IMPROVEMENTS IN PIANOFORTES
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Benjamin Johnson, of No. 1, Surrey Place, Ken-
nington Park, in the County of Surrey, and William Henry Anderson,
of White Cottage, Stockwell Place, in the County of Surrey, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PIANOFORTES.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Benjamin Johnson and
William Henry Anderson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 18th July 1861.
We, BENJAMIN JOHNSON, of No. 1, Surrey Place, Kennington Park, in
the County of Surrey, and WILLIAM HENRY ANDERSON, of White Cottage,
Stockwell Place, in the County of Surrey, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PIANOFORTES," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in constructing pianofortes in the following manner,
and in adapting thereto certain parts not heretofore employed in their
.construction.
First, we propose to construct pianofortes with a double "belly" or two
"bellies," with perforated sounding posts between them to connect them
together. This double "belly" is intended to enclose the "back" of the
instrument from front to back thereof, and thus to form an air-tight wind
chamber, in connection with which are bellows and valves, operated upon as
herein-after described.

page_text: Secondly, we propose to employ three pedals in addition to the two
ordinary pedals. One of these extra pedals is employed to cause a swell, and
is so arranged as to raise the top of the instrument or valves placed therein,
or both, simultaneously. Another of the aforesaid extra pedals is employed
for sounding octaves by the performer simply striking one note, the cor-
responding note necessary to produce an octave being connected to the first
note of the octave by suitable mechanism operated upon by this last-named
pedal. Another pedal, which we call the very forte pedal, is employed for
sounding octaves, raising the top or valves therein, or both; also for taking
the dampers off the strings, and operating the bellows simultaneously.
By thus constructing pianofortes the power of the instrument is considerably
increased.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Benjamin Johnson and William Henry Anderson in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 18th January 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, BEN-
JAMIN JOHNSON, of No. 1, Surrey Place, Kennington Park, in the County of
Surrey, and WILLIAM HENRY ANDERSON, of White Cottage, Stockwell Place,
in the County of Surrey, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of July, 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 us,
the said Benjamin Johnson and William Henry Anderson, Her special licence
that we, the said Benjamin Johnson and William Henry Anderson, our
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said Ben-
jamin Johnson and William Henry Anderson, our 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN PIANOFORTES," upon. the condition (amongst
others) that we; the said Benjamin Johnson and William Henry Anderson,
our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under our, 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

page_text: 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 we, the said Benjamin Johnson and William Henry
Anderson, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement, that is to say:-
This Invention consists in constructing pianofortes in the following inanner,
and in adapting thereto certain parts not heretofore employed in their
construction.
First, we propose to construct pianofortes with a double "belly" or two
'bellies," with perforated sounding posts between them to connect them
together. This double "belly" is intended to enclose the "back" of the
instrument from front to back thereof, and thus to form an air-tight wind
chamber, in connection with which are bellows and valves, operated upon as
herein-after described.
Secondly, we propose to employ three pedals in addition to the two ordinary
pedals. One of these extra pedals is employed to cause a swell, and is so
arranged as to raise the top of the instrument or valves placed therein, or
both, simultaneously. Another of the aforesaid extra pedals is employed for
sounding octaves by the performer simply striking one note, the corresponding
note necessary to produce an octave being connected to the first note of the
octave by suitable mechanism operated upon by this last-named pedal.
Another pedal, which we call the very forte pedal, is employed for sounding
octaves, raising the top or valves therein, or both; also for taking the dampers
off the strings and operating the bellows simultaneously. By thus constructing
pianofortes the power of the instrument is considerably increased.
In order to explain our said Invention as completely as possible, we now
proceed to describe the best means we are acquainted with for carrying the
same into practical effect, reference being had to the accompanying illustrative
Sheets of Drawings, and to the numeral figures and letters of reference
marked thereon respectively, as follows:-
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 of Sheet 1 represents a front view, Figure 2, a plan, and Figure 3,
a vertical section through the line A, B, Figure 1, of the "back" of our
improved pianoforte; Figure 4 is an elevation shewing the front "belly" and
the improved arrangement of pins; Figure 5 is a section of the air tube and
portion of the front "belly;" Figure 5 shews the mode of wiring the rest

