Improvements in Upright Pianoforte Actions.
Year: 1896

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Upright Pianoforte Actions.
We WILLIAM YARROW of 10 Rochester Terrace, Camden Road, in the County
of London, Commercial Traveller, and LEYSTER COURTICE of Howland House,
Southcote Road, Tufnell Park, in the same county, Pianoforte Action Maker, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to the actions of upright pianofortes and is designed to
improve the "escapement" of the jack or sticker from the haminer when the
movement thereof for effecting the blow on the strings has been effected.
In place of the ordinary arm, of a front escapement action commonly known as
the "escapement" arm, which in the rising of the sticker comes in contact with a
button on an escapement rail and serves to tilt the sticker head free from the
hammer butt; we employ a band, tape or flexible connection between a suitable
rail or support in front of the sticker, or jack, and the sticker or jack itself.
The flexible connection is so connected to the said rail as to be capable of
regulation; such as by means of a brass or other metal arm screwed at one end,
say its foot to the rail and hooked or otherwise fastened to the flexible connection
at its head.
A screw socketted medially of the arm engages the rail and as it is turned it
varies the tension.
The rail employed may be a specially provided rail or support, or the ordinary
front lever rail may be made to serve for both purposes.
In case the invention is applied to a back escapement action the adjustment and
connections of the flexible part will be modified in accordance.
We construct our damper bodies so as to obtain the effect of interposing a
damper arm to each, by shaping said bodies of an angular form sloping down-
wardly and frontwardly from their flinges and then frontwardly to the joints
for connecting the damper lifts and wires and we insert the wires supporting
and operating the damper heads into the bodies at an angle, and thereby obtain
increased motion.
By these means we obtain greater strength and improved operation of the parts,
with simplicity of construction and regulation.
Dated the 7th der of Mar 1806
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 and 56 Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicants.
We WILLIAM YARROW, of 10 Rochester Terrace, Camden Road, in the County
of London, Commercial Traveller, and LEYSTER COURTICE of Howland House,
Southcote Road, Tufnell Park, in the same county, Pianoforte Action Maker do
hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is
Price 8d.1

page_text: This invention relates to the action of upright pianofortes and is designed to
improve the "escapement" of the jack or sticker from the haminer when the
movement thereof for effecting the blow on the strings has been effected.
In place of the ordinary arm of a front escapement action commonly known as
the "escapement" arm, which in the rising of the sticker comes in contact with
a button on an escapement rail and serves to tilt the sticker head free from the
hammer butt, we employ a cord, band, tape or other flexible connection between
a suitable rail or support in front of the sticker, or jack, and the sticker or jack
itself.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a left hand side elevation of an upright pianoforte action having our
present improvements adapted thereto. The parts in this fig. are shown in a
position of rest. The front end of the key is shown broken away for the convenience
of the drawing.
side view respectively certain
a modification.
Fig. 2 is a like view of the same with the parts in check.
Figs. 3 and 4 show by front view and left hand
portions of an upright pianoforte action according to
The key a is centred at a'. The sticker 6 has its lower end resting on the key.
A rail carries the lever 2 to the jack or sticker b. The support c¹ of the check c
is carried by the check arm 2 from the sticker. The hammer d is centred at d¹
and carried by the hammer rail d. The check arm carries the end e¹ of the
rod e, the latter being connected to the lever e' which carries the damper fand is
centred at e to the damper rail e. The string is indicated at g. The balance
head d is mounted on the hammer d and engages with the check c when in "check"
position as shown in Fig. 2. The spring h, fixed to the sticker at h¹, is hooked
to a loop d on the hammer thus serving to keep the hammer and sticker in
contact.
The flexible connection k, see Figs. 1 and 2, is so connected to the rail b' as to
be capable of regulation; such as by means of a tie wire inserted or screwed into
a piece m which may be of wood hinged or connected with capability of swinging
movement to another piece n fastened to the rail b. A serew regulating pin o
serves by a turning movement to increase, or decrease the working length of the
tape, and regulates the pull of the jack b.
The regulating pin o is, as shown, formed with a right- and left-handed screw,
the better to ensure the relative movements of the part m to and from the rail b¹;
but it may be otherwise equivalently arranged, as by means of a brass or other
metal arm p (see Figs. 3 and 4) screwed at one end (say its foot) to the rail 6' and
hooked, or otherwise fastened to the flexible connection k at its head. A screw pl
socketted medially of the arm engages the rail 6' and as it is turned it varies the
tension.
The rail employed may be a specially provided rail or support, or the ordinary
front lever rail may be made to serve for both purposes.
We construct our damper bodies e so as to obtain an increased motion of the
damper head f to and from the string by mounting said bodies as shown upon their
flinges angularly, and inclining to the joints (one of which is shown at e) for
connecting the damper lifts and wires e and we insert the wires supporting and
operating the damper heads into the bodies in usual or convenient manner.
these means as in course of time (as they have a tendency always to do) the strings
bed themselves in the damper heads the play between the arm c² and the button e
admits of the parts continuing their correct cooperation and preserves the damping
action.
By
Thus we obtain increased durability and improved operation of the parts, with
economy and simplicity of construction and regulation.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. In an upright pianoforte action effecting the escapement of the jack or sticker
from the notch of the hammer butt by means of a cord, band, tape or other flexible
connection between a suitable rail or support (preferably provided with means of
"regulation" or adjustment) in front of the jack or sticker and the jack or sticker
itself, substantially as shown and described."
2. In an upright pianoforte action of the over damper type the construction,
arrangement and use of damper bodies arranged angularly so as to increase the
lifting action and provide compensation for wear, substantially as set forth.
Dated the 4th day of February 1897.
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 and 56 Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicants.