Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Oct., 1887
Complete Specification Left, 31st July, 1888
Complete specification Accepted, 31st Aug., 1888
The invention has partly for its object the softening of the tone of pianofortes by
pedal or other action, and the prevention of a rebound of the hammer against the
strings or wires.
a
The pedal is attached to two horizontal levers ordinarily known as "rockers" which
rest on a fulcrum about the middle of their length, and are attached to the pedal by
screw or its equivalent. On pressing down the pedal the further ends of the levers, or
rockers, are raised up. To each further end of these levers are attached rods to
convey their motion to a crank, which, being pressed upward, moves forward two long
woollen brushes, or pads of some soft material until they press against all or a portion
of the strings or wires and produce soft harmonies when the strings are struck by the
hammers. The upward movement of the rods also raises another pair of rods which
run side by side with them. To this second pair of rods is attached a horizontal rail,
which reaches across the whole of the strings, just under the hammers. A piece of
soft felt projects above the upper edge of this rail and is placed by its upward motion
between the hammers and the strings. The one motion of the pedal therefore presses
a soft pad against all the strings or desired against a portion only and interposes a
slip of felt between the strings and the hammers. The effect of this twofold action of
the pedal renders the tone exceedingly soft and pleasing and is especially adapted for
quiet practice and pianissimo effects. In conjunction with the pedal 1 have introduced
an improvement in the release of the hammer from the strings, by which its rebound
against the strings is prevented. To attain this, instead of using an ordinary

page_text: hopper" with the top blackleaded to reduce the friction, I place a piece of smooth
glass or other smooth material on the top of the hopper. It is secured to the hopper
by means of a carriage or holder or in other suitable manner. By the motion of the
key, this hopper raises a lever, as in ordinary pianoforte actions, but, instead of the
recoil of the lever being suddenly checked, I allow it to expend its force on an
inclined plane, slightly concave. The recoil of the hammer is thus brought to rest
gradually, and in this way a second blow against the strings is avoided, and the quality
of the tone rendered pure.
Dated this 29th day of October 1887.

page_text: I, WILLIAM HENRY DAVIES, 42 Irvine Street, Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, 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 :-
The invention has for its objects, the softening of the tone of pianofortes by pedal
or other action, and the prevention of a rebound of the hammers against the strings
or wires.
The invention may be described by aid of the accompanying drawings, in which,
Figure 1 is a front elevation of a piano provided with my improvements, the front
of the case, the keys, hammers, etcetera, being removed.
Figure 2 is a transverse section on line x, y, Figure 1, looking towards the right
hand side of the instrument.
Figure 3 is an elevation of the reverse side of the actuating rods C, G, shown in
Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a back view of a portion of the mechanism shown in Figure 1.
Figure 5 is a side view of an improved "hopper" arrangement.
In these figures, A is an ordinary pedal. It is fulcrumed at its rear end and
connected by a vertical rod a to two horizontal levers B ordinarily known as "rockers"
which each rest on a fulcrum about the middle of their length. On pressing down
the pedal the further ends of the levers or rockers, are raised. To each further end
of these lovers are attached rods C to convey their motion to a crank or cranks (
hereinafter described. Or the rods C may simply rest upon the ends of the rockers as
shown. D, D, are two flat bars which are hinged to the action frame E, and extend
wholly or partly across the instrument, just in front of the strings F, the bars being
held normally a short distance off the strings, by a spring d, or its equivalent. Each
of the bars carries a long woollen brush or pad. D¹ of soft material such as pile fabric,
felt, etcetera. One of the cranks C is attached to the further end of each bar in such
a position that it overhangs the latter, and points obliquely upwards, and away
from the strings. The upper extremity of one of the rods C rests below each
crank, so that whenever the pedal A is depressed, the cranks are raised, and the pads
or brushes D pressed against all or a portion of the wires. By this means, soft
harmonies are produced when the wires are struck by the hammers. Or one bar and
crank may be employed instead of two.
The upward movement of the rods C also raises another pair of rods G, which run
side by side with them. To this second pair of rods is attached a horizontal rail H,
Figures 1 and 2, which reaches across the whole of the strings, just below the
hammers. A piece of soft felt H¹ projects above the upper edge of this rail, and is
placed by its upward motion between the hammers I and the strings F. The one
notion of the pedal A therefore presses a soft pad or brush against all the strings, or,

page_text: if desired, against a portion of them only, and interposes a slip of felt between the
strings and the hammers. The effect of this combined action of the pedal A is as
follows: The fundamental tone of each string is quenched by the pressure of the
brush or pad D, whilst the insertion of the soft pad H between the hammers and the
strings, extinguishes an undue predominence of the overtones, and renders the tone of
a peculiarly soft and pleasing quality, which is especially adapted for quiet practice
and pianissimo effects. J shows the position of the rockers belonging to the usual soft
pedal J. These are placed just below the rods G, so that the latter may be raised
independently of the third pedal A, and without actuating the pads H¹:
In conjunction with the pedal, I have introduced an improvement in the release of
the hammer from the strings, by which its rebound against. the strings is prevented.
To attain this, instead of using an ordinary "hopper" with the top blackleaded to
reduce the friction, I place as in Figure 5, a piece of smooth glass K or other smooth
material on the top of the hopper L. It is secured to the hopper by means of an
adjustable carriago or holder k, or in other suitable manner. By the motion of the
key M to which the hopper is attached, the latter raises a lever N to which is attached
a sticker N connected with the hammer as in ordinary pianoforte actions. Instead,
however, of the recoil of the lover N being suddenly checked, I allow it to expend its
force on an inclined plane, or upon a concave surface n on the lever N: The recoil
of the hammer is thus expended gradually, and in this way, a second blow against the
strings is avoided, and the quality of the tone rendered pure.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. In a pianoforte, one or more hinged bars, such as D, each carrying a soft pad or
brush D, adapted to be pressed against the strings by a pedal A or its equivalent,
through the medium of suitable rockers and rods B, C, and of a crank C or its
equivalent attached to each of said bars, substantially as and for the purpose
described.
2. In a pianoforte, the combination with a pad or pads D1 and mechanism for
actuating the same, substantially as set forth in claim 1, of a soft strip or pad H¹ stretching
across the instrument in front of the strings and adapted to be inserted between the
strings and hammers, by means of the supplementary pedal A through the medium of
the rods G connected with the rods C of the said pad mechanism, substantially as and
for the purposes set forth.
3. In a pianoforte, the combination of a hopper I, having a tip K of glass or other
smooth material, and of a lever N above said hopper connected with the hammer
actuating mechanism, and provided with an inclined or concave surface n for the said
tip to work against, whereby the recoil of the hammer is expended gradually,
and a second blow on the strings prevented, substantially as and for the purpose
described.
Dated th 20th
1.1 1000