page_text: pins, herein-after preferred to; Figure 6 is a view of the back of the piano-
forte and the back "belly;" Figure 7 is a vertical section shewing the double
"belly," and sounding posts; Figures 8, 9, 10, and 11 are details herein-after
referred to.
Figure 12 of Sheet 2 of the Drawings represents a plan of the keyboard or
frame of the piano, with the arrangement of keys for producing octaves;
Figure 13 is a plan of the same with the keys removed, and shewing the
wind chest; Figure 14 is a view of the lower part of the pianoforte, with the
bellows and arrangement of pedals; Figure 15 is a side view, in section,
through the line E, F, Figure 14, of same; Figure 16 shews the lower
portion of the piano as it appears with the covers on; Figure 17 is a section
of the upper cover or slide; Figure 18 represents a side view of the octave
key action on a larger scale; Figure 19, a front view of the prolonge of
the hammer action; and Figure 20 represents a quarter of the oval fret-
work of the door in front of the piano. At each of the foregoing Figures we
employ similar letters to denote corresponding parts in so far as such parts
appear or can be seen at each of said Figures and Sheets of Drawings
respectively.
At Figures 1, 2, and 3, Sheet 1, A, A, is the framework of the "back" of
the pianoforte, formed of wood, supported and connected together by the
bracings" B, B, which are strengthened by glueing, or otherwise fastening
to them strips of beech C, C. The "bent side" D is blocked by glueing or
fastening several pieces or strips of wood together, as shewn in section
Figure 3. On the top of the "rest plank "A¹ of the "back" the holes E, E,
are made, through which the sound passes as it ascends through the spaces F, F,
in the "back." G is an iron stud or abutment, against which rests an iron
plate, to which a series of wires are attached. His a groove formed in the
bracings" B, B, in which fits the air tube I, exhibited at Figures 4, 5,
and 12, glued or otherwise secured to the back of the front "belly" J at
Figures 4 and 7. This belly is formed of very thin Swiss pine, strengthened
by bars fixed by screws j, j, in the ordinary manner; said belly is fastened
to the "back" by screws K, K, the curved lower part resting in the groove K¹
formed in the blocked "bent side" D. At the upper part of the belly are
made several large holes L, L, for the passage of the sound, and underneath
these a series of small holes M, M, are drilled at an angle, if required, as
shewn in section, Figure 5. N, N, are a series of holes to receive the "rest
pins" N¹, on which the wires are strained. This improved mode of arranging
or distributing said pins secures a more uniform distribution of the tension of
the strings on the "back" frame than by the usual method. The mode of

page_text: wiring the said pins is shewn, full size, at Figure 5º. 0, 0, are the " sounding
posts," which connect the two "bellies " J, P, together, and shewn more clearly
in the section, Figure 7. The back "belly "P, exhibited in Figures 6 and 7,
is also strengthened and fitted with "bars," secured by screws j, j, as before
mentioned with reference to Figures 4 and 7.
In Figure 12, Sheet 2, are shewn the series of angular octave keys Q, Q,
for playing octaves, one key being drawn in side view on a scale of half-size,
as at Figure 18. These keys work upon stud pins Q¹ on the sliding frame R,
resting on the cross bars R¹ of the frame S, and are formed of three thin
angular strips of wood glued or otherwise fastened together, each being
mounted with an adjusting lever S¹ at one end, which, when pressed down by
the upper key, will cause the opposite end to play the corresponding eighth
note or octave. These octave keys commence from the third C in the bass,
descending to its octave, and producing the lowest C in the scale, then
starting from the fourth F in the bass, ascending and taking in two octaves
and a fourth, introducing the upper C in the seven octaves. S" represents
one of the upper keys in plan, working on a stud pin on the bar S. The
sliding frame when moved abuts against the shoulder T on the cross-bars R¹³,
as shewn by dotted lines in Figure 13. Figure 18 represents the position of
the sliding frame and the octave keys when the latter are required to be used.
By pressing down the pedal 2, Figure 14, with the foot, and thus pulling the
hooked rod T¹ down and the cord U round the pullies V, V₁, (shewn full size
in plan and elevation, Figures 8, 9, 10, and 11, Sheet 1,) the octave keys are
brought into their proper place for playing upon.
of the upper
When any
keys S", placed over the angular octave keys Q, are pressed down by the
fingers it causes, by means of the projecting piece W, the "prolonge" W¹ of
the hammer action (shewn in side view, Figure 18) to be raised for working
their respective hammers, and at the same time the corresponding octave
notes are played by the octave keys, the curved block X, glued or other-
wise fixed at the ends of the keys, coming in contact with the end of the
"prolonge" W, and producing the same movement. By these means a
more powerful tone is obtained than in the ordinary pianoforte. The flat tie
rod Y holds at one end the "prolonge" W₁, and secures its perpendicular
movement, the opposite end working on a pin Z in the bracket a, fixed by
screws to the rail a¹. The steel springs b, b, Figures 12 and 18, cause the
frame R and the keys to take their original position when the foot is removed,
as shewn
the dotted lines, Figure 18, and the frame is guided in its
horizontal movement by the slots c, c¹, and pins d, d¹. The space e, e, without

