Improvements in Apparatus for Closing the Sides of Pianoforte Hammer Moulds.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 26th June, 1897
Complete Specification Left, 24th Mar., 1898-Accepted, 4th June, 1898
Improvements in Apparatus for Closing the Sides of Pianoforte
Hammer Moulds.
CHARLES HARRISON, 53, Archer Street, Pratt Street, Camden Town, London,
Middlesex, Pianoforte Hammer Coverer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
My invention has for its object to provide efficient and simple device for closing
the sides of pianoforte hammer moulds.
According to my invention I provide an ordinary bar, handle, or lever, said bar,
handle, or lever, being held or, supported by suitable means, upon a pianoforte
hammer press, said press being a tool used in the making of pianoforte hammer
head. Within suitable bearings I mount a shaft, at each end of shaft I fasten
an arm, said arm being in the form of a cam, excentric or lever. Now when it is
necessary to raise the sides of the moulds, the said bar, handle or lever is either
raised or pressed down, thus causing the side cams or tappets, to partially rotate
upwards, so closing together the top sides of the moulds, by which means a con-
siderable. amount of time is saved.
So that the cams or tappets can act upon the sides of the upper part of the
moulds, a shelf is cast upon them, said shelf or extention laying over the cams or
tappets, in such a manner that when the sides of the moulds are open, the cams
or tappets are down, and the bar or lever is either up or down as required, and
when it is necessary too close the upper sides of moulds, the bar or lever is pressed
down either with the hand or foot, so closing this together the upper sides instantly:
Other inethord can be employed without departing from nature of the invention:
Improvements in Apparatus for Closing the Sides of Pianoforte
Hammer Moulds.
CITARLES HARRISON, 53, Archer Street, Pratt Street, Camden Town, London;
Middlesex, Pianoforte Hammer Coverer, 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;-
This invention has for its object to provide an efficient and simple device for
raising the projecting sides of the hinged portions of pianoforte hammer moulds,
so that said hinged portions may be closed together, or nearly together, more
ronidly than hitherto.

page_text: According to my invention I provide a pair of oscillating arms, keyed on or
otherwise attached to a shaft supported in a bearing or bearings secured to or
made integrally with a suitable part of the framing of an ordinary press used in
the pianoforte hammer trade, in such position that the extremities of the arms
bear against the under-sides of the hinged portion of the moulds when these last
are laid upon the bed of the press. One of the abovementioned oscillating arms I
extend beyond the supporting shaft to carry a treadle to which the power is to be
applied so that such arm so extended becomes a lever with its fulcrum between
the power and the work; and I attach in any convenient manner a weight to this
lever near that end of it which is farthest from the treadle, so that the normal
position of the lever is with the treadle at the highest point of its travel.
When the treadle is depressed by foot or other power, the free ends of the
oscillating arms are raised lifting the projecting sides of the hinged portions of
the moulds, whereby such moulds are closed or nearly closed; and when the treadle
is released the weight abovementioned depresses the oscillating arms and the
moulds are allowed to open.
In order that my invention may be better understood I have hereunto annexed
the drawing, in which
Fig. 1 is a side view of a press such as is used in the pianoforte hammer trade;
A is one of the two oscillating arins which, in this view are exactly coincident one
with another. B is the shaft to which each arm is rigidly. attached, as by a key C.
F is the extension of one of the arms to carry the treadle G, and H is the weight.
The mould E is shown in the "closed" position and the full lines show the oscil-
lating arms, the weight & the treadle in the corresponding; position, whilst the
dash & döt lines show them in the position they occupy when the mould is open.
Fig. 2, is an end view with the moulds and bed of press in section, the former
"closed" and the treadle and oscillating arms in the corresponding positions.
Dis the bearing in which the shaft B lies and turns.
Fig. 3 is a like view to the preceeding, but with treadle raised & moulds open.
Similar letters refer to like parts in all the figures.
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:―
Firstly A lever attached by any suitable means to the said press and to which
an upward or downward motion is imparted by the foot thereby causing the sides
of the moulds to be closed together or nearly together.
Secondly: The lever is returned to its normal position by means of a weight
attached to the free end of such lever: