IMPROVEMENTS IN THE ACTION OF PIANOFORTES
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph La Cabra, of Albany Street, in the County
of Middlesex, Pianoforte Maker, for the. Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE ACTION OF PIANOFORTES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph La Cabra at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
6th November 1856.
I, JOSEPH LA CABRA, of Albany Street, in the County of Middlesex,
Pianoforte Maker, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE ACTION OF PIANOFORTES," to be as follows:-
My Invention has for object, first, the simplifying of the action of piano-
fortes, and the bringing to bear of greater power than heretofore upon the
hammers; and, second, the construction and arrangement of a check for
arresting the hammers, and preventing them from repeating upon the wires
after every blow.
In the annexed Drawing I shew the manner in which I carry my Invention
into effect. A is the key; B, a step block, which forms the hopper and bears
the end of the jack and sticker C, C; D is a rail fixed to the frame of
the instrument, which carries a wire d traversing the jack or sticker C; and
e is a regulating screw for adjusting the position of the jack or sticker; E is
a rail, to which the spring G is fixed, for restoring the jack or sticker to its
position after being acted upon by the key; H is a hammer rail; I is the but,

page_text: connected to the sticker, and supported by the hammer rail, as shewn in
the Drawing; K is the hammer; K', the hammer rest; L is a damper wire
connected to the damper action M; N, damper rail; N1, the wire.
I now proceed to describe my check for arresting the hammer after having
acted on the wire. O is a sticker, carrying at top a lever P, connocted by a
flexible flap or hinge to the block R supported in the rest S. T is the check
which moves after the hammer, arrests it, and prevents it repeating upon the
wire
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Joseph La Cabra in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
6th May 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH
LA CABRA, of Albany Street, in the County of Middlesex, Pianaforte Maker,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the twentieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Joseph La Cabra, Her special licence that I, the said Joseph La Cabra, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, tho said Joseph
La Cabra, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE ACTION OF PIANAFORTES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Joseph La Cabra, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in
what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be
filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Joseph La Cabra, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed,
that is to say:-

page_text: My Invention has for its object, first, the simplifying of the action of piana-
fortes, and the bringing to bear of greater power than heretofore upon the
hammers; and, second, the construction and arrangement of a check for
arresting the hammers, and preventing them from repeating upon the wires
after every blow.
In the annexed Drawing I shew the manner in which I carry my Invention
into effect. A is the key; B, a step block, which forms the hopper and bears
the end of the jack and sticker C, C; D is a rail fixed to the frame of
the instrument, which carries a wire d traversing the jack or sticker C; and
e is a regulating screw for adjusting the position of the jack or sticker; E is
a rail, to which the spring G is fixed, for restoring the jack or sticker to its
position after being acted upon by the key; H is a hammer rail; I is the but,
connected to the sticker, and supported by the hammer rail, as shewn in
the Drawing; K is the hammer; K', the hammer rest; L is a damper wire
connected to the damper action M; N, damper rail; N³, the wire.
I now proceed to describe my check for arresting the hammer after having
acted on the wire. O is a sticker, carrying at top a lever P, connected by a
flexible flap or hinge to the block R supported in the rest S. T is the check
which moves after the hammer, arrests it, and prevents it repeating upon tho
wire.
Although I have shewn a particular damper in the Drawing, I do not limit
myself thereto, as my improved action is applicable to any other form of
damper.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,--
First, the particular construction, arrangement, and action of the jack and
sticker, berein-before described, and represented in the Drawing annexed.
And, second, the particular arrangement and action of the check, herein-
before described, and represented in the Drawing annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph La Cabra, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Sixth day of May, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-seven.
JOSEPH LA CABRA. (L.8.)
JOSEPH LA CABRA. (L.B.)