IMPROVEMENTS IN PIANOFORTES, PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO OTHER MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, AND TO APPARATUSES WORKED BY PEDALS
Year: 1861

page_text: Sealed the 17th December 1861, and dated the 20th June 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Archibald
Brooman at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 20th June 1861.
I, RICHARD ARCHIBALD BROOMAN, of 166, Flect Street, in the City of
London, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN PIANOFORTES, PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE
TO OTHER MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, AND TO APPARATUSES WORKED BY PEDALS," com-
municated to me from abroad by Jean Leandre Clement, of Rochefort,
France.) to be as follows:-
One of the great drawbacks to the perfection of the pianoforte as a musical
instrument is the non-continuity of the sound, which, owing to the arrange-
To overcome this defect the
ment of the hammer, only lasts a stated time.
Inventor adds to the instrument an arrangement somewhat similar to the bow
of a violin, which he causes to act separately or simultaneously with the
hammer. To the intermittent percussive he adds a continuous action, and
produces continuous sounds without in any way lessening the effects usually
produced in pianofortes.

page_text: The accompanying Drawings illustrate the manner in which the Invention is
carried into effect.
Figure is a sectional elevation of this improved instrument; Figure 1bis
shows a particular arrangement connected with the pedal; Figure 2 is a
view in plan of the bow arrangement which acts on the strings; Figure 3 is
an end view of the friction cylinder for sounding the note; Figures 4 and 5
show a particular arrangement of a movable frame, on which the bow moves;
Figures 6 to 19 show different detail views of parts hereafter referred to.
To obtain a continuous sound it is necessary to perform two motions
simultaneously, that of the pedal and that of the keys. The motion of the
pedal, as shown at Figure 1bis, is intended to produce the continuous rotation of
the endless india-rubber cord a, by means of the pedal or lever b, fixed to one
end of it. A cord is fixed to this lever, which passes round a cylinder free to
revolve on the shaft e. Figure 6 illustrates a method by which a continuous
motion is imparted to the cylinder without noise. The fly wheel is put in
motion by two pedals. B is the shaft of the fly wheel, free to turn about two
extreme points; B, d, is a kind of crank, receiving motion from the fly-wheel.
The shaft B supports two loose pulleys, worked by the pedal F. A double
pedal F is placed to the rear of the latter, and works in the following
manner: The pedal F passes over the pulley, and puts the fly wheel in
motion in the direction of the arrow. When the pedal ascends the fly wheel
continues its course, and a spring E draws the pulley while a cam A, centred
at d, prevents the backward motion of the pulley, and its action ceases during
the rotation of the second pulley. This motion takes place as the pedals are
touched. It will be understood that as the fly wheel revolves it does not
make any backward motion similar to the loose pulleys.
The arrangement just described is advantageously substituted for that of the
ordinary rack motion, at the same time no noise is produced, as the flanges
are lined with india-rubber. When the performer depresses the pedal a,
Figure 1, the result is that the fly wheel is caused to revolve, and rotary
motion is transmitted to the cylinder c and discs d; if at the same time the
performer plays on the keys e, the hammers and other parts of the piano are
set in motion as in ordinary pianos, but in addition to this, with the assistance
of the upper key-board f, which is moved by the connecting piece g, the rods h
cause the pieces i to oscillate, to which the strings, j', Figures 1 and 2, are
connected. The strings 1, 1', are made of wire, and have a direct action
against the bow k, by means of the following mechanism:-The ends of the
wires are connected to bell-crank levers l, m, placed on a bar n, to which the
bow is fitted. o is a movable frame on the end of this bar n, carrying

