IMPROVEMENTS IN PIANOFORTES
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Newnham Browne, of 91, Queen Street, Cheapside, in
the City of London, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
PIANOFORTES." A communication from abroad by Thomas Howells, of the
City of Auckland, in the Colony of New Zealand, Gentleman.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Newnham Browne at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th January 1878.
NEWNHAM BROWNE, of 91, Queen Street, Cheapside, in the City of London,
Patent Agent.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN PIANOFORTES." A communication from abroad
by Thomas Howells, of the City of Auckland, in the Colony of New Zealand,
Gentleman.
The object of this Invention is to obtain increased strength and portability, and
considerable reduction in size and weight, compared with the pianoforte at present
in use, especially the grand pianoforte.
According to my Invention the strings or wires are stretched horizontally along
the exterior of a hollow cylinder or framework; the action operates upon the
strings or wires from the interior of the cylinder or framework with a curved
sound board to suit the shape of the said cylinder or framework and strings, and
the subsidary parts are arranged as described hereafter.
In order to explain more fully the nature of my said Invention, I will describe an
instrument constructed in accordance therewith corresponding to a cottage pianoforte
of the ordinary construction and power, but it will be understood that I do not
intend to confine myself to the materials or the dimensions named, as they are
given by way of example, and would require to be varied for diferent classes of
instruments. For such an instrument I construct the inner bracing or cylinder
about 13 inches diameter outside, about 2 in. thick, and about 4 ft. 5 in. long, a
block about 1 in. thick filling each end an opening the whole length of the
cylinder on the top side.

page_text: To each end of the cylinder and flat against it is placed a plank of wood about
1 in. thick, and about 21 in. wide, and about 30 in. deep, faced by hard wood
about 1 in. thick, and 21 in. square, from the bottom end of the plank, the hard
wood being outside, one plank corresponding to the ordinary wrest plank for tuning
pins, the other for the loop or hitch pins.
The outer bracing consists of four pieces of wood about 3 in. square, the same
length as the cylinder, secured at the ends to the corners of the planks about 21 in.
square (above described), and running parallel to and at equal distances from the
cylinder. A circle about 18 in. diameter is described on the planks about 21 in. square
(above mentioned), and perforated with small holes for the wires, not all the circle,
but so far as required to suit the bridges and sound board over which the wires pass,
the said board and bridges being of suitable shape between the wires and cylinder.
To prevent these wires from cutting into the wood another and much thicker wire
is placed round and underneath at the turning point.
The bridge nearest the hammers is attached to the cylinder, and is about 2
in. deep, and sufficiently far from the sound board to allow room and travelling
space for the hammers and dampers.
The wires are stretched horizontally across the above bridge and the bridge
on the sound board.
By cutting away the planks through and round as far as necessary about where
they are perforated, they will be so formed that the wires may pass over instead
of through, using a thick wire at the turning point (as before named) with or
without small pulleys, which may be threaded on. By so doing the cost and labor
of boring the holes is dispensed with.
...The cylinder framework or inner bracing may be made strong enough to take
the whole of the strain, and the outside case may be secured to the ends by means
of light iron work. The outer bracing may be made sufficiently strong to take
the whole of the strain, allowing the cylinder framework or inner bracing to be
exceedingly light. The strain may be equalized or otherwise divided between the
cylinder framework or inner bracing and the outer bracing.
A board is fixed from the edge of the opening in the cylinder (farthest from the
player) to the outer bracing, inclining back ward, and another board is fixed to
the front edge of the opening (running near the middle of the instrument) not
quite so wide, but upright, leaving the space between about 5 in. wide at the bottom,
and about 6'/, in. wide at the top.
The action for each note consists of a wheel of light wood, 4 in. diameter, and
tin. thick at the centre, tapering to in. on the edge, so that it may turn clear
between two prongs of a fork-shaped piece of wood, the centre upon which it
turns being near the end of the prongs; these forked pieces of wood are screwed
to the back and front boards at the opening in the cylinder, about half the number
on each board. The prongs are straight with the pieces of wood screwed to the
front board, and point downward to the centre; but the prongs of those on the
back board are cut off and joined again at an angle so as to point upward to the
centre. The centres of wheels and prongs are all in a line with the centres at the
end of the cylinder.
There are two circles marked on each wheel, one 4 in. diameter, from which the
hammer shanks radiate, passing through holes in the cylinder, and going round
spirally, the other circle, 1 in. diameter, at a given point of which are the centres
(all in a line) of the ends of connecting rods leading up and close to (but not
touching) the back edge of the opening in the cylinder.
