Improvements in Pianos.
Year: 1896

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Pianos.
I GUSTAVE FRANZ LYON of 22 Rue Rochechouart, Paris, in the Republic of
France, do hereby declare the nature of this Invention to be as follows:-
In order to play pieces of music set for two pianos, transcriptions, orchestral-
parts for one piano with concertos for a second piano scores of operas transcribed
for two pianos as for example in the case of Wagner's music, two different instru-
ments have been required hitherto for their proper interpretation. Where two
pianos have been used for the performance of such pieces, it has been necessary
to locate them in the same room and therefor to set apart for them double the
space which one piano would occupy.
To reduce this space as much as possible, especially in the case of grand pianos
it has been hitherto the general practice to place the two instruments close to
each other in such a position that the two keyboards faced outwards at either
end, while the extended rear parts, or "tail pieces" of the two pianos were placed
one against the other. It will therefore be understood that a great advantage
might be derived by imparting to the two pianos such an outward shape as would
enable them to be still more closely fitted together and thus still further to
reduce the room space they occupy, while a still more important improvement
must result from combining the two pianos into one single instrument which
would occupy scarcely more space than an ordinary medium sized grand piano,
thus combining two instruments in one, for the performance of musical pieces
written for two pianos, of the class I have referred to.
It was this idea that has led me to try my first experiments on a grand piano
of reduced dimensions, then having ascertained the position of the central point
in the plane of such a piano, I turned a piano about that central point to an
angle of 180 degrees, so that the left hand extremity of one of the keyboards might
form the extension of the right hand extremity" of the other keyboard, and
vice versa.
I obtain by such means a piano of rectangular shape wherein the respective
lengths and degrees of tension of all the strings being known, the sections of
the single frame to be used for the twin instrument can be calculated so that
they may offer a maximum of resistance, combined with a minimum weight.
In an instrument constructed according to my Invention the left-hand part of
the piano, need only be turned 180 degrees about the centre or pivot-point already
mentioned, to bring the second half of the piano, or in other words the right hand
piano, with the keyboard into position. The steel strings of the left hand or
initial piano, will be found to be symmetrically arranged in the right hand or
terminal piano, in the same horizontal plane or level as the strings of the right
hand piano. And the same applies to the plane of the threaded strings of the
first mentioned piano, when it has completed a partial revolution of 180 degrees
about the aforesaid centre point or pivot.
The threaded or wound strings of the right hand piano will therefore be situated

page_text: on the same level with the wound strings of the left hand piano. Each individual
piano constituting this double instrument is thus provided with a complete set
of strings its own damper and its own lyre, with its loud and soft pedals; in
fact, there are two pianos to all intents and purposes identical as regards their
internal construction, joined or combined, together and arranged symmetrically
and extending outwardly on each side from the aforesaid central point or pivot.
The acoustic experiments to which the sound boards have been submitted have
enabled the large rectangular table in the rectangular outer casing, to be utilised,
and the instrument obtained as the result is a perfectly homogeneous, powerful
and harmonious one.
The several parts of the action as well as all the other remaining part of the
double instrument such as the pegs, the bridges, the hooks, the blocks and the
like may be of any suitable construction.
One of the advantages afforded by the piano I have described is that it may be
used wherever two pianos are required to be played together; then, again, by
using one keyboard only, it may be employed as an ordinary single piano; and
where it is adapted for this purpose, it offers the advantage that, while one
instrument may be set apart for practice only, the other may be kept ready for
skilled performers. Furthermore, while the instument is played on under normal
circumstances, a very advantageous feature will be found to consist in the possibility
of operating the two dampers at the same time by means of the very simple
mechanism which connects them to the pedal under the immediate control of the
player's foot; the result being that the second piano, which is not for the time
being played upon, proves to be extremely serviceable as a means for improving
the sound, inasmuch as the second plane or tier of strings, being relieved from its
dampers, becomes an additional sounding board both for the sounds produced by
the player and their harmonics, which, however, does not interfere with the
fact that each of the twin instruments is fitted with its own independent pedal
mechanism and its own loud and soft pedals, and no fear need be entertained, in
the case of a piece written for two pianos, lest one of the pianists should be
obliged to keep up certain chords longer than is necessary for his own part, to
avoid discordant sounds, in consequence of such chords being out of harmony with
the notes played by the other player.
Another advantage obtained by this improved instrument is, that the same
musical effect can be produced as would be obtained from two pianos within an
area far less than that which would be taken up by two small sized pianos and
the effect produced will prove a great deal more powerful, intense, homogeneous
and melodious than if two unconnected pianos were used, one reason being that
there is a closer communion or accord between the two performers, who can
readily watch each other.
Instruments constructed in accordance with this Invention are far less heavy
than two pianos would be of corresponding size, and the cost of this single twin
piano is considerably less than that of two instruments manufactured separately.
Dated this 31st day of October 1896.
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.