page_text: the opposite roller for stretching the bow; p is a screw for regulating the
tension of the ribbon which forms the bow k. The bow strings are made of
an endless ribbon or band of silk instead of hair, of which the bows for
ordinary stringed instruments are made; when the string j, for example, acts
on one arm of the bell-crank lever 1, the latter carries the roller q against the
ribbon, which thus strikes the strings A, B; during this operation, and
simultaneously with it, the slotted rod r, connecting each of the levers I, m,
with the movable frame o, causes the latter to be thrown on one side, and the
pinion s fixed on a pivot in the same frame acts against the disc d, thereby
imparting to it a rapid rotary motion; this motion is communicated to the
roller t, which transmits it to the ribbon or bow k. The result of these
simultaneous motions is that the bow rubs against the strings A and B, or only
against one of them, and produces a continuous vibration similar to that of a
bow on the strings of a violin, violincello, counter bass, and the like instru-
ments. The arrangement of the movable frame o, Figures 4 and 5, facilitates
the regulation of the distance of the pinion s from the discs d by means of the
screw u, which will be screwed up according to the degree of wear in the skin
of which the discs are composed. To stop the action of the bows, but at the
same to preserve that of the piano, the feet of the rods h are brought out
of the socket v, on which they rest, when the upper key-board ceasing to have
any effect on the rods h, the bows remain inactive; the reverse action takes
place when the rods are returned to the sockets.
The arrangements hereafter described are applicable to this combined piano,
and in whatever form it may be; it is capable of being used with the harmonium
like the organ. It can also be fitted with a bar in such manner that each of
the strings when subjected to the friction of the bow may produce harmonic
sounds, the bar rising and falling according to a regulated register, pedal, or
other means.
The mechanism usually applied to the hammers of pianofortes may be
employed to cause the vibration of the strings, whether the hammers strike
above or below the keyboard; in the latter case the piano is fitted with two
"nuts" instead of one, and a bridge. In some cases a pizzacato or "touch"
is applied to the bows, and even to the hammers in the following manner,
and as shown at Figure 7-Two finger pieces pivoted about the points a, b,
meet at c above the string, and are kept in this position by a spring d;
e, Figure 8, is a pallet, which acts as a damper, and which the finger pieces
cause to recede until the pallet comes against the piece X, Figure 11; the
whole of the parts continuing their course in the direction of the arrow, the
finger pieces separate and return to their first position. The movable pallet

page_text: acting as a damper, assists the opening of the finger pieces after they have
acted on the strings.
Figure 12 shows the arrangement for producing the percussion in continuous
sound and other pianos. At a on the rear end of the key is a bent piece f,
which acts against the tail of the hammer e, and causes it to strike the strings
while a spring b forces it back; the piece f is bent in this manner in order to
dispense with the stop pallet generally used. c is a lever, resting on the tail
of the key, which comes in contact with a piece c¹, which operates as a damper.
Figure 13 shows views of a number of appliances which may be fitted to
combined pianos and to other musical instruments in addition to the pedals, so
that the instrument or instruments to which they are applied may be capable
of producing varied effects, without the performer leaving his seat or removing
his hands from the keyboard; a, b, c, d, e, f, g, are these appliances; a, b,
open outwards, e moves laterally, d, c, go forward, and f, g, rise up; either or
all of them are moved by the knee or knees of the performer.
In some cases a cylinder similar to that used in street or barrel organs is
fitted to the piano in the following manner:-1st, a, Figure 14, is the spindle
on which the cylinder is mounted; it is placed beneath the keys, and driven
through the handle p, o, q; n is an endless screw or worm, gearing into the
wheel m in the ordinary manner, but the points of the toothed wheel make the
key oscillate when they meet the point b; h, c, is a spring for imparting to
the lever b, k, c, a motion similar to that of the finger, which quickly drives
the piece i, d, in the direction indicated by the arrow; 2nd, at the top of the
instrument, as shown at Figure 15, the cylinder being placed in a special box,
the case of the instrument is raised as at x, y, z, v; it moves on the hinge M.
The action of the pins of the cylinder takes place either on the parts c of the
lever b, h, c, or on the keyboard, but aranged as indicated by the red lines,
the centre at , and the points at d. The impulse spring in the first case is
shown at r, n; the bar n is supported by uprights shown in dotted lines firmly
to their ends. The employment of a cylinder in pianos and other similar
instruments necessitates a notation by points, bridges entail too much difficulty,
nevertheless, for instruments combined with the harmonium, the organ, for
example, the cylinders have a double notation given to them, viz., points for
the piano, and bridges for the harmonium, and by making use of a double
fingerboard, as shown at Figure 16, by b and d, the fingerboard of the
harmonium may be made without the impulse spring. The points of notation
in the cylinders in pianos are raised in proportion to the different tones and
expressions. Among other effects capable of being produced in combined
and other pianos is that of castanets, see Figure 18. a, c, is a blade of wood

page_text: free to move about the point b, and held by a spring a, r, against the
castanet, g, supported by the bar e. A toothed wheel d, driven by an
eccentric, causes the blade a, c, to strike the castanet, thus producing the
different sounds and effects common to this instrument. In the different
applications of the combined piano herein-before described, the strings are
placed perpendicular with the bow, but by certain combinations they can be
arranged in a horizontal direction with it. In a similar manner one or several
strings may be touched by the bow, and the sound can be increased or
diminished by causing the bow to slide on one or several strings, according to
the pressure exercised on the keyboard x. Figure 1 is a distributor for placing
on the bows the necessary composition for causing them to adhere with
greater firmness to the strings; the composition preferred is a mixture of
caoutchouc and common rosin.
The arrangement of catch and stop herein-before described is applicable to
other apparatuses and instruments worked by pedals.
SPECIFICATION
in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Richard Archibald Brooman in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 20th December 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RICHARD
ARCHIBALD BROOMAN, of 166, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent
Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fifth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Richard Archibald Brooman, Her special licence that I, the
said Richard Archibald Brooman, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Richard Archibald Brooman, my execu
tors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within
the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and
Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PIANOFORTES, PARTS OF WHICH
IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO OTHER MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, AND TO APPA-
RATUSES WORKED BY PEDALS." (a communication from abroad by Jean Leandre
Clement, of Rochefort, France,) upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said Richard Archibald Brooman, my executors or administrators, by an

page_text: instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to
be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Richard Archibald Brooman, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto
annexed, that is to say-
One of the great drawbacks to the perfection of the pianoforte as a musical
instrument is the non-continuity of the sound, which, owing to the arrange-
ment of the hammer, only lasts a stated time. To overcome this defect the
Inventor akids to the instrument an arrangement somewhat similar to the bow
of a violin, which he causes to act separately or simultaneously with the
hammer. To the intermittent percussive he adds a continuous action, and
produces continuous sounds without in any way lessening the effects usually
produced in pianofortes.
The accompanying Drawings illustrate the manner in which the Invention.
is carried into effect.
Figure is a sectional elevation of this improved instrument; Figure 1 bis
shows a particular arrangement connected with the pedal; Figure 2 is a view
in plan of the bow arrangement which acts on the strings; Figure 3 is an end
view of the friction cylinder for sounding the note; Figures 4 and 5 show a
particular arrangement of a movable frame on which the bow moves; Figures
6 to 29 show different detail views of parts hereafter referred to..
To obtain a continuous sound it is necessary to perform two motions simul-
taneously, that of the pedal and that of the keys. The motion of the pedal, as
shown at Figure 1, is intended to produce the continuous rotation of the
endless india-rubber cord a, by means of the pedal or lever b, fixed to one end
of it; a cord is fixed to this lever, which passes round a cylinder free to revolve
on the shaft c. Figure 6 illustrates a method by which a continuous motion
is imparted to the cylinder without noise; the fly wheel is put in motion by
two pedals. B is the shaft of the fly wheel free to turn about two extreme
points; B, d, is a kind of crank receiving motion from the fly wheel; the
shaft B supports two loose pulleys worked by the pedal F; a double pedal F¹
is placed to the rear of the latter, and works in the following manner:--The
pedal F passes over the pulley, and puts the fly wheel in motion in the
direction of the arrow; when the pedal ascends the fly wheel continues its

page_text: course, and a spring E draws the pulley, while a cam A, centred at d. prevents
the backward motion of the pulley, and its action ceases during the rotation of
the second pulley. This motion takes place as the pedals are touched; it will
be understood that as the fly wheel revolves it does not make any backward
motion similar to the loose pulleys.
The arrangement just described is advantageously substituted for that of the
ordinary rack motion, at the same time no noise is produced as the flanges are
lined with india-rubber: When the performer depresses the pedal a, Figure 1,
the result is that the fly wheel is caused to revolve, and rotary motion is
transmitted to the cylinder c and discs d; if at the same time the performer
plays on the keys e, the hammers and other parts of the piano are set in
motion as in ordinary pianos, but in addition to this with the assistance of the
upper key board f, which is moved by the connecting piece g, the rods cause
the pieces i to oscillate, to which the strings j, j', Figures 1 and 2, are con-
nected. The strings i, j, are made of wire, and have a direct action against
the bow, by means of the following mechanism:-The ends of the wires are
connected to bell-crank levers l, m, placed on a bar n, to which the bow k is
fitted; o is a movable frame on the end of this bar n, carrying the opposite
roller for stretching the bow; p is a screw for regulating the tension of the
ribbon which forms the bow k, the bow strings are made of an endless ribbon
or band of silk instead of hair, of which the bows for ordinary stringed instru-
ments are made; when the string i, for example, acts on one arm of the bell-
crank lever 1, the latter carries the roller q against the ribbon, which thus
strikes the strings A, B; during this operation, and simultaneously with it, the
slotted rod r, connecting each of the levers l, m, with the movable frame o,
causes the latter to be thrown on one side, and the pinion s fixed on a pivot in
the same frame acts against the disc d, thereby imparting to it a rapid rotary
motion; this motion is communicated to the roller t, which transmits it to the
ribbon or bow . The result of these simultaneous motions is that the bow
rubs against the strings A and B, or only against one of them, and produces a
continuous vibration similar to that of a bow on the strings of a violin, violin-
cello, counter bass, and the like instruments. The arrangement of the movable
frame o, Figures 4 and 5, facilitates the regulation of the distance of the
pinions from the discs d by means of the screw u, which will be screwed up
according to the degree of wear in the skin of which the discs are composed.
To obtain a constant tension of the bow on the rollers in all temperatures,
the arrangement shewn at Figures 22 and 23 is adopted. On a cross piece a,
a spring b is adjusted, the opposite end of which is formed with a ring into
which a hook c takes, the said hook forming the end of a guide d, fixed to the

page_text: roller carrier f. This carrier is free to slide on the bar g, and carries the
roller h, round which the endless ribbon i passes to form the bow. On the
other end of the bar there is a second bow head or movable frame carrying
the second tension roller for the bow, and on the same axis as the pinion s,
which is also seen at Figures 2, 3, and 5, for turning the roller t, and thereby
transmitting its motion to the bow, as was explained with reference to Figures
2, 3, 4 and 5. To regulate the distance of the pinion s from the disc, the frame o
which carries this pinion and the roller is pivoted about the point i, and
provided with a bent rod k, to which is jointed the extremity of the crank r,
before mentioned. To regulate the course of the frame o on its axis there is
a screw at the side, the head of which is eccentric and forms an abutment
for the frame in such manner that by turning more or less the head of the
screw, the course of the frame is increased or diminished. The movable part
of the frame o is secured to the bar g by two metallic plates m, n, the position
of which is varied by means of the pivot p and groove q, into which latter the
screw u passes and serves to fix it; is another screw at the side for limiting
the course of the plates m, n. The result of this combination of the movable
heads to support the ribbon of the bow is such that when the rollers come
against the ribbon i, to carry it against the cord, the rear roller and the
roller carrier yield by the action of the spring to the tension of the ribbon i,
but as soon as the latter is delivered the spring b brings back the roller carrier,
and the ribbon i is stretched. The arrangement shown at Figures 24 may also be
employed for producing the required tension, which consists of a spring b placed
in front of the roller carrier, the action of which tends to force back the
carrier and to stretch the ribbon. The rectilinear vertical sliding action is
obtained by means of two rods d, d', on the roller carrier f. To stop the
action of the bows, but at the same time to preserve that of the piano, the
feet of the rods h are brought out of the socket v on which they rest, when the
upper key board ceasing to have any effect on the rods h. the bows remain
inactive; the reverse action takes place when the rods are returned to the
sockets.
The arrangements hereafter described are applicable to this combined piano,
and in whatever form it may be it is capable of being used with the harmonium
like the organ; it can also be fitted with a bar in such manner that cach of
the strings, when subjected to the friction of the bow, may produce harmonic
sounds, the bar rising and falling according to a regulated register, pedal, or
other means.
The mechanism usually applied to the hammers of pianofortes may be
employed to cause the vibration of the strings, whether the hammers strike

page_text: above or below the keyboard; in the latter case the piano is fitted with two
"nuts" instead of one and a bridge. In some cases a pizzicato or "touch"
is applied to the bows, and even to the hammers, in the following manner,
and as shewn at Figure 7-Two finger pieces pivoted about the points a, b,
meet at c above the string, and are kept in this position by a spring d;
e, Figure 8, is a pallet, which acts as a damper, and which the finger-pieces
cause to recede until the pallet comes against the piece X, Figure 11, the
whole of the parts continuing their course in the direction of the arrow, the
finger-pieces separate and return to their first position. The movable pallet
acting as a damper, assists the opening of the finger-pieces after they have
acted on the strings.
Figure 12 shows the escapement for producing the percussion in continuous
sound and other pianos; at a, on the rear end of the key, is a bent piece f,
which acts against the tail of the hammer e, and causes it to strike the strings,
while a spring b forces it back; the piece is bent in this manner in order to
dispense with the stop pallet generally used; c is a lever, resting on the tail
of the key, which comes in contact with a piece c', which operates as a damper.
Figure 13 shows views of a number of appliances which may be fitted to
combined pianos and to other musical instruments in addition to the pedals, so
that the instrument or instruments to which they are applied may be capable"
of producing varied effects without the performer leaving his seat or removing
his hands from the keyboard; a, b, c, d, e, f, g, are these appliances; a, b,
open outwards; c moves laterally; d, c, go forward; and f, g, rise up; either or
all of them are moved by the knee or knees of the performer.
In some cases a cylinder similar to that used in street or barrel organs is
fitted to the piano in the following manner First, a, Figure 14, is the spindle
on which the cylinder is mounted; it is placed beneath the keys, and driven
through the handle p, o, g; n is an endless screw or worm gearing into the
wheel m in the ordinary manner, but the points of the toothed wheel make the
key oscillate when they meet the point; b, h, c, is a spring for imparting to
the lever b, k, c, a motion similar to that of the finger, which quickly drives
the piece i, d, in the direction indicated by the arrow.
Second, at the top of the instrument, as shown at Figure 15, the cylinder
being placed in a special box, the case of the instrument is raised as at x, y,
z, v, it moves on the hinge M. The action of the pins of the cylinder takes
place either on the parts c of the lever b, k, c, or on the key board, but arranged
as indicated by the red lines, the centre at k and the points at d. The impulse
spring in the first case is shown at r, n; the bar n is supported by uprights,
shown in dotted lines, firmly to their ends.

page_text: The employment of a cylinder in pianos and other similar instruments
necessitates a notation by points, bridges entail too much difficulty, never-
theless, for instruments combined with the harmonium, the organ for example,
the cylinders have a double notation given to them, videlicit, points for the piano,
and bridges for the harmonium, and by making use of a double finger board,
as shown at Figure 16 by b and d, the finger board of the harmonium may
be made without the impulse spring. The points of notation in the cylinders
in pianos are raised in proportion to the different tones and expressions.
Among other effects capable of being produced in combined and other pianos
is that of castanets, see Figure 18; a, c, is a blade of wood free to move about
the point b, and held by a spring a, r, against the castanet f, g, supported by
the bar e; a toothed wheel d driven by an eccentric causes the blade a, c, to
strike the castanet, thus producing the different sounds and effects common to
this instrument.
Figures 25 and 26 show two other methods by which the pizzicato is
obtained. That shown at Figure 25 is produced by a drawing action, and
consists of a finger a, jointed to the end of a bar b; a spring c keeps the finger
against a stop d in such manner as to force it to pinch the string it passes in
its backward motion; but when the finger occupies a position in front of the
string the latter acts on the spring c, and the finger oscillates without producing
any sound. When the pizzicato is produced by pushing, the arrangement
shown at Figure 26 is adopted, the stop must be placed on the opposite side
to produce a contrary effect; that is, the finger a acts on the string when the
bar bis pushed, and it flies out without producing any sound when the bar
returns to the rear of the string. The pizzicato action can be also obtained
by repeating the note, according to the arrangement shown at Figures 27, 28,
and 28i, consisting of a toothed wheel with ratchet a, turning in a sloping
position and furnished with keys c. As each of these keys touches the string a
pizzicato action is produced. The string e may be placed on the side of the
wheel a, or on the middle. To facilitate its connection with a piano the
arrangement shewn at Figure 9 is adopted. It often happens that when a
string is tuned there is some little difference between it and others, a difference
which it is almost impossible to regulate according to the system at present
adopted; to remedy this, and additional key c is placed between the key a and
the nut b, and at the side of the string. If the string is somewhat too base
the key c is slightly turned to raise the note to the desired height; the reverse
takes place to lower the note.
In the different applications of the combined piano herein-before described,
the strings are placed perpendicular with the bow, but by certain combinations

page_text: they can be arranged in a horizontal direction with it. In a similar manner,
one or several strings may be touched by the bow, and the sound can be
increased or diminished by causing the bow to slide on one or several strings,
according to the pressure exercised on the key board. x, Figure 1, is a dis-
tributor for placing on the bows k the necessary composition for causing them
to adhere with greater firmness to the strings. The composition preferred is a
mixture of caoutchouc and common rosin. The arrangement of catch and
stop herein-before described is applicable to other apparatuses and instruments
worked by pedals.
And having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed. I declare that I claim as my "Improve-
ments in Pianofortes, Parts of which Improvements are applicable to other
Musical Instruments and to Apparatus worked by Pedals,"
First, the production of continuous sounds, the intensity of which can be
increased or diminished by means of an endless bow or bows made to act on
strings, substantially in manner herein-before described.
Second, the construction of counter-base pianos, alto pianos, and violin
pianos, in manner and for the purposes herein-before described.
Third, the combination of a piano, constructed as before described, with a
harmonium, castenets, flute, and other instruments, as well as the apparatuses
shown at Figure 13 of the accompanying Drawings.
Fourth, the employmeut of a crank instead of a pedal, as herein-before
described.
Fifth, the means and appliances herein-before described for producing a
pizzicato action.
Sixth, the apparatuses herein-before described whereby the tension of the
strings is maintained.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Archibald Brooman, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of December, One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
R. A. BROOMAN. (L.S.)