IMPROVEMENTS IN ORGANS
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edwin Horsell Pulbrook, of Tooting, in the
County of Surrey, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ORGANS."
Scaled the 16th November 1869, and dated 21st May 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edwin Horsell Pulbrook
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 21st May 1869.
"IMPROVE-
I, EDWIN HORSELL PULBROOK, of Tooting, in the County of Surrey,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
MENTS IN ORGANS," to be as follows:-
The chief object of my Invention is to enable me to dispense with
much of the complicated mechanism now in use for connecting the keys
with the pallets of the sound boards, and the Invention is particularly
applicable to organs known as "pneumatic organs."
Heretofore in organs where the keys are placed at some distance from
the instrument, motion has been communicated to the pallets from the
keys by means of levers or rods known as trackers, or by electricity.

page_text: now according to my Invention I connect the pneumatic apparatus at
or near the keys with the pneumatic apparatus in the instrument, and
in connection with the pallets by means of a tube or tubes. By these
means it is almost immaterial how far the keys may be distant from the
instrument for whether the keys are but a few fect therefrom, or say
fifty feet therefrom in both cases an equally light touch is obtained.
The second part of my Invention relates to certain apparatus hereafter
described for applying my Invention to organs to enable me to work
the sound board, slides, couplers, and ventils, whether the keys are close
to or distant therefrom. For this purpose I connect a back fall to each
key or pedal by a sticker or tracker, over the other end of which 1 place
a long box extending the whole length of the back fall frame; the box
is divided internally into two channels, one extending from end to end,
the other being divided into as many chambers as there are keys upon
the manual or pedals, each chamber is provided with two apertures, one
communicating with the atmosphere, the other with the long channel
from which the air is either exhausted or else it is filled with compressed
air, in both cases it is connected by a wind trunk to a bellows or ex-
hausting machine; the apertures in the small chambers are governed by
two disc valves fixed on a vertical rod, which is kept in the centre of
the holes by guides, and is connected to the back fall by means of buttons,
when at rest the hole in the chamber communicating with the atmos-
phere is open and that communicating with the air channel closed, and
kept so by a spring placed on the back fall, but when the key is put
down the resistance of the spring is overcome, and the hole commu-
nicating with the atmosphere is closed, while that communicating with
the air channel is open; the chamber now contains air of the same
density as the channel; a third hole is bored in the side of each small
chamber into which a tube is fixed, by means of which tube the air in
this chamber can be carried any required distance. Supposing the keys
have a dip of of an inch, the valves in the chambers only require to
move of an inch, thus when the key is put down of an inch the
valve communicating with the atmosphere is closed. To enable a key
or pedal to be put down the full distance a metal spring is fixed to each
back fall and also to the vertical rod carrying the disc valve which takes
the strain from the action. If an organ is supplied with highly com-
pressed air for the purpose of supplying solo stops I employ the same for
opening the pallets of the sound board, beneath the wind chest under

page_text: each pallet, and connected with the pull down thereof is fixed a small
power bellows which when inflated draws and maintains open the pallet,
but when collapsed allows the pallet to close by the action of its spring.
Each of these small bellows is connected by means of tubes to the small
chambers before described; if now compressed air be forced into the air
channel as soon as the key or pedal is put down the air the will pass from
the air channel through the chamber and tube and inflate the small
power bellows, thereby opening the pallet. When air of a lighter density
than the atmosphere is employed to open the pallets of the sound board
the small bellows beneath the wind chest is inverted, by exhausting the
air from these bellows they will collapse and open the pallet, but when
atmospheric air is allowed to enter them the pallets will close by the
action of their springs and also draw open these bellows.
For small organs I prefer to employ an improved form of pneumatic
valve to open the pallets, and constructed as follows:-Beneath the
wind chest and running the whole length thereof is placed is placed
a piece of wood in which immediately under each pallet is a hole bored
varying in size with the size of the pallet, another aperture in which the
end of the tube is inserted is bored communicating directly with the other
hole upon which purses made preferably of leather are formed having a
disc at top and bottom; through the centre of these discs a tapped
eye is placed and secured on each side by a button, this tapped eye is
connected by a wire to the eye of the pallet, the holes having been bored
through the wood; the bottom side must be covered by a veneer
When the air is exhausted from the hole it will cause the purse to
collapse and open the pallet.
In organs where it is necessary to economize space I employ an
improved form of pneumatic lever constructed in the following
manner: Beneath the wind chest and running the whole length thereof
a piece of wood is placed, immediately under each pallet a mortice is
made in this wood; into each mortice a hole is bored for the reception
of a tube, the bottom side of the mortices are covered by a veneer, on
the top they are covered by leather glued on; over every mortice a piece
of V-shaped wood is glued and made secure at its wide end to one end
of the mortice by means of a tail piece; through the narrow end (which
does not quite extend to the end of the mortice) of this V-shaped piece
of wood a tapped eye is passed and secured by buttons top and bottom;
this eye is connected by a wire to the pallet eye. When at rest the

page_text: piece of wood and covering will be held above the mortice by the spring
of the pallet, but when the air is exhausted from the mortice the covering
will be caused to collapse and draw open the pallet.
My improved draw stop action is constructed as follows:-The end of
the draw stop rod is connected to a slide working between an upper
board and table and enclosed by bearers. Beneath the table is an air
chamber from which the air may either be exhausted or it may be filled
with compressed air. Two holes are bored through the upper board and
table into this air chamber; into the holes in the upper board tubes are
fitted; two holes are also bored through the slide so placed that only one
of the holes leading from the upper board to the air chamber is opened
at one time. To allow the tubes to be in communication with the
atmosphere when the passage to the air chamber is closed another hole
is made in the upper board between the other holes, and a slot is formed
in the slide. Each sound board slide is connected by a lever or other
mechanical arrangement to the moving portion of a double bellows of
the requisite size, the other ends of the tubes fitted into the holes in the
upper board are fitted into these bellows. If the stop is drawn "out"
and the air exhausted from the air chamber it will also be from the
upper part of the bellows and the bellows will collapse and move the
slide in the sound board, if the stop is put "in "the lower part will be
caused to collapse and the slide will be again moved. If compressed air
be used to work the sound board slides the bellows instead of collapsing
will be inflated.
In organs where the keys are placed a considerable distance from the
instrument it may in some cases be advisable to use another form of
pallet box instead of that before described. This consists of three
channels, the top and bottom channels run from end to end, the middle
one is divided into as many small chambers as there are keys or pedals,
from one of the channels air is exhausted, the other is filled with com-
pressed air; the chambers communicate by holes with the outside
channels, the vertical rod passes through a metal plate, by preference
of brass, like a pull-down, and is connected to the back fall as before
described. When the key is put down the air is exhausted from the
middle chamber tube, and one of the appliances before described for
opening the pallets by means of air lighter than the atmosphere, which
will be caused to collapse and open the pallet, when the key returns the
valve communicating with the compressed air øhannel will be opened,

page_text: and compressed air will be passed through the middle chamber and tube
and inflate the apparatus under the wind chest, thereby causing the
pallet to close. In a state of rest the hole communicating with the
chamber from which the air is exhausted is closed by the disc valve and
kept so by the spring on the back fall, and the middle chambers are full
of compressed air from the other channel, the valve of which is open.
When compressed air is used to open the pallet the middle chambers
will have the air exhausted from them when at rest and the small
bellows will be kept closed till the key is put down when the compressed
air will be admitted and inflate them and open the pallet.
With respect to the pallet box before described, and composed of three
chambers, I wish it to be understood that I lay no claim thereto when
taken alone or separately, but only when used in combination with the
tubes for conveying air as before described.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by the said Edwin Horsell Pulbrook, in the Great Scal Patent
Office on the 19th November 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME. I, EDWIN
HORSELL PULBROOK, of Tooting, in the County of Surrey, send grecting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of May, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Edwin Horsell Pulbrook, Her special
licence that I, the said Edwin Horsell Pulbrook, my executors, ad-
ministrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Edwin Horsell
Pulbrook, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ORGANS," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Edwin Horsell Pulbrook, my executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands

page_text: and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Edwin Horsell Pulbrook, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
hy the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings and to the letters of reference marked thereon (that is
to say)-
The chief object of my Invention is to enable inc to dispense with
much of the complicated mechanism now in use for connecting the keys
with the pallets of the sound boards, and the Invention is particularly
applicable to organs known as "pneumatic organs."
Heretofore in organs where the keys are placed at some distance from
the instrument motion has been communicated to the pallets from the
keys, by means of levers or rods known as trackers, or by electricity.
Now, according to my Invention, I connect the pneumatic apparatus at
or near the keys with the pneumatic apparatus in the instrument, and
in connection with the pallets by means of a tube or tubes. By these
mcans it is almost immaterial how far the keys may be distant
from the instrument, for whether the keys are but a few fect therefrom,
or say fifty feet therefrom, in both cases an equally light touch is
obtained.
The second part of my Invention relates to certain apparatus hereafter
described for applying my Invention to organs to enable me to work the
sound board slides, couplers, and ventils, whether the keys are close too
or distant therefrom.
Figure 1 is a view of this arrangement. For this purpose I connect
a back fall a to each key or pedal by a sticker or tracker c, over or
under the other end of which I place a long box d extending the whole
length of the back fall frame; the box d is divided internally into two
channels and /, one that marked e extending from end to end,
the other being divided into as many chambers as there are keys upon
the manual or pedals; each chamber is provided with two apertures,
onc communicating with the atmosphere, the other h with the long
channel e from which the air is either exhausted or else it is filled with

