AN IMPROVED TRANSPOSING KEYBOARD OR MANUAL APPLICABLE TO PIANOFORTES, ORGANS, HARMONIUMS, AND OTHER ANALOGOUS INSTRUMENTS
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Newton; of the Office for Patents,
'
60, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer,
for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED TRANSPOSING KEYBOARD OR MANUAL
APPLICABLE TO PIANOFORTES, ORGANS, HARMONIUMS, AND OTHER ANALOGOUS
INSTRUMENTS." -A communication from abroad by Auguste Désiré
Barnard Wolff of Pavic in the Ronublic of Francu
Sealed the 20th May 1873, and dated the 2nd January 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward
Newton at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 2nd January 1873.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED TRANSPOSING KEYBOARD
OR MANUAL APPLICABLE TO PIANOPORTES, ORGANS, HARMONIUMS, AND OTHER
ANALOGOUS INSTRUMENTS," to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to convert any ordinary pianoforte,
organ, harmonium, or other analogous instrument into a transposing

page_text: instrument, so that a player can at once play in any desired key without
undergoing the mental exertion of transposing the written or printed
music as is now necessary with ordinary instruments. To this end an
additional keyboard is placed above the ordinary keyboard or manual,
and is capable of being shifted up or down (that is to the right or left)
according to whether it be desired to play in a higher or lower key than
that in which the music is written. The additional keyboard is not
intended to be permanently attached to the instrument, but is only
temporarily connected therewith. It is mounted on a long rod on which
it is capable of being moved laterally when required to transpose from
one musical key to another.
Each key of the additional manual is provided on its under side with a
pin or stud, whereby it may be made to act upon one of the keys of the
manual belonging to the instrument whenever a key of the trans-
posing manual is depressed by the finger of the player. The player can
play (on the additional manual) the music in the key in which it is
written, or by moving this manual sideways either up or down, the
music may be played in a higher or lower key. When the transposing
keyboard is not required, it may be lifted off and removed, and then the
instrument will be one of the ordinary character.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
•
filed by the said William Edward Newton in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 2nd July 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Second day of January, in the year
of our Lord One thousand cight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-
sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said William Edward Newton, Her special
licence that I, the said William Edward Newton, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Edward
Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time

page_text: 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 IMPROVED TRANSPOSING KEYBOARD OR MANUAL APPLICABLE TO PIANOFORTES,
ORGANS, HARMONIUMS, AND OTHER ANALOGOUS INSTRUMENTS," being a com-
munication to me from abroad by Auguste Desiré Bernard Wolff, of
Paris, in the Republic of France, upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said William Edward Newton, my executors or adminis-
trators, by an 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 dato
of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Edward Newton, 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, reference being had to the Drawing here-
unto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked theron (that is to
say) :-
The object of this Invention is to convert any ordinary pianoforte,
organ, harmonium, or other analogous instrument into a. transposing
instrument, so that a player can at once play in any desired key without
undergoing the mental exertion of transposing the written or printed
music as is now necessary with ordinary instruments. To this end an
additional keyboard is placed above the ordinary keyboard or manual,
and is capable of being shifted up or down (that is to the right or left)
according to whether it be desired to play in a higher or lower key than
that in which the music is written. The additional keyboard is not
intended to be permanently attached to the instrument, but is only
temporarily connected therewith by means of screws or hooks. It is
mounted on a long rod on which it is capable of being moved laterally
when required to transpose from one musical key to another.
Each key of the additional manual is provided on its under side with
a pin or stud, whereby it may be made to act upon one of the keys of the
manual belonging to the instrument whenever a key of the transposing

page_text: manual is depressed by the finger of the player. The player can play
(on the additional manual) the music in the key in which it is written,
or by moving this manual sideways either up or down, the music may be
played in a higher or lower key. When the transposing keyboard is not
required, it may be lifted off and removed, and then the instrument will
bo one of the ordinary character.
In the accompanying Drawings Fig. 1 is a transverse vertical section
of the transposing keyboard placed upon an ordinary keyboard repre-
sented by red lines; and Fig. 2, a plan view of the additional keyboard,
but shewing only a part of it.
A, A, are the white keys; B, B, the semi-tone or black keys; C is the
front board, on the inner side of which is made a groove C³, in which
slides the tongue piece H; D, D, are the pins or studs which establish
the communication between the two keyboards. These pins or studs
are fixed in or are supported by the vibrating levers E mounted
on standards fixed to the framing L; F is a framing or bar for sup-
porting the keys of the transposing keyboard, and G are studs or points
for guiding the keys in their vertical movements; I is a recess intended
to reduce the length of the connection between the two keyboards;
K is a longitudinal steel rod upon which the transposing keyboard is
capable of sliding in either direction. This rod is mounted at its two
ends upon a framing which serves to support the whole of the trans-
posing keyboard, and is fixed upon pianos or organs, either by means
of screws or by hooks. The parts marked with an asterisk are those
which constitute the moveable part of the transposing keyboard.
The letters in red ink indicate parts of the ordinary keyboard
corresponding to those which have already been described for the
transposing keyboard. When the transposing keyboard is in place
upon the ordinary keyboard and arranged in such a manner that the
index marks the coincidence of the notes, no transposition will take
place, that is to say, C or Do of the transposing keyboard when struck
by the player causes the C or Do of the ordinary keyboard to sound,
and so on with all the other notes.
When it is required to transpose, a button or stud placed at the side is
pressed, and the transposing keyboard is made to slide or move laterally
(on the keyboard of the piano) to the left if it be desired to lower the
tone, and to the right if. it be desired to raise it; a rack determines the

page_text: number of semi-tones, and fixes the moveable keyboard in any desired
position. The differences in height between the white and black keys of
the piano are compensated by the studs or pins D (placed upon the
vibrating levers) being made of unequal length, and a recess I made on
the under side of the white keys of the transposing keyboard brings the
division to the measure of the hinder row of keys, so that the white keys
of the transposing keyboard will depress the semi-tones of the piano, and
inversely without the relative conditions of the keys being altered.
Having now described the Invention that has been communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, and having explained the manner of
carrying the same into effect, I claim as the Invention secured to me by
Letters Patent as aforesaid, the combination or adaptation of a traus-
posing keyboard (consisting of an independent apparatus) with or to the
ordinary keyboard of a piano or organ as herein set forth, whereby the
desired effect may be produced without changing or altering any part of
the latter.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newton, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, the Second day of July, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
three.