US276682A - Transposing key-board for musical instruments - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

W. J. GUERNSEY.

TRANSPOSING KEY BOARD FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

No. 276,682. Patented May 1,1883.

FlEl WITNE'SEEE- .lNVENTIlFI- (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. J. GUERNSEY.

TRANSPOSING KEY BOARD FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

No. 276,682. Patented May 1,1883.

FIE-G FIG? if m I I w UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM J. GUERNSEY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

TRANSPOSING KEY-BOARD FOR MUSlCAL INSTRUMENTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 276,682, dated May 1, 1883.

Application filed January 17, 1883. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM JEFFERSON GUERNSEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Adjustable Manuals or Finger-Boards for Organs or Pianos; and I do declare the following to be aiull, clear, and exact descrip tion of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The object of my invention is to provide an attachment for an organ or piano by means of which the peri'ormercan instantaneously transpose the key of any piece, so that while striking or playing upon the notes as written he or she is actually playing one or more notes higher or lower; or the manual can be set so as to play the piece actually as written.

My invention is a temporary attachment; and it consists of an adjustable manual or finger-board, which is supported on a rod directly over the regular or fixed manual of the instrument, and is provided with projections on the lower side of the keys, which bear directly upon the black keys of the lower or fixed manual, and indirectly upon the white keys of the same by means of intermediate loose blocks.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the under side of the manual or finger-board. Fig. 3 is an end view of my invention, showing it applied to the keys of an organ. Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section of a series of keys representing one octave of an organ, showing the keys of my invention adjusted to play two notes lower than the music is written. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the bearingblocks. Fi (i is a perspective view of an orgen, showing' my invention in position for playing. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the same, showing the manual thrown back to form a book-rest, and at the same time to permit a person to play directly upon the keys of the organ.

1, Figs. 1, 2, and 3, is a light frame of any suitable dimensions, open along the front side,

in which are inserted the white and black keys G and H. The said keys are pivoted to the back part of the frame, as shown in Fig. 3, and are provided on their lower sides with projections J, which pass through a longitudinal opening, K, Figs. 2 and 3, made in the bottom part of the frame. The front part of the frame I is supported so as to turn upon a rod, L, which has its ends secured in two blocks, M M, Figs. 1, 2, 6, and 7. These blocks are each made in two sections and hinged together, with the inner sections secured to the organ on the right and left of the keys.

N, Figs. 1, 2, and 7, is a light wooden bar connected to the folding parts of the blocks M M, and extending underneath the frame I to serve as a. brace to the rod L and to prevent the loose blocks from moving outward, and also act as a stop to retain the music-book in position when the manual is thrown back to form arcst, as shown in Fig. 7.

0, Figs. 3, at, and 5, are a set of bearingblocks corresponding in width, length, and thickness with the projection of the black keys over the white.

The keys G and H of the movable manual are without levers, being simply key-lengths, and are several less in number than those of the instrument in order to allow .of its being moved to the right or left so many notes. The projections J on these keys bear directly upon the black keys of the lower or fixed manual and upon the intermediate blocks, 0, which are placed upon the back portion of the white keys between the black ones, thus rendering the bearings equal upon both. If it is desirable to play any piece in the key in which it is written withoutremoving the adjustable manual, it may be placed so that its keys bear upon the corresponding ones of the fixed manual, C over G, I) over D, E over F, &c.; but should the performer wish to play a piece in a lower key than that in which it is written, the adjustable manual must be moved to the left upon the lower or fixed manual, as shown in Fig. 4, so that while striking or playing upon the notes as written he is actually playing one or two or more notes lower. Thus, if a person desires to sing a song which is written three notes beyond his compass of voice, he can, by moving the adjustable manual so many notes ICQ to the left, play the accompaniment exactly as written, yet find the song as effectually transposed as if rewritten.

1%,Fig. 1, is a scale attached to the front part of the movable manual to designate the position of the said manual in relation to the lower or fixed manual, to enable the performer to adjust the manual as many notes lower or higher as he may desire.

What I claim as my invention is- The combination, in an adjustable manual or finger-board for an organ or piano, of a frame, I, keys G and H, projections J, rod L, blocks M M, bar N, and bearing-block 0, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony WhereofI have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM JEFFERSON G UERNSE'Y.

\Vitnesses:

Guns. 2 MORGAN, ISAAC R. OAKFORD.

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