IMPROVEMENTS IN PIANO-FORTES AND MECHANISM COMBINED THEREWITH
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexandra Capra, Johan Battista Rissone, and Silvia
Detoma, all of Clerkenwell; in the County of Middlesex, for an Invention of
LETTERS PATENT to Alexandra Capra, Johan Battista Rissone, and Silvia
Detoma, all of Clerkenwell; in the County of Middlesex, for an Invention of
IMPROVEMENTS IN PIANO-FORTES AND MECHANISM COMBINED THEREWITH."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexandra Capra, Johan
Battista Rissone, and Silvia Detoma at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents on the 16th November 1880.
ALEXANDRA CAPRA, JOHAN BATTISTA RISSONE, and SILVIA DETOMA, all of
Clerkenwell, in the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN PIANO-FORTES
AND MECHANISM COMBINED THEREWITH."
This Invention relates to improvements in piano-fortes whereby they can be
played either on the keys in the ordinary manner, or by mechanism combined
therewith, and actuated by hand by turning a crank handle similar to an ordinary
handle piano-forte.
For this purpose a pin barrel is arranged below the key-board of an ordinary
piano-forte, and may be so arranged as to be enclosed within the case or be applied
when required so that any number of barrels and tunes may be available.
Above or in combination with the pin barrel a frame having a series of levers
is arranged, each lever being drawn upwards by a spring, with the front ends
resting on the pin barrel. The inner end of each of these levers acts on a stick or
pusher supported in a guide bar, the upper ends of the pushers acting on the
under sides of the finger keys, so that when a pin on the barrel raises the end of
its lever on falling from the pin on to the barrel again the other end of the lever
is drawn up suddenly by its spring, causing its pusher to act on the inner end of
the finger key, thus giving motion to the piano-forte action in the same manner
as though that key had been struck by the finger of a player.
Each barrel is arranged with pins to play a series of tunes, as is well under-
stood, and is shifted to and fro to bring each tune into action as required in the
same manner as the barrel of an organ or other similar musical instrument.
In order to throw the barrel out of action a lever or suitable mechanism is
arranged to raise or shift the frame of levers from being acted upon by the pin-
barrel, so that the keys of the piano-forte may be played upon in the usual
manner.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alexandra Capra, Johan Battista Rissone, and Silvia Detoma in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 16th May 1881.
ALEXANDRA CAPRA, JOHAN BATTISTA RISSONE, and SILVIA DETOMA, all of
Clerkenwell, in the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN PIANO-FORTES
AND MECHANISM COMBINED THEREWITH."
This Invention relates to improvements in piano-fortes whereby they can be
played either on the keys in the ordinary manner, or by mechanism combined
therewith and actuated by hand by turning a crank handle similar to an ordinary
handle piano-forte.
For this purpose a pin barrel is arranged below the key-board of an ordinary
piano-forte, and may be so arranged as to be enclosed within the case or be applied
when required, so that any number of barrels and tunes may be available.
Above or in combination with the pin barrel a frame having a series of levers
is arranged, each lever being drawn upwards by a spring with the front ends
resting on the pin barrel; The inner end of each of these levers acts on a stick
or pusher supported in a guide bar, the upper ends of the pushers acting on the
under sides of the finger keys, so that when a pin on the barrel raises the end of
its lever on falling from the pin on to the barrel again, the other end of the lever
is drawn up suddenly by its spring, causing its pusher to act on the inner end of
the finger key, thus giving motion to the piano-forte action in the same manner
as though that key had been struck by the finger of a player.
Each barrel is arranged with pins to play a series of tunes, as is well under-
stood, and is shifted to and fro to bring each tune into action as required in the
same manner as the barrel of an organ or other similar musical instrument.
In order to throw the barrel out of action a lever or suitable mechanism is
arranged to raise or shift the frame of levers from being acted upon by the pin
barrel, so that the keys of the piano-forte may be played upon in the usual
manner.
And in order that our Invention may be clearly understood and readily per-
formed or carried into practice, we will now proceed to describe the same more
fully, reference being made to the Drawings hereto annexed, and to the Figures
and letters marked thereon.

page_text: finger-keys to strike a blow on the wires of the instrument, thus sounding the
note required.
The pin barrel is carried and supported in a frame d which can be removed by
opening the door e in one side of the instrument, thus by removing one pin barrel
and replacing it by others any number of tunes may be played by the same
instrument.
For the purpose of changing the tunes the axis of the pin barrel rests against a
step cam f (having one step for each tune arranged on the pin barrel; in the
Drawing the instrument is arranged for eight tunes), and is held up to it by the
spring e carried by the door e; g is a lever handle at the opposite side of the
instrument, the axis g¹ of which carries a disc g2 having on it a projection g; on
turning the handle g the projection g³ engages with one of the notches for a notched
wheel h turning on the same axis as the cam f, thus the cam is caused to make
part of a revolution, bringing a different step for the axis of the pin barrel to bear
against, the depth of the steps in the cam being sufficient to allow one set of pins
of the pin barrel to go out of action and to bring a different set into action.
For the purpose of allowing the instrument to be played by hand as in ordinary
piano-fortes the disc g2 has on its face a pin g', upon which a lever i rests.
When a partial turn is given to the handle g the pin g' lifts the lever ; the lever
then acts on a small friction roller 6* carried by the frame b, thus turning the rail
sufficiently to remove the pins carried by the lever b' from the path of the pins of
the pin barrel.
It will be seen that the handle g is used for changing the tunes, and also for
throwing the mechanical action out of use.
Our improvements can be readily applied to existing piano-fortes, and self-
acting mechanism may be employed to actuate the pin barrel if desired.
Having thus described the nature of our Invention, and the manner of per-
forming or carrying the same into practice, we would remark that we do not claim
any of the parts separately which are well known and in common use, but what
we claim is,
First. The improved arrangement, combination, and application of mechanism to
ordinary piano-fortes consisting of a pin barrel a, the frame b, and levers b¹, sticks
or pushers 62, and springs c, all arranged to act on the finger keys of the
instrument or not as may be required, substantially in the manner and for the
purpose herein before described and represented in the Drawings hereto annexed.
Second. We claim the improved arrangement and application of one or more
pin barrels and mechanism to ordinary piano-fortes, so that any number of tunes
can be played thereon by changing the barrels, which can be put into and thrown
out of gear when desired in order that the finger keys may be played upon in the
ordinary manner, substantially as hereinbefore described and represented in the
Drawings hereto annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Silvia Detoma, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Fourteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
SILVIO DETOMA.
(L.S.)