ments, such as Harmoniums and Concertinas.
Year: 1886

page_text: ments, such as Harmoniums and Concertinas.
I, FREDERICK WILLIAM RAWSTRON of No. 25 Oakroyd Terrace, Manningham,
Bradford, in the county of York, Engineer, 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:-
When playing keyed wind musical instruments, such as the well-known pipe
organ, the American organ, the harmonium, or the concertina, as heretofore usually
constructed, it has not been practicable to emphasise any particular note or group
of notes when played with others otherwise than by resorting to a second row of
keys commanding other stops, the only method of gaining expression with the
fingers being by the use of the staccato or legato touch. Even when using the
swell organ as usually constructed it has not been practicable to bring out any
particular chord, note, or air, inasmuch as the intensity of each note will corre
spond with that of its fellows, and the usual construction of the instrument is such
as not to admit of the sounding of the piano or forte of individual notes or groups
of notes. To give facility in playing upon the keys of organs, harmoniums, and
such like keyed wind musical instruments by obtaining two distinct sensible or
definite touches to each key so as by the pressure of the secondary touch to give
prominence to the melody or any part of the harmony, or the bass, at the will of
the player, it has been proposed to arrange keys each to act in the ordinary way
upon one or more valves when pressed down to a stop sensible and definite to the
touch, and then by further pressure to open another or other valve or valves; but
this construction, besides being otherwise objectionable, involves the use of two or
more separate valves and two separate actions in connection with each key, thus
complicating the instrument and adding considerably to its cost, and its liability
to derangement. Now according to my invention there is provided in connection
with each key a combined pallet or valve and moderator or plug, which latter,
when the pallet or valve is closed, is situate within the hole that is closed by the
pallet or valve, but does not fit closely therein, the arrangement being such that
when the pallet or valve is partially opened there is provided' around the moderator
or plug an opening, of much smaller area than the hole, for the passage of wind,
[Price 8d.1

page_text: and that when the pallet or valve is further opened it will move the moderator or
plug practically clear or approximately clear of the hole so as to afford a clear
passage for a much larger body of wind to produce the louder note required.
In connection with the keys whereby my combined pallets or valves and
moderators or plugs are operated, checks of any suitable construction are provided,
the object of which is to limit the depressions of the keys and consequent extent of
opening of the pallets or valves, produced by the ordinary or normal pressure of
the fingers upon the keys, but to admit of the further opening of the pallets or
valves to produce the louder notes by increased pressure and consequent further
depression of the keys in opposition to the restraining influence of the checks.
And in order that the nature of my invention and the manner of carrying it
into practical effect may be fully understood, I append hereto illustrative drawings
which I will now proceed to describe, premising that I do not limit myself in
carrying out my invention to the precise constructions and arrangements of actions
and parts which are shown in the accompanying drawings by way of illustration,
as other known constructions of actions may be employed, and combined pallets or
valves and moderators or plugs according to my invention may be applied in
instruments of various forms, the keys of which may be provided with checks of
any known or suitable kind that will have the effect of checking the keys during
their depression so as to limit the opening of the pallets or valves as hereinabove
indicated when the keys are not subjected to additional pressure of the fingers as
hereinabove mentioned.
Fig. 1 of the drawings shows in vertical section so much of an organ as is
needful to a clear understanding of the application of my invention; Fig. 2 is a
plan of the moderator; and Fig. 3 is a side elevation partly in section of the
combined pallet and moderator. Fig. 4 is a plan to an enlarged scale of the
rack or guide for a check. Fig. 5 shows in vertical section the key and pallet
mechanism of a harmonium or American organ with four rows of reeds or vibrators.
Fig. 6 shows in section so much of an ordinary concertina as is necessary to
illustrate the application of my invention to such an instrument. Fig. 7 is a
section at right angles to Fig. 6 in the line X. X. Fig. 8 is a section in the
line Y. Y. Figs. 9 represent views at right angles to one another of the check.
Fig. 10 is a plan of the parts illustrated in Fig. 6.
In each case 1 represents an ordinary pallet or valve, 2 the pallet hole, 3 the
moderator or plug which in all cases is so proportioned in relation to the pallet hole
that when the pallet is closed or partly opened there will be a free space between
the side wall or boundary of the hole and the moderator or plug for the passage
of wind. The proportions will vary according to circumstances, and should be
determined by trying the effect, it being understood that the smaller the moderator
or plug in relation to the size of the pallet hole the more wind will pass and the
louder will be the resulting tone, so that if with any given size of moderator or
plug the desired tone is, not obtained, the size of the moderator or plug may be
increased or reduced according to whether a softer or louder tone is desired, and
this may be readily effected as may be required.
The keys 4 are provided in each case with suitable checks 5 so arranged as to
limit the extent of opening of the pallets or valves that will be produced by the
normal or more moderate pressure applied to the keys in ordinary playing, but to
admit of the full opening of the pallets or valves when additional or extra pressure
is applied to the keys for the purpose of producing louder notes.
Referring now to the arrangement illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings it will be
noted that the check 5 is in the form of a bent wire or metal spring resembling a
hook, the stem of which is screwed into the key at its lower part in such a way as
to be capable of accurate adjustment, the thread being made fine. This spring
hook is formed with a bend 5ª, and works within a bifurcated plate or fork-like
guide 6 secured to a frame 7, the arrangement being such that when the key is
depressed in playing it will be arrested or checked by the part 5a coming in
contact with a part of the frame 7 (which may be provided with a piece, of suitable
:

page_text: material, such as doe-skin, for the part 5ª to beat against) and so arresting the key
at a point corresponding to such an extent of opening of the pallet or valve as will
produce a softer note than will result from the full opening of the pallet or valve
which may be effected by a further depression of the key 4 produced by pressing
against it to such an extent as to overcome the resistance of the check 5 and
causing its free end to slide down the black-leaded face 7a as will be readily
understood. The general arrangement of the action and other parts of the instru-
ment will be readily understood from the drawing in which 8 represents the
key movement, 9 the pull-down, 10 the wind-chest, 11 the pallet-spring, 12 the
sound-board, 13 the sound-board groove, 14 the table, 15 the upper board,
16, 16, pipes, 17, 17, slides, 18 the front board, 19 the sound-board bottom, 20 the
wind-bar.
The pallet shown is an equilibrium pallet of known construction, but having
applied thereto a moderator or plug 3 in accordance with my invention. In the
example shown the noderator or plug is applied in such a manner (see Figs. 2
and 3) that it can be readily removed for alteration and adjustment to suit the
required tone, or so that it can be moved and another readily substituted. For
this purpose, as will be seen, it is at each end formed with a recess or slot to
embrace a wire screw provided with a nut to hold the moderator in place.
In the case of instruments of magnitude where the pallet or valve commands
more than one stop, a relief pallet or valve may be used with advantage, and in the
arrangement illustrated in Fig. 1 such a pallet or valve (21) is shown. It may be
arranged to open at any desired pressure of wind on the key being partially
depressed and is locked or closed by the full depression of the key thus directing
the full force of wind from the wind chest against the pipes.
22 is a locking lever connected to the pallet or valve 1 and to the relief pallet or
valve 21, so that on the full depression of the key the relief pallet or valve will be
closed. This pallet or valve may be so arranged that it will be open when the
key is checked should there be excess of wind in the lever chamber. It is capable
of accurate adjustment by the spring 23. The arrangement 24, 25, 26, 27, the
construction of which will be readily understood from the drawing, can be applied
when a pneumatic, electric, or other relay action intervenes between the key-board
and the wind-chest, and depends on the elasticity of the wire 26, the nuts 24
being screwed up or down according to the strength of the relay action, and the
knob 27 screwed further on to the tapped wire 26 through the block 25, thus
increasing or diminishing its elasticity and consequently causing a long or short
check to be applied to the combined pallet or valve 1 and moderator or plug 3.
It is thus possible to arrange for a certain pressure of wind in each sound-board
groove for each individual pallet or valve when checked, and to direct the full force
of the wind against the pipes when the key is fully depressed.
Referring now to Fig. 5. of the drawings, which as already indicated represents
the general key and pallet mechanism of a harmonium or American organ with
four rows of reeds or vibrators, it will be seen that in this case four pallet holes (2)
are shown, in each of which there works freely a moderator or plug 3, there being
two pallets or valves (1) to each of which two moderators or plugs are applied.
The check 5 is of the same construction as already described with reference to the
arrangement illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings, and operates in a similar way.
The touch of the key may be altered by increasing or diminishing the tension
between the stem and the free end of the hook. The arrangement in other respects
will be readily understood from the drawings without further description.
Referring now to Figs. 6 to 10 inclusive, which as already indicated represent an
ordinary concertina pallet action with my invention applied thereto, 4 is the key
or stud working in the fretwork top 30, 1 is the pallet or valve, 2 the pallet hole,
3 the moderator or plug, 12 the sound-board. 5 is a check block faced with fine
doeskin or other suitable material at 5b and black leaded on the face 5º, the object
being to render the check less noisy, and to obviate or diminish any disagreeable
clicking. It can be accurately adjusted by the tapped pin 31. As will be evident

page_text: the check block 5 can be conveniently placed in other positions than that shown
in relation to the pallet lever.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
-
In organs and other like keyed wind musical instruments, such as harmoniums
and concertinas,
1. The application and use of combined pallets or valves and moderators or
plugs operating substantially as hereinabove described for the purpose specified.
2. The use in combination or conjunction with combined pallets or valves and
moderators or plugs such as referred to in the preceding claim and suitable actions
and keys for operating the same, of checks applied and operating substantially as
described for the purpose specified.
Dated this 17th day of September 1886.
F. W. RAWSTRON..
W. Lloyd Wise,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.