Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Jan., 1897-Accepted, 1st Jan., 1898
(A communication from abroad by James F. Conover, of 385 Warren Avenue,
Chicago, Illinois, United States of America, Gentleman).
I, JAMES GRIEVE LORRAIN, M.I.E.E., M.I. Mech. E., of Norfolk House, Victoria
Embankment, London, W.C., in the County of Middlesex, Chartered Patent Agent,
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:-
The object of my invention is to produce a musical instrument occupying small
floor space with greatly augmented tone of purer musical quality and greater
durability. Also to provide a cast string plate or frame of such a construction
and arrangement, that artificial strain of shrinkage in casting shall be relieved
and thus avoid or overcome that tendency of the plate or frame to break during
cooling and before or after the tension of the strings is added.
To this end my invention consists in certain features of construction, arrange-
ment of parts and combinations to be particularly described and pointed out in my
claims, reference being now had to the accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a front view of the piano with most of the casing ommitted.
Figure 2 is a similar rear view.
Figure 3 is a section on the line x-x of Figures 1 and 2.
Figure 4 is a like section showing the string plate divested of all attachments.
I will first proceed with a description of the arrangement and combination of
the action, the key mechanism and the disposition of the sounding board.
In this connection it is my object to so construct and arrange the parts as that
the vibrations of the strings and those of the sounding board are projected
forwardly in the direction in which the sound should travel to the listeners.
Also to dispose all of the tone producing parts above the key bed and in the
temperate zone of the room and thereby attain certain advantages about to be
particularly set forth.
A vertical string plate or frame A, to be particularly described hereafter, is
shown as supported, by short posts A2, above a key bed B, itself supported at a
proper height above the floor by legs 12 or in any suitable manner. Keys C
(Fig. 3) of a manual key board, fulcrumed upon this bed pass beneath the string
any suitable
plate or frame and in the rear of its plane connect directly with
action D, whose hammers D) 2 oscillate forwardly in striking the strings. The
sounding board E lies wholly above the keys, covers the principal part of the
string plate or frame and is marginally secured thereto in a manner about to be
described.
The strings or wires E2 are secured to the hitch bars E³ in the ordinary manner
and pass thence downward over the vibrating bridges H and H2 secured to the
sounding board E, past the impact line of the hammers, over the stationary
bridge H³, a part of the string plate or frame A, and are secured to the wrest
plank J by means of pins in the ordinary manner.
In front of the plane of the strings is the sounding board E marginally secured
to the string plate or frame. The vibrating bridges H and H2 are attached to the
sounding board only and vibrate with it.

page_text: The sounding board being located in the front of the piano and having its
strings on the rear side thereof and the hammers being arranged to oscillate
forwardly, said hammers are thus adapted for operation in the rear of the sounding
board by the performer in front of the piano.
It will also be observed in my improved construction that the keys located above
the key bed are extended from the front of the piano backward toward the rear
thereof under the sounding board and string plate or frame directly to the action D
and are directly connected therewith so that the movement of the keys is directly
communicated to the action thereby responding easily and accurately to the touch.
As all of ine tone producing parts are disposed above the key bed and occupy
the temperate zone of the room the instrument remains in tune and in general
good condition for a longer period and is not subjected to injury from the strong
currents of air with sudden changes of humidity and temperature which circulate
near the floor and cause great damage to the thin and highly seasoned sounding
board that extends down to the floor in the ordinary upright piano.
The sounding board and the vibratory bridge by which the vibrations of the
strings are imparted to the sounding board being thus located above the key bed
the sound is directed above the heads of the listeners and player and above and
over other usual obstructions.
I will now proceed to describe the character and construction of my improved
special form of string plate or frame for pianos and will preface such description
with a brief statement of certain well known conditions which prevail in the
casting or moulding of iron and which conditions have heretofore presented
difficulties in the casting or moulding of string plates or frames for pianos.
In the present form of plate or frame as now constructed a considerable per-
centage break or become distorted while cooling in the moulds and others, which
appear to be well cast, also break from a concussion, before and after the strain of
the strings is added. In order to overcome this serious disadvantage I provide the
form of plate or frame which will now be particularly described.
The string plate or frame A is a one-piece casting consisting of a broad
marginal band or web K of an inverted U shape, when secured in position, which
band or web is approximately perpendicular, to the general plane of the string
plate or frame and extending transversely to and across the said general plane
projects beyond each side or face of the same and also consisting of the hitch
bars E, the wrest plank bars L, for holding the wrest plank J, the stationary
bridge H and a series of curved braces L².
The braces are curved and comparatively thin in order that they may yield
under the strain of cooling contraction straightening out under a pulling strain
and increasing their curvature under a pushing strain and thus prevent any
dangerous stress or artificial strain upon the plate or frame which causes their 4
breakage in casting and also before and after the strain of the strings is added.
If deemed necessary rings L³ may be made integral parts of the braces at several
points for the reason that such rings readily accomodate themselves, by slight
distortion, to either thrust or pull in any direction, or to any combination of such
forces.
I have also shown in the drawings a form of string plate or frame provided with
straight connecting bars L' which are employed in conjunction with the curved
braces and interposed rings. The curved braces, the rings and straight bars L'
serve to connect the hitch bars with each other and with the marginal band or
web and also with the wrest plank bars and all of these parts together with the 5
stationary bridge being integrally cast constitute the string plate or frame.
The tendency of the string plate or frame, of the ordinary piano to bend and
buckle under the strain of the strings necessitates the use of heavy wooden frames
or timbers to which the string plate or frame is secured.
It will be apparent with my improved from of string plate or frame that the 5
usual heavy wooden backing is not required as the broad marginal band or web K
of the string plate or frame extending at approximately right angles to the

page_text: general plane of the plate or frame and across said plane and also beyond each
side or face thereof being practically inflexible edgewise resists any tendency of
the string plate or frame to spring or buckle under the strain or tension of the
strings. As the broad band or web K is secured firmly and rigidly to the key bed
and projects upward therefrom in its inverted U shaped form the sounding
board E and other tone producing elements are all disposed above the key bed,
as previously stated and held rigidly in this position, the sounding board being
secured to the marginal band or web K by bolts a (Fig. 3) passing through pro-
jections b and clamping the board between the blocks d.
By "broad marginal band or web" I mean a web or band of such a width as
to present a sufficient cross section of the metal of the band or web as shall provide
a practically inflexible resistance to the strain resulting from the tendency of the
plate or frame to buckle.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. A piano string plate or frame having a broad marginal web or band per-
pendicular to the general plane of the frame, hitch bars and curved braces
integrally connecting the web and hitch bars, substantially as and for the pur-
pose set forth.
2. A one-piece, cast, piano string plate or frame having a broad marginal web
or band perpendicular to the general plane of the frame, and extending beyond
each side or face thereof, hitch bars and curved braces extending laterally from
each side of the latter to connect them integrally with the corresponding portions
of the web or band.
3. A one-piece, cast, piano string plate or frame having a marginal web or band
perpendicular to the general plane of the frame, hitch bars and braces connecting
the latter to said web, each of said braces having a sinuous or curved portion
adapted to yield slightly and thus relieve the great strain due to cooling con-
traction in casting.
4. A one-piece string plate or frame having a marginal web or band per-
pendicular to the plane of the frame as a whole, hitch bars extending across the
plate or frame, braces connecting the web and hitch bars and rings intersecting
said braces whereby said rings are adapted to yield in the cooling of the casting to
relieve artificial strain.
5. The combination with a key bed, of a string plate or frame and a sounding
board, both arranged above the bed, a manual key board, keys mounted above the
bed and passing beneath said plate or frame and sounding board, and hammers
arranged to be operated by said keys.
6. The combination with a key bed, of a string plate or frame and a sounding
board, both arranged above the bed, a manual key board, keys mounted above the
bed and passing beneath said plate or frame and sounding board and an action
with which the keys are directly connected.
7. The combination with a key bed, of a string plate or frame and a sounding
board both arranged above the key bed, a manual key board, keys mounted above
the bed and passing beneath said plate or frame and sounding board and hammers
arranged to be operated by said keys and to strike forwardly.
8. The combination with the key bed, of a broad marginal web or band of
inverted U shape, which is perpendicular to the general plane of the frame, having
its ends fixed upon the bed and projecting upwardly from said bed, hitch bars and
suitable braces connecting the hitch bars to the web the whole being cast in a
single piece.
9. The combination with the key bed, of a broad marginal web or band of
inverted U shape, which is perpendicular to the general plane of the frame, having
its ends fixed upon the said key bed and extending vertically upward therefrom,
hitch bars, braces extending from the hitch bars to the web or band and cast

page_text: integrally with both and a sounding board paralell to the plane of the frame and
fixed to the marginal portion of said web or band.
10. The combination with the key bed of a one-piece cast, string plate or frame
having a broad marginal U shaped web or band perpendicular to the general plane
of the frame and having its ends fixed to the bed, hitch bars and braces supporting
the hitch bars from said web or band, said braces having curved portions adapted
to relieve artificial strain of the plate or frame by changing their curvature in the
cooling of the casting.
11. A string plate or frame consisting of a marginal web or band perpendicular
to the plane of the plate or frame as a whole, wrest plank bars, hitch bars, and a
net work of braces connecting the hitch bars to the web and wrest plank bars
having curved portions between their points of attachment adapted to change their
curvature and thus relieve artificial strain due to contraction in the cooling of
the casting.
Dated this 5th day of January 1897
J. G. LORRAIN,
Chartered Patent Agent..