in Learning to Play the Pianoforte and similar Instruments.
Year: 1886

page_text: in Learning to Play the Pianoforte and similar Instruments.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine Lake & Co, Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex 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 improved exercising apparatus for use in learning to
play the pianoforte and similar musical instruments.
An element which may be usefully applied in the exercising apparatus is what
is termed a speaking spring. A speaking spring, broadly is an old contrivance and
it is possible to use in my instrument, speaking springs of the kind heretofore
known. In attempting to do so, however, great difficulty will be experienced in
selecting speaking springs which give the sound at the proper instant and especially
at the proper instant relatively to each other.
To obviate this difficulty I have invented a speaking spring and a method of
regulating the instant at which it produces sound, which I will now proceed to
describe leaving for a subsequent part of this specification a description of the
instrument in which I utilize the speaking springs to produce my new exercising
device for musicians. The production of my spring is based upon the discovery
that, when a spring is indented at the center, the deeper the indentation the
greater will be the distance, measured on the arc described by the free end of the
spring, between the point where the spring speaks in being compressed and
the point where it speaks when being released and also that by making an inden-
tation upon one or both edges of the spring, the points at which it will speak can
be brought nearer together.
In the drawings Figure 1 represents a plan view of a speaking spring of the
form which I prefer to use in my exercising instrument.
Figure 2 represents an edge view of the same.
In manufacturing these springs, I take a piece of clock spring steel of about the
form shown in figure 1, and place the same on a flat anvil and by means of a

page_text: -
punch, and a series of comparatively light taps of a hammer I compress it about
the point a¹ figure 1.
The spring speaks on being compressed at a different point of its arc of
vibration from the point at which it speaks on being released. Now on testing
the spring, in a suitable instrument for that purpose, I may find that the points at
which it speaks are too near together. If so I still further compress the spring at
the point a¹ by the same means. On again testing the spring, I shall find that the
arc separating the points of speaking is longer than before. If the speaking points
are too widely. separated, I, by the same means as before compress it on the edges
as at 6¹ 6' either on one edge or both. Very slight compression at these points will
generally answer, and on again testing the spring it will be found that the length
of the arc between the points at which it speaks has been lessened. Thus by com-
pressing the spring, as may be required, either in the center or on the edge or
edges, and testing it from time to time, each spring may be brought to speak at the
same points as the others; so that when properly introduced into my exercising
instruments, all the springs will speak in unison, and may be arranged to speak at
points in the travel of the keys corresponding with the points where, in a piano,
the damper, is raised from the strings, and where it is returned to contact with the
'strings.
Having described the speaking springs to be used in my exercising instrument
and the process of producing them I will now describe the instrument itself, and
the manner in which the speaking springs are preferably arranged, and the object
and operation of the instrument.
My invention may be embodied in an instrument like that illustrated in the
drawing figures 3, 4 and 5.
Figure 3 is a plan view showing the interior arrangement of the instrument to
the extent of three keys and their connected parts. These keys and the connected
parts will of course be duplicated in a practical instrument to the extent necessary
to produce a complete key-board.
Figure 2 is a side view of a section of the same thing shown in figure 3.
Figure 3, is a sectional end view through the line 3, 3, of fig. 4.
A A A are keys like those of an ordinary piano which extend beyond a
fulcrum a as at A. The position of the fulcrum being so arranged that the weight
of the end A¹ slightly overbalances the weight of the end A as in an ordinary
piano. These keys A and the extensions A³, and their fulcrum are, in fact, con-
structed and arranged in all respects like the corresponding parts of an ordinary
piano. The pins b b¹ shown in dotted lines, serve as guide pins to maintain the
position of the key; and the cushions c c¹ serve to limit the extent of motion.
The object in view in employing the speaking spring, is to have it speak at the
point in the downward travel of the key where, in a piano, the damper is lifted
from the string and the sound commences, and the object further is to have the
spring speak a second time on the upward travel of the key, at the point where
the damper of a piano returns onto the string, so as to stop the vibration and
Bound. In a piano the damper is lifted from the string when the key has
descended about two-thirds of its complete descent and the damper is returned to
the string when the key has ascended about two-thirds (3) of its return movement,
therefore, in my instrument, the spring is arranged to speak at the corresponding
points in the travel of the key, and it is obvious, that for that purpose, the spring
must be made so as to speak at a different point on being compressed from that at
which it speaks on being released. Furthermore the springs of all the keys must
be arranged so as to speak at the same point in the travel of the key, both on the
downward and upward travel of the key.
Having constructed, as I have described above or selected from the known form
of speaking springs, a sufficient number of springs, with reference to being properly
made, each of them may be secured and arranged in the machine as follows: A stud
or button B is placed upon the extension A¹ of the key and secured thereto, pre-
ferably by a screw, so as to be capable of a vertical adjustment. C is the speaking

