IMPROVEMENTS IN PIANOFORTES
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Lambert, of Harrington Square, in the
County of Middlesex, Pianoforte Manufacturer, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN PIANOFORTES."
Sealed the 18th September 1855, and dated the 2nd May 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the "said Thomas Lambert at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 2nd
May 1855.
I, THOMAS LAMBERT, of Harrington Square, in the County of Middlesex,
Pianoforte Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PIANOFORTES" to be as follows (that is to say) :-
My said Invention, having reference to the action of pianofortes, have for
their object, firstly, to produce a more rigid and permanent adjustment of the
hopper head or jack head, for which purpose I cause the said hopper head to
be connected with the hopper by a suitable regulating screw, secured in the
upper part of the hopper and passing through the hopper head, so that the
same may be adjusted thereon at any height required; and the said hopper
head is also connected with the hopper by two pins, fitted into corresponding
apertures, which serve to steady and secure. the hopper head at whatever
height adjusted.
My improvements, having reference, secondly, to the check action in piano-

page_text: fortes, have for their object to give greater simplicity to the construction of the
same; the said action being.composed of a buffed clieck secured to the top of
the hopper, and connected with a "curved wife secured to the sticker, and
meeting the buffed check"in the ordinary way, so as to obviate the superfluous
vibration of the hammer.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Lambert in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
2nd November 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
LAMBERT, of Harrington Square, in the County of Middlesex, Pianoforte
Manufacturer, send greeting.
:
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Second day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the eighteenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Herzlieirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Thomas Lambert, Her special licence that I, the said Thomas Lambert, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas
Lambert, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and, no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland; the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PIANOFORTES,"
upon the condition (amongst others), that I, the said Thomas Lambert,
by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly
describe and ascertain "the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the
Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and iinmediately
after the date of the said Letters Pâtént.
4
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Lambert,' do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following.
statement (that is to say)":"1
3
My said improvements; having reference to the action of pianofortes, have.
for their object, firstly, to produce a more rigid and permanent adjustment of
the hopper or jack Tead, for which purpose 'cause the said hopper head to be

page_text: connected with the hopper by a suitable regulating screw, secured in the upper
part of the hopper, and passing through the hopper head, so that the same
may be adjusted thereon at any height required; and the said hopper head is
also connected with the hopper by two pins, fitted into corresponding apertures,
which serve to steady and secure the hopper head at whatever height
adjusted..
My improvement, having reference, secondly, to the check action in piano-
fortes, have for their object to give greater simplicity to the construction of the
same; the said action being composed of a buffed check secured to the top of
the hopper, and connected with a curved wire secured to the sticker, and
meeting the buffed check in the ordinary way, so as to obviate the superfluous
vibration of the hammer.
ده
-
But in order that these my'said'improvements may be more fully under-
stood and readily carried into effect, I now proceed to describe them by the
aid of the accompanying Drawings, reference being had to the letters and
figures thereon marked (that is to say):
Fig. 1 represents a sectional side elevation of a pianoforte action with my
improvements attached; Fig. 2, a front view thereof; Figs. 3, 4, and 5, enlarged
side; front, and top views of the hopper; Figs. 6, 7, 8, and 9, top, side, front, and
underneath views of: the hopper head, separately shown; and Fig. 10, a side
elevation of an improved check. action. In each Figure the same letters of
reference denote, similar, corresponding parts. A, A, one of the keys of the
instrument; B, B, jack or hopper; C, C, jack or hopper head; D, D, sliding
pins, firmly secured to the hopper head; E, E, regulating or adjusting screw;
F, F, buffing leather; G; G, holes or apertures- in which the said sliding pins
work vertically when actuated by the upward or downward movement of the
regulating screw; H, H, under lever bevelled off, as in manner shown at I,
for the purpose of presenting a smooth surface to the action of the jack head ;
J, J, under lever rail; K, K, sticker; L, L, hammer; M, hammer butt;
N, N, hammer rail O, O, check; P, P, check lever; Q, Q, check lever rail;
R, R, hammer rest rail; S, S, damper wire; T, T, lever crank damper; U, U,
damper rail; V, V, front sticker; W, bevelled shoulder of jack or hopper. To
obviate the present defective arrangement in the action of pianofortes, and
obtain a more perfect repetition or blow of the hammer upon the string at all
times with greater certainty and uniformity of touch, I cause the hopper head
to be separately but rigidly connected with the said jack or hopper, as in
manner shown, so that any inaccuracy existing between the hopper head and
under lever (consequent upon the wear or beating up of the buffing leather),
may be readily corrected through the intervention of the sliding pins and
f.

page_text: regulating screw, the said pins being free to move, as aforesaid, vertically
within the suitable holes or apertures G, G; in the hopper, whilst the lower end
of the regulating, screw is brought to bear upon the bevelled surface or
shoulder W of the jack or hopper,, in such manner that the turning of the
screw may cause the hopper head to be raised or lowered, as required.
þ
Having now fully described the nature of this my said Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be performed; I would have it clearly under-
stood that I do not by any means confine myself to the precise details herein
before described, as the same might be varied without departing from the
general principle of these my said improvements; but that which I do claim as
new and of my said, Invention is, - .****
"
+
Firstly, the construction and employment of the adjusting hopper head,
sliding pins, and regulating screw, in the manner and for the purposes; herein-
before set forth and described...
And, secondly, the construction and employment of the check action, as
above described, in which one portion of the buffed check is secured to the top
of the hopper, whilst the other portion is secured to the back sticker, so as
to meet each other in the ordinary way.
In witness, whereof, I, the said Thomas Lambert, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Second day. of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
Witness;
i
THOMAS LAMBERT. (L.S.)
FRED R. DARKIN CAMPBELL,
Clerk to Messrs. Weatherdon & Co.,
77, Chancery Lane.