IMPROVEMENTS IN PIANO-FORTES
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Matthews, of No. 5, Saint James
Street, in the Town and County of the Town of Nottingham,
Piano-forte Manufacturer and Musician, for the Invention of "IM-
Sealed the 7th September 1853, and dated the 7th March 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Matthews,
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 7th March 1853.
I, WILLIAM MATTHEWS, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PIANO-FORTES" to be as follows:-
This invention consists, first, in substituting in place of the wood
stickers of ordinary piano-fortes thin rods of brass, between which all
the strings of the instrument may be seen; the object and intention of
such arrangement being to offer considerably less obstruction to the
sound than by the use of wood, as hitherto practised in the construction
of piano-fortes. Secondly, the use and application of a mechanical
movement, which the Inventor denominates a propeller action, and
which he substitutes in place of the hopper action in piano-fortes of the
ordinary construction. Thirdly, in the construction, arrangement, and

page_text: disposition of that part of a piano-forte known and distinguished as the
lamper. And it will be well here to observe that in instruments as
hitherto constructed the dampers have invariably been unsteady in their
action, and have thereby failed to perform faithfully their office, that of
checking the vibrations of one string before another string has been acted
upon; and the object and intention of this Invention is to remedy the
objection by placing the damper underneath the hammer, and out of the
way, and also by so constructing the damper as to cause the same to ap-
proach the vibrating string steadily in an oblique direction, and thereby
cause it positively but silently to cease its vibrations. Another feature in
these improvements consists in the use, application, and adaptation of
one, two, or three sets of hammers, in addition to the usual hammers,
without increasing the size of the instrument. And the Inventor
denominates these additional hammers intermediate hammers; and he
proposes to make each such set of hammers of different degress of hard-
ness, for the purpose of eliciting from each a different quality of tone in
one and the same instrument; and further, instead of making the frame
which is to support the above of wood, as heretofore practised, it is pro-
posed by this Invention to make such part of angular-shaped bars of
iron or brass, and thereby to produce unusual lightness in the entire
action. And, in order to explain more fully the nature of this Invention,
I will proceed to describe the illustrative drawing hereunto annexed,
reference being had to the numeral figures and letters of reference
marked thereon.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
The drawing exhibits an end view of the mechanical, arrangements
employed in the construction of piano-fortes according to this Invention.
a, marks a double-hinged piece placed immediately over the keys of
the instrument; b, an angular-shaped iron rail; c, a rod substituted in
place of the ordinary wood sticker; d, an angular-shaped iron rail to
which the hammers are attached, as exhibited; e, marks a damper, which
I denominate a soothing damper; f, marks one of a set of intermediate
hammers securely attached to a bar h; this bar has liberty of vertical
movement, and is guided in its proper course by rods passing through

page_text: the guide pieces j, j and it is this mode of arranging and combining
these several parts in the manner above stated which constitutes this
Invention of improvements in piano-fortes
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Matthews, in the Great Seal Patent
Office, on the 7th September 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
WILLIAM MATTHEWS, of St. James's Street, Nottingham, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent bearing date the Seventh day of March, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the sixteenth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
graut unto me, the said William Matthews, Her special licence that
I, the said William Matthews, ny executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said William Matthews, my executors, adminis-
trators, 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 PIANO-FORTES,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Matthews,
by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly
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 William Matthews, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof (that is to say):
The first part of my said Invention consists in substituting, in lieu of
the wood stickers hitherto employed in the construction of upright
piano-fortes, thin rods of brass or other suitable metal, between which

