Improvements relating to Organ Pipes.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Jan., 1896-Accepted, 14th Nov., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to Organ Pipes.
We, GEORGE WILLIAM SCRIBNER, Gentlemau, and WILLIAM MCINTOSH
and JOHN ALEXANDER MCINTOSH, Organ Manufacturers, all residents of the
City of London, in the County of Middlesex, in the Province of Ontario, Canada,
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 a flue pipe or the like, in which air is vibrated to
produce a musical tone.
It is a well known fact that tone produced by the vibration of reeds does not
alter pitch in changes of temperature in the same proportion as does tone produced
by flue pipes; consequently, in an organ containing both reeds and flue pipes, the
proper relation between said flue pipes and reeds as to pitch is not maintained in
changes of temperature.
The object of my invention is to overcome this difficulty by means which will be
hereinafter fully set forth.
In order that my improvements may be better understood, I have illustrated in
the accompanying drawings, a flue pipe and a series of them constructed according
to and embracing my invention.
In which drawings,
Fig. 1. is a perspective view of a flue pipe, looking at it from the front.
Fig. 2. is a perspective view of a flue pipe, looking at it from the rear.
Fig. 3. is a perspective view of a series of flue pipes, looking at them from
the rear.
P, designates a flue pipe, which may be either open or stopped.
B, designates the mouth of the pipe, the action of the wind on the edge, d, of
which produces a musical tone, and, S, an opening which may be situated in any
convenient and useful part of the pipe, P, but preferably in the rear side nearly
opposite the mouth, B.
A, A, designate sections of, or attachments to the pipe which are adjustable to
give the opening, S, its proper width and pitch value, after which said sections
remain permanently fixed in all changes of temperature.
These sections, A, A, are shown as held and guided in the rear face of the
pipe, P, but they may be held and guided in devices secured to said pipe as found
most suitable or convenient under the circumstances of applying this invention.
In the annexed drawings, these pieces, A, are shown with tongues, e, which are
held and guided in grooves, g, formed in the rear side of the pipe, P, and each pipe
is shown with two slides, but one or both may be used as desired.
T, designates a regulator which in changes of temperature is adjustable over the
series of openings, S, in the pipes, P, to simultaneously and uniformly change the
pitch of said pipes. C, C, designate arms which connect said regulator with
the support, D, and said arms are pivotally connected to said regulator, T, and
support, D. K, K, designate keepers secured to the support, D; the purpose of
which is to hold the regulator, T, firmly and evenly in contact with the pipes, P,
when partly or wholly covering the openings, S.
The arms, C, C, control the movement of the regulator, T, so that when the
latter is operated it wholly covers or uncovers the whole series of openings, S, or
partially covers or uncovers the same proportion of each and every opening in the
series, this result being facilitated by forming the openings, S, of equal length.

page_text: After the pipes of a series representing the notes of the chromatic scale are
properly voiced, they are placed in position and firmly secured to any suitable
support, D, as shown in Fig. 3. so that they as well as the openings, S, will be in
alignment with each other.
The regulator, T, is then placed in position in close contact with the pipes which
it regulates and operates over the openings, S, therein.
The pipes are now ready to have the openings, S, given their fixed width or
tone value, which result is accomplished as follows;-
The regulator, T, is adjusted so as to wholly cover all the openings, S, in the
pipe which it regulates, and said pipes are then tuned to the notes of the chromatic
scale, by the ordinary means of tuning.
The regulator, T, is then adjusted to wholly uncover all the openings, S, in said
pipes, which are then again tuned to the notes of the chromatic scale at a higher
pitch than before, this time without interfering with the usual means of tuning, but
by means of the section, A, in each and every pipe till the openings, S, are the
exact width required to give the desired pitch.
It will now be apparent that the series of pipes, P, give the notes of the
chromatic scale at a certain pitch when the regulator, T, wholly covers the series
of openings, S; and the chromatic scale at a definite higher pitch when the
regulator, T, wholly uncovers the series of openings, S, and consequently, the
chromatic scale at any pitch between these two extremes selected, according as
the regulator, T, is operated to cover a greater or less portion of each opening, S,
of the series.
The difference between the two extremes of pitch just referred to may be a
semi-tone (which is very convenient) or any other desirable and useful difference
may be used.
This difference in pitch we call the pitch value of the opening, S, and it will be
observed the purpose of the movable section, A, is to give the opening, S, in each
and every pipe of the series, the same pitch value after which the said section, A,
remains permanently fixed in all temperatures.
It will also be observed that the widths of the various openings, S, of the series
vary though their pitch value is the same.
The pipes may now be tuned by the ordinary means to the pitch of the reeds of
the organ in which they have been placed, the regulator, T, having been set to
partially cover the series of openings, S, at a medium temperature, and as the
temperature varies the regulator, T', can be operated so as to either raise or lower
the pitch of the pipes as found necessary, in order to maintain a uniformity of pitch
between them and the reeds, and at the same time inaintain the proper relation of
said pipes to each other as to pitch.
The regulator, T, may be operated by means of a lever or other mechanism
attached to act from the stop board and thus the organ containing both reeds and
flue pipes kept in tune in changes of temperature.
This invention has been described in connection with an organ containing reeds
and flue pipes, but it may be adapted to any instrument containing reeds, strings or
other tone producers, which do not maintain their relation as to pitch, with flue
pipes in changes of temperature.
And while we prefer the construction shown, we do not limit ourselves to the
details thereof, as they may be modified in various ways without departing from
the spirit of our invention.
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.-
1st. A flue pipe, P, having a supplemental opening, S, formed therein, and
provided with an attachment, A, for the purpose of giving said opening a definite
and permanently fixed pitch value, substantially as described.
2nd. A series of flue pipes having openings provided with individual attachments

page_text: in combination with a regulator arranged to act on said openings simultaneously,
substantially as described.
3rd. In an organ provided with reeds, the combination therewith of flue pipes
having openings provided with individual attachments, and a regulator arranged to
act on said openings simultaneously, substantially as described.
4th. An instrument provided with flue pipes and also with reeds, strings or other
tone producers, in which the flue pipes are adapted to maintain their proper
relation as to pitch to each other, and to the said other tone producers, in changes
of temperature, substantially as described.
5th. A series of flue pipes having supplemental openings, S, each of said openings
having the same pitch value, substantially as described.
Dated this 6th day of January 1896.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents...