An Improved Musical Instrument.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Apr., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 30th Jan., 1890-Accepted, 5th Apr., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Musical Instrument.
1, WENZEL BUSCHEK, of Prague, Bohemia, Colonel in the Austrian Army, do hereby
declare the nature of my said invention to be as follows:-
The object of my invention is to manufacture improved musical instruments, con-
sisting of a combination of the piano and harmonium.
In carrying out my invention I place the harmonium in a suitable case below the
piano, and fit coupling rods under the piano keys or levers, passing through the key
board to the keys or levers of the harmonium, and so arranged that, upon any of the
keys of the piano being depressed, the corresponding keys or levers of the harmonium
are similarly operated.
Underneath the rods of the hammers (if horizontal) or behind such rods (if
diagonal or vertical) I fit one or more horizontal rod or rods, mounted eccentrically,
in such a manner that, by a partial rotation of the same, groups of hammers, or the
whole series of hammers (as arranged) are lifted or put out of action, and thereby
caused to remain mute when the keys are depressed. In this case the harmonium
only, or the harmonium and a portion only of the piano is capable of sounding, and
thus varied effects may be produced, either by playing the harmonium alone or the
piano alone, or the harmonium and a portion of the piano, or the two may be entirely
combined, and both simultaneously performed upon.
GEO. DOWNING,
8, Quality Court, London, W.C., Agent for Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Musical Instrument.
I, WENZEL BUSCHEK of Prague, Bohemia, Colonel in the Austrian Army, do hereby
declare the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
The object of my invention is to manufacture improved musical instruments, con-
sisting of a combination of the piano and harmonium.
In carrying out my invention I place the harmonium in a suitable case below the
piano, and fit coupling rods or wire pins under the piano keys or levers, passing
through the key board to the keys or levers of the harmonium, and so arranged that
upon any of the keys of the piano being depressed, the corresponding keys, or levers,
or any selected set or sets of keys, levers, or vibrators, may be simultaneously operated
and sounded. My invention may also be arranged to play either the piano alone or
the harmonium alone, or one half of the harmonium and one half of the piano. In
the latter case the performer can simultaneously play the harmonium on the right and
piano on the left or vice versa.
And in order that my said invention may be particularly described and ascertained
reference is hereby made to the accompanying drawings in which similar letters of
reference indicate corresponding parts.
Fig. 1 is a section on the line z z of Fig. 4. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section on the
line of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a cross section on the line y y of Fig. 4, and Fig. 4 is a
front elevation of the combined instrument.
K is one
T represents one of the keys of the piano mounted in the usual manner.
of the hammers. H is a link pivoted at m, which is pressed forward by the spring u.
R¹ is a bar, running the whole length of the set of keys required to be controlled; in

page_text: this case from 1 to 2 (Fig. 2). R2 is a similar bar running the whole length of
another set of keys, from 3 to 4 (Fig. 2). The levers D1 D2 are pivoted at 0, and are
actuated by the draw stops G1 G2.
In the positions shown in Figs. 1 and 3 the links H H engage the tail ends of the
hammer lovers at a, and, consequently, when the key T is struck, the hammer K rises
and strikes the wire b.
When the stops G1 G2 are drawn out the levers D1 D2 press back the bars R' R²,
and the links H H, whereby the tail ends a of the hammer levers are left free, and
the hammers thus become inoperative. s is a wire pin, which is fixed to and
operated by the key T. This pin is placed behind the ordinary pin A, and passes
downwards through an opening in the keyboard. is an adjustable block,
screwed to the pin s. t is the harmonium lever fitted with the contact block s²,
which is operated by the block s¹ when pressed downwards. V V are the valves
in the valve chest of the harmonium.
N¹ N2 are two bars, equal in length to the bars R' R². These bars N¹ N² are
connected, by the rods ff, with the levers n' n³, and these levers are connected with
pedals PP by means of wires 2¹ 22. e¹ e² are projecting blocks, under which the
pedals P P may be held, when pressed downwards.
The whole of the keys and levers being fitted as above described, it will be under-
stood that, upon depressing the pedals P1 P2, the levers t and contact blocks S2
are drawn downwards and put out of operation. Springs are fitted to the
pedals P¹ P² which have a constant tendency to raise the same.
I arrange the knee pressers so that by exerting a slight pressure only one set
of vibrators are sounded; an increase of pressure causes the sounding of an
additional set, and a further pressure produces the vibration of a third set, as
desired.
Three sets of tongues are placed below and on each side of the piano case. These
consist, first, of notes corresponding with the highest notes of the piano. Secondly
of notes an octave lower; and thirdly, of notes two octaves lower. By means
of this arrangement the bass can be played on the harmonium on the right hand
and the accompaniment upon the piano on the left hand side. Also soprano notos
can be sounded on the left, while on the right they are accompanied by high piano
notes; and other obvious combinations may be made.
When the whole or a portion of the harmonium is disconnected from the piano
action, and rendered mute, by lowering the contact blocks S³, this has the effect
of raising the levers and valves V. The blocks S¹, and the pins S, being then
unsupported, fall out of action, and render the playing of the piano perfectly inde-
pendent of the harmonium. The stops relating to such portion or portions of the
harmonium are at the same time closed, whereby the harmonium is rendered
mute. The slides in connection with the stops, being well known, are not shown
in the drawings.
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 :-
1. The manufacture and use of combined pianos and harmoniums, fitted with
mechanism for wholly or partially connecting or disconnecting the several parts, sub-
stantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by the drawings..
2. In the construction of combined pianos and harmoniums as aforesaid, the
application and use of longitudinal bars R¹ R² sustained and actuated by levers D₁ D²
and draw stops G1 G2; the bars R' R' acting in combination with the levers H,
so as to set free the tails of the haminers K, when required, substantially as and
for the purposes herein before described and illustrated by the drawings.
3. In the construction of combined pianos and harmoniums as aforesaid, the method
of disconnecting sets of notes, by means of pedals P₁ or P2, acting upon the lever t,
whereby the valves VV are held open, substantially as hereinbefore described and
illustrated by the drawings.

page_text: 4. In the construction of combined pianos and harmoniums, the arrangement of
sets of vibrators below the piano keys, one set, on the right hand being in unison
with the high notes of the piano; the second set, an octave lower, and the third
set two octaves lower; while those on the left hand consist of one set an octave
higher than the notes of the piano; the second set in unison with the piano notes,
and the third set an octave lower, substantially as herein before described and illus-
trated by the drawings.
5. The general construction, combination and arrangement of the several and
respective parts, together constituting my invention of an improved musical instru-
ment, substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by the drawings.
1000
GEO. DOWNING,
8, Quality Court, London, W.C., Agent for Applicant.
GEO. DOWNING,
8, Quality Court, London, W.C., Agent for Applicant.