IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON- STRUCTION OF MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS FORMED BY COMBINING REEDS AND STRINGS
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Baillie Hamilton, of University College,
Oxford, Esquire, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON-
STRUCTION OF MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS FORMED BY COMBINING REEDS AND
STRINGS."
Sealed the 6th November 1874, and dated the 12th May 1874.
•
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Baillie Hamilton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 12th May 1874.
I, JAMES BAILLIE HAMILTON, of University College, Oxford, Esquire,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS FORMED BY COMBINING REEDS AND.
STRINGS," to be as follows:-
My improvement consists of a mode of facilitating quickness of
speech in musical instruments formed of strings connected with reeds.
In the previous Patent of John Farmer and myself, dated the 19th
March 1873, No. 1008, it was stated when a string is connected with a

page_text: reed so proportionate to itself that the string is resolved into nodes and
segments, instantaneous sound would be facilitated by causing the
string to be already artificially resolved into this form when the recd
was set in motion by the wind, and it was stated that this could be
effected by a damper" at the nodes, and by exciting motion in a
segment by percussion.
"
By my present Invention I propose to obviate the necessity of
percussion on the segments, which would necessitate complicated
mechanical action. I excite motion in a segment by means of a current
of wind, which I cause to impinge upon the segment through a slit
corresponding to that part of the string to which it is opposed, and
either approximated to the string or partially, enclosing it at that part,
the string, if necessary, being flattened, so as better to catch the wind.
This current of wind may be continuous or controlled by a "pallet."
In the case of its being continuous I contrive that the currents of
air which excite the segments shall be used to provide pressure for
working the reeds; this is effected by placing an air-tight box over
the "harp" or series of strings and reeds which compose a "stop" or
part of a
stop;" such a "stop" will naturally assume the form of a
series of parallel strings connected with their respective reeds, which
reeds are either a continuation of the line of their strings, or if in a
different plane are connected by pins or perpendiculars. The reeds are
set upon slits, and are controlled by pallets as in reed wind instruments.
The nodes in the strings are marked by their respective dampers, the
most convenient damper being a continuous band or cord stretched
across the nodal line of the series of strings. The pegs for tuning these
strings are passed right through the block in which they are fixed, so
that the strings, although enclosed, can be regulated, if necessary, from
outside. If the box which encloses this series of strings and reeds bo
filled with wind entering at any point the reeds will be caused to sound
on opening their respective pallets, as in the case of harmoniums and
similar reed instruments.
The point which I select for the entrance of the wind into the box
is at the region of the segments before-mentioned, and the wind so
admitted is conducted through the slits before described so as to
imninge upon the segments.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Baillie Hamilton in the Great Scal Patent
Office on the 11th November 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
BAILLIE HAMILTON, of University College, Oxford, Esquire, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of June, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the
thirty-eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs, and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said James Baillie Hamilton, Her
special licence, that I, the said James Baillie Hamilton, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I; the said James Baillio
Hamilton, 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 Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS FORMED BY
COMBINING REEDS AND STRINGS," upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said James Baillie Hamilton, my executors or administrators, by
an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of hands and
scals, 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 James Baillie Hamilton, 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 by the following statement thereof, that is to say :—
My improvement consists in a mode of facilitating quickness of specch
in musical instruments formed of strings connected with reeds.
In the previous Patent of John Farmer and myself, dated the 19th
March, 1873, No. 1008, it was stated that when a string is connected
with a reed so proportionate to itself that the string is resolved into
nodes and segments on sounding the reed, instantaneous sound would

page_text: be facilitated by causing the string to be already artificially resolved
into this form when the reed is set in motion, and it was stated that
this could be effected by a "damper" at the nodes, and by exciting
motion in a segment by percussion.
"
'
By my present Invention I propose to obviate the necessity of
percussion on the segments, which would necessitate complicated
mechanical action. I excite motion in a segment by means of a current
of wind, which I cause to impinge upon the segment through a slit
corresponding to that part of the string to which it is opposed, and
çither approximated to the string or partially enclosing it at that part,
the string, if necessary, being flattened so as better to catch the wind.
This current of wind may be continuous or regulated by a "pallet."
In the case of its being continuous I contrive in order to economise.
wind that the currents of air which excite the segments should be used
to provide pressure for working the reeds. This is effected by placing
an air-tight box over the " harp" or scries of strings and reeds which
compose a stop" or part of a "stop." Such a stop will naturally
assume the form of a series of parallel strings connected with their
respective reeds, which reeds are either a prolongation of the line of the
strings, or, if in a different plane, are connected by pins or pcr-
pendiculars, so that the length of the reed may be either transverse or
parallel to the line of the string. The reeds are set upon slits and
controlled by pallets, as in reed wind instruments, and the "nodes "in"
the strings marked by their respective dampers, the most convenient
damper being a continuous band or cord stretched across the nodal line
of the series of strings. The pegs for tuning these strings are passed
right through the block in which they are fixed, so that the strings,
although enclosed, can be regulated, if necessary, from the outside.
the box which encloses this series of strings and reeds be filled with wind
cntering at any point the reeds will be caused to sound by opening
their respective pallets, which causes the wind to escape through the
reed, as in the case of harmoniums and other similar reed instruments.
If
The point which I select for the entrance of the wind into the box.
is at the region of the segments before described, and the wind so
admitted is conducted by the before-mentioned slit, so as to impinge
upon the segments.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I claim, the mode of exciting a

page_text: segment in a reed and string instrument in order to facilitate quickness
of speech by admitting the wind necessary to work the reeds at a point
where it shall first impinge upon the segments of the strings with which
these reeds are connected.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Baillic Hamilton, have here-
unto set my hand and scal, this Eleventh day of November Onc
these reeds are connected.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Baillie Hamilton, have here-
unto set my hand and scal, this Eleventh day of November One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.
JAMES BAILLIE HAMILTON.· (L.S.)