page_text: same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement:-
In order to play pieces of music set for two pianos, transcriptions, orchestral-
parts for one piano, with concertos for a second piano, and scores of operas tran-
scribed for two pianos, as for example in the case of Wagner's music, two different
instruments have been required hitherto for their proper interpretation. Where
two pianos have been used for the performance of such pieces, it has been necessary
to locate them in the same room and, therefore to set apart for them double the
space which one piano would occupy.
To reduce this space as much as possible, especially in the case of grand pianos,
it has been hitherto the general practice to place the two instruments close to
each other in such a position that the two keyboards faced outwards at either
end, while the extended rear parts or "tail pieces" of the two pianos were placed
one against the other. It will therefore be understood that great advantage
might be derived by imparting to the two pianos such an outward shape as would
enable them to be more closely fitted together and thus further to reduce the room
space they occupy: while a still more important improvement must result from
combining the two pianos into one single instrument which would occupy scarcely
more space than an ordinary medium-sized grand piano, thus providing two instru-
ments in one, for the performance of musical pieces written for two pianos, of
the class I have referred to.
According to my Invention to form a double or combined piano I arrange the
parts of two grand pianos of or about the same size with their keyboards on a
single frame.
The said parts are set back to back on a common centre of
symmetry at an angle of 180° to each other so that the left hand end of one
keyboard is in line with the right hand end of the other keyboard and vice versa,
the keyboards of the two pianos thus being parallel to each other.
I obtain by such means a piano of rectangular shape wherein the respective
lengths and degrees of tension of all the strings being known the sections of the
single frame to be used for the "twin" instrument can be calculated so that they
may offer a maximum of resistance, combined with a minimum weight.
My invention will be better understood by reference to the accompanying
drawings in which
Figure 1 is a plan of a double keyboard piano, with the top portion removed
constructed according to this invention; and
Figure 2 is a section of the same showing the arrangement of the frame
and the plane of the strings, in relation to the sound-board.
The left hand part of the piano with its keyboard 2, Figure 1, is placed at an
angle of 180 degrees to the right-hand part of the piano, with its keyboard at 21,
1 being the centre of symmetry common to both parts. The steel strings of the
left-hand piano will be found to be symmetrically arranged in the same horizontal
plane or level as the steel strings of the right-hand piano. And the same applies
to the plane of the threaded or base strings of the first mentioned piano, when it
has completed a partial revolution of 180 degrees about the aforesaid centre point
or pivot 1.
The threaded or wound base strings of the right-hand piano will thus be situated
on the same level with the threaded or base strings of the left-hand piano. Each
individual piano constituting this double instrument is thus provided with a
complete set of strings, its own damper, and its own lyre, with loud and soft
pedals; in fact, there are two pianos to all intents and purposes, identical as
regards their internal construction, joined or combined together, arranged
symmetrically, and extending outwardly on each side from the aforesaid central
point or pivot 1.
The acoustic experiments to which the sound boards have been submitted have
enabled the large rectangular table 7, inserted within the rectangular outer casing,
to be utilised, and the instrument obtained as the result is a perfectly homogeneous,
powerful and harmonious one,

page_text: The several parts of the "action" 8, 8¹ as well as the other remaining parts
of the double instrument such as the pegs 10, 10' the bridges 5 51, the hooks 11, 111,
the blocks 12, 121 and the like may be of any suitable construction.
One of the advantages afforded by a combined piano such as I have described
is that it may be used whenever two pianos are required to be played together;
then, again, by using one keyboard only, it may be employed as an ordinary single
piano; and where it is adopted for the purpose, it offers the advantage that,
while one instrument may be set apart for practice only, the other may be kept
ready for skilled performers. Furthermore, in ordinary use while only one of the
keyboards of the instrument is being played on, a very advantageous feature will
be found to consist in the possibility of operating the two dampers at the same
time by means of simple mechanism connecting them to the pedal under the
immediate control of the player's foot, the result being that the second piano,
which is not for the time being played upon, proves to be extremely serviceable as
a means for improving the sound, inasmuch as the second "plane" or tier of
strings, being relieved from its dampers, becomes an additional sounding board
both for the sounds produced by the player and their harmonics.
Each of the twin instruments is fitted with its own independent. lyre and its
own loud and soft pedals as aforesaid and no fear need be entertained, in the case
of a piece written for two pianos, lest one of the players should be obliged to
keep up certain chords longer than is necessary, which might be out, of harmony
with the notes played by the other pianist.
Another advantage obtained by this improved instrument is, that the same
musical effect can be produced as would be obtained from two pianos within an
area far less than that which would be taken up by two small sized pianos, and
the effect produced will prove a great deal more powerful, intense, homogeneous
and melodious than if two unconnected pianos were used, one reason being, that
there is a closer communion or accord between the two performers who can readily
watch each other.
Instruments constructed in accordance with this invention are far less heavy
than two pianos would be of corresponding size, and the cost of this single "twin
piano is considerably less than that of two instruments manufactured separately.
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. A double piano formed by the combination of two grand pianos upon one
and the same rectangular frame, in such a manner that the two portions of the
combined instrument are symmetrical in relation to the vertical axial line, sub-
stantially as set forth.
2. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting a double or combined
piano substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 28th day of July 1897.
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.