Improvements in and relating to Pianofortes and the like.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 20th July, 1892-Accepted, 19th Nov., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Pianofortes and the like.
1, GEORG AUGUST BEHRENS-SENEGALDEN, of 24, Bahnhofstrasse, Lichterfelde,
near Berlin, in the Empire of Germany, Composer, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be par-
ticularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates chiefly to a pianoforte which, in contradistinction to the
well-known pianofortes with scales progressing by half tones, is characterized by
progression by quarter tones, that is to say it has full, half and quarter tones.
Whereas up to the present time music disposed of about 85 notes in 7 octaves,
the improved instrument has double the number of notes. It is evident that
such an extension of the scales, which is likewise applicable to the organ, will
afford the composer a larger field.
In the accompanying drawing, which represents a pianoforte having a scale
progressing by quarter tones,
Figure 1 shows a vertical transverse section through the pianoforte.
Figure 2 is a front view of the holder for the quarter-tone strings with the frame
for the action, this frame being provided with a shifting device.
Figure 3 is a front view of the keys characterized by the quarter-tone
progression together with the scale appertaining thereto.
C
More-
The tones produced by the raising or by the lowering of a full or large half tone
by a quarter tone must be differentiated by the notation.
For this purpose any
desired signs may be used similar to the sharps and flats, for instance circles (0)
may indicate the rise and simple crosses (+) the fall of a quarter tone.
over, the quarter tones should have names corresponding to the names of the half
tones. I have decided to characterize the tones produced by the rise of a quarter
tone by the termination us, and the tones produced by the fall by the termination
08. The c raised by a quarter tone would therefore be named (similarly to cis) qus,
and the d lowered by a quarter tone would be named (similarly to des) dos. For
the strings of the quarter tones is provided, in the pianoforte represented, a special
string holder 1 with a sounding board 2, which parts are arranged in front of the
holder 3 for the strings of the full and half tones. The keys are divided into three
series corresponding to the three kinds of tones, the front keys 4 corresponding to
the full and large half tones, the rear keys 5 to the half tones, and the middle keys 6
to the quarter tones. The front and rear keys 4 and 5 of the full and half tones
extend below the sounding board of the quarter tones rearwards to the rear string
holder 3 and operate the action arranged in front of this holder. The middle
keys 6 extend to the front string holder and operate the action belonging to this
holder. The arrangement of the actions for both string holders is well known,
being as follows: The movement of the key is first transmitted by means of a
pusher 8, provided with a guide rod 7, to a lever 9 which communicates it, by the
pusher 11 acting upon the hammer nut 10, to the hammer 12. By 13 is designated
the disengaging device which on the depression of the key acts against the inclined
plane of the pusher 11 and lifts it from the hammer nut. A small string 14 which
extends from a wire 15 to the hammer nut 10, ensures the back movement of the
hammer. The catch 16 takes the nut 10 of the hammer by means of a small
head 17 fixed to the latter. The damper pad 18 is arranged on the one-armed
lever 19 and is raised from the side as soon as this lever 19, through the medium
of the wire 20 connecting the same with the lever 9, is lifted on the depression of
the corresponding key.
In Figure 1 the pedal 21 belonging to the dampers 18 is represented as being
pressed downwards, that is to say all the dampers are raised. The pedal in

page_text: this position, through the intervention of a rod 22, a lever 23 and another
rod 24, raises a frame 25 which in turn raises all the levers 19, thereby lifting off
all the dampers.
The second pedal 26, serves for decreasing the strength of tone, that is to say
for shifting the two actions, the supporting frames 27 of which are connected with
each other by beams 28.
As shown in Figure 2 the pedal 26, by means of a rod 29, a double armed
lever 30 and another rod 31, causes the oscillation of a bell-crank lever 32, one
arm of which effects the displacement of the actions. On the release of the pedal
these actions are caused to return to their normal position by the action of a spring
not represented.
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 pianoforte in which are added, to the two series of keys (4, 5) heretofore
employed for full and half tones, a third series (6) with which is combined a string
holder (1) with a sounding board and action, which holder carries the strings
producing the quarter tones.
Dated this 20th day of T... 1000
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.