Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 7th June, 1887
Complete Left, 23rd Sept., 1887
Complete Accepted, 28th Oct., 1887
I JOHN FRANK STRATTON of 49 Maiden Lane in the City of New York United
States of America, Importer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The object of my invention is to provide an accordion, in which the same note or
tone in the melody can be sounded by both pushing and drawing the bellows, and in
which the accompaniment produces sublime harmony.
The invention consists in providing an extra set of melody keys, key valves, reeds
and reed-valves, in addition to the ordinary set of melody-keys, key-valves, melody-
reeds and reed-valves, tuned in such a manner as to permit the performer to play in
connection with the ordinaay set, all the notes in the scale whether pushing or
drawing the bellows and of an additional set of bass-reeds tuned to a higher or lower
pitch than the ordinary bass-reeds but in harmony with the same, the additional set
of bass-reeds being operated independently of the ordinary set of bass-reeds.
Heretofore accordions have been provided on the melody part with one or two sets
of melody-keys, key-valves, reeds and reed-valves, in which each set was tuned to a
different key, so that the performer could play a certain melody in either of the two
keys to which the reeds had been tuned, but both keys could not be played together.
In my improved accordion I add to the regular set of melody-reeds tuned to one key,
an extra set which permits the performer to play in connection with the regular set,
any bass note in the scale, while pushing or pulling the bellows, without changing the
fingering of the keys of the regular set, thus permitting the performer to play any
"passing" note of the scale, which passing notes are not included in the regular set.
It is also a well known fact that the accompaniment of an ordinary accordion as
now constructed, when played, produces a monotonous sound on account of only
having two chords, the dominant and the tonic. In order to vary and enlarge the
accompaniment so as to obviate the monotony of the accordion, I provide the latter
TD 017

page_text: with an extra set of reeds tuned to either a higher or lower pitch than the bass-reeds
as now used. Said extra set of reeds is operated independently of the ordinary set of
bass-roeds.
The additional set of reeds when played successively, and at the same time pushing
the bellows, produce the same sounds as when playing the regular set of reeds and
drawing the bellows. The tones when pushing the bellows and the tones when
drawing the bellows are called "passing" notes or tones, and cannot be played on the
ordinary accordion when playing the regular reeds, as the performer cannot push
and draw the bellows at the same time. The extra set of keys is arranged midway
between the regular set of keys, so as to permit the performer to finger very
conveniently.
The additional set of reeds in the melody can only be used for playing "passing"
notes, but a melody itself cannot be played by said reeds, and must be played in
connection with the regular set of reeds to produce a melody. It will be seen that
the regular accompaniment of bass-reeds would not fit the additional set of melody-
reeds to produce harmonious sounds, and the additional set of melody-reeds cannot be
used as an accompaniment to the regular set of melody-reeds.
The accompaniment-box is therefore provided with the usual two sets of bass-reeds,
which produce, when played, the dominant and tonic chords, and to these two sets of
bass-reeds I add another set of reeds tuned to either a higher or lower pitch than the
said bass-reeds, but in full harmony with the same. This set of reeds is usually played
separately or in connection with one of the two bass-reeds, or the three sets of bass-
reeds may be played simultaneously.
The extra set of reeds is placed alongside of the reeds in the accompaniment-box
and is provided with the usual finger key or knob connected with the key-valve
by which the reed is sounded when the finger-key is pressed.
J. F. STRATTON.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London,
Patent Agents.

page_text: I, JOHN FRANK STRATTON (Importer) of 49 Maiden Lane in the City of New
York United States of America, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My Invention relates to an accordion in which the same note or tone in the melody
can he sounded by both pushing and drawing the bellows, and in which the
accompaniment produces sublime harmony.
The Invention consists n providing the instrument with an extra set of melody
keys, key-valves, reeds and reed-valves, in addition to the regular set of melody-keys,
key-valves, melody reeds and reed-valves, tuned in such manner as to permit the
performer to play, in connection with the regular set, all the notes in the scale whether
pushing or drawing the bellows; and with an additional set of bass-reeds tuned to a
higher or lower pitch than the ordinary bass reeds but in harmony with the same, the
additional set of bass-reeds being operated independently of the ordinary set of
bass-reeds.
The Invention also consists in the construction and arrangement of certain parts
and details and combinations of the same, as will be fully described hereinafter and
then pointed out in the claims.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this
specification in which figure 1 is a side elevation of a ten-keyed accordion provided
with my improvements, the accompaniment being in section. Figure 2 is a sectional
plan view of the same on the line of figure 1. Figure 3 is a sectional elevation
of the reeds and valves on the line y y of figure 2. Figure 4 is an inside plan view
of the accompaniment box. Figure 5 is a sectional plan view of the accompaniment
box. Figure 6 is a diagram of the arrangements of the melody-reeds. Figure 7
shews the notes which can be played in the melody in pushing and drawing the
bellows. Figure 8 represents a piece of music which can only be played on an
accordion provided with my improved accompaniment.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.
Heretofore, accordions have been provided on the melody part with one or two sets
of melody-keys, key-valves, reeds, and reed-valves, in which each set was tuned to
a different key so that the performer could play a certain melody in either of the two
keys to which the reeds had been tuned, but both keys could not be played together.
In my improved accordion, I add to the regular set of melody-reeds tuned to one
key, an extra set which permits the performer to play, in connection with the regular

