Improved Adjustable Upper Damper Attachment for Pianoforte-actions.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Jan., 1896-Accepted, 4th Apr., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Adjustable Upper Damper Attachment for
Pianoforte-actions.
I, ADOLPH LEXOw, trading under the Firm of Ad. Lexow of 39 Dresdenerstrasse,
Berlin S. in the Empire of Germany, Pianoforte-action Maker, 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 :-
The individual members of the upper-damper attachments at present in use for
pianoforte-actions are almost all attached to a strong woolen rail. Irrespective of
the fact that, on the one hand, such rails have a deteriorating influence on the
vibrations of the wires or strings they do not, on the other hand, allow of that
ready adjustment of the dampers which becomes necessary or desirable, after the
instrument has been in use for some time. According to my invention, the strong
wooden rail is replaced by a narrow rail secured to the metal frame or standards of
the pianoforte-action by means of two intermediary pieces, which allow of the
damper being readily adjusted in vertical or horizontal direction, or even at an
angle to the wires, and this without it being necessary to remove any parts of the
action.
Referring to the accompanying drawing,
Fig. 1 is a side view of the upper damper and pianoforte-action,
Fig. 2 is a front view and
Fig. 3 a plan view of Fig. 1,
Figs. 4 & 5 show on a larger scale the manner of attaching the several parts.
a is the damper rail, to which the damper members and the rail d for limiting
the upward movement of the latter and supported by adjustable bolts e are attached
in the ordinary manner. Said damper-rail a is secured to the supporting-pieces e
by means of screws, or in any other suitable manner.
These pieces e, whose number corresponds to the number of frames or standards s,
are provided with a longitudinal slot e through which pass two screws for securing
the former to the supporting parts g, the latter being in turn secured to the frame
or standards by bolts or screws h, i. The parts are also provided with
slots in order that same may be adjusted vertically, together with the part e
and damper rail a, by releasing the screws h and i, whereas the horizontal adjustment
is effected by moving the parts e on g after unscrewing screws f.
The bolt has screw-threads at its end for securing the frame or standards sto
the backboard, and is also provided with a square head h', abutting against the
frame s. The collar or nut 2, which has a threaded boring is screwed on to the
end of bolt h, and is provided with a square head h 3 for receiving a key, and thus
the parts can be readily screwed or unscrewed.
If it is desired to arrange the dampers at an angle to the wires, it is simply
necessary to release or loosen the screws ja little, and then to insert a piece of
suitable material between the inner ends of e and g, the former being raised for
such purpose; the parts e, to which the dampers are secured in the usual manner,
are thus made higher at the one end, and the damper is brought into an inclined
position.
The small blocks on either side of arm b (Fig. 5) represent blocks similar to
the centre one supporting such arm & of the damper action.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what I
claim is :-
The herein described upper-damper attachment for pianoforte actions, comprising a
rail a supporting the damping members and arranged on intermediary pieces (e, g),
both of which latter are provided with slots for allowing of the horizontal, vertical
or oblique adjustment of the damper attachment by means of screws (f, h, i) sub-
stantially as described and shown in the drawing.
Dated this 31st day of January 1896.