IMPROVEMENTS IN PIANOFORTES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Henry Squire, of 94, Camden Street, Camden
Town, in the Parish of St. Pancras, in the County of Middlesex, Pianoforte
Maker, for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN PIANOFORTES,"
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Henry Squire at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 5th September 1881.
WILLIAM HENRY SQUIRE, of 94, Camden Street, Camden Town, in the Parish
IMPROVEMENTS
of St. Pancras, in the County of Middlesex, Pianoforte Maker.
IN PIANOFORTES."
"
The object of this Invention is to obtain increased strength and portability, and
a reduction in size and weight as compared with pianofortes as heretofore usually
constructed.
According to my Invention I stretch the strings or wires horizontally along
both sides of a framework, and the planes in which the strings lie may either be
parallel to each other or may be inclined towards each other, so as to be further
apart at bottom than at top, and the framework may be made either of wood or
metal, or partly of wood and partly of metal, and the metal may be either solid or
tubular. The length of the framework depends on the length of the strings or
wires required, and its height must be sufficient to allow about half the strings to
be drawn horizontally along each side, the side which faces the player is hereinafter
called the front and the other is called the back of the framework.
On each side of the framework I attach a sounding board, over the outer side
of which I stretch the strings, so that the two sounding boards are between the
two sets of strings, and about half the strings, more or less, are on each sounding
board, so that the strain may be nearly equalized and balanced.
I employ an additional framework to support the action, which is made to rest
partly on the top of the previously described framework, and partly on legs or
other supports, and the action I arrange so as to adapt it to strings stretched
horizontally, and so that the hammers and dampers may work clear of all the
strings except those they are intended to touch.

page_text: In constructing that form of instrument with parallel sounding boards the keys
acting upon the strings on the back of the framework are made longer than those
acting on the strings on the front of the framework so as to pass over the top
of the framework, and the stickers for both sets of notes work straight
downwards.
In constructing instruments in which the sounding boards are inclined towards
each other the keys are all made of uniform length, and the stickers acting on the
strings on the back of the framework work downwards with the lower ends
inclined backwards, that is, away from the player, while those acting on the
strings on the front of the framework also work downwards, but with their
lower ends inclined forward, that is, towards the player.
If it is desired to produce an instrument having more nearly the appearance of
an ordinary cottage piano, the framework, with the wires and sounding boards,
may be placed in an inverted position above the level of the keyboard and the
action made to work upwards.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Henry Squire in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
4th March 1882.
WILLIAM HENRY SQUIRE, of 94, Camden Street, Camden Town, in the Parish
of St. Pancras, in the County of Middlesex, Pianoforte Maker. "IMPROVEMENTS
IN PIANOFORTES."
The object of this Invention is to obtain increased strength and portability, and
a reduction in size and weight as compared with pianofortes as heretofore usually
constructed:
According to my Invention I stretch the strings horizontally; or nearly so, along
both sides of a framework, the planes in which the strings lie being either parallel
to each other or being inclined towards each other so as to be further apart at
bottom than at top, and the framework may be made either of wood or metal, or
partly of wood and partly of metal, and may be either solid or tubular. The length
of the framework depends on the length of the strings required, and its height
must be sufficient to allow about half the strings to be drawn along each side; the
side which faces the player is hereafter called the front, and the other is called the
back of the framework.
On each side of the framework I attach a sounding board, over the outer side
of which I stretch the strings; so that the two sounding boards are between the
two sets of strings, and about half the strings, more or less, are on each sounding
board, so that the strain may be nearly equalized and balanced.
I employ additional framework to support the key board and the action in
respect of each set of strings, which framework is made to rest partly on the top
of the previously described frame work and partly on legs or other supports.
In constructing that form of instrument with parallel sounding boards, the keys
acting on the strings on the back of the framework are made longer than those
acting on the strings on front of the framework so as to pass over the top
of the framework, and the stickers for both sets of notes work straight
downwards.
