Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Aug., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 19th Mar., 1900-Accepted, 19th May, 1900
I, ALBERT BLONDEL, of 95, Boulevard Beaumarchais, Paris, in the Republio
of France, Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:
-
This invention relates to improvements in grand piano actions more especially
in Erard's well known grand action, and by this arrangement the hammer is
brought nearer the string so that the transposition hitherto practised is
obriated.
My grand-action is distinguished from other similar actions by the addition of
a compensation lever which is intermediate between the lifter of the action and
the key thereof. The said lever is hinged at one end and carries at its other end
an adjustable stop which passes through the key and terminates in a small
button. This button forms the means for transmitting the impulse it receives
from the bar or staff, through a rod to the compensation lever. It must be under-
stood that the said bar or staff is directly operated by the damping pedal.
Directly the said pedal is depressed the bar or staff raises the compensating
lever which in turn transmits it movement to the action: the said compensating
lever does not return into contact with the key until this latter arrives at the
end of its stroke.
It should be observed that the compensation lever in rising acts, through the
intermediary of the lifter in conjunction with the other parts of the action,
(which I do not here describe as they are well known), upon the lever-arm of the
hammer which latter thereupon moves from its first position into its second
position; the hammer head moving closer to the strings.
By this arrangement the strike of the key remains unaltered in contra-dis-
tinction to what has been produced by the various attempts heretofore made
with the same object. It permits of passing from fortissimo to pianissimo to
any degree without in the least changing the nature of the sound or tone because
the hammer strikes the same number of strings at all times and the reduced
intensity is only produced gradually by the approachment of the hammer nearer
the strings.
It is to be well understood that I reserve to myself the application of this
arrangement to pianos with vertical strings.
Dated this 25th day of August 1899.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to improvements in grand piano actions more especially
in Erard's well known grand action and by this arrangement the hammer is.
brought nearer the string 80 that the transposition hitherto practised is
obviated.
In order that my invention may be readily understood and carried into effect
I will describe the same fully with reference to the accompanying drawing which
represents in longitudinal section a portion of a grand piano constructed in
accordance with my invention.
My improved grand-action is distinguished from other similar actions by the
addition of a compensation lever a which acts as an intermediary between the
lifter 6 of the action and the key c. Said lever a is hinged by one end at d and
carries at its other end an adjustable rode which passes through the key and
terminates in a small button f. This button forms the means for transmitting
the impulse it receives from the bar or staff g, through the rod e to the compen-
sation lever a. It must be understood that the said bar or staff g is directly
operated by the damping pedal.
Directly the said pedal is depressed the bar or staff g raises the lever a from
out of contact with the key c, and said lever a in turn transmits its movement to
the action. The lever a does not again come into contact with the key cuntil
this latter has been raised and arrives at the end of its stroke.
It should be noticed that the compensation lever a in rising, acts, through the
intermediary of the lifter in conjunction with the other parts of the action
(which I do not here describe as they are well known), upon the lever-arm h of
the hammer which latter thereupon moves into the position shewn in dotted lines
and marked h¹ thus bringing the hammer head closer to the strings.
By this arrangement the stroke of the key remains unaltered in contra-dis-
tinction to what has been produced by the various attempts heretofore made
with the same object. It permits of passing from fortissimo to pianissimo to
any degree without in the least changing the nature of the sound or tone because
the hammer strikes the same number of strings at all times and the reduced
intensity is only produced gradually by the approach of the hammer nearer
the strings.
It is to be well understood that I reserve to myself the application of this
arrangement to pianos with vertical strings.
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:-
An arrangement for producing pianissimo sounds in a grand piano, consisting
essentially in a bar placed underneath all the keys of the piano and directly
operated by the soft pedal, such bar acting through the intervention of adjustable
rods or stops upon compensation levers hinged to the keys of the piano and acting
directly upon the lifters of the action; the rising of the compensation levers
having the object of setting the hammers in closer proximity to the strings, sub-
stantially as herein before described and illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 19th day of March 1900.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co..
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.