Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Sept., 1887
Complete Left, 11th May, 1888
Complete Accepted, 29th June 1883
I, THOMAS SNAITH of 20 Swarthmore Terrace, South Stockton on Tees in the
County of York Foreman Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows :-
This invention has for its object improvements in pianofortes and relates especially
to the arrangements for straining the strings.
The wrest plank is made of metal and holes are drilled and tapped in it to receive
the wrest pins. The wrest pins have heads which are flattened on either side to adapt
them to a key by which they are turned and made to screw in the holes in the wrest
plank. A shoulder is formed between the screwed stem and the head of the wrest
pin and this shoulder may be either square or tapered or conel. On the stem of
the wrest pin between the wrest plank and the head of the wrest pin a small bush
or barrel is mounted. The bush or barrel has a flange on its outer end and this is
also flattened on two opposite sides to receive a key by which it can be turned.
The string is wound upon the bush or barrel and in tuning the bush or barrel is
turned to adjust the string to the proper tension. When this has been done the pin is
screwed in until the bush or barrel is nipped between the face of the wrest plank and
the shoulder upon the pin.
I prefer that the end of the bush or barrel which abuts upon the wrest plank should
be tapered or coned and that a corresponding tapered recess should be formed in the
wrest plank to receive it. To secure the end of the string I provide a notch in the
flange of the bush or barrel.
In tuning a double key is employed comprised of two parts an outer key and an
inner key. The outer key which lays hold of the flange of the bush or barrel has a
tubular stein; the stem of the inner key passes through it. Each stem is provided
with a cross head by which it can be turned independently of the other. In tuning
the bush or barrel is set free by turning the pin; then the bush or barrel is set to
give the requisite tension to the string and finally by again screwing in the
pin the bush or barrel is securely nipped and the strain upon the string is
maintained.
Dated this 30th day of Santember 1887
CARPMAEL & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: 1, THOMAS SNAITH of 20 Swarthmore Terrace, South, Stockton on Tees, in the
County of York, Foreman Engineer, 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 has for its object improvements in pianofortes and relatos especially
to the arrangements for straining the strings.
The wrest plank is made of metal and holes are drilled and tapped in it to receive
the wrest pins. The wrest pins have heads which are flattened on either side to adapt
them to a key by which they are turned and made to screw in the holes in the wrest
plank. A shoulder is formed between the screwed stem and the head of the wrest
pin and this shoulder may be either square or tapered or coned. On the stem of
the wrest pin between the wrest plank and the head of the wrest pin a small bush or
barrel is mounted. The bush or barrel has a flange on its outer end and this is also
flattened on two opposite sides to receive a key by which it can be turned. The string
is wound upon the bush or barrel and in tuning the bush or barrel is turned to adjust
the string to the proper tension. When this has been done the pin is screwed in
until the bush or barrel is nipped between the face of the wrest plank and the shoulder
upon the pin.
I prefer that the end of the bush or barrel which abuts upon the wrest plank should
be tapered or coned and that a corresponding tapered recess should be formed in the
wrest plank to receive it. To secure the end of the string I provide a notch in the
flange of the bush or barrel.
In tuning a double key is employed comprised of two parts an outer key and an
inner key. The outer key which lays hold of the flange of the bush or barrel has a
tubular stem the stem of the inner key passes through it. Each stem is provided
with a cross bead by which it can be turned independently of the other. In tuning
the bush or barrel is set to give the requisite tension to the string and by screwing
in the pin the bush or barrel is securely nipped and the strain upon the string is
maintained.
My invention is illustrated by the drawings annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a section showing my improved wrest pin or apparatus for straining
the wires of pianofortes.
Figure 2 is a plan.
Figures 3, 4 and 5 show a part of this apparatus enlarged.
Figure 6 is a section; and
Figure 7 is a plan showing a modification.
Figure 8 is a section and Figure 9 is a plan showing another modification.

page_text: Figure 1 is a longitudinal section, and
Figure 11 is an end view of the double key employed in tuning.
a is the metal wrest plank is a pin screwing into the wrest plank; it has an
enlarged head which is flattened on its sides to adapt it to receive the key. c is tho
barrel surrounding the pin, it has a head or flange c¹ which also has flats provided
upon it to enable the key to engage. It also has as shown in Figures 3, 4 and 5 a
notch (either inclined or otherwise) which is to receive and hold the end of the
string so that when wound upon the barrel the string is securely held.
Figures 1 to 5 the barrel is shown as having a conical end c3 and there is a
corresponding recess in the wrest plank which this cone enters and into which
by screwing up the pin it is jammed and so the barrel is very securely held.
to the barrel is made simply to abut flat against the wrest
In Figures
plank.
In
In Figures 6 and 7 the stem of the pin is represented as being coned and it enters
a corresponding recess in the barrel c. In Figures 8 and 9 the direct nip between
the head of the pin and the face of the wrest plank alone holds the barrel; the
preceding arrangement shown by the figures 1 to 5 is preferred. The construction of
the key is clearly shown by the Figures 10 and 11.
I make the screw on the pin with a left hand thread so that the strain on the
barrel from the string tends to tighten the screw and the greater the strain the more
securely the barrel will be nipped.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. The combination substantially as described of the metal wrest plank a, the pin b
screwing into the wrest plank and the barrel c surrounding the pin and held fast
between an enlargement on the pin and the face of the wrest plank.
2. The combination substantially as described of the metal wrest plank a; the pin b
screwing into the wrest plank; the barrel e surrounding the pin and cone surfaces on
the barrel and in the face of the wrest plank.
3. The combination substantially as described of the metal wrest plank; the pin
screwing into the wrest plank; the enlarged and flattened head of the pin adapted
to receive a key; the barrel e surrounding the pin; the head or flange c¹ on the
barrel adapted to receive a key; and the notch ² in the flange serving to receive and
retain the end of the string.
T
1000