IMPROVEMENTS IN APPLYING PEDALS TO PIANOFORTES
Year: 1885

page_text: I, HENRY THOMAS WEDLAKE trading as H. Wedlake of 8 Berkeley Road,
Regent's Park in the county of Middlesex Organ Builder do hereby declare
the nature of my said invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN APPLYING PEDALS TO
PIANOFORTES to be as follows:-
The object of my invention is so to apply pedals to pianofortes that a small
movement of the pedal shall cause the note of the same to sound and that
expression can be given as required to the said note.
I carry out this object by adapting and utilizing an apparatus somewhat similar
to the pneumatic action in organs and applying the same to the pedals and to the
notes of the pianoforte in the following manner.
The pedals formed in the usual or other manner are mounted in a frame in the
ordinary or other convenient method and under or near the base of or below
the pianoforte or the keyboard thereof is placed this my arrangement of pneumatic
action. This consists of two or a pair of bellows made in any usual or convenient
manner one of which bellows is a great deal larger than the other. The larger
bellows is preferably the lower one and the two boards thereof are hinged or
pivotted at the back of the instrument or furthest from the pedals and on the
upper board of this bellows is pivotted or hinged in the reverse position the smaller
bellows. The upper or free board of this smaller bellows is connected by suitable
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rods and levers to the keys or to a separate series of hammers as
may desire.
When the pedal is depressed it causes the larger bellows to expand either by
coming in contact with a projection on the lower board of the same or otherwise
and as these bellows have an internal communication between them all the air is
instantaneously drawn out of the smaller bellows which therefore collapses and the
upper or free board thereof falls whereby through the arrangement of rods and
levers aforesaid the note is struck. A loose band is made to surround both the
bellows so as to ensure the collapse of the smaller bellows and also that it shall
remain collapsed as long as the pedal is kept depressed. When the pedal is released
a spring under the lower board of the larger bellows lifts the same up again forcing
the air therefrom into the smaller bellows.

page_text: This apparatus as aforesaid may be separately applied to each pedal in which
case it may be placed as may be most convenient above or by the side of one
another or otherwise arranged to allow of the proper number of bellows being
fitted without unduly extending the pedals or I can fit only one or more sets of
this apparatus to serve the whole series of pedals in which case each set of this
apparatus would be common to all or some of the pedals and to ensure that the
proper corresponding note will be struck each of the pedals would first actuate a
rod or other appliance which would bring the rods and levers of the corresponding
note into position to be actuated by the smaller bellows as aforesaid.
A check strap can also conveniently be attached to each pedal to prevent the
same knocking unduly against the toe piece when the said pedal is released.

page_text: HENRY THOMAS WEDLAKE trading as H. Wedlake of 8 Berkley Road Regents
Park in the county of Middlesex Organ Builder, do hereby declare the nature of
my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN APPLYING ORGAN PEDALS TO PIANO FORTES,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The object of my invention is so to apply pedals to pianofortes that a small
movement of the pedal shall cause the note corresponding to the same to sound
and that expression can be given as required to the said note.
I carry out this object by adapting and utilizing an apparatus somewhat similar
to the pneumatic action in organs and applying this apparatus to the pedals and to
the notes of the Pianoforte in the following manner.
The pedals formed in the usual or other manner are mounted in a frame in and
by the ordinary, or other convenient method and under or near the base of or
below the pianoforte or the keyboard thereof is placed this my arrangement of
Pneumatic action. By referring to the accompanying drawing it will be seen that
the general arrangement for one key consists of a pedal and pair of bellows A. and
receiver B. the receiver being much larger than the bellows.
Letters of reference apply to all figures. C is a fixed board constituting the
upper portion of the receiver B at the back end of which is hinged a similar board
the edges of which are joined by any flexible material to those of the upper
board Č. Upon the under side of the lower board is a projecting arm D which is
the means by which the moveable part of the receiver is brought down corresponding
with a similar movement of the pedal. Upon the fixed board C and at the end
nearest to the back of the pianoforte is a small bellows A hinged in a reverse
position to the receiver below it, the reason for such relative position will be
apparent. The upper board of the small bellows is joined at the edges by any
flexible material to the lower board in a similar manner to the receiver just
described. The freeboard of the said small bellows carries a short-arm F from
which connection is made by suitable rods or levers to the keys G or to a separate
action as I may desire. At H is a small valve for the escape of air in order to
allow of the perfect return of the receiver B. A passage of communication is also
made between the bellows and receiver at J. through which air is either drawn or
forced, thus when the receiver is inflated the bellows is collapsed and when the
small bellows is inflated the receiver is collapsed.
Upon the pedal being depressed the freeboard of the receiver A Fig. 3 is pressed
down and the air which was inside the small bellows A being thereby suddenly
drawn out the said bellows immediately collapses and a note is struck as soon as
the pedal has been depressed about one third of the whole distance it has to travel.
A loose strap K which is made to surround both the bellows and receiver ensures
the small one remaining collapsed as long as the pedal is kept depressed in order
to keep the damper off the string during the same duration of depression. Upon
the pedal being released the spring L which during the inflation of the large
receiver has been compressed (see Fig. 3) is used for returning the lower board of
the large receiver.

page_text: Upon the lower board of the feeder is a stud or pin M which passes upwards
through the passage of communication between the bellows and receiver the top
point of which stud presses upon the upper board of the bellows and in like manner
as the aforesaid spring pushes upwards the lower board of the receiver. This stud
or pin simultaneously pushes up the top board of the bellows (see fig. 2).
Thus by the application of my improved pneumatic lever in conjunction with
organ pedals to pianofortes I am able to obtain a perfect imitation to the pedals
used in organs and thereby give the facility of touch in the practice of organ
music as in a pipe or reed instrument.
This apparatus as described may be applied to each pedal separately in which
case they may be placed in any convenient manner one being above or by the side
of the other or arranged in such a way that the proper number of bellows can be
fitted without unduly extending the pedals or if necessary I can fit only one or
more sets of this apparatus to answer the whole series of pedals in which case each
set of the said apparatus would be common to all or some of the pedals and to
ensure that the proper corresponding note will be struck each pedal would first
actuate a rod or other suitable appliance which would bring the rods and levers of
the corresponding note into position to be actuated by the said smaller bellows.
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
ly
1st The application of pneumatic levers or bellows which may be used in con-
junction with organ pedals to pianofortes.
2nd The construction and application of improved pneumatic levers or bellows
arranged in such a manner that the putting down of the pedal simultaneously
actuates a vacuum receiver which withdraws air from a pneumatic lever or bellows
attached thereto upon which is secured an arm which has suitable connections for
giving action to the key and note.
3rd The construction and application of a pneumatic lever and receiver of such
relative proportions that the cubical contents of the receiver may considerably
exceed those of the pneumatic lever so that an instantaneous collapse of the said
lever or bellows is ensured.
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