IMPROVEMENTS IN THE ACTIONS OF PIANO FORTES
Year: 1884

page_text: I, EDWIN GILLARD CAMP of 2 Grove Park, Redland Road Bristol, in the
County of the same City, retired brush manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature
of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE ACTIONS OF PIANO FORTES" to be
as follows:-
Piano Forte hammers have hitherto been built up of severel parts viz:
"hammers," "Shanks," "butts" or "hubs" &c all fastened together (glued) to
form one whole and have been when used, actuated upon and moved as one piece.
My improvements consist firstly, in making the above-named parts of such a
form and in connecting them in such a manner that each of these parts bas
individual motion and extended capacity of use; secondly, in the method of
imparting motion to the "butt" of the "hammer" and thirdly, in certain improve-
ments in the "jack" connecting the "keys" with the "action."
I will refer to my "Improvements in the actions of Piano Fortes" in the order
of the "hammer," its "shank," its "butt" or "hub" and the "jack."
Hammers as hitherto made soon wear hard at the striking points and then
produce inferior tones. I make my improved "hammers of a circular form and
attach them to their "shanks" in such a manner that they may be more or less
rotated at will. I claim as new, this mobility of the "hammer" upon the "shank
by means of which successive parts of its surface may be presented to the strings
when required.
"
The "shank" of the "hammer" in my Improvements in the actions of Piano
Fortes" is not fixed to the "butt" but only attached to it by a suitable joint or
hinge, or, is made to vibrate from the same joint as that from which the "butt "
vibrates.
I claim as new, this capacity of the "shank" (arising out of the before-mentioned
adjustment) to continue the movement originally imparted to the “butt," after the
"butt" itself has ceased to move.
I make the "butt" or "hub" of the "hammer" of such a shape, mount it upon
the sustaining rail of the "action" in such a manner and operate upon it in such a
way that when it is moved to strike, it carries the "shank" along with it to a given
distance, when, the " butt's" motion being arrested, the "shank" advances by the
momentum it has received, delivers a blow upon the strings and then falls back
ID 21

page_text: "
upon the "butt" in "check for the next blow, or, untill relieved by lifting the
finger off the "key."-This arrest of the "butt's" motion without arresting the
forward motion of the "shank" I claim as new.
Motion has hitherto been imparted to the "hammer" by a thrust.
In my
"action" the "butt" of the "hammer" is seized and moved (at an
increasing velocity if I please) untill its motion is arrested as before described.
This seizure and sustained movement of the "butt" (in lieu of giving motion to it
by a thrust) I effect, either by simple friction between the "jack" and the "butt,"
or by encircling the "butt" with a string of gut or other suitable strong, pliant
material, move it by pulling at the gut; said gut being subject to exact
adjustment.
This moving of the "butt" by direct friction or by means of a string of gut or
other suitable material I claim as new.
I provide an arrangement by which the lower end of the "jack" may be moved
to and fro horizontally to any point at or near the inner end of the "key." This
method of regulating the amount of motion which shall be given to the "action"
I claim as new.
I claim to make all or any portion of my "Improvements in the Actions of Piano
Fortes" of any material or materials found suitable.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Actions of Piano Fortes.
I, EDWIN GILLARD CAMP of 2 Grove Park Redland Road, Bristol in the County
of the same City, retired Brush Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of my
invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN THE ACTIONS OF PIANO FORTES and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained"
in and by the following statement :―
Piano forte hammers have hitherto been built up of several parts, viz hammers,
shanks butts &c all of which parts have been rigidly fastened (glued) together
to form one whole and when used have been actuated upon and moved as one piece.
My improvements consist in making the above-named parts of such a form and
in connecting them in such a manner that each of these parts has individual
motion and extended use: in the method of imparting motion to the butt and
shank of the hammer and in certain improvements in the jack which connects the
action with the key.
Hammers as heretofore made soon work hard at the striking points and then
produce inferior tones. I make my hammer heads of a circular form and attach

