Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 31st May, 1886.
Complete Left, 18th Jan., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 25th Feb., 1887,
The invention embraces certain useful improvements in pianos and like stringed
instruments by means of which the instruments are better adapted to resist the influence
of temperature in tropical countries.
The improvements consist in the use of a metallic casing, a hereinafter described
sounding board, and a novel tuning contrivance.
The casing is formed of metal sheets covered on their inner surface with a non-
resonant layer, formed of a solid and smooth fabric of woollen or similar stuff. Cushions"
of this may be suitably fastened to the metal surface or the inner surface of the metal
wall may be pasted first with a layer of adhesive substance and then wool or similar
short fired material strewn or blown upon the surface, or a thick weft with smooth
surface may be similarly employed. Casings, produced in this manner, are not
influenced by fluctuations of temperature or effects of damp; they give however in
spite of the metallic surrounding, a fine and full tone as the metal wall is deprived of
its influence on the character of the tone, by the non-resonant layer.
According to the construction of the instruments the casing may be provided with
suitable strong cross pieces serving to secure the string frame. The outside of the
casing may be of any suitable artistic shape and design and have the appearance of
polished wood, or may be polished, bronzed or painted in any design.
For the purpose of rendering the sounding board able to resist the tropical climate,
it is not made in one continuous plane but composed of single parallel sounding boards
laid at small distances apart and connected underneath by long cross ribs and above
by small separate pieces.
The single sound boards are thereby separately susceptible to influences of temperature.
The ribs and the small intermediate pieces connecting the separate parts, however,
give the whole a connection, which is very essential in acoustics, without obviating
the capacity of the single parts to expand.
Sound-boards of this construction may be made in any suitable shape and fixed in
any convenient manner in the instrument.

page_text: The string frames are provided above with a slanted plane carrying the tuning
pins, which serves chiefly the purpose of shortening considerably the length of the
strings between the tuning ridge and the tuning device and allowing the metallic
pressing head to be dispensed with, while again the application of. upper or lower
damping is possible without altering the so called partition and without unnecessary
lengthening of the strings behind the tuning ridge."
The slanted plane of the frame is formed in successive terraces and serves to receive
the tuning devices each of which consists of a slide holder or guide fixed to the frame,
with a shoulder at its upper end holding a screw, a slide carrying the string pin and
actuated by said screw.
The string pin serves for securing the strings in the manner heretofore applied, the
string being coiled upon the pin for which purpose the actuating screw is turned by
the aid of a suitable key until the pin is in its lowest position.
When tuning, the pin (standing at the lowest extremity of the slide base) is gradually
slid upward by the actuating screw until the exact tone is reached. The sliding piece
is provided underneath with a slot embracing a corresponding bead on the slide-bed to
ensure accurate guiding of the slide.
The device is of small dimensions, the whole can therefore be arranged in close rows
behind each other on the terraces.
This device is firmer and enables the instrument to remain much longer in tune than
is ordinarily the case.
L. KOALILLDE
Pp. Herbert & Co.,
67, Strand, W.C.,
Agents.

page_text: I, LOUIS RÖMILDT of the town of Weimar, in the Empire of Germany, Manu-.
facturer, 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 certain useful improvements in pianos and like stringed
instruments, by means of which the instruments are better adapted to resist the
influence of temperature in tropical countries. The improvements consist in the use
of a metallic casing, a novel construction of sounding board and a novel tuning
contrivance.
Referring to the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a vertical section and Fig. 2 a
horizontal section showing the arrangement of a metallic casing. The casing is formed
of metal sheets, covered on their inner surface with a non-resonant layer a formed of
a solid and smooth fabric of woollen or similar stuff. Cushions of this may be suitably,
fastened to the metal surface B, or the inner surface of the metal wall B may be pasted,
first with a layer of adhesive substance and then wool-nap or similar short fibred
material strewn or blown upon the surface, or a thick weft with smooth surface may
be similarly employed. Casings produced in this manner, are not influenced by the
fluctuations of temperature or effects of damp and give, in spite of their metallic
nature, a fine and full ione, since the metal wall B is deprived of its influence on the
character of the tone, by the non-resonant layer a...
B
According to the construction of the instruments the casing may be provided with
Suitable cross pieces serving to secure the string frame A. The outside of the casing
may be of any suitable artistic shape and design and have the appearance of polished
wood or may be polished, bronzed, painted or embossed in any design. Fig. 3 shows
the upper surface of the improved sound board, Figs. 4 and 5 cross sections thereof
Fig. 6 the lower surface.
For the purpose of rendering the sounding board able to resist the tropical climate,
it is not made in one continuous plane, but composed of single parallel sounding
boards E, laid at small distances apart and connected underneath by the long cross
ribs F, and above by small separate tenons D. The single sound boards are thereby
separately susceptible to influences of temperature. The ribs and the small inter-
mediate pieces 1 connecting the separate parts however give the whole a connection,
which is very essential with regard to its acoustic properties without obviating the
capacity of the single parts to expand.
Sound boards of this construction may be made in any suitable shape and fixed in
any convenient manner in the instrument.
Fig. 7 is a section of the tuning frame, showing the improved tuning devices. Fig. S
is a plan and Fig. 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 various details. The string frame A is provided
above with a slanted plane carrying the tuning pins which serves chiefly the purpose
of shortening considerably the length of the strings between the tuning ridge me and
the tuning device and allowing the metallic pressing bead to be dispensed with, while

page_text: again the application of upper or lower damping is possible without altering the so-
called partition and without unnecessary lengthening of the strings behind the tuning
ridge. The slanted plane of the frame A is formed in successive terraces and serves to
receive the tuning devices, each of which consists of a slide holder or guide & fixed to
the frame, a shoulder at its upper end holding the screw h, a slide carrying the
string ping and actuated by said screw. The siring pin serves for securing the
strings in the manner heretofore applied, the string being coiled upon, the ping, for
which purpose the actuating screw is turned by the aid of a suitable key, until the pin
is in its lowest position.
When tuning, the pin g standing at the lowest extremity of the slide base d is
gradually slid upward by the actuating screw / until the exact tone is reached.
The sliding piece is provided underneath with a slot embracing a corresponding
bead on the slide-bed to ensure accurate guiding of the slide. The device is of small
dimensions the whole can therefore be arranged in close rows behind each other on
the terraces. ❤
The device is firmer and enables the instrument to remain much longer in tune, than
is ordinarily the case.
"Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what 1 claim is :
In pianofortes and similar instruments
1) The combination with a casing of metal, of an inner non-resonant layer a for the
purpose set forth:
2) The sounding board formed of parts E, separated by interstices from each other
and connected together by ribs F and tenons D substantially as and for the purpose
set forth.
3) The use of an inclined terraced frame A, on which the tuning devices are placed,
said devices consisting of the string pin y, mounted on a block actuated by screw h
on the guide de fixed to said frame A.
L. ROMHILDT.
Pp. Herbert & Co.,
67, Strand, W.C.,
Agents to Applicant.