In constructing instruments in which the sounding boards are inclined towards
each other the keys are all made of uniform length, and the stickers acting on the
strings on the back of the framework work downwards, with the lower ends
inclined backwards, that is, away from the player, while those acting on the strings
on the front of the framework also work downwards, but with their lower ends
inclined forwards, that is, towards the player, and the inclination of the planes iu
which the two sets of stickers lie is such that the planes intersect each other
in a straight horizontal line, being just behind and above the back ends of
the keys.
In order to explain more fully the nature of the said Invention, and the manner
of carrying the same into practical effect, I will describe an instrument which I
have constructed in accordance therewith with the sounding boards inclined
towards each other, but I wish it to be understood that I do not intend to confine
myself to the materials or dimensions named, or to the arrangement or construction
of the subsidiary parts, as these admit of considerable variation, without departing
from my said Invention; but this description is given by way of example, and to
shew in what manner my said Invention may be carried into practical effect, and
for this purpose I shall refer to the accompanying Drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a
vertical longitudinal section of the framework; Fig. 2 is a horizontal longitudinal
section on the lines Y, Z, Fig. 4.
Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section on the line W, X, Fig. 2, showing also the
action for one note, and Fig. 4 is an end view of the same.
Fig. 5 represents the arrangement of the bridges and strings at the back of the
instrument; Fig. 6 is a back view of parts of the instrument with its casing

page_text: removed to shew the action; Fig. 7 represents the arrangement of bridges and
strings on the front of the instrument, and Fig. 8 shews the action of the front
part, the keyboard being removed to allow it to be seen clearly; Figs. 9, 10, 11,
12, 13, 14, and 15 represent details of the action in various parts of the
instrument.
The framework on which the strings are stretched, and which is shewn on.
Figs. 2, 3, and 4, consists of two nearly triangular pieces or planks A, A¹, corre-
sponding with the ordinary wrest plank, and plank for the hitch pins, preferably
of timber, of sufficient thickness to bear the strain of the strings, and which
thickness may conveniently be about three inches; these pieces or planks may be
cased with sheet iron on the outer side, and bevelled edges, as shown on the
Drawings, and are supported at a proper distance from each other by the bars B, B¹,
which I prefer should be of iron, and on the bevelled edges a, a, of these
planks A, A¹, I place the tuning pins and hitch pins, the tuning pins for the back
set of strings being placed on the plank at the right hand of a person sitting at the
keyboard of the instrument, that is to say, on the plank A, shewn on the left hand
in Figs. 5 and 6, which are views from the back of the instrument, and the hitch
pins on the plank A'. The tuning pins for the strings on the upper bridges D, D',
on the front of the instrument being also on the right hand, that is to say, on the
plank A, and the tuning pins for the strings on the lower bridges E, E¹, on the left
hand, that is, on the plank A¹, and the hitch pins on the plank A. The number of
strings on each side should be such that the total strain or tension of those on one
side is equal, or as nearly equal as conveniently may be, to that of those on the
other side; and in the instrument I am now describing the steel strings from top a
to middle c are both inclusive on the back of the instrument, and are shewn in
Fig. 5 with their bridges C and C', and the strings from middle b to lowest a are
on the front of the instrument, and are shewn, together with their bridges, in
Fig. 7, where D and D¹ represent the bridges for the steel strings from middle b
downwards to f, and E, E¹, the bridges for the covered strings, viz., those
from e to lowest a, the unmarked letter in each case indicating the bridge nearest
to the hammers. The bridges D, D¹, on the front of the instrument are arranged
in the manner shown in order to obtain a greater length of string for the notes
from middle to f than would otherwise be obtainable, and also to enable the
hammers to be brought on to the right part of the string, viz., about one ninth of
the length of the string from the bridge.
