AN IMPROVED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT CONSISTING OF PIANOFORTE AND HARMONIUM COMBINED
Year: 1884

page_text: I ISAAC PRITCHARD of Sherfield English near Romsey in the County of
Southampton Music Tuner, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention
for " AN
IMPROVED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT CONSISTING OF PIANOFORTE AND
HARMONIUM COMBINED," to be as follows:-
:-
The object of my invention is to combine Harmoniums with pianofortes in
such a manner that the keys of the pianforte are utilized to perform upon both
instruments at one and the same time, or upon the piano only, or upon the
Harmonium only, at pleasure.
"
My invention is applied (by preference) to what is known as Cottage" pianos
in which there is a convenient space under the key board of the Pianoforte for
the Harmoniuni.
The Harmonium Music Chest is of ordinary construction and is placed at a
distance of about an inch and a quarter below the bed of the pianoforte in an
horizontal position, the Music chest is suspended on hinges at the back, which
hinges are attached to a rail or blocks provided for that purpose, At the front
corners of the music chest are blocks fixed to the pianoforte bed, against which
the music chest rests when in its normal position.
The front side of the music chest is supported by a semicircular pedestal, the
same standing on the floor, and on its top is placed a wire spring of the same shape
and size and of sufficient force when compressed to keep the music chest resting in
its normal position against the before mentioned blocks, and at its prescribed distance
(viz. 1 inches), a pedal wire is attached to the music chest at or about its centre
in the front by means of which the music chest is lowered on the compressed
spring, the effect whereof is to detach the connection of the Harmonium from the
pianoforte, thus rendering the Harmonium silent; the pedal is worked by the left
foot, which lowers the front of the music chest about balf an inch from its normal
position.
The connection between the pianoforte keys and the Harmonium keys (which
aro parallel with each other) consists of wood pins which pass through the bed of
the pianoforte just underneath the end of the black or flat keys, and rests on the
corresponding keys of the Harmonium, and when the front side of the Harmonium
music chest is lowered by the pedal, the pins follows, still resting on the keys of

page_text: the harmonium, and the piano alone is played on, and by simply releasing the
pedal the connection is reinstated at any moment.
The pianoforte action is rendered silent by means of a rail placed underneath
the blocks of the upright action, such rail being carried on an axle in the framework
of the said action, and resting on blocks to keep the same in its proper position, an
upright lever is placed in the centre of the action, working in the above rail in a
loose mortise which lifts the whole of the action about three sixteenths of an inch,
or just out of reach of the operative end of the keys, a rail is provided to carry
the upright lever, the same is connected by a concave action working against a
compressed lever and attached to a stop carried to the front as in ordinary Har-
moniums the stop when being drawn out renders the pianoforte silent, and leaves
the Harmonium alone to be played on-The title of the stop "Pianoforte Jacit."
In forming the Bellows I place the wind chest above the feeder, the same being
placed underneath the upper octaves of the pianoforte and is blown with the right
foot, an ordinary Harmonium spring of sufficient height and pressure is placed on
the wind chest, and resting against the bed of the pianoforte to impart the required
pressure, the valve or pipe conveying the wind froin the wind chest into the Har-
moniums music chest has in its centre a flexible joint to allow for the action of
the music chest, the usual ports, safety and other valves are provided, as well as any
of the ordinary means of operating the bellows by pedal or otherwise.
The ordinary pia and forte pedals are prolonged to the front of the pianoforte
panel board, the same being brought forward to exclude the keys of the
Harmonium from observation and prevent its addition to the pianoforte from
being conspicuous.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I, ISAAC PRITCHARD, of Sherfield English near Romsey, in the County of
Southampton, Music Tuner, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention
for "AN IMPROVED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT, CONSISTING OF PIANOFORTE AND
HARMONIUM COMBINED " and in what manner the same is to be performed, to
be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The object of my invention is to combine piano-fortes with harmoniums in such
a manner that the keys of the piano-forte are utilised to perform upon both,
instruments, at one and the same time, or upon the piano only or upon the
harmonium only, at pleasure..
"
My invention is usually manufactured with or applied (by preference) to what
is known as Cottage" pianos, in which there is a convenient space, under the key.
board, for the harmonium.
The harmonium music chest is of ordinary construction, and is placed at a.
distance of about an inch and a quarter below the bed of the piano forte, suspended
on hinges at the back, which hinges are attached to a rail provided for that
purpose.
The front side of the music chest is supported by a central pedestal, the lower
end of which rests on a wire spring. In its normal position this keeps the har-
monium at its proper distance for being played upon, but a pedal and connecting
rod are fitted so as to lower the music chest, and thereby compress the spring by
the foot; the effect whereof is to detach the connection of the keys and the
harmonium, and render the latter silent.
The connections between the piano forte keys and the harmonium keys, consist
of wood pins which pass through the bed of the piano forte, and rest on the cor-
responding keys of the harmonium, when in its normal position; but when the
front side of the harmonium is lowered by the pedal, the pins are unable to reach
the barmonium keys, and the piano forte alone is played upon, and by simply
releasing the pedal, the connection is reinstated at any moment.
The piano forte action is rendered silent by means of a thin edged rail placed
underneath the blocks of the upright action, such rail being carried on an axle in
the frame work and resting on blocks to keep the same in its proper position. An
upright bar, controlled by a lever is placed in the centre of the action, working in
a loose mortise in the above named rail, which lifts the whole of the action about
tbree sixteenths of an inch, or just out of reach of the operative end of the keys..
A rail or other suitable support is provided to carry the lever, and the same is.
connected, by suitable means to a stop carried to the front.
I place the wind chest under the harmonium music chest, and the feeders under
the wind chest. Ordinary harmonium springs are placed under the wind chest to,

