Year: 1888

page_text: I, JULES EUGENE AMAND GAUTIER (the elder) of 46 Wells Street, Oxford Street
in the County of Middlesex, Pianoforte Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to certain Improvements in Pianofortes of the iron plate
equi-strung system and consists firstly in applying two sound boards combined but
independant of each other. The front one supports the strings, the back one is
glued on a frame which is screwed on the back of the Pianoforte.
The back sound board or reverberator is made of pine, jointed laterally, it is
crossed vertically by eight pieces of belly-wood or any other springy wood, so disposed
that the two centre ones are laterally equi-distant from the quasi-centre bar on the
front sound board; these eight pieces are crossed laterally by another piece of springy
wood (such as Lance wood or Swiss Pine for instance) strengthened by a piece of
Beech wood about eight inches long with a tapped hole in the centre to admit of a
screw pin made of split lance wood, which pin passing through a hole in the
reverberator and the long crossway piece is screwed through the beech piece until it
reaches the quasi-centre bar on the back of the front sound board and then is further
turned in until, by pushing the reverberator outwardly the desired quality of tone,
"tint clang" or timbre is obtained. This connecting pin I name the "Sound Post."
The sound board and the reverberator together with the frame or back of the
pianoforte will form a practically air-tight cavity containing in such a pianoforte
about ten to eleven thousand cubic inches of air. This cavity I name the "Dolce-
Sound-Chest.
In this pianoforte the case being made practically air tight it is necessary in order
to obtain the full quantity of sound emitted, to open valves or shutters or slides
through which the sound may escape, and may be allowed to escape in regular
manner.
For this purpose I have added two extra pedals and combined the same with stops,
said extra pedals being placed successively and in such manner between the two
ordinary pedals that they may be acted upon by one foot independently, or together,
or together with the ordinary pedals.

page_text: The first of these pedals placed next to the "Celeste" pedal opens a shutter hinged to,
or a slide fitted upon the back top of the pianoforte, thereby enabling the vibrating air
contained in the Dolce Sound Chest" to escape through apertures made vertically
between the back of the beam and the back piece thereon, and also in the back top
under the said shutter or slide.
This pedal I name the "Dolce" pedal and the same pedal may be made to open
shutters or slides placed in the end or at the back of the instrument.
Corresponding with but independant of this pedal I have a draw stop placed in the
treble key block which when drawn keeps the "Dolce" shutter valve or slide open.
This stop I name the "Dolce" stop. This said "Dolce" stop may also be used to
open shutters or slides in the ends or back of the instrument.
The second extra pedal opens two shutters one placed between the top of the piano
and the top edge of the top door, the other placed between the key bottom and
the top edge of the bottom door, and these shutters I name the "Forte" shutters and
the pedal in connection 1 name the "Forte" pedal. This pedal may be used to
act upon shutters or slides placed in the ends or the back of the instrument.
Corresponding with but independant of this pedal I have a draw stop placed on
the bass key block which when drawn keeps the "Forte" shutters or slides open.
This stop I name the "Forte" stop and said "Forte" stop may be made to act
upon shutters or slides placed in the end or back of the instrument. As before
mentioned these shutters may be replaced by perforated slides, venetian blinds or
such like contrivances for opening and closing. I produce the same effects when
using Frets in doors by placing perforated slides or otherwise, and also venetian
blinds behind said Frets which are acted upon by the said "Forto" pedal and
"Forte" stop.
In order to produce a diminuendo midway between the Normal and the "Celeste "
I have a rail similar to the last named but carrying a stronger material. It finds
room alongside the said "Celeste" rail and is set in motion by means of a knee
movement placed in the centre of the instrument under the front rail of the key
bottom.
In order to meet the objection to the abnormal number of pedals, I reduce it to
three only by removing the "Celeste" pedal and substituting for it a knee movement
which I place under the front rail of the key bottom at a convenient distance
towards the Bass end of the Instrument. This said knee movement sets the
"Celeste" rail in motion.
In that case for the sake of symmetry I remove the knee movement first
mentioned from the centre to a convenient distance towards the Treble end of the
instrument.
The knee movement at the Bass I name the "Piano" that at the Treble I name
the "Mezzo-Piano."
Two draw stops working in the front rail of the key bottom when drawn maintain
permanently the effects temporarily produced by the knee movements. I name these
stops similarly to their respective knee movements "Piano" and "Mezzo-Piano."
The mechanical means employed to work the before described shutters, slides
venetians and mute rails are of no particular shape size or dimensions but are of
convenient simplicity and consist of levers, cranks rollers and other mechanical
devices generally used by Piano makers, harmonium makers and organ builders.
This system can be employed in any pianoforte whether of horizontal or upright
construction. The reverberator may be utilised in cases of pianos in which the belly
has sunken in and for this purpose the vertical pieces or bars and the sound posts
must be sufficiently strong to push the belly outwardly.
The way the reverberator is constructed makes it almost impossible for any of its
glueings coming away the effect of the sound post being to press on not to wrench off
the glued parts.
By these means I can produce acoustically by means of sound board arrangements
similar to those of the violin, a more homogeneous quality of tone.
I obtain a greater
sustaining power of vibration. I obtain from one instrument three very distinct or

