IM- PROVEMENTS IN PIANOFORTES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Charles Ward, of "The Retreat," Haverstock Hill,
in the County of Middlesex, Professor of Music, for the Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN PIANOFORTES."
Sealed the 14th October 1876, and dated the 1st May 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Charles Ward at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 1st May 1876.
JOHN CHARLES WARD, of "The Retreat," Haverstock Hill, in the County of
Middlesex, Professor of Music. "IMPROVEMENTS IN PLANOFORTES,"
This Invention of improvements in pianofortes ins reference to an improved
arrangement of instrument in which the key board and sound producing appliances
though of equal dimensions and power to those used in ordinary pianofortes are
so disposed as that the instrument will occupy much less space than do pianofortes
as heretofore usually constructed.
For this purpose with a frame having the strings arranged at both its sides I
combine a key board arranged immediately over the frame itself, and I arrange tho
notes with their hammers or strikers alternately at the opposite sides of the frame,
connecting the respective keys by suitable connections with the actions of their
appropriate hammers or strikers.
The key board arranged at the top of and over the frame stringed at both sides
as described may be arranged to draw out more or less towards the front sido of
the instrument for convenience of playing, and to be slid back when not required
for use, so that when the cover is closed the instrument may be all contained in an
oblong rectangular case, the form and design whereof may be varied as may be
desired.
It will be evident that the details of construction of any improved pianos may be
modified in various ways without departing from the distinctive character of my
Invention herein above set forth.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Charles Ward in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 1st
November 1876.
JOHN CHARLES WARD, of "The Retreat," Haverstock Hill, in the County of
Middlesex, Professor of Music. "IMPROVEMENTS IN PIANOFORTES."
This Invention of improvements in pianofortes has reference to an improved
arrangement of instrument in which the key board and sound producing appliances
though of equal dimensions and power to those used in ordinary pianofortes are
so disposed as that the instrument will occupy much less space than do pianofortes
as heretofore usually constructed, besides being lighter and cheaper.
For this purpose with a frame having the strings arranged at both its sides I
combine a key board arranged immediately over the frame itself, and I arrange
the notes with the corresponding hammers or strikers alternately at the opposite
sides of the frame, connecting the respective keys by suitable connections with the
actions of their appropriate hammers or strikers. In other words the strings and
hammers for producing the notes A, B, C, et caetera, are arranged at one side of
the frame, the strings and hammers for producing other notes B, C, D, et cetera,
are arranged at the opposite side of the frame.
The key board arranged at the top of and over the frame stringed at both sides
as described may be arranged to draw out more or less towards the front side of
the instrument for convenience of playing, and to be slid back when not required
for use, so that when the cover is closed the instrument may be all contained in
an oblong rectangular case, the form and design whereof may be varied as may be
desired.
It will be evident that the details of construction of my improved pianos, which
I denominate " Angelute pianos," may be modified in various ways without
departing from the distinctive character of my Invention herein-above set forth.
Fig. 1 of the Drawings is a front elevation; Fig. 2 is a transverse section to a
larger scale; and Fig. 3 is a front elevation partly in section with the front of the
case removed of one of my improved pianos. a is the frame, b, b, are sound boar.ls,
c, c, are the strings which are secured by the wrest pins cl, all the pin heads being
at the one side of the frame for convenience of tuning, as seen in the case of the
instrument shewn in Fig. 10. d, d, are the keys which are shewn perforated
for the sake of lightness, they are centred at d, and kept in place by pins, as
shewn, and by a rail d³, between which and the key is interposed cloth I will
now describe the arrangements by which the key operates its hammer, pre-
mising that each of the other keys operates its own hammer by similar means.
The key d is shewn depressed. During the descent of the key the regulative
screw having cloth beneath it has come in contact with and depressed the
levere (lightened by a perforation at c*), which is centred at e¹, and has jointed to
it the hopper f, which works the hammer butt y in the usual way, the hopper being
regulated by the pin or screw h, whose upper end passes through a slot (allowing
To economise room some of the
ample room for play) in the key ', as shown.
strings and hammer stalks are arranged diagonally, as shewn in Fig. 3. In the
position of the parts shewn to the left of the frame in Fig. 2, the hammer g' is
supposed to have just struck the string c and in its return hins been arrested by the
regulative check, shewn in full lines at i, in the usual way, or instead of the
regulative check i the arrangement shewn in dotted lines at i may be substituted.
The lever e is shewn separately in Fig. 4. It is weighted at elo. The leve: c
works the check and damper wire, and on the key d being released has the effect,
assisted by the spring, of returning the key to its normal position, the work of
so returning the key being mainly (and it may even be entirely) effected by the
weighted lever itself. As a substitute for the wedges usually employed by tuners
when tuning I employ the following arrangement:-I apply a vibrating bar
carrying dampers and wedges . all of which are clear of the strings when the
bar is in its normal position. The bar is operated through a rod m worked by

page_text: a couple of pedals n, n. These pedals are arranged one on each prong of a forked
lever n having a projecting arm, which is shewn at n³. Assuming the vibrating
bar to be in its normal position, in which it is retained by the springs o, if the
pedal n be now depressed the damper will be brought in contact with the strings,
but if the pedal n' be depressed the wedges will be brought into action. The
wedges are of course intended to be used only in the case of tri-chord instruments.
p is the case of the instrument, and p' the fall. The case is made with openings for
letting out the sound. In the arrangement illustrated ornamental fretwork is
provided, as shewn in Fig. 1. The parts are shown half size in Figs. 2 and 3.
