Improvements in Pianofortes and similar Instruments.
Year: 1898

page_text: Improvements in Pianofortes and similar Instruments.
HARRY KNAPTON, 94, Chaplin Road, Willesden Green, N.W., Pianoforte Manu-
facturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
In a suitably prepared frame differing but slightly from the ordinary cottage
pianoforte frame as at present manufactured and with a view to producing an
improved tone both in quantity and quality, I place and arrange the following:
Firstly in a pianoforte I provide a back made either of metal, wood or part metal
and wood for the reception of the strings and keving up arrangements which will
be hereafter fully described together with the dual method of stringing.
Secondly by using sounding boards made of three thicknesses of wood glued
together, with the grain of the centre piece running directly across the grain of
the two outer pieces.
Thirdly by placing a pin and socket of a particular pattern, for securing the
proper tension of the strings, and which will render it impossible for the pin to be
moved, and the more the strings are tightened the firmer will the pin become
embedded in the socket.
Fourthly by an improved damping arrangement to be used singly or in
duplicate.
Having thus roughly stated the scope of my invention I proceed to remark
that it will be carried out as follows:
"
The "back of the instrument, namely that portion which takes the strain
when the strings are in tension, and which will be placed between the two sounding
boards, or bellies, or behind in the event of one sounding board only being used,
is provided at the top with a groove or suitable recepticle to receive the sockets for
the pins.
The sockets can be made of any size according to scale and are made of proper
taper or taperings as circumstances require and of such width that when side by
side they naturally space out the notes according to scale, and it shall thus become
impossible when once fixed for the spacing to become irregular, or it is evident
that if desired the sockets may be made in sections or in one set compassing the
whole length.
The pin is made of steel, iron or any hard metal and is made tapered to corre-
spond with a similar taper in the socket into which it fits to any desired depth,
the portion of pin above the socket being furnished with two shoulders, one above
the other. and above these the usual square for the tuning hammer. There are
two holes drilled from the outer edge and towards the centre of pin (one near the
base of each shoulder) for the reception of the string ends.
At the bottom the back is provided with a hard core, preferably a long piece of
metal running the whole length, or any number of shorter pieces; then by placing
in, one end of a string in one of the aforesaid holes, the string is continued down
the front, and round the base, shod as just mentioned and brought up behind, the
other end of the string being inserted in the second hole of the tuning up pin.

page_text: The strings are thus furnished in duplicate it will be observed, although of course
it is open to me to use but one string in certain cases if I so determine.
Bridges not differing essentially from those now in use are placed in their
proper positions, but I arrange that the top bridge at the back may be made in
sections. In order to allow the strings to pass; altogether around the back as
described, the back will be fixed to the case; at the two ends, leaving the bottom
free and clear. The shoe or core being provided so that the strings shall not
become embedded when being tightened as they would be in wood.
The hammers will strike as, usual but the dampers will be so arranged that they
shall damp behind the note that the hammers strike, and not in front.
There will also be another set of dampers at the back of the instrument
which can be raised at any given note to be operated by an extra pedal or by a
knee swell or stop.
...
'
There will therefore be three pedals or two pedals and a knee-swell or stop, one
for each set of dampers and one for soft or celeste pedal.
HARRY KNAPTON, 94, Chaplin Road, Willesden Green, N.W., Pianoforte Manu-
facturer, 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 a frame or case not necessarily different from the ordinary cottage as at
present manufactured and with a view to producing an improved tone both in
quantity and quality, I place and arrange the following:
Firstly, in a pianoforte I provide a back made either of wood, metal or part wood
and metal for the reception of the strings and keying arrangement which is fully
described a little further on together with the dual method of stringing.
Secondly, by using sounding boards or bellies, made of three thicknesses of wood
glued together on the round with the grain of the centre piece running directly
across the grain of the two outer pieces.
The back" of the instrument, namely that portion which takes the strain when
the strings are in tension, I place between two sounding boards or bellies, each made
of three thicknesses as above described which two bellies I prefer to connect by
one or more posts as is usual with the front and back of a violin, to complete the
sympathy of each with each, holes being made in the intervening "back" to allow
their free passage.
Thirdly, by placing pins and sockets for securing the proper tension of the
strings, which will be arranged at the top of wrest plank as. shewn in each of the
drawings. The sockets can be made of any size according to scale and are made of
proper taper or tapering as circumstances require, and of such width that when
side by side, they naturally space out the notes according to scale. The top plank
will be grooved for the reception of these sockets, and it shall thus be impossible
when once fixed, for the spacing to become irregular. It is obvious that if desired
the sockets may be made in sets, or in one set compassing the whole length.
The pin which may be of steel, iron or any hard metal, is made tapered to
correspond with a similarly tapered hole in the socket into which it fits to any
desired depth, the portion of the pin above the socket being furnished with two
shoulders, one above the other and above these the usual square for the tuning

