Interior Views of the
Wurlitzer Style 28B
Mandolin PianOrchestra
Philipps Pianella Model 28 (Victoria)
(Gilson collection, 1997)

This view of the top portion of PianOchestra reveals the xylophone with a reiterating (tremolo) action is at center front. The triangle (left of the xylophone) and the tambourine (above the triangle) both have reiterating actions, as does the snare drum, which is at the rear, just in front of the pipework. The bass drum and cymbal, with kettle drum effect, is at the upper far right. The narrow reiterating castanet action (actual castanets not visible) is to the right end of the xylophone.

The orchestra bell action (the actual bell bars are not visible) is to the far right of the roll changer and directly below the bass drum and castanet action.

In the top half of the picture is the main valve chest, which sits on the wooden shelf just above the pump bellows. The small lead/tin alloy tubes rising vertically connect the array of individually controlled valve pouches to the holes in the tracker bar (which in turn reads the perforations in the music roll). Another set of larger tubes leading out of the top of the chest connect to the pipe chest, while on the back-side rows of motor pneumatics operate the piano action. The main stack is responsible for controlling all notes on the musical scale.

At bottom, the feeder bellows supply both vacuum (to operate the various mechanisms) and wind-pressure (to blow the violin pipes). A round leather belt between the motor and the large pulley operates a chain and sprocket gear type of speed reduction that rotates the pump's crankshaft. The vacuum reservoir is at the left end of the pump, while the wind-pressure reservoir is on top of the pump, its two leaf-springs visible between the reservoir top and the bottom of the support shelf above it.