[Harp-L] harmonica patents



Thought I'd pass on some interesting patents I've come across for this harmonica development Web page I'm working on. These were all filed in the United States. Anybody have any German patents? I'm interested in the 1800s and early 1900s especially. Hohner was filing all these U.S. patents, other companies were only filing in Germany. It's those companies I'm particularly interested in. 
You can learn a lot about harps by studying design. Pat Missin's page also has some good patents and harp development info.

Epping's patent for the XB 40. For those who are interested in how the XB 40 works, the patent will tell you exactly how it works. 
http://www.google.com/patents?id=y8keAAAAEBAJ&printsec=abstract&zoom=4&dq=harmonica+tuning#PPP1,M1

Finger harmonica, I thought was pretty interesting. I'd call it a melodica.
http://www.google.com/patents?id=4TdjAAAAEBAJ&dq=harmonica+tuning

This is a harp (pluck not suck) patent from 1898. I came across this while looking and only mention it cause I'm related to the patenter.
http://www.google.com/patents?id=poUuAAAAEBAJ&pg=PP1&dq=harmonica+tuning#PPP2,M1

This is an interesting Matthias Hohner patent filed after his death. It's a way to cope with comb swelling. The idea was to put a metal strip on the comb teeth, which would keep the wood from swelling, or at least keep it from swelling upwards. Too bad they didn't have access to sealers back then. Such as wax... ;) Seriously, it's interesting to look at these patents and see how they were constantly thinking about how to deal with problems such as comb swell. 
http://www.google.com/patents?id=3dhnAAAAEBAJ&printsec=abstract&zoom=4&dq=%22matthias+hohner%22


Patent for the twin-cell comb. You see these on some UP to Date 10 hole Richters, the Auto Valve still uses this comb design.  I didn't realize the idea behind it was to prevent swelling, 1911.
http://www.google.com/patents?id=3thnAAAAEBAJ&pg=PP1&dq=%22matthias+hohner%22


Trumpet call patent:
http://www.google.com/patents?id=x9lYAAAAEBAJ&printsec=abstract&zoom=4&dq=%22matthias+hohner%22

Hohner's patent for metal mouthpiece, 1893
http://www.google.com/patents?id=d3dDAAAAEBAJ&printsec=abstract&zoom=4&dq=%22matthias+hohner%22#PPP2,M1


Jacob Hohner's Marine Band patent, 1897.
http://www.google.com/patents?id=UApoAAAAEBAJ&pg=PP1&dq=%22matthias+hohner%22


Dave 
_____________
Dave Payne Sr. 
Elk River Harmonicas
www.elkriverharmonicas.com




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