CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS ON HARPS
Year: 1835

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, PIERRE
ERARD, of Great Marlborough Street, in the County of Middlesex, Harp and
Pianoforte Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS His present most Excellent Majesty King William the Fourth,
by His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Eighteenth day of December last, in the sixth year of His
reign, did, for Himself, His heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Pierre Erard, His especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority,
that I, the said Pierre Erard, my exors, aduiors, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said Pierre Erard, my exors, admors, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times during the term
of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed,
my Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS ON HARPS;" in which said Letters
Patent is contained a proviso that I, the said Pierre Erard, shall cause a par-
ticular description of the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be inrolled in His said Majesty's High Court
of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference
being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I the said
Pierre Erard, do hereby declare that my said Invention is described and

page_text: I introduce in a níore suitable manner than has been done hitherto; and like-
wise with the further addition of two more strings in the bass, videlicit, for the
notes D and C, below the usual deepest note E, giving to the harp by such new
scale the generally adopted scale for modern pianofortes, videlicit, six octaves
and a half from the note C in the bass up to the note F 7 in the treble. In
order to apply such an extension of scale in the double-action harp without
altering in any material degree the general plan of the instrument, I.construct
the wooden bottom of the body of the harp about double the usual thickness,
see H, Figure 2, but I reduce the wood to the usual thickness of the wood
bottom 'in common harps at that part h near to the foot of the pillar whero
the sounding board I is glued to it at h, which construction allows of the body
of the harp being made longer and kept nearer the ground whilst standing up;
and in order to permit of the first motion of each of the pedals for effecting
the natural stop of the strings, the pedals are received into cavities cut out
in the thick wood bottom H of the body of the harp, see Figures 2, 3, and 4,
instead of the pedals being made to work wholly within the pedestal beneath
the wood bottom as usual. This improved construction of the wooden bottom
of the body of the harp becomes indispensible to admit of the increased length
of the sounding board, and yet to allow the pedals (without distorting them
from their usual shape, but preserving nearly a straight line) to work in the
thickness of the wooden bottom, with due safety for the solidity of the instru-
ment, without disturbing the usual solid putting together of the body and
pillar at one place of bearing, videlicit, the middle of the body of
the harp, which bearing is made the stronger by shaping the base of the
pillar in an polygonal. form, presenting a flat side to its contact with the
sounding board or body of the harp. This is represented by dotted lines in
Figure 4, which is a plan of the under side of the wooden bottom, tho base of
the pillar being supposed to be of an hexagonal form; and note, the admission
of the pedals into cavities in the body of the harp, when they are raised up to
their highest state, has been proposed before, and is no part of my present
improvement, but only the aforesaid construction of the wooden bottom,
whereby an extended length of the sounding board is obtained, and the pedals
are included in the thickness of that bottom. And to render the aforesaid new
scale for the double-action harp available for the extension of its, compass, as
well as for the improvement of its tone and touch, it has become necessary, in
order to make it a complete and perfect instrument, to remodal and new
proportion all the parts of the double-action mechanism of Sebastian Erard's
aforesaid Patent of One thousand eight hundred and ten. This alone required
profound study, and labor of no ordinary skill to adapt every part of the

page_text: mechanism to the aforesaid new scale with the same precision of proportion
wherewith his said mechanism (now become common) was adapted to the
former scale. All the difficulties attendant on such an undertaking I have
overcome with success, and have besides improved the mechanism whereby the
double action is effected. The said new improvement in the mechanism
consists in the application to every note in one or more of the octaves of a
double crank instead of a single crank for transmitting (by means of two
connecting rods) the motion of the lower forks, which are those effecting the
sharp stops on the strings to the upper forks, which are those effecting the
natural stops on the strings. Such double cranks may be applied to as many
notes as may be found expedient throughout the instrument in more than one
of its octaves, and the said double cranks may either be either disposed outside
or inside of the two metal frames forming the frame of the mechanism or
machine in any such arrangement inside or outside as may be found most
convenient; and such double cranks may be altered in their proportions and
shapes as their position and arrangement on different parts of the harp may
require; but in all cases each double crank has two distinct joint pins for the
two connecting rods instead of only one joint pin for both those rods.
DESCRIPTION OF THE MECHANISM.
Figure 5 shews the improved mechanism, with double cranks throughout
the instrument; it is drawn full size and represents the correct form of the
metal plates for the neck of the frame of my improved six and half octaves
harp, and also represents the correct plates for all the perforations in the said
plates for receiving the mechanism. There are nineteen motions shewn on the
outside of the plates, from the EI string in the bass to the third B string; and
then seven motions inside from the third C string to the fourth B string; but
a greater or smaller number of double cranks, inside or outside, if found ex-
pedient to adopt, would not of course affect the Invention. P, PP, are the
double cranks, applied to cach string. 7, 9, 9, are the lower connecting rods,
extending from the lowermost fork bottoms R, R, R, which produce the sharp
notes of the strings, to one revitted joint pin s, 5, 8, in the double crank p, p, p.
v, v, v, are the upper connecting rods from the second revitted joint pin w, w, w,
in the double crank to the uppermost fork bottoms S, S, S, which produce the
natural notes of the strings. Figure 6 is a section across the neck of the harp.
showing the mechanism for one string edgways, in order to explain the manner
in which the two connecting rods q and v are disposed one over the other in
the same perpendicular plane, each one on its separate rivited joint pin. vand w
is the double crank p, and thereby the mechanism occupying less thickness

