IMPROVEMENTS IN PIANOS AND SIMILAR
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Reynolds Miller, of the City of Baltimore,
in the County of Baltimore, State of Maryland, United States of
America, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PIANOS AND SIMILAR
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Reynolds Miller
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and
Declaration, on the 2nd January 1875, pursuant to the 9th Section
of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
REYNOLDS MILLER, of the City of Baltimore, in the County of Balți-
more, State of Maryland, United States of America, send greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN PIANOS AND SIMILAR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS," and have petitioned Her

page_text: Various means may be devised for fastening or clamping the insulator
and for attaching the legs to the piano, some of which I have shown in
the Drawing.
In Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4 I have shown the piano leg to be fastened to
the piano case by a single screw C.
In Figures 1 and 2 the insulator B is fastened to the leg by means of
screws a, a, and it is provided in the centre with an aperture 6 decreasing
upwardly or from bottom toward the top. In this aperture fits the
head d of the screw C, which head is made tapering and of such size as
to be drawn up some distance into the hole b. The screw C is then to
be screwed into the piano case, and as the screw is brought into contact
only with the insulator in the leg there is no connection between the
piano case and leg capable of transmitting the sound.
In Figures 3 and 4 the insulator B is simply placed in the recess in
the leg without being fastened by any screws. The screw C in this case
is imbedded in the leg, and insulated by means of a rubber ring e
surrounding the screw, that is, inserted between the leg and the screw,
and then glued, or it may be glued by using silicate of soda or ordinary
glue. The screw C passes up through a hole in the insulator B, and
when screwed into the piano case the insulator is tightly clamped
between the leg and the case. In this case the pressure will be perfectly
even on the insulator, and there is no strain on the same caused by any
screws or other means of attachment.
In Figures 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 I have shown the connection between the
leg and piano case formed by means of two plates D and E, one of said
plates being provided with dovetailed lugs i, i, passing into vertical
slots h, h, and laterally into dovetailed grooves h', h', in the other plate.
In Figures 5 and 6 the insulator is fastened to the leg by means of
screws a, a, the same as in Figures 1 and 2, and the plate D is sunk into
a recess in the upper surface of the insulator, and clamped thereto by
means of a bottom plate m and screws n. The leg A in this case has a
smaller recess to receive said bottom plate and bolts without suffering
them to come in contact with any part of the leg. The plate E is to be
sunk into a recess in the under side of the piano case.

page_text: . In Figures 9 and 8 the insulator B is clamped between the leg and the
plate D by screws p, p, passing through holes made for that purpose in
the insulator, and screwing into the leg or into a bushing. t inserted in
the leg, and insulated by means of glue, as shown at s in Figure 7,
whereby all strain is entirely removed from the insulator. In this case
the inner end of the plate D projects beyond the leg, and when the leg
is put on the piano a screw is passed through a hole x in the plate, thereby
securing it firmly. Instead of having the plate D sunk into the insulator
it may be placed on the surface thereof, and sunk into the case if so
desired.

page_text: 7th. The combination of the plate D, insulator B, leg A, screws p,
and insulated bushing t, as shown and described.
In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of December, in the year of
our Lord. One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, at
Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America.
WILLIAM REYNOLDS MILLER. (L.S.)
Witnesses,
Jos. J. CUMMINS,
Br. Consular Clerk,
•
⚫ Baltimore.
DENIS DONOHOE,
H.M's. Consul,
Baltimore.