Illustrations of Early Pneumatic Stacks
in Seeburg Coin Pianos

Patent drawing showing a cross section of the very early Seeburg double-valve stack.

(U.S. Patent Drawing)

Cross-sectional drawing from Peter Wiggen’s U.S. Patent #998,313, filed Oct. 22, 1909 and granted July 18, 1911, showing the concept of the very early Seeburg double-valve stack, but with fixed bleeds instead of adjustable bleed screws. Wiggen and Oscar Nelson were high-level employees of the J.P. Seeburg Piano Company from the time of its founding until they left in the early 1920s and formed the Nelson-Wiggen Piano Company in 1922. While in Seeburg’s employ, they invented and patented nearly every mechanism used in Seeburg’s coin pianos and orchestrions.

Cross-sectional drawing by Dana Johnson showing the presumed layout of the very early Seeburg adjustable bleed stack.

(Drawing courtesy of Dana Johnson)

Cross-sectional drawing by Dana Johnson showing the presumed layout of the very early stack with adjustable bleeds, based on Wiggen’s patent drawing and photographs of the outside of the stack from Seeburg #107,809.

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