An Apparatus to Regulate the Touch of the Keyboard of Musical Instruments.
Year: 1897

page_text: [Communicated from abroad by FELIX BARROUIN, Manufacturer of Pianos, of
91, Rue de Sevres, Paris, in the Republic of France.]
An Apparatus to Regulate the Touch of the Keyboard of Musical
Instruments.
I, WILLIAM HUMPHREY WHEATLEY, of the Firm of Wheatley and Mackenzie,
Engineers and Patent Agents, of 40, Chancery Lane, in the County of London,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object an apparatus independent of the keyboard, per-
mitting the work of the hands of pupil musicians to be regulated by giving to the
keyboard, when they desire it, different degrees of hardness of touch. This
apparatus which serves to regulate the touch of the keyboard in musical instru-
ments, is composed of as many loading pieces of equal weight as there are keys in
the keyboard. The pieces bear on the keys, as desired, in greater or less proximity
to their axes of oscillation, according to the degree of hardness which it is desired
to obtain. By arranging that these loading pieces do not rest on the keys, this
apparatus, being independent of the keyboard, enables the normal touch to be
retained for ordinary playing.
One apparatus according to this invention is composed of a bar fixed transversely
with respect to the keys of the keyboard, and of loading pieces carried by and
jointed to this bar, each resting on a different key of the keyboard. The said bar
is supported to the right and to the left of the keyboard by screwed rods inserted
in metal sleeves fixed by set screws on runner rods which can slide in guides
attached to the table of the instrument the said rods and bar being held in any
position by means of spring catches engaging in the notches of corresponding plates
on the frame of the instrument.
Each loading piece is provided with a lug by which it is jointed to the before-
mentioned transverse bar and is suitably weighted and cushioned with felt or other
suitable material to soften the shock when struck by a key, the normal position
of each piece being limited by means of an adjusting screw.
As soon as the player strikes any one of the keys he raises the loading piece the
constant weight of which exerts itself in greater or less proximity to the axis or
fulcrum of the key, according to the degree of hardness of touch which the player
has given to the keyboard, by making the distance between the cross bar and the
fulcrum a greater or lesser one.
This regulating apparatus for keyboards may be applied to all musical instru-
ments having keyboards.
Dated this 23rd day of March 1897

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Apparatus to Regulate the Touch of the Keyboard of Musical
Instruments.
T. WILLIAM HUMPHREY WHEATLEY, of the Firm of Wheatley and Mackenzie,
Engineers, and Patent Agents, of 40, Chancery Lane, in the County of London,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention a communication to me from Felix
Barrouin, Manufacturer of Pianos, of 91, Rue de Sevres, Paris, in the Republic of
France and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained, in and by the following statement:-
This invention has for its object an apparatus independent of the keyboard
permitting the work of the hands of music pupils to be regulated by giving to the
keyboard when they desire it different degrees of touch. This apparatus which
serves to regulate the touch of the keyboard in musical instruments is composed of
as many loading pieces of equal weight as there are keys in the keyboard. These
pieces bear on the keys, as desired, in greater or less proximity to their axes of
oscillation, according to the touch which it is desired to obtain. By arranging that
these loading pieces do not rest on the keys, this apparatus, being independent of
the keyboard, enables the normal touch to be retained for ordinary playing.
The annexed drawing shows the construction and the mode of attachment of this
touch regulating apparatus on an ordinary straight keyboard and also shows
various types of loading pieces.
. Figs. 1 and 2 show in longitudinal elevation and in plan, looked at from above,
a section of the keyboard to which this touch regulating apparatus is applied.
Figs. 3 and 4 represent two types of loading pieces. In the figures the same letters
designate the same parts or corresponding portions.
This apparatus is composed of a bar g fixed transversely with respect to the
keys A of the keyboard, and of loading pieces a carried by and jointed to this bar,
each resting on a different key of the keyboard. The bar g is supported to the right
and to the left of the keyboard by screwed rods inserted in metal sleeves k fixed by
set screws i on runner rods which can slide in the guides m attached to the table B
of the instrument. These rods / turn up vertically at close to the external edge
of the keyboard where they are surmounted by a knob 2 which projects above the
level of the keyboard. The branches are provided with a spring n, which, enter-
ing in the notches n¹ of the guide o enables the rods to be stopped and held in
place. The notches n¹ can be numbered to indicate to the player the touch which
he gives to the keyboard.
The loading piece a is composed of a cam or disc of wood b (Figs. 1 and 4) or of
a metallic ring b with rib (Fig. 3) in the centre of which is inserted a washer or
disc c of lead or other heavy material. This cam is provided with a lug or
tumbler d of wood which is jointed in the branches of a metallic fork e screwed
or otherwise attached to the transverse bar g. A felt strip g stuck on the bar g
opposite the lug d serves to soften the shock due to the raising of the cam b. Å
spacing screw f fitted on the lug d (Figs. 1 and 4) enables the fall of the weight
on the key A to be limited.
In the construction of the loading piece shown in Fig. 3 the lug d is provided
outside the fork e with a small plate acting as a point of support for the spacing
screw which limits the fall of the pulsator a.
The loading pieces a (Figs. 1 and 3) are provided at their lower part with a small
roller P of hard wood, horn or vulcanised rubber or celluloid, the circumference of
which may be covered with a rubber ring p¹ or it may run on a tongue of rubber pl
(Fig. 3) stuck on the key A.
When the keys are at rest, that is to say, when they bear on the saddle A¹ the

page_text: roller of the leading pieces a (Figs. 1, 2 and 3) or the lower surface b¹ of the
cam a (Fig. 4) is tangential to the upper surface of the key A, but the loading
piece a is entirely supported by the bar this being due to the space screw f
which will have been suitably regulated for each key A.
As soon as the player strikes any one of the keys he raises the loading piece a
the constant weight of which exerts itself in greater or less proximity to the axis
or fulcrum q of the key, according to the degree of hardness of touch which the
player has given to the keyboard by making the distance between the cross bar
and the fulcrum y a greater or lesser one.
This touch regulating apparatus for keyboards may be applied to all musical
instruments having keyboards. The bar g may be displaced by the hand or by the
foot..
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. An apparatus to regulate the touch of the keyboard of musical, instruments
comprising the combination of a sliding movable bar independent of the keyboard,
placed transversely to and above the keys; with loading pieces jointed to the said
bar and supported thereby, equal in number to the keys; the said loading pieces,
of constant weight, sliding or rolling on the keys so as to come in contact therewith
in greater or less proximity to their axes of oscillation and to only exert their
weight thereon when the key is struck, substantially as described and shown.
2. In a touch regulating apparatus for keyboards the loading pieces a formed of
a disc or of a ring in the centre of which is arranged a washer c and provided
with a lug d serving to joint the said loading piece at the top or bottom of a
movable bar g transverse to the keys; this lug being provided with a space
screw f limiting the fall of the said loading pieces on the keys A substantially as
described and shown and for the purpose specified.
Dated this 23rd day of December 1897.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.