Improvements in and relating to Stringing Pianos.
Year: 1892

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Stringing Pianos.
I, CHARLES SARKADY WEBER, a citizen of the United States of America,
residing at San Jose, in the County of Santa Clara and State of California, one
of the United States of America, Dealer in Musical Instruments, 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 :-
Figure 1 is a detail view showing the application of the invention, the pin being
deflected from a normal position by means of a binding screw.
Figure 2 is a detail view of a modification showing the preferred form of the
invention in which a straight pin is deflected from a normal position by means of a
curved hole in the plate.
Figure 3 is a detail view of a further modification of the preferred form of the
invention showing a curved pin deflected from a normal position by means of a
straight hole in the plate.
Figure 4 is a still further modification of the preferred form of the invention
showing the pin hole in the plate having a compound curve and having said pin
hole straight for a short distance at each end and showing a straight pin deflected
from a normal position by being forced into said pin hole.
The object of my invention is to increase the tone keeping quality in pianos by
substituting iron or other suitable metal for the wood used in keeping the tuning
pins in position.
In this improved construction the pin holes in the proper metal plate are drilled
to a diameter fully as large as that of the pin. To steady this latter I have.
recourse to the elastic force with which the pin tends to resume its original form
when bent within the limits of its elasticity. The bend in the pin is produced
either by means of the friction regulator, a binding screw, or by means of a curved
pin hole and a straight pin, or a straight pin hole and a curved pin.
The first device as shown on Figure 1 consists merely of a screw D so placed
as to press laterally against the side of the pin C, which for this purpose is left to
project from the plate A. B containing the pin holes. By augmenting the pressure
of the screw D the pin is bent and a section of it forced to act as a spring which
presses constantly against the inner surface of the pin hole. This pressure causes
in the pin a certain degree of resistance against being turned around.
The proper degree can be easily obtained by means of a few turns of the screw.
This latter moves in a threaded hole drilled in a projecting piece of metal E well
secured to or as shown made in one with the plate above mentioned. To prevent
the pin slipping over the end of the screw an intermediary piece F is placed
between the two, grooved to fit to the pin on one side and on the other to receive
the point of the screw.
The other means as shown on Figure 2 produce the same result in a far simpler
way, and admit a considerable reduction in the cost of a piano, as by simply
thickening that part A of the plate which in the modern construction usually
shields the wrest plank, and by boring the pin holes with the proper curve iu that
re-enforced plate, the entire cost of the wrest plank is saved. A greater advantage
than that in cost, results from the circumstance that pins thus secured will not be
unloosened even if subjected to the dryest air currents; they will also resist a far
longer wear and more careless handling than those secured in wood.
Another version of this second device is to force bent pins into a straight pin
hole as shown on Figure 3; whilst it is possible to use this method successfully the
foumain nunfouchla

page_text: In Figure 4 the hole is made straight for a short distance at each end and having
a compound curve in the middle as aforesaid.
In conclusion it may be stated that in high priced instruments where the
additional cost of the friction screw D Figure 1 would cut no figure, this device
might be combined with the other means and used for taking up the wear which
in time might result from often repeated tuning, especially on the end points
(openings) of the curved hole on the convex side of the pin.
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 stringed musical instrument, the combination with a metal plate having
a pin hole, of a tuning pin inserted in the said pin hole, and bent from a normal
position to create a frictional binding of the said pin in the pin hole, substantially
as set forth.
2. In a stringed musical instrument, the combination with a metal plate having
a pin hole, of a tuning pin inserted in the said pin hole, the pin and hole being
mutually constructed to deflect the said pin from a normal position, whereby portions
of the pin will be crowded against the sides of the pin opening with sufficient
friction to retain the pin in the required position against the tension of the string,
substantially as set forth.
3. In a stringed musical instrument the combination with a metal plate having a
curved pin hole, of a straight elastic pin inserted in said curved pin hole and
deflected from a normal position thereby, substantially as described.
4. In a stringed musical instrument, the combination with a metal plate having
a pin opening, and a tuning pin inserted in the said opening, of a set screw
constructed to bear laterally on the said tuning pin or on a shoe interposed between
the two to bend the same from a normal position, substantially as and for the
purpose described.
1800
Dated thin 12th Jon of Cantanha 1000
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.