US225090A - wright - Google Patents

Description

J. T. WRIGHT. Combined Piano-Porte and Organ.

No. 225,090. Patented Mar. 2,1880.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN T. WRIGHT, OF GLASGOW,`NORTH BRITAIN.

COMBINED PIANO-FORTE AND ORGAN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 225,090, dated March 2, 1880.

Application filed August 15, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN TnoM WEIGHT, of Glasgow, in the county of Lanark, North Britain, have invented an Improvement in the Arrangement or Construction of Musical Instruments, of which the following is a specilication.

My said invention, which relates to an improvement in the arrangement and construction of musical instruments, consists in oombining together in one and the same instrument a separate harmonium or organ and a separate piano-forte, so that the two instruments, each complete in itself, can be played as one instrument and from one key-board, or as two separate instruments, at the will of the performer; and in order that my said invention may be properly understood, I now proceed more particularly to set forth the system, mode, or manner in or under which the same is or may be used or practically carried into effect, reference being had to the annexed sheet of drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon-that is to say:

Figure l illustrates in section with some parts shown in elevation, and Fig. 2 in front elevation, a portion of the musical instrument constituting my said invention.

' In carrying outthe invention, theharmonium or organ A is placed below the keys of the piano-forte B, and connecting-rods x, or their equivalents, couple the striking mechanism of the piano-forte with the reed-opening mechanism of the harmonium or organ, so that when a note or notes of the piano-forte is or are struck the corresponding reed-valves of the harmonium or organ are opened.

The connecting-rods a: may be permanently attached to the keys or striking mechanism of the piano-forte, or to the keys or reed-valveopeningmechanism of the harmonium or organ, and Ire carried through the key bottom or frav s placed between the keys of the pianofo1 e and of the harmonium or organ, respectively, and through which key bottom or frames the said connecting-rods are individually free to move downward and upward, according as the keys of the piano-forte are struck or re- The connecting-rods a; are preferably provided with cushions of leather or other similarly suitable material, a, at their ends.

By combining together a piano-forte and a harmonium or organ, as hereinbefore set forth, the tone is endowed with the promptness of the piano-forte,and also with the sustaining character of the harmonium or organ.

When it is desired to play the piano-forte separately, or without also playing on the harmonium or organ, this may be effected by ceasing to operate with the feet the treadles connected to the bellows or blower of the latter instrument; or it may be effected by lowering or raising the latter instrument or its keyboard.

To enable the piano-forte and the harmonium or organ to be secured together with their keyboards in the proper position for having like notes struck or sounded simultaneously, a hinge -joint connecting the instruments together is provided at E', and when it is desired to separate the instruments so as to play them individually, the pin or rod passing through the joint is withdrawn through one or both ends of the piano-forte, thereby leaving the harmonium free to be drawn out from under the other instrument; or, in place of this arrangement, a pin projecting from each side of the harmonium may enter into a socket on two guides, which are hinged to the bottom of the piano-forte, and when it is desired to separate the instruments, the harmonium is lifted out of the sockets and gently drawn out.

For the purpose of playing upon the harmonium or organ without also playing upon the piano-forte, (when the instrumen ts are combined,) the keys of the latter instrument may be pressed gently, which gives the effect of a harmonium with a percussion action.

In the combined instrument the various stops of the harmonium or organ are or may be placed below the key-board or on the keybloeks of the harmonium, and pedals are or may be placed on the right and left of the harmonium or organ treadles, which operate, by means of levers, cranks, or other suitable mechanism, upon the loud and soft pedals of the piano-forte, respectively.

In place of combining the piano-forte with a harmonium or organ, as hereinbefore de- IOO 2 v f seamen scribed, it may be combined in a similar manner with the instrument known as the harrnoniphoin7 or with other tongued or reed or pipe instruments, for the purpose oi' producing a like effect.

C represents a rod for raising and supporting the harmonium or organ. rlhis rod is attached to a lever or treadle7 D, 'ulcrumed to the side of the case and arranged convenient to the performer, so that pressure downward upon said lever or treadle will force the harmonium or organ upward and into a position to receive the impact of the connecting-rods Upon the organ being raised a prop or support, F, drops down and aids in holding the instrument up until the release of the treadle D permits the organ to drop down out o'l" connection with the piano.

The treadle or lever D is held in its lowered position by a catch, (l, so that it may not be necessary to press upon saidlever continuously while playing the two instruments.

By my invention the two instruments are rendered capable of use either alone or separately, and this without impairing either instrument or depriving them of any oi" the qualities they separately possess, and so that the two instruments may be played together with as little dilileulty as one ot' them..

I am aware that it has already been proposed to combine in one ease a piano and an organ or other similar wind-instrument. In one instance the operation of the two instruments is regulated by means of a thumb-rod communicating with vertical valve-rods and with forks on the keys. In another device screw-hooks and eyes and rods connect the two instruments together, and are disconnected by means oi" a lmigitudinal bar notched its whole length to receive the loops and carry them on the bar, moving backward from contact with hooks connecting the valves ofthe harmonium. l do not therefore wish it to be understood that l desire to broadly claim the idea ot' coupling together two keyed instruments7 as that idea, broadly considered, is not new; but

Vfhat l do claim, and desire to secure by Letters latent, is-

ln a combined piano-forte and organ or other keyed instrument7 the key-connecting rods a', hinge-joint E, lever or treadle D, and suitable supports for retaining the organ in position, substantially as and for the purpose set lorth. ln witness whereof I have signed my name to this speci iication in the presence ot' two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN @HUM XVRlGlI'l. ivitnesses:

@none-n MAGAULAY GnUIKsnANK, HUGH CAMERON.

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