Improvements in or relating to Accordions or similar Instruments.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 28th May, 1894
Complete Specification Left, 28th Feb., 1895-Accepted, 6th Apr., 1895
.PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Accordions or similar Instruments.
I, WILHELM ZIELKE of Thorn in the Empire of Germany Manufacturer do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to improve or modify or provide an addition to
the ordinary accordions or similar. instruments whereby the tone or sounds emitted
thereby may be modified or improved so as to impart to such instruments a more
or less "singing" quality of tone.
For, this purpose I provide near the sound board and usually in connection
there with a bell or trough or sound-collecting cap in which is mounted a vibratory
plate, usually of metal held in channelled rails by means of light clips at intervals
or otherwise so that it may be free to vibrate under influence of vibrations set up
by the sounding of the instrument.
On this plate or otherwise within the said bell or cap or on the same there may
be mounted further vibratory metallic or other devices, such as star like disks,
helically wound springs, spiral springs or the like, which may assist in modifying
the sound emitted by their vibrations. A damper may be arranged to set this
device out of action by pressing on the end of the vibratory plate so as to clamp it,
or.otherwise; the said damper being operated by a ród and knob projecting from
the case of the instrument.
Loth day of May 1894
R. HADDAN,
Agent, to Applicant.
Improvements in or relating to Accordions or similar.Instruments.
I WILHELM ZIELKE of Thorn, in, the Empire of Germany 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 :-
The object of, this invention is to improve or modify or provide an addition to
the ordinary accordions or similar instruments whereby the tone or sounds emitted
thereby may be modified or improved so as to impart to such instruments a more
or less "singing" quality of tone."
For this purpose I provide near the sound board and usually in connection
therewith a bell or trough or sound collecting cap in which is mounted a vibratory
plate, usually of metal 'held in channelled rails by means of light clips at intervals
or by cross pius at intervals otherwise so that it may be, free to vibrate under
influence of vibrations set up by the sounding of the instrument.
Laterally or longitudinally on this plate or otherwise within the said bell or cap
or on the same there may be mounted further vibratory metallic or other devices
such as star like disks helically wound springs, spiral springs or the like" which may
assist in modifying the sound emitted by their vibrations.

page_text: A damper or clasp may be arranged to set this device out of action by pressing
on the end vibratory plate so as to clamp it, or otherwise; the said damper being
operated by a rod and knob projecting from the case of the instrument.
In the annexed drawing
Fig. 1 is an interior view partly in section of the sound box with the
improvements;
Fig. 2 is a sectional view of Fig. 1 on the line M M.
Fig. 3 is a section or line N N of Fig. 1;
Fig. 4 represents a vibratory body in the form of a spiral spring.
Fig. 5 is a sound emitting trough or cap with its walls suspended on pins with
vibratory bodies attached thereto, the latter shown partially in plan-view (the wall
being broken away).
Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section thereof.
Fig. 7 is a cross-section on line P P Fig. 5 showing the bodies termed singing
wheels and
Fig. 8 is a cross-section on line QQ showing bodies termed singing springs.
Above the sounding plates a sound emitting cap A of sheet metal or any other
suitable material is arranged which receives and emits the vibrations of sound.
Inside the sounding cap A along its length a plate B is inserted which is
surrounded at its edges by channelled rails, a and b (see Fig. 1 to 3) or in any
other manner held suspended (see for instance Figs. 5 to 8) between the walls of
the sound emitting cap so as to produce vibrating movements when acted upon by
sound waves.
The rails a and bare therefore provided with clips upon which the plate B
lightly rests, so that the least vibration of the sound waves causes a transfer of this
vibration to the said plate.
This suspended plate B may at the same time be used as the support or basis for
certain vibratory devices which contribute to produce a singing sound.
These supplementary devices consist of the small vibratory disks or singing
wheels D loosely mounted on, the plate and provided with readily vibrating
fingers c which wheels during the sounding of the instrument enter into vibratory
movement and thereby produce a singing supplementary tone.
Besides the wheels D there may be arranged parallel with the length-direction
of the plate B above the latter a spiral d formed by narrow thin and easily
vibrating metallic strips, which likewise serve to produce the singing tone.
The spiral d may also be replaced by one or more corrugated strips.
Likewise the vibrating disks D may be replaced by spirally wound watch-springs
as for instance shown in Figure 4.
By arranging this loosely suspended plate with the wheels D thereon and the
vibratory spiral above it, a singing tone is attained which imparts to the instrument
a new and particularly characteristic sound.
In order to be enabled to stop the singing tone the slide pin or button g is
provided with a clasp which latter can be pressed through the sound emitting
cap against the plate B, whereby the latter is set at rest, that is to say prevented
from vibrating motions. (See Fig. 1.)
As shown in Fig. 5 to 8 the plate B may also be arranged so as to be freely
suspended on the pins F.
Upon both sides between the suspension-plate B and the sound emitting cap A
which latter is here also closed by lateral sheet metal covers and fixed by the same
above the reed plate, the respective vibratory disks D and spiral springs E are
easily movable suspended upon the pins F. The suspension plate is thus held in
an easily movable position during all movements of the instrument and is not
allowed to stick adhere or rest against the sound emitting body A also for the same
reason the channel rail 6 is omitted and the channel rail a may also be left out if
desired.
The following is the result then attained.
Owing to the air pressure on playing the instrument the suspension plate is

page_text: continuously set in a rapid vibrating movement in consequence thereof the air,
which sets the rods in vibrating motion, is regulated and the emission of sound
requires only one half of the usual quantity of air; consequently the accordion can
be constructed of half the size, keeping to the same number of tones, and the same
power of sounding, with a smaller bellows supplying a sufficient quantity of air,
which is not the case without this arrangement.
Likewise the air pressure acts always uniformly at full or half pull of the
bellows, and therefore the sound will be emitted evenly and uniformly, even at the
slightest air pressure, and will on the whole sound twice as intensely as in ordinary
instruments of this class.
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 what I claim is :-
1. In accordeons and similar musical instruments for increasing and ameliorating
the tones by producing a singing sound the construction above the reed plate of
sound emitting cap A receiving and emitting the sound waves in which a plate B
is loosely suspended in such a manner as to be set into vibration by the sound
waves originated in the instrument substantially as set forth.
2. In accordions and similar instruments, a sound emitting cap A with a plate B
loosely suspended therein which plate is supported above and below on rails a and b
in connection with clamps f; said plate being further provided with vibratory
disks D, and having above it an oscillating spiral d in order to increase the singing
tone substantially as described.
3. In accordeons and similar instruments a sound emitting cap A in which a
plate B is loosely suspended the vibration of which latter can be stopped, by means
of a clasp or damper passing through the sound emitting cap substantially as
described.
4. In accordions and similar musical instruments, a sound emitting cap A, which
is provided with a central plate B. supported on pins F and freely swinging in said
sound emitting cap, and further provided with spiral springs E and disks D for
increasing the power of the instrument and for producing a singing tone substantially
as described.
Dated this 20th dox of Fahmunu 1905
R. HADDAN,
Of the Firm of Herbert Haddan & Co.,
18, Buckingham Street, Strand, London, W.C.,
Agent for Applicant.