AN IMPROVEMENT IN PIANOFORTES
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Tarr, of 112, York Street, Oxford Street,
Manchester, and Enoch Farr, of 40, Cavendish Street, Oxford Street,
Manchester, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVEMENT IN PIANOFORTES."
ed the 23rd October 1868, and dated the 29th April 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Tarr and Enoch
Farr at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their Petition.
on the 29th April 1863.
We, WILLIAM TARR, of 112, York Street, Oxford Street, Manchester, and
ENOCH FARR, of 40, Cavendish Street, Oxford Street, Manchester, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVEMENT IN PIANOFORTES,"
to be as follows:-
This Invention of improvements in pianofortes will be more clearly under-
stood by reference to the accompanying Drawings, Sheets 1 and 2.
1st, the improvements consist in bringing the sticker A, A, Sheet 1, and
the hammer butt B together in firm contact immediately after the hammer
has struck the strings, and by the application of a regulating step in the front
of the butt B. By these means the rebounding of the hammer is prevented
and a secure check produced.
2nd, in attaching two levers C, C, to each sticker A, A, at such inclinations
as to give an outward movement to the top of sticker A, A, when the key I, I,
is depressed, thereby assisting the hopper E to escape from under the hammer
butt B.
3rd, an improved method of regulating the length of the hopper E by

page_text: attaching it to the sticker A, A, with two screws in a slot or groove cut in
the lower end of the hopper E, whereby the hopper E can be raised or lowered
as required, and the necessity of cutting down the hopper E avoided.
4th, in hingeing the damper F into rail G and connecting it by a bridle
and regulating button N to sticker A, A, and by the outward movement of
sticker A, A, caused by the inclinations of levers C, C, the damper F is drawn
from the strings L, L.
5, in retaining the same weight of touch at all times, whether the dampers
F are in action or out of action. By moving the damper rail G towards the
strings by a pedal the dampers F are put out of action and moved backwards
and forward the same as when in action, the bridle N operating as a fulcrumi,
and always acting on the damper F.
6th, by an improved octave couplet by means of an additional set of keys
or levers H, H, placed under the manuals or keys I, I, and acting under
the sticker A, A, causing each key I, I, to strike, in addition to its own note,
the octave above or below, and by a noiseless method of connecting the keys
or levers H, H, with manuals I, I, by means of hoppers K, attached to keys
or levers H, H, and regulated to vertical positions under the manuals I, I, by
screw button M. The manuals I, I, are disconnected from the keys or levers,
H, H, by rail O in front of the hoppers K, centered at one edge, which when
moved backwards comes in contact with hoppers K, and presses them from
under the manuals I, I, and out of action. This couplet or octave couplet is
applicable to organs and all similarly keyed instruments. Sheet 2 shows the
application of our Invention to the concert grand piano.
Lastly, this Invention has for its object the general simplicity, durability,
and efficiency of the whole action herein-before described.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Tarr and Enoch Farr in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 29th October 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, WILLIAM
TARR, of 112, York Street, Oxford Street, Manchester, and ENOCH FARR, 40,
Cavendish Street, Oxford Street, Manchester, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Пer Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-sixth year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, er heirs and successors, give and grant unto

page_text: us, the said William Tarr and Enoch Farr, Her special licence that we, the
said William Tarr and Enoch Farr, our executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as we, the said William Tarr and Enoch Farr, our executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at 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 "AN IMPROVEMENT IN PIANOFORTES," upon
the condition (amongst others) that we, the said William Tarr and Enoch
Farr, 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 Williamı Tarr and Enoch Farr, do
hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner tho
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement and accompanying Drawings, that is to say:-
This Invention of improvements in pianofortes will be more clearly under-
stood by reference to the accompanying Drawings, Fig. 1 and Fig. 2.
1st, the improvements consist in lengthening the hammer butt B at the
lower end, and in bringing the said hammer butt in contact with the top of
sticker A, A, iminediately after the hammer has struck the strings, and in
attaching the hammer butt to the bottom edge of the hammer rail X,
effectually preventing the vibrating or rebounding of the hammer, and thereby
producing an efficient and durable check.
2nd, in attaching two levers C, C, to each sticker A, A, at such inclinations
as to give an outward movement to the top of sticker A, A, when the key I, I,
is depressed, thereby assisting the hopper E to escape from under the hammer
butt B, and increasing the power of the blow.
3rd, an improved method of regulating the length of the hopper E by
attaching it to the sticker A, A, with two screws in a slot or groove cut in
the lower end of the hopper E, whereby the hopper E can be raised
or lowered as required and the necessity of cutting down the hopper E
avoided.
4th, in hingeing the damper F into rail G, and connecting it by a bridle
and regulating button N to hammer butt B. By the outward movement of
bammer butt B the damper F is drawn from the strings L, L.

page_text: 5th, in retaining the same weight of touch at all times, whether the
dampers F are in or out of action. By moving the damper rail G with a
pedal, the dampers F are put out of action and moved backwards and forwards
the same as when in action, the bridlo N operating as a fulcrum, and always
acting upon the dampers F.
6th, by an improved octave couplet, by means of an additional set of keys
or levers H, H, placed under the manuals or keys I, I, and acting under the
sticker A, A, causing each key I, I, to strike, in addition to its own note, the
octave above or below, and by a noiseless method of connecting the keys or
levers H, H, with manuals I, I, by means of hoppers K, attached to keys or
levers H, H, and regulated to vertical positions under the manuals I, I, by
screw button M. The manuals I, I, are disconnected from the keys or levers
H, H, by a rail O in front of the hoppers K, which, when moved backwards,
comes in contact with hoppers K, and presses them from under the
manuals I, I, and out of action. This couplet or octave couplet is applicable
to organs and all similarly keyed instruments.
Lastly, this Invention has for its object the general simplicity, durability,
and efficiency of the whole action herein-before described.
In witness whereof, we, the said William Tarr and Enoch Farr, have
hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty-eighth day of
October, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
sixty-three.
WILLIAM TARR. (L.S.)
ENOCH FARR.
(L.S.)