The other ends of the connecting rods are attached to double levers, which may
be represented by two fore fingers, one overlapping the other, so that the ends
touch the middle joint, the nails upward, and the finger of the right hand on the
top, moving the point of the right-hand finger up and down, and keeping the other
close. Placing the fingers as above, it may be seen how the connecting rod may
pass through a hole in the lower lever (without touching the sides) and be attached
to the end of the upper lever. Pieces of wire are in the ends of the double levers
ان

page_text: (farthest from the connecting rods), which move in holes made in the framework
that holds them in position about 6 in. above the bracing.
The upper lever is about 8 in. long; the lower lever about 5 long; thickness
about in. square, and the two connected by a joint in about the middle part.
The hammers are screwed on to the ends of wire shanks which come sufficiently
far through the cylinder.
The dampers are levers of wire about 31 in. long, secured moveably to the ham-
mers, each working through a hole in a peg fixed in the cylinder like a rocking
staff, and are parallel to the strings on the sides (or edge). They are raised by
depressing the upper lever at the wire-end part of the framework moving by means
of the pedal.
Hoppers of the ordinary English action are placed under the ends of the lower
levers, the keys covering part of the opening in the cylinder and extending to the
front of the instrument.
The radius of a circle is about 1 in. on the wheels in the fork-shaped wood to
which the connecting rods are attached (at a given point, and all in a line, as before
described), and the hammer shanks attached to the same circle, but going round
spirally, as before explained.
The hammers and dampers are secured to the ends of the hammer shanks, one
above the other, so that the strings or wires to be struck are between them, the
space between hammer and damper being just sufficient to allow them to act.
Another set of hammers, but in connection with the keys in the ordinary way,
strike upon levers at the other (the upper) end of the connecting rods. In this
arrangement choice is left for hammer or damper to be on either side of the string
or strings.
The sound board may be made so as to cover only a portion of the cylinder frame-
work or inner bracing, or it may be made to cover the whole length and all round,
with perforations for hammers, bridges, &c.
To suit the curve of the cylinder framework or inner bracing the sound board may
be polygonal, or it may be bent or otherwise made round, and to insure the
impossibility of splitting from the effects of extreme climates, the sound board may
be made a suitable size, of copper or other metal.
Bridges may be made in the ordinary way, or (for the bridge, near the hammers)
separate pieces of wood for each note (secured together), and bevelled on the top for
the bearing to be on the edge, or a piece of wire of suitable thickness flattened or
otherwise shaped at one end for the strings, and at the other end a screw to go into
the cylinder framework or inner bracing. By this latter means the down bearing
may be regulated to a nicety.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Newnham Browne in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 8th July
1878.
NEWNHAM BROWNE, of 91, Queen Street, Cheapside, in the City of London,
Patent Agent.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN PIANOFORTES." A communication from abroad
by Thomas Howells, of the City of Auckland, in the Colony of New Zealand,
Gentleman.
The object of this Invention is to obtain increased strength and portability, and
considerable reduction in the size and weight compared with the pianoforte at
present in use, especially the grand pianoforte.
According to this Invention, the strings or wires are stretched horizontally along
the exterior of a hollow cylinder or framework; the action operates upon the strings
or wires from the interior of the cylinder or framework with a curved or polygonal
sound board to suit the shape of the said cylinder or framework and strings, the
subsidiary parts being arranged as hereafter described.
In order to explain more fully the nature of the said Invention and the manner
of carrying the same into practical effect, I will describe an instrument constructed
in accordance therewith, and corresponding to a cottage pianoforte of the ordinary
construction and power, and for that purpose shall refer to the accompanying
Drawings forming part of this my Specification, and to the letters and figures
marked thereon; but it will be understood that I do not intend to confine myself
to the materials or dimensions named, as they are given by way of example, and
would vary for different classes of instruments.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings is a vertical section showing the action
for one note.
Figure 2 shows the cylinder and the planks for the tuning and hitch pins.
Figure 3 is a vertical section showing another kind of action.
Figure 4 is a plan for marking on the cylinder the exact places for the holes
through which the hammer shanks pass.
Figures 5, 5ª, 6, and 7 are three different actions separately, Figures 5 and 5º
being that shown in Figure 1, Figure 7 that shown in Figure 3, and Figure 6 another
modification.
Figure 8 represents a light framework to be substituted, if preferred, for the more
substantial cylindrical inner bracing G, shown in Figure 1.
