Improvements in and relating to Accordions.
Year: 1890

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Accordions.
I, JOHN TANDRUP HENDERSON, residing at Council-Bluffs, in the County of
Pottawattamie and State of Iowa, one of the United States of America, Mechanic,
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 Accordions; and has for its object to simplify and reduce
the cost of construction of the same, increase the volume and quality of tone reduce
the number of parts in the key-board and gain durability.
The improvement consists in the key-board which is divided into as many air-tight
cells as there are reed-cells and a key for each cell, which key is arranged in the cell
and opens therein.
The improvement further consists in the novel features which will be hereinafter
more fully described and claimed, and which are shown in the annexed drawing in
which―
Figure 1, is a side view, parts being broken away of an accordion embodying my
invention;
Figure 2, is a cross-section of the finger-board and action frame on the line, x―x,
of Figure 1;
Figure 3, is a section on the line, y-y, of Figure 2;
Figure 4, is a top view, of the finger-board, the top being removed.
The wind chest, A, the bellows, B, the reed-frame, C, the reed-plates, D, and, E,
and the corresponding reed-cells, d, and, e, are of ordinary construction and are
shown to illustrate the application of my invention. The finger-board, F, is provided
with a series of air-tight cells or channels, f, which correspond in number to reed-
cells, d, and communicate therewith. Each cell or channel, f, has an opening, 9,
which is closed by key, G, and a small opening, h, through which the button, H, that
is secured to the key protrudes.
The inverted spring, I, one being provided for each key, is fastened to the key at
one end and its other end is adapted to bear on the rear wall of the cell or channel in
which the key is placed, and hold the key closed.
When either of the buttons, H, is pressed on, the key to which it is attached is
moved in and permits a free passage for the air through the air cell, ƒ, in either
direction, thereby sounding the required reed.
It will be observed that the keys are placed wholly within the cells, f, and that
they open inward, thereby being out of the way and protected from injury, besides
simplifying the construction.
Each of the reed-cells, d, e, has communication with the cells, f, the reed-cells, e,
being shut off by damper or slide, J, which is controlled by the button, j.
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. In an accordion, the combination with the reed-cells of the action, of the finger-
board having air-tight compartments, each compartment communicating with a
corresponding reed-cell, and keys located and opening in the said compartments,
substantially as described.
2. In an accordion, the combination with the reed-cells of the action, and the key-
board having a corresponding number of air-tight compartments, of the keys located
in the compartments and opening within the same, the buttons connected with the
keys and the springs for holding the keys closed, substantially as described.

page_text: 3. The combination with the two sets of reed-cells, d, aud, e, of an accordion action
and the cut off slide, J, of the finger-board, having air-tight compartments, each
compartment communicating with a corresponding cell of each series of cells, d,
and, e, and the keys placed within the said compartments and opening in the same,
substantially as described.
Dated this 7th day of January 1890.
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.