IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF KEYS FOR PIANOFORTES AND OTHER MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS REQUIRING SUCH KEYS, AND IN PARTS CONNECTED WITH SUCH KEYS
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Daniel George Staight and Stephen Staight, both
of 35, Charles Street, Hatton Garden, in the County of Middlesex,
Merchants and Manufacturers, and James Cheverton, of Elm Villa,
Turnham Green, in the said County, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF KEYS FOR PIANOFORTES AND OTHER MUSICAL
INSTRUMENTS REQUIRING SUCH KEYS, AND IN PARTS CONNECTED WITH SUCH
KEYS."
Sealed the 17th April 1866, and dated the 24th October 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Daniel George Staight,
Stephen Staight, and James Cheverton at the Office of the Com-
missioners of Patents, with their Petition, on the 24th October 1865.
We, DANIEL GEORGE STAIGHT and STEPHEN STAIGHT, both of 35, Charles
Street, Hatton Garden, in the County of Middlesex, Merchants and Manu-
facturers, and JAMES CHEVERTON, of Elm Villa, Turnham Green, in the said
County, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF KEYS FOR PIANOFORTES AND OTHER MUSICAL INSTRU-
MENTS REQUIRING SUCH KEYS, AND IN PARTS CONNECTED WITH SUCH KEYS," to be
as follows:-
The improvements relate, firstly, to those keys termed sharps, which at
their front ends are usually made of ebony or other dark wood, and which are
sometimes blackened before being polished. The appearance of these keys is
liable to be affected by the polish and the stain employed coming off with

page_text: continued use, as well as also by the cracking of the wood of which they are
made, and the weight of such "sharps" requires a proportionate counter-
balance to their opposite ends.
The object of our improvements is to remedy these evils, and at the same
time to obtain lightness to such keys by making them or a portion of them of
india-rubber, gutta percha, or a compound thereof, prepared to obtain the
harduess and color or appearance desired, as is well understood, and which is
commonly called ebonite or vulcanite. This material we mould or stamp to
the shapes required, and by preference, for the sake of lightness and economy,
hollow or with chambers on their under sides. Sharps" so formed, not only
possess greater strength and durability of color than those of the ordinary
construction, but present a much superior appearance.
And, secondly, the improvements consist in forming the fronts of the keys,
commonly called "front slips," of like material, (india-rubber, gutta percha,
or compounds thereof,) which may be readily moulded or formed into any
desired ornamental or other figure for such parts, by which economy with
increased ornamental effects may be obtained.
And, thirdly, the improvements relate to forming of the material referred to
the surfaces acting as guides for the rocking and guide pins of keys of piano-
fortes, and other musical instruments having such keys. These surfaces are
obtained at present by perforations made in that part of the keys (which as
they are at present constructed is ordinarily formed of wood) of peculiar con-
figurations adapted to the size or form of the pins on which they move. The
operations by which these perforations are produced have to be very carefully
effected, in order that the perforations or openings may be sufficiently large,
and yet not too large for the respective pins, as either tightness or too much
freedom would equally interfere with the correct action of the keys.
According to this part of our improvements we bore or otherwise form holes
or make recesses in the required parts of such keys, each to receive a form
produced by moulding or pressing from the prepared material referred to,
(india-rubber, gutta percha, or a compound thereof,) the internal figure of
such forms being by the moulding or pressing produced to the configuration
desired for acting with the particular pins. Or the form of openings desired
for the action of the pins may be produced in or upon plates or surfaces of
the material referred to, applied in or upon the surface of the keys.
The matter or composition of matter formed as described may be attached
to the parts, or may be held in position by glue or other suitable cement, and
by their use considerable saving, with greater precision and durability, are
obtained. In the event of its being desired to fix the pins in the keys in

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Daniel George Staight, Stephen Staight, and James
Cheverton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 24th April 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, DANIEL
GEORGE STAIGHT and STEPHEN STAIGHT, both of 35, Charles Street, Hatton
Garden, in the County of Middlesex, Merchants and Manufacturers, and
JAMES CHEVERTON, of Elm Villa, Turnham Green; in the said County, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-ninth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the
said Daniel George Staight, Stephen Staight, and James Cheverton, Her
special licence that we, the said Daniel George Staight, Stephen Staight, and
James Cheverton, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as we, the said Daniel George Staight, Stephen Staight, and James Chever-
ton, our executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during
the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF KEYS FOR PIANOFORTES AND OTHER MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
REQUIRING SUCH KEYS, AND IN PARTS CONNECTED WITH SUCH KEYS,"
upon the
condition (amongst others) that we, the said Daniel George Staight, Stephen
Staight, and James. Cheverton, our executors or administrators, by an in-
strument in writing under our or their hands and seals, or under the band
and seal of one of us or them, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be
performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Stephen Staight, on behalf of
myself and the said Daniel George Staight and James Cheverton, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manuer the same is to

page_text: be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say:-
The improvements relate, firstly, to those keys termed "sharps," which at
their front ends are usually made of ebony or other dark wood, and which are
sometimes stained black before being polished. The appearance of these keys
(termed sharps) as now made is liable to be injuriously affected by the polish
and the stain employed in their manufacture coming off with continued use;
the wood of which they are made is also liable to crack.
Our improvements consist in forming by moulding or stamping these keys
hollow or with chambers on their under sides, and in using for their manu-
facture india-rubber, gutta percha, or a compound thereof, prepared to obtain
the desired hardness and color, and which is commonly called "ebonite" or
"vulcanite." We fill up the vacuity with common wood or a cement made
of glue and sawdust. Sharps so made retain their color longer and are more
durable than those of the ordinary construction; they also possess a much
superior appearance.
And, secondly, our improvements consist in forming the fronts of the keys,
commonly called "front slips," of like material, (india-rubber, gutta percha,
or compounds thereof,) which may be readily moulded or formed into any
desired ornamental or other figure for such parts, by which economy with
increased ornamental effects may be obtained.
And, thirdly, our improvements consist of forming of the material referred
to the surfaces acting as guides for the rocking and guide pins of keys of
pianofortes and other musical instruments having such keys. These surfaces
are obtained at present by perforations made in that part of the keys, which as
they are at present constructed is ordinarily formed of lime-tree wood, solid or
as a veneer, of peculiar configurations adapted to the size or form of the pins
on which they move. The operations by which these perforations are produced
in the materials now used have to be very carefully effected and adjusted, so
that the perforations or openings may be sufficiently large and yet not too large
for the respective pins, as either tightness or too much freedom would equally
interfere with the correct action of the keys. The materials now used are
also liable to injury from the action of the atmosphere.
As to this part our improvements are as follows:-We bore or otherwise
form holes or make recesses in the required parts of such keys, each to receive
a form produced by moulding or pressing from the prepared material referred
to, (india-rubber, gutta percha, or a compound thereof,) the internal figure of
such forms being by the moulding or pressing produced to the configuration
desired for acting with the particular pins. Or the form of openings desired
:

page_text: for the action of the pins may be produced in or upon plates or surfaces of the
material last referred to, applied in or upon the surface of the keys.
The matter or composition of matter formed as described may be attached
to the parts or may be held in position by glue or other suitable cement, and
by their use greater precision and durability are obtained. In the event of its
being desired to fix the pins in the keys instead of in the key rails, then the
prepared material of the forms desired would be applied to the rails or other
surfaces under the keys.
In witness whereof, I, the said Stephen Staight, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
STEPHEN STAIGHT. (L.S.)