page_text: the strings of the instrument may be seen; the object and intention
of this arrangement being to offer considerably less obstruction to the
sound than by the use of wood stickers.
The second part of my said Invention consists in the use and applica-
tion of a new and improved mechanical movement, which I denominate
a propeller action; and I propose to employ the same in lieu of the
hopper action hitherto employed in the construction of upright piano-
fortes.
The third part of my said Invention consists in a new and improved
mode of constructing, arranging, and disposing those parts of a piano-
forte known and distinguished as the dampers. And I would here observe
that in piano-fortes as hitherto constructed the dampers thereof have
invariably been found unsteady in their action, and have consequently
failed to perform faithfully their office, that of checking the vibrations of
one string before another string has been acted upon. And I propose
to remedy this objection by placing the dampers underneath the
hammers, and out of the way thereof; and further, by so constructing
the said dampers as to cause them to approach the vibrating strings
steadily in an oblique direction, and thereby to cause them positively
but silently to cease their vibrations quickly.
The fourth part of my said Invention consists in the use and applica-
tion to upright piano-fortes of one, two, or three sets of hammers, in
addition to the hammers usually employed, and this without increasing
the size of the instrument. And I denominate these additional hammers
intermediate hammers; and I propose to make said hammers of
different degrees of hardness, for the purpose of eliciting different
qualities of tone in one and the same piano-forte. And I further pro-
pose to employ a series of steel vibrators, in combination with such said
hammers, for the purpose of obtaining an additional as well as different
qualities of tone, which may either be used distinct from or in combina-
tion with the tones produced by the vibration of the strings of the
piano-forte.
And lastly, instead of making those parts of the frame which are
employed to support the above of wood, as hitherto practised, I propose
to make such parts of angular-shaped bars of iron or brass, and thereby

page_text: to produce unusual lightness in the entire action. And the outer
frame in which the hammers and dampers are arranged I connect to
the case of the piano-forte by pivots at the under side thereof, and to
one of the peddles of the instrument, for the purpose of enabling the
frame to be slided sideways, so that the hammers may be made to
strike either one or two strings, and also for the purpose of bringing all
the dampers away from the strings, when necessary, by means of
another peddle connected to said frame.
And in order to explain my said Invention as completely as possible,
I now proceed to describe the best means I am acquainted with for.
carrying my said Invention into practical effect, reference being had to
the illustrative drawing hereunto annexed, and forming part of this my
Specification, and to the numeral figures and letters of reference marked
thereon respectively, as follows:-
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1, exhibits a front elevation of a portion of a piano-forte con-
structed according to my said Invention. Figure 2, is a transverse and
vertical section thereof, taken through the line A, B, at Figure 1.
Figures 3, 4, 5, 6, detached portions hereafter referred to, drawn to an
enlarged scale to enable the construction thereof to be more readily
understood. At each of these figures I employ similar letters of reference
to denote corresponding parts, in so far as such parts appear or can be
seen at each of the figures respectively.
A, A, marks a portion of the outer case of a piano-forte; B, a
framing of iron; C, D, are angular-shaped bars of metal, the ends
whereof are securely fixed to the framing. B, E, F, are pieces of wood
hinged together at the parts 1, and 2, with vellum, as usually practised
in the manufacture of the hinged movements of piano-fortes; the piece
E, is weighted at 3, with lead, to ensure its descent upon the piece F,
which is buffed at 4, to receive it; the part 5, of the piece E, is glued
to the piece F; and the part 6, of the piece F, is glued to a strip of
wood fixed to the angular-shaped piece G, which is securely fixed to the
frame B, in any convenient manner. H, marks one of the ordinary

page_text: keys of a piano-forte, into which a pin a, is securely fixed; the upper
part of said pin has a screw cut about it to receive a wooden cap b, the
upper end whereof comes into contact with the under side of the piece
F, which is buffed to receive it. I, is a brass rod or sticker, the lower
end whereof is screwed into a piece of wood b', hinged to the piece E,
with leather. The upper end of the rod I, is also screwed into another
piece of wood c, which is connected to the under side of the butt f, of
the hammer K, by a piece of leather 8, glued thereto. d, are other pieces
of wood hinged together, as shewn; the lower part thereof is glued to
the piece c, and the upper part of the piece d, has a piece of bent wire
, screwed into it. This wire passes through a hole formed in a bar c,
which is securely fixed by its ends to the framing B, and upon the
upper end of said wire a piece of buffed wood or damper X, which I
denominate a "soothing damper," is screwed and placed opposite to one
or more of the strings of the instrument; and I place and arrange in
juxta position a series of such dampers opposite to each of the strings
and keys of the instrument; and I also connect a series of hammers K,
to the bar C, by pins passed through pieces of wood f, or hammer butts,
to which the piece c, is glued, said pins being held in position by a
strip of brass, screwed to the bar C. There is a piece of wood g, glued
into the piece f, and the upper part of said wood passes through the
hammer K, which is buffed in the usual way. L, marks a rod or rest
for the hammers when out of action; said rod is fixed by its ends to the
framing B, and is covered with cloth. M, marks one of the intermediate
hammers before mentioned: these hammers are placed immediately
above the soothing dampers, and in a position to be struck by the
hammers K; and said hammers are securely affixed to a bar N, by
solder or otherwise. The part 10, of these hammers is formed of a piece
of tempered steel, and the part 11, is of brass, soldered to the part 10,
and is buffed round its surface; and to the part 12, I attach a piece of
hard leather, of a wedge shape, for the purpose of throwing back the
hammer K, in the event of its being in the way of the intermediate
hammer. As it descends, the bar N, has liberty of vertical movement, and
is retained and guided in its proper course by rods h, h, passing through

