Improvements in Apparatus for Holding and Tuning the Strings of Pianos and other Instruments of the like Kind.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Jan., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 6th Oct., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 9th Nov., 1888
Improvements in Apparatus for Holding and Tuning the Strings of
Pianos and other Instruments of the like Kind.
A communication to me from abroad by CARL HAAKE, of Hanover, in the Empire of
Germany, Manufacturer.
1, HERRMANN COHN, of London Wall in the City of London, Merchant, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to devices by which the strings or wires of pianofortes are
stretched more or less for the purpose of tuning them, and more especially to those
forms of such devices in which a screw is used operating a lever to which the wire or
string is attached, the screw being tuned as desired by means of a suitable key.
In such apparatus it has been found advisable that the string or wire to be tuned
should be first stretched so as to give nearly the note required, and that only the exact
adjustment, and any subsequent tuning, should be effected by means of a screw acting
upon the lever, and the present invention has for its object a novel form of the lever
and of the fulcrum against which it works, and also a method of arrangement by
which the string or wire is first stretched before the final tuning is effected, the
whole apparatus being simple, cheap, and not liable to get out of order or become
displaced.
For this purpose I arrange and fix firmly a metal plate extending across the
pianoforte and having along its upper surface attached to it or forming part of it a
strong rib projecting upward and bent backward so as to form a somewhat angular
groove along its back. For each string or wire which is to be stretched 1 use a short
bar or block of metal, the front end of which at its lower edge is formed with an
angular or rounded edge fitting freely into the groove already described so that the
back end of the bar can rise or fall for a sufficient distance. Into the upper surface of
the bar as near as convenient to its front end I make a vertical hole into which is
screwed or fitted tightly a peg or pin of the usual kind to which the end of the wire
to be stretched is fastened and wound round in the usual way, the upper end of the
pin being made to fit an ordinary tuning key by which the pin can be turned round
and the wire tightened.

page_text: The back end of the bar is forked and through the forked end is passed a second
vertical screwed pin or peg the lower end of which is screwed into the foundation
plate of the apparatus, its upper end being also made to fit the tuning key and also
having a collar or washer which presses upon the sides of the forked bar which are
preferably rounded to allow for its varying position.
When the wire or string has been sufficiently tightened by turning the first
described pin or peg, its tension keeps the bar firmly pressed against the angular
notch or fulcrum in the bottom plate, and prevents any possibility of its becoming
displaced. At the same time the screw which holds down the forked end of the bar
prevents the latter from rising, and by turning it very slightly to the right or left the
string can be finally tuned with great ease and accuracy.
A small pin or projection may be arranged in the angle of the groove in which the
front edge of the bar turns, the latter having also a notch fitting round the pin or
projection so that the bar cannot be displaced laterally.
A bar with two adjustable pins or pegs as described is used for each string or wire
which is to be stretched, and the entire apparatus (which has been described as applied
to horizontal strings) may be arranged in any suitable position, the heads of the pins
or pegs being in the same position as those in any ordinary pianoforte, so that the
tuning key can be readily applied.
A separate fixed plate with an angular notch serving as a fulcrum for the moveable
bar may be used for each string or wire, if found advisable.
Very great advantage is obtained by the use of the adjustable pin or peg for holding
and stretching the wire or string, and by the position of the angular groove or fulcrum
at the front edge of the moveable bar.
Dated this 10th day of January 188s
EDWARDS & Co.,
35, Southampton Buildings, London,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in Apparatus for Holding and Tuning the Strings of
Pianos and other Instruments of the like Kind.
A communication to me from abroad by CARL HAAKE, of Hanover, in the Empire of
Germany, Manufacturer.
1, HERRMANN COHN, of London Wall, in the City of London, Merchant, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described in and by the following statement, and accompanying
drawing, (that is to say) :-
This invention relates to devices by which the strings or wires of pianofortes_arc
stretched more or less for the purpose of tuning them and more especially to those
forms of such devices in which a screw is used operating a lever to which the wire or
string is attached, the screw being turned as desired by means of a suitable key.
