[ Jeff Bridges wrote in 080107 MMDigest:

> ... I'm searching to find out if there is a patent for the
> _whole_ organ, or for just the insides.

Hello Mr. Bridges and group,  I thought you might be interested to know
that there _are_ some DeKleist patents that seem to cover most of the
organ.  They are illustrated on pages 16 and 17 of Ron Bopp's book,
"The American Carousel Organ":

  Patent #884,094
  E. De Kleist.
  Organ.
  Patented Apr. 7, 1908
  http://www.google.com/patents?id=R2tCAAAAEBAJ

  Patent #937,445
  E. De Kleist
  Pneumatic Musical Instrument.
  Patented Oct. 19, 1909
  http://www.google.com/patents?id=d8RTAAAAEBAJ

The last one, in fact, has a drawing that is a fully recognizable
rear view of an American band organ, complete with vacuum and
pressure pumps, valve chest, stack and windchest, and a couple
pipes to show where they would be placed.  Of course, these patents
do not seem to cover, for example, case designs or drum mechanisms,
but finding these numbers shouldn't be too hard.

It would be great if we could all create a database of patents
pertaining to automatic musical instruments on MMD.

Just trying to help,
Andrew Barrett

P.S.: If anyone in this group has any North Tonawanda Musical
Instrument Works instruments, whether band organs, pianos (Pianolin,
L, etc.), or whatever, I would love to know any and all patent
numbers you can find inside these.  Thank you.