The front and back sounding boards marked F and F' respectively are placed
one under each set of strings, and are attached to each other with an intervening
longitudinal bar at the top, and each one at bottom to a rail provided for it, which
rails are each of them attached to the planks A and A¹. The bridges C', D', and
E are attached to the sounding boards, and the bridges C, D, and E are attached
to, or preferably cast on, the iron bars B, B, and the latter bridges project
through openings in or, in the case of bridge C, beyond the end of the sounding
boards.
That part of the action consisting of the stickers, hammers, and dampers, together
with the frame carrying the action for the notes from top a to middle c is shewn
in Figure 6, a few of the notes only being shewn in full, and the action for one of
these notes more in detail in Fig. 3, which represents a note at rest, and Fig. 9
which represents the same note when it is struck. In these Figures G indicates
the key or keys; H, the stickers for transmitting the motion from the key board
to the hammers beneath; I, the hammers; J, the dampers; K, the damper wire
transmitting the motion from the hammer butts to the damper; L, a lever carrying
the damper actuated by the wire K, and which is placed obliquely to enable the
damper to clear the hammer, as shown in Fig. 15. The parts immediately con-
nected with the keys consist of the adjusting lever M, which is faced at the end
with leather, where it strikes the projection N on the rod H; O indicates a small
rocking lever called the set off lever; P is a small spring for securing the return of
the sticker to its original position, and P' a leather thong, by which the spring P is
"

page_text: attached; and S, lead balance weights or loading, varying in size according to the
length of the sticker.
In
The part of the action consisting of the rods, hammers, and dampers, together
with the frame carrying the action for the notes from middle b to lowest a is shewn
in Fig. 8, and the action for one of the notes on the bridges D, D¹, (i.e., middle b
to f), more in detail in Figs. 10, 11, and 12, of which Fig. 10 represents a note at
rest; Fig. 11, the same when struck; and Fig. 12, a front_view of the same.
these Figures H indicates the stickers; I, the hammers; J, the dampers; K, the
damper wire; L is the lever carrying the damper, and M is a horizontal bar turning
on a horizontal axis, transmitting the motion from the sticker to the hammer
shank. The action for one of the notes on the bridges E, E', is shewn in Figs. 13
and 14, and is similar to the action on the back of the instrument, except that part
of it is on the opposite side of the sticker, and the same letters of reference apply
to the same parts as in Figs. 3 and 9; Fig. 15 is a plan of one of the dampers on
the front part.
The loud pedal acts in the usual manner by taking off the dampers, which is
accomplished in this instrument by having the part of the frame carrying the
damper bar of the front action Q attached to the fixed parts by binges at R, R, and
the damper bar of the back action Q' attached by pins, on which it moves, and
which are indicated by dotted lines QQ² The soft pedal acts in the same
manner as in an ordinary piano, except only so far as the different position of the
parts necessitates a modification of some of its parts.
If it is desired to produce an instrument having more nearly the appearance of
an ordinary cottage piano, the framework, with the wires and sounding boards,
may be placed in an inverted position above the level of the key board, and the
arrangement of the action altered so as to adapt it for working upwards.
It will be seen that the construction of pianos according to my Invention
permits of an extension of the frame on both sides beyond the length of the
key board, whereby I am enabled to obtain the increased effect due to longer
strings.
I claim as the Invention secured to me by the hereinbefore in part recited Letters
Patent,
1st. The general construction and arrangement of pianos in which the strings
are strung horizontally, or nearly so, on both sides of the framework to which they
are attached, whereby the framework carrying the strings may be extended beyond
the length of the keyboard, substantially as hereinbefore described and for the
purpose set forth.
2nd. Adapting the action of pianofortes to my novel form of instrument, sub-
stantially as herein before described and for the purpose set forth.
3rd. The mode of constructing the framework carrying the strings on both
sides, whereby this part of the instrument is rendered less liable to warp or yield
under climatic changes, or when exposed to damp, substantially as described.
Signed and sealed by the
above named William
Henry Squire in the
presence of
NEWNHAM BROWNE,
Patent Agent,
91, Queen Street,
Cheapside, E.C.
WILLIAM HENRY SQUIRE. (L.s.)