Heuce it will be seen that in a seven octave instrument on my plan no longer
than the ordinary pianette (four fect three and a half inches) only thirty-three
inches high (being no higher than the fall of certain favourite models by eminent
makers) and but thirteen and a half inches deep, there is found a full sized key
board, an unusual area of sound board, and a scalo of stringing throughout which
corresponds to that of the best examples of vertical pianos four feet and even four
feet six inches high by the most advanced makers. Indeed, several of my lowest
strings oxceed forty inches in length. This length is susceptible of a further
increase of from two to three inches by resorting to the system of cross stringing,
the mode of carrying out which in the case of my pianoforte is obvious and needs
no description.
Fig. 4 shews a modified arrangement of regulator which will be readily understood
without further description.
Fig. 5 shews a modification, in which the keys & carry pulling hoppers and the
keys down pressing hoppers, all the keys being centred at and balanced by
weights in the usual way, and the keys d' are steadied by a longitudinal rail,
as shown. To each key d is directly jointed at f' a hopper f acting downward
upon the hammer butt g, so as to cause the haminor to work in the ordinary way.
The spring f* serves to keep the hopper f in place against the hammer butt. The
hammers are returned by means of a lever 9 having its fulcrum at q¹, weighted at q³,
and bearing at 9³ against a projection on the hammer butt. The same lever works
the damper, as shewn. The hammers on the opposite side of the frame are operated
by pulling hoppers 10. The pulling hoppers are attached to the keys & and are
slotted to receive the notched portions of the hammer butts. The hammers are
returned in the same way as those that are operated by the down pressing hoppers
on the right hand side of the frame. ris a regulative set off screw, one of which
traverses cach of the left hand hammer butts instead of being placed in the hopper
in the usual way as on the right hand side of the instrument.
Fig. 6 illustrates a modification in which each key is fitted with a pulling
hopper but in this base the hoppers are formed with bents instead of being
slotted, and the keys are alternately short and long and are correspondingly centred,
as shewn, the keys & being centred at and the keys dat d³.
Fig. 7 shews in transverse section a modification in which an ordinary French
check action is employed, and Fig. 8 a half plan of the key board and the lever 8
herein-after described. With the keys d, d, are combined levers 8, having their
fulcra at 8, and wire rods t connected to the levers 8 and to the actions, as shewn.
Each key depresses a sticker v which depresses the one end of its lever a raising
the other end and through the rod t bringing the corresponding action into play.
The action itself operates the hammer in the usual way.
Fig. 9 is a front elevation, and Fig. 10 a transverse section of a piano, wherein
the keys through pads x, regulated by screws a¹, and bearing against little
wheels, operate levers 20 and placed immediately beneath the keys, which
levers carry the hoppers. The arrangement will be readily understood from the
Drawing without further description. It will be observed that these portions of
the actions in the immediate vicinity of the hammers are of ordinary construction,
and in arrangement inverted. The bottom part shows a system of sound posts
by which the bridges are connected with the outer panelling of the case. This
last mentioned arrangement is designed to give fullness of tono to the instrument.

page_text: Fig. 11 is a vertical section of an arrangement in which the keys operate the
hammers g for striking the strings c through stickers v, levers having their
fulcra at and hoppers f, and the keys d operate the hammers gå for striking the
strings c by similar stickers through levers x and x and hoppers ft. The
levers and work stickers, as shewn, for operating the respective dampers.
The hammers are returned to their normal positions by weighted levers.
Fig. 12 shews what I call a "Canterbury" piano, the instrument being surmounted
by a moveable Canterbury for holding music. In this arrangement the key board
is drawn forward by the opening of the fall for convenience of playing, and when not
required for use can be slid back, so that when the cover is closed the mechanism
of the instrument is wholly contained within an oblong rectangular case. The
key board is shewn as having been drawn forward into position for use, which is
done by means of the curved or quadrant arms y if carried by the fall, and connected
by links y' to the frame of the key board. In this position of the key board the
catches are in gear, as shewn, with the levers w, w, which carry the hoppers f
whereby the hammers are actuated. The lever w is broken off, and as the hopper
and action it operates are like those of the lever w¹, I have deemed it unnecessary to
shew them.
Having described the nature of my said Invention, and explained the manner
of performing it, I desire to have it understood that I do not claim generally as of
my Invention the arranging strings on both sides of a piano frame, nor do I intend
to claim any of the mechanical parts of the instruments herein-before shewn and
described, when taken separately and apart from the combination and application
thereof, in manner and for the purposes herein described, but what I consider to be
novel and original and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is—
The arranging the key board over the frame strung at both its sides as herein
described.
I also claim arranging the key board over the frame strung at both its sides, and
connecting the keys with the hammers or strikers so as to produce the alternate
notes at opposite sides of the frame as described and shewn respectively in
Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, in Fig. 5, in Fig. 6, in Figs. 7 and 8, in Figs. 9 and 10, in
Fig. 11, and in Fig. 12 of the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Charles Ward, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this First day of November, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-six.
JOHN C. WARD. (1..s.)