Pneumatic traction (organ)

In the Organ with pipes, the pneumatic traction is a technique, dating from the beginning of the 20th century century making it possible to transmit the orders of the organist to the valves which order the admission of the wind in the sound pipes and thus the production of the sound.

It uses air under pressure, which makes it possible to facilitate the support on the keys and makes it possible to increase the distance between the console and the diagrids. To each key of the keyboard a valve located within the console corresponds. At the time of the support on a key, this valve opens. The wind is engulfed thus in piping establishing the link between the console and the diagrids. On the level of the diagrid, the air under pressure will raise small bellows which even will open the valve of the diagrid to him. Once this opened valve, the pipes are fed in wind and can thus speak.

This technique of transmission was in its time a small revolution. It made it possible the organist to move away a little its instrument and also to turn over the consoles towards the nave of the churches. It also made it possible to introduce combinations allowing a easier registration.

However although facilitating the play, this type of transmission requires a very precise adjustment: the latency time between the support on the key and the sound can be rather long what strongly penalizes the play. This adjustment is also very unstable what returns this type of transmission rather not very reliable.

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