Improvements in Pianos.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Dec., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 20th Sept., 1894-Accepted, 20th Oct., 1894
MOTIONAL DE PATRATION.
Improvements in Pianos.
I, SARAH GARTH WICKING, of 190 Walworth Road, in the County of Surrey,
Pianoforte Dealer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The object of this invention for improvements in pianos is to obviate the necessity
of opening the lid or top door of pianos by hand when a great volume of sound is
required, and to put such door under complete command of the player and thus
permit of a greater control for varying the volume of sound than is the case with
pianos as ordinarily constructed.
In an apparatus constructed according to this invention, an extra pedal is
provided and connected to the lid of the piano by connecting rods and levers or
other suitable connections. By this means the said lid can be opened by
the foot.
When the lid is raised the loud pedal is always used also. The loud and lid
pedals are preferably so connected that the loud pedal may be operated
independently of the lid pedal, but the depression of the lid pedal always causes
the foud pedal to be also operated, the two being connected by a projecting finger
or by other suitable means.
To enable the lid to be easily opened by the foot pressure it is preferably
counterbalanced by means of weights or springs acting on suitable levers or other
connections.
Dated this 20th day of December 1802
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40, Chancery Lane, W.C., Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Pianos.
I SARAH GARTH WICKING, of 190 Walworth Road, in the County of Surrey,
Pianoforte Dealer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
mauner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:—
The object of this invention for improvements in pianos is to obviate the
necessity of opening the lid or top door of pianos by hand when a great volume of
sound is required and to put such door under complete command of the player and
thus permit of a greater control for varying the volume of sound than is the case
with pianos as ordinarily constructed.
In the accompanying sheet of illustrative drawings
:―
Fig. 1 represents a cross section of a grand piano fitted with one form of
apparatus constructed according to this invention for opening the top lid or door
and Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the same.
Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of a cottage piano showing a similar apparatus
applied to it.
Fig. 4 is a front sectional elevation of a modification of the arrangement shown
in Fig. 3.

page_text: Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 a pedal a pivoted at b is connected by a rod a to one
end of a lever d pivoted at e and whose other end is connected to an arm f mounted
on a shaft g working in brackets and carrying two sectors i which gear with
racks j sliding in guides and whose upper ends carry pulleys m. It will be seen
that as the pedal a is depressed the rack j is caused to slide upwards, the pulley m
pressing against and opening the lid or door n. The weight of the lid n is
partially counterbalanced by means of a weighted lever o mounted on the sector
shaft.
On the lid pedal a is formed or secured a finger p extending over the loud
pedal so that when the lid pedal is depressed and the lid raised the loud pedal is
also depressed but is free to be operated independently of the lid pedal.
In the arrangement shown in Fig. 3 the lid pedal is connected through links r
and levers to a rod t sliding in guides and carrying a pulley m which engages
with the lid n so as to cause it to open on the depression of the said pedal as will
be readily understood.
.
The lid n is counterbalanced to reduce the pressure required on the pedal a by
means of a weighted lever wo pivoted at a and connected to the rod t at,
y.
The lid and loud pedals are connected by a finger p similarly to the arrangement
shown in Figs. 1 and 2.
In the arrangement shown in Fig. 4 the lid pedal a is connected directly through
the levers with the sliding rod t which operates the lid n.
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. Operating the lids of pianos by means of a pedal acting through suitable
connecting mechanism substantially as described.
2. Operating the loud and lid pedals of pianos simultaneously substantially as
.described.
3. The combination of parts constituting my improvements in pianos the whole
arranged constructed and operating substantially as described in the foregoing
Specification and illustrated in the drawings hereunto annexed.
Dated this 20th day of September 1894.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.