Pipe Organ Database

William Haskell was a prolific inventor, he held at least 26 patents, and two jointly with his brother Charles.

Patents held:

• with Charles S. Haskell: Patent #488,559; 27 Dec. 1892; organ.
• with Charles S. Haskell: Patent #708,765; 9 Sep. 1902; organ.
• Patent #641,509; 16 Jan. 1900; toilet flush valve.     Patent #734,261; 21 Jul. 1903; organ.

Patent #734,262; 21 Jul. 1903; organ.   Patent #760,114; 17 May 1904; pneumatic valve.

• Patent #760,115; 17 May 1904; pneumatic coupler.   Patent #795,608; 25 Jul. 1905; pneumatic.
• Patent #871,272; 19 Nov. 1907; pipe.   Patent #923,263; 1 Jun. 1909; pneumatic.
• Patent #965,897; 2 Aug. 1910; pipe.   Patent #967,911; 23 Aug. 1910; pipe.
• Patent #971,502; 27 Sep. 1910; pipe.   Patent #1,064,476; 10 Jun. 1913; gasoline engine valve.

Patent #1,078,851; 18 Nov. 1913; coupler. Patent #1,078,852; 18 Nov. 1913; coupler.

• Patent #1,173,507; 29 Feb. 1916; harp stop. Patent #1,230,895; 26 Jun. 1917; selector for player mechanism.
• Patent #1,236,430; 14 Aug. 1917; music player roll. Patent #1,250,165; 18 Dec. 1917; roll player registration.
• Patent #1,281,564; 15 Oct. 1918; swell regulation device. Patent #1,297,687; 18 Mar. 1919; pneumatic switch.
• Patent #1,304,971; 27 May 1919; player action control. Patent #1,323,530; 2 Dec. 1919; organ.
• Patent #1,327,996; 13 Jan. 1920; labial tuba mirabilis. Patent #1,477,485; 11 Dec. 1923; bottling machine.

Patent #1,659,914; 21 Feb. 1928; stop action. Patent #1,636,996; 26 Jul. 1927; bottle cap.

Sources:

• David H. Fox, A Guide to North American Organbuilders (Organ Historical Society, 1997), 150.
  [Fox took his information from the U.S. Patents files.]
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From the OHS Database Builders Listing editor, October 19, 2016. -

William E. Haskell was the son of Charles S. Haskell, and brother of Charles E. Haskell. He invented the Haskell bass, an open pipe with this treatment is a bit longer than half its actual speaking length, with a compensating tube either inside or outside the pipe. Thus a genuine 16 foot tone can be generated by a pipe roughly nine feet in length. Haskell bases are still made today, and are often used to allow a long pipe to be placed under a low ceiling.

William E. Haskell was born in Chicago, Illinois on November 29, 1865. The family was in Massachusetts, 1866-c.1879. The Haskell family moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, c.1880 when Charles S. joined the the Roosevelt firm at the branch shop in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. William joined his father working there starting at age 18. When his father established his own firm of C. S. Haskell in Philadelphia, c. 1888, William left Roosevelt and worked with his father, remaining there until c. 1900. He established his own firm, William E. Haskell Co. of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, c. 1901. The firm was acquired by Estey Organ Co. of Brattleboro, Vermont, Haskell moved to Vermont and became superintendent of the Estey pipe organ division. He retired after suffering a stroke, c. 1923. William Haskell died May 13, 1927 in Vermont.

Staff (William E. Haskell Co.): Thomas J. Clarke.

Sources:

• David H. Fox, "Charles Haskell and His Sons" (part 1), The Tracker, 29:3 (Richmond, Va.: Organ Historical Society, 1985), 19.
• David H. Fox, "Charles Haskell and His Sons" (part 2), The Tracker, 29:4 (Richmond, Va.: Organ Historical Society, 1985), 17.
• Geni.com, "William e. Haskell" accessed Oct 19, 2016, (https://www.geni.com/people/William-E-Haskell/6000000002878811019). 
• Thad Reynolds, "History of Estey Opus 2525", accessed Oct 19, 2016, Estey2525.com (http://www.estey2525.com/history.html), .