A represents one of the hammers to strike the strings; A', a hammer to strike
the lever D³; A³, a damper; B, a wheel; b¹, circle on which the hammer shanks
are attached each to its corresponding wheel; b² circle on which the connecting
rods are attached; C, connecting rod; D, D¹, double lever; D, upper; D', lower;
D2, part of ordinary pedal arrangement to pull down lover and raise damper; D³,
lever; E, hopper; F, key; F' peg to carry damper shanks; G, cylinder; H, sound
board; J, strings; K, outer bracing; L', parts of framework; L2, part of frame-
work pressed down near the lever by ordinary pedal arrangement to raise dampers;
L³, felt moved by pedal to soften blow; M, pin for each note for bridge; M³, bridge
on cylinder and nearest the hammers; M³, bridge on sound board; N1, wrest plank
for tuning pins; N2, plank for loop or hitch pins; O, opening for the action; Q,
blocks filling in the end of cylinder; S, hard wood facing; T, circle for the holes
for the wires; U and V, boards to which the rods W are attached; W, rod
terminating in a forked-shape piece supporting wheel; X, wire hammer shank; Y,
light framework; Z, spiral belt of metal to support the hammer shanks.
For such an instrument I construct the inner bracing or cylinder G of wood,
about 13 inches diameter outside, about 2 inches thick, and about feet 5 inches
long, a block Q about 1 inch thick filling each end, and an opening the whole
length of the cylinder on the top side.
To each end of the cylinder respectively, and flat against it, is placed a plank of

page_text: wood N¹ and N2, about 1 inch thick, about 21 inches wide, and about 30 inches
deep, faced by hard wood S about 1 inch thick, and 21 inches square from the
bottom end of the plank, the hard wood being outside, one plank N₁ corresponding
to the ordinary wrest plauk for tuning pins, the other N for the loop or bitch
pins.
The outer bracing consists of four pieces of wood K, each about 3 inches square,
the same length as the cylinder, secured at the ends to the corners of the planks N¹
and N2, and running parallel to and at equal distances from the cylinder. I
describe a circle T, about 18 inches diameter, on each of the planks N¹ and N², on
which circle I pierce the holes for the wires, not all round the circle but so far as
required to suit the bridges M¹ and M2 and sound board H, over which the wires
pass, the said bridges and sound board being of suitable shape between the wires
and cylinder. To prevent these wires cutting into the wood, another and much
thicker wire is placed round and underneath at the turning point.
The bridge M' nearest the hammers is attached to the cylinder G, and is about
22 inches deep, and sufficiently far from the sound board H to allow room and
travelling space for the hammers and dampers. (In using the action shown in
Figure 3, this bridge is not required to be so deep, say, about 1/4 inches.)
The wires are stretched horizontally across the above-named bridge M¹ and the
bridge on the sound board M.
By cutting away the planks N', N%, and S through and round, as far as necessary,
about where they are perforated, they will be so formed that the wires may pass
over instead of through, using a thick wire at the turning point, as before named,
with or without, small pulleys which may be threaded on; by so doing, the cost
and labour of boring the holes is dispensed with.
The cylinder, framework, or inner bracing G may be made strong enough to take
the whole of the strain, and the outside case may be secured to the ends by means
of light ironwork, or the outer bracing K may be made sufficiently strong to take
the whole of the strain, allowing the cylinder, framework, or inner bracing G to be
exceedingly light, as shewn at Y, Figure 8, or the strain may be equalized or
otherwise divided between the cylinder, framework, or inner bracing G and the
outer bracing K.
A board U is fixed from the edge of the opening in the cylinder farthest from the
player to the outer bracing K, inclining backward, and another board V, not quite
so wide as that just described, is fixed to the front edge of the opening, leaving a
space sufficient for the working of the action as shown.
The action of each note consists of a wheel B of light wood of 4'/, inches diameter
and of an inch thick at the centre, tapering to 1/8 inch on the edge, so that it
may turn clear between two prongs of a fork-shaped piece of wood W, near the
ends of the prongs of which is the centre on which the wheel turns. These forked
pieces of wood are screwed to the back and front boards U and V at the opening in
the cylinder, about half the number on each board. One set of prongs are straight,
with the pieces of wood screwed to the front board V and point downward to the
centre of the cylinder, the prongs of those on the back board U are cut off and
joined again at an angle so as to point upward to the same centre. The centres of
the wheels B are all in a line corresponding with the axis of the cylinder.
