Improvements in Adjustable Pedal Attachments for Pianofortes.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Apr., 1895-Accepted, 24th May, 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Adjustable Pedal Attachments for Pianofortes.
1 REINHARD SCHULZE, Pianoforte Maker of 2033 East Hoffman Street,
Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, United States of America do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
The object of this invention is to provide means for facilitating the use of the
pedals by small persons especially children. This object was heretofore reached
by providing two plates or blocks to be screwed on to the top of the pedals, it
being necessary to preserve the height of the seat, that is to say, to leave the
latter under all circumstances proportionate in height to the keyboard. These
arrangements however did not fully answer the purpose particularly as it was
impracticable if not impossible to regulate the plates in question according to the
size of the persons playing the instrument. As, in order to obtain an easy play, it
is very important that the pedals may be easily adjusted, and especially as
nowadays children from early childhood are given the opportunity of learning to
play the piano, it is essential to provide means for adjusting the above described
arrangement so as to correspond to the size of all persons. This point has been
provided for in this invention by a pedal board which can be adjusted by a simple
touch with the hand.
This new apparatus is represented in the annexed drawings in which Fig. 1 is a
plan view, Fig. 2 the same with the top plate removed, Fig. 3 shows a section
through the line, a of Fig. 1, Fig. 4 the same through line y y of Fig. 2.
A flat box, open at the underside, which consists of a covering plate A surrounded
by four side boards A partly oblique to the plane of said plate is supported by
four levers B. These levers are pivoted to the underside of the covering plate A
and to the bottom plate Cat B and B respectively, so as to be capable of being
turned, and every two of these levers are connected by bolts B sliding in the
slits B, in such a manner as to enable them to act like a pair of scissors, thus
adjusting the level of the plate A according to the distance of their end points B'.
This simultaneous actuation from one point of all four levers is effected by means
of a cog wheel D', acted upon by the hand wheel D above the covering plate A
and gearing with two parallel toothed bars E which, when said cog wheel turns,
are moved in their longitudinal direction, and as they are inserted at E' into the
cross bars E which latter support the points B', they cause the levers to approach
or move from cach other according as the wheel D is turned to the right or to the
left. To prevent an automatic, undesirable, turning of the cog-wheel D', a ratchet
wheel d' is attached to its axle d between said cogwheel and the covering plate A,
in which ratchet wheel engages a latch the turning point d³ of which is on
plate A. This latch which is pressed against the ratchet wheel by means of a
spring allows of the hand wheel being turned only to the right, that is to say so
that the points B' approach each other, thus raising the covering plate A
accordingly. Its lowering is effected by means of the disengaging bar F which
lies between the toothed bars E and the covering plate A, in such a manner that in
turning, from above with the aid of handle e', the disk e to the right, it presses
the bolt Fagainst the latch d' thereby freeing the latter from engagement. The
dead weight of the plate A and of the attachments to be afterwards described

page_text: results in the cross bars E' and consequently the points, B' being moved from each
other and the device lowered.
It remains to be explained that said cross bars E2 slide on two strips e* attached
to the underside of the covering plate A, also that the toothed bars E slide through
cramps Z which are likewise attached to plate A. On said plate A two pedals
which may be turned about the fulcra G₁are arranged, and these engaging with
the toothed bars H are thus connected with the pedals of the pianoforte.
Their construction may be understood from Figs. 1 and 3. Each of thein sub-
stantially consists of two side bars G' which are covered by an ornamented plate G³.
At the extreme end of the bars G2 a sliding piece g' which surrounds the toothed
bar H, is attached by means of the bolt g, said piece serving, at the same time, as
sliding guide for the said bar. As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3, there is also
arranged between the side bars and engaging with the toothed bar H a bar K, which,
as the spring K' acts upon the lever K', is pressed against the toothed bar H,
thereby insuring the relation of the whole pedal to that bar. On the plate A
moving downward, the bar K is freed from its engagement with the bar H by the
projections F1, which are attached to the arms of the disengaging bar F, and which
pass through plate A, pressing against the lever K, thereby causing the latter to
turn about pivot k, and the bar K to disengage from the bar H. The bar H can
in any suitable manner, be secured to the pedal I of the piano; for instance, by
means of the clamp L, as illustrated in Fig. 3, consisting substantially of two
plates enclosing the pedal I, the upper of which plates is suspended on the bar H,
while the lower, by means of a screw L', presses the pedal I against the upper
plate.
As will be understood from the above description, the pedal attachment can be
adjusted according to the size of any person without the least difficulty, its lowering
to its lowest position being done automatically.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed 1 declare that what I
claim is :
1. A pedal board for the purpose of facilitating the use of the pedals. to small
persons, comprising a plate A, adjustable from one point according to the respective
size of the person; the said plate A having two pedals G, the movement of which
effected by the feet, is, by means of the toothed bar H, transferred to the pianoforte
pedals I.
2. The combination of said pedal board with an arrangement, for effecting the
raising of the same, consisting of four levers B, currying the plate A, said levers
being actuated in their movement by means of a hand wheel acting upon a cog
wheel in co-operation with toothed bars.
3. The combination of said pedal board with an arrangement for simultaneously
freeing the toothed bars E and the pedals G from their engagement with the
connecting toothed bar H, for the purpose of effecting the lowering of the plate A,
said arrangement comprising the disengaging bar F, the handle e', the latch d², and
the projections F1, which at the same time disengage the bar K from the bar H,
thereby permitting the plate A to fall, substantially as described and illustrated.
Dated this 16th day of April 1895.
HERBERT HADDAN & Co.,
18, Buckingham Street, Strand, London, W.C., Agents to Applicant