AN IMPROVEMENT IN PIANOFORTES
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for
the Invention of "AN IMPROVEMENT IN PIANOFORTES."-A communication
from abroad by Herman Lindeman and Henry Lindeman, both of the
City of New York, in the United States of America.
Sealed the 8th December 1865; and dated the 26th June 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 26th June 1865..
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVEMENT IN PIANOFORTES," to be as
follows:-
This Invention consists in the substitution for the long block and cross
blocks commonly used in pianofortes, of a cycloidal or other curved or arched
structure of wood or other material. This cycloidal, curved,or arched structure
also serves for the back and sides of the case of the instrument. By these
means the instrument can be made of the requisite strength with less weight of

page_text: material, and made of smaller size and of a form which gives a better
appearance than those constructed on the present system. The curved or
arched structure which is substituted for the long and cross blocks is made of
a number of thin boards or veneers bent around a form or mould of the
requisite curvature, and glued to each other and connected at the ends in front
by a brace, so that the sides and back will form a continuous curve. Instead,
however, of forming the sides and back of one continuous structure and
uniting the ends of such structure by a brace, the structure may be continued
round the front part of the instrument, and then cut out in a suitable manner
for the reception of the key board. Outside of the curved or arched structure
the case, constructed in a similar manner of thin boards glued together, is
fastened, thereby giving a curved form to the exterior of the instrument at
the back and sides. Upon the curved or arched structure forming the
substitute for the long and cross blocks, the wrest plank or tuning block is
secured, covered by an iron plate and constructed in the usual manner, except
that the outer portion of the back and sides corresponds in shape with
the shape of the curved structure and case. By thus substituting the curved
structure for the long and cross blocks, and for the back and sides of the case
of the instrument, and by making such structure of thin boards or veneers
glued together, the immense strain of the strings is better resisted, while at
the same time the instrument is made smaller and lighter than heretofore.
The curved or arched structure may likewise be placed in an upright or bourdoir
pianoforte as well as in a horizontal one; it may terminate in front of a
horizontal pianoforte in square or nearly square corners, or be continued round
the front corners.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office ou
the 20th December 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-eighth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Edward Newton, Her special licence that I, the said William

page_text: Edward Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said William Edward Newton, my 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," a communication from
abroad, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William
Edward Newton, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, 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 I, the said William Edward Newton, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
:-
This Invention consists in the substitution for the long block and cross
blocks commonly used in pianofortes, of a cycloidal or other curved or arched
structure of wood or other material. This cycloidal or other curved or arched
structure also serves for the back and sides of the case of the instrument.
By these means the instrument can be made of the requisite strength with
less weight of material and made of smaller size and of a form which gives a
better appearance than those constructed on the present system.
In the accompanying Drawings Fig. 1 is a plan view of a horizontal
pianoforte constructed on the improved plan, and with the cover removed.
Fig. 2 is an inverted plan of the same.
The curved or arched structure A,
I which is substituted for the long and cross blocks, is made of a number of thin
boards or veneers, bent around a form or mould of the requisite curvature, and
glued to each other and connected at the ends in front by a brace B, in such
nanner that the sides and back will form a continuous curve. Instead,
however, of forming the sides and back of one continuous structure, and
uniting the ends of such structure by a brace, the structure may be continued
round the front part of the instrument and then cut out in a suitable manner
for the reception of the key board. Outside of the curved or arched structure
A, the case D, constructed in a similar manner of thin boards glued together,
is fastened, thereby giving a curved form to the exterior of the instrument at

page_text: the back and sides. To facilitate the hinging of the top or cover of the
instrument to the case, the central portion of the back of the curved structure
A, and case may be made straight or nearly straight for a short distance, while
both sides form continuous curves. Upon the curved or arched structure A,
forming the substitute for the long and cross blocks, the wrest plank or tuning
block is secured, covered by the iron plate C, and constructed in the usual
manner, except that the outer portion of the back and sides corresponds in
shape with the shape of the curved structure A and. case D. By thus
substituting the curved structure for the long and cross blocks and for the
back and sides of the case of the instrument, and by making such structure
of thin boards or veneers glued together, the immense strain of the strings is
better resisted, while at the same time the instrument is made smaller and
lighter than heretofore, as the long and cross blocks heretofore in use are (for
the purpose of obtaining the requisite strength to withstand this immense
strain) placed in such position as to occupy space which this improvement
dispenses with. The curved or arched structure A may likewise be placed in
an upright or bourdoir pianoforte, as well as in a horizontal one; it may
terminate in front of a horizontal pianoforte in square or nearly square corners
or be continued round the front corners as represented in the Drawings..
Having now described this Invention of an improvement in pianofortes,
and having explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, I claim as
the Invention secured to me by Letters Patent as aforesaid :-
Ist, the use of a curved or arched structure made of a number of boards or.
veneers glued together, as a substitute for the long block and cross blocks of
pianoforte as for the purpose herein specified.
a
2nd, an arched or curved structure for the back and sides of the case as
well as for a substitute for the long block and cross blocks of a pianoforte made
of a number of boards or veneers glued together as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of December, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFatt,
66, Chancery Lane.
W. E. NEWTON. (L.B.)