IMPROVEMENTS IN PIANOFORTES
Year: 1880

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Robinson at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 4th August 1880.
WILLIAM ROBINSON, of Camden Town, in the County of Middlesex, Pianoforte
Spinner. "IMPROVEMENTS IN PIANOFORTES."
This Invention relates to improvements in pianofortes, the objects and advantages
of the improvements being hereinafter made clear.
It is usual in pianofortes of all descriptions to place the "rest plank," which is
constructed of wood, at the upper part of the "back," but on the front thereof, the
same being glued to the usual "bracings" and further secured by a few bolts or
screws; the usual "pins" for tightening or tuning the wires being inserted in the
front of the plank. This arrangement is very disadvantageous, in that more material
is required in the bracings and back than is necessary to attain the desired result; an
unnecessary height is given to the instrument, and these combine in making the
instrument more costly than is necessary, and the "belly" is unnecessarily small
and contracted owing to the tuning pins limiting the position of the upper
"bridge," and consequently the volume of sound is not of the nature which is
possible with a frame of a less height, if constructed according to my improvements.
The object of my Invention is to remedy these defects, as according to my
improvements I require less than the usual material in constructing my pianos; I
construct them of a less height, and yet render them of a greatly improved tone by
increasing the size of the "
belly."
"
I attain this object by placing the rest plank immediately on the top of the
bracings or back instead of at the upper part of the front thereof, and I insert the
tuning pins in the top of the plank, and cause the strings to come over the top
edge thereof, or of any equivalent thereof. The rest plank may be secured in this
position by glue, or screws, or bolts, and I render the plank more secure by slightly
inclining the top of the bracings on which the rest plank lies from the front
downwards to the rear. This improved arrangement altogether prevents the rest
plank from being pulled off, as is sometimes the case with the ordinary arrangement,
and moreover, as a very important advantage, it at the same time requires a less
height (and consequently less material) in the bracings and back, and yet allows of
the belly being increased, as the upper bridge can then be placed so as to have its
highest point level with the top of the instrument, a result which it is not possible
to attain with the ordinary construction, and thus with an instrument of a smaller
Dries Q31

page_text: size, a greatly improved tone is obtained, which is of course the most important
consideration in instruments of this nature, this advantage becoming more apparent
as the middle and bass strings are approached from the treble end.
The upper bridge is kept in position at the treble end by means of a stay piece,
which is prevented from shifting its position by the projecting edge of the rest
plank, and at the base end by the plank, the projecting edge of which at this end is
supported by small iron brackets affixed to the bracings.
The above described improvements are equally applicable to wood or to what are
known as "iron" pianofortes.