page_text: spring, the free end of which rests upon the top of the stud B as shown and the
confined end of which is clamped to the edge of a lever or rail D pivoted at d and
extending from one end of the instrument to the other so as to support the
speaking springs of all the keys in the position shown. A rod E is pivotally
connected to the opposite arm of the lever or rail D, and terminates in a knob
provided at its bottom with a pin e, which is adapted to enter holes e¹ in the frame
above the keys. It will be observed that when this pin e is in the position shown in
figure 4, the spring C will be held about in contact with the top of the stud B when
the key A is at the top of its stroke, but when the pin e is removed from the position
shown in figure 4, and inserted into the hole e¹ figure 3, the speaking spring will be.
thrown upward out of contact with the stud B. By this arrangement, it is in the
power of the operator at any time by moving the pine to use the keys without any.
sound whatsoever. The prop / prevents the lever D from being moved too far in
that direction. The speaking springs C, when unconfined, will generally have
a slight downward inclination between the end which is to be confined and the
free end, but when the lever D is in the position shown in figure 4, prepared for
the operation of the speaking springs, each spring will be slightly under compression
from the stud B so as to give the free end a slight upward inclination, as shown in
figure 4. The confined end of the spring is not pierced by any securing device,
but is preferably simply clamped to the edge of the lever D, by a plate or wood
slip, which is held in place by screws inserted between the several springs as
shown in figure 3. This plate or wood slip is located with reference to each
spring, so as to confine each at a corresponding distance back from the indentation
which produces the sound, and which occurs in the instrument that I have
represented in the drawing at about the point indicated by the letter f, in
figure 4.
In addition to the arrangement for sustaining the speaking spring already
described it is desirable to provide the instrument with a contrivance for
regulating the amount of pressure, necessary to bring to bear upon the keys to
depress them. This I do by means of a bridled spring G, which is formed as
shown in figure 4, and held in position so as to bear upon the extreme end of A¹.
It is secured to one arm of a lever H, at h¹, and from another arm of the same
lever the opposite end of the spring is suspended by means of a flexible connection g,
which I preferably make of leather. The lever has its fulcrum at h. To the
lever H is pivotally connected the rod I, as shown in fig. 4, which projects
upwards and backwards through a slot in the frame and terminates in a knob i,
by which it is moved by hand. On the under side of this rod are formed notches
suitable to engage with a pin j, extending across the slot in which the rod I moves
through the frame. It is obvious that the operator by the arrangement which is
described may control the pressure of the spring upon A', for by withdrawing the
rod I and engaging the pin ; with the notch succeeding the one in which it is
engaged in fig. 2, he may compress the spring G and cause it to bear more heavily
on A¹; the flexible suspender at the same time being slackened. Furthermore
by disengaging the pin j from the notch in the rod I, with which it is shown as
engaged in figure 4, and moving the rod forward the operator may throw the
spring G upwards so that it does not rest upon A¹ at all. The length of the
suspender g for each spring is regulated, so that every spring is lifted off of A¹ at
the same instant, and so that every spring bears with exactly the same pressure
upon A. The lever H extends through the instrument, from one end to the other,
and all of the springs G are attached to it, so that only one rod I is required for
the whole instrument.
It will be observed that in this instrument the speaking sound will be produced
both on the downward and upward motion of the keys; that the point at which
the speaking sound occurs will correspond with the points at which the musical
instrument would commence and cease to sound. It will also be seen that this
instrument may be used without speaking by throwing the springs out of contact

page_text: with B, and that the pressure required for compressing the keys may be varied to
almost any extent.
The keys possess the action of genuine piano keys and give forth a sound when
struck, and also when the finger leaves the key; the same sound for all the keys
similar to the click made by the modern castanet.
One great advantage in this instrument is the ease and certainty, with which by
its aid, a legato and staccato touch can be acquired. Legato playing, for example,
requires that in a succession of tones the second tone should begin at the precise
instant when the first one ceases; there must be no break between or offensive
lapping. In order to produce this the fingers must be so trained, that the first
finger shall leave the key at the exact instant when the second strikes its key.
Since in this instrument the keys give forth sound when they rise as well as when
they fall, if one is released, before or after the other is struck, the error is at once
made evident by the sounds of the speaking springs not being simultaneous.
I have described what I understand to be the most useful form of instrument,
but I am aware that it may be varied in many ways without departing from the
principal of my invention. I therefore do not limit myself to the form shown.
Nor is it essential to all parts of my invention that a speaking spring should be
used. Some other sound producing mechanism, producing sounds at the same
points in the travel of the keys might be substituted therefor, and still the
instrument would have the capacities which I have described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
--
1. A speaking spring indented in the center, and on one or both of its edges,
substantially as described.
2. The process of manufacturing a speaking spring so as to control the points at
which it shall speak, which consists in indenting the same at its center, and also
on one or both of its edges, substantially as described.
3. The combination with a series of keys, of a series of sound producing devices
adapted to produce short quick sounds, arranged in position to be operated on the
depression of the keys, each sound producing device being so constructed as to give
a sound for each depression and a sound for each return of its respective key,
substantially as described.
4. The combination with a series of keys, of a series of speaking springs
arranged in position to be deflected on the depression of the keys, each of said
speaking springs being constructed with a compression between its free end and
point of attachment, whereby it is caused to emit short quick sounds, substantially
as described.
5. The combination with a series of keys, of a series of sound producing devices
adapted to produce a short quick sound, not a musical tone, arranged in position to
be operated by the depression of the keys, substantially as described, whereby
each excursion of each key produces two distinct sounds occurring at the same
points in the travel of the respective keys, and one sound occuring in the travel of
the key, where, in a musical instrument, the musical tone would commence and the
other sound where the musical tone would cease.
6. The combination with a series of keys, having counterbalancing extensions A¹.
of a series of speaking springs arranged above such counterbalance extensions; the
free ends of said speaking springs resting on said counterbalance extensions, and
tending by their elasticity to press the said keys down upon their respective
fulcrums as the keys are depressed; whereby the touch afforded by said keys is
assimilated to that of a piano.
7. The combination with a series of keys each of which possesses a counter-
balancing extension A¹ of a series of springs G in contact with said extensions K,
and arranged upon a bar extending transversely through the instrument, said bar

page_text: being connected by means of its extension H with the lever I, so formed as to be
held stationary at different points, whereby the spring sustaining bar may be rocked
and held in any desired position.
8. The combination with a series of keys, of a series of speaking springs arranged
in position to be operated on the depression of the keys, and a series of other
springs G having the extent of motion of their free ends limited by flexible
suspenders, substantially as described.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.