Two circles are marked on each wheel, from the outer one of which b', which is 4
inches in diameter, the hammer shanks spring, one from each wheel, and pass
through holes placed in a line running spirally round the cylinder, the other-circle
62 is of 1 inch in diameter, and to this the connecting rods C are attached, one on
each wheel, their joints forming a straight line along the instrument and the rods
leading up through and close to, but not touching, the back edge of the opening in
the cylinder. The upper end of each of the connecting rods C is attached to the
upper one D, of a pair of levers D, D', through a hole in the lower one, of which D',
the rod passes without touching.
The upper lever D may be about 8 inches long, the lower lever D¹ about 5'
inches long, and about an inch square, the two are connected by a joint in the

page_text: middle part, and have in the ends farthest from the connecting rods pieces of wire
moving in holes in the framework that holds them in position, about 6 inches above
the bracing.
The hammers A are screwed on to the ends of wire shanks X which come
sufficiently far through the cylinder G for that purpose.
The dampers for the action shown in Figure 1, one of which is shown at A³, in
Figure 5, are attached to levers of wire about 3 inches long, secured moveably
to the hammers A, each of which levers work through a hole in a peg F', fixed in
the cylinder like a rocking staff, and is parallel with the strings, except that it
inclines upwards from the hammer head to the string. The dampers are raised by
depressing the upper levers D by the motion of part of the framework L2, connected
.with the pedal.
Hoppers E, of the ordinary English action, are placed under the ends of the
lower levers D', between them and the keys F, which cover part of the opening O
in the cylinder and extend to the front of the instrument, as shown in Figures 1
and 3.
In the action shown in Figure 3 there is on each wheel B only one circle which
has a radius of about 1 inch, and on which both the connecting rod C and the
hammer shanks X are attached, the attachments of the former are in a straight
horizontal line along the instrument, those of the latter so that their points of
attachment form a line passing spirally round the row of wheels.
In Figure 3 the hammers, A and dampers A³ are screwed to the ends of the
hammer shanks, one beyond the other, so that the strings or wires to be struck are
between them, the space between the hammer and damper being just sufficient to
allow them to act. Another set of hammers A', but in connection with the keys F,
in the ordinary way, strike upon levers D³, at the other (the upper) end of the
connecting rods C. In this arrangement choice is left for hammer and damper to
be on the inside and outside of the strings J respectively, or vice versa.
Figure 6 represents the key F on a flat spring, with the hammer A striking
down or inwards. With this arrangement the kind of blow will depend on the
travelling space and the management of the fingers.
The sound board H may be made so as to cover only a portion of the cylinder,
framework, or inner bracing G, or it may be made to cover the whole length and
all round, with perforations for hammers, bridges, &c.
To suit the curve of the cylinder, framework, or inner bracing G, the sound board
H may be polygonal, or it may be bent or otherwise made round, and to insure the
impossibility of splitting from the effects of extreme climate the sound board may
be made a suitable size, of copper or other metal.
Bridges may be made in the ordinary way, or for the bridge M', near the
hammers, separate pieces of wood for each note, secured together and bevelled on
the top for the bearing to be on the edge, or the wires for each note may be
supported on the end of a piece of wire shown at M, Figure 8, of suitable thickness,
flattened or otherwise shaped at one end to support the strings, and formed at the
other end with a screw to go into the cylinder, framework, or inner bracing, and
each such piece of wire or pin forms a bridge for one note.
At Y Figure 8 is represented a light kind of framework with metal band Z
pierced with holes to support the hammer shanks X.
The holes for the hammer shanks may be bushed with wood, which again
is bushed withcloth. The band of metal to be of suitable width to receive the bridge
pins.
Figure 4 represents the surface of a given square, divided into a given number
of smaller squares (85 each way for 7 octaves), each square being considered to
occupy the space required for one note, and is a plan for marking the exact places
for holes in the cylinder through which the hammer shanks pass, and shows also
the position of the bridges M¹ and M³.
Having now fully described and set forth the nature and object of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be carried into practical effect, I

page_text: wish it to be understood that what I claim as the Invention secured to me by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is-
1. The construction and arrangement of pianos wherein the wires are arranged on
a hollow cylinder or framework, substantially as described.
2. The application and use in pianos wherein the wires are arranged on a hollow
cylinder or framework of actions constructed substantially as described and shown
separately in Figures 5, 5ª, 6, and 7.
In witness whereof, I, the said Newnham Browne, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Sixth day of July, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and seventy-eight.
Signed and sealed by the above-
named Newnham Browne in
the presence of
FREDERICK BURSTOW.
NEWNHAM BROWNE. (LS.)