IMPROVE- MENTS IN ORGAN PIPES, WITH THE VIEW TO IMPROVE THE TONE THEREOF
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Sweetland, Organ Builder, of 4, Cleveland
Place, West, Bath, in the County of Somerset, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN ORGAN PIPES, WITH THE VIEW TO IMPROVE THE TONE THEREOF."
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Sweetland at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 2nd December 1879.
WILLIAM SWEETLAND, Organ Builder, 4, Cleveland Place, West, Bath, in the
County of Somerset. "IMPROVEMENTS IN ORGAN PIPES WITH A VIEW TO IMPROVE
THE TONE THEREOF."
My Invention for the improvement of organ pipes is by placing a piece of vellum
or skin over the tops of the pipes or a hole in the side of the pipes, also on the side
of the feet or sockets of the pipes, the vellum or skin to be sufficiently slack to
allow it to undulate the air through a slot or hole cut in the pipes, and the slot piece
so made as to give a large or small opening so made as to regulate the power of
tone.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Sweetland in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 1st June
1880.
WILLIAM SWEETLAND, Organ Builder, of 4, Cleveland Place, (West,) Bath, in the
County of Somerset. "IMPROVEMENTS IN ORGAN PIPES, WITII THE VIEW TO
IMPROVE THE TONE THEREOF."
My Invention relates to improvements in organ pipes with the view to improve
the tone thereof. Over the top of each pipe of the organ I place a piece of vellum
or skin strained, cemented with glue, gum, or other like adhesive substance, and
secured with thread. The vellum is sufficiently slack to rise and fall so as to
undulate the air through a slot or hole cut in each pipe, and to which there is
affixed a slot piece so constructed as to give a large or small opening to enable the
voicer to regulate the power or volume of tone. I also place over a slot or hole cut
in the side of each of the feet or sockets of each pipe a piece of vellum or skin of
the like slackness, and strained and cemented, as is hereinbefore described. By
these means the volume of tone which escapes through the hole or slot is made
louder or softened without interfering with any other part of the pipes. If more
convenient the vellum or skin may be fixed over a hole or slot cut in the side of
each pipe, instead of being fixed over the top as is herein before described, provided
the requisite degree of slackness for undulating the tone, as is hereinbefore described,
be preserved. The employment of vellum in manner hereinbefore described
undulates or vibrates the column of air in each pipe and makes the tone more
subdued and plaintive. For the better explanation of iny said Invention I refer to
the Drawings hereunto annexed.
Figure 1 represents the diameter of an organ pipe with the vellum or skin
strained over the top, as shown by A, D, D.
Figure 2 represents the top of an organ pipe with the vellum or skin fixed, as
herein before described, and as shown respectively by D, C.
B (Figure 2) is the hole or slot cut in the pipe to allow the tone to escape instead
of at the top of the pipe which is stopped as aforesaid.
E (Figure 3) is the moveable metal slot piece hereinbefore described.
I claim the application of vellum or skin at the top of organ pipes or over a hole
or slot cut in the side of cach pipe and over a hole or slot cut in the feet or sockets
of each pipe, as the same is respectively described in and by the foregoing Specifica-
tion and delineated by the Drawings hereunto annexed.
Dated the Twenty-eighth day of May. One thousand eight hundred and eighty.
Signed and sealed
in presence of
THOMAS HUTCHINGS.
WILLIAM SWEETLAND. (L.S.)