A NEW SYSTEM OF PIANOFORTE NAMED EOLIAN PIANO
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edouard Lecomte, of Le Havre, France, Merchant, for
the Invention of " A NEW SYSTEM OF PIANOFORTE NAMED EOLIAN PIANO"
Sealed the 20th Feb 1977 and dated the 22nd August 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edouard Lecomte at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd August 1876.
EDOUARD LECOMTE, of Le Havre, France, Merchant. "A NEW SYSTEM OF
PIANOFORTE NAMED EOLIAN PIANO."
In pianos with hammers as hitherto constructed the makers have not been able
to overcome the impression produced on the ear by the blow of the hammer on the
strings. The hammers have been covered in different ways, several kinds of
dampers have been employed, but still the effect of the blow of the hammer on the
strings has not been suppressed in a manner satisfactory to the auditor, and in the
best pianos there is still a sort of chopping (clapottement) which spoils the most
beautiful pieces of harmony. This is so much the case that after a few hours play
a delicate car only perceives a series of cadenced blows more or less noisy and
which soon become painful.
Now according to my Invention or system, which I call the Eolian system of
piano, the hammer is replaced by a rubber moved by mechanismn analogous to that
of the old systems, that is to say, it is moved by similar means and preserves the
same rapid to-and-fro motion. But the strings instead of being placed per-
pendicularly or at right angles to the blow are placed parallel to the friction or
rubbing movement. In my eolian pianos the intensity of the sound to be produced
is proportioned in direct ratio to the protuberance or hold of the rubber on the
strings. This protuberance runs from 1/12th to 1/8th of an inch, the haminer being
covered with hard felt generally called prepared felt, which produces on the string
a full and harmonious singing sound. The rapid return of the rubber is effected by
springs placed in the nut or at the base of the rubber, and the power of which is
naturally proportioned to the protuberance or hold which it is wished to give the
rubber on the strings. A description of these springs is unnecessary as many
suitable kinds with all degrees of power are well known to pianoforte makers.
To prevent all impression or feeling like that caused by the blow of the hammer,

page_text: the rubber which is actuated strikes a thick pad or cushion applied on the sound
board or on a special bar; this pad also facilitates the return.
The covering of the rubber may be varied, that is to say, that in place of hard
felt various fabrics can be used; but it is indispensable that the hardness necessary
to put the metallic strings in vibration be tempered by a certain velveting at the
surface of this covering in order that the sound produced may preserve the truc
harmony which it is necessary to maintain.
The rubber may be of several forms; the simplest form is a plain piece of wood
covered with hard felt.
Another form is that of the segment of a circle and offers a much larger frictional
surface which can be utilized owing to the distance between the sound board and
the strings, a distance which is much greater than in other pianos.
Another form is also of wood in which is fitted on one side the neck (imanche) of
the rubber, and on the other a small steel blade or plate slightly flexible which is
surrounded with the covering required for the friction. This last form offers a
much greater guarantee of durability than rubbers all of wood.
As regards the strings they are sufficiently distant from the sound board and
from the pad which receives the rubber to allow the latter to reach broadly the
third string next to the pad; they are maintained in their normal positions by
means of special bridges and nuts. The inain bridge is followed by a second bridge
where the strings are pressed in order to facilitate and regulate their vibrations;
this second bridge can always be replaced by a broad band of stuff, the strings
being conveniently pressed to the prolonged framing (sommier). These strings are
about three numbers below those ordinarily used, so as to obtain with a minimum
diameter and a length always maximum sonorous waves the most ample possible
up to and comprising the upper octaves. For the lower octaves I can employ steel
strings, brass strings, or even spun strings, all according to the sound to be obtained
and the possible length of the strings in upright, oblique, or grand pianos. In the
upper octaves I can employ strings of steel or platinum still finer and more
resisting. The tension of the strings which receive only friction is less than in
hammer pianos where they have to submit to violent blows.
Thus the piano
suffers much less and requires tuning less frequently, the strings being naturally
put in vibration without any violence, and being submitted to no more than the
general laws of the effect of the state of the atmosphere on metal and wood.
In my eolian pianos the point of contact of the rubber is nearer the middle of the
string than the point of contact of the hammer, so that by the friction the singing
string may produce its vibrations harmonious, full, and normal; otherwise at the
point of contact of the hammer the friction would produco a sound a little piercing,
although always singing. The point of friction varies from 1/rd of an inch to 2
inches below the point of the blow from the upright piano to the grand and between
two extreme octaves.
