Improvements in or connected with Violin-pianos or Pianinos.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Apr., 1891-Accepted, 23rd May, 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Violin-pianos or Pianinos.
I, CARL VORBRODT of 25/26 Berliner-Strasse Magdeburg, Germany, Piano
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 :-
My invention relates to a piano or pianino, riz., the Kings Pianino (Königs Pianio)
in which the usual hammer mechanism is replaced by a stroke or bowing arrange-
ment so that the strings instead of being struck are brought into resonance by
friction. The stroke or bowing arrangement consists of a frame spanned with violin
bow hairs resting in a horizontal position upon rollers which frame is moved
backwards and forwards continuously by two pedals worked by the feet. The violin
bow hairs are arranged in the frame, with the same number of distinct bands as
there are strings, and each one of these bands lies in close proximity to its corre-
sponding string. Upon a depression of a key of the pianoforte, the corresponding
hair-band is pressed against the respective string or strings by a lever provided
with slide-rollers, which is moved by the keys and by its backward and forward
motion brings the strings into resonance.
In such a stroke or bowing pianino the sound is much finer and more agreeable
than in hammer pianinos. The action is entirely similar to that of the stroke
instrument, over which however the stroke pianino has this advantage, that in
consequence of the straight or exact motion of the hair-hows there cannot be any
scraping. Moreover, with this stroke pianino by a more or less forcible depression
of the keys a stronger or a weaker tone and a respective increase or decrease of the
resonance may be obtained, which is not possible with the ordinary hammer
pianinos.
The invention will be better understood by reference to the accompanying
drawings.
Fig. 1 shows in front view the interior arrangement of an apparatus constructed
according to my invention.
Fig. 2 is a side view; and
Fig. 3 a sectional plan.
Figs. 4 and 5 are detail views.
A frame A is arranged perpendicular to the strings of the pianino, thus in a
horizontal position, as shown in ground plan in Fig. 3. which frame A is bent
in a form corresponding to the sounding board (Fig. 1.). In the frame A
separate bands of violin bow hairs a are stretched from front to back in an
equal number to the strings of the pianino and each of such hair bands passes
over a string at a distance of only from 1 to 3 millimetres. The hair bands a
which represent so many separate violin bows may be provided with an adjusting
screw in like manner with the latter in order to increase or decrease the tension.
The whole of the hair bands a as well as the shorter sides of the frame A go
through the sounding board R, for which purpose the latter is provided with
corresponding apertures (Fig. 3).
The frame A rests with each shorter side upon two revolvable rollers B' (
and B (respectively arranged one behind the other and consisting of a larger
and a smaller roller. To prevent the frame from slipping off these rollers ench
shorter side of the same is provided underneath with a projecting ledge a¹ and a
respectively, which fits into the circular grooves attached to the rollers. Upon
each side of the frame there is a small guide roller dan din order to
prevent the lifting of the frame from the hearing rollers. Both the larger

page_text: bearing rollers B' and B' carry each a wheel band on the inside. Upon
each of these wheels are two straps e and et lying near each other (Fig. 1.).
One of these straps el passes forward round the wheel and the other end of the
said strap el is fastened to the back of the frame A, the other strap ³ passes
backwards round the wheel and the other end of said strap being fastened to
the front of the frame A (see Fig. 2).
g
The left larger bearing roller B' is mounted on a revolving shaft which
shaft at its opposite end carries a broad wheel or pulley F. A driving band
runs over the wheel F, and over a wheel attached to the inside of the
wheel. The wheel F is provided on the outside with a short band which
goes round the under half of the wheel F and is fastened to the said wheel in
the middle by a screw. The ends of this band are connected respectively
with two sloping two-armed levers h¹ and h which are fulcrumed to supports
and fastened to the ground plate of the pianino and the other ends of which
levers and are connected with two foot pedals K' and K' attached to the
pianino. These pedals are constantly alternately depressed by the player, so
that, by means of the levers h¹³, the band of the wheel F, the shaft the
band the rollers B', B* with the wheels are alternately revolved in the one
and the other direction so that by means of the bands and the frame A is
alternately moved backwards and forwards.
At some distance from the strings and close over the frame A, is fastened
a correspondingly curved board 1. On the under side of this board there are
fastened in like manner as many small pivotted levers as there are strings and
hair bands a the said pivotted levers lying near to each other. In order to
make room for these levers, they are arranged alternately above and below each
other (see Figs. 2, 3 and 4) and corresponding to the hair bands a attached in
a zigzag form to the frame A (Fig. 1). Each lever m carries at its free forked
end a revolvable roller m' which lies sideways towards one of the hair bundles a.
Over the levers m, there are horizontal revolving rods the hinder rectangular
downward bent ends of which are in contact with the left side of the levers,
whilst their front rectangular ends which are bent towards the right are con-
nected by rods p with the keys T of the pianoforte. These rods o are fulcrumed
in a ledge attached to the board I and in a ledge n fastened to the front wall of
the pianino (see also Fig. 5). Upon the depression of a key, by means of the rods
and 0, the lever m is moved towards the right and the roller m³ then presses
the hair band a lying near it towards its respective string s. In consequence of the
backward and forward movement of the frame effected by the action of the
pedals K K the hair bands now act upon the respective strings and thereby bring
the latter into resonance, whilst the undepressed hair bands go backwards and
forwards without touching the corresponding strings. Upon the freeing of the keys,
the latter, as well as the levers m are restored to their original position by means
of suitably arranged springs (not shown).
According as the keys are more or less forcibly depressed the hair bands a will
be more or less strongly pressed towards the strings and thereby a stronger or a
weaker tone produced. It is also possible by a gradual increase or decrease of
the pressure on the keys to produce a swelling or a diminution of the tone.
The contrivances for the transference of the motion from the keys to the rollers m³
and likewise from the pedals K' K² to the frame A may be arranged otherwise than
they are here represented.
The stroke (or bowing) pianino described may be provided with a damper in the
same manner as ordinary pianinos, which however instead of being worked by a
pedal is acted upon by a kuce pressure.
If the pianino is to be bi-chord or trichord the separate strings belonging to each
note instead of being arranged side by side are placed behind each other, for which
purpose the pianino is provided with a special raised ledge .r (Fig. 1) which carries
the hanging pins for the front strings.

page_text: 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.
A violin piano or pianino in which the strings are acted upon by hair bands
passing between the same and going through the sounding board, which bands are
stretched in a frame A, the said frame A resting upon rollers in front of and
behind the sounding board being moved backwards and forwards by bands
and e² which fastened to the wheels b' and also run forwards and backwards over
the same and the free ends of which bands e and are fastened at the back and
front to the frame A all substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.
1001
CARL
VORBRODT
By Brewer & Son,
Agents.