Improvements in Pianofortes and such like Key Board Instruments.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 26th May, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 9th Jan., 1893-Accepted, 11th Mar.. 1993
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Pianofortes and such like Key Board
Instruments.
FREDERICK NEWMAN and CHARLES PARKINSON both of 71, & 714, Dalberg
Road, Brixton, Surrey, Pianoforte Makers, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object the providing of octave couplers, by coupling
the octave to each note that is struck or held down by the performer in playing,
either the octave above the note struck, or the octave below the note struck, and if
desired both, the coupler octave above, and coupler octave below, which are
arranged to be drawn on or off at will of the performer.
By striking or depressing a note in question of the pianoforte, it actuates an
action constructed in the form of levers arranged obliquely direct under the key
board and in connection with the keys at one end by means of regulating studs, and
with the pianoforte action at the other end, by a small rod or sticker which passes
freely through the keys acting direct upon the pianoforte action at the hack which
lifts the action of the instrument striking the string or strings of the note an octave
higer together with the note struck thus causing two notes to vibarate; say
middle C and the C above or any other note and so on throughout the compass of
the instrument.
This action is further arranged to be applied above the key board according to
the construction of the pianoforte.
If a super octave coupler :-that is to say the levers range obliquely from bass
to treble.
If a sub octave coupler :-that is to say the levers range obliquely from treble
to bass, giving the full volume of tone an octave lower with the note, struck or held
down.
This coupling action is provided with a draw knob, at either end, direct above
the key board.
By drawing either of the draw knobs it will bring the couplers or couplers into
contact with the keys and the action of the pianoforte as described.
Dated this 24th day of May 1892.
FREDERICK NEWMAN and
CHARLES PARKINSON.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Pianofortes and such like Key Board
Instruments.
We FREDERICK NEWMAN and CHARLES PARKINSON both of 71 and 71A
Dalberg Road Brixton, Surrey, Pianoforte Makers, 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 :-
This invention for improvements in pianofortes and such like key-board
instruments has for its object to provide means whereby when desired in addition to
any note struck the super octave of this note is also struck; or instead of arranging
for a note and its super octave being struck at the same time, a note and
its sub octave can be arranged to be struck; or part of the instrument can
be arranged so that any note in this part and its super octave and another
part so that any note in this part and its sub octave can be struck at the

page_text: same time and consists essentially in connecting each key which it is desired to
arrange so that it can also strike the octave of the note corresponding to the key,
by a coupler action which is brought into operation by means of a stop or pedal,
the whole of the coupler actions being brought into operation at the same time. It
will also be seen that when a note and its octave have been struck by means of the
above coupler action the octave can be repeated by keeping the key corresponding
to the note held down and by releasing and again depressing the pedal; and if a
note be struck its octave can be afterwards struck by keeping the corresponding
key held down and by depressing the pedal.
In a modified arrangement in order that when the coupler actions are in
operation after the octave of any note has been struck as above described, the said
octave note may be free to be struck in the ordinary manner whilst the key
corresponding to the note is depressed the coupler mechanism for that particular
note is arranged to be thrown out of action when the key is depressed to its lowest
point.
In the accompanying four sheets of illustrative drawings:-Figure 1 is a part
elevation of a pianoforte constructed according to this invention and Figure 2 is a
part plan and Figure 3 is a part side elevation of the same, the framing of the
pianoforte being supposed removed. Figure 4 is a similar view to Figure 3
showing the action of the coupled octave in its raised or struck position. Figure
shows a slightly modified arrangement of operating the striking action of the
octave note. Figures 6, 7, 8, and 9 are views corresponding to Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4
showing the arrangement whereby when the coupler actions are in operation and a
note is depressed, the coupler mechanism between the said note and its octave is.
thrown out of action.