The damper of the old systems is replaced by a forked damper, which obeying the
corresponding pedal enters between the strings of the eolian piano and parallel to
them.
The "celeste" pedal is limited to transposing the "action" or mechanism, to
displacing all the rubbers at once by removing them a little from the strings, that
is to say, by diminishing the protuberance or hold so as to obtain by removing the
rubber the required extent from the strings, sounds truly of a minimum nature, the
friction being so to speak insensible, the sounds being analogous to those of the
eolian harp. By raising or lowering the "celeste" pedal gradually, the "action" or
mechanism being transposed quickly or slowly as the case may be, I obtain all the
shades of harmony, crescendo, or decrescendo, complete, powerful or weak, with
harmonious sounds running from the extremely soft to the forte by the aid then of
the second pedal corresponding with the forked damper.
The construction of the case of the eolian piano does not differ from that of
ordinary pianos outside the sound board, which should always be well constructed
and very sonorous in order to suitably render oven the feeblest sounds in certain

page_text: pieces, where the sound in some passages is so to say dying, especially in accom-
paniments to the violin and to the human voice.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Edouard Lecomte in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 22nd February
1877.
EDOUARD LECOMTE, of Le Havre, France, Merchant. "A NEW SYSTEM OF
PIANOFORTE NAMED EOLIAN PIANO."
In pianos with hammers as hitherto constructed the makers have not been able
to overcome the impression produced in the ear by the blow of the hammer on the
strings The hammers have been covered in different ways, several kinds of
dampers have been employed, but still the effect of the blow of the hammer on the
strings has not been suppressed in a manner satisfactory to the auditor, and in the
best pianos there is still a sort of chopping (clapottement) which spoils the most
beautiful pieces of harmony. This is so much the case that after a few hours play
a delicate ear only perceives a series of cadenced blows more or less noisy, and
which soon become painful.
Now according to my Invention or system, which I call the colian system of
piano, the hammer is replaced by a rubber moved by mechanism analogous to that
of the old systems, that is to say, it is moved by similar means and preserves the
same rapid to-and-fro motion. But the strings instead of being placed per-
pendicularly or at right angles to the blow are placed parallel to the friction or
rubbing movement, as indicated in horizontal. section in Figures 1 and 2 of the
annexed Drawings; Figure 1 corresponds with hammer pianos, and Figure 2 to my
eolian pianos. In my eolian pianos the intensity of the sound to be produced is
proportioned in direct ratio to the protuberance a, b, (Figure 2), or hold of the
rubber on the strings; this protuberance runs from 1/8th to 1/8th of an inch, the
rubber being covered with hard felt, generally called prepared felt, which produces
on the string a full and harmonious musical sound. The rapid return of the rubber
is effected by springs placed in the nut or at the base of the rubber, and the power
of which is naturally proportioned to the protuberance or hold which it is wished to
give the rubber on the strings. A description of these springs is unnecessary as
many suitable kinds with all degrees of power are well known to pianoforte
makers.
To prevent all impression or feeling like that caused by the blow of the hammer,
the rubber which is actuated strikes a thick pad or cushion applied on the sound
board or on a special bar; this pad also facilitates the return.
The covering of the rubber may be varied, that is to say, that in place of hard
felt, various fabrics can be used; but it is indispensable that the liardness necessary
to put the metallic strings in vibration be tempered by a certain velveting at the
surface of this covering, in order that the sound produced may preserve the true
harmony which it is necessary to maintain.
The rubber may be of several forms, see Figures 3, 4, and 5.
Figure 3 shows the simplest form; it is of wood covered with lard felt.
Figure 4 is another form offering a much larger frictional surface which can be
utilized owing to the distance between the sound board and the strings, a distance
which is much greater than in other pianos.
Figure 5 represents another form also of wood, in which is fitted on the one
hand the neck (manche) of the rubber, and on the other a small steel blade or plate
slightly flexible, which is surrounded with the covering required for the friction.
This last form offers a much greater guarantee of durability than rubbers all of
wood.

page_text: Figure 8 shews the frame, the sound board, the bridges, and the principal strings
of an eolian piano constructed according to my Invention.
Figures 9, 10, and 11 are sections respectively through the lines A B, C D, and
E F, of Figure 8, and Figure 12 is a section of the action or mechanism.