page_text: guide pieces i, which are securely fixed to the case of the instrument;
and there are rods O, securely fixed to the bar N, the lower ends whereof
are in connection with one of the peddles of the instrument; so that by
depressing said peddle the bar N, and intermediate hammers, will be
brought down, the rising thereof being effected by springs k, attached
to the upper ends of each of the rods h, and to the top of the case of
the instrument, or other convenient part; and the sliding of the frame
B, and hammers sideways may be, effected by attaching one end of a
cord 7, or lever, to the frame B; and the other end of said cord or lever
is connected to the other peddle of the instrument, so that by exerting
pressure upon this peddle the frame B, and hammers, may be moved or
slided in one direction, and in the opposite direction by a spring m, one
end whereof is attached to the case of the instrument, and the other
end to the frame B, as shown. The construction and arrangement of
the additional hammers before mentioned is as follows:-P, marks a
piece of wood extending across the entire width of the inside of the
case of the instrument, to which it is securely fixed; or it may be
attached thereto by pivots, for the purpose of bringing the hammers R,
into action by means of the peddle connected to the piece P. The
piece P, has projecting pieces p, q, fixed to or formed thereon; and to
the picce p, pieces of wood q, are hinged, as shewn; and the piece q, is
buffed at those parts where the pieces Q, come into forced contact, by
pressure of the springs r, of which there is one placed at the back of
cach of the pieces Q, and these pieces are arranged over each of the
hammers K, and opposite thereto. The ends of the pieces Q, against
which the upper ends of the wood g, strike, are buffed, and to the upper
ends of each of the pieces Q, a hammer R, is connected by a screwed
wire 13. The surface of the said hammer is buffed similar to those
before mentioned, and is adjustable within the piece Q, by means of the
screwed wire. S, marks one of a series of tempered steel vibrators, the
upper ends whereof are securely fixed to a piece of wood T, attached to
the case of the instrument; and to the under side of the piece T, I
attach a box of wood U, which I denominate a sounding box; and I

page_text: everal parts separately,
thereof collectively.
Proce
W Restitu
CHU MOYCHICHG
MODUS OPERANDI.
Assuming the several parts to be in the position exhibited, by exerting
pressure upon one or other of the keys H, the piece b, coming into
contact with the under side of the piece F, will raise such piece together
with the parts connected thereto, and the effect of such movement will
be to cause the hammers K, to approach and strike the wires z, of the
instrument, or the intermediate hammers M, if acted upon by the peddle,
and at the same time to withdraw the dampers X, from the strings; and
upon the pressure being removed from the key a reverse movement of
the hammers K, and dampers X, will then take place; the hammers
will fall back into the position exhibited, and simultaneously with this
movement the dampers will have been brought into contact with the
strings, and thereby check the vibrations thereof; and, supposing the
instrument to have the additional hammers R, and vibrators S,
attached thereto, it will appear evident that the upper end of the wood
9, coming into contact with the piece Q, will impart motion to the
hammer R, and cause it to strike that vibrator to which it is opposite,
and thereby produce an additional and different quality of tone. The
rail W, is employed as a stop to limit the action of the piece F; and
the piece b, is for the purpose of adjusting the action of the hammers
K, and soothing dampers.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be and may be performed, I claim, as of my
Invention of improvements in piano-fortes, the mechanical arrangements
and combinations of parts herein-before particularly described and

page_text: represented at Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, of the illustrative drawing, and
for the purposes set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Matthews, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Seventh day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
WILLIAM MATTHEWS. (L.S.)
Witness, ALEX. PRINCE,
Patent Agent, 4, Trafalgar Square, Charing Cross.