Improvements in Pianofortes.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 26th June, 1896-Accepted, 19th June, 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Pianofortes.
1, REGINALD HADDAN of the Firm of Herbert Haddan and Co. of 18 Buckingham
Street, Strand, London W.C., Patent Agent do hereby declare the nature of this
invention a communication to me from abroad by Baldomero Cateura of 8 Pasaje de
la Paz, José Gimenez of 14 Mendez muñez and Louis Izabal, of 93 San Pablo, all of
Barcelona in the Kingdom of Spain, Manufacturers, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
In musical instruments such or harps, violins, guitars and others, harmonics
are produced by shortening the strings, by pressing them in certain places in a
certain manner, which modifies the vibration of the pressed string.
п
Hitherto these effects have only been obtained in instruments, the strings of
which could be pressed with the fingers, and not in pianofortes.
The object of the present invention is to permit these sounds to be obtained even in
pianofortes.
The essential part of this mechanism consists in a series of pressers which at the
at precise
Points and thus to obtain the harmonics instead of the fundamental sounds resulting
from the vibration of the free-string.
In the annexed drawing
IN
Fig. 1 is a front view of part of the strings and this presser device applied to an
oblique-strung pianoforte.
Fig. 2 is a detail view in cross section on a larger scale of the presser.
Fig. 3 is,a view of the string frame and parts of the piano operating the device,
some only of the strings being shown.
Figs. 4 and 5 are detail views of the pressers for the lower and higher notes
respectively.
Fig. 6 is a view in a larger scale the hammers and parts connected there
with and
Fig. 7,is a cross-sectional view of the pedal action for controlling this device.
A support or cross-bar A A is placed opposite the strings and by means of a
mechanism moved by the pedals or by any other system, can at pleasure be
approached to or removed from the strings.
In the support A A are fitted (Fig. 2) a series of pressers arranged in the
following manner: A small wood-block B coated with skin, which is prolonged
at the base in order to be fastened between the bar A and the bead C of wood or any
other material connected to the bar A by screws T.
In the bead C are fixed the ends of springs R which maintain the blocks B
continually pressed against the bar A in which are arranged the screws S which
The pressers are
serve to regulate the degree of inclination of the blocks B.
arranged one for each string or for several strings intended to produce the same
note or musical accord.
The pressers are placed in the bar A opposite the strings which they are
intended to press. When the bar A approaches, the hammers modify the vibration
of the totality of the string and the hammers of the piano striking the strings
which vibrate, cause them to sound the harmonics instead of the fundamental sounds.
As we have said, the mechanism for obtaining this result that is to say that by
which the pianist can at his pleasure approach or remove the bar A, can vary
very greatly; generally it consists simply of a system of levers connected to a
pedal which the pianist operates at his pleasure as will be described

page_text: The apparatus can be arranged in order to operate upon certain parts of the
strings of a piano or to operate upon the totality if it is necessary; it can equally
be arranged in several parts or series in order that it may be operated at pleasure
upon the one or other set of strings.
In Fig. 3 which represents the framing of an oblique over strung piano, in
which this system is applied, the support A A which sustains the pressers which
operate upon the strings in order to produce the harmonics, is divided in two
parts A and A².
Of these two parts, the one is moved to and from the strings at the front and
the other is arranged and operates between the strings and the sound board. By
means of the levers a a and a' a', of which the axes of rotation are at bb, are
obtained the necessary movements for operating the bars A¹ and A². The
levers a a and a¹ a¹ (Fig. 7) are operated by the systems of articulated levers o
and o connected to the axle r by means of the arms p and pl; and the axle r
is operated by the arms connected by the rod X with the pedal z, moved by the
pianist. A spring y upholds the pedal and consequently holds separated the bars A'.
and A2 separated from the strings.
Figs. 4. and 5 represent other pressers of varied forms; that of Fig. 4. is
applicable to the simple strings and that of Fig. 5 to the lower toned wrapped
wires.
In order that the harmonics have not too much force and that the strings,
when they produce the sounds, are struck only with the necessary force, in the
piano must be arranged a series of hammers like that represented in Fig. 6.
These hammers D are suspended on a cross-bar F (Figs. 3 and 6) which is upheld
by its connection with the spring y (Fig. 7) through. the rod G connected with
the pedal z by means of the lever G and the rod r. In Fig. 3 are represented
only a few hammers D for clearness of illustration. When the pianist wishes to
produce the harmonics he has only to press the pedal z, when the pressers A
and A2 press the strings and the cross-bar F descends. The hammers D, Fig. 6, are
arranged on the ends of rods I which oscillate round the axle-pins T and each
hammer is returned from the strings by the action of the spring N; against the
rest L covered with felt. P (Fig. 6) is the ordinary hammer of the pianoforte
action and carries fixed to it a projecting finger M which operates upon the
hammers D when the cross-bar F is lowered and does not produce any action thereon,
when this cross-bar F is lifted; in this manner, when the harnionics are required,
the pedal (Fig. 7) is pressed and at the same time, as the pressers A' and A³ press
the strings the tension-rod G causes the cross-bar F to descend and the hammers D to
. enter into action.
There may be arranged another pedal operating only the lowering of the cross
bar F independently from the action of the pressers A¹ and A'; then there will be
produced by the action of hammers D special sounds distinct from those obtained
with ordinary hammers P.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:
1. An apparatus, which at the pleasure of the pianist can be caused to press the
strings of a piano in determined and precise points in order to obtain harmonics
derived from the fundamental sounds which are produced when the described
apparatus does not press the strings.
2. The construction of said apparatus substantially as described and illustrated in
the annexed drawings.
Dated this 2 fith day of June 1804