An Improvement in Pianos, Pianinos, and like Musical Instruments.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 81st July, 1897-Accepted, 11th Sept., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improvement in Pianos, Pianinos, and like Musical Instruments.
I, ENDRE THÉK, of Üllői út 66/B Budapest, in the Empire of Austria, Merchant,
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 relates to an improvement in pianos, pianinos and like musical
instruments in which numerous metal parts have hitherto been employed which parts
considerably influence, that is to say, diminish the clearness and strength of tone
of the piano or other instrument.
The metal parts used in the construction of pianos and like musical instruments
have hitherto been made of iron, steel, brass and the like, that is to say, of metals,
the employment of which gives rise to considerable disadvantages from the technical
point of view chief amongst which is that parts made of such easily oxidizable metals
must be provided with a suitable coating, for instance, varnish, glazing, etc., in order
that the said parts shall be protected from rusting and this process has a damaging
effect upon the clearness of the tone of the instrument. Furthermore, these metal
parts increase the weight of the instrument to a considerable extent and present a
number of difficulties with respect to their working so that the cost of manufacture
is considerably increased.
Now this invention has for its object to obviate the above disadvantages and to
this end the metal parts of pianos, pianinos and like musical instruments are wholly
or partially made of pure or alloyed aluminium.
From the foregoing it is clear that the employment of aluminium is not to be
looked upon as a simple exchange of material, as this metal, which has not heretofore
been employed for this purpose, affords numerous technical advantages which are
not to be obtained from any other metal.
Apart from the fact that the manufacture of these parts of aluminium considerably
reduces the weight of the instrument on account of the characteristically low specific
gravity of the metal employed, the use of this metal further posseses the important
technical advantage that the parts made thereof or of suitable alloys thereof,
maintain their smooth polished surfaces without requiring any coating and not
only do not injuriously affect the quality and strength of the tone of the
instrument, but on the contrary, impart thereto a permanent and surprisingly
clear, sweet tone.
It is obvious that the internal construction of the musical instrument does not
affect the principle of the invention as also that in certain cases similar results can
be obtained by making of aluminium or of suitable alloys thereof only those parts
which affect the quality of the tone such, for instance, as the wrest pins.
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. In pianos, pianinos and like musical instruments, constructing the whole or
certain of the metallic parts thereof of aluminium or its allovs for the purpose of

page_text: diminishing the weight and for dispensing with varnish and other coatings and also
for the purpose of providing a pure, clear tone for the instrument.
2. Parts of pianos, pianinos and like musical instruments made of aluminium or
of alloys thereof.
ted this 31st day of July 1897.
G: F. REDFËRN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.