Improvements in or relating to Pianofortes.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Sep., 1399-Accepted, 21st Oct., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Pianofortes.
We, CARL JULIUS GÖRNER, formerly Founder, of 28, Heinrichstrasse, Leipzig-
Reudnitz, and ALFRED HERMENN GRUNERT, Manufacturer, of Johanngeorgen-
stadt, Hartz Mountains, both in the Empire of Germany, 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 hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawing, relates to an arrangement in connection with mechanism for grand
and ordinary pianofortes, by means of which the strings can be made to sound
similarly to those of the zither and harp, or in the ordinary known manner.
In the accompanying drawing:
Fig. 1 is a cross-section of the apparatus, with tongue-pieces moved between
the hammers and the strings.
Fig. 2 is a partial front view of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a section along the line R R in Fig. 1.
Fig. 4 is a similar view to Fig. 1 with the tongues moved back.
Fig. 5 is a partial side view of Fig. 4.
On the sides a of the frame carrying the hammer mechanism, and in the
direction of the strings, a stay is movably arranged in suitable guides f. To
this stay a number of tongue-pieces = corresponding to the number of the
hammers are attached, the free ends of the pieces z being rounded (see Figs. 1
to 4), the cross-section of the pieces at these ends being in the form of a tray
(see Fig. 3).
Below the stay two levers 9 engage at both of the sides a and can be
actuated by rods s furnished with notches r, which, when the stay is to be
secured in a higher or lower position, engage with the projecting arm d.
The arrangement may however be such that the stay can be raised or lowered
by means of pedals or registers, during the playing of the instrument.
If the hammers are to be brought into direct contact with the strings i, the
stay with the tongue-pieces should be moved into the lowest position (see
Figs. 4 and 5) and when the tone of the instrument is required to resemble that
of the zither, the stay b must be moved into the highest position, the spring
tongue-pieces lying between the hammers h and the strings i, and, upon the
hammers being actuated, coming into contact with the strings.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that
what we claim is:-
An arrangement in connection with the mechanism of ordinary and grand
pianos, the distinguishing feature of which is that for the purpose of enabling
the piece of music to be played with a finer shade of tone, and an effect to be
produced resembling that of a zither, a stay b furnished with spring tongue-
pieces is arranged so as to move in suitable guides f on the sides a of the
frame which supports the striking mechanism, which stay can be pushed up or

page_text: down with the assistance of levers g, or the like in such a manner that the
tongue-pieces are interposed between the hammers h and strings i to produce
a sound resembling the note from a zither, or removed out of the path of the
hammers h so as to allow of their striking direct substantially as described.
Dated this 18th day of September 1899.
'WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.