[ Editor's Note:
 [   I've slightly rearranged the order of the quoted text here for
 [ brevity (and I hope clarity).  The content of John's message reply
 [ to Karl (and us) is unchanged
 [   Jody

 <in digest 95.10.09 Karl Ellison wrote:>

> Subject: Base and treble coupler suggestion ...
>
> My parents own a beautiful Story&Clark reed pump organ. It has two paddles
> that swing out on either sides of your knees (while your pumping) that
> allow you to push out on them outwards with your knees to engage a base
> octave coupler (with the left paddle) or a treble coupler (with the right
> paddle).  By bowing both of your knees outwards, you engage both
> simultaneously.
>
> <additional text snipped by editor>

Karl,
       Are you ABSOLUTELY sure that the knee paddles worked in this
fashion?  I've restored an awful lot of pump organs and don't think
I've ever come across one where they worked this way.  Usually the
right knee paddle is a "swell" that opens the wooden baffles that
cover the reeds resulting in a louder sound but no coupling.  The left
paddle is usually a "crescendo" that brings on all of the stops that
are not already pulled (except couplers).  Of course, certain
manufacturers or models may be different.  It does seem logical,
however.  With respect to having such a device on pianos (working as
you suggest), while I am not a pianist, I don't think many pianists
would find it very useful.  For one thing, a low say 4 note chord
within one octave, played an octave lower, would probably sound very
muddy.  In (most) grands, at least, much the same effect can be
achieved by using the sostenuto pedal to sustain the chord root or
perhaps root/fifth while the left hand goes on to do something else.
It might have limited application in the treble.  Of course, you would
always have the dilemma of where to place the bass/treble break.
(Making it adjustable would be a real mechanical challenge!)  I'm not
aware of any pianos or manufacturers who tried this, but there's some
strange experimental stuff out there.  (Remember Irving Berlin's F#
piano?)  Perhaps someone's seen one.  Thanks for an interesting
question.  -John Grant