Improvements in Musical Instruments with Sonorous Teeth, and in Accordions and like Keyed Instruments.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 18th -Mar., 1893-Accepted, 6th May, 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Musical Instruments with Sonorous Teeth, and in
Accordions and like Keyed Instruments.
.
I, ERNST GEORG LOCHMANN, of Leipzig-Gohlis in the German Empire, Music
Works 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 mechanism for striking the steel sounding teeth,
arranged in the form of a comb, of music works, by operating the keys of a key
board and thus playing musical instruments with steel sounding tongues in the
same way as key instruments such as accordions, pianos and the like are played,
further the music works may, by means of this invention be combined with key
instruments in such a way that by striking the keys of the same the notes of the
key instrument and the corresponding notes of the music works are simultaneously
Bounded.
In the drawings
Figs. 1 and 2 shew the mechanism of this invention in different positions and as
applied to music works in which the steel sounding tongues are struck by the teeth
of spur wheels.
Fig. 3 shews the music works mechanism in combination with an accordion.
Fig. 4 shew a modification of the mechanism in the sense that the steel
sounding teeth are struck direct from the key levers without the employment of
spur wheels.
Figs. 5 and 6 shew a peculiar connection together of key levers having for
object to allow players, who are unacquainted with the manner of playing key
instruments, to strike any suitable number of keys simultaneously, as is requisite in
playing accordions for example.
The novelty of the invention consists in that by striking or pressing down a key
a sounding tongue of the comb is caused to sound, it may be through a spur wheel
or direct by the key lever itself.
a is is spur striking wheel, 2 one tongue or tooth of a sounding comb of a music
works and t (Figs. 1, 2) a two armed key lever mounted to turn on b. If, now,
pressure is brought to bear upon the key lever this is turned on its axis b and the
arm of the lever comes into engagement with a tooth 1 (Fig. 1) of striking
wheel a which it turns on its axis so that tooth 2 strikes tongue z, whereupon
levert and striking wheel a come into the position shewn in dotted lines (Fig. 1).
Upon the cessation of pressure on levert this will, by its own weight or aided by a
springf, be brought back into the commencing position (Fig. 2) without coming in
contact with the striking wheel a. In order that upon the next pressing down of
the key lever the arm t' of the same may again engage a tooth of the striking
wheel, means must be provided for turning to a slight extent the striking wheel
upon the return of the key lever into the commencing position, so that a tooth of
the same shall come within reach of arm t'. This, in the arrangement of Figs. 1
and 2 is accomplished by means of a book shaped lever or part / connected to or in
one piece with the key lever, the hook upon the descent of arm t¹ (Fig. 2) after
this has passed tooth 7, strikes against tooth 4 and in its further movement carries
the striking wheel round on its axis to such an extent that tooth 7 comes within
reach of arm and may be carried along by it upon the next stroke of the key
lever (Fig. 2, dotted position).
h
The combination of said striking mechanism with an accordion is, as shewn in
Fig. 3, accomplished in such a way that in playing the accordion the corresponding
tongues or notes of the sounding comb are also simultaneously sounded therewith.

page_text: SE
In this arrangement the keys or valve levers H also serve for turning the striking
wheel a.
Upon pressing a lever H its opposite end moves so as to lift the corre-
sponding valve H' which, then strikes against tooth 1 of striking wheel a turning
this on its axis so that tooth 2 strikes and causes to sound the corresponding
tongue (dotted position Fig. 3). Upon the cessation of pressure on H' this as well
as the valve H goes back into the commencing position without the latter con-
tacting with striking wheel a which is in the dotted position of Fig. 3. In order
that upon the next lifting of valve H' this may come against another tooth of
wheel a, a self acting arrangement is provided for so turning this wheel when
valve H comes into its commencing position that a tooth comes within reach of
said valve. In this arrangement i is a pin or stud fixed to the front end of valve H
which so soon as the latter comes to a state of rest strikes a spring lever K so as
to cause this to turn on its axis and by its opposite upwardly projecting end to
strike against a tooth of wheel a which it turns.
In the arrangement shewn in Fig. 4 where the key levers t strike the sounding
tongues z direct said levers are constructed of two parts t, t, jointed together at c
the latter part coming opposite the sounding tongues. Upon pressing a key lever,
end of the same strikes sounding tongue without then turning on its joint
owing to a rearward extension d of part coming to bear against a stud e carried
on key lever part t, thus producing a firm connection between both parts of the key
lever. Upon the return of key levert to the commencing position part bears
against tonguez and turns on its joint so that when the key lever has reached the
commencing position part 2 has passed by the tongue and may upon the next
stroke of the key be again made to strike it.
In the arrangement shewn in Figs. 5 and 6 for enabling unpracticed persons to
play a key board music works with sounding tongues or teeth of the kind referred
to, and by which any desirable number of keys may be simultaneously operated in the
manner of accordion playing, A are levers each of which is by wires s or other
suitable connectious in connection with a suitable number of keys and at its free
end projecting out from the keys is provided with a finger knob K which being
pressed down carries lever A with it at the same time drawing down the keys in
connection therewith through connections s so as by the sounding of the corre
sponding number of tongues to produce an accord. Upon withdrawal of the
pressure, lever A, with the corresponding keys, is brought back to its previous
position of rest by a spring F.
There is a lever A for each of the different accords and these are in connection
with the keys which play the sounding tongues of the respective accord. By
the provision upon each knob K of a letter, A, F, for example corresponding to a
particular accord and impressing such letters on the music sheet underneath the
corresponding notes, it is only necessary for the player when arriving at such a
letter to press the knob bearing the same and the accord will sound.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A key board arrangement of keys for striking the tongues or teeth of the
metallic combs of music works in which, by striking a key t the corresponding
sounding tongue z is also struck either by a toothed wheel a operated by the
turning on its axis of a key levert, t¹, or direct by a jointed key lever t, t², turning
on its axis, substantially as described and shewn.
2. In the key board arrangement of keys referred to an arrangement by which a
suitable number of keys may be simultaneously operated and thereby the corre
sponding sounding tongues of a metallic comb simultaneously struck, in which
arrangement there is underneath the key levers, a lever A which is in connection
with the suitable number of keys in the manner that by pressing upon one end of
lever A the keys are simultaneously operated, substantially as described with
reference to Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings.

page_text: 3. The key board arrangement referred to in Claim 1 in combination with a key
instrument in the manner that upon striking a key H of the key instrument a
sounding tongue of a metallic comb corresponding thereto is simultaneously sounded
for the purpose of the simultaneous playing of the metallic comb and the key
instrument substantially as described with reference to Fig. 3 of the drawings.
Dated this 18th day of March 1893.
CAPITAINE & VON HERTLING,
89, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.