In such apparatus it has been found advisable that the string or wire to be tuned
should be first stretched so as to give nearly the note required, and that only the exact
adjustment, and any subsequent tuning, should be effected by means of a screw acting
upon the lever; and the present invention has for its object a novel form of the lever
and of the fulcrum against which it works, and also a method of arrangement, by
which the string or wire is first stretched before the final tuning is effected, the whole
apparatus being simple, cheap, compact and very easily used, and not liable to get out.
of order or become displaced.
The accompanying drawing is in illustration of the invention.
Figures 1, 2, and 3, are side views partly in section of the improved apparatus, in
slightly varied forms. Figure 5 is a plan of figure 3.
In order to put the invention in operation I arrange and fix firmly a metal plate a
(figure 1) extending across the pianoforte, and having along its upper surface either
attached to it, or forming part of it as shewn, a strong ribb projecting upward and
bent backward so as to form a somewhat angular groove along its back. For each
string or wire which is to be stretched I use a short bar or block of metal
C, the
front end of which at its lower edge is formed with an angular or rounded edge at e¹
fitting freely into the groove already described so that the back end of the bar can rise
or fall for a sufficient distance. Into the upper surface of the bar as near as convenient
to its front end I make a vertical hole into which is screwed or fitted tightly a peg or
pin e of the usual kind to which the end of the wire to be stretched is fastened and
wound round in the usual way, the upper end of the pin being made to fit an ordinary
tuning key by which the pin can be turned round and the wire tightened when
desired.
The back end of the bar c is forked at g (as shewn in plan in figure 4) and through
the forked end is passed a second vertical screwed pin or peg the lower end of which
is screwed into the foundation plate a of the apparatus, its upper end being also made

page_text: to fit the tuning key and having a collar or washer which presses upon the sides of
the forked barg which are preferably rounded as shewn to allow for its varying
position.
When the wire or string f has been sufficiently tightened by turning the first
described pin or peg e, its tension keeps the bar e firmly pressed against the angular
notch or fulcrum in the rib 6 and prevents any possibility of its becoming displaced.
At the same time the screw h which holds down the forked end g of the bar prevents
the latter from rising, and by turning it very slightly to the right or left the string /
can be finally tuned with great ease and accuracy.
A small pin or projection may be arranged in the angle of the groove in which the
front edge of the bar turns at c¹ the latter having also a notch fitting round the pin
or projection so that the bar cannot be displaced laterally.
A bar with two adjustable pins or pegs as described is used for each string or wire
which is to be stretched, and the entire apparatus (which has been described as applied
to horizontal strings) may be arranged in any suitable position, the heads of the pins
or pegs being in the same position as those in any ordinary pianoforte, so that the
tuning key can be readily applied.
A separate fixed plate with an angular notch serving as a fulcrum for the moveable
bar may be used for each string or wire, if found advisable.
Such an arrangement is shewn in figure 2, in which a plate or pin b of suitable
shape is shewn screwed into the plate a. The back of the pin is flattened and has a
notch formed in it at c' in which the front edge of the bar e works as already
described.
Figures 3, 4, and 5 shew a somewhat modified arrangement of that just described,
the edge of the bar e turning upon the plate a instead of in a notch in a separate pin
as shewn in figure 2.
The bar has the edge upon which it turns formed below its front end, and is
prevented from moving from its position by means of the tightening screw e which is
screwed through it and its lower end then inserted freely into a hole in the plate a as
shewn. The tuning screw hand washer i are similar to those already described and
shewn.
Very great advantage is obtained by the use of the adjustable pins or pegs for
holding and stretching the wire or string, and by the position of the angular groove
or fulcrum at or below the front edge of the moveable bar.
It is obvious that the invention may be applied not only to pianos but to other
instruments of like kinds in which it is required that a string or wire shall be tightly
stretched and be capable of being very easily and accurately tuned.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
C
1. The combination of the moveable bar c forked at its back end, and turning upon
a fulcrum at or below its front edge, with a stretching pin or peg e and a tuning pin
or peg substantially as described and shewn in the drawing.
C
2. The combination with the moveable bar c and tuning pin or peg h of the fork g
rounded at its upper edge, and the washer i upon the pin or peg / substantially as and
for the purpose described and shewn.
h
Di cal L
COL 1000