. These
stops consist each of a bar of wood pivoted at U, exactly above the centres of the
pedals T.
When the pedals are out of action, the stops are in the position
shewn by the figure, inclined to one side of the pedal. When the performer
depresses either of the pedals, the stop immediately falls into the vertical position
shewn by the dotted lines, and the pedal will be held down by it, so that
the performer may release it and return his foot to the blower. To put the pedal
out of action, it is only necessary for the performer to push the stop to the
right or left with the toe of his boot, whereupon the pedal will be instantly
released.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. A combined pianoforte and reed organ having only one clavier and having the
motion of the keys transmitted directly to the reed pallets, constructed and
arranged substantially as hereinbefore described and as illustrated by the accom-
panying drawings.
2. In a combined pianaforte and reed organ, the pokers F and adjustable poker
guides I, constructed and arranged substantially as and for the purpose herein before
described and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
3. In a combined pianoforte and reed organ, suspending the reed pan by trunnions
in such a manner that it may be tilted into and out of action, substantially as
hereinbefore described and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
4. In a combined pianoforte and reed organ, the combination and arrangement

page_text: with the pianoforte pedals, of pivoted stops S, substantially as and for the purpose
herein before described and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
5. In a combined pianoforte and reed organ, the arrangement of the bellows O,
the cords P, the pulleys R, and the foot blowers Q, substantially as hereinbefore
described and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 7th day of October A.D. 1892.
WILLIAM E. HEYS,
Agent for the Applicant.