A NEW SORT OF INSTRUMENT, OR GRAND FORTE PIANO, WITH AN OCTAVE SWELL, AND TO PRODUCE VARIOUS TONES TOGETHER OR SEPERATE, AND WHICH INSTRUMENT WILL BE MORE DURABLE, AND PRODUCE FINER AND MORE VARIABLE TONES, THAN ANY YET MADE
Year: 1777

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
STODART, of Wardour Street, Soho, in the County of Middlesex, Musical
Instrument Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King George the Third did, by
His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date.
at Westminster, the Twenty-first day of November, in the eighteenth year of
His reign, give and grant unto me, the said Robert Stodart, His especial
licence, full power, and sole priviledge and authority, that I, the said Robert
Stodart, during the term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend, within that part of Great Britain
called England, the Dominion of Wales, and Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed,
my Invention of "A NEW SORT OF INSTRUMENT, OR GRAND FORTE PIANO, WITH AN
OCTAVE SWELL, AND TO PRODUCE VARIOUS TONES TOGETHER OR SEPERATE, AND WHICH
INSTRUMENT WILL BE MORE DURABLE, AND PRODUCE FINER AND MORE VARIABLE
TONES, THAN ANY YET MADE;" in which said Letters Patent there is contained
a provisoe obliging me, the said Robert Stodart, under my hand and seal, to
describe and ascertain the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, and to cause the same to be inrolled in His
Majesty's High Court of Chancery within four calender months next after the
date of the said recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, relation being
thereunto had, may more fully and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in pursuance of and in compliance with the said
proviso, I, the said Robert Stodart, do hereby declare that the nature of my
said Invention of a New Sort of Instrument, or of Grand Forte Piano, with an
Octave Swell, and to produce various Tones together or separate, and which
Instrument will be more Durable, and produce finer and more variable Tones,
than
any yet Made, and in what manner the same is performed, is described
and ascertained in the Plan thereof hereto annexed, and the references to such
Plan indorsed on the same.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Stodart, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, the Sixteenth day of March, in the eighteenth year of the
reign of our Sovereign Lord George the Third, by the grace of God
of Great Britain, France, and Ireland King, Defender of the Faith,
and so forth, and in the year of our Lord One thousand seven hundred
and seventy-eight.

page_text: A Frame of Wood on which the Hammers placed upon!
61 Hammers.
K. A Brass Plate screwed down upon each center of the Hammer.
A Piece of Wood covered with Cloth which the Hammers rest upon.
A piece of Wood covered with Leather moved by a Screw to regulate the
Jacks.
1 pace of wire fixed in each Rey covered with Leather at the top to prevent
Hammers from falling upon their hest till the Finger ; is off the Keys,
N: 2. N. 1. Two Sliding Sockets for the Tacks.
A fixt Socket.
Two Rows of Jacks.
A Spring fixed on the side of the Carcase to keep the Sliding Sockets back from
The Strings when the pedals are not used:
A Slider which runs along the face of the Sacks.
A Lifter fixed by it's centre on the inside of the Carcase to move the back row of
Sacks that the Keys may be taken out and put in without taking out the Jacks
A pedal when pressed down moves the Sliding Socket No 1 which plays the
Harpsichord and at the same time moves the Slider R. which keeps back the
Sacks from the Hammers to that the Harjaichend culy jelays.
Another Pedal by placing the foot upon gradually makes the swell upon
The Octave the last mentioned Pedal may be either used to the Harpsichord
or Forte Piano at the pleasure of the performer .