An Improved Organ or Harmonium Attachment for Pianofortes.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Oct., 1897-Accepted, 19th Feb., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Organ or Harmonium Attachment for Pianofortes.
I, JAMES HILLIER, of 78, St. Augustine's Road, Camden Square, London, Organ and
Pianoforte 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 an improved attachment for pianofortes and it has for its
object to construct a small organ or harmonium which may be readily attached to
pianofortes and arranged in such a manner that the same may be played with the
pianoforte without interfering with the full action and operation thereof.
In carrying the invention into effect I construct a small organ or harmonium which
is placed under the keyboard of a pianoforte and which may be placed either to the
right or left hand of the performer and may have a compass of 2, 3 or more octaves.
as may be found necessary and which may be operated by the foot of the performer
in the usual manner.
And in order that the invention may be the better understood I have appended the
accompanying 2 sheets of drawings, in which:
Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the organ or harmonium.
Fig. 2 is a plan of the same.
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Fig. 3 is a back view showing more clearly the general arrangement of the various
parts.
Fig. 4 is an end view with the end board removed.
Figs. 5 & 6 are views of details to a larger scale.
Fig. 6A is a sectional view of the device hereinafter referred to for automatically
actuating the swell of the organ or harmonium.
Fig. 7 is a general view of a pianoforte having the improved organ attachment.
A is the organ or harmonium which as shown is provided with grooves a a in the end.
boards with which engage tongues one of which may be formed upon the frame of
piano B and the other may be carried by a bracket C (indicated by dotted lines in
Fig. 5) which is secured to the underside of the keyboard. .D. are the bellows placed
underneath the keyboard of the organ or harmonium and having attached to them a
loop.d of metal or other suitable material for attachment by a cord or other means to
a pedal E Fig. 7.
At the back of the organ or harmonium and pivotted to the ends of the frame A is
a second or reservoir bellows F which is provided with a series of holes f which when
the said bellows are in the position shown in Figs. 2 and 4 coincide with holes g
formed in the back of the sound board of the organ or harmonium. The bellows F
are pivotted so that the same may be raised as shown in Fig. 3 when it is desired for
any reason to obtain access to the reeds or other parts.
To secure the bellows and keep the same air tight a piece of wire of steel or other
metal G is provided attached to the frame of the organ or harmonium at the back at
either end and is free to move into the position indicated in Figs. 4 and 5 when it is
brought into contact with and presses upon the screw head H at the lower end of the
bellows board whilst at the top end the wire is held by the hook I as shown in Figs. 2, 3
and 5.

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Upon the inner board of the bellows F is a device for actuating the swell and
shown in Figs. 3, 6 and 6 which consists of a disc of leather or other suitable
material J to which is secured the spindle J¹ which as the bellows become exhausted
comes into contact with the plate K secured to the hinged board or swell L the
object of which is to automatically increase the volume of sound as the bellows are
being exhausted when the spindle will raise the board L as shown in Fig. 6 and the
sound will be permitted to escape.
In the organ or harmoniam there are two rows of reed plates M M¹ situated one
above the other and when it is desired to bring them both into action the handle or
wheel N Fig. 7 (shown also in dotted lines in Fig. 1) is turned and causes the piece o
Fig. 3 to raise the lever O¹ to which is attached the mute and damper P when the
air is permitted to be drawn through the lower reeds M as shown in Figs. 3 and 4.
It is obvious that more than two rows of reeds may be employed and in such case the
third and other rows would be continued upward and be arranged and operated in
the same manner as described in relation to the 1st and 2nd.
To cause the bellows D to shut two springs QQ¹ are provided as shown in Fig. 1
and which consist of the pieces steel or other suitable wire attached at one end to
the top board of the bellows and at their lower ends to the lower board.
The organ or harmonium as before stated may be situated on the right hand of the
performer and the length of it is sufficient to permit the person playing to occupy
the usual position which is approximately the centre of the keyboard the pedal
attached to the bellows being contiguous to the usual piano and forte pedals and is
operated by the foot. It is thus possible to play an air upon the organ or harmonium
with one hand and the accompaniment upon the piano, or should the organ or
harmonium not be required it can be pushed back under the keyboard of the piano
where it will not interfere with the free manipulation of the same.
It is obvious that the organ or harmonium may be attached to either end of the
piano and that any variation as to the air or accompaniment being played by either
instrument can be readily effected.
It must be understood that I do not claim any separate or specific parts of the
organ or harmonium but 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 :-
The improved organ or harmonium for attachment to pianofortes constructed and
arranged substantially as herein described and as shown by the accompanying
drawings.