IMPROVEMENTS IN WIND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS WHERE METAL TONGUES ARE EMPLOYED
Year: 1852

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Jean Baptiste Lavanchy, of Richmond Build-
ings, Soho, in the County of Middlesex, Musical Instrument
Maker, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN WIND MUSICAL
INSTRUMENTS WHERE METAL TONGUES ARE EMPLOYED."
Sealed the 9th March 1853, and dated the 1st October 1852.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Jean Baptiste
Lavanchy at the office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
petition, on the 1st October 1852.
I, JEAN BAPTISTE LAVANCHY, of Richmond Buildings, Soho, in the
County of Middlesex, Musical Instrument Maker, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN WIND MUSICAL
INSTRUMENTS WHERE METAL TONGUES ARE EMPLOYED" to be as follows:-
This Invention consists,-First, of placing the air chamber in which
the metal tongues vibrate beyond the back ends of the finger keys, and
of causing such keys, by means of adjusting screws, to move the valves,
which are fixed on levers having their axes at their back ends, and
are pressed on by springs to close them, or by the pressure of the air
when the valves are within.
Secondly, the Invention consists of using a pedal to give a vibrating

page_text: motion, so as to obtain impulses of air through those openings which
for the time being are uncovered by the finger keys.
Thirdly, the Invention consists of using metal tongues stronger than
the pressure of air will readily start, and causing mechanical apparatus
to put such stronger tongues into motion.
Fourthly, the Invention consists of applying an air chamber and
tongues at the upper part of a pianoforte in place of below the keys.
Fifthly, the Invention consists of giving motion to the bellows by a
wound-up spring or weight, in place of using the feet. continuously.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters
Patent filed by the said Jean Baptiste Lavanchy, in the Great
Seal Patent Office, on the 1st April 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
JEAN BAPTISTE LAVANCHY, of Richmond Buildings, Soho, in the County
of Middlesex, Musical Instrument Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the First day of October in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-two, in the sixteenth year
of Her reign, did for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said Jean Baptiste Lavanchy, Her special licence that I,
the said Jean Baptiste Lavanchy, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Jean Baptiste Lavanchy, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter 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 Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN WIND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS WHERE METAL TONGUES ARE EMPLOYED,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Jean Baptiste.
Lavanchy, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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

page_text: 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 Jean Baptiste Lavanchy, do
bereby declare the, nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement thereof (that is to say):
This Invention consists,-First, of placing the air chamber in which
the metal tongues vibrate beyond the back ends of the finger keys, and
of causing such keys (by means of adjusting screws) to move the valves,
which are fixed on levers having their axes at their back ends, and are
pressed on by springs to close them, or by the pressure of the air when
the valve is within.
Secondly, the Invention consists of using a pedal to give a vibrating
motion, so as to obtain impulses of air through close springs which for
the time being are uncovered by the finger keys.
Thirdly, the Invention consists in using metal tongues stronger than
the pressure of air will readily start, and causing mechanical apparatus
to put such stronger tongues into motion.
Fourthly, the Invention consists of applying an air chamber and
tongues at the upper part of a pianoforte in the place of below the keys.
Fifthly, the .Invention consists of giving motion to the bellows by a
wound-up spring or weight, in place of using the feet continuously.
And in order that the Invention niay be most fully understood, and
readily carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the drawings hereunto
annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS..
Figures 1, and transverse partial sections, showing the arrange-
ments of mechanism; Figure 3, is the plan, or bird's eye view, of the
same; Figure 4, is the front elevation of an harmonium applied to a
cottage piano; Figure 5, is the transverse section of the same. The
mechanism a, containing the set of tongues or metallic vibrators is
placed at the extremity of the keys b, instead of being placed (as is
generally the case) underneath the keys, affording by this arrangement
the means to take it out when required, without having to remove the
, are tra
"
se partial sections, showing
ments of mechanism; Figure 3, is the plan, or bird's eye view, of the
same; Figure 4, is the front elevation of an harmonium applied to a
cottage piano; Figure 5, is the transverse section of the same. The
mechanism a, containing the set of tongues or metallic vibrators is
placed at the extremity of the keys b, instead of being placed (as is
generally the case) underneath the keys, affording by this arrangement
the means to take it out when required, without having to remove the

page_text: keys or any other part of the instrument, as must be done with the
ordinary harmoniums. The valve c, turns on its hind part e, and opens
in front of the mechanism a, the levers of the valves e, are bored to
receive small screw pins d, serving to regulate the valves c, and acting
as guides to obtain the sounds and notes; each valve is kept down by a
spring f.
Although I put the bellows g, g', as shown at Figure 1, with one or
more pedals h, I can suppress the pedals, and put the bellows in their
stead, as shown at Figure 2, the bellows g', in this case acting as pedals,
and conveying the air through the square wooden pipe i, into the
mechanism a, the overplus of air going, as in Figure 1, into the reservoir
g; by this arrangement I obtain a large space under the reservoir,
where I can place one or more sets of instruments, as real organ pipes,
flutes, clarionets, and others; instead of placing the reservoir, 9 imme-
diately under the keys, I can place it as low as possible above the
bellows g, Figure 2, so as to obtain the large space between the re-
servoir and the keys, that is to say, above the reservoir g, instead of
under it. Figure 4; in this application of harmonium to a cottage
piano, I place the bellows g', and reservoir, together with the
mechanism a, on the top of the piano, the rod d, lying at the end of the
keys b, b, Figure 5, and sliding in the wooden frame o, o, opens the
valve c, which in this case opens under the mechanism a; but I may
place this valve inside the mechanism a, as will be herein-after described;
I can also suppress the bellows at the top, and place them under the
piano, as shown by the red lines, Figure 5; in this case the mechanism
a, is placed immediately above the keys b, b. Figure 6, shows my system
of percussion, and the valve c, placed inside the mechanism a, by means
of which the tongue, which is too strong to be started by the air, is
first moved by a hammer moved by the key, as shown in this figure.
Figure 7, transverse section of my arrangement to produce the octaves;
the piece of wood b, is brought downwards when it is required to play
without the octaves; Figure 8, plan of the same, showing the simple
way by which I obtain the octaves; it is clearly understood that by
touching any one of the keys I produce two notes at the same time, at
the octave the one of the other.

page_text: When it is desired to work the bellows mechanically, I employ a
weight or a wound-up spring to give motion to an axis, as is well un-
derstood, and by a crank and connecting rod I connect the bellows, and
thus give motion thereto. Figure 10, shows the manner in which a
pedal is used to give impulses to the air, and thus to produce a pulsa-
tion in the sound. By means of a pedal the indented lever a, is brought
in contact with the upper part of the bellows, and causes it to move by
starts, in place of uniformity, when pressure is applied.
In witness whereof, I, the said Jean Baptiste Lavanchy, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Thirty-first day of March
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
fifty-three.
JEAN BAPTISTE LAVANCHY. (L.S.)
Witness, H. W. CARPMAEL.