IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OR PIANOPORTES " T! PRO
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Enoch Farr, of 40, Cavendish Street, Chorlton-
upon-Medlock, in the City of Manchester, and Isaac Gregory,
F.R.G.S., of Victoria Park, in the Township of Moss-side, County
of Lancaster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION
OR PIANOPORTES
"
T!
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Enoch Farr and Isaac
Gregory at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 29th November 1865.
We, ENOCH FARR, of 40, Cavendish Street, Chorlton-upon-Medlock, in
the City of Manchester, and ISAAC GREGORY, F.R.G.S., of Victoria Park,
in the Township of Moss-side, County of Lancaster, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION
OF PIANOFORTES, to be as follows:-
These improvements consist in constructing pianoforte actions, Istly,
with the sticker resting upon the key, being held in position at the lower
end by means of a pin or wire entering a suitable perforation in the key,
and at the upper end by means of a lever which is centered to it, the said
lever being also centered to a bar or rail, which we term a lever rail. A
hopper is centered to the sticker, and has its upper extremity resting
against the hammer butt. The hopper, if preferred, may be centered to.

page_text: the lever. The regulating wire carrying the button is inserted in the
sticker, the button being behind the hopper and isolated from it. On
pressing down the key the upper end of the sticker receives a curvilinear
motion caused by the lever being centered to it and to the lever rail; this
movement brings the button in contact with the hopper and pushes it from
under the hammer butt. The check wire is also fixed to the sticker. The
damper is fixed to the lever, and is lifted from the strings by the action of
the lever. The lever rail serves as a damper rail, and vibrates on a centre
in a right line with the centre uniting the lever and sticker, thus forming
a common centre of action, and when depressed by means of the damper
pedal removes the dampers from the strings. A spring is attached to the
lever, and is connected by a bridle to the lever rail; the force of the said
spring effects the prompt return of the whole action.
2ndly, these improvements consist in fixing the bottom end of the sticker
firmly to the key, the sticker and key forming a bent lever. The regulating
wire and hopper are arranged similarly to the manner described in the first
action, and work substantially the same. The top end of a pendant damper
is centered to the hammer rail, and a regulating button presses the pendant
damper against the strings. To draw the said damper from the strings a
spring is fixed to the lower end of the damper, and is connected to the
hammer butt by means of a flexible bridle, or the damper may be similarly
connected to the sticker for the like purpose. The hammer rail serves
also as a damper rail, and moves on a centre fixed in a right line with the
centre of the hammer butts. The return of the action is effected by means
of a spring fixed to the key, and connected by a bridle to a fixed rail.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Enoch Farr and Isaac Gregory in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 26th May 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, ENOCH
FARR, of 40, Cavendish Street, Chorlton-upon-Medlock, in the City of 3
Manchester, and ISAAC GREGORY, F.R.G.S., of Victoria Park, in the
Township of Mosside, in the County of Lancaster, send greeting..
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of November, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty- 3
ninth year of Her reign did, for Herself, Her heirs, and successors, give and

page_text: grant unto us, the said Enoch Farr and Isaac Gregory, our exécutors,
administrators, and assigns, Her special licence that we, the said Enoch
Farr and Isaac Gregory, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as we, the said Enoch Farr and Isaac Gregory, our executors,
administrators, and assigns, should in 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 Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
PIANOPORTES," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said Enoch
Farr and Isaac Gregory, our executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under our, 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 Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Enoch Farr and Isaac Gregory, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:-
These improvements consist in constructing pianoforte actions, firstly,
with the sticker resting upon the key, being held in position at the lower
end by means of a pin or wire entering a suitable perforation in the key,
and at the upper end by means of a lever which is centered to it, the said
lever being also centered to a bar or rail, which we term a lever rail. The
lever rail carrying the forks to which the levers are centered is placed in
front of the action. The hopper is centered to the sticker. The regulating
wire carrying the button is inserted in the sticker, the button being behind
the hopper. On pressing down the key, the upper end of the sticker
receives a forward curvilinear motion caused by the lever being centered
to the lever rail in front of the action; by this movement the button is
pressed against the hopper and causes its escape from under the hammer
butt. The check is formed by a regulating wire with button being inserted
in the hopper and coming in contact.with an angular wire which is inserted
in the hammer butt. The damper is fixed to the lever, and is removed
from the strings by the action of the lever. The lever rail vibrates on a
centre in a right line with the center which unites the lever and sticker,
thus forming one common center of action, and when depressed by means
of the damper pedal removes the damper from the strings. A balance

