Improvements in Pianofortes and the like.
Year: 1897

page_text: Improvements in Pianofortes and the like.
I, JOHN JULIUS HARDCASTLE, of 17, Lower Seymour Street, London, in the County
of Middlesex, Pianoforte Tuner, do hereby declare the nature of this invention,
to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to provide means whereby the stiffness or
resistance of the keys of pianofortes or other like instruments to depression can
be reduced or increased to some extent so that the power or pressure required from
the players fingers, commonly known as the touch, can be regulated to any desired
degree.
For this purpose I arrange upon the keys a flexible bag containing shot or
similar particles the said bag being adjustable in position so that according as the
resistance of the keys is less or more the said bag can be adjusted nearer to or
farther from the pivots on the keyboard thus ensuring that the touch can be
regulated to the required degree notwithstanding that the resistance of the keys
may vary considerably. The weight of the bag and contents is varied according
to requirements and the bag and contents may be of different weights at different
points in its length.
I, JOHN JULIUS HARDCASTLE, of 17, Lower Seymour Street, London, in the County
of Middlesex, Pianoforte Tuner, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-reference being had to the accom-
panying drawings:-
The object of this invention is to provide means whereby the stiffness or
resistance of the keys of pianofortes or like instruments to depression can be

page_text: •
reduced or increased to some extent so that the power or pressure required from.
the players fingers, commonly known as the touch, can be regulated to any desired
degree.
For this purpose I arrange upon the keys a flexible bag containing shot or
similar particles the said bag being adjustable in position so that according as the
resistance of the keys is less or more the said bag can be adjusted nearer to or
farther from the pivots on the keyboard thus ensuring that the touch can be
regulated to the required degree notwithstanding that the resistance of the keys
may vary considerably. The weight of the bag and contents is varied according
to requirements and the bag and contents may be of different weights at different
points in its length.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of so much of a pianoforte as is necessary to illus-
trate my invention, a is the frame of the piano bare the keys, c the pivot rail, the
pivots upon which the keys move, e is a bag, of any flexible material such as
sateen or other textile material or thin leather, and contains preferably small
polished metallic shot or similar particles c¹, although other particles may be
used such as sand, gravel, peas &c. according to the weight which it is desired to
place on the keys. The bag e rests on the keys and according as it is desired to
increase or diminish the resistance of the keys, and so increase or diminish
the power necessary to depress the keys, the bag is adjusted by moving
it farther from or nearer to the pivots d. When the bag is placed on
the keys between the pivots and the name board f the power necessary to depress
the keys is increased by moving the bag nearer the pivots and diminished by
moving it nearer the name board and farther from the pivots. The heavier the
touch that is desired the farther must the bag be placed from the name board.
The bag and the particles therein yield readily to, or follow, any one or more
keys whilst maintaining a uniform pressure thereon without any tendency to
rebound or rattle. If it is desired that the touch on the treble keys shall vary
from that on the bass keys the bag is adjusted at an angle one end being nearer
the name board than the other, or the bag may be made wider at any desired point
as shewn at e2 so as to be heavier. For convenience in moving the bag a rod or
bar
is attached thereto by glueing, nailing, or other convenient method. Fig. 2
is a section of the bag and contents to an enlarged scale.
Fig. 3 is a perspective view shewing a different means of moving the bag e.
Here the bag e is attached at its edges to a frame h free to slide on guides i. Studs
or nuts are attached to the frame at each end. Screwed rods k pass through
the nuts and are supported by collars in the name board, and provided with
thumb pieces 7. By turning the said screws k the frame and bag e are moved
nearer to or farther from the pivots d as desired.
Figs. 4 and 5 are sectional views at right angles to each other of another modifica-
tion under my invention. Here several bags are used instead of one continuous
bag. At e a bag is shown covering several keys b. At each key is provided
with a separate bag. The bags in all cases contain particles as before described
and the action is similar to but slightly more independent than the continuous bag.
The bags are attached to the bar g in any convenient way. The bar g carries
hooks or eyes g₁ which pass over pins m at the sides of the frame. The bar is also
provided with handles n which pass downwards through slots o in the keys and
frame. When it is desired to move the bar g and bags backwards or forwards
the handles n are pushed up so as to lift up the bar and the hooks g¹ off the
pins m, the bar and bags can then be moved as desired by the handles n and
lowered again so that the hooks gl pass over other of the pins m.
Like letters indicate like parts in all the views.
I do not confine myself to the particular arrangements shewn for moving the bag
or bags as many modifications may be made: and any kind of particles may be
used in the bags so long as they admit of free movement among themselves

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:-
As means for varying the resistance of the keys of pianofortes and like instru-
ments, a flexible bag or flexible bags containing shot or other suitable particles
and adjustable on the keys substantially as set forth.
Dated this Twelfth day of March 1898.
JOHN JULIUS HARDCASTLE.