page_text: "
initial qualities of tone. It enables the Artist to produce the "Sporzando" and
"Diminuendo on sustained chords thereby opening a wide field for various nuancing
effects hitherto impracticable. The study of the Pianoforte is rendered less distracting
to the auditory nerves of the student and of those within earshot.
The internal parts are specially protected from damp, sudden changes of temperature,
vermin and dirt yet the student or artist is enabled by this system of construction to
obtain any portion or the full volume of tone emitted whenever the condition of the
room in which the pianoforte stands is such as will not injure the instruments.
Instruments manufactured on these novel principles are eminently adapted for
extreme climates.

page_text: Improvements in Pianofortes.
1, JULES EUGENE AMAND GAUTIER (the elder) of 46 Wells Street Oxford Street,
in the County of Middlesex, Pianoforte Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of
this invention and. in what manner the same is to be perforined, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement, having reference to the
annexed sheet of drawings:-
This Invention relates to certain Improvements in Pianofortes of the iron-plate
equi-strung system and consists firstly in applying two sound-boards combined but
independent of each other. The front one supports the strings, the back one is glued
on a frame which is screwed on the back of the pianoforte.
The back sound board or "reverberator" a. Fig. 1 is made of about inch pine or
any other fir wood, jointed laterally, it is crossed vertically by eight pieces of belly-
wood, b. or any other springy wood, so disposed that the two centre ones are laterally
equi-distant from the quasi-centre bar on the front sound board; these eight pieces b
are crossed laterally by another piece c of springy wood (such as lance-wood or Swiss
pine for instance) strengthened by a piece of Beech wood d about eight inches long
with a tapped hole e. in the centre to admit of a screw pin f. Fig. 2. made of split
lance wood or any other hard wood; which pin passing through a hole in the
"reverberator" and the long cross way piece e is screwed through the Becch piece d
until the butt end of the said pin f. reaches the quasi-centre bar on the back of the
front sound hoard and g. then is further turned in until the maximum focus of tone is
obtained. This connecting pin f I name the "Sound Post."
с
The sound board and the reverberator together with the frame and back of the
pianoforte will form a practically air-tight cavity h. containing in such a pianoforte
about ten thousand cubic inches of air. This cavity I name the "Dolce-Sound-Chest."
The above described arrangement is reversible, that is to say the "reverberator" a.
may be jointed vertically, in that case the vertical bars b. are made to cross it laterally,
and the long bar c. together with the strengthening piece of Beech wood d. to cross it
vertically. The number of the first mentioned bars b. will depend upon the height of
the instrument.
In this pianoforte the case being made practically air-tight, it is necessary in order
to emit the full volume or quantity of sound produced to open valves or shutters or
slides, through which the sound may escape and may be allowed to escape in a
regulated manner.
For this purpose I have added two extra pedals, and combined the same with stops,
said extra pedals being placed successively and in such manner between the two
ordinary pedals (i.e. the "Celeste" and the "Loud") that they may be acted upon
independently or together and also with the ordinary pedals.
The first of these added pedals placed next to the ordinary "Celeste " pedal opens a
shutter hinged to, or a slide fitted upon, the back top of the pianoforte, thereby
enabling the sound generated in the "Dolce-Sound-Chest h to escape through
33