page_text: set, any bass note in the scale, while pushing or pulling the bellows, without changing
the fingering of the keys of the regular set, thus permitting the performer to play any
"passing" note of the scale which "passing" notes are not included in the regular
set.
It is also a well known fact that the accompaniment of an ordinary accordion
as now constructed, when played produces a monotonous sound on account of only
having two chords-the dominant and the tonic. In order to vary and enlarge the
accompaniment so as to obviate the monotony of the accordion, I provide the latter
with an extra set of reeds tuned to either a higher or lower pitch than the bass-reeds
as now used. Said extra set of reeds is operated independently of the ordinary set
of bass-reeds.
The accordion is provided with the melody key-board having the regular set of
keys operating the key-valves c of the regular set of reeds d to produce the
tones CEG, CE G, CE G, &c.; of the scale in which the reeds are tuned when
pushing the bellows, and in drawing the bellows the tones D F A B, DFA B,
DFA B, etc; are sounded by said reeds d. To this set of keys e, key-valves c¹, and
reeds d, I add an extra set of melody-keys e operating the key-valves e¹ of the reeds f
which produce when pushing the bellows, the tones D F AB, DFA B. DFA B, etc.,
and in drawing the bellows the tones CE G, CEG, CE G, etc. are sounded by said
reeds. It will be seen that the additional set of reeds when played successively
and at the same time pushing the bellows, produce the same sounds as when playing
the regular set of reeds d and drawing the bellows. The tones DFA B, D F A B,
when pushing the bellows, and the tones CE G, CE G, when drawing the bellows,
are called "passing" notes or tones, and cannot be played on the ordinary accordion
when playing the regular reeds d, as the performer cannot push and draw the bellows
at the same time. The extra set of keys e is arranged midway between the regular
set of keys c so as to permit the performer to finger very conveniently. It will be
seen that the additional set of reeds in the melody can only be used for playing
passing" notes, but a melody itself can not be played by said reeds and must be
played in connection with the regular set of reeds to produce a melody. It will also
be seen that the regular accompaniment of bass-reeds would not fit the additional set
of melody-reeds to produce harmonious sounds and the additional set of melody-
reeds cannot be used as an accompaniment to the regular sot of melody-reeds.
*
The accompaniment box is provided with the usual two sets of bass-reeds i and k
which produce when played, the dominant and tonic chords, but to these two sets of
bass-reeds i and k, I add another set of reeds tuned to either a higher or lower
pitch than the said bass-reeds i and k but in full harmony with the same. This set
of reeds is usually played separately or in connection with one of the two bass-
reeds and or the three sets of bass-reeds i, k, and I may be played simultaneously
The extra set of reeds is placed alongside of the reeds i and k in the accompaniment-
box and is provided with the usual finger-key or knob n connected with the key-
valve by which the reed is sounded when the finger-key n is pressed. o is the usual
air inlet valve of the accordion.
The diagrams shewn in figures 7 and 8, represent a piece of music which can be
played with my improved accordion, but cannot be played with the accordions now in
use and they also illustrate a great variety of tones which can be produced with my
improvement.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention
and what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is ;-
1. In an accordion, the combination with a regular set of melody-keys, key-valves,
and corresponding reed-valves and reeds, of an additional set of melody-keys, key-
valves and corresponding reed-valves and reeds, tuned in such a manner as to produce
when played successively, the same tones when pushing the bellows as said regular
set of melody-reeds produces when played while drawing the bellows, substantially as
shewn and described.
2. In an accordion, the combination with the regular set of melody-keys, key-
valves and corresponding reed-valves and reeds, of an additional set of melody-keys,

page_text: key-valves and corresponding reed-valves and reeds, tuned in such a manner as to
produce when played successively while drawing the bellows, the same tones as said
regular set of reeds produces when played while pushing the bellows, substantially as
shewn and described.
3. In an accordion, the combination with the ordinary set of bass-reeds, of an
additional set of bass-reeds operated independently from said ordinary set of reeds,
but being tuned to either a higher or lower pitch than the ordinary bass-reeds, but
in full harmony with the same, so as to produce sublime harmony in the accom-
paniment when the accordion is played, substantially as shewn and described.
Dated this 22nd day of September 1887.
J. F. STRATTON.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London,
Patent Agents.