IMPROVEMENTS IN PIANOFORTES
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Oct., 1886.
Complete Left, 18th Jan., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 18th Feb., 1887.
RESERV
I EMANUEL KENSHOLE of 29 Weatherall Street Aberdare in the County of
Glamorgan County Court Officer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN PIANOFORTES and in what manner the same is to be performed to
be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
An Iron frame of sufficient strength with a ledge at the back of an inch thick
by 1 high a set off of 14 inches wide and brackets of an inch thick 14 deep pro-
jecting 14 out from the set off for the purpose of receiving and supporting the wrest
plank herein after referred to A bridge inch thick by wide connected at the
bottom of the said brackets A pressure bar by of an inch also connected at the
bottom of the said brackets and being of an inch from the said bridge with
distance blocks and supports where required The wrest plank referred to to be of hard
wood 2 inches thick in front 14 at the back 3 inches wide bevelled in front and slightly
curved on top cased in iron and secured to the back of the frame with nuts and bolts
of sufficient strength.
16
The iron pins herein before referred to to be 34 inches long wide by thick.
One inch of the pin at the bottom to remain by to prevent the same from
turning in the wrest plank when tuning the Instrument. A loop or groove at the
bottom to receive the wire above the bridge and pressure bar 24 of the said pins to be
cut for the purpose of receiving a nut sufficient to support the strain of the wire when
the Instrument is in proper tune.

page_text: I, EMANUEL KENSHOLE, of 29 Weatherall Street, Aberdare, in the County of
Glamorgan, County Court Officer, 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:-
This Invention relates to improvements in Pianos and other like musical instru-
ments, the Invention consisting in improved means applicable to such instruments for
supporting the wrest plank in an improved manner, and for stretching and tuning the
metallic wires or the strings of such instruments.
The Invention is illustrated on the accompanying three sheets of Drawings; in
which Fig. 1, sheet, 1, represents a transverse section of an iron piano-frame adapted
with the present improvements; Fig. 2, sheet, 2, represents the same in front clevation;
Fig. 3, sheet, 3, represents the same in rear elevation, Figs. 4, and, 5, represent plan
views of upper and lower parts of the improved apparatus; and Figs. 6, represent
detail views of the stretching and tuning pins.
The improved means hereinbefore referred to, consist, essentially, of a metallic
frame of a tubular or hollow formation which is applied to the wrest plank or to the
upper part of the frame of the piano or instrument, and is adapted substantially in the
manner hereinafter described for carrying the stretching and tuning pins in such a
manner that the stretching and tuning of the wires or strings is effected by with-
drawing the relative pins in the direction of their length by keys or suitable means
applied to nuts or equivalent means adapted to the outer projecting ends of the pins,
and also so as to prevent the said pins from having any turning movement in being
thus operated.
On the accompanying drawings
:-
1, represents part of an ironf rame of a piano, and, 2, represents the said tubular
or hollow metallic frame which may be adapted to the wrest plank so as to enclose it,
or may be adapted to the frame, 1, in lieu of the wrest plank as in the modification
represented. The frame, 2, may be made separate from or in one piece with the
frame, 1, and it may be made in one or more sections as regards its length, and it may
be made in one or more parts, its exact construction as regards its dimensions and
the arrangement of its parts otherwise than as herein particularly specified not being
material to the Invention.
In the modification represented on the accompanying drawings, the frame, 2, is
represented as made separately from the frame, 1, and as bolted to an upward continu-
ation, 3, thereof at, 4*, and as made in one piece as regards its top and front and rear
sides.
In all modifications of the Invention, the frame, 2, is adapted with top and bottom
plates or parts, 4, 5, for receiving and guiding the stretching and tuning pins, 6,
substantially in the manner herein before referred to, that is so that such pins can have

page_text: endway but not any turning movement therein. I prefer that the pins, 6, should
extend through both of such plates or parts, 4, 5, as in the modification illustrated, but
it is not material to the Invention that they should do so, as they may be made shorter
and simply extend through the top plate with their lower ends terminating within the
frame, 2; in the former case the bottom plate, 5, would be formed with oblong through
holes, 8, as represented in Fig. 5, and the top plate, 4, might be formed with similar
through holes or with cylindrical through holes, 9, as represented in Fig. 4, and in the
latter case the top plate, 4, would be formed with oblong through holes, 8, as represented
in Fig. 5, the object being simply to provide suitable means of preventing the pins, 6,
from turning or being turned, and for such purpose the parts of such pins which
engage with the holes, 8, in the plates or parts, 4, or, 5, of the frame, 2, are made of a
corresponding flattened or oblong shape in cross section.
The top plate, 4, of the frame, 2, is made of a curved formation preferably though
not necessarily struck from a point where the adjacent wires or strings aro coincident
or first brought into line as between the bridge piece, 10, and pressure bar, 11. It is
preferred that the curvature of such plate should be struck from such a point, because
the pins, 6, then radiate therefrom and there will be a more equal and direct endway
and less lateral strain upon them.
In the modification wherein the pins, 6, only project through the top plate, 4, the
wires are brought into line at the level of the plate, 5, and the curvature of the
plate, 4, would preferably be struck from a point coincident with such line.
The pins, 6, are screw threaded at the parts thereof which work in and project from
the top plate, 4, and externally thereof are adapted with nuts, 12, which can be turned
thereon by a suitable wrest, spanner or key, the effect (when the wrest is turned in the
proper direction) being to more or less withdraw the pin in the direction of its length
and to stretch the connected wire, 13, as desired. The wires are or may be turned round
lower pins, 14, fixed in the frame 1, and are preferably connected to the pins, 6, by
being looped or turned round a hook or groove, 15, adapted thereto or formed therein
at the lower end thereof.
In the modification wherein the pins, 6, only project through the top plate 4, of the
frame, 2, the bridge piece, 10, may serve as the tuning bridge; but in the modification
wherein the pins, 6, project through both of the plates, 4, and, 5, a separate bridge-
piece, 16, is adapted to the frame, 1, below the said bridge-piece, 10, and in such
modification the pressure bar, 11, and bridge-piece, 10, are adapted with intermediate
distance pieces as required to keep them apart and the wires in the desired relative
positions, and to equalize the strain of the wires on the tuning-bridge; which
equalization is effected in the other referred to modification by holes formed in a line
in the bottom plate, 5, through which the wires pass from the pins, 6.
1.
The uprights, 17, of the frame, 1, are preferably made with front and rear strength-
ening ribs, 18, and the upper part of the frame is formed with forward brackets, 19, to
receive and support the said-frame, 2, and rod or bar, 11, and to also support the wrest.
plank when used together with and enclosed by the said frame, 2. In such latter case,
the wrest plank formed of hard wood, is adapted to fill the interior of the frame, 2,
and is formed with lateral through holes for elongated bolts; 4*, used for bolting the
frame 2, and contained wrest plank to the frame, 1, and with radial through holes in
line with the holes, 8, 9, for permitting of the endway movements of the pins, 6, and
attached portions of wires.
Should the pins, 6, at any time be drawn too far out of the frame, 2, by the turning
of the nuts, 12, the latter can be reverseley turned so as to slacken the connected wire,
the slack of which can be taken up by winding a portion of the wire round the lower
fixed pins, 14.
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. The application to pianos and other like musical instruments, as improved
means of supporting the wrest plank and of stretching and tuning the wires or

