US1604928A - Piano-accordion bellows-locking device - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 26, 1926. 1,604,928

v. MENEGHETTI PIANO ACCORDION BELLOWS LOCKING DEVICE Filed July 7, 1925 of 2; if j@ Patented Oct. Z6, 1926.

UNITED. STATES VCIORIENEGHETTI, OF LOS ANGELES, CALFORl\IIA IANO-ACCOBDION BELLWS-LOCKNG DVCE.

Application 4led July 7, 1925.

My invention relates generally to piano accordions and more particularly to a device for lockingl the parts of a piano accordion, including the bellowsj in closed position so the instrument will be firmly retained in its closed position while not being played, or when packed for storage or transportation.

It will be understood that a piano accordion while being played, is supported on the front of the players body by means of a strap that passes over the shoulder and across the back, and at the conclusion of the rendition of a selection upon the instrument, is is especially desirable, particularly by professional players to easily and quickly lock the upper and lowei1 parts of the accordion to each other with the interposed bellows in closed or collapsed condition.

Thus it is the principal objects of my invention to arrange simple and efficient means on the interior of the accordion for locking; the upper and lower parts of the body thereof to each other and to provide simple means on the exterior of the instrument for actuating said locking means and which actuating means is positioned and arranged so as to be easily and quickly manipulated whenever desired. p

TVith the foregoing and other objects in view, my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement ot parts that will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed and illustrated 'in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a rear elevational view of the upper portion of the body Vand the key board of a piano accordion that is equippedwitn the bellows locking means contemplated by my invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a detail section taken on the line 3-3 of Fie'. 2.

F et is a vertical longitudinal section taken on the line 4 4; of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a detail cross section taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. a l

Fi p'. 6 is perspective view of my improved locking device detached from the accordion.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a practical i embodiment of my invention, and 11 designate respectively the upper and lower parts of the body of a piano accordion, between which parts is arranged the usual bellows 12, and projecting` upwardly and rearwardly Vor lower reeds.

Serial No. 41,957.

from the upper portion of the upper ment ber 10 is the usual key board 13.

-rfi-franed for sliding` movement on the upper edge of the key board 13 is the usual angle plate that is shifted from one posi` tion to another for the control of the octave To this sliding` plate is connected my improved lock'actuating means as will be hereinafter more fully described. The upper part 10 of the accordion body contains the usual metal plate 15 that serves Vas a support for the rails or blocks 16 that carry the melody valves and reeds, and in carrying out my invention, lj arrange for sliding movement on the underside of one of these rails,r a plate or strap 17. Both ends of this strap'terminate in depending` hooks 18 that project in the saine direction and.` when the accordion is closed with the bellows folded or contracted and said plate is shifted to its limit of movement in one direction, these hooks engage beneath hooks ori bent ends 19 that project horizontally fromv the upper ends of pins or posts 20. The lower ends of these posts are rigidly fixed in suitable supports in the upper portion of lower body Vmember 11. i

Thus, when the hooks 18 are engage-d beneath hooks 19, the two parts of the body of the instrument are securely connected with the interposed bellows in collapsed condition, and when the plate l? is shifted so asl to disengage said `hooks 18 from the hooks 19,l the movable lower portion of the instrument and the bellows may be manipulated inthe usual manner.

The means for actuating` sliding member 17 includes a short lever 21, fulcrumed at 22, to one of the'rails 16 and the forward end of said lever, having` a pin and slot 23 with strap 17.

The rear end of lever 21 is provided with a slot 2li that receives the depending end 25 of a short rod 26 and the latter being mounted for longitudinal sliding movement in bearings 27 that are secured to a convenient part of the upper body l0.

The end of rod 26 opposite the end that has the depending portion is pivotally connected to the lower end of a lever 28 and the latter being fulcrumed on a pin or screw 29 that is seated in the rear wall of upper body member 10.

Immediately above its fulcrum point, lever 28 is bent so as to project through an aperture 30 in the lower portion of the rear wall of the key board 13 and said lever eXtends upwardly alongside the rear 'face of the rear wall of said key board and the upper end of said lever is pivotally connected to the intermediate portion of sliding plate lll. y

When it is desired to lock the accordion in closed position with the bellows 'folded or collapsed, it is only necessary to shit't sliding member 17 in proper direction to swing lever 2S on its l'ulcrum so as to slide rod 26 through its bearings and by engagement of depending end 25 in slot 211, lever 21 is swung on its 'fulcrum 22. As a result of this actuation of lever 21, strap 17 will be moved lengthwise, thereby engaging the hooks beneath hooks 19, thereby securely locking the instrument in closed position.

Obviously, a reverse movement ol sliding member 17 will bring about a reverse movement of the locking means, and as the hooks 18 are disengaged from the hooks 19, the

accordion may be opened and played in the usual manner.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided simple and easily operated means for locking a piano accordion in closed position and all of which locking means, with the exception of a small part of one ott' the levers, is located on the interior of the instrument Where it is wholly concealed from view.

It will be understood that minor changes in the size, form and construction of the various parts .of .my improvedy pianoA accordion may be made and substituted 'for those herein shown and described without departing from the spirit of the invention, the scope of which is set forth in the -appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A piano accordion bellows locking device comprising a pair of hooks projecting from the end portions of the body of the accordion upwardly through the bellows, a strap mounted for sliding movement on the underside of the housing for the melody Vvalves of the accordion, the ends of which strap are bent into depending hooks that are presented in the same direction, which hooks are adapted to engage the ends of the firstmentioned hooks when the accordion bellows are closed, a lever pivotally mounted within the housing for the melody valves, one end of which lever has pivotal connection with the sliding strap, a lever pivotally mounted on the housing for the melody valves and eX- tending upwardly behind the key-board of the accordion, a connection between the lower end oi' said last-mentioned lever and the end of the lirst-mentioned lever opposite the end that is pivotally connected to the sliding strap and the upper end of the second-mentioned lever being pivotally connected to the switch that is mounted on the top of the key-board and which controls the octave reeds of the accordion.

2. The combination with a piano accordion provided with the usual base keys housing, v bellows, melody valves housing, key board and sliding switch for controlling the lower reeds, a lever pivotally mounted on the melody valves housing, a portion of which lever lies beneath the key-board, the upper end of said lever having pivotal connection with the central portion of the octave reed control switch, a pair of inverted L-shaped hooks projecting upwardly from the end portions of vthe base keys housing through the bellows, a strap. arranged for sliding movement on the underside of the melody valves housing, the ends of which strap are bent into hooks that are adapted to engage the upper ends of the inverted L-shaped hooks when the .accordion bellows is collapsed and connections between the lower end of the lever and the central portion of said sliding strap for actuating the latter when the octave reed control switch In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

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