page_text: apertures made vertically at the back of the "beam" (i.e. the head of the piano) and
the back piece thereon and also in the back top under the said shutter or slide.
This pedal 1 name the "Dolce Pedal," and the same pedal may be made to open shutters
or slides placed in the ends or at the back of the instrument.
Corresponding with but independent of this pedal I have a draw stop placed in the
treble key-block which when drawn keeps the "Dolce" shutter, valve or slide open.
This stop I name the "Dolce" stop. This said "Dolce" stop may also be used to open
shutters or slides in the end or back of the instrument.
The second extra pedal opens two shutters, one placed between the top of the piano
and the top of the top door, the other placed between the key-bottom and the top of
the bottom door, and these shutters I name the "Forte" shutters and the pedal in
connection I name the "Forte" pedal. This said podal may be used to act upon
shutters or slides placed in the ends or the back of the instrument.
Corresponding with but independent of this pedal I have a draw stop placed in the
bass key-block which when drawn keeps the "Forte shatters or slides open. This
stop I name the "Forte" stop and said "Forte" stop may be made to act upon
shutters or slides placed in the ends or back of the instrument. As before mentioned
these shutters may be replaced by perforated slides, venetian shutters or such like
contrivances for opening and closing. I produce the same effects when using frets in
doors by placing perforated slides, venetian shutters, or otherwise behind said frets
which are acted upon by the said "Forte" pedal and "Forte" stop at the will of the
performer.
The above described shutters may be set in motion by means of the knee movements
hereinafter described.
In order to produce a diminuendo mid-way between the normal (i.e. the closed
piano) and the usual "Celeste "I have a rail similar to the "Celeste" but carrying a
stronger material. This said rail finds room alongside the said "Celeste" rail and is
set in motion by means of a knee movement placed in the centre of the instrument
under the front rail of the key-bottom.
In order to meet the objection to the abnormal number of pedals I reduce it to three
by removing the "Celeste" pedal and substituting for it a knee movement which I
place under the front rail of the key-bottom at a convenient distance towards the bass
end of the instrument. This said knee movement sets the "Celeste" rail in
motion.
In that case for the sake of symmetry, I remove the knee movement first mentioned
from the centre to a convenient distance towards the treble end of the instrument, thus
giving two knee movements. The knee movement at the bass I name the "Piano "
that at the treble I name the "Mezzo-Piano."
Two draw stops working in the front rail of the key bottom when drawn permanently
maintain the effect temporarily produced by the knee movements. I name these
said stops similarly to their respective knee movements, "Piano" and Mezzo
"Piano."
The "Celeste" rails may be set in motion by means of the extra pedals before
mentioned.
The position of the stops is immaterial, the "Diminuendo" stops may be placed
on the key-blocks instead of the key bottom and the "Sforzando" stops on the
key-bottom instead of on the key blocks, as will best meet the convenience of the
Artist.
The mechanical means employed to work the before described shutters, slides,
venetians and "Celeste" rails are of no particular shape, size or dimensions, bu
are of convenient simplicity, and consist of levers, cranks, rollers and other
mechanical devices generally used by piano makers, harmonium makers and organ
builders.
The system can be employed in any pianoforte whether of horizontal or upright
construction. The way the reverberator a is constructed makes it almost impossible
for any of its glueing coming away, the effect of the "Sound Post" f. being to
press on not to wrench off the glued parts.

page_text: By these means 1 can produce acoustically by sound board arrangements similar
to those of the violin, a more homogeneous quality and considerably increased
volume of tone, and duration of vibrations. I obtain from one instrument three
very distinct or initial qualities of tone. It enables the artist to produce the "Sforzando"
and "Diminuendo "
on sustained chords, thereby opening a wide field for numerous
nuancing effects hitherto impracticable, and thereby the study of the pianoforte is
rendered less distracting to the auditory nerves of the student and of those within
earshot.
The internal parts are specially protected by this system from damp, sudden changes
of temperature, dust and dirt, yet the student or artist is enabled to obtain from the
maximum to the minimum volume of tone at will.
It is very evident that instruments manufactured on these principles are especially
adapted for extreme climates.
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:-
:-
Firstly In the construction of iron-plate equi-strung or other pianofortes, the
employment of two sound boards a. g. constructed and combined as herein set forth,
and shown in Fig. 2 of the annexed drawings together with the screw-pin f. called the
"Sound Post" acting and operating as hereinbefore specified.
Secondly-In the construction of iron-plate, equi-strung or other pianofortes, the
formation of an air-tight cavity h. by the two sound boards a. g and the frame or back
of the instrument, called the "Dolce-Sound-Chest" as herein before set forth.
Thirdly In the construction of iron-plate, equi-strung or other pianofortes, the
various combinations of pedals, knee movements and stops acting and operating as
herein before set forth.
Fourthly In the construction of iron-plate, equi-strung or other pianofortes the
employment of apertures or the like in communication with the front and back cavities,
whereby the full volume of sound may be emitted by means of valves, shutters or the
like, acting and operating as hereinbefore set forth.
Fifthly In the construction of pianofortes the combined instrument as hercin-
before described, operating as and for the purpose herein set forth.
Dated this 24th day of December 1888.