US739414A - Harmonium. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTED SEPT. 22 1903.

0. HESSE. HARMONIUM.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 4, 1901.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

H0 MODEL.

a a m lllll v/ Fiitmzsses J/KaW v No. 789,414. PATENTED SEPT. 22, I903.

G. HESSE.

HARMONIUM.

APPLICATION IIIHID F014, 1901.

N0 MODEL. 72/ 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

q/vihmooea m mg? UNITED STATES Patented September 22, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

CARL HESSE, OF STUTTGART, GERMANY, ASSIG N OR TO CONCERN SCHIED- MAYER PIANOFORTEFABRIK, OF STUTTGART, GERMANY.

HARMONIUM.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 739,414, dated September 22, 1903.

' Application filed November 4, 1901. Serial No- 81,140- (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CARL HESSE, a citizen of Austria-Hungary, residing at Stuttgart, in the Kingdom of IViiI-temberg, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in I-Iarmoniums; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in harmoniums and similar wind instruments; and its object is to provide a simple and efficient mechanism whereby the sound or notes produced may be muffled or modified, as in obtaining echo effects.

With this object in view the invention comprises a sound chest or chamber in which is arranged concentric cylinders having diametrical openings adapted to register or to be thrown out of registry in varying degree in order to permit the full volume of sound to be produced or to muffie the same, as may be desired.

The invention also comprises means for rotating one of the cylinders relatively to the other in order to open or close the muffling device.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a sound-muffling device embodying my invention, showing it in its normal open position. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of'the same. Fig. 3 is a front elevation, partially in section, of the muffling-cylinders and the adjacent parts; and Figs. 4 and 5 are side elevations showing the device closed by means of a treadle and by means of a spring, respectively.

Referring particularly to the drawings by letter, a designates a sound chest or chamber extending across the instrument and divided longitudinally by a partition I). At a in the bottom of the sound-chamber is a port through which communication is established between the said chamber and the reeds or other sound ing devices. In rear of the partition ports a (L3 form exhausts to permit the escape of the air. The upper portion of the partition consists of two concentric cylinders c d, the outer one, 0, of which is provided with diametrically opposite longitudinal slots 0 0 shown in Figs. 1, 4, and 5,

while the inner one, (1, is constructed with a longitudinal slot cl, extending entirely through and coinciding with one of its diameters. This. slot 1 is adapted to register with the slots in the outer cylinder, as shown in full lines in Fig. 2.

The cylinder d is adapted to rotate within the cylinder 0, and to that end it is provided with an axle e, projecting through the end of the sound-chamber and on which is secured a concentric disk f. This disk is connected by a cord 9 with a movable part, such as a knee lever on treadle, and the cord is held taut by a spring is, secured at one end to the end or side of the sound-chamber and at its other end to the edge of the disk, as clearly On the outer face of the disk, above the center of the same and approximately parallel with the slot in the cylinder d, I provide a rearwardly projecting arm, lug, or offset f, to which is connected the rod or stick 1), having an elongated pin at its upper end, which plays loosely in the end of a lever 71. The front end of this lever n (which is pivoted at m on the frame of the instrument) rests normally on an incline or cam 0, formed on the upper side of the stoprod Z, having the stop-knob Z at its front end. In order to limit the movement of the disk and cylinder (Z in either direction, I provide lugs or stops h 71 on the lower edge of the disk, which are adapted to impinge against the fixed bracket or stop i on the wall of the sound-chamber.

The construction and arrangement of the several parts being thus made known, it is thought that the operation will be readily understood. The sound waves or tones are emitted directly from the reeds'without interruption or hindrance. The air-currents,however, traveling in a tortuous path through the Wind-chest and the orifices a a (0* toward the exhaust-bellows, pass through the cylinder and are checked in a degree varying as the muiiling device is more or less opened and cl0sed,thus subduin g the tone of the sounding device and producing an echo effect which is directly under the control of the operator by means of the stop or pedal, as fully explained.

