US1537185A - Bass-key mechanism for accordions - Google Patents

Description

May 12, 1925. 1,537,185

.1. PALMER BASS KEY MECHANISM'FOR ACCORDIONS Filed Sept. 22, 1922 s Sheets-Sheet 1 IJWEN TOR :Emea Pa [mar May 12, 192s.- 1,537,185

J. PALMER BASS KEY MECHANISM FOR ACCORDIONS Filed Sept. 22, 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN ENT 0B fiMeJfiZmei W Br j Emmrozznzar JWTIE'ISSEIS J. PALMER BASS KEY MECHANISM FOR ACCORDIONS May 12, 1925. 1,537,185

Filed Sept. 22, 1922 s sneets sneet 5 INYENTOR WITNEAMEJ' Jmes Elmer W 1 H103 A TI'OBNBT til UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES PALMER, O'F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

BASS-KEY MECHANISM FOR. ACCORDIONS.

Application September 22, 1922.

To all AU/710721 '52? may concern:

Be it known that l zen of the United States, delphia, 1n the county of State of Pennsylvania,

tain new the following is a sp JAMES PALMER, a citircsiding at Phila- Philadelphla and have invented cerand useful Improvements in Bass- ,Key Mechanism for Accordions, of which ecilication.

lily invention relates to piano accordion and more particularly nism therefor.

to bass key mecha- The object of the invention is to provide an improved bass key mechanism and mounting therefor, which will permit the removal of the keys or buttons individually or simultaneously whereby to facilitate the assemblage,

dissemblage replacements or repairs of the parts; to permit adjustment of the mounting for the working parts to fit casing sections of different sized instruments; to improve the mounting and connection of the valves and means for holding the valves closed, enhance and facllita devices to which the and to generally improve,

/ simplify, te the manufacture of invention appertains.

This object, and other advantageous ends which will be described hereinafter, I attain in the following manner, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a plan view of a casing section and bass hey mechanism of a piano accordion, in accordance with the invention,

Figure 2 is a trai isverse sectional eleva lion taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 Figure '-l is a fragmentary detail is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 3- l of Figure 1,

perspective view of a portion of the mountii'ig for the bass key mechanism,

Figure is a deta il sectional view take on the line 5 5 of F1 ure 1,

Figure Gis a detail sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 1,

Figure 7 is a fragmentary plan view showing a set of valves and their mountin and Figure 8 is a transverse section of one of the valves taken on tl Referring to the usual bellows of an (lasing 2 1e line 8-8 of Figure 3.

such as aluminum, and has a partition 8 integral therewith and holes 4 preferably arranged double rows. Casing provided with rows of in single and 2 1s also prm'ided with Serial No. 589,896.

a flange 5 to which bellows 1 is connected. Reed holders 6 are secured to partition 3 over holes 1- and are provided with walls 7 forming air pockets which communicate with holes 4. Reeds 8 are mounted over the pockets in the usual way.

The edge of casing 2 is provided with a shoulder 9 to receive an ornamental cover plate, not shown, which is preferably of fret work, to permit the emission of sound. The front corners 10 of the casing are spaced and provided with sloping inner faces 11 so that a key plate 12 may be disposed in the space between the corners and engage the sloping faces 11 as shown in Figures 1 and 3. Keys 13, preferably cast of aluminum are movable through plate 12.

The mounting for the bass key mechanism includes a support composed of longitudinal bars 14 and 15 connecting a pair of brackets 16 at their ends. Each bracket is provided with pads 17 removably secured to partition 3, an adjustable extension 22 having an inclined strip 18 to which key plate 12 is detachably secured and a rail 19 having recesses 20 in its inner face. The rail 19 on one of the brackets is provided with a removable section 21 to allow the parts fitting in the recess to be removed. The adjustable extension 22 is channeled to slide on rail 19. A slot 23 is formed in the channeled part of extension 22 for receiving fastening screws 24 whereby the extensions may be djusted lengthwise to fit different sized accordions, and collapsed. so as to be readily removed; An angular lunce connects ach adjustable extension 22 with the ends of bar let to make them a unitary structure. An upright 26 is provided at the end of each rail 19 and a slightly larger upright 27 between the ends thereof, the upper end of each upright being slotted. An upright strip 28 is provided on removable section 21 to facilitate its removal and application and is secured to upright 27 by a screw 29. EX- tension 22 is recessed at 30 to provide clearance for section 21 when removing the same as shown in Figures 1, 4 and 5.

The bass key mechanism includes plunger bars 31 and 82, disposed in the slotted ends of uprights 26 and 27 and grooved to slidably receive plungers 33 which have the keys 13 cast on their ends. Strips 31 and 32 re secured to bars 31 and 32 over their grooves to prevent plungers therein from lOS accidentally getting out of the-grooves during their sliding movement; Pivot bars 34-, made of metallic tubes, are mounted-in recesses 20. A center support isattached to bar 15 and surrounds'the pivotbai's 34:, as indicated at 36, to ,hold'sthem in tion in conjunction with recesses 20. Pivot bars 3 have arms 37" extending toward plungers. 33 and en 'aging pins 38 on the plungers. Pivot bars 34 are also provided with inclined arms 39 having bent ends ex tending Valves and 40, cast of aluminum, are

disposedover'holes a and are supported on valve arms 41 and 41 made of bent wire and pivoted to bar 14 by means of screws as shown at 43. Armsl and 41 are each bent and secured 7 screws as, then extended outward at right .angles'to the valves as-indicated at 4:5, and

then in the direction of the length of the valves, as indicated at 46, and over the bent" ends of inclined arms Springs, having arms and 48, are fixed to barltand exertpressurc onvvalves 40 and ll) by enga ing with parts 429 fixed to the valves to hold them closed.

7 Upon pressing abass key 13, in the usual wayfof playing a piano-accordion,plungers 33 will --be moved inward, arms 37 swung on their pivot bars 3 L and arms 39 swung against parts 4-6 of arms &1, and 4:1, to raise and open valves wand 40 ,againstthe action of spring arms at and 48.

Upon releasing'the pressed key, spring arms el'and 4E8 will move the valves -and their associated partsinto their-closed position again. V r

To remove; the bass key mechanism,

screws 24 are loosened and extension 22,

having key 'plate 1'2 thereon, slid towardthe brackets. Thismovement brings plate 12 away from faces 11 and collapses the brackets into a smaller unit'so that it may be readily removed from. the casing. The

fasteningnieans of pad 17 are then removed and theentire bass key mechanism, including' the? valves operated thereby, arethen removed through the open end of the casing.

To remove the pivot bars 34, screw-29 is removed and section Ellifted fiS Sl10W11-lIl Figure 5 to allow one end ofeach; pivot 34:

.to be removed from recesses 20,

To remove a plunger,;strips 31; and 32' are removed from glOOVGClbZHS311L11d-32 and the plungers within the grooves then I removed.

Ar bass keyinechanism constructed as above set forth facilitates the assemblage of the parts and jdisassemblage for'repairs,

, is adjustable to fit different sizedaficcordions, and will not warp,'deteriorate -or become loosetjointed so as to effect the play- 'ing ofthe instrument. V V

V hile I have described. my invention as" aositoward the front of' casing 2;

to valves 40 and 40 by" controlling on the .taking a particular form; it will be undergstood that thevarious-parts of my inven- Y tion may be changed without departing limit myself to the precise construction set forth, but consider thatl am at liberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly come within the" scope of the appended claims. Y I p r 7. Having thus described my invention,

what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is V V V 1 In an accordion, .a bass casing havinga V partition; sound making means mounted on the partition; asupport removably mount-i ed on the partition; a key plate secured to the support, and bass key mechanism for controlling the sound making means mounteClOH the support and having its keys pass ing through the plate whereby the support mechanism as a unit. v 2. In an accordion; a bass casinghaving a partition; sound making means'inounted on the Y partition; a' support removably vmounted on the partition, and provided with adjustable eXtensions;1a key plate. secured to the extensions, and bass key mechanism, for controlling the sound making means, mounted onthe support and having its keys passing through the plate, whereby from the-spirit thereof,and hence I do not,

' and key-plate may be removed with the bass the support andfkey plate'may be collapsed i and removed with the bass mechanism as a unit.

3. In an accordion, a bass casinghavi'ng a partition and sloping faces adjacent its front side; sound makingJ-means mounted on the partition; a support removably mounted on the partition and provided with adjustable extensions; a key plate secured to'the extens ons and engag ng the-sloping faces and bass ke mechanism for controlling the sound making means mounted-on the support and having its keys-passing through the plate, \vhereby the support and key plate may" be collapsed to clear the sloping faces and removed withthe bass whereby the bracketsbars and bass key mechanism may beremoved as a unit.

5:111 an accordion, a bass casing having a partition sound making means mounted partition; brackets removably casin g havin g removably mounted on the partition; bars connecting the brackets to form a unitary structure; valvesffor controlling the sound making means p voted onone of thebars, and bass key iuehanism, for controlling the valves, mounted on the brackets, whereby the lnacketm'bars, valves and bass key mechanism may be removed as a unit.

(5. In an accordion, a bass casing having a partition; sound making means mounted on the partition; brackets mounted on the partition; bars connecting the brackets to form a unitary structure; valves pivoted on the bars for controlling the sound making means; springs mounted on the bars for keeping the valves in their closed position, and bass key mechanism, for controlling the valves, mounted on the brackets, whereby the brackets, bars, valves, springs and bass :ey mechanism may be removed as a unit.

a. In an accordion, a bass casing having a partition; sound making means mounted on the partition; brackets removably mounted on hie partition, each bracket being provided with uprights; means connecting the brackets to form a unitary structure; plunger bars mounted on the uprights; plungers slidable in the bars; keys on the plungers,; a key plate mounted on the brac rets for s'lidably supporting the keys, and means for controlling the sound making means mounted on the brackets and operatively connected to the plungers, whereby the brackets and the above named parts connected therewith may be removed as a unit.

8. In an accordion, a bass casing having a partition; sound making means mounted on the partition; brackets removably mounted on the partition, each bracket beprovided with recesses and uprights; means connecting the brackets to form a unitary structure; plungerbars mounted on the uprights; plungers slid-able in the bars; keys on the plungers; a key plate mounted on the brackets for slidably supporting the keys; pivot bars mounted in the recesses; arms on the pivot bars operatively connect ed with the plungers; inclined arms on the pivot bars having bent ends; valves for controlling the sound making means, and means oymratively connecting the inclined arms with the valveswhereby the brackets and the above named parts connected therewith may be removed from the casing as a unit.

9. In an accordion, a bass casing having a partition; sound making means mounted on the partition; brackets removably mounted on the partition; an extension, having an inclined strip, slidable on each bracket; a

key plate secured to the inclined strip, and bass key mechanism for controlling a sound making means mounted on the brackets and key plate, whereby the brackets and above named parts connected therewith may be removed as a unit.

10. In an accordion, a. bass asing having a partition; sound making means mounted on the partition; a support removably mounted on the partition and having uprights; bars mounted on the uprights; plungers slidable in the bars; keys on the plungers; a key plate mounted on the sup port for slidably supporting the keys; valves for controlling the sound making means, and means on the support operative ly connecting the valves with the plungers, whereby the support and the above named parts connected therewith may be removed as a unit.

11. In an accordion, a bass casing having a partition; sound making means mounted on the partition; a support removably mounted on the partition and having uprights, the upper ends of the uprights being slotted; grooved bars mounted in the slots of the uprights; plungers slidable in the grooves of the bars; keys on the plungers; a key plate mounted on the support for slidably supporting he keys; valves for controlling the sound making means, and means on the support operatively connecting the valves with the plungers, whereby the support and the above named parts connected therewith may be removed as a unit.

12. In an accordion, a bass casing having a partition; sound making means mounted on the partition; a support removably mounted on the partition and having uprights; bars mounted on the uprights;

plungers slidable in the bars; keys on the plungers; a plate mounted on the support for slidably supporting the keys; pivot bars mounted on the support; arms on the pivot bars operatively connected with the plungers; inclined arms on the pivot bars having bent ends; valves pivoted on the support for controlling the sound making means, and valve arms on the valves extending over the bent ends of the inclined arms, whereby the support and the above named parts connected therewith may be removed from the casing as a unit.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES PALMER.

Witnesses:

ELIZABETH GARBE, CHAs. E. POTTS.

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