Improved Means for Fixing and Adjusting Pianoforte Actions.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Appl cation, 4th Dec., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 15th Jan., 1897-Accepted, 20th Mar., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means for Fixing and Adjusting Pianoforte Actions.
We, JOHN GLOUGH MURDOCH, Junior, of St. George's Road, Regent's Park, in the
County of London, Pianoforte Manufacturer, and JOHN FUREY, of 43, Constantine
Road, Hampstead, in the County of London, Pianoforte Manufacturer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to the fixing of pianoforte actions, and more especially to
adjusting the damper rail; this has hitherto been accomplished by means of sundry
action stays and steadying pins which not only take up considerable space but are
incapable of adjustment.
The object of our invention is to provide simple and efficient means for securing the
action in its proper position and for adjustment as required. By our invention we
not only prevent any risk of the damper rail sinking and thereby bringing the
dampers on the strings, but our appliance also keeps it rigidly set in position so that,
unless the fixing is released, the damper rail cannot shift downwards, upwards, or
outwards even under the most trying climatic or other influences, and is also a great
safeguard for pianofortes being shipped or otherwise sent on long journeys, and does
away with all the usual fixing stays and pins mentioned above.
To this end we provide an action block preferably of brass or suitable metal, though
it may be of hard wood or equivalent substance, adapted to be fixed by screws or
otherwise suitably to the top of the damper rail, and having an upwardly projecting
flange pierced with a hole. We also provide a metal pin adapted by driving in or by
screwing or otherwise conveniently to be fixed to the wrest plank opposite to the said
action block and lineable with the hole in the flange thereof. The outer end of this
pin is tapped with a screw thread which passes through the action block hole and is
fitted with an adjusting nut. Behind said hole is a collar which may be formed by
reducing the diameter of the screwed part of the pin or be formed upon the said pin.
By this means all tendency to motion and vibration in any direction of the damper
rail is resisted and prevented, and the action is securely fixed, and by turning the nut
can always be readily adjusted to the required position.
Dated this 4th day of December 1896.
J. C. CHAPMAN,
Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means for Fixing and Adjusting Pianoforte Actions.
We, JOHN GLOUGH MURDOCH, Junior, of St. George's Road, Regent's Park, in
the County of London, Pianoforte Manufacturer, and JOHN FUREY, of 43,
Constantine Road, Hampstead, in the County of London, Pianoforte Maker, 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:-
Our invention relates to the fixing of pianoforte actions, and more especially to

page_text: adjusting the damper rail; this has hitherto been accomplished by means of sundry
action stays and steadying pins which not only take up considerable space but are
incapable of adjustment.
The object of our invention is to provide simple and efficient means for securing
the action in its proper position and for adjustment as required. By our invention we
not only prevent any risk of the damper rail sinking and thereby bringing the dampers
on the strings, but our appliance also keeps it rigidly set in position so that, unless
the fixing is released, the damper rail cannot shift downwards, upwards, or outwards,
even under the most trying climatic or other influences, and is also a great safeguard
for pianofortes being shipped or otherwise sent on long journeys, and does away with
all the usual fixing stays and pins mentioned above.
We will fully describe our invention in reference to the accompanying drawing, in
which
Fig. 1 is a cross section through the usual damper rail and wrest plank of: a
pianoforte showing our invention applied thereto;
Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the action block; and
Fig. 3 is an internal front elevation showing part of the action with our improvement
embodied.
In carrying out our invention we provide an action block B made preferably of
brass or suitable metal, though it may be of hard wood or equivalent substance; it is
adapted to be fixed by screws or otherwise suitably to the top of the damper rail D,
and has an upwardly projecting flange b pierced with a hole H. We also provide a
metal pin P adapted by driving in as illustrated, or by screwing, or otherwise
conveniently, to be fixed to the wrest plank W opposite to the said action block B
and lineable with the hole H in the flange thereof as shown. The outer end of this
pin P is tapped with a screw thread which passes through the action block hole H and
is fitted with an adjusting nut N. Behind said hole H is a collar which may be
formed by reducing the diameter of the screwed part of the pin as shown at C, or it
may be formed upon the said pin P.
By this means when the pin P is firmly screwed up all tendency to motion and
vibration in any direction of the damper rail D is resisted and prevented, and the
action is securely fixed, and by turning the nut N can always be readily adjusted to
the required position.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
The improved means for fixing and adjusting pianoforte actions consisting of. an
action block such as B, a pin P with screwed end, and an adjusting nut N, for use
in connection with the daniper rail D and wrest plank W of the action, substantially
as herein described and illustrated in the drawing.
Hated this 15th
1007
Dated this 1541
day of January 1807.
For the Applicants,
J. C. CHAPMAN,
70, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Chartered Patent Agent.