Improvements in Organs and similar Wind Instruments.
Year: 1889

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Organs and similar Wind Instruments.
1 THOMAS CHRISTOPHER LEWIS, of 90 Stockwell Park Road, in the county of
Surrey, Organ Builder, 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
My invention relates to the introduction of supernumerary Keys in or upon Organ
Keyboards, as a means for operating drawstops and couplers, and also to a novel mode
of constructing Organ Keyboards in a manner suitably adapting such Keys to the
purpose named, and in order that this appropriation of key action to a novel service
may be clearly understood, I now proceed to describe the details of my improvements,
the description being accompanied by a drawing, with letters of reference to the parts
specified.
According to my invention I introduce a series of keys so placed as to occupy a
position central to the player, each key so disposed as to be midway between two
naturals or two sharps, and to all appearance being an inserted sharp, somewhat
higher but much shorter than those ordinarily under command of the fingers of the
player, and so arranged as not to interfere with the accustomed methods and practice
of fingering. They do not project on the front face of the keyboard more than three
quarters of an incli, more or less, and rise only a little above the tops of the sharps,
and they have a free action quite independent of the regular scale of keys.
relative position is shown in the drawing. These new keys, which I call supernumerary
keys, are intended only for the specific purpose of operating mechanism in connection
with the drawstops and couplers of the instrument, in order to effectuate such
combinations of them as may be or are designed in the plan of the organ.
The
According to the number of combinations desired, these inserted keys may be few
or many, and may be placed at distances considered convenient. These keys may be
ebony, or may be distinctively colored, and in shape sufficiently broad for finger
touch, for their purpose is, upon a light touch of the finger, to operate the mechanism
which brings them into connection with the drawstops and couplers, which may be
assigned to either separately or in combination. It is obvious that the action-work
they are in association with may be mechanical, simple or complex, or may bo
pneumatic, or electro-pneumatic, but whatever the action chosen, each new or super-
numerary key should be in communication with a light valve sufficient to actuate the
designed mechanism in the organ, no more force being necessary than is given by a
touch of the finger in the ordinary manipulation of the keyboard, and whether acting
upon a single drawstop or coupler, or acting upon several in combination, there need
not be any variation in the touch.
In constructing an organ keyboard to accommodate these supernumerary keys, the
setting out has to be varied either by splaying the keys or allowing for the thinning
of the ordinary keys in that portion throughout their length where space is required
for the introduction of the new keys, and the method will be easily understood upon
reference to the drawing, where the usual scale is designated by C, D, E, and these
combination-action keys by the letters M, N.
The prolonged portion of each key extending backwards is on the same level as
the other ordinary keys, and presents the same appearance on a balance-rail, with
leverage acting upon a centre key pin as usual, but at the far end, instead of acting
upon the pallets of the sound-board, each new key is placed in connection with a light
valve, working some arranged combination of drawstops and couplers. The modifi-
cation in the construction is thus very simple, and does not in any way hinder the
ready moveability of the keyboard frame, there are no disconnections to make, no
preparations to be troubled with, and the advantages of such a system will be clearly
recognised by practical organists and organ builders.

page_text: My invention may be used as a substitute for the usual pedals of combination
worked by the feet. The great convenience to the player of my combination keys,
both for position and efficiency, beyond any methods at present employed, is very
obvious. The player during playing can use either unemployed finger to touch the
combination key desired, it is before his eyes, by pressing M he brings on one com-
bination, by pressing in a passing touch N he brings on a different combination, and
so on according to the number of changes placed at his command.
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,―
First. The keys or short pieces, of ebony, or other material, introduced in or upon
the keyboards of organs, and here called supernumerary keys, to operate by finger
touch, as and for the purpose specified, and substantially as herein described.
Second. The construction of organ keyboards set out in a manner allowing the
incorporation of the new or supernumerary keys, amongst the keys of the ordinary
scalo, and adapting the same to operate by finger action to other uses of the player,
for the purpose specified, and substantially as herein described.
Dated this Sixth day of August 1889.
THOMAS CHRISTOPHER LEWIS.