A NEW AND USEFUL ATTACHMENT TO PIANOFORTES
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henri Adrien Bonneville, of the British and
Foreign Patent Offices, 18, Rue de la Chaussée d'Antin, Paris,
France, and 6, Piccadilly, in the County of Middlesex, Patent
Agent, for the Invention of "A NEW AND USEFUL ATTACHMENT TO
PIANOFORTES." -A communication from Albert Steinway, residing
in the City, County, and State of New York, United States of
America, Manufacturer.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Henri Adrien Bonneville
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition
and Declaration, on the 23rd November 1874, pursuant to the
9th Section of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRI
ADRIEN BONNEVILLE, of the British and Foreign Patent Offices, 18,
Ruc de la Chaussée d'Autin, Paris, France, and 6, Piccadilly, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "A NEW AND
USEFUL ATTACHMENT TO PIANOFORTES," (communicated to me by Albert
Steinway, a person resident in the City, County, State of New York,
United States of America, Maunfacturer,) and have petitioned Her
Majesty to grant unto me, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
Her Royal Letters Patent for the same, and made solemn Declaration
that it is a communication.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Henri Adrien Bonneville, do hereby
declare that the following Complete Specification, under my hand
and seal, fully describes and ascertains the nature of the Invention,
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, reference
being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to the figures and letters
marked thereon, that is to say :-
The Invention consists in a frame composed of a rigid back piece,
supporting either a wire or a cord or a strip of some flexible or rigid
material running parallel to the ends of the damper levers, said frame
being moveable towards and from the damper levers by means of a
pedal, in such a manner, that a player on the pianoforte is enabled
to produce a continuation of sound of one or more notes or unisons
together, after the hammer or hammers striking the strings have
fallen back on the key or keys, and the latter have returned to their
normal position.
This Invention is illustrated in the accompanying Drawing, in which
Figure 1 represents a plan or top view of the attachment as applied to
a square pianoforte; Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same when at
rest; Figure 3 is a similar view of the same when in action. Similar
letters indicato corresponding parts.
In the example shewn in the Drawing the letter A. designates a frame
which is composed of a rigid bar a, in which are secured a series of
arms b, b, extending towards the spaces between the damper levers e, e.
In the arms is secured a wire, cord, or strip of flexible or rigid
material, which runs parallel to the ends of the damper levers, and
which may be connected to the bar a in any desirable manner, so as to
produce the required effect. The bar a is suspended in the ends of
arms h which are pivoted to standards a bolted into the iron frame or
The arms / (or one of
the body or the wrest-plank of the pianoforte.
them) connect by rods and levers with an additional harp pedal

page_text: which is situated under the pianoforte in the lyre which contains the
ordinary pedals, the connection being such that when the pedal is
depressed the frame a, c, is thrown forward to the position shown in
Fig. 3, and when the pedal is in its normal position the frame a, c,
assumes the position shown in Fig. 2.
It must be remarked that the bar a instead of being suspended in
swinging arms h, might be made to move on slides made oblique or
curved, for reasons which will be presently explained.
While the apparatus is at rest, it is entirely isolated from the action
or from the dampers of the pianoforte, but, if the performer has struck
one or more notes, the sound of which he desires to continuc, ho
depresses the harp pedal, and as the frame a, c, moves forward to the
position shown in Fig. 3, the cord or strip c catches under the damper
lever or levers, which are raised by depressing the corresponding keys,
and thereby said damper lever or levers are prevented from falling back
on the strings, and the note or notes struck are permitted to continue to
sound as long as the harp pedal is pressed down and the frame a, c,
retained in the position shown in Fig. 3.
The motion of the frame a, c, is such, that the cord or strip c after
catching under a damper lever, carries the same up somewhat higher
than it had been raised by the action of the key, so that said cord or
strip c; when brought in the position shown in Figure 3, will interfere
in no way with the use of the remaining notes which may be played.
If the frame a, c, moves on slides, these slides must be curved or placed
obliquely so as to produce the result just stated.
The attachment is constructed of but four parts which are not affected
by the action of the atmosphere, and liable to get out of order or cause
rattling or jingling, so much to be dreaded in a pianoforte. It is
applicable to pianofortes of any form or construction, either grand,
upright, or square, with but slight modifications in form, and it may be
applied to the bass notes only or to the full extent of the dampers, thus
allowing varied and beautiful effects to be attained in showing not only
the singing qualities of the fundamental bass notes, but also of the
middle register of the instrument.
Having thus described the nature of the said improvement and the
manner of carrying it into effect, what I claim as new is, an attach-
ment to a pianoforte composed of a moveable frame, which consists
'

page_text: of a rigid back piece supporting either a wire, or cord, or strip of
flexible or rigid material running parallel to the ends of the damper
levers, and operating in combination with said damper levers and with
a pedal, substantially in the manner herein shown and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henri Adrien Bonneville, have
hereto set my hand and scal, this Twenty-first day of November,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
four