IMPROVEMENTS IN PIANOFORTES;
Year: 1845

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, BENJAMIN
NICKELS, of York Street, Lambeth, in the County of Surrey, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster the Twenty-seventh day of October, in the ninth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her Heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Benjamin Nickels, my exors, admiors, and assigns, Her especial
licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said Benjamin
Nickels, my exors, adiñors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Benjamin
Nickels, my exors, adñiors, or assigns should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times during the term of years therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within
England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN PIANOFORTES;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a
proviso, that I, the said Benjamin Nickels, shall cause a particular description
of the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said in part
recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereunto had,
will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Benjamin Nickels, do, hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention,

page_text: and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully described and
ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had to
the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked thereon,
that is to say:-
My Invention consists, first, of improvements in pianofortes, whereby two
sounding boards are combined with two sets of strings, and two actions put in
motion by one or two sets of keys.
Secondly, my Invention consists in applying to pianofortes additional strings,
combined with an action arranged to be played by the feet, so as to obtain
deeper bass notes.
Thirdly, my Invention consists of applying helical springs and springs of
india-rubber to bring back the hammers of pianofortes.
Fourthly, my Invention consists of apparatus for tuning the strings of
pianofortes.
Fifthly, my Invention consists of covering the wire strings of pianofortes
with india-rubber, gutta percha, and catgut, and also of combining several
strings by binding them into one string.
And, sixthly, my Invention consists in a mode of constructing the hammers
of pianofortes.
And in order that the Invention may be most fully understood and readily
carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the means pursued by me.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shews a section of a pianoforte constructed according to the first
part of my Invention, the parts being shown full size; this arrangement
being, in fact, the combination of a vertical and horizontal pianoforte in one
case, each set of strings having its own sounding board; and the action and
keys are so arranged that both instruments may be played at the same time
by one set of keys, or only one instrument may be played, the other being for
the time being put out of action. a, b, are the two sounding boards, the
sounding board a being that for the horizontal portion of the instrument, and
the sound board b is for the upright portion of the instrument; c and d are
the two sets of keys, the key c being for the action of the horizontal portion of
the instrument, and the key d is for the upright portion of the instrument ;
but the two sets of keys are in connection with each other, so that playing on
the upper one will put in motion both the upper and lower keys at the same s
time, e being a connecting rod between the upper and lower key of each note,
so that by pressing on the upper key it will not only be depressed itself and
give motion to the, action thereof, but it will also depress the lower key
.

page_text: and give motion to the action thereof, and the two hammers will strike their
respective strings, and the notes thus produced by means of the two parts of
the instruments may be in the same key, or they may be in different keys.
When desired to play with the action of the upright part of the instrument only,
the player will only make use of the keys d, and the upper set of keys will not be
acted upon. And when desired to make use only of the horizontal part of the
instrument, the action of the upright part of the instrument may be disconnected
by means of a pedal lifting rod f, by which the action and the ends of the
lower set of keys d will be raised, so that the keys d will be out of the way of
the keys c, as will readily be traced in the Drawing. 9 is the action of the
horizontal portion of the instrument, the nature of which is clearly shewn in
the Drawing; and the same may be varied, this part of my Invention not con-
sisting of any peculiarity of construction of either of the actions used, but in
combining two separate sound boards with two sets of strings, together with
suitable actions and keys for striking the same. h is the action for the upright
portion of the instrument. The nature of this action is shewn in the Drawing,
and, like the action g, is similar to actions before used, and they separately are
not claimed as of my Invention, and may, as before stated, be varied. The
construction of pianofortes being well understood, and as the general arrange-
ment is shewn in the Drawing, a workman will readily combine the two
classes into one instrument, according to this part of my Invention. Figure 2
shews another section of a pianoforte constructed according to this part of my
Invention. In this instance, although there are two sets of keys, only one set
is suitably arranged and constructed for being played on; in other respects the
description above given will apply to this Drawing, the parts being marked
with the same letters of reference. And this Figure also shews a means of
carrying out the third part of my Invention, which consists in applying a
coiled or helical spring i to bring back the hammer; or in place of the wire
spring i, a thread of india-rubber i, Figure 3, may be applied, the india-rubber
stretching when the hammer is caused to strike, immediately returns by its
elasticity when released; it will thus draw back the hammer. And it should
be stated, that although india-rubber in its natural state may be used as under
ordinary circumstances, a pianoforte will be in such a temperature that the
india-rubber will not become hard; but I prefer to use india-rubber which has '
been what is commonly called vulcanized, or so treated that it will retain its
elasticity notwithstanding great changes of temperature. Figure 3 shews the
section of another pianoforte. In this case only one set of keys is used, but
they are so arranged that they either put into motion both the actions or only
one of the actions, as will be understood on examining this Drawing, where
:
:

page_text: the parts are marked with the same letters of reference, and the description
before given will apply to the present Drawing. Figure 4 shows the section
of another pianoforte (which I denominate a "double or royal grand.") In.
this instance the two sets of strings are horizontal, and each set has its sound
board. In this instrument only one set of keys is shown, so that both sets of
strings may be brought into action at the same time, or the upper. sets of
strings may be put out of action, as before described. The nature of the
actions used for this purpose is clearly shewn, and the same may be varied.
The various parts in this instrument are marked with the same letters of
reference, and their combinations will readily be understood by a workman on
examining the present Drawing. I would, however, remark, that although
I have shewn the sounding board 6 in this instrument applied over the strings,
I do not confine myself to that arrangement, as in some cases there may be an
advantage in placing the same below, as in the ordinary manner of con-
structing grand pianofortes.
I will now describe the second part of my Invention. Figure 5 shows the
section of parts of an instrument constructed according to this part of my
Invention. This instrument, in the first place, consists of a compound instru-
ment, similar to that described at Figure 1; but this may be varied, the
object of this part of my Invention consisting of a means of applying additional
bass strings, combined with an action put in motion by the feet. In this
manner one or more octaves may be added, and thus very deep bass obtained
to an instrument. j is one of the set of bass strings; k is the action, which
may be varied; 7 is a sticker, attached to the lever m at the lower end, and to
the action at the upper end, as is shewn; n is a pedal or lever key for one of
the full notes, and n² a pedal or lever key for one of the half notes, and each
of these keys is to be acted upon by the foot, all which will readily be under-
stood on examining the Drawing. In constructing instruments with the
additional bass strings, as herein described, I prefer that that part of the
framing which supports the addition strings and action should be capable of
being detached at the part 2, 2, from the other part of the instrument, leaving
the keys n, n', which may be separately detached if required.
I will now describe the fourth part of my Invention, which consists in a
means of constructing tightening screws to the strings of pianofortes. o, in the
Figures before mentioned, is a screw, consisting of two parts, the one part or
end having a left-handed screw, and the other part or end of the screw being
a right-handed screw, and this screw is put into motion by means of a short
rod of wire put into a hole in the enlarged central portion at o¹, or otherwise.
One end of the screw enters the fixed nut.p and the other end enters the nut

page_text: to the swivel q, so that when the screw is turned it will give motion to the
swivel, and cause it to come nearer or move further from the fixed nut.
I
would remark that I am aware that screws have before been used, but. the
novelty in the present arrangement consists in having a left and a right-handed
screw on the same stem, as above explained.
I will now describe the fifth part of my Invention, which consists in coating
the wires of pianofortes with india-rubber or with gutta percha or with cat-
gut; the object of doing so is to get rid of the metal sound of the strings,
which I.have found to be accomplished by coating them with either of the
materials above mentioned. In respect to india-rubber and gutta percha, this
may be done in various ways, but I prefer to do it by means of fine thread
made of either of those materials, and the making of such thread is now well
understood; and in using the fine thread of either of these three materials, I
cause it to be wound round the wires and thus to cover the same, in the same.
way as wire for other purposes has been covered with other thread, and called
gymping, or it may be by plaiting, and I prefer that the india-rubber should
be vulcanized, or otherwise proofed against different atmospheres. And in order:
to make bass notes for the deeper bass above mentioned, I combine two, threc,
or more wires previously covered or not (but I prefer them to be covered) to
bo bound round or plaited, so as to form one string with either of the above-
mentioned materials, or with any other suitable material, and a method of
fastening the ends of those combined strings is shown at s, s, s, in Figure 4*.
I will now describe the sixth part of my Invention, which has for its object
a novel construction of hammer for pianofortes, and the same consists of em-
ploying short lengths of felted cord placed into a suitable socket or head.
Figure 5 shows one of these hammers. is the head, which is hollow; it has a
screw formed therein; or other means may be resorted to for fixing the short
tuft or length of felted cord, such asdrawing the felted cord into a tube and
passing the stem of the hammer through it, as shown at Figure 6, and the
using of a hollow socket, so as to receive the matter constituting the surface of
the hammer, will be found of advantage when using other matters for the face
than felted cord. By this arrangement, the hammer strikes the strings with
the ends of the fibres of which the felted cord is formed, which will be found
to offer a peculiar elasticity very suitable for the hammers of pianofortes, and
it is the application of such portions of a felted cord to the purposes of
hammers of pianofortes, and the method of holding the same or other material,
which constitutes the peculiarity of this part of my Invention.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the best means I
am acquainted with for performing the same, I would bave it understood that

page_text: I do not confine myself to the details herein described, so long as the peculiar
character,of either part of my Invention be retained. But what I claim is,-
First, the mode of constructing pianofortes, by: combining in the, same
instrument two separate sounding boards with two sets of springs and actions
together with one or two sets of keys, as above described.
Secondly, I claim the application of additional bass strings in combination
with an action brought into motion by the feet of the performer.
Thirdly, I claim the application of coiled or helical springs and also springs
of india-rubber to bring back the hammers of pianofortes.
Fourthly, I claim the mode of constructing apparatus for tightening and
tuning the strings of pianofortes.
Fifthly, I claim the covering of the wires of pianofortes with india-rubber,
gutta percha, and catgut; and I also claim the combining several wires,
covered or uncovered, by binding them so as to form them into one string, as
above.described.
And, sixthly, I claim the. mode of making bammers for pianofortes by-
applying short lengths of felted cord, as above described, and also the use of.
a hollow or tubular head to the hammer.
In witness whereof, I, the said Benjamin Nickels, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty-six.
BENJAMIN (L.S.) NICKELS.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Twenty-seventh day of April,
in the year of our Lord 1846, the aforesaid Benjamin Nickels came before
our said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification
aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form
above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according
to the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Enrolled the Twenty-seventh day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and forty-six..