US1882960A - Foot pedal piano accordion - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 18, 1932. Is. SATER 1,882,960

FOOT PEDAL PIANO AOCORDION Filed Aug. 1, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l WITNESSES ATTORN EY Oct. 18, 1932. s, SATER 1,882,960

FOOT PEDAL PIANO ACCORDION Filed Aug. 1, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 WlTN/ESSES mvENrbR 5141/. fla 1 522?- ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 18, 1932 PATENT OFFICE SAMUEL SATER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

FOOT PEDAL PIANO ACCORDION Application filed August 1, 1931. Serial in. 554,532.

This invention relates to musical instru-' ments and particularly to an improved foot pedal piano accordion, the object being to provide an arrangement utilizing an accordion structure while presenting one or more pedals and a rectangular keyboard in one or more planes.

Another object of the invention is to provide a foot pedal piano accordion which includes members for producing musical sounds and a casing acting in a double capacity as a container and as a stand.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a front view of a foot pedal accordion disclosing an embodiment of the invention, the same being assembled and ready for use.

Figure 2 is a erspective view of the structure shown in igure 1 when knocked down and folded into a package.

Figure 3 is a sectional view through Figure 1 on line 3-3, the same being on an enlar ed scale.

eferring to the accompanying drawings by numerals, 1 indicates the bodyof the container, said body being preferably rectangular and provided with sides 2 and 3, a bottom 4 and back 5, all being rigidly connected together. The front is preferably formed by two doors 6 and 7, though if desired one door could be used. Doors 6 and 7 could be connected to the respective sides 2 and 3 by suitable hin es and are adapted to be swung shut and Ice ed in the closed position by suitable straps 8 and 9 and also by the flap 10 carried by the top 11, which top is hingedly connected to the back 5 by one or more hinges 12. One or more snap fasteners 13 are used for connectinlg the flap 10 to the doors as illustrated in igure 2. The body 1 forms a casing or container which, when folded, presents a-shape somewhat resembling an ordinary suitcase. A hand grip 14 is connected to end 2 so that the device may be readily carried. When the parts are folded as shown in Figure -2, the various members forming the musical section are stored in a container. When the device is to be used, straps 8 and 9 are loosened and preferably removed, and the doors 6 and 7 swung open to the position shown in Figure 1. The bars 15 arebolted or otherwise secured at 16 to bottom 4, said bar having hinges 17 whereby the pedals 18 are connected therewith. If desired, one or more than two pedals could be used, and also if desired, each pedal could have a separate bar 15. However, for most purposes, a double pedal is suflicient.

The upper end of the pedals 18 are provided with apertures 19 for accommodatin the straps 20, which straps extend through suitable cleats 21 and 22 secured in any desired manner to the end 23 of the bellows 24. Bellows 24 is preferably of the usual type of bellows found in accordions, said bellows at the upper end, as shown in Figuresl and 3,

being connected to the frame 25 which is glued or otherwise rigidly secured'to a hous ing 26 forming an air chamber 27. This housing or frame is secured by straps or brackets 28 and 29 to a casing 30, which has a keyboard 31 having the usual white and black keys commonly found on a piano. Springs or other suitable means 32 may be used to normally hold the keys in the upper position whereby the valves 33 and 34 may be held closed, said valves being connected by suitable bars 35 to the respective white and black keys. The valves 33 and 34 are ada ted to close the openings 36 and 37 leading rom the reed housings 38 and 39. These housings carry suitable reeds which may be of a single or double type as desired. The reeds in these housings are arranged so that some will operate as the bellows 24 is distended and some will operate as the bellows 24 is collapsed, thus giving an accordion effect when the arts are actuated and keys 31 are caused to f tion.

A pair of springs 40 and 41 are connected to frame 25 by suitable screws 42 and 43 and to the bottom 23 by screws 42 and 43 whereby when the operator pushes down pedals 18, the bellows 24 will be distended and when the pedals are released, the springs 40 and 41 will move the bellows back to a collapsed position. This will cause air to be drawn back and forth through the respective reed housings 38 and 39 for actuating the respective reeds according to the particular keys depressed. In the ordinary accordion now in use, the operator cannot conveniently see the keyboard of one hand, whereas in the construction shown in the accompanying drawings, the entire keyboard may be seen and actuated with one or both hands in the usual way while the edals 18 and springs and 41 function. T e device may be operated by one foot and the operator may stand on the other foot if desired or the operator may have a seat and operate the device from a seated position. This arrangement secures the accordion efltect desired, while presenting aconstruction which may be easily carried in a suitcase like container as shown in Figure 2.

In organizations known as entertainers, it is desirable to have different musical instruments including an accordion and the usual large accordion is comparatively heavy to transport by a single person and also comparatively heavy to support by a strap around the neck which is the usual procedure. In the present invention, a large accordion effect may be secured without necessitating the operator supporting the device during the playing operation.

When it is desired to fold up the parts, the

j screws 44 in the respective brackets 45 are re moved and the device may then readily be moved to a position in the container or body 1. Before this is done, preferably the strap 20 is removed and the connecting bolt 16 is also removed. When these various parts have been removed, the entire device may be stored in the body 1 and the housing adjusted said housing, and a casing connected with said frame, the casing being provided with keys presenting a keyboard, valves actuated by sa d keys and an accordion reed housing provided with reeds extending into said first mentioned housing and into free communica tion with said bellows, said reeds being arranged in groups so that one group will face in one direction and the other group will face in the opposite direction, one group being adapted to function as the bellows move the air in one direction and the other group adapted to function as the bellows move the air in the opposite direction whereby when said pedal and said elastic members are actuated music may be produced by depressing the proper keys in the proper time and sequence.

2. A foot pedal piano accordion including a body acting as a container when the parts are folded and as a stand when the arts are unfolded, a housing rigidly secure to said body, a bellows connected with said housing and positioned to be in free communication therewith, resilient members actin to normally hold the bellows collapsed, a oot pedal acting to distend the bellows, a casing mounted on said housing, said casing bemg provi ded with a plurality of passageways, a plurality of reed housings carrying reeds connected with said casing and covering said passageways, some of said reeds facing in one direction while the others face in the opposite direction so that some of the reeds will function as the bellows move the air in one direction and the other reeds will function as the bellows move the air in the opposite direction, a plurality of valves, said valves normally covering said respective assageways and acting to normally shut o the air when the air is moving in either direction and a keyboard carried by said casing, said keyboard having the respective keys connected with the respective valves.

3. A foot pedal piano accordion including a keyboard having the usual black and white keys, a plurality of sets of reeds acting in opposite d rections, means forming an air passageway extending past said reeds, a valve carried by each key of said keyboard positioned to close the respective passageways, a bellows for causing air to move back and forth through said passageways, resilient means for causng the bellows to automatically collapse when released, and a foot 0 erated pedal connected at one end of the ellows for causing'the same to be distended when the pedal is actuated.

' SAMUEL SATER.

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