page_text: repeater is formed by a spring being attached to the hopper, and connected
with the hammer butt; by means of a bridle acting below the center of
the hammer butt, or the spring may be attached to the hammer butt and
the bridle to the hopper. This balance repeater; by its accelerating and
diminishing traction, regulates the force of the hammer spring, poises the
hammer, provides a certain and rapid repeat, and lightens the touch. A
touch regulator is formed by means of a wire inserted in the sticker, which
by its action lengthens or shortens a bridle connected to a flexible spring.
This touch regulator is expressly constructed to increase or diminish and
equalize the weight of touch, and it also effects the prompt return of the
whole action. In applying this action to grand or horizontal pianofortes
the lever rail is placed behind the sticker, and the check is formed by an
angular wire fixed: in the hopper, which works and checks in a mortise
made, in the hammer butt. The balance repeater in this action regulates
the fall of the hammer; the bridle is attached to a wire inserted in the
hammer butt; in other respects the balance 'repeater is the same as herein-
before described.
.
Secondly, these improvements further consist in fixing the bottom end
of the striker firmly to the key, the sticker and key forming a bent lever.
The regulating wire and hopper and the check are arranged similarly
to the manner described in the first action. The top end of the pendant
damper is centered to the hammer rail, and regulating wires with buttons
connect the lower. end of the damper with the sticker. The damper is
pressed on and drawn from the strings by the motion of the sticker. The
hammer rail vibrates on a center in a right line with the centre of the
hammer butts, and when pressed forward by means of the damper pedal
removes the dampers from the strings. The balance repeater and touch
regulator are the same as herein-before described.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of part of an upright or cottage pianoforte
showing one. action applied to one key; Fig. 2 is the same action applied.
to a grand pianoforte; Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of the second action
applied to an upright pianoforte; Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation shewing
a modification of the action shewn in Fig. 3. In each of the above
Figures the same letters of reference indicate like parts.
Firstly, referring to Figs. 1 and 2, A is the key of a pianoforte with the
sticker B resting upon one extremity; the lower end of B is provided with
a pin or wire, which passes through a piece of leather or cloth into a

page_text: suitable orifice S in the key shewn in dotted lines, and is thus held in
position at the lower extremity. The lever. J holds the sticker B in
position at the upper end, being pointed or centered to the striker B at Q,
and to the lever rail Kat L. The lever J enters or passes through a slot
in the striker B; C is the hopper pointed or centered to B at N, and with
its upper extremity resting against the hammer butt at D. The regulating
wire Gris screwed into the upper end of B, and carries a button between
B and C.. The check wire E is fixed to the hammer butt D in Fig. 1,
and to the hopper C.in. Fig; 2. The touch regulator T is inserted in B,
and is connected by a bridle to a spring U. The damper H is fixed or
centered to the lever J. The hammer butt D in Fig. I is acted upon by
the spring. X.; in Fig. 2 gravitation renders this spring unnecessary. The
hopper C,is acted upon by the balance repeator spring R; which is;
connected with D, and being affected in tension by the movement of the
hammer. butt D, regulates the force of X.in Fig. 1, and in Fig. 2 regulates
the fall of the hammer and causes the hopper C to resume its position
under the step of the hammer butt. Now if we press down the end. A¹ of
the key A, which vibrates on A, the sticker B is elevated, its upper
extremity, receiving a curvilinear motion caused by the lever J, which acts.
as a radial. bar; the hopper. C.pushes the hammer butt D, causing the
hammer to give a blow on the strings V.; the button on the regulating
screw G at the same instant presses the hopper C, and pushes it from under
the hammer butt D, and the hammer. is free to fall back until arrested by
the check W,.E. As the hammer approaches the string the lever J
removes the damper H from it. Now when the finger is taken off the key
the spring U draws the whole of the parts back again to their original
positions, as shewn in the Drawing. The lever rail K serves also as a
damper rail, and turns on a center fixed to the frame of the pianoforte
in a right line with the center Q, where the lever and sticker are
connected together; therefore the damper rail may be turned on its axis
by the damper pedal, which motion would turn 'the lever J, on the center
Q, and remove the damper H from the strings without disturbing the
relative positions of the other parts of the action.
Secondly, referring to Fig. 3, the sticker B is fixed firmly to the key
A, and has the hopper C jointed or centered to at end. The regulating
screw G with button-is similarly placed to that described in Fig. 1 and 2.
The upper end of the pendant damper k is jointed or centered to the
hammer rail
P, and the regulating button n removes k from and presses it
against the strings. Now when the key A which vibrates on A² is struck

page_text: by the finger, B being in one piece with it, is elevated, the hopper imparts
motion to the hammer, which strikes the string, the button F at the same
instant pushes C from beneath the hammer butt D, and the hammer
escapes and falls back until arrested by the check W and E, as described
in Fig. 1 and 2. The hammer rail p is also the damper rail, and
turns on an axis in a right line with the centre of the hammer butts,
therefore on depressing the damper pedal of the pianoforte, the rail p by
suitable connections is made to turn on its axis and remove the damper
from the strings without disturbing the relative positions of the other
parts of the action. The balance repeator R and touch regulator T, u,
act similarly to those described in Figures 1 and 2.
Fig. 4 is a modification of Fig. 3. In this case the key A vibrates upon
point under or near to the angle of the lever formed by the sticker B
and key A. The regulating screw G with button is inserted in the
rest rail. Now if we press down the end A' of the key A, which vibrates
on the point A, the sticker B imparts a horizontal motion to the
hopper C, which is made in the form of a bell-crank lever, and causes the
liammer to strike the strings V, while at the same instant it comes in
contact with the button f, causing the hopper to escape under the hammer
butt D, and the hammer is free to fall back until arrested by the check
W, E, as before described in Fig. 3. In all other respects this action is
constructed and operates similarly to that described in Fig. 3.
In witness whereof, we, the said Enoch Farr and Isaac Gregory,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twelfth day of May,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
Witness,
JOSEPH WILLCOCK,
Upper Brooke St.,
Stockport.
(L.S.)
ENOCH FARR.
ISAAC GREGORY. (L.s.)