page_text: octave keys is for the purpose of preventing the fingering of the two hands
interfering with each other.
Figures 14 and 15 shew the apparatus for forcing a current of air against
the wires of the pianoforte for producing a "swell" or sustained tone, as in
the Eolian harp, and more powerful effects than hitherto obtained. .ff, are
the bellows formed with g in the ordinary mode, air being admitted through
the holes and valves h, h¹. The pair of bellows are connected together
by the plate ; and worked by pressing down the pedal 3 with the foot.
which action causes the rod k and cord k¹ passing over the pullies 1, 11,
Figures 8, 9, 12, and 15, to raise the pair of bellows, and thus force the air
through the holes and valves m, m, in the wind chest n, Figures 12 and 13,
thence through the passage and tube o into the air tube I, and out through
the small holes M, M, against the wires, so as to increase their vibration.
The above described apparatus is enclosed by the covers p, q, as shewn by
Figures 16 and 17. The cover p slides upon the brackets p¹.
The pedals 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 are for producing the different effects and
gradations of sound required in music. No. 1 is the "piano" pedal, which
introduces felt between 'the hammers and strings to soften the sound by the
rockers or levers r, r², and rod s, in the ordinary manner. The "octave"
pedal, No. 2, is for working the octave action alone. No. 3 is the pedal for
producing the "swell" by a strong current of air. The "fortissimo" pedal,
No. 4, takes the dampers off and puts the octave keys in action by means of
the rod t, which passes through the front rocker or lever u, and also by the
rod v, which pulls the cord U in the manner before stated. The pedal 5 is
the "forte" pedal of the ordinary kind.
Figure 20 is a front view of a portion of the fretted screen or door of the
improved pianoforte, which is made to slide in a vertical groove w, Figure 15,
in the sides of the pianoforte.
-
Having now fully described and set forth the nature and object of our said
Invention of "Improvements in Pianofortes," together with the best means
we are acquainted with for carrying the same into practical effect, we would
remark in conclusion that we hereby declare our Invention to consist in, and
we claim,-
First, constructing pianofortes with a double belly, constituting an air-
tight wind chamber, in connection with which are bellows arranged and
actuated as above described with reference to Figures 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12,
13, 14, 15, of Sheets 1 and 2 of the accompanying Drawings; also the con-
struction of the back, by blocking the bent side thereof as denoted by the

page_text: letter D, lining the bracing B, as at C, and forming holes E in the top of the
rest plank A', as herein-before described with reference to Figures 1, 2, 3,
of Sheet 1 of the accompanying Drawings.
Secondly, adapting to the keys of pianofortes certain mechanism for sounding
octaves by the performer, simply striking one or other of the keys; also
employing an extra pedal in connection therewith, as above stated and
described with reference to Figures 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 18, 19 of
the accompanying Drawings.
Thirdly and lastly, adapting two other extra pedals to pianofortes, one of
which we call the fortissimo pedal, employed for taking the dampers off the
strings, and bringing the octave keys into action, and the other pedal for
causing the swell, as herein-before described with reference to Figures 8, 9,
12, 13, 14, 15, of the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, we, the said Benjamin Johnson and William Henry
Anderson, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Seventeenth day
of January, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
sixty-two.
BENJAMIN JOHNSON.
(L.S.)
WILLIAM HENRY ANDERSON. (L.S.)