page_text: hammer. This is shewn Fig. 3 Sheet 1. There are two holes drilled from the
outer edge towards or through the centre of pin, one near the base of each shoulder,
for the reception of the string ends. In the cheaper form of instrument. I do not
purpose to use the pin and socket shewn Fig. 3 Sheet 1 but only an ordinary pin
which however is furnished with the two small holes for inserting the two ends
of the string. These holes are not drilled exactly opposite but somewhat at right
angles, and the hole for the front string is placed about a quarter of an inch
higher than the other one. By this arrangement I am enabled to compensate
any difference of strain and render all taut alike. The two ends being inserted
and the string tightened up it will be impossible for the pin to move, and the
more the string is tightened, the firmer will the pin become embedded in its socket
or bearing.
The "back" is provided at the bottom with a hard core, preferably a long piece
of metal running the whole length, or any number of shorter pieces. I now proceed
by placing one end of a string in one of the aforesaid holes, the upper one, it is
then continued down the front and round the base, shod as just mentioned and
brought up behind, and the other end of the string inserted in the lower hole of
the tuning up pin. The strings, it will be observed, are thus furnished in duplicate
(all of one piece) although of course it is open to me to use but one string in
certain cases if I so determine. Bridges not differing essentially from those now in
use are placed in their proper positions, but I arrange that the top bridge at the
back may be made in sections, as its position is fixed after tuning as been com-
menced in some cases.
In order to allow the strings to pass altogether around the back as described,
the back will be fixed to the two ends of the case, leaving the bottom free and
clear, the shoe or core being provided so that the strings shall not become embedded
when being tightened up as they would be in the unprotected wood.
Fourthly, by an improved damping arrangement to be used singly or in dupli-
cate. Instead of the usual damping action where front pressure is applied, either
above or below where the hammer strikes the string, I arrange that the pressure
shall be applied to the string from behind and so damp immeadiately where the
string receives its blow from the hammer, and neither above or below, thus damp-
ing more certainly. The set of dampers are placed behind the front strings in an
aperture caused by the front belly (sounding board) not reaching quite up to the
top plank F, Fig. 1 Sheet 2, each damper having a pin which protrudes between
the strings to the front to be lifted in the usual way as cach note is played, the
whole set being lifted as usual by the right pedal.
There will also be another set of dampers for the strings at the back of instru-
ment, which set may be one continuous one, and not necessarily a divided set as
in front. They can be pressed against the strings by a suitable spring and lifted
when desired by an extra pedal, knee-swell, or stop. There will therefore be
three pedals, or two pedals and a knee-swell or stop, one for each set of dampers,
and the usual one for soft or celeste action.
Having reference now to the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 Sheet 1 shows a
side view, bass end of instrument and Fig. 2 side view of treble end. The
string (a) may be seen in its entire circuit from the top shoulder of pin, over
edge of top plank (b) thence around the bottom, touching the bridges c, c, c, c, in
its course and finally back to the lower hole in pin (d). The sounding boards or
bellies (e, e,) show the several pieces of which they are made, also the difference
of size at the bass and treble ends. The three pins shewn at the top of Figure 2
are for trichord, and the one pin at the top of Figure 1 for the single bass string.
Of course where there are bichords two pins would be required.
Sheet 2, Figure 5 shows a general view of the front of instrument F is the
aperture where the front dampers are fixed and G, G, G, are insertions made right
through for the passage of short treble strings, thus avoiding useless length of
string, although of course the strings could be of an uniform length without

page_text: other disadvantage. The openings G, G G, are shod with metal as is the bottom
of the "back" and may also be strengthened by blocks of hard wood as shewn h, h, h.
Sheet 1 (Figures 3 and 4) illustrates the pins and socket, and Figure 6 Sheet 2
the general view in the case. The dampers are marked i, i, and are just in touch
with the strings whence they may be removed by the pedals as already described.
The connection with the dampers and the operating pedal may be by rod or cord,
and a simple link or elbow action.
There is no reason for the back damper to be placed behind the string as with
the front it may be placed at back or not as may be most convenient.
The end view of extreme treble would not appear as in Fig. 2 Sheet 1 if the
strings are passed through the aperture shewn G (Figure 5) but of course somewhat
shortened so far as the string is concerned. The said apertures are shod in the
same manner as described generally for the bottom of the "back." The portion of
the action shewn Sheet 2 (Fig. 6) is not necessarily accurate but is illustrated to
show how the front damper may be lifted by the push-piece striking the pin
protruding from between the strings.
The application of the all-round stringing to other similar instruments would
obviously require many modifications from the above.
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:-
1. In a pianoforte, a "back" substantially as described calculated to sustain
the vertical pressure of the strings without the necessity of an iron frame.
2. Sounding-boards or bellies made of various pieces and connected with posts
substantially as described.
3. Continuous strings going all round the instrument and terminated at the
same pin together with the pins and sockets substantially as described.
4. The arrangement of dampers in a pianoforte to operate behind the strings,
substantially as described.
5. A set of dampers applied to the strings at back of the instrument substantially
as described.
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