page_text: strings of such instruments, of a tubular metallic frame, 2, applied to or combined
with the wrestplank so as to completely enclose it and to be filled thereby, the frame
being made and formed substantially as hereinbefore described, and adapted with
through projecting pins, 6, (to which the wires or strings are connected) in such a
manner as to receive and guide the same so that the pins may be operated in the
direction of their length without receiving or being capable of any turning movement,
by suitable means disposed above the curved top plate, 4, of the frame, substantially
as hereinbefore described.
2. The herein before described modification of the arrangement referred to in
Claim, 1, in which modification the pins, 6, are made of a shorter length and the ends
thereof which are connected to the strings or wires terminate within the frame, 2.
3. The application to pianos and other like musical instruments, as improved means
of stretching and tuning the wires or strings of such instruments, of a tubular metallic
frame, 2, made and formed substantially as hereinbefore described, and adapted with
through projecting pins, 6, (to which the wires or strings are connected) in such a
manner as to receive and guide the same so that the pins may be operated in the
direction of their length without receiving or being capable of any turning movement,
by suitable means disposed above the curved top plate, 4, of the frame, substantially
as herein before described.
4. The hereinbefore described modification of the arrangement referred to in
Claim, 3, in which modification the pins, 6, are made of a shorter length, and the ends
thereof which are connected to the strings or wires terminate within the frame, 2.
5. The construction of the metallic frame, 2, (whether applied to or combined with
the wrest plank, or used in lieu thereof) when used in combination with through
projecting pins, 6, adapted for connection to the strings or wires to be stretched or
tuned externally of or below the frame, 2, with a curved top plate or part, 4, and with
a bottom plate or part, 5, such plates or parts of the frame being adapted with holes
for receiving, and either or both of such plates or parts of the frame being adapted with
holes for guiding the pins, 6, so that the latter may be operated in the direction of their
length without receiving or being capable of any turning movement, by suitable
means applied thereto and disposed above the curved top plate of the frame substan-
tially as hereinbefore described.
6. The construction of the metallic frame, 2, (whether applied to or combined with
the wrest plank, or use in lieu thereof) when used in combination with shorter
pins, 6, which are connected to the strings or wires to be stretched or tuned and
terminate within the frame, 2, with a curved top plate or part, 4, adapted with holes
for receiving and guiding the pins, 6, so that the latter may be operated in the direc-
tion of their length without receiving or being capable of any turning movement by
suitable means applied thereto and disposed above the curved top plate of the frame
substantially as herein before described, and with a bottom plate or part, 5, adapted
with through holes preferably arranged in a line for permitting of the wires or strings
passing through in their proper relative positions.
.
7. In a tubular or hollow metallic frame of the nature hereinbefore referred to and
used for the purposes hereinbefore described, the formation of a top perforated plate
adapted for the purposes herein before referred to, of a curved formation, the curva-
ture of which preferably but not necessarily is struck from a point where the adjacent
wires or strings are coincident or first brought into line as hereinbefore referred to.
8. The employment in combination with such a tubular frame, 2, adapted with a
curved perforated top plate, of through projecting pins, 6, adapted for connection with
the strings or wires to be stretched or tuned, and provided with means operated and
operating externally of such top plate substantially as hereinbefore described for
more or less withdrawing the said pins as required, the pins and top plate being so
relatively adapted as that the pins are capable of receiving endway movement but are
prevented from receiving any turning movement.

page_text: 9. The application to the purposes of the Invention in connection with such a
tubular frame formed with such a curved perforated top plate, of pins, 6, projecting
through such top plate and adapted with means applied externally thereof and operated
substantially in the manner hereinbefore described for withdrawing such pins in the
direction of their length, such pins being adapted for connection with the wires or
strings to be stretched or tuned, and for being guided so as not to receive any turning
movement substantially as hereinbefore described.
10. The improved construction of the iron frames of pianos and other like musical
instruments with ribbed and projecting parts and brackets in such a manner as to
support the said frame or frame and wrest plank substantially as herein before described.
DAY, DAVIES & HUNT,
321, High Holborn, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.