The rubbers may be covered with hard felt, cloth, leather, or skin specially
prepared, or with any other suitable material which will properly cause the metallic
strings to vibrate. The form of the rubber itself, as regards the part which is in
contact with the strings may be elliptical as well as circular, the latter being
employed especially in pianos to which it is desired to give a certain vivacity to
the touch. In order to render the touch still more sensitive I can put the strings
in vibration, not only by means of a rubber acting in the forward and returni
movements, but also by means of a rubber acting in the forward movement only
without contact in the return movement by means of an escapement, but always
by means of one identical rubbing or friction, this secondary modification being
applicable exclusively to colian pianos.
As regards the strings they are sufficiently distant from the sound board T, and
from the pad c which receives the rubber F to allow the latter to reach broadly the
third string next to the pad; they are maintained in their normal positions by
means of nuts S and special bridges. The main bridge C is followed by a second
bridge Ċ where the strings are pressed in order to facilitate and regulate their
vibrations; this second pressing bridge can always be replaced by a broad band of
stuff, the strings being conveniently pressed to the prolonged framing (sommier).
These strings are about three numbers below those ordinarily used so as to obtain
with a minimum diameter and a length always maximum sonorous waves, the
most ample possible up to and comprising the upper octaves. For the lower octaves
I can employ steel strings, brass strings, or even spun strings, all according to the
Bound to be obtained, and the possible length of the strings in upright, oblique,
or grand pianos. In the upper octaves I can employ strings of steel or platinum
still finer and more resisting. The tension of the strings which receive only friction
is less than in hammer pianos where they have to submit to violent blows. Thus
the piano suffers much less and requires tuning less frequently, the strings being
naturally put in vibration, without any violence, and being submitted to no more
than the general laws of the effect of the state of the atmosphere on metal and
wood.
In my eolian pianos the point of contact M, N, of the rubber is nearer the
middle of the string than the point of contact of the hammer, so that by the friction
the musical or singing string may produce its vibrations harmonious, full, and
normal, otherwise at the point of contact of the hammer the friction would produce
a sound a little piercing although always musical. The point of friction varies
from rd of an inch to 2 inches below the point of the blow from the upright
piano to the grand and between two extreme octaves.
The damper of the old systems is replaced by a forked damper E (seen in
elevation in Figure 12, and in section in Figure 13), which obeying the corre-
sponding pedal enters between the strings of the eolian piano and parallel to
them.
The "celeste" pedal is limited to transposing the "action" or mechanism to
displacing all the rubbers F at once by removing them a little from the strings,
that is to say, by diminishing the protuberance or hold so as to obtain by removing
the rubber the required extent from the strings sounds truly of a minimum nature,
the friction being so to speak insensible; Figures 6 and 7 indicate the two extremes
of intensity of sound, Figure 6 corresponding to the forte, and Figure 7 to the
eolian with the rubber transposed (Figure 7) sounds are obtained analogous to
those of the eolian harp. By raising or lowering the "celeste" pedal gradually, the
"action" or mechanism being transposed quickly or slowly as the case may be, I
obtain all the shades of harmony, crescendo or decrescendo, complete, powerful or
weak, with harmonious sounds running from the extremely soft to the forte by the
aid then of the second pedal corresponding with the forked damper.

page_text: The construction of the case of the eolian piano does not differ from that of
ordinary pianos outside the sound board T, which should always be well constructed
and very sonorous in order to suitably render even the feeblest sounds in certain
pieces, where the sound in some passages is so to say dying, especially in accom-
paniments to the violin and to the human voice.
Aly eolian pianos may be constructed in all forms, uprights, obliques, or grands.
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 mode or system of constructing what I have named Eolian pianos, as
described and represented in the annexed Drawings, the sounds being produced by
the movement of rubbers against the strings which are placed parallel to the friction
or rubbing movement, as herein-before explained.
Second. The mode of varying the intensity of the sounds by varying the
protuberance or hold of the rubbers on the strings, as herein-before described.
Third. The mode of producing the rapid return of the rubbers by means of
springs placed in the nut or at the base of the rubber, such return being also
facilitated by a pad or cushion which receives the blow of the rubber, as herein-
before described.
Fourth. The several arrangements and forms of rubbers herein-before described.
Fifth. The mode or method of causing the rubbers to act in the forward and
backward movement, or in the forward movement only by means of an escapement,
as herein-before described.
Sixth. The arrangement of puts (S) and bridges which support the strings as
herein-before described, the strings being of steel or of brass or spun according to
the sound to be produced.
Seventh. The forked damper arranged as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edouard Lecomte, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twelfth day of January, One thousand eight hundred and
seventy-seven.
Witness,
CH. ARMENGAUD,
Civil Engineer,
23, Boulevard de Strasbourg,
Paris.
E. LECOMTE. (L.S.)