page_text: them to their shanks in such a way that they (the heads) may be more or less
rotated at will.
The Shank of the hammer in my "Improvements in the Actions of Piano
fortes" is not fixed to the butt, but attached to it by a suitable joint or hinge, or,
is made to vibrate from the same joint as that from which the butt vibrates, by
virtue of its own elasticity:-in my drawings herewith I show both forms of
attachment.
I make the butt of the hammer of such a shape, mount it upon the sustaining
rail in such a manner and operate upon it in such a way, that when it is moved
to strike it carries the shank along with it to a given distance, when, the butts
motion being suddenly arrested, the shank carries the hammer a little further by
the momentum it has received, the hammer delivers its blow upon the strings and
then the shank falls back upon the damper on the butt in check for another blow,
untill relieved by lifting the finger off the key.
Motion has hitherto been imparted to the hammer by a thrust or blow. In my
action the butt of the hammer is seized and moved (at an increasing velocity if
I please) untill its motion is suddenly arrested as before stated. This seizure and
sustained movement of the butt I effect by friction between the key or jack and
the beel of the butt, or, by encircling (altogether or in part only) the heel of the
butt with a string of some strong, pliant material, move it by the friction caused
by pulling at the string, said string being subject to easy, exact adjustment.
(When I desire to move the butt at an increasing velocity, I make the joint
eccentric with the heel of the butt.)
I provide arrangements in the jack for regulating 1. the slack of the friction
tape or string passing round (more or less) the heel of the butt-2-the arrest of
the butt's motion at a given point, and 3-for the lift of the jack by the key.
Fig: 1. represents my "Improvements in the action of Piano fortes" complete,
in principle, but subject to various modifications of configuration in detail.
a. Is the sustaining rail of the action.
b. Is a wire driven into or otherwise fastened to the rail a. this wire being
bent at its upper end suspends the spring c.
d. Is a piece of gut, tape or other suitable material secured to spring a and
passing wholly or in part round the heel of the butt e. is made fast by the adjusting
screw f. to the jack g.
h. Is a bit of gut or string of some sort attached at one end to an elongation of
the butt e. then led through a hole in the jack g. and made fast to the adjusting
pin . This string is used to arrest the butt's motion. j. Is the outline of one of
the bearings of the butt e. and which also acts as guide to the jack g.
k. Is the hammer shank hinged to the butt e. The butt e. is elongated upwards
to carry the damper 1. m. Is the hammer. (In this instance made in halves
between which is inserted a piece of thin steel. The halves of the hammer are
rivetted or otherwise fastened together through a hole in the steel. The steel is
continued down and fastened into the shank k. There are other ways of providing
for the rotation of the hammer head, some of which are shown in the drawings
annexed.)
n. Is a bearing for the jack g. It is secured to the key p. by the adjusting
screw o. which moves in a slot to permit horizontal adjustment of the bearing n.
Its action may be thus described when the key is depressed it lifts the jack g.
which by means of the tape d. (more or less encircling the heel of the butt c.)
acting like a belt on a pully, moves the butt, shank and hammer over a given arc,
when the butt is arrested by the cord h. This arrest is made when the hammer
is nearly close to the strings. When the butt stops, the shank takes up the work
and carries the hammer to the strings. The spring q. gently presses the shank
back upon the damper l. (I sometimes prefer to effect this by gravity as
illustrated at X fig. 3.)
Figs. 3 and 4 illustrate cases in which I employ a shank made of such a
size and material as to have sufficient elasticity in itself to dispense with a second

page_text: hinge, as shown in figs. 1 and 2. It is fixed to and vibrates synchroniously with
the butt until the butt is arrested when the shank bends a little, the hammer
.strikes and the shank is brought to rest by and on the damper as shown in fig. 1.
Fig. 4 Illustrates a case in which motion is given to the butt by friction between
the key and the butt. (Motion may be given by the jack to the butt in the same
or similar manner.)
Figs. 5, and 6. Are two other ways of attaching the hammer head to the shank;
.fig. 5. eccentrically; fig. 6. by means of a key, wedge shaped.
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. The mobility of the hammer head upon the shank, by which differant parts
of its striking surface may be turned to the strings as occasion may require..
I also claim as new, the circular form of the hammer head, as applied to Piano
forte actions.
2. The construction and adgustment of the hammer's shank to the butt as
described, or, in any way which will permit the shank to continue the motion
originally given to the butt, after the butt's motion has been arrested.
3. Any arrangement of parts which has for its object the arrest of the butt's
motion without arresting that of the shank.
4. The moving of the butt of the hammer by friction, caused by a moving
surface in constant contact with the heel of the butt. (As in the case of friction
pullies in contact, or, of a belt passing more or less round a pully.)
5. The employment and use of the screw f. and the pin i. in the jack; or
any similar arrangment by means of which the motion of the butt of the hammer
in my improved action may be adjusted and arrested.
6. The moveable bearing n. on the key p. or any arrangment of a similar nature
having for its object the regulating of the amount of lift which shall be given to
the jack.
"Improve-
7. To vary the construction of the various parts of my Invention for “
ments in the actions of Pianofortes" both as to their configuration and material.
8. To use one or more of the before-described improvements in a Piano forte
action, as circumstances may render convenient.
Dated this 20th Confomation 100%