Year: 1885

page_text: I, ALEXANDER BARR, of 2 Bothwell Terrace, Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this Invention to be as
follows, that is to say :-
My said Invention has for its object to adapt or modify a footstool so that it
can be used in connection with pianoforte pedals by children and whilst enabling
children to work the pedals easily does not interfere with the convenience of adults
in working them.
My improved footstool may be made in the form of a box with a top, back, and
Bides, but with the bottom and front open. The top is by preference inclined to
give a convenient position to a child's feet and is fitted with a pair of small pedals
or treadles. These small pedals are adjustably connected to slides working in
vertical guides in the back of the footstool, the bottoms of the slides being arranged
to bear on the usual pianoforte pedals when the footstool is in position. The
small pedals may have light springs to lift them after being depressed but in
general the springs which raise the main pedals will be sufficient for lifting the
small pedals also. At the back of the footstool there is fitted a small slide in a
vertical guide and this slide is made with a projecting toe which is intended to be
inserted under the pianoforte casing between the pedals. A screw spindle with a
handle is applied to the toe slide and after the footstool has been properly placed
with the toe under the pianoforte the toe slide is screwed up so as to make the toe
bear up against the pianoforte and thereby fix the stool in its position.
An adult can work the pedals without removing the stool by simply introducing
the feet under the top of the stool, or pedalette as I propose to term the article.
L1002

page_text: Connection with Pianoforte Pedals.
1, ALEXANDER BARR, of 2 Bothwell Terrace, Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, Engineer, 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, that is to say :-
My said Invention has for its object to adapt or modify a footstool so that it
can be used in connection with pianoforte pedals by children, and whilst enabling
children to work the pedals easily does not interfere with the convenience of adults
in working them.
My improved footstool is fitted with a pair of small pedals or treadles in a
convenient position for a child's feet; and these pedals are adjustably connected to
slides which act on the usual pianoforte pedals when the footstool is in position.
The small pedals may have light springs to lift them, but, in general the springs
which raise the main pedals will be sufficient for lifting the small pedals also.
A pianoforte footstool as made according to my Invention is shown on the
accompanying sheet of explanatory drawings, figure, 1, being a front elevation
partly in section, and figures, 2, and 3, vertical sections as at right angles to
figure, 1. The same reference numerals are used to mark the same or like parts
wherever they are repeated.
My improved footstool is represented as inade in the form of a box with a top, 4,
back, 5, and sides, 6, but with the bottom and front open. The top, 4, is by pre-
ference inclined, as shown, to give a convenient position to a child's feet; and is
provided with a pair of small pedals, 7, which are hinged or jointed to a piece, 8,
fixed at the top of the back, 5. These small pedals, 7, are adjustably connected to
slides, 9, working in vertical guides, 10, formed in the back, 5, of the footstool, the
bottoms of these slides, 9, being arranged to bear on the usual pianoforte pedals
when the footstool is in position. The connection between each small pedal, 7, and
its slide, 9, is made by means of a bent wire link, 11, jointed to the pedal and
having its two bottom ends bent outwards so as to enter holes in flanges, 12, of
metal plates, 13, fixed to the slide. The flanges, 12, are made with several holes
and the ends of the wire link, 11, can be entered into any pair of the holes, being
freed from the holes by pressing the two sides of the wire together, and the sides
springing out again to enter the holes opposite which the ends may be placed.
With this arrangement the footstool can have its slides adjusted to suit any ordinary.
pianoforte pedals, the adjustment being made in each case by releasing the slides, 9,
so as to allow them to rest on the pianoforte pedals and then engaging the con-
necting wire links, 11, with the slides when the small pedals, 7, are in a raised
position.
At the back of the footstool there is fitted a small slide, 14, in a vertical guide
and this slide is made with a projecting toe, 15, which is intended to be inserted
under the pianoforte casing between the pedals. A screw spindle, 16, with a
handle, 17, is applied to the top of the toe slide, 14, and after the footstool has

page_text: been properly placed with the toe, 15, under the pianoforte the toe slide, 14, is
screwed up so as to make the toe bear up against the pianoforte and thereby fix
the footstool in its position.
An adult can work the pianoforte pedals without removing the footstool, by
simply introducing the feet under the top, 4, of the footstool or pedalette as
I term the article.
The pedalette may be covered with carpet or it may be decorated in any
suitable manner.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:-
The providing of a pianoforte footstool with small pedals to be used by children
and connected to parts acting on the pianoforte pedals substantially as herein before
described.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.