IMPROVED MEANS FOR AUGMENTING THE VOLUME OF SOUND OF PIANOFORTES AND HARMONIUMS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Stephen Frank Wasley, of the Town and County of
Nottingham, and at present of South Kensington, in the County of Middlesex,
for the Invention of "IMPROVED MEANS FOR AUGMENTING THE VOLUME OF
SOUND OF PIANOFORTES AND HARMONIUMS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Stephen Frank Wasley at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th February 1878.
STEPHEN FRANK WASLEY, of the Town and County of Nottingham, and at
present of South Kensington, in the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVED MEANS FOR
AUGMENTING THE VOLUME OF SOUND OF PIANOFORTES AND HARMONIUMS."
My Invention has for its object to augment the volume of sound of a pianoforte
or harmonium by preventing the deadening effect which a carpeted floor has when
the instrument stands upon the carpet.
My Invention consists in stands or supports, which I term resonators, placed
one under each foot or caster of the instrument, and so constructed that the instru-
ment rests directly upon the floor and not upon the carpet with which it is covered.
These stands or resonators consist each of a disc or plate of metal or hard wood, or
both combined, slightly cupped or hollowed on the upper side to receive the
casters or feet of the instrument, and formed or provided at its under side with
three or more spikes or pointed projections which penetrate through the carpet
and come into direct contact with the wooden floor, whereby the vibrations of the
instrument are communicated to the floor, thereby increasing the volume and
brilliancy of the tone.
These improved stands or resonators may be bronzed or otherwise ornamented.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Stephen Frank Wasley in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
23rd August 1878.
STEPHEN FRANK WASLEY, of the Town and County of Nottingham, and at
present of South Kensington, in the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVED MEANS FOR
AUGMENTING THE VOLUME OF SOUND OF PIANOFORTES AND HARMONIUMS."
My Invention has for its object to prevent the deadening effect which a carpeted
floor has upon the tone of a pianoforte or harmonium when the instrument stands
upon the carpet.
"
My Invention consists in stands or supports, which I term "reverberators,"
placed under the feet or casters of the instrument, and so constructed as to rest
directly upon the floor itself, and not upon the carpet with which it is covered.
These stands or "reverberators consist each of a disc or plate of metal or hard
wood, porcelain, glass, or other hard substance, slightly cupped or hollowed on the
upper side to receive the casters or feet of the instrument, and formed or provided
at the under side with three or more spikes or pointed projections, which penetrate
through the carpet and come into direct contact with the wooden floor, whereby
the vibrations of the instrument are communicated to the floor, which thus becomes,
so to speak, an extended sounding board, thereby increasing the volume and
brilliancy of the tone.
These improved stands or reverberators thus differ ossentially from the
ordinary glass insulators frequently used, inasmuch as the latter, as their name
implies, do not establish any connection between the instrument and the floor
itself.
I have represented one of the improved reverberators in the annexed Drawing,
Figure 1 of which shows a top view, Figure 2 a central vertical section, and Figure 3
an under side view thereof.
The stand or reverberator A is preferably cast all in one piece, with three or
more pointed feet or spikes a around the circumference, which are forced by the
weight of the instrument through the carpet into the wooden floor, without
however injuring the carpet, as the punctures made by them are so small as not to
be observable.
The stand A is slightly hollowed, as shown, to prevent the caster running off,
and it is for the sake of cheapness preferably made of cast iron, bronzed or other-
wise ornamented, porcelain, or glass, but may be made of other metal or hard
material.
Having described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of performing the
same, I declare that what I claim as my Invention to be protected by the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent is, a stand or support for pianofortes and
harmoniums to rest on, provided with pointed spikes or feet, which penetrate
through the carpet to the wooden floor, substantially as and for the purpose
specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Stephen Frank Wasley, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.