IMPROVEMENTS IN PIANOFORTES
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Barker Gowland, of 17, Hawley Road,
Kentish Town, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN PIANOFORTES."
Sealed the 8th April 1873, and dated the 14th October 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Barker
Gowland at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 14th October 1872.
I, EDWARD BARKER GOWLAND, of 17, Hawley Road, Kentish Town,
in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PIANOFORTES," to be as follows:-
"6
The object of the Invention is to obtain improved tone, also greater
resonance or prolongation of vibration with increased volume and
purity. For this purpose I form the "wrest plank bridge," so that a
pressure bar" used therewith is brought to bear on the wires near to
the first bearing surface of them as the wires pass over that bridge, say
to about three-eighths of an inch from the centre of this bearing surface
to that of the pressure bar, and I bring the second bearing surface of

page_text: this bridge also near to the pressure bar and generally to about the same
distance from it.
Both these bearing surfaces I generally form as ribs projecting up
from one plate of metal, though in some cases the second may be
separate and of wood.
The under side of the bearing bar is lined, and the pressure exerted by
it is regulated by screws as usual.
"
I also form the "sounding board bridge" of varying thickness or
depth from the "sounding board' to the strings, the depth of it
increasing from, say about one inch at the treble to double or more than
that depth at the bass; but these dimensions may be varied.
The breadth of the base of the bridge increases also as it increases in
height from the sounding board.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Edward Barker Gowland in the Great Seal Patent :
Office on the 12th April 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
BARKER GOWLAND, of 17, Hawley Road, Kentish Town, in the County
of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the
thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Edward Barker Gowland,
Her special license that I, the said Edward Barker Gowland, my s
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Edward Barker Gowland, 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 Islo
of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PIANOFORTES," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Edward Barker Gowland,

page_text: Secondly. I claim the arranging the sounding board bridges of
pianofortes with variable depth and breadth thereto, substantially as
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Barker Gowland, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Tenth day of April, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.
EDWARD BARKER GOWLAND. (L.S.)