IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF PIANOFORTE BRIDGES
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Alexander Horlick, of Racine, in the
County of Racine, in the State of Wisconsin, United States of
America, now of the British Hotel, Cockspur Street, in the County
of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF PIANOFORTE BRIDGES."-A communication from
abroad by C . W Brewer, of Racine, aforesaid.
Sealed the 9th October 1869, and dated the 14th July 1869.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Joseph Alexander
Horlick at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition and Declaration, on the 14th July 1869, pursuant to the
9th Section of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH
ALEXANDER HORLICK, of Racine, in the County of Racine, in the
State of Wisconsin, in the United States of America, Gentleman, now
residing at the British Hotel, Cockspur Street, in the County of
Middlesex, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF PIANOFORTE BRIDGES," and have petitioned Her
Majesty to grant unto me, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
Her Royal Letters Patent for the same, and have made solemn Declara-
tion that the said Invention is a communication to me from abroad by
W
Brewer, of Racine, aforesaid.
с
hand
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Joseph Alexander Horlick, do
hereby declare that the following Complete Specification, under my
and seal, fully describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, in and by the
following statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawing here-
unto annexed, that is to say :-
The object of this Invention relates to the construction of the bridge
of a pianoforte over which the strings pass in the manner herein-after
described, so that a clear tone may be produced, and the jingling noise
sometimes attending the tones may be obviated.
The Invention consists in lining the bridges or string bearings of a
pianoforte with vulcanized india-rubber or other material of a similar
nature, being a non-conductor of sound, so that the strings will rest on
this material.
It will be found that during the vibration of the string the sound
produced by the concussion of the hammer will not be weakened or
injured. This bed is superior to wood, ivory, or metal as heretofore used
for the same purpose.
In the Drawing hereto annexed A represents the body of the string
support or bridge of a pianoforte; this may be made of wood, metal, or
other suitable material as in ordinary use. The surface of this bridge is
lined with a strip of vulcanized india-rubber, as shewn at B, on which
the strings C lie as on a bed or are supported. The vulcanized india-
rubber is firmly fixed or imbedded into the bridge A, the lower part
being either convex or grooved.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be put in practice, I do not desire to claim any
of the parts as distinct Inventions; but what I do claim is, the vul-

page_text: canized india-rubber lining on the bridge or string support of a piano-
forte arranged substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Alexander Horlick, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of July
'One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.
J. A. HORLICK. (L.S.)