US1237057A - Piano attachment. - Google Patents

Description

M. K. KLEIN. PIANO ATTACHMENT. APPLICATION FILED MAY24| 1916.

' Patented Aug. 14,1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WITNESSES ATTORNEY M. K. KLEIN.

PIANO ATTACHMENT. APPLICATION FILED ,MAY 24, 1916. 1,237,057. Patented Aug. 14, 1917.

2 SHE -SHEET 2.

WITNESSES ATTORNEY MARTI .KL ,-0 FORT E WAR E Q K- PIANO ATTACHMENT.

;SP, ,Gification of Letters Patent.

.Patented Aug. 14, .1917.

glpplication filed May 24, 1916. 'SerialNo. 99,658.

lTO all whomitmay concern:

Be it known that :1, MAR'rI-N "K. KLEIN,

a citizen .of Denmark, :residing .at Fort Edward, in .the county .of NVashington and 5 State of 'New 'York, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Piano Attachments,.of .which thexfollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to a combined pianoand organ and .the principal object of the invention .is :to provide .an improved type of .organ action including a wind chest itobemountedibeneaththeikeyrbed of a piano and having reeds mounted in an improved manner .for operation from the piano keys, inner and .outer1rowsof mutes being provided for controlling the volumeof sound when the-organ is played andprovision being made for permitting the piano-to be played without the organ being operated.

Another object of the invention is to so construct this device that it will :be comparatively simple in construction and so constructed that it may be connected with pianos already in use.

This invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a vertical transverse sectional view through the key-board of a piano and the organ action.

Fig. 2 is a transverse longitudinal sectional view through the organ action.

Th piano is provided with a casing 10 which is of course provided with the usual playing mechanism, not shown, and is further provided with the keys 11 carried by the key-bed 12. The wind chest 13 is secured beneath the key-bed 12 and the bellows and actuating mechanism are carried by the main casing 10 of the piano.

This wind chest 13 is provided with side walls 14: connected with the key-bed of the piano and is also provided with an upper wall 15 having openings 16 formed therein. The front wall 18 extends above the upper wall 15 and is provided with an opening covered by the mesh 18 so that the sound may pass out of the wind chest and through the opening. The reeds 17 are placed over the openings 16 within the cell 19' of the reed board 19 and when the mutes 20 are opened and the valves 21 actuated, air will pass out of the chamber 22 of the wind chest and sound will be produced. These valves 21 are carried by the eyes 23 and 23 and are yieldably held in a closed position by the '24 and permitting the valves to drop to an open position. The piano can then be played as an ordinary piano. It should be noted that atracker29 leads fronreach of these valves 21.and fits inapocketformed in its actuating v;key 1'1 so-that avhen the key is pressed downwardly as in playing a piano the valve will be opened. In order to rotate the irodor shaft 28, it.carries a crank arm .30 which is connected with La draw stop 31. Rocker shafts 32 and 33 are rotatably supported in bearings 3a and engage arms .35 and 36 which will be raised .and lowered as the rockershafts are rotated. These .arms 35 are connected with .the mutes 20 and the arms 36 are connected with the mutes 37 carried by the reed board 38. The mutes 37 constitute volume controlling valves and the mutes 2O constitute sound controlling valves, it being obvious from an inspection of Fig. 1 that when the mutes 20 are closed, no sound can be produced and that when the mutes 20 are opened and the mutes 37 partially open or wholly open, the volume of sound will be increased according to the amount the mutes 37 are open. The actuating rod 39 is connected with the arm 40 of the crank shaft 32 by means of arm ll and therefore when the rod is turned, the crank shaft will be rotated thus opening and closing the volume controlling mutes 37. In order to actuate the crank shaft 33, there is provided a treadle from which extends a link d3 connected with the crank arm 4&4 of this crank shaft. By placing the foot upon the treadle, the crank shaft 33 can be rotated and thus the mutes 37 opened and closed. It will thus be seen that the mutes 20 can be opened through the medium of the rod 39 for the desired amount and the mutes 37 opened and closed as desired when playing through the medium of the treadle. The plunger 31 will only be operated when it is desired to play the piano without the organ being operated.

WVhen in use, air will be forced into the wind box or chest 13 through pipes 52. The mutes 20 will be opened the desired amount and the piano will then be played with the usual keys 11 which keys will serve to actuate the valves 21 and permit the air in the wind box to pass out through the openings 16 thus sounding the reeds 17. If it is desired to increase the volume of sound, the mutes 37 can be opened through the medium of the rod 43 and these mutes then held in the raised position as long as desired. If it is desired to play the piano without the attachment operating, the mutes 20 and 37 can be both closed and if it is desired to release the air in the wind chest 22, the shaft 28 can be rotated to release the bar 25 and permit the valves 21 to drop to an open posi tion. The air will then all exhaust from the wind chest and the piano can be played without any other sound being produced.

lVhat is claimed is l. A device of the character described comprising a wind-chest having outlets, a carrying bar movably mounted in said chest, valves mounted in said chest to extend across the outlets thereof and each having one end engaged by said carrying bar, means for releasably holding said carrying bar in a raised position, resilient strips carried by said carrying bar and engaging said valves for yieldably holding the same in a closed position when the carrying bar is in a raised position, reeds extending across the outlets,

means for supplying air to said chest, and means for moving the valves to an open position when yieldably held in a raised position by the resilient strips.

2. A device of the character described comprising a wind chest having outlets, a carrying bar hingedly mounted in said chest, valves extending across the outlets, eyes engaging the end portions of the valves and mounting said valves in said chest with each valve having one end resting upon said bar, resilient strips carried by said bar and engaging said valves for yieldably holding the same in a closed position when the carrying bar is raised to prevent passage of air through the outlets, means for releasably holding said bar in a raised position, said bar when released from said supporting means dropping and relieving the valves from pressure by said resilient strips and permitting said valves to simultaneously move to an open position, reeds extending across the outlets, and means for moving said valves to an open position when yieldably held in a closed position by said resilient strips.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MARTIN K. KLEIN.

Witnesses:

J. A. M. ORMSTREY, WALTER K. DENET.

Gooies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0.

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