Year: 1888

page_text: 1, LOUIS LÖWENTHAL (called LÖWENDALL) of Dresden, in the Kingdom of
Saxony, in the Empire of Germany Manufacturer of Musical Instruments do hereby
declare the nature of this invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
This invention has for object improvements in the construction of accordeons and
concertinas.
According to this invention the finger keys for sounding the treble notes or those
to be played by the right hand are arranged to produce a perfect chromatic scale
after the manner of the finger keys on the keyboard of a piano.
In an
It has heretofore been usual in the construction of accordeons and concertinas
to tune the two reeds or tongues (hereinafter called reeds) controlled by one finger
key, differently so that one treble note will be produced when the bellows are
expanded and another when the bellows are compressed or contracted.
accordeon or concertina constructed according to this invention the two reeds
constituting each pair are adapted and tuned to produce the same sound so that
when a finger key is depressed, the same tone will be produced whether the bellows
are at the tune being dilated or contracted..
The several pairs of free reeds corresponding to the treble keys are mounted upon
metallic plates, and their arrangement corresponds with that of the keys to produce
the chromatic scale.
The bass side of the instrument or that intended to be played by the left hand is
constructed and arranged to produce bass notes or chords in both minor key and
major key as described in the specification of Letters Patent granted to W. Lloyd
Wise dated the 19th day of March 1885 No. 3567, but in lieu of using levers for
operating the valves for sounding the bass chords as shewn in the said former
specification, I now employ finger keys similar to those used for the treble notes
and I provide additional minor and major chords. The reeds for the bass chords
are so tuned that when the bellows are being expanded they produce tones four notes
lower than when the bellows are compressed or contracted. The additional bass
chords are tuned in harmonic accordance with the others.

page_text: And in order that the nature of this invention and the manner of carrying it into
practical effect may be fully understood reference is had to the accompanying two
sheets of drawings in which
Fig. 1 is a view of one side of an accordeon according to this invention shewing
both keyboards in elevation.
Fig. 2 is an end view of the instrument shewing the bass and thereof.
Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line A B fig. 1 shewing the chromatic
arrangement of the sets of reeds for producing the treble notes.
Fig. 4 is a section on the line C D Fig. 1 shewing the arrangement of the sets of
reeds for producing the minor and major bass chords.
1. 1 are the keys for the treble notes at the right handside of the instrument.
2, 2 are the corresponding sets of reeds and leathers of ordinary form. The reeds
are carried by plates 3 as shewn.
The keys 1 and the corresponding reeds 2, are arranged in the chromatic order.
The two reeds 4 (one at each side of a plate 3) constituting each pair are tuned
alike for the purpose herein before mentioned.
5,5 are keys for sounding bass chords in major key (say and G) and 6, 6, the
corresponding sets of reeds for producing the chords. 7, 7 are additional keys for
sounding other chords in major key and 8, 8 are the corresponding sets of reeds.
9, 9 are keys for producing bass chords in minor key (say A and E) and 10, 10 are
the corresponding sets of reeds for producing the chords. 11, 11 are keys for pro-
ducing additional bass chords in minor key and 12, 12 the corresponding sets of
reeds.
The reeds for the major and minor bass chords are tuned as herein before mentioned.
The additional bass chords corresponding to the finger keys 7 and 11 are tuned in
harmonic accordance with those corresponding to the finger keys 5 and 9. From the
foregoing description the application of my invention to concertinas. will be readily
understood without further explanation.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
1. An accordeon (or concertina) constructed with a key board, the keys of which
are arranged in the chromatic order as hereinabove described.
2. In an accordeon (or concertina) of the kind referred to in the preceding claim,
the construction and arrangement of the sets of reeds corresponding to the treble
finger keys substantially in the manner herein described with reference to the
drawings annexed.
3. My improved construction of accordeon with chromatic arrangement of the
finger keys for treble notes, and with bass notes and chords in both minor key and
major key substantially as herein described with reference to and shewn in the drawings
annexed.*
Dated this 12th day of September 1888.