IMPROVEMENTS IN ORGAN PEDALS
Year: 1884

page_text: I JAMES RUSHTON of N° 11 Albert Terrace Notting Hill Gate in the County of
Middlesex Pianoforte and Organ Tuner, Repairer and Regulator do hereby declare
the nature of my Invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN ORGAN PEDALS to be as
follows:-
My Invention relates to the use of two iron screws which are turned into and go
through each pedal. The one screw has a wood button screwed on to the end
that is through the pedals and has a thread which reaches nearly to the top leaving
just enough of the screw not tapped to allow of a cut in the top, whereby it may
be turned right or left. A hole is bored out of the top side or face of the pedal, a
few inches from the front end about ³, or 1/2 inch in depth by a ³/s of inch centre
bit thus allowing room for the insertion of a small screw driver to turn in it.
Another hole is bored through the pedal in the centre of the previous hole the same
size as the screw used viz. 1% of inch. The button aforementioned rests on the end
of one of a set of splayed backfalls, the ends of which are covered with cloth to
prevent noise in their action. The splayed backfalls are under the pedals fixed in
the pedal frame. Upon a pedal being pressed down in the usual manner the button
on the end of the screw through the pedal presses on the backfall, causing the same
to rise in front. The screw by being turned right or left regulates the height or
depth in the rise or fall of the backfall. Thus making up the touch in any
instrument to which it may be applied, from the interval of space that the depth
of touch allows, to a fineness that will not admit the insertion of the tissue paper.
I also put a screw with a covered button on the end, right through the face or top
side of each pedal, about 2 inches from the front end. The pedal has a ³/, of inch
hole bored / or /. inch down, and the under side of the pedal has the same sized
or larger hole bored out sufficiently deep to allow of the button at the end of each
screw to remain slightly under flush or level of each pedal. This button regulates
the depth of touch for the pedals as by reason of much wear the cloth baize, or felt,
which was used and determined the depth of touch in the first instance, becomes
depressed or flattened out by wear, the screw being turned to the right will cause
the aforesaid button to become over flush, and thus make the depth of touch as it
originally was or shallower, as may best accord with the fancy or judgment of the
5

page_text: performer. The great advantage of my Invention and improvements over all other
organ pedals applied to pianofortes or other instruments consists in the fact, that
the depth of touch determined on may be made and regulated without removing
pedals from the instrument they may be applied to, by turning the screw which is
in the front of the pedals right or left. The same remarks apply to the screw
which is nearer the back of pedals, which regulates the backfalls or any other
arrangement underneath the pedals connected with them. Having fully explained
the nature of my Invention and improvements I declare that I claim the regulating
screws as my own Invention and the splayed backfalls under the pedals as my own
improvement.

page_text: I JAMES RUSHTON, of No 11 Albert Terrace, Notting Hill Gate, in the County
of Middlesex, Pianoforte, and Organ Tuner, Repairer, and Regulator. do hereby
declare the nature of my Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ORGAN PEDALS" 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 use of two iron screws; which are turned into, and
go through each pedal. One of the screws has a wood button screwed on to the
end, through the pedals; and has a thread which reaches nearly to the top, leaving
just enough of the screw not tapped to allow of a cut in the top, whereby it may be
turned to the right, or left. A hole is bored near the centre of the pedal about 3/
or 1/2 inch in depth, by a 3/8 of an inch centre bit, which allows room for the
insertion of a small screw driver to turn therein. Another hole is bored through
the pedal in the centre of the previous hole the same size as the screw used-
viz. 1 of an inch. The button before mentioned rests on the end of one, of a set,
of splayed backfalls; the ends of which are covered with cloth to prevent noise
in action. The splayed backfalls, are under the pedals and fixed in the pedal frame.
Upon a pedal being pressed down in the usual manner, the button on the end of the
screw through the pedal presses on the backfall, causing the same to rise in front.
The screw on being turned to the right, or left, regulates the height, or depth, in
the rise or fall, of the backfall, thus making up the touch to any instrument to
which it may be applied, from the interval of space that the depth of touch allows,
to a fineness that will not admit the insertion of a tissue paper. I also put a screw
(with a covered button on the end) through the pedal, about 2 inches from the
front end. The pedal has a 3/5 of an inch hole bored / or /, an inch down. And
the underside of each pedal has the same sized or a larger hole bored out sufficiently
deep to allow of the button at the end of each screw to remain nearly flush with
the level of the underside of each pedal. This button regulates the depth of touch
for the pedal.
The advantage of my Invention and improvement over other organ pedals
consists in the fact that the depth of touch determined on may be made and
regulated without removing the pedals from the instrument to which they may be
applied, by simply turning the screw which is in front of the pedals to the right or
left. The same remarks apply to the screw which is nearer the back of the pedals,
which regulates the backfalls, or any other arrangement underneath the pedals
connected therewith,
And in order that my said Invention may be clearly understood reference
is hereby made to the accompanying Drawing, which is an elevation, partly
in section, of my Invention. a is the block on which the instrument rests, b is the
pedal frame. c is the top edge of the block a. d is one of the pedals. e is an
adjusting screw which passes through the pedal, and has a covered button on the
end, which, when the pedal is pressed down, depresses that end of the backfall f
and consequently raises the further end off, which, in its turn, raises the lift g.
This lift g is a tapped wire attached to the backfall with a bevelled block p at its
upper end; the wire works in a slot in the bushed rail h, which is secured on and
to the pedal frame. The screw e¹ regulates the depth of touch and beds on the
spring rail o.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is :-
1. The method and means of constructing pedal mechanism and of regulating
the same by the screws e and e¹ substantially as and for the purposes herein before
described and shewn on the Drawing.
2. The general arrangement and construction of parts of pedal mechanism
capable of application and withdrawal without causing any derangement together
forming my improvements in organ pedals, herein before described and shewn on
the Drawing, or any mere modification thereof.