Improvements in the Construction of the Belly Portions of Pianofortes.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd May, 1894
Complete Specification Left, 21st Feb., 1895-Accepted, 23rd Mar., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of the Belly Portions of
Pianofortes.
.
I JOHN MARMADUKE REED of the Firm of J. W. Reed of Handel Works,
Hanover Yard, Hanover Street, Islington, in the County of London, Pianoforte
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:
-
In carrying out my invention I form the belly of the pianoforte to approximate
more to the form of the belly portion of a violin and other similar instruments by
forming the belly as an enclosed sound case or box space.
With this object I form the belly double with a front board or plate and back
board or plate joined together by a sound post and surrounding fillets.
The belly bar I affix in rear of the back board or plate of the belly and secured
thereto by screwing through it and the sound post, the front board or plate and
bridge.
This double belly is applied in rear of the iron or like frame substantially where
the ordinary single belly would be located.
Amongst other advantages attained by the use of this construction are increased
mellowness of tone, increased power of resistance of the belly, whereby the pitch
of the piano can be better kept up.
001
M
1004
WM. BROOKES & SON,,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in the Construction of the Belly Portions of
Pianofortes.
I JOHN MARMADUKE REED of the Firm of J. W. Reed of Handel Works,
Hanover Yard, Hanover Street, Islington in the County of London, Pianoforte
Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement :-
In carrying out my invention I form the belly of the pianoforte to approximate
more to the form of the belly portion of a violin and other similar instruments by
forming the belly as an enclosed sound case or box space. With this object I form
the belly double with a front board and back board joined together by sound
blocks or posts and surrounding fillets. The belly bar I affix in rear of the back
board or plate of the belly and secured thereto by screwing through it and the
sound post, the front board or plate and bridge. This double belly is applied in
rear of the iron or like frame substantially where the.ordinary single belly would
be located.
Amongst other advantages attained by the use of this construction are increased
mellowness of tone, increased power of resistance of the belly, whereby the pitch
of the piano can be better kept up.

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 shews by a front view the belly portion of a pianoforte constructed
according to my improvements, together with sufficient of the pianoforte framing
as will serve to illustrate the invention.
Fig. 2 is an edge view of the parts shewn in Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a rear view shewing the back board or plate, the belly bars, and some
of the bracings.
Fig. 4 is a rear or inner face view of the front board or plate detached or
removed from the back board or plate.
Fig. 5 is a transverse section of the improved belly together with adjacent
bracings.
Fig. 6 is an edge view of the belly as it would appear when looking down on
its upper edge, Fig. 1, with the wrest plank and other parts removed.
a is the front board or plate joined to the back board or plate 6 by the framing
or lining c. Suitable straps d are provided in order to strengthen the joints in
the wood of the front board.a. In rear of the back board bare affixed the belly
bars e, and corresponding to these bars are arranged blocks glued to each of the
two belly boards a, b, the blocks f crossing the line of the bridge g as shewn best
in Fig. 4. g indicates the bass top bridge and g the bass bottom bridge.
Suitable sound holes h h are formed in the fillet c and opening into the sound case
or box space i. The parts are more firmly secured by screwing through the belly
back board b, blocks f, front board a and bridge g, g². is the wrest plank
with wrest pins k¹. 1, 1, are pillar bolt holes.
bars
e,
The space between the bellies a and b may be graduated from bass to the
treble.
This construction gives greater continuity of vibration and preserves the arching,
or prevents the "sinking," of the belly thus preserving the tone.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
.
1. In the construction of the belly portion of a pianoforte the use of two bellies
secured together superimposed with the concave and convex surfaces of the
respective bellies arranged parallel or substantially parallel one to the other as
and for the purpose set forth and shewn by the drawing.
2. The construction, arrangement and use in pianofortes of two bellies and
parts appertaining thereto, as and for the purpose described and illustrated by the
drawings.
Dated the 21st day of W1002
the 1
21st day
February 1995,
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London,. Agents for the Applicant.