Improvements relating to the Combination of Harmoniums with other Keyboard Instruments.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 13th July, 1897-Accepted, 4th Sept.,
1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to the Combination of Harmoniums with
other Keyboard Instruments.
I, WOLF HEILBRUNN, of 39 Keibelstrasse, Berlin, in the Empire of Germany,
Manufacturer, 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 a horizontal change valve apparatus for mechanically
playing key instruments, and also to register stops in combination with pusher
holders which are arranged movably on an inclined plane, and effect the playing
connection between the piano and the harmonium. The use of this apparatus
enables: 1. The use of the piano as a piano by reason of its key board; 2. The
use of the piano and harmonium together, as also separate; 3. The use of the
instrument by mechanical means so that any desired music pieces can be played
by means of music sheets on the piano or harmonium alone or on both at the
same time.
-
The accompanying drawing illustrates the invention the figure showing a cross
section through an upright piano with the apparatus applied thereto..
Referring to the accompanying drawing. The valve casing is divided by a
vertical wall w into the cells and y. Through an opening s provided in this wall
there extends a valve spindle which slides in the bearing bracket or standard d
and is provided with three discs. On one side of the wall of the valve casing
there is situated for the purpose of admission of air from the outside a valve
opening a, and in the other wall is an opening which is closed by the diaphragm b
and leads to the passage z which passes through the tracker board c that serves
to guide the music sheet and is connected above the diaphragm 6 through a small
opening u with the cell r. The cell has further a suction air passage t which
leads to the bellows G. By rotating the crank k, or in the case of a motor
driven apparatus, by rotating the fly wheel S the bellows G are operated by the
crank shaft r and at the same time a perforated music sheet is led over the
tracker board c whereby the passage z is opened and closed alternately. Each
time when a hole in the music sheet comes over the mouth of the passage,
the inflowing air forces the diaphragm b inwards, and thus pushes the valve
spindle v to the right hand whereby the valve opening a is closed, but the suction
air valve s is opened. By this means the air which is contained in the key
bellows A is drawn out and consequently the lower movable part h of the bellows
is moved up, whereby the key T is set in motion by means of the pusher rod i.
If now the opening at 21 be closed by an imperforate part of the music sheet,
the passage empties through the opening and the air exhausting through
the suction air passage t produces a shifting of the valve spindle to the left hand
and thus closes the suction air valve s, whilst the valve a for the outer air is
opened. The air entering through a fills the bellows A and presses down the
movable parth of the same, whereby the front end of the key T is again raised
by means of the rod i. The air exhausting through the suction passage t is

page_text: discharged by means of the bellows G out of the openings K into the reservoir R
where it is stored up and receives a certain pressure by the action of the spring F
This reservoir is connected through the passage M with the harmonium that is
situated in the top of the piano and serves as the air supply passage to the same.
The operating connection between the piano and the harmonium is effected by
means of a register stop N on the end of which is arranged the pin O which
engages loosely in a hole in the pusher bar L and allows the latter to slide up
or down during the shifting movement. On the underside of the bar L is a
wedged shaped piece E having a vertical hole in it which serves to guide the
pusher D and is capable of sliding on the correspondingly inclined surface of
the bracket H, this bracket having a slot in it to allow the transverse movement
of the pusher D. When the harmonium is to be thrown out of the operation,
the register stop N is drawn out to a certain extent pulling the bar L, piece E
and thereby the pusher D, the harmonium valves are not now operated as the
pusher D is drawn towards the left hand so that it slides down along the inclined
plane B of the key T. By this means the pusher ) is moved so far away from
the lever C that the movement of the key T has no longer any influence upon
the same. When the register stop N is pushed in, the harmonium keyboard a
is operated by means of the key T and the pusher D as is clearly shown in the
accompanying drawing. In playing by mechanical means, the harmonium
keyboard is set in motion by the movable bottom of the key bellows A, whilst
in playing by hand the motion of the same is produced by pressing upon the
keys T, the arrangement being however such that the requisite wind is supplied
from the bellows P by treading upon the treadle J, said bellows P being con-
nected by means of a suitable rod with the treadle I. This apparatus may also
be employed with but slight constructional alterations in horizontal instruments
such as grand pianos.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. A change valve for mechanically playing key instruments, characterised by
the fact that two oppositely situated apertures (a and s) are alternately closed
and opened by means of discs on a valve spindle which is guided in a straight
manner and is acted upon by a diaphragm b, for the purpose of raising and
depressing the keys T without the use of bent levers or of other complicated
arrangements.
2. A change valve according to Claim 1, which, in addition to operating
the piano is also adapted to operate the keyboard of a harmonium by means of the
key T which is provided with an inclined surface B and of the pusher 1), the
arrangement being such that by using a register stop N in combination with
the pushers D sliding along the inclined surface B the said harmonium can be
thrown into and out of operation as desired.
MARKS & CLERK,
18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., and
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents.