IMPROVEMENTS IN THE 'STOPS' OF ORGANS
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn
Fields, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE 'STOPS' OF ORGANS."-A communication
from abroad by Thomas Winans, of Baltimore, Maryland, United
States of America.
Sealed the 14th July 1874, and dated the 12th March 1874.

page_text: Invention is communicated to me from abroad by Thomas Winans, of
Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Henry Johnson, do hereby
declare that the following Complete Specification, under my hand and
seal, fully describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and
to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
"
This Invention relates to the "stops" of organs, and consists in con-
centrating these stops in as small a space as possible to locate them
where they may be reached and manipulated by the organist without
extra exertion, without requiring him to sensibly move or shift his hands
from the keyboard, and without requiring from him any action other
than that which would be required to manipulate the the keys. With
this view the "stops" are formed, not with the ordinary "draw stop'
or sliding action, but with a key action, and arranged on the prolonga-
tion of the keyboard to which they belong. In other words the "stops
on this system are no longer "draw stops" but keys, and are arranged, not
on the case of the organ beyond the manual, but as it were form part of
the manual, being so located as to be a prolongation of the manual.
These "stops" or "draw stops" usually consist of sliding rods termi-
nating in knobs, and arranged on the sides of the organ adjoining the
keyboard in a position to allow them to be reached by the person.
playing on the organ.
"
The ordinary arrangement of the "stops" is well known. It is also
well known to organists that the manipulation of these stops is difficult
and requires great exertion, especially when sudden and frequent changes
of register are required during the playing of the organ. Under these
circumstances it is most difficult and fatiguing as well to reach, for the
stops, to select them accurately, and operate them with the proper
quickness. Moreover the position of the various stops will vary on
different organs, according to the peculiar views of the maker, and
according to the peculiar combinations of stops to which it may be
desired to give prominence, so that an organist who may be at home on
one organ will be embarrassed in his attempt to play on other organs,
and cannot be relieved from this embarrassment until he has perfectly
familiarized himself with the location and grouping of the stops on such
organs.

page_text: on the prolongation of the manual be grouped together to suit the rc-
quirements of the instrument.
It is preferred as above stated to locate the couplers, &c., at one end
of the manual, and the simple stops at the other end.
"
This Invention is illustrated as applied to patented "pneumatic
action described in the before-mentioned Letters Patent, No. 3820/1873. It
will however be manifest that the same system is applicable to the
ordinary action or an clectric action, etc.
The name of each stop may be printed or otherwise formed on the
stop key itself, or it may be otherwise suitably located.
It is also proposed to have pedals for the fect on the same principal,
and under the same arrangement for throwing on and off the whole or
different portions of the organ.
Having now described the Invention, and the manner in which the
same is or may be carried into effect, I desire to state in conclusion that I
do not limit myself to the special details herein shewn and described in
illustration of my Invention, but what I claim and desire to secure by
Letters Patent is,―
"
First. "Stop" keys arranged on the prolongation of the "manual"
or pedals of an organ, and adapted to operate the register's "couplers'
or combinations of the same by a key action in contradistinction to
the ordinary "draw stop" or sliding action substantially as described.
Second. The "stop" key composed of a main lever or white key,
and an auxilary lever or black key constructed, combined, and operating
together in the manner herein shewn and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have to this
my Complete Specification set my hand and seal, this Twelfth
day of March, One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.
J. HENRY JOHNSON. (LS)