page_text: compressed air, in both cases it is connected by a wind trunk, not shown
in the Drawings to a bellows or exhausting machine. The apertures in
the small chambers are governed by two disc valves i and fixed on a
vertical rod which is kept in the centre of the holes by guides and
is connected to the back fall a by means of buttons, when at rest the
hole g in the chamber communicating with the atmosphere is open, and
that marked communicating with the air channel closed and kept
so by a spring m placed on the back fall a, but when the key is put
down the resistance of the spring is overcome and the hole g com-
municating with the atmosphere is closed, while that h communicating
with the air channel is open; the chamber now contains air of the
same density as the channel e; a third hole n is bored in the side of each
small chamber, into which a tube o is fixed, by means of which tube the
air in this chamber can be carried any required distance. Supposing the
keys 6 have a dip of of an inch the valves in the chambers only require
to move of an inch, thus when the key is put down of an inch the
valve communicating with the atmosphere is closed to enable a key or
pedal to be put down the full distance; a metal spring is fixed to each
back fall, and also to the vertical rod carrying the disc valve which takes
the strain from the action. If an organ is supplied with highly com-
pressed air for the purpose of supplying solo stops I employ the same for
opening the pallets of the sound board; beneath the wind chest under
each pallet and connected with the pull-down thereof is fixed a small
power bellows, but not shown, which when inflated draws and maintains
open the pallet, but when collapsed allows the pallet to close by the
action of its spring; each of these small bellows is connected by means
of tubes to the small chambers f, before described, if now compressed
air be forced into the air channel e, as soon as the key or pedal is put
down the air will pass from the air channel e through the chamber f and
tube and inflate the small power bellows, thereby opening the pallet.
When air of a lighter density than the atmosphere is employed to open
the pallets of the sound board the small bellows p beneath the wind
chest is inverted and, as shown at Figure 2, by exhausting the air from
these bellows they will collapse and open the pallet, but when atmo-
spheric air is allowed to enter them the pallets will close by the action
of their springs, and also draw open these bellows.

page_text: pallets and constructed as follows:-Beneath the wind chest and
running the whole length thereof is placed a piece of wood y, in which
immediately under each pallet is a hole bored varying in size with the
size of the pallet; another aperture s, in which the end of the tube is
inserted is bored, communicating directly with the other hole r, upon
which purses t, made preferably of leather are formed having a disc at
top and bottom; through the centre of this discs a tapped cyc u is
placed and secured on each side by a button; this tapped eye is con-
nected by a wire to the eye of the pallet, the holes having been bored
through the wood the bottom side must be covered by a vencer; when
the air is exhausted from the hole it will cause the purse to collapse and
open the pallet.
In organs where it is necessary to economize space I employ an
improved form of pneumatic lever; this is shown in vertical section at
Figure 4, and in plan at Figure 5, and it is constructed in the following
manner-Beneath the wind chest and running the whole length thereof
a piece of wood is placed, immediately under each pallet a mortice w
is made in this wood v, into each mortice a hole w' is bored for the
reception of a tube; this hole is shown on one side, but of course it may
be on the other; the bottom side of the mortices w are covered by a
veneer, on the top they are covered by leather a glued on; over every
mortice a piece of V-shaped wood is glued and made secure at its wide
end to one end of the mortice by means of a tail piece; through the
narrow end of this V piece of wood (which does not quite extend to the
end of the mortice) a tapped eye is passed and secured by buttons top
and bottom; this eye is connected by a wire to the pallet eye; when at
rest the piece of wood and covering will be held above the mortice by
the spring of the pallet, but when the air is exhausted from the mortice
the covering will be caused to collapse and draw open the pallet.
My improved draw stop action is constructed as follows, and is shown
at Figures 6, 7, and 8:-The end of the draw stop rod A is connected to
a slide B working between an upper board C and table D, and enclosed
by bearers, beneath the table is an air chamber E, from which the air may
either be exhausted or it may be filled with compressed air; two holes
are bored through the upper board C and table D into the air chamber E;
into the holes in the upper board tubes F, F', are fitted; two holes arc
also bored through the slide B, so placed that only one of the holes
leading from the upper board to the air chamber is opened at one and

