IMPROVEMENTS IN ORGANS AND SIMILAR WIND INSTRUMENTS "
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to August Gern of Boundary Road Notting Hill in the
County of Middlesex for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ORGANS AND
SIMILAR WIND INSTRUMENTS
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said August Gern at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 11th May 1883.
AUGUST GERN of Boundary Road Notting Hill in the County of Middlesex
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ORGANS AND SIMILAR WIND INSTRUMENTS
"
My invention relates to means of working the stops and valves of wind
instruments such as organs, harmoniums and the like, and of providing, when
required, wind at different degrees of pressure for different stops, the objects which
I have in view being to simplify the construction and operation of the parts and
their connections, and to avoid the loss of wind and objectionable sounds that often
result from leakage.
In order to simplify explanation I will assume that my invention is applied to
an organ having a single keyboard or manual and several stops or rows of pipes of
different tones or qualities, any one or more of which stops is to be brought into
use at the will of the performer.
I provide as usual a soundboard having holes through it, one for each pipe,
communicating with a wind chest below, each hole being closed by a valve opening
downwards into the wind chest. I attach this valve to a piston of somewhat
greater area than the valve, this piston working freely in a cylinder fixed within
the wind chest and being kept up by a light spring little more than enough to
support the weight of the piston and valve. At the bottom of the cylinder there
are two passages governed by valves connected to one stem or lever in such a
manner that when either is closed, the other is open, or that both may be in a
neutral position open. One of these passages communicates with a channel, which
I may term the stop duct, extending the whole length of the wind chest and
having at either end a valve which can be opened by hand. There is one of these
channels or ducts to each stop or row of pipes, communicating with all the

page_text: cylinders of that row. The other passage of each cylinder communicates with a
transverse channel, which I may terin the key duct, leading to a point near one of
the keys where it is closed by a valve that is opened by the depression of its proper
key. The wind chest, being charged with air at the required pressure, the
operation is as follows. The performer opens the valve of one or other of the stop
ducts so as to relieve the pressure in that duct, and thereupon all the valves
governing the passages from all the cylinders of a row to that duct are closed by
the pressure of air in the wind chest, but as the pressure below all the pistons
remains the same as the pressure above them, the pipe valves remain closed. The
performer now depressing a key opens the valve of the key duct relieving the
pressure therein. The piston of the cylinder with which that key duct communi-
cates being now relieved from pressure below it, descends, opening the valve of the
pipe above so that air from the wind chest passes to that pipe and causes it to
sound. Obviously, each valve cylinder, instead of communicating only with one
stop duct, may communicate with two or more which can be worked as combination
stops, and it may communicate with two or more key ducts so that the pipe valve
may be worked from several manuals. Also, instead of cylinders and pistons,
collapsible or bellows-like vessels may be employed like the pneumatic levers often
employed in organs.
When it is required to provide wind at various degrees of pressure for different
stops, I provide for obtaining these different pressures from the action of one
bellows in the following manner. Within an air tight vessel I place a bellows-like
vessel loaded to a pressure somewhat less than that produced by the main bellows,
and arrange in connection with this reservoir and the vessel containing it, valves
which are worked by the rise and fall of the upper leaf of the bellows reservoir so
as to direct the wind from the main bellows first into the bellows reservoir, and
then when it is distended into the enclosing vessel. The bellows reservoir being
now subjected not only to its own load but also to the pressure of the air in the
enclosing vessel discharges at a higher pressure into a regulating reservoir. This
may be repeated, so that the pressure may be raised by successive stages to such
higher pressure as may be required

