AN IMPROVEMENT OR IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF WIRE FOR PIANOFORTES AND OTHER MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Horsfall, of Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Manufacturer, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVEMENT OR
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF WIRE FOR PIANOFORTES AND OTHER
MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS."
Sealed the 18th July 1854, and dated the 18th May 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Horsfall at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 18th
May 1854.
I, JAMES HORSFALL, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Manu-
facturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN
IMPROVEMENT OR IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF WIRE FOR PIANOFORTES
AND OTHER MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to the annealing and tempering of wire for pianofortes
and other musical instruments. I carry my Invention into effect as follows:-
Between the different stages of the drawing process, I subject the wire to the
following treatment:-I beat the same to redness, and immerse it when so
heated in water or oil; by this treatment the wire is made hard. I afterwards.
plunge the said hardened wire into a bath of melted lead, or other bath having
about the same temperature, and allow it to remain therein until the wire has
acquired the desired temper. The length of time will vary with the size of the
wire. By thus hardening and afterwards tempering the wire in the manner
described, it acquires a hardness and tenacity, which admirably fit, it, for use in
pianofortes and other musical instruments.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Horsfall in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 15th
November 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
HORSFALL, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Manufacturer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the seventeenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her beirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said James Horsfall, Her special licence that I, the said James Horsfall,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said James
Horsfall, my executors, 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 "AN IMPROVEMENT OR IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF WIRE FOR PIANOFORTES AND OTHER MUSICAL
INSTRUMENTS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said James
Horsfall, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should par-
ticularly 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 James Horsfall, 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 (that is to say) :-
My Invention consists in bardening, tempering, and drawing steel wire for
pianofortes and other musical instrunients in the following manner :-
After the wire has been drawn by the usual process to nearly the diameter
which it is intended the finished wire shall have, I subject the said wire to the
following treatment:-1 heat the said wire to redness; and immerse it when so
heated in water or oil; by this treatment the wire is made hard. I afterwards
plunge the said hardened wire into a bath of nieted lead, or other bath having
about the temperature of the melting point of lead; I allow the said wire to
remain in the said bath until it has acquired the desired temper. The length of
time will vary with the size of the wire. After this hardening and tempering

page_text: process, the wire is submitted to a final drawing, by which it is reduced to the
proper size.
Although I have described the method of hardening and tempering, which
I have found in practice to answer very well, yet I do not limit myself thereto,
as other methods of hardening and tempering may be resorted to; and although
I prefer to harden and temper the wire immediately before the final drawing,
as herein described, yet the said hardening and tempering may be effected at
any stage of the drawing process prior to the final drawing. By the treat-
ment described, the wire acquires a hardness and tenacity, which admirably fit
it for pianofortes and other musical instruments.
I claim as my Invention, hardening and tempering steel wire for pianofortes
and other musical instruments previous to the final drawing, by which the
wire is reduced to the proper diameter, as herein described.
In witness whereof; I, the said James Horsfall, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
Witness,
GEORGE SHAW.
JAMES HORSFALL. (L.s.)