Seeburg Pressure Reservoirs

The long narrow pressure reservoir behind the soundboard in a Seeburg style F coin-piano.

(Photograph courtesy of Art Reblitz)

The long narrow pressure reservoir behind the soundboard in Seeburg F #54,160 (1913 Haddorff). The lower hoses conduct air from the pump through the bass end back post into the reservoir. The upper ones conduct air from the reservoir back through the post into a small pressure winker bellows and then into the pipe chest. The moveable board of the reservoir faces the back, and has four large leaf springs. The spill valve is in the middle. When the reservoir inflates, a screw in the middle wooden strip opens the spill valve, relieving excess air. This type of reservoir was used in early styles E and F.

1921 Seeburg A roll piano with pipes with a hinged pressure reservoir mounted on the left end of the pipe chest.

(Photograph courtesy of Dana Johnson)

Beginning in 1921, A roll pianos with pipes had a shorter, wider hinged pressure reservoir mounted on the left end of the pipe chest, instead of the early reservoir in back with its small hoses and channels through the back post. To make room for the reservoir, fewer pipes were used than in earlier pianos. This example is Seeburg E #52,851 (1921 Seeburg piano.)

A large non-hinged pressure reservoir mounted on a wooden trunk on the left side of a Seeburg H case.

(Photograph courtesy of Art Reblitz)

The large non-hinged pressure reservoir mounted on a wooden trunk on the left side of a Seeburg H case, with a metal pantograph or stabilizer visible along the front edge. The two smaller pneumatics below the reservoir open valves to turn on the air to the violin and flute pipes. The style G has a somewhat smaller version of the same reservoir. (Style H #54,153 made in 1922 with a Seeburg piano.)

A pressure spill valve mounted horizontally on top of the feeder pump.

(Photograph courtesy of Art Reblitz)

The pressure spill valve sits horizontally on top of the pump in orchestrion styles G and H, except for very early and very late examples as described in the text. A flat spring on top holds it shut until the reservoir inflates, and then it opens to let extra air escape. The diagonal flat bar connects the bell crank that opens the spill valve to a small lever under the keyboard, providing manual control for turning the pipes off by letting all the air escape from the pump and reservoir. (Seeburg G #18,624, made in 1913 with a Seybold piano.)