page_text: than usual permits the bearing of the string to be kept nearer to the metal
plate, so that the neck of the harp is less liable to bo distorted by the pull of
the strings. Figure 7 is introduced to show how the improved double crank
may have the radius from the centre of motion of the double crank p to its
upper rivitted joint piu w made longer than the like radius of its lower joint
pin s, thereby affording more motion for the upper connecting rod of the
uppermost fork S, and allowing of a corresponding longer radius from the
centre of motion of that fork S to its joint x, by which the upper connecting
rod v is united to it. Figure 8 shows motions for two strings for A³ and B³
notes, with the double cranks set out in different proportions for both the joint
pins s and w, and also for the joint pin y of the lower fork R, than the radius
of the joint pins of the double cranks p, p, represented in their places in
Figure 5, for the same two A and B strings. The B³ motion, Figurd 8,
may be placed inside between the metal plates in substitution for the outside B³
motion in Figure 5, and the A³ motion, Figure 8, may be placed outsido
instead of the outside A³ motion shown in Figure 5. This outside motion,
shewn in Figure 8 for the A³ string, is set out on the same proportions as the
one for the C string in Figure 5; and in case of the aforesaid substitution
of the motions Figure 8 being adopted in lieu of those represented in
Figure 5, then there would be only eighteen motions outside and seven
motions inside. The said seven inside double-crank motions also actuate the
motions for the upper octaves of the strings in the usual manner by two ranges
of connecting wires, one range for actuating the upper forks for natural stops
to the strings, as is shewn by Figure 9, which is a horizontal plan, looking
downwards upon the arbors of the upper forks, and the other range of con-
necting wires for actuating the lower forks for sharp stops to the strings, as
clearly shewn at Figure 10, which is a horizontal plan, but looking upwards
towards the arbors of the lower forks; and the two Figures 9 and 10 show
at the same time my improved arrangement of such ranges of connecting
wires in the upper octave of the harp, whereby they effect the double move-
ment upon the additional F7 string, and which arrangement is contrived to
leave as much room as possible for the hand at the top of the instrument.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INDEX OR INDICATOR.
I have described in my former Specification, which was enrolled in pur-
suance of Letters Patent granted to me on the Twenty-fourth day of April, One
thousand eight hundred and twenty-two, for Improvements on Harps, a new
index or indicator of my invention, with a slider corresponding to each pedal,
and moved by a connection therefrom, in order to show by suitable marks on

page_text: the several sliders the key in which the harp is prepared for performing,
and thereby to indicate all changes of the key as they are made by operation of
the pedals, such index or indicator to be applied to the pillar of the harp; or that
part of it which is best seen by the performer when setting to the liarp. I have
since improved upon my former ineans of connecting the several sliders of that
index or indicator (or of any other like index or indicator which may be pre
ferred for the same object) with the several pedals, in order that the sliders
may indicate the action (and double action) of the pedals. According to my
present improvements the usual arrangement of the pedals in Sebastian
Erard's patent double-action harp is not disturbed, that is to say, those
pedals range in the following order: D, C, E, B, F, G, A, whereas for
applying my former index the pedals required to be arranged in a different
and unusual order; but this part of my present improvements consists in the
following mechanism for establishing a correspondence and proper communi-
cation between the pedals in their own usual order, and the sliders of the
index in their own proper or suitable order, see Figures 11 and 12. Upen
every arbor, for the seven first motions or stops for the strings which produce
the bass notes I affix an additional small crank arm j, with its joint pins
towards the ground, and a connecting rod J, which is jointed to that pin,
communicates the motion of the arbor, when set in motion by the pedal, to an
additional crank K, set in an additional corner picce L (which is also shewn
at Figure 5), and which contains seven sach additional cranks K side by side
on the same centre pin; and to the longer or opposite arm of each crank K is
jointed a descending rod M, which is screwed in the usual manner of the rods
within the pillar, and the rod M goes down on or near the outside of the pillar,
as is shewn in Figure 15, and is jointed to one end of a lever N, which is
poised on a fixed centre pin; and to the other end or arm of that lever another
upright rod O is jointed, and the lower end thereof is attached to the slider m
which has suitable letters or marks upon it to show through the holes of the
index or indicator the different changes in the position of that pedal-with
which the said slider is connected by the aforesaid mechanism; and each of the
-seven pedals being connected in like manner with a corresponding slider; the
seven sliders together will exhibit all the changes of intonation from flat to
sharp, or vice versa, which the instrument is made to undergo by action of its
pedals. The several small cranks j'on the seven arbors in Figures 11 and 12
are fixed thereon at different places within the space between the two metal
places, so as to answer the proper order of the sliders in the index, videlicit,
those seven sliders stand as follows to represent the seven pedals for performing
music in the different keys of modulation, F, C, G, D, A, E, B; but the