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said August Gern in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 7th November
1883.
_AUGUST GERN of Boundary Road, Notting Hill in the county of Middlesex
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ORGANS AND SIMILAR WIND INSTRUMENTS
"
My invention relates to means of working the stops and valves of wind instru-
ments, such as organs, harmoniums and the like, and of providing, when required,
wind at different degrees of pressure for different stops, the objects which I have in
view being to simplify the construction and operation of the parts and their
connections, and to avoid the loss of wind and objectionable sounds that often
result from leakage.
In order to simplify explanation, I will assume that my invention is applied to
an organ having a single key board or manual, and several stops or rows of pipes
of different tones or qualities, any one or more of which stops is to be brought into
use at the will of the performer,
I provide, as usual, a soundboard having holes through it, one for each pipe,
communicating with a wind chest below, each hole being closed by a valve opening
downwards into the wind chest. I attach this valve to a piston of somewhat
greater area than the valve, this piston working freely in a cylinder fixed within
the wind chest and being kept up by a light spring little more than enough to
support the weight of the piston and valve. At the bottom of the cylinder there
are two passages governed by valves connected to one stem or lever in such a
manner that when either is closed, the other is opened, or that both may be in a
neutral position open. One of these passages communicates with a channel, which
I may term the stop duct, extending the whole length of the wind chest, and
having at either end, a valve which can be opened by hand. There is one of these
channels or ducts to each stop or row of pipes, communicating with all the cylinders
of that row, The other passage of each cylinder communicates with a transverse
channel, which I may term the key duct, leading to a point near one of the keys
where it is closed by a valve that is opened by the depression of its proper key.
The wind chest being charged with air of the required pressure, the operation is as
follows. The performer opens the valve of one or other of the stop ducts so as to
relieve the pressure in that duct, and thereupon all the valves governing the
passages from all the cylinders of a row to that duct are closed by the pressure of
air in the wind chest; but as the pressure below all the pistons remains the same
as the pressure above them, the pipe valves remain closed. The performer now
depressing a key, opens the valve of the key duct, relieving the pressure therein..
The piston of the cylinder with which that key duct communicates being now
relieved from pressure below it, descends, opening the valve of the pipe above, so
that air from from the wind chest passes to that pipe and causes it to sound.
Obviously, each valve cylinder instead of communicating only with one stop duct,
may communicate with two or more, which can be worked as combination stops,
and it may communicate with two or more key ducts, so that the pipe valve may
be worked from several manuals. Also, instead of cylinders and pistons, collapsible
or bellows-like vessels may be employed like the pneumatic levers often employed
in organs.
When it is required to provide wind at various degrees of pressure for different
stops I provide for obtaining these different pressures from the action of one
bellows, in the following manner. Within an air tight vessel, place a bellows-
like vessel loaded to a pressure somewhat less than that produced by the main

page_text: bellows, and I arrange in connection with this reservoir and the vessel containing
it, valves which are worked by the rise and fall of the upper leaf of the bellows
reservoir so as to direct the wind from the main bellows first into the bellows
reservoir and then when it is distended into the enclosing vessel. The bellows
reservoir being now subjected not only to its own load but also to the pressure of
the air in the enclosing vessel, discharges at a higher pressure into a regulating
reservoir. This may be repeated, so that the pressure may be raised by successive
stages to such higher pressure as may be required. Figs 1, 2 and 3 of
the accompanying drawings shew an arrangement of apparatus according to
my invention for working pneumatically the valve of an organ pipe by the
combined action of a finger key and a stop slide, as above described. Fig 1
shews the action of the key, Fig 2 shews the action of the stop slide, and fig. 3
shews their combined action on the valve. In fig 1, A is one of the keys, which is
shewn as it would be when depressed by the finger of the performer, this movement
raising a stud a fixed (adjustable in height) on the key and so opening a valve B
and closing a valve C. Both these valves are situated in the key duct D, the
valve B governing an outlet for escape of air, and the valve C governing a passage
from a channel E, which is charged with air at the same pressure as the air in the
wind chest of the instrument. When the key A is released, the valve B closes,
and C opens so that the key duct D becomes charged with air from E at the wind
chest pressure. In fig 2, F is a slide worked by the stop pull. It has through it
a hole G, which, in the position of the slide as shewn in fig. 2, forms an escape
passage from the stop duet L. When the slide F is pushed in, the hole G is
brought to the dotted position G³, giving passage to the stop duct L from a
channel H, which is charged with air at the wind chest pressure. In fig. 3, D is
the key duct and L the stop duet, communicating respectively by passages dand
with a cavity M containing two connected valves m¹ m² either of which is open
when the other is closed. N is a piston, connected to, and somewhat larger in
area than the valve O which governs the passage to a pipe.
The piston N works freely in a cylinder P, which is situated in the wind chest above
and in communication with the cavity M. A spring n supports the weight of the
piston and valve. When the stop slide is in the position shewn in fig 2, the stop
duct L being then open to the atmosphere, the valve m³ (fig 3) is closed, m' remaining
open. If now the key A be depressed, as shewn in fig. 1, opening B, and allowing
escape of air from the key duct D, then, the pressure in M being relieved, the
piston N is pressed down by the excess of pressure in the wind chest, and the pipe
valve O is opened. When the key A is released from the pressure of the finger,
allowing B to close and C to open, then air from E charges the key duct D and by
it the cavity M is charged with wind to the same pressure as that in the wind
chest. The piston N being thus subjected to as much pressure below it as there is
above it, rises, closing the valve O. When the stop slide F (fig. 2) is moved so as
to close the escape from L and to open the passage from H to L, then the pressure
in the stop duct L being thus made equal to that in the wind chest there is no
force tending to close the valve m² or to keep it closed. If now, the key A (fig 1)
be depressed, reducing the pressure in the key duct D, the valve m' will close, and
as the pressure in M is unaltered, there is no movement of the piston N and
consequently no opening of the pipe valve O. Thus, according as the stop slide F
is in the one position or the other allowing escape from the stop duct L or keeping
it charged, the depression of the key A is effective or ineffective in opening the pipe
valve O. It is to be understood that there are side by side, a number of ducts D,
one for each key of the manual, each of these ducts having a series of passages
one for each range of pipes constituting a stop; also, that for each stop of pipes
there is a stop duct L, each of these stop ducts having a series of passages l, one
to the cavity M for each pipe of the stop. Thus, one key, such as A, governs the
valves of all the A pipes of a number of different stops, and one slide F governs the
valves of all the pipes in one stop, but no pipe of any stop can be sounded unless
that stop is brought into action by putting its slide F in the position shewn in
d

