NEW OR IMPROVED SELF-RESISTING PLANK LEVERS FOR PIANOS
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Benjamin Howell, of 17, Acacia Road,
Saint John's Wood, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention
of "NEW OR IMPROVED SELF-RESISTING PLANK LEVERS FOR PIANOS."
Sealed the 30th November 1875, and dated the 31st May 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Benjamin
Howell at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 31st May 1875.
·I, THOMAS BENJAMIN HOWELL, of 17, Acacia Road, Saint John's
Wood, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "NEW OR IMPROVED SELF-RESISTING PLANK LEVERS FOR
PIANOS," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in a new principle of stringing the piano
without any pull upon the rest plank. The old plan causes failure in
pianos standing in tune because the back pulls over.
By this improvement there is a lever on the top of the piano from
back to front, the fulcrum being an iron plate bent over and screwed

page_text: at the back with a small curve to keep it steady; through the back of
the lever is a hole through which a screw comes, being fixed to the iron
plate on the top. On the screw is a nut. The wire in front is hitched on
the front of the lever. The nut being screwed down on back of lever
presses lever down at the back and tightens the string in front. The
nut being easily turned it is a great improvement upon the old plan
of the string being turned round the pin in front, which must pull
the back over, and by the wearing away of the wood the pin gets
loose, the string having a tendency to pull the pin round by the
strain.
Another advantage is it will not require one quarter the wood to make
the back; instead of 10 bracings as now used 4 inches and a half wide
to withstand the pull it can be made with 2 bracings 3 inches square
having nothing to pull them over.
Another advantge is the ends will be 2 inches narrower from back to
front, consequently taking up less room.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Thomas Benjamin Howell in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 30th November 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
BENJAMIN HOWELL, of 17, Acacia Road, Saint John's Wood, in the
County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirty-first day of May, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the thirty-
eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Thomas Benjamin Howell, Her special
licence that I, the said Thomas Benjamin Howell, my executors, admini-
strators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas Benjamin
Howell, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-

page_text: after during the term thercin 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 In-
vention for "NEW OR IMPROVED SELF-RESISTING PLANK LEVERS FOR PIANOS,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Thomas Benjamin
Howell, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 Thomas Benjamin Howell, do hereby
declare the nature of my said 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 consists in a new principle of stringing the piano
without any pull upon the wrest plank. The old plan generally causes
failure in pianos standing in tune because the back pulls over, and very
often pulls the wrest plank away from the bracings.
By this improved system there is a lever on the top of the piano from
back to front, the fulcrum being a metal plate bent over and screwed
at the back with a small curve to keep the lever steady; through the
back of the lever is a hole through which a screw comes, being fixed
to iron plate. On the top of screw is a metal nut fitted to a tuning key,
the nut being screwed down on the back of the lever presses the lever
down and tightens the string in front, the string being hitched on.
On this principle of leverage the piano can be more accurately tuned
as the nut moves so easy that by applying the tuning key you can bring
the piano up to pitch simply by the little finger alone, and with all the
8 tons pull upon the wrest plank under the old system there is not
under my principle one feather's weight to pull the wrest plank over, or
bend the bracings at the top.
This Invention likewise docs away with the glueing up of the plank
in different thicknesses made of hard wood to prevent the pin holes
breaking into one another, and to prevent wearing the holes away. By
this new plan the old fashioned wrest pins are entirely done away with,
and moreover, under the old plan the wire is twisted tightly round the

page_text: wrest pin, the pull upon which must have a decided tendency to pull
the pin round again.
Another great advantage is that the back can be made with half the
wood, which will greatly add to the power and tone of the piano. These
levers can also be brought into use for obliques without any alteration
whatever in the construction of the back, there being no pull upon the
plank there would be no need for oblique bracings. They can also be
applied to grands with all the above beneficial effects.
Under the old plan the wrest plank is glued and screwed on the front
of the bracings, by the lever plan there is one solid piece of deal 41 1
inches by 5 inches fixed on to the top of the bracings. The back can
likewise be made with four bracings 3 inches square.
For foreign pianos this plan is invaluable, as by the old plan extreme
climates cause the glueings to come away. This plan by the same rule
is invaluable for cabin pianos, as they take up less room.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Benjamin Howell, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of
November, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and seventy-five.
THOMAS BENJAMIN HOWELL.
(L.S.)