page_text: the same time. To allow the tubes to be in communication with the
atmosphere when the passage to the air chamber is closed, another
hole G is made in the upper board between the other holes, and a slot H
is formed in the slide. Each sound board slide is connected by a lever
or other mechanical arrangement to the moving portion of a double
bellows I of the requisite size, the other ends of the tubes fitted into
the holes in the upper board are fitted into these bellows I. If the stop
is drawn "out" and the air exhausted from the air chamber E it will
also be exhausted from the lower part of the bellows, and the bellows
will collapse and move the slide in the sound board; if the stop is put
"in" the upper part will be caused to collapse and the slide will be
again moved. If compressed air be used to work the sound board slides
the bellows instead of collapsing will be inflated. Sometimes and
especially for small organs it may be only necessary to use one tube, and
which arrangement is shown at Figure 8, but in which case the slide will
be returned by means of a spring.
In organs where the keys are placed a considerable distance from the
instrument it may in some cases be advisable to use another form of
pallet box instead of that before described. Figure 9 is a view in
section of this pallet box, it consists of three chambers K, L, M, the
top and bottom channels K, M, run from end to end, the middle
channel L is divided into as many small chambers as there are keys
or pedals, from one of the channels, say K, air is exhausted, the other
is filled with compressed air; the chambers communicate by holes with
the outside channels; the vertical rod which passes through a metal plate
by preference of brass, like a pull-down, or through a purse is con-
nected to the back fall, as before described. When the key is put down
the air is exhausted from the middle chamber tube, and one of the
appliances before described for opening the pallets by means of air
lighter than the atmosphere, which will be caused to collapse and open
the pallet, when the key returns the valve communicating with the
compressed air channel will be opened, and compressed air will pass
through the middle chamber and tube and inflate the apparatus under
the wind chest, thereby causing the pallet to close. In a state of rest
the hole communicating with the chamber, from which the air is
exhausted, is closed by the disc valve and kept so by the spring on the
back fall, and the middle chambers are full of compressed air from the
other channel, the valve of which is open. When compressed air is used

page_text: to open the pallet the middle chambers will have the air exhausted from
them when at rest, and the small bellows will be kept closed till the
key is put down, when the compressed air will be admitted and inflate
them and open the pallet.
With respect to the pallet box before described, shown at Figure 9,
and composed of three chambers, I wish it to be understood that I lay
no claim thereto when taken alone or separately, but only when used in
combination with the tubes for conveying air, as before described.
Figures 10, 11, and 12 are views of modifications of this improved
pallet box and tube.
At Figure 10, N, N', are valves connected by a wire O and free to
move or work together, and to simultaneously open or close the
apertures N, N". The valve N is composed of a piece of wood or
metal working on a stud, and is shown detached at Figure 13. In a
state of rest it is kept closed by means of a spiral india-rubber or other
spring, as shewn. P is the air tube. The action is similar to that before
described. At Figure 11 a single exhaust or supply valve is shown; in
this arrangement the wire either passes through a plate of metal, as
shown, or through a purse. Figure 12 shows the form of pallet box
employed when compressed air is used to close the pallet on the return
action, in other respects it is similar to that last described.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim as my
"Improvements in Organs,"-
First. The dividing of the pneumatic apparatus into two parts or
portions, one part or portion containing the valves to be placed near the
keys, and the other or moveable part at or near the sound boards, and
in connection with the pallets thereof, the two portions or parts being
connected by tubes or tubing through which air is conveyed as required,
and as before described.
Second. The construction and action of pneumatic or purse valves,
together with any mere modifications thereof, substantially as herein-
before described and illustrated at Figure 3 of the accompanying
Drawings.
Third. The construction and action of pneumatic levers, substantially
as hercin-before described and illustrated at Figures 4 and 5 of the
accompanying Drawings.

page_text: Fourth. The improvement or improvements in the draw stop action,
worked either by compressed air or exhaustion, and substantially as
herein-before described.
Fifth. The employment of pallet boxes when used in combination with
air tubes, constructed and acting substantially in the manner and for
the purposes herein-before described and illustrated in the accompanying
Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edwin Horsell Pulbrook, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, the Eighteenth day of November,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
ninc.
Witness,
EDWIN HORSELL PULBROOK. (L.S.)
EDW. GRIFFITH BREWER,
89, Chancery Lane,
W.C.