Referring to Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4, each key a which it is desired to arrange so
that it can also strike the octave of the note corresponding to the key, has secured
in it a screwed spindle on which fits a buffer c which is thus adjustable on the
spindle. Fulcrummed in the jaws of brackets d screwed to a bar e are diagonal
levers whose outer ends pass below the buffers c and whose inner ends pass below
the pianoforte action A in such manner that the outer and inner ends of each lever
pass respectively below the buffer c of a note and below the action A of the octave
of this note. Small vertical rods or stickers y rest on the inner ends of the
diagonal levers and pass through the guide h and freely through holes i in the rear
ends of the keys a. In the modification shown in Figure 5 the rods y pass behind
the keys a and operate a different part of the action A. The dampers or felts
serve in the usual manner to deaden any noise caused by the working of the
parts.
g
The figures all show the coupler actions in operation the bar e being in its raised
position. The bar e is supported on the frame m pivotted in the end frames of the
pianoforte and operated so as to raise or lower the bar by means of the arm n. The
arm n is connected by the adjustable link o and bell crank lever p to the rod r of
the stop s
The arm n is also connected by the adjustable link t, lever u, link .c to
the pedal levery of the pedal. The pedal is shown depressed and the stop s
drawn out so that the bar e is in its raised position, the outer ends of the diagonal
levers being in contact with the buffers c and the small rods or stickers in contact
with the pianoforte actions A. If the pedal is released or the stop s pushed in,
the bar e and levers fare lowered so that the buffers c do not come in contact with
the outer ends of the levers when the levers are depressed with the keys the inner
'ends of the levers f coming in contact with the fixed rail ae so as to ensure that the
outer ends are fully lowered. The manipulation of the octave coupler action will
be readily understood, it being only necessary to depress the pedal or draw out the
stop when the octave of every note struck that is fitted with the coupler action will
also be struck. This arrangement of coupler action can be fitted to any ordinary
pianoforte without altering the ordinary mechanism or the pianoforte action. It will
also be seen that if a note be struck in the ordinary manner the octave can after-
wards be struck by simply depressing the pedal whilst the note is sustained or if a

page_text: note and its octave be struck by the aid of the coupler mechanism the octave can
be repeated by releasing and again depressing the pedal.
In the modification shown in Figures 6, 7, 8 and 9 instead of the stickers g con-
necting the diagonal levers to the pianoforte actions A small L shaped levers aa
are pivotted at their angles in pillars ab fixed on the inner ends of the diagonal
levers and the vertical arms or stickers of these levers pass freely through holes i in
the rear ends of the keys a and act on a curved projection ac on the actions A.
The horizontal arms of the levers aa are forced by springs ad against adjustable
stops af screwed in an arm ag rigidly fixed to the pillars ab. Above the horizontal
arms are adjustable stops ah screwed into a rail ai fixed in the end frames of the
pianoforte, each stop ah is so adjusted that after the octave note has been struck
and the key of the note is further depressed, the horizontal arm of the lever aa
comes in contact with the stop ah and is depressed thus throwing the vertical arm
In order that
off the projection ac and releasing the action A of the octave note.
the stops can be easily adjusted the heads are made with eyelet heads al and holes am
are formed in the finger keys so that a notched key can be passed through the holes
to adjust the stops.
It will also be seen that if the note is struck lightly and sustained that both the
note and its octave are sustained whilst if the note is fully depressed and sustained
only the note itself will be sustained leaving the octave free to be operated in the
ordinary manner so that it together with its octave can be struck.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we would have it understood
we are aware it is not novel to arrange a pianoforte so that when notes are struck
the octave of the struck notes also can be struck but such arrangements are quite
distinct from those herein before described and we do not desire to claim such.
arrangements but we declare that what we claim is :-
1. In a pianoforte or such like key board instrument the octave coupler mechanism
consisting of the adjustable buffers c attached to the keys, of the diagonal levers f
adapted to be operated by the buffers c, of a bare, carrying the levers f and adapted
to be raised by means of a stop s or pedal z so as to bring the levers into contact
with the buffers c and of the vertical arm or stickers adapted to connect the inner
ends of the diagonal levers to the action of the octave note, the whole arranged,
substantially as described with reference to the drawings.
2. In a coupler mechanism for pianofortes and such like key board instruments,
the arrangement of the coupler mechanism in such manner that when the coupler
mechanisms are in action the coupler mechanism between a note and its octave are
automatically thrown out of action when the key corresponding to the note is fully
depressed substantially as described for the purpose specified.
3. In a coupler mechanism for pianofortes and such like key board instruments
in which a note and its octave are connected by a diagonal lever, substantially as
described, the arrangement of the lever and stops for connecting the diagonal lever
to the action of the octave note so that after actuating the octave action the lever
is disconnected from the octave action the whole substantially as described for the
purpose specified.
4. The combination and arrangement of a pianoforte or such like key board
instrument substantially as described with reference to the drawings.
Dated this 9th day of January 1893.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.