Year: 1887

page_text: I, OTTO WEIDLICH of Brunndöbra-Klingenthal in the Empire of Germany Manu-
facturer 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:
This invention relates to accordeons and other musical key board instruments and
principally to such in which a series of keys are adapted to open reeds pipes or
the like so that air compressed by bellows or otherwise may pass through said reeds
pipes or the like and produce thereby a musical note or notes.
The invention consists in the combination with said series of keys of mechanism
by which each key of the series is enabled on depression to open the reed pipe
or the like corresponding thereto simultaneously with such other reeds pipes or the
like pertaining to other keys, as may be desired to be sounded therewith to produce
a chord or harmony.
The accompanying drawings illustrate a mode of performing this invention, similar
reference letters referring to like parts throughout the figures.
Figs. 1 and 2 are respectively front elevation and side view of a double reed such
as is used in accordeons.
Fig. 3 is an elevation Fig. 4 a side sectional view and Fig. 5 a plan of an instru-
ment fitted with the mechanism preferable for performing the invention.
Fig. 6 is a side sectional view and Fig. 7 a plan in skeleton showing tones combined
for sounding by depression of one key.
9 is the upper or other wall of the casing of such a wind instrument as may be
fitted with the improvements-z z are reeds which for economy of space are combined
in harmonic couples, their air spaces being in communication, the orifices thereof
being closed by a flap g' common to both-The flaps g¹ are fixed at one end of a
series of levers g, one lever therefore for each two reeds-The levers 9 are pivoted
upon a rail or equivalent m and extend parallel to each other over the case q of the
instrument, from the surface of which they are held by springs u-Above said levers
are pivoted a series of shafts a lying crosswise of said levers and in a plane sub-
stantially parallel to the plane of said levers, and above said shafts are pivoted a
D

page_text: series of key levers d equal in number to the shafts aforesaid, and lying preferably
crosswise of said shafts and therefore substantially parallel to the levers g before
mentioned The key levers d are pivoted at their rear extremities on a rail h, supported
at the ends in standards ff. fixed to the casing, and the fore ends of the key levers
carry the keys n of suitable shape by which they may be depressed.
Each key lever corresponds to one of the series of shafts a and the latter each
carry a radially extending finger b abutting against the under side of the respective
key lever d with which the shaft corresponds so that on depressing the key lever,
the corresponding shaft a is rotated partially on its axis.
Each shaft a also carries a certain desired number of downwardly projecting
radial fingers c so arranged along the shaft as to abut upon the upper surface of
such lever or levers g as are to be simultaneously depressed on depressing the
particular key to which the respective shaft corresponds. When such key therefore
is depressed the shaft a is rotated as before mentioned and the respective levers g
are depressed by the fingers c on the shaft so that the respective note flaps g' are
raised and the tones sounded.
Fig. 7 illustrates one key lever d and four flap levers that is eight tones dependent
thereon.
The shafts a may suitably be journalled in holes in plates o attached to the
casing, the shafts passing through holes in said plates and abutting against plates p
fixed also to the casing so as to prevent said shafts from being displaced.
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 combination in a musical instrument of a series of sounders, with a series
of keys adapted each to operate a desired combination of said sounders.
2). The combination in a musical instrument of a series of sounders, a series of
levers each adapted to operate one of said sounders or a separate set of said sounders;
a series of key levers a series of shafts each adapted to be rotated by one of said key
levers, each shaft having one or more fingers so disposed as to deflect when the shaft
is rotated, one or more of said sounder levers substantially as set forth.
Dated this 13th day of October 1887.