page_text: impart the required pressure, and the usual ports, safety, and other valves are
provided, as well as any of the ordinary means of operating the bellows by pedal
or otherwise.
The ordinary piano and forte pedals are prolonged to the front of the
harmonium.
The front panel board is so arranged as to exclude the keys of the harmonium
from observation, and prevent its addition to the piano forte from being
conspicuous.
And in order that my said invention may be particularly described and
ascertained, reference is hereby made to the accompanying drawing, in which
similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
Fig 1 is a front elevation of the piano forte and harmonium, the front board
to the harmonium being removed.
Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation, shewing the piano and harmonium arranged for
playing on both instruments at once.
Fig. 3 shews the method of detaching the piano forte action from the keys; and
Fig. 4 shews the method of detaching the harmonium from the operations of the
performer.
In Figs 2 and 4, a is the rail to which the harmonium music chest b is fitted by
means of hinges c. d is the central pedestal, having a telescopic action, and fitted,
internally, with a spiral spring. This pedestal presses the music chest upwards
against the blocks e, (Figs 2 and 4,) except when the pedalf is depressed by the
foot, as shewn in Fig. 4; when by means of the link f¹, the harmonium music
chest is drawn downwards, as shewn. gg are the feeders operated by levers g¹ and
pedal boards g³, the compressed air. from which is carried by the connecting
trunks h, which have elastic central portions, as shewn. is the wind chest,
m is one
which is pressed upward by springs k supported by the feeder board l.
of the keys of the harmonium, m¹ is the valve and m³ the spring, as usual.
The whole of the harmonium and mechanism is covered and enclosed by a
front board, except the pedals.
Pins n project through the key board, as shewn, there being one to each key.
The upper ends of these pins are provided with cross pins, collars or flanges, to
prevent them from falling out of the holes, when the harmonium is lowered, as
shewn in Fig. 4.
When the instrument is arranged as in Figs 1 and 2, the depression of any of
the keys o, will cause a corresponding depression of the keys m, by means of the
pins n, whereby the harmonium is played. But when the foot is placed upon the
pedal fand the music chest b drawn downwards, as shewn in Fig. 4, the keys m
are beyond the reach of the pins n, and therefore the harmonium remains
silent.
-In Fig. 2 the hammers p are in their normal position, ready for action when a
key is depressed, but each upright hammer rod q is provided with a block r
(Figs 2 and 3). These blocks rest upon a longitudinal rail s. In Fig. 3 this rail
is shewn raised, and the rods q are thereby raised beyond the reach of the ends o¹
of the keys, and therefore the piano forte remains silent while in the position
shewn in Fig. 3. t is an upright rod, which is fitted to the bar 8. The rod t is
raised by the lever u operated upon by the draw stop v. ww (Fig. 1) are the
ordinary pedals attached to the action of the piano forte, and brought forward to
the front of the case.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1. The method means and arrangements for combining harmoniums with piano
fortes, and causing the same to play or become silent, at pleasure, substantially as
decazibed and shown on the drawings

page_text: 2. In combined piano fortes with harmoniums, the method of rendering the
piano forte silent, at pleasure, by means of the bars and blocks r, substantially as
described and shewn on the drawings.
3. The general combination and arrangement of the several and respective parts,
together forming my improvements in combining piano fortes and barmoniums,
substantially as described and shewn on the drawings.