Improved Mechanism for Tightening or Loosening Wires or Ropes. Applicable to Tuning Pianos or other Purposes.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Oct., 1886.
Complete Left, 10th June, 1887.
Complete Accepted, 5th Aug.. 1887
Improved Mechanism for Tightening or Loosening Wires or Ropes.
Applicable to Tuning Pianos or other Purposes.
I FRANK ALBERT WARDLE of Swan Square, Burslem, in the County of Staffordshire
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
The usual system of tuning musical stringed instruments more especially pianofortes
being faulty in that so far as they do not secure a permanent tension of wires or cords
I claim that my Invention secures this in a greater degree if not perfectly.
I also secure a greater nicety or minuteness in the revolving principle of the peg or
pin round which the wire is secured and tightened.
My Invention consists of a brass or other metal frame which is secured to the
instrument in a convenient position and into this frame I insert a wheel with cogs or
a wheel on the ratchet principle which may be constructed of metal wood or any other
hard or durable substance having on either or both sides a drum or prolonged nave
grooved or of plain surface as may be most suitable round which drum or have the
wire or wires can be secured or wound at will whether the instrument is composed of
one two or more wires for each note.
I also arrange that in the said frame more than one wheel as described can be
inserted if more convenient for the process of tuning or regulating the sound.
Contiguous to each of these wheels I insert in a hole or aperture perpendicular or
otherwise to the frame a peg or pin that will revolve having round it the worm or
screw principle which when turned with a key or winder causes by means of the screw
working into the cog or ratchet wheel above named revolutions of the drum that
slacken or tighten the wire or wires that are attached or wound round the drum or
nave. It will be seen by the above described Invention that I can not only secure

page_text: absolutely any possibility of the wheel retrograding or giving way and thus the wire
slackening as the peg or pin aforesaid estops revolution of wheel through its worm or
screw but also in tuning the instrument the tuner has greater power of regulating to
a nicety the tension of the wire or wires and this in proportion to the number of teeth
and the fineness of the cogs in the said wheels whereby the equable character quality
of tone or timbre can be secured at will.
Whilst claiming this Invention as specially adapted for pianofortes I also claim the
right to introduce it into any musical instruments or other appliances where wires
cords ropes or chains have to be wound or tightened or secured at will.
Dated this 12th day of October 1886.
For the Petitioners,
G. E. FREEMAN & Co.,
The Crescent, Longton,
Staffordshire.

page_text: Applicable to Tuning Pianos or other Purposes.
I, FRANK ALBERT WARDLE of Swan Square, Burslem, in the County of Staffordshire
Engineer 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 :-
The usual system of tuning musical stringed instruments more especially pianofortes
being faulty in that so far as they do not secure a permanent tension of wires or cords
I claim that my Invention secures this in a greater degree if not perfectly.
I also secure a greater nicety or minuteness in the revolving principle of the peg or
pin round which the wire is secured and tightened.
My Invention consists of a brass or other metal frame A which is secured to the
instrument in a convenient position, and into this frame I insert a wheel with cogs B,
or a wheel on the ratchet principle which may be constructed of metal wood or any
other hard or durable substance having on either or both sides a C drum or prolonged
nave, grooved or of plain surface as may be most suitable round which drum or nave
the wire D or wires can be secured or wound at will whether the instrument is
composed of one two or more wires for each note.
I also arrange that in the said frame more than one wheel as described can be
inserted if more convenient for the process of tuning or regulating the sound.
Contiguous to each of these wheels I insert in a hole or aperture perpendicular or
otherwise to the frame a peg or pin E that will revolve having round it the worm or
screw principle which when turned with a key or winder, causes, by means of the
screw working into the cog or ratchet wheel above named revolutions of the drum,
that slacken or tighten the wire or wires that are attached or wound round the drum
or nave. It will be seen by the above described Invention that I can not only secure
absolutely any possibility of the wheel retrograding or giving way and thus the wire
slackening as the peg or pin aforesaid estops revolution of wheel through its worm or
screw but also in tuning the instrument the tuner has greater power of regulating to
a nicety the tension of the wire or wires and this in proportion to the number of
teeth and the fineness of the cogs in the said wheels whereby the equable character,
quality of tone or timbre can be secured at will. Whilst claiming this Invention as
specially adapted for pianofortes I also claim the right to introduce it into any
musical instruments or other appliances where wires cords ropes or chains have to be
wound or tightened or secured at will.

page_text: 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
1. A permanent tension of wires or cords.
2. Greater exactness in the tension of wires or cords.
3. A greater perfection of musical tone.
4. The right not only to use my Invention for pianofortes, but to introduce it into
any musical instruments or other appliances where wires cords ropes or chains have
to be wound or tightened or secured at will.