Improvements in or relating to Resonators for Stringed Instruments, particularly Pianofortes.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Dec., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 21st Sept., 1896-Accepted, 7th Nov. 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Resonators for Stringed Instruments,
particularly Pianofortes.
I, DANIEL MAYER of 18 Great Marlborough Street, County of London,
Pianoforte Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as.
follows:-
:-
This invention relates to improvements upon resonators for stringed instru-
ments, particularly pianofortes, of the nature described in the Specification to
Letters Patent No. 20764 of 1894, the present invention relating more particularly
to the construction of the resonator.
The resonator usually consists of a metal plate in which may be openings, and
the intervening portions of the plate may be turned up or dished in any desired
manner, an arrangement by which I obtain excellent results being to provide
alternately broad and narrow strips of metal hollowed or dished so that the narrow
strips provide as it were shallow channels, while the wider ones form deeper
channels or more or less perfect tubes, according as the edges more or less closely
approach. However, the narrow and wide strips need not necessarily be arranged
alternately and may vary in length and width and amount of curve according to
the shape or requirements of the sound-board to which they are applied; they are
suitable to either upright or grand pianofortes. The strips, tubes etc. may be
connected to the sound-board by strings or equivalent as described in the previously
mentioned Patent No. 20764 of 1894 or not as desired, the whole plate being
preferably connected to the sound-board.
Dated this 19th day of December 1895.
DANIEL MAYER.
Boult & Wade,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in or relating to Resonators for Stringed Instruments,
particularly Pianofortes.
1, DANIEL MAYER of 18 Great Marlborough Street, in the County of London,
Pianoforte Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :—
This invention relates to improvements upon resonators for stringed instru-
ments, particularly pianofortes, of the nature described in the Specification to
Letters Patent No. 20764 of 1894, the present invention relating more particularly
to the construction of the resonator.
The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying
drawings in which by way of example, it is shown as applied to a horizontal
grand pianoforte.
In these drawings-
Figure 1 is a vertical section on the line 1-1 of Figure 2, the latter being &
:

page_text: view of the underside of as much of a grand pianoforte as is necessary to illustrate:
the application of this invention thereto; and
Figure 3 is a perspective view of a portion of the resonator shown in Figures l'
and 2.
Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.
The resonator as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 consists of a plate A in which may
be openings B, and the intervening portions A¹ A³ of the plate may be turned up
or dished in any desired manner, an arrangement by which excellent results are
obtained being to provide alternately broad and narrow metallic strips A' A'
respectively, hollowed or dished so that the narrow strips provide as it were
shallow channels, while the wider ones form deeper channels or if desired more or
less perfect tubes, according as the edges more or less closely approach. However,
the narrow and wide strips need not necessarily be arranged alternately, and may
vary in length and width and amount of curve according to the shape or require-
ments of the sound-beard to which they are applied. The resonator A preferably
through the strips or tubes A' A' is connected to the sound-board C by strings or
equivalent D of any suitable material, say gut, the whole plate being connected to
the pianoforte frame E. by preferably adjustable devices such as the bolts F,
(secured to the plate A), the yokes & secured to the frame E, and the nuts Fi
screwed on the bolts F at both sides of the yoke G, which arrangement admits of
the tension of the plate A being increased or decreased according to requirements.
Where the strips A¹ or A³ pass close beneath or adjacent to the frame-
trusses E they may be bent or doubled over as at A³ Figure 3, closer than they
are at other parts so as to prevent their coming into contact with these trusses,
though if desired to dispense with this special provision the plate may be secured
at a distance away from the trusses sufficient to prevent said contact.
The strings Dinay be passed through eyes or equivalent secured to or provided
in the belly c or in the usual bars or ribs thereof and through holes formed at any
desired parts of the resonator preferably as before mentioned in the strips or
tubes A A².
In an instrument constructed as before described the strips or tubes A¹ A² and
more or less the whole plate or resonator A vibrates in sympathy with the belly or
sound-board C and I find by experiment that where the strings D are of gut the
harmonics are reduced to a minimum.
The plate or resonator A may have a number of comparatively large perforations
which would as it were cause it to take the form of a frame; the word "plate" or
"resonator " herein used including all such arrangements.
Although I have illustrated my invention as applied to a grand or horizontal
pianoforte I wish it to be understood that it may equally well be applied to an
upright one and to other musical instruments in which bellies or sound-boards are
employed.
In some
cases particularly in upright and cottage pianofortes I find it
convenient to form recesses in the frame at the parts where the resonator is to be
connected to it and bridge these recesses with metal bars which serve as the before
described yokes G.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be perforined I declare that I do not in
this Specification claim anything which is claimed in the Specification of prior
Letters Patent hereinbefore referred to, but what. I claim is :
1. The combination, in a resonator, of alternate strips and openings.
2. In a resouator of perforated plate, dished or turned-up strips alternating with
the perforations.
3. The combination with a resonator in which dished or turned-up strips
alternate with openings, of strings extended between and connecting the resonator
with the sound-board substantially as aud for the purpose described:

page_text: resonance.
4. The combination and arrangements of parts constituting a
apparatus for musical instruments substantially as described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
10th of anatambar 1906
DANIEL MAYER.
Boult & Wade,
Agents for the Applicant..