The muffler is normally open against the tension of the spring 7c, as shown in Fig. 1. In

this position of the parts the stop-pins h h are equidistant from the bracket or stop-bar i, and the cylinder (1 is locked in a position with its slot horizontal and in alinement with the slots in the cylinder by the pin or rod 19 and parts connected therewith. This pin or rod 1), it will be noticed, rests directly upon the lug f, so that the weight of the said pin is acting in opposition to the spring 70, which tends to turn the cylinder in the direction of the arrow 2 in Fig. 1. The pin cannot rise, however, as the weight of the lever n is thrown on its upper end by means of the stop-rod Z,

' which holds the said lever in the position shown in Fig. 1. If the stop-rod be drawn out, the cam or inclined surface 0 will pass from under the front end of the lever n, so that the said lever at once turns on its pivot m and the disk f is rotated by the spring in the direction of the arrow 2, this turning being limited by the pin h coming into contact with the stop bar or bracket 1. This movement brings the parts into the position shown in Fig. 5 and entirely closes the muffler. Of course it is possible to regulate the tone by drawing out the stop more or less, as will be readily understood. hen the stop is pushed in again, the lever 01 will be restored to the position shown in Fig. 1, thereby pushing the rod 19 downward and returning the cylinder and disk to the open position. hen it is desired to produce a soft tone for only a single note or foravery short passage, the muffler is operated by the pedal or similar device. The player in this manner draws on the cord g, so as to turn the disk in the direction indicated .by the arrow 1 in Fig. l and bring the parts into the position shown in Fig. 4, thereby entirely closing the mufiier. The muffler will be completely or partially closed accordingly as more or less pressure is applied to the pedal, as will be readily understood. The movement of the disk under the pull of the cord will be limited by the pin it coming into contact With the stop-bar 2', and as soon as the pressure on the knee swell or treadle is removed the spring returns the disk to its open position.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A muffler for wind instruments comprising a sound-chamber, concentric drums controlling the exit from said chamber and having longitudinal slots adapted to register, and means for rotating one of the cylinders relatively to the other to bring the slots into or out of alinement.

2. muffler for wind instruments comprising a sound-chamber, a rotatable register controlling the exit from said chamber and consistin g of relatively movable parts containing slots, means for holding said register yieldingly closed, and means for locking the register open in opposition to said closing means.

3. A muffler for wind instruments compris ing a sound chamber, a rotatable register within said chamber, means for holding said register yieldingly closed, means for locking said register open in opposition to the said closing means, and means for releasing said locking means.

4:- A muffier for wind instruments comprising a sound-chamber, a cylindrical register having oppositely-disposed slots controlling the exit from said chamber, a spring attached to said register, and means for closing the register in opposition to the said spring.

5. Amuflier forwind instruments comprisin g a sound-chamber, concentric cylindersprovided with slots or perforations adapted to register and to controlthe exit from said chamber, means for rotating the inner cylinder, means for limiting the rotation of said cylinder, and a spring acting on said cylinder in opposition to said rotating means.

6. A muffler for wind instruments consisting of concentric cylinders having slots or perforations adapted to register, a disk on the end of the inner cylinder, means for rotating said disk in opposite directions, means for locking said disk in a position with cylinderslots registering, stop-pins on the lower edge of the disk, and a stop bar or bracket arranged between and in the path of the said pins to limit the movement of the disk.

7. A muffler for Wind instruments consisting of concentric cylinders having slots or perforations adapted to register, a disk on the end of the inner cylinder, an oifset on said disk, a rod rising from the end of the said offset, a lever bearing on the upper end of said rod, a stop-rod controlling said lever whereby the disk may be rotated or held against rotation, and a spring attached to the disk and acting thereon in opposition to the said lever and rod.

8. A muffler for wind instruments consisting of concentric cylinders having openings adapted to register, a disk on the end of the inner cylinder, an ofiset on said disk, a rod rising from the said offset, a lever bearing on the upper end of said rod, means for controlling the said lever, a cord attached to the disk and adapted to rotate the same, and a spring attached to the disk and acting thereon in opposition to the cord.

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

I CARL HESSE. Witnesses:

ERNST ESTEMAND, WALTER FEmwAEBsoH.

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