AN IMPROVED PIANOFORTE TUNING MASHINE
Year: 1885

page_text: "JOHN HENRY SCHUCHT JOHN ADAM SCHÖNEWALD Pianoforte Manufacturers
14 Store Street, Bedford Square, London, W.C. in the county of Middlesex do
hereby declare the nature of our invention for AN IMPROVED PIANOFORTE TUNING
MASHINE to be as follows :-
The object of our invention is to be able to tune a pianoforte without the great
power which is required with the ordinary tuning hammer, as well as to tune.
more correctly. Our mashine consists of an upright spindle similar to an ordinary
tuning hammer, which turns three small cog wheels one of which is fixed to a tube
fitting the tuning pins, while at the back of the mashine is fixed a tail or restpiece
to steady the mashine during operating.

page_text: way; The handle is fixed to a steel rod which passes through a tube into a box,
and there a cog wheel of about of an inch in diameter is fixed to it. With
this cog wheel it works another cog wheel of about of an inch in diameter, and this
larger cog wheel has affixed to it, and on the same axis, a smaller cog wheel of
about of an inch in diameter, with which it works a cog wheel of about of an
inch in diameter, and this wheel is affixed to the tuning key which projects about
one inch below the said box. To prevent the said box from turning in the
opposite direction, to that in which the handle is turned a piece of metal, of the
same length as the tuning key, projects from underneath the box, and about
3 inches distant from that key, and this tail or leg, is just so wide that it cannot
slip through the pins between the notes, and this tail or leg is inserted between
the tuning pins, for the purpose of steadying the box, or to prevent it from turning.
The tube is partly cut out on either side, so much as to allow the said rod to be
turned, between the thumb and fore finger, in order to adjust the key on to the
tuning pin
EXPLANATION OF THE DRAWING, OF THE IMPROVED APPLIANCE FOR TUNING
.4
PIANOFORTES.
Fig. A. is the instrument in its complete form. Fig. B. is a vertical cut ; shewing
the arrangement of the cog wheels, No 1, is a steel rod, fixed in the handle on one
end, and passing through a tube into the box, No 2, and, where it has a cog wheel,
of about of an inch in diameter affixed to it N° 3, with which it works on a cog
wheel, of about 4 of an inch in diameter N° 4. This wheel has affixed to it, and on
the same axis a cog wheel of about 3 of an inch in diameter N° 5 which works on
a cog wheel, of of an inch N° 6 and this wheel is affixed to the tuning key N° 7.
Thus one revolution of the handle, causes a one third revolution of the tuning key,
and requiring only about half the power to turn the tuning pin. N° 8 is a projec-
tion or tail piece, which is to be inserted between the tuning pins, to steady the
box or prevent it from turning. Figs. C. and D. are cross cuts, to shew the cog
wheels, and the dimentions.
"Having now particularly described, and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:
1) An improved appliance for tuning pianofortes, as an independant instrument
―i.e. not a fixture on the pianoforte.
2) That we have decimated, the power required to turn the tuning pins, to less
then half and the movement of the tuning key, to about one one third; with
arrangement of cog wheels, screws, band,. chain or lever either in the handle, or any
other part.
3) That it can be applied to all pianofortes, which are now in existance.
Dated this 11th dex of Anoush 1886