US150608A - Improvement in melodeons - Google Patents

Description

2 Sheets--Sheet1.

A. PERROT.

Melndeons.

Patented May 5,1874.

FTW-FTI SS' 2 Sheets--Sheet 2.

A. PERROT.

Melodeons. N0 150,608, Patented May 5,1874.

UNITED STATES PATENT FFIGE.

AUGUSTE PERROT, OF PHILADELPHA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN MELODEONS.

Specification forming part ot Letters Patent No. 150,605, dat' d May 5, 1874; application tiled March 4, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AUGUSTE PERROT, of the city and county of Philadelphia and the State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Melodeons 5 and I do hereby declare the following to be a clear and exact description ofthe nature thereof, suilicient to enable others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains to fully understand, make, and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings making part of this specitication, in which- Figure l is a top View of the interior of the device embodying my invention, a portion of the key-board being broken away. Fig. 2 is a top view of the treadle. Fig. 3 is a side view ot' Fig. l with the addition ofthe treadle. Fig. 4 is a front view of the upper portion of the interior thereof, partly sectional.

Similar letters of reference indicate correspondin g parts` in the several figures.

My invention relates to an instrument of the order of a melodeon more especially designed for teaching vocal music. It is important that the teacher should possess the qualiiieation of imparting to sounds their exact intonation or pitch. Some teachers possess such qualification, but they are not able to continue for any length of time the incessant use of their voices without injury to the vocal organs.

My invention consists in constructing a melodeon of form to be portable, whereby it may be carried bythe teacher to the place of tuition and employed as a substitute for the voice, the instrument being so constructed that it may be laid on a table, chair, or other convenient object, and its bellows operated by hand or foot, on the right or left side, as desired or necessary. It also consists in the construction of the treadle.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the case of the instrument, wit-hin which is contained the key-board, reeds, and bellows. B represents a rock-shaft, which extends lon gitudinally, and is journaled to the sides of the casev A. The ends of the rod B project beyond the sides of the case, so that to either end may be attached an operating arm or lever, C, which is made detachable for such purpose. An arm, D, is secured to the rod B, and suitably connected to the bellows, so that the operation of the lever C will cause the operation of the belA lows, the wind passing to the reeds or reedchamber in any well-known manner. A hook or other fastening, G, will be applied to the lever C for attachment of a chain or cord, ll, passing to the treadlc J, said chain or cord being readily adjustable relatively to varying heights of the places on which the instrument may be rested. The treadle J is constructed of the two parts K L, jointed to each other. The part K is the base, and will rest on the iioor. The part L has a portion of its face at the rear thereof cut away to form a cavity, M, for reception of the heel portion of the human foot, and to the front portion isjointed a clevis, N, through which the toe portion of the foot will be introduced, and to which the cord or chain H will be attached. The keyboard P consists of a series of keys attached to a frame, R, which permits the proper operation of the keys, and which has an axial motion by means of rod S, arranged above the pin-board T of vreeds and secured to said board or to the side of the case, said rod passing through the frame R or eyes secured thereto. The case is ot' such dimensions laterally that the, keyboard may be shifted longitudinally. From the under side of the frame It there projects downwardly a pin, U, and in the pin-board T there are formed vertical openings V, whose distance apart is equal to the width ot' one ofthe keys employed.

The operation is as follows: The instrument will be carried by the teacher to the vschool or place of service and laid on a table, chair, or otherwise most convenient. It the right side ofthe instrument is inconvenient ot access, the lever C is to be applied to the projecting end of the left side of the rock-shaft B, and the treadle J correspondingly located. Should the left side of the instrument be inconvenient oi' access, the lever C and treadle J are to be arranged on the right side of the instrument, so tha-t in either case the bellows maybe duly opA erated by hand or foot on the right or left, as required. rlhe treadle, owing to its portabil ity, will necessarily be made small and narrow. Therefore, in order that the foot may have a proper hold therein, the toe projects through the clevis and the heel portion rests in the rear cavity of the top piece of the treadle, so that ICI the foot will be doubly confined on the treadle. In casc the pitch of the instrumentis to be va ried, the key-board must be moved on the rod S as an axis, so that the pin V will elear the openings lV, whereby the board may be moved the desired number of semitones, and after this is determined, the pin V drops into the proper opening` of the series of openings XV, so that the board is again firmly held and the performance of the instrument may be accomplished the same as in ordinary melodeons.

The characters of vocal music, do, re, &c., may be marked on the keys to assist beginners in acquiring` knowledge of such characters.

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

l. The combination, with the bellows, of the rock-shaft B, With its projecting ends, and the removable arm or lever C, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The treadle J, consisting` of the base l( and the hinged part L, with the clevis N and cavity M, when constructed and arranged substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

AUG. PERROT.

XYitnesses JOHN A. Wmnnnsrrnm, ALBERT H. HOEGKLEY.

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