page_text: pedals corresponding to those sliders, as well as the upright rods from them
within the pillar, stand in a different order, videlicet, that which is usual.in
Sebastian Erard's double-action harps. And note, all the different Figures in
the Drawing represent the parts of the instrument when they are suitably
disposed (by action of their pedals) for performing music in the key of G minor.
The index represented in Figures 13, 14, and 15 indicates that key. Figure 13
represent the seven sliders. Figure 14, the cover plate for them, with
apertures through it to expose those letters or marks on the sliders, which are
for the time to be visible; and Figure 15 explains the characters in which the
sliders, Figure 13, and the cover plate, Figure 14, are united and applied to
the pillar of the harp, and that Figure explains the characters which the
indicator shews when the instrument is prepared for performing music in the
key of G minor. Figure 5 gives the correct size of metal plates and
mechanism which may be used for two different sizes of harps. In one of those:
sizes, being the largest, the length of the string E', measured from its point of
contact with the sounding board to the centre of the arbor of the lowermost
fork R, is four feet six inches and seven-eighths of an inch, and the length of
the upper string E7 in the treble, measured in like manner, is three inches
and one eighth of an inch; and for the other or smaller size of harp the length
of the said string E1, measured as aforesaid, is to be four feet six inches and a
half of an inch, and the length of the aforesaid string E 7, measured in like
manner, is to be two inches and seven-eighths of an inch. The form of the
plates, as laid down in Figure 5, and the scale Z, Figure 1, for the holes in
the sounding board, give the lengths of the intermediate strings. Note, the
above-mentioned lengths are to be measured when the harp is unstrung. And
note, in some cases, in order to give additional strength to the neck of the
barp, I apply a steel plate behind the front metal plate and in contact there-
with, the two plates being firmly united together by small screws or revit pins.
This steel plate may be broader than the front metal plate, in order to extend
upwards above the same, as is shewn at T, Figure 5, and it may be let into
the wood of the neck, and fastened thereto with screws.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, I, the said Pierre Erard, do hereby declare
that the new Invention consists in the improved mechanism, with double
cranks to each string. to which the double movements are applied, whether
outside or inside, with the proportions, arrangements, and disposition of
the several parts thereof, as are herein-before described; and also in the
form and proportions of the metal plate, Figure 5, with its several per-
forations for the different centre and stud holes newly and expressly set out

page_text: to work with the greatest truth and nicety for containing and sustaining the
said new mechanism, which plate is the actual pattern for both the front and
back plates forming the frame of the mechanism or machine, and the whole
represented in Figures 5 to 11 of the Drawing hereunto annexed, as herein-
before described, being an improvement upon Sebastian Erard's double-action
harp, such improved mechanism or machine and its different parts having been
set out and designed for the purpose of adapting the double movements to the
enlarged scale herein-before described and represented in Figure 1, in order to
carry into effect the manufacture of double-action harps, possessing greater
power of tono and perfection of action than those heretofore manufactured;
and also consists in the connecting mechanism herein-before described and
represented by the letters j, J, K, L, M, N, and O, in Figures 11, 12, and 13,
whereby the pedals of double-action harps, as usually arranged, are caused to
give suitable motion to sliders suitably arranged for forming an index or
indicator of the modulation or changes of keys which the instrument is pre-
pared for executing by the usual action of its pedals.
In witness whereof, I, the said Pierre Erard, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Eighteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and thirty-six.