page_text: fig. 2, and unless the key A is also depressed. Sometimes, for the purpose of
effecting combinations of stops, it is desirable that each pipe valve should be
governed by two or more stop slides, and sometimes, for the purpose of coupling
manuals, it is desirable that each pipe valve should be governed by two or more keys.
In such cases, the cavity M may have several sets of valves such as m² m² arranged in
it. Fig. 4 is a plan shewing how two pairs of valves M' M² may be arranged in M
in combination with two key ducts D D2 and two stop ducts L'L³, crossing them
at a different level. I have shewn in fig. 1 the pipe duct valves worked directly by a.
key, as may be done when they are near to it; when these valves are at a distance
from the key that is to work them, they may be worked by suitable rods and
levers connecting them to the key, or by pneumatic actions, such as are employed
in many organs for working the pipe valves from the keys. Also, instead of the
slide shewn in fig. 2, a two way cock or a pair of valves might be employed to
perform the same function as the slide, that is to say, to put the stop duct Lin
communication either with the atmosphere, or with the wind channel H.. Fig. 5. is
a section shewing apparatus according to my invention for intensifying the wind
pressure of an organ or wind instrument of like kind, that is to say, for obtaining
a supply of air of greater pressure than that of the air delivered by the bellows.
A is a box containing a collapsible vessel B, constructed as a bellow, which, at the
bottom, communicates with a channel C provided with a valve c opening towards B,
and also with a channel D provided with a valve d that opens from B. The
channel C is supplied with air from the bellows or wind chest of the instrument;
the channel D is for conducting air at a higher pressure to some part of the
instrument where higher pressure is required. The box A has two openings, one
to the outer air governed by a valve E, and one to the channel C governed by a
valve F. The valves E and F are jointed to opposite ends of a lever G, so that
the one is open when the other is closed. On the fulcrum of the lever is pivotted
a heavy plate H, which acts as a tumbling weight, and has on its side two studs
h¹h projecting so as to come in the way of the lever G. There is also in H an
elongated hole into which a stud b projects from the middle partition of the
bellows B. The top of the bellows B is loaded to the extent required to give the
desired increase of pressure, the load however being such as can be raised by the
pressure of the air in C. The action of the apparatus is as follows. The valve d
being closed by the superior pressure in D, and the valve E being open, and F.
closed, air from C passes the valve c and inflates B, the air thus displaced in the
box A escaping by the open valve E. When the inflation of B is nearly completed,
the stud b meeting the upper part of the hole in H, moves H until its centre of
gravity passes the vertical line through its pivot, whereupon the weight of H
causes it to tumble over to the position shewn in fig. 5, and its stud h¹ moves the
lever G so as to close the valve E and to open F. The box A being now charged
with air having the pressure of the air in C, the bellows B collapses, discharging
its contents past the valve d'into D at a pressure greater than that in C by the
amount due to the load on B. As the stud b approaches the lower extremity of
its stroke, it meets the lower part of the hole in H and causes H to tumble
over to the right hand, the stud h³ moving the lever G so as to close F and to
open E, whereupon the action is repeated. The channel D may lead to a pressure
regulator, and there may be several sets of the apparatus shewn in fig. 5, acting in
successive order to deliver wind of intensified pressure into the wind chest or
regulator. When still greater increase of wind pressure is required, the channel D
conducts the air to a second intensifying apparatus of the kind described, and
there may be a series of these, each adding to the pressure of the wind an amount
due to the loading of its bellows B.
Having thus described the nature of my invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I claim in respect of Organs and similar wind
instruments,
First: In combination with each pipe valve, a piston of larger area, working in
a cylinder which communicates with a key duct and with a stop duct by orifices

page_text: governed by a pair of valves so connected together that when the one is closed the
other, is open, each of these two ducts being governed by valves or their equivalents,
moved by the performer, so as to make it communicate either with the outer air
or with a channel containing air at pressure equal to that in the wind chest of the
instrument, substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth with reference to
figs. 11, 2, 3 and 4.
Second: For the purpose of intensifying the wind pressure, the arrangement of
a loaded bellows within a box provided with two connected valves worked
automatically by the bellows, so that the box is made to contain air at
atmospheric pressure while the bellows is being distended, and to contain air at
higher pressure while the bellows collapses, substantially as herein described with
reference to fig 5.
.
In Witness whereof. I the said August Gern have hereunto set my hand and
seal this Sixth day of November in the year of our Lord, one thousand, eight
hundred and eighty-three.