Leather-felt for Piano Hammers and other like purposes.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Feb., 1898.-Accepted, 9th Apr., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION,
Leather-felt for Piano Hammers and other like purposes.
I, CARL AUGUST EDMUND SYIRE, of Rosenstrasse 49, Dresden, in the Kingdom
of Saxony and Empire of Germany, Manufacturer, 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:-
In former times leather was generally used for covering the heads of piano
hammers. The foundation was made from heavy sole-leather or cross-hide, the
necessary number of layers of what is known as pianoforte-leather" being placed
over that.
The desire to increase the volume of sound of pianofortes led to the use of heavier
wires and sound-boards, and these made it indispensable to cover the hammer-
heads more heavily.
This heavier covering proved to be too expensive if made in leather because of
the labour involved in making the same, and felt was therefore adopted in lieu
of leather for covering the hammer heads.
Although material progress has been made in the manufacture of felts for
covering hammer-heads, not only as to making it sufficiently strong and dense,
but also as to the qualities that determine the production and quality of the tone,
the tone produced by felted hammers yet remains a "felt-tone" in comparison
with which the tone produced by a leather covered hammer remains unequalled as
to sweetness, and particularly as to clearness.
The amateur musician, it is true, has become accustomed to the "felt-tone,"
the professional musician however still remembers and wishes for, the "leather-
tone.'
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It has been sought to meet this wish by placing a layer of leather over the felt
of the hammer head. Various causes, that need not be elucidated here, have
either singly or conjointly operated to prevent the success expected from this.
It is however a fact that hitherto no covering for hammer heads has been known
that, the cost being commensurate with the price of the piano-forte, is capable
of permanently producing the sweetness and clearness of tone resulting from a
leather-covering.
A novel covering for pianoforte-hammer heads which, without being expensive,
unites the advantages of a pure leather covering and of a pure felt covering, is
the object of the present invention.
It consists of fibres obtained from leather by artificial means, say mechanically,
and felted into a dense layer, that is to say a true leather-felt.
Leather of suitable density is used therefor, waste pieces of such leather may
conveniently be utilized.
"
The " grain or capacity for felting, not natural to such fibres but desirable in
order to cause the same to "felt" may be artificially imparted thereto by any
known method for that purpose, say by moisture and heat. In order to obtain a
perfect "pulling" or "planking" the addition of some suitable adhesive or cemen-
titious material is advantageous.

page_text: It is obvious that a felt of the required density so produced from leather fibres
will have, when used as a covering for the heads of piano-hammers, the same
properties in respect of tone production, as has a covering the face of which consists
of pianoforte leather.
Besides its use for covering hammers, the leather-felt will be advantageously
used for various other purposes particularly where felt could only be used as
substitute for leather under certain conditions, for instance, in lining pianoforte
mechanisms, and key boards, pedal-joint, the buffers of covers and "falls" of
pianos.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:-
A covering for pianoforte hammer heads and other like purposes characterized
by consisting of felted leather fibre to which otner fibres may be added to give
cohesion for the purpose of producing a clearer and purer tone of the piano.
Dated the Eighteenth day of February 1898.
NEWNHAM BROWNE,
Agent for the Applicant.