IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF PIANOFORTES
Year: 1885

page_text: I, CECIL COLLARD of Oval Road, Camden Town, in the County of Middlesex,
Pianoforte Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF PIANOFORTES, to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to ensure greater resonance in Pianofortes than
has heretofore been obtained.
It is well known that by the present mode of stringing Pianofortes great pressure
is put upon the belly bridge, and consequently the vibration of the sound board is
materially checked, to the detriment of the quality, and also the duration of the
sound obtained from the strings.
To remove these disadvantages, I so arrange the strings that they shall have a
firm bearing on the bridge without putting an undue downward strain thereon.
The bridge I form as heretofore, giving it metallic bearing pieces or agraffes
(preferably rounded) to receive the strings, for the several notes of the instrument,
and upon the bridge I fit what may be termed a gripping plate, corresponding in
form with the bridge; thus the notches in the bridge fitted with metallic bearing
surfaces for the strings find their counterpart in the plate.
This plate I secure by screws to the bridge in such a way that the edges of its
notched parts will bear upon the strings near their points of contact with the metal
bearing surfaces of the bridge.
To provide for the adjustment of the grip of this plate upon the strings of the
several notes I fit the bridge in rear of the attaching screws with square or cheese
headed screw studs the turning of which by a spanner will allow of a perfect
adjustment of the grip of the plate upon any or all of the strings of the instrument.
Dated this 74th day of Januar 1985
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in the Construction of Pianofortes.
I, CECIL COLLARD of Oval Road, Camden Town in the County of Middlesex,
Pianoforte Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be perforined, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The object of this invention is to ensure greater resonance in pianofortes than
has heretofore been obtained.
It is well known that by the present mode of stringing pianofortes, great pressure
is put upon the belly bridge, and consequently the vibration of the sound board is
materially checked, to the detriment of the quality, and also the duration of the
sound obtained from the strings.
To remove these disadvantages, I so arrange the strings that they shall have a
firm bearing on the bridge, without putting an undue downward strain thereon.
In the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 shows in plan view a portion of the bridge
of a grand pianoforte fitted according to my invention, and Fig. 2 is a cross section
of the same taken on the line 1-2 of Fig. 1.
A, is the belly bridge constructed as heretofore, and to it are fitted T-headed
pins or agraffes a, made of metal, ivory, or bone, or of hard wood, at discretion.
The heads of these pins are preferably rounded, and they are intended to receive
respectively the groups of strings for the several notes of the instrument.
Upon the bridge I fit a continuous or a divided plate B, corresponding in general
form with the bridge, and I secure the same loosely to the bridge by means of
screws or bolts b. The plate or plates BI notch or step to present bearing edges
at right angles to the several groups of strings, which pass from the hitch pins
under the plates B, and over the agraffes to the wrest pins. The pins or agraffes a
are arranged with their heads parallel to the bearing edges of the plate or plates B,
which I secure to the bridge in such a way that the edges lying transversely of the
strings, will bear upon the strings near their points of contact with the bearing
surfaces a of the bridge.
To provide for the adjustment of the grip of the continuous plate or plates B
upon the strings of the several notes, I fit the bridge, or it may be the plates,
in rear of the attaching screws b, with, square or cheese headed screw studs C,
the turning of which by a spanner will regulate the pressure of the plates, and
allow of a perfect adjustment of their grip upon any or all of the strings of the
instrument.
By this arrangement it will be understood that the proper limitation of the
vibration of the strings along their length may be secured without straining the
strings over the bridge as heretofore, as the horizontality of the strings, or their
verticality, according to the construction of the pianoforte to which the invention

page_text: is applied, will be preserved, the sound board being left free and untrammelled to
answer to the vibrations of the strings.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
Relieving the belly bridge of pianofortes from the pressure of the strings by
passing the strings between counteracting bearing surfaces fitted to the bridge as
above described.