Facilitating the Proper Actuation thereof.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Mar., 1887
Complete Left, 21st Dec., 1887
Complete Accepted, 27th Jan, 1888
Facilitating the Proper Actuation thereof.
I. OSCAR SCHMIDT, of 212 Chaussée de Wavre Brussels in the Kingdom of
Belgium, Professor of Music, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to means for obviating the inconvenience to which short
persons or children when playing upon the piano are subjected, owing to their
inability to act properly on the pedals, which are always fixed" at a definite distance
below the keyboard.
For this purpose, I provide on a movable frame two pedal levers having their one
end pivotted to the frame while their other ends rest on the upper. ends of vertical
sliding stems adjustable in length, whose lower ends rest upon the pedals of the
piano, situated immediately beneath the said pedal levers. The frame with its levers
is placed over the piano pedals when a short person or child is going to play, and the
height of the pedal levers is adjusted to the required extent by regulating the length
of the stems resting on the pedals. The levers may also be made adjustable in
length for the same purpose.
A
Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings shews a longitudinal section, Fig. 2 a cross
section and Fig. 3 a plan of one arrangement of my above described invention.
framing consisting of two cheeks A connected by a bar B and top plate C is made
of such a height that the pedals of a piano will just pass under the top C as shewn.
On the checks A are formed guides in which slide other cheeks D that carry a plate E,
which can consequently be adjusted in height by introducing pins F into one or other
of a series of holes in the cheeks A, so that the bottom edges of D rest on the pins.
In the plates and E are formed holes, by preference of a square form, situated over
each other and in such positions that when the appliance is placed over the piano
pedals, the holes are immediately over these. Through these holes slide square stems
G having an internal threaded hole into which screw threaded rods M, terminating at
bottom in a flat plate H that rest upon the pedals, that for the left hand pedal in
Fig. 1 being formed with side flanges between which the pedal fits.

page_text: The other pedal has no flanges in order that the appliance may be used with
pianos whose pedals are at different distances apart. The upper ends of the stems G
also have heads J on which rest the levers K fixed by a hinge joint at L to the
plate E.
When required for use, the above described appliance is placed over the pedals of
the piano the upper frame DE is approximately adjusted on the lower one to suit
the performer, and the pedal levers K are then farther adjusted by rotating the
screws M, more or less, the piano pedals being temporarily depressed to permit
of this.
The player can then actuate the piano pedals in the usual manner, by treading
on the pedal levers K.
Dated this 99th day of Marah 1887

page_text: Appliance to be Used in Connection with Piano Pedals for
Facilitating the Proper Actuation thereof.
I, OSCAR SCHMIDT of 212 Chaussée de Wavre, Brussels in the Kingdom of
Belgium, Professor of Music 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 :-
My invention relates to means for obviating the inconvenience to which short
persons or children when playing upon the piano are subjected, owing to their
inability to act properly on the pedals which are always fixed at a definite distance
below the keyboard.
For this purpose, I provide on a movable frame two pedal levers having their one
end pivotted to the frame while their other ends rest on the upper ends of vertical
sliding stems, adjustable in length, whose lower ends rest upon the pedals of the
piano, situated immediately beneath the said pedal levers. The frame with its levers
is placed over the piano pedals when a short person or child is going to play and the
height of the pedal levers is adjusted to the required extent by regulating the length
of the stems resting on the pedals. The levers may also be made adjustable in length
for the same purpose.
Fig. 1 of the drawings accompanying my provisional specification filed 29th
March 1887 shews a longitudinal section, Fig. 2 a cross section and Fig. 3 a plan of
one arrangement of my above described invention. A framing consisting of two
cheeks A connected by a bar B and top plate C is made of such a height that the
pedals of a piano will just pass under the top as shewn. On the cheeks A are
formed guides in which slide other checks D that carry a plate E, which can con-
sequently be adjusted in height by introducing pins F into one or other of a series of
holes in the cheeks A, so that the bottom edges of D rest on the pins. In the plates
C and E are formed holes, by preference of a square form, situated over each other
and in such positions that when the appliance is placed over the piano pedals, the
holes are immediately over these. Through these hoies slide square stems G having
an internal threaded hole into which screw threaded rods M, terminating at bottom
in a flat plate H that rest upon the pedals, that for the left hand pedal in Fig. 1 being
formed with side flanges between which the pedal fits.
The other pedal has no flanges in order that the appliance may be used with
pianos whose pedals are at different distances apart. The upper ends of the steins G
also have heads J on which rest the levers K fixed by a binged joint at L to the
plate E.
When required for use, the above described appliance is placed over the pedals of
the piano; the upper frame D E is approximately adjusted on the lower one to suit
the performer and the pedal levers K are then farther adjusted by rotating the
screws M, more or less, the piano pedals being temporarily depresse: to permit of
this.

page_text: The player can then actuate the piano pedals in the usual manner, by treading
on the pedal levers K.
Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings shew respectively a front view a
cross section and an end view of another arrangement of the appliance.
In this case an inner frame is formed of the side cheeks G and top, plate P, and
an outer frame consists of the side cheeks G' connected by a transverse plate B
situated underneath the plate P, the side cheeks G being made to slide up and down
in suitable guides on the inner side of the cheeks G, which rest on the floor. To
the upper part of one of the side cheeks G is pivotted a strutt H the lower end of
which takes into notches a in the bottom bar of the side cheek G¹, so that if the
inner frame be raised it will be supported at the required height by the strutt H,
which will take a corresponding position in one of the notches. The inner faces of
the cheeks G have vertical guides G formed on them, and in line with these are
other similar guides G₁ fixed at the upper end to the underside of the plate B.
In these guides slide the ends of two bars S which rest respectively upon each
of the pedals, and which have a screw spindle V fixed to them, screwing into
internally screwed hollow rods D which slide through holes in the plates B and P
and have at their upper ends heads K on which rest the pedal levers T. The bars S
are raised or lowered in their guides to adjust them to the height of the pedals,
and the height of the pedal levers T is adjusted by screwing the rods D up or
down on the screw spindles V.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
:-
1. An appliance for use in connection with pedals of musical instruments consisting
of a framing vertically adjustable in height carrying at top two pedal levers that
are made to bear upon the upper ends of sliding rods adjustible in their length
that rest with plates on their lower ends upon the pedals of the instrument, sub-
stantially as herein described.
2. In appliances such as are referred to in the first claim the combination of the
pedal levers K, adjustable rods G M resting with flat or rounded plates upon the
pedals and an adjustable frame A D E carrying the said pedal levers and rods
substantially as herein described with reference to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings
accompanying my provisional specification.
3. The modified construction herein described with reference to Figs. 1, 2 and 3
of the drawings accompanying the present specification wherein the adjustable
rods DV bear upon the pedals by means of bars S sliding with their ends in guides G
on the framing G P, GB which is secured in its adjusted position by means of a
strutt H.
Dated this 21st day of December 1887.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.