IMPROVEMENTS IN MANUFACTURING PIANOFORTES TO TRANSPOSE THE KEYBOARD, KEYS, AND ACTION ONE OR MORE NAMES TIMHED A BOTE OD BELOW CONCERT Pracy
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Norminton, of Cavendish House,
Townshend Road, in the County of Middlesex, Pianoforte Manu-
facturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MANUFACTURING
PIANOFORTES TO TRANSPOSE THE KEYBOARD, KEYS, AND ACTION ONE OR MORE
NAMES TIMHED A BOTE OD BELOW CONCERT Pracy"
Scaled the 25th February 1876, and dated the 31st August 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert
Norminton at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
his Petition, on the 31st August 1875.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT NORMINTON, of Cavendish House, Townshend
5 Road, in the County of Middlesex, Pianoforte Manufacturer, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MANU-
FACTURING PIANOFORTES TO TRANSPOSE THE KEYBOARD, KEYS, & ACTION ONE OR
MORE NOTES EITHER ABOVE OR BELow Concert Pitcк," to be as follows :-
:-
The backs of these instruments are constructed about one or more

page_text: inches wider than the ordinary pianoforte to admit of one or more
strings (beyond the usual compass) being strung on the said back.
The action is built upon the key frame, which is not screwed to the
key bottom in the ordinary manner, but works upon the key bottom
(which is black-leaded to ensure easy motion) with blocks placed against
the rails of the key frame, which keep the action & keys in their proper
position, and serve as guides when the keyboard and action are shifted
either to the bass or treble.
Instead of the action before mentioned being fixed in the ordinary
manner, there are two brass or iron rods, cach about six inches long,
which are fixed to the inside of the ends of the pianoforte, and which
work in a groove made in the tops of the action standards, and fastened
with a button to keep the action in its proper position.
One or more extra dampers are fixed on the damper rail to cover the
one or more extra notes strung on the back (on the bass end), as herein- :
before mentioned, when the action and keys are shifted either above or
below concert pitch.
The keyboard and action are shifted in the following manner :- -An
iron rod (the handle whereof projects beyond the front of the keyboard),
with a cog wheel attached to the other end thereof, is fixed to the
underneath part of the key bottom, which works through two or more
eyes fixed in before-mentioned key bottom, and works in a ratchet
which is fixed in the centre of the underneath part of the back rail of
the key frame. An ivory tablet is fixed in the centre of the keyboard in
front of the keys, and an indicator, which is fixed between the two
centre keys E and F, shews when the keys and action are shifted from
their normal position.
Telescopic blocks are fixed to the ends of the key frame and cheeks of
the pianoforte, which admit of the action being shifted either to the bass
or treble, still showing the same number of keys.
To prevent the keys and action from being shifted too far when the
transposing keys are turned, a stop is effected in the following manner:
-A scale of cogs is cut out in the underneath part of the front rail of
the key frame. A spring lever is fixed in the key bottom, which works
into the scale of cogs before mentioned, and allows of the key frame and

page_text: action being shifted by pressing the finger on a brass knob attached to
the spring lever before mentioned, which stands up in front of the key
slip in the key bottom.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Robert Norminton in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 26th February 1876.
.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT NORMINTON, of Cavendish House, Townshend Road, in the
County of Middlesex, Pianoforte Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirty-first day of August, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the
thirty-ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said William Robert Norminton,
Her special licence that I, the said William Robert Norminton, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
William Robert Norminton, 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 King-
dom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of
Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MANUFACTURING PIANOPORTES TO
TRANS POSE THE KEYBOARD, KEYS, AND ACTION ONE OR MORE NOTES EITHER ABOVE
OR BELOW CONCERT PITCH," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said William Robert Norminton, my executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands
and seals, 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 Scal Patent Office within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOT
NO
Vn that T the aid William Robert Nonmintan

page_text: the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement, reference being had to the
Drawings hereunto annexed and to the letters and figures marked
thereon (that is to say) :-
The object of this Invention is to facilitate the transposition of music
at sight, so that any piece of music, whether written high or low,
may be transposed to suit the voice of the artiste. Hitherto a great
difficulty has always been experienced in keeping pianofortes up to
concert pitch, but by means of this Invention the keys and action can
at once be adjusted, not only to concert pitch, but above or below, as
desired.
In order that this Invention may be more fully understood and readily
carried out, the following statement will show the means adopted to
effect the transposition:-
The back and sounding board of these instruments are constructed
one or more inches wider than the ordinary pianofortes, so as to admit of
one or more extra strings being strung either on the bass, treble, or both
ends of the instrument, beyond the usual compass.
The key frame A, Figure 1, instead of being screwed to the key bottom
B, Figure 1 (as in the ordinary pianofortes), runs in guides C, Figure 1,
which are fixed to the herein-before mentioned key bottom B, Figure 1.
The action is built upon the back rail A, Figure 1 of the key frame
(instead of upon the key bottom, as in the ordinary pianofortes), and is
guided and steadied at the tops of the standards D, as shewn in
Figure 3, E, by means of a rod attached to the inside of the ends, and
sliding in a slot under button E, Figure 3. Between the centres of the
middle or balance rail and the back or action rail A, Figure 2 is fixed a
strut F, Figure 2, to the under side of which is attached the rack block
G, Figure 2, to which the rack H, Figure 2 is fixed, into which the
pinion J, Figure 2 works (front elevation of which is shewn G, H, I,
Figure 5), motion to which is conveyed by means of a spindle and key K,
Figure 2, working in bearings attached to the under side of the key
bottom B, Figure 2.
The key frame, keys, and action are locked in the desired position by
means of the spring lever L. Figures 1. 3. 7. attached to which is a thumb

page_text: button standing out beyond the key slip M, Figures 6 and 7, which said
lever fits into slots in the key frame corresponding to the position of the
keys shewn on the indicator tablet (which is let into the name board), as
in Figure 7 by the moveable indicating finger rising between the keys
and set upon a cross bar fixed between the front and balance rails,
as in Figure 7.
At each end of the keys and fixed to the front rail of the key frame
are blocks N, Figure 6, which when the keys and action are shifted slide
into corresponding blocks O, Figure 6, attached to the inside of the
checks of the instrument, which are hollowed out for the reception of
the blocks N, Figure 6, thus at all times shewing the full compass of
notes without making use of extra keys.
Having now described my Invention, and having also shown the
manner of carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that
I claim under the above recited Specification with respect to the said
Invention,-
Firstly. I claim the method of constructing the back and sounding
board of my pianofortes so as to admit of one or more strings being
strung either on the bass, treble, or both ends thereof, beyond the usual
compass.
Secondly. I claim the method of constructing the key frame, keys,
and action so that they work independently on the key bottom in con-
tradistinction to the mode usually adopted in manufacturing ordinary
pianofortes.
Thirdly. I claim the method of shifting the key frame action and
key blocks by means of a rack and pinion, motion to which is conveyed
through a spindle and key attached to the centre or some other part of
the under side of the key bottom and working in the rack attached to
the key frame, as herein-before described.
Fourthly. I claim the method of locking the action and key frame
in the desired position by means of the spring lever adjusted thereto, as
herein-before described.
Fifthly. I claim the method of constructing and adapting the telescopic
blocks, as hercin-before described.

page_text: Sixthly. I claim the indicator tablet and the indicating finger, also
method of applying the same, as herein-before described.
I do not confine myself to the method above set forth, but prefer using
the means herein-before described to effect the transposition as being the
most effective.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Norminton,
have hereunto set my hand and scal, this Twenty-fifth day of
February, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and seventy-six.
Witness,
WILLIAM ROBERT NORMINTON. (L.s.)
W. A. NORMINTON,
46, Elgin Road,
Maida Vale,
London.