Improvements in Pianos.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Nov., 1894-Accepted, 12th Jan.,
1895
Improvements in Pianos.
A communication by MARTIN H. MCCHESNEY and JOSEPH G. KUNZE, of
Chicago, in the County of Cook and State of Illinois, United States of
America.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.1.M.E., of The Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street,
Manchester both in the County of Lancaster and 31 High Holborn in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The object of this invention is to add to the piano constructed in any of the
well-known ways, certain devices whereby the tone is changed or modified and
controlled to vary it according to the wishes of the performer; and also to control
the stroke of the hammers; so that they will either make a stroke directly upon
the strings, or so that they can be arrested before reaching the strings so as
not to make them sound, thereby converting the piano into a toneless piano or
practice-clavier.
The invention consists of the mechanisms and combination of mechanisms herein-
after fully described and made the subject matter of the claims hereof.
In the accompanying drawings
:-
Figure 1 represents a front elevation of an upright piano with certain parts
removed or cut away.
Figure 2 is an enlarged view of a portion of the piano.
Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view, taken at the line 3-3, Figure 1, looking to
the right, with parts of the piano omitted.
Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view, taken at the line 4-4, Figure 1,
looking down.
Figure 5 is a detached view, showing the details of one end of the damper-bar
and the hammer arrest.
Figure 6 is an end view of the same.
Figure 7 is a central sectional view of the pitman for the crank-bar.
Figure 8 is a plan view of the crank-bar to which the pitman is attached,
showing the flat spring in dotted lines.
In these figures-
A represents the frame of the piano; B the ordinary strings mounted in the
usual way; C, the hammer-head, which is operated from the key-board in the
usual way and by the usual connection.
D is the adjustable slide-bar or tongue-bar which is supported at each end by
the vertical rods, E, which pass through guides F, that are secured to the frame of
the piano. These vertical rods E are pivoted at their lower ends to the crank
pedal-bar, by which they are moved up and down.
G, are tongues, some of which are hinged by hinges g to the slide-bar D and
some to the auxiliary pivoted slide-bar, O. There are as many of these tongues
as the piano has keys and they are moved out of the path, or in front of the path
of the stroke of the 'hammer-head, by operating the crank-pedal-bar, as shown in
full lines, in Figure 3.
Hare hard points or strikers on the hinged tongue G where they will strike the
strings when the tongues are vibrated by the hammers..
"

page_text: .
The tongues G are hinged so that when they are brought between the hammer
heads and the strings, they will be struck by the hammers and swung against the
strings, thereby causing a different tone than when the hammer strikes the strings
direct. The tone of the piano is also changed by arresting the stroke of the
hammer, so that when it strikes the tongue and gives it impetus, the hammer stops
the impetus of the tongue causing the sound which is a very different tone from
that given when the hanımer is not arrested, but continues its stroke carrying the
tongue with it, pushing, as it were, the loose end of the tongue against the strings
of the piano. In this way three different qualities of tones are produced besides
the modified qualities given to each of these tones by the usual devices used in
pianos to vary the tones produced thereby.
1, is a fixed bar attached to and forming a part of the piano action, and to which
fixed bar the hammer arrest J is pivoted.
K, is a rod pivotally connecting the hammer-arrest J to a lever, L, one end of
which is pivotally connected to the pedal, M, by the rod, N. The operator is able
to throw the hammer-arrest J into various positions which either allow the hammer-
head C to strike the strings in the usual manner; or to strike the tongue G and
move with it till the tongue strikes the strings; or to strike the tongue and give
it an impetus which carries it against the strings while the hammer is prevented
from following it, as shown by dotted lines in Figure 3; or into the positions
which arrest the stroke of the hammer so that the hammer-head cannot be driven
against the tongue G or against the piano strings which enables any one to practice
upon the piano without making any sound. The use of the hammer-arrest does
not change the touch of the keys nor necessitate any change of regulation in the
action of the piano from that which is usual.
The striking-face of the hammer-head is that part of the piano-action which
most quickly deteriorates by use, as in striking the strings it is cut into by them
and loses its firmness. When the hammer-arrest, is used to control the stroke of
the hammers upon the tongues G, this deterioration is greatly lessened, and when
used to change the piano into a silent practice-clavier the deterioration is entirely
avoided.
It is considered very important that any one wishing to use a silent instrument
for key-board practice, should use one which has a regular piano action, as the
user thereby becomes accustomed to and acquires the same touch as that of the
usual piano, while the touch and action of the keys in the ordinary practice-clavier
and other devices used for the same purpose, are entirely different from those
of the piano.
It is usual, if not necessary, to arrange a portion of the strings in a piano in
an inclined position, and to provide for this arrangement my correspondents have
an auxiliary pivoted slide-bar O which is supported upon hangers, P, which are
pivoted to the slide-bar D. There is a pivoted arm Q, pivoted to the case or
irame of the piano and attached to bar O, or to one of the hangers in such position
that when the bar D is lowered this arm Q pushes the bar O in an oblique direction
to the perpendicular, so that the end of every tongue which is suspended from the
bar O keeps always in front of its own inclined strings in position to strike them
whenever it is hit by the hammer-head. When the bar D is raised, the arm Q is
swung up from the horizontal and swings the bar O gradually, thereby causing
the ends of the tongues to travel in line with the inclined piano strings.
The rods E with which the slide-bar D is raised and lowered, are operated by
means of the crank-bar, R, which is hung in loops, S, in which it turns like a
rock-shaft.
T is a pitman attached to the pedal U, and also to the crank of the
crank-bar R.
V, is a spring attached to the piano, and holds the crank-bar R in its normal
position, in which position the rods E bold the bar D in its elevated position so
that the tongues are not in front of the hammer-heads. When the operator
desires to bring the tongues into position in front of the hammer-heads, he presses

page_text: upon the pedal U sufficiently to overcome the tension of the spring V and throw
the parts into the position shown by the full lines in Figure 3.
When the pressure
from the pedal is relieved, the spring V throws the parts back into the position
of dotted lines, Figure 3. When the pedal U is pressed down, overcoming the
tension of the spring V, the crank-bar R is rocked in the bearings S, and the arms
of this crank-bar to which the rods E are attached, are thrown down. When the
pressure is removed from the pedal, the spring V rocks the crank-bar back or
turns the crank-bar in its bearings, and the rods E are thrown up, raising the
slide-bar D, thereby removing the tongues out of the paths of the hammers.
The pitman T is made with a recess in which is formed a shoulder X. The
lower part of this pitman is made of a rod screw-threaded at its upper end, and a
nute is screwed upon it, resting on the shoulder X. By this device the length
of the pitman T may be regulated, as desired.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondents, I declare that what I claim is-
1. In a piano, in combination with the strings, the hammers and mechanisms for
operating them, a series of tongues having hard strikers or contacts on the faces
nearest the strings, said tongues being adjustable to receive the stroke of the
hammer at a point opposite to the said hard strikers or contacts and directly
behind the hard strikers or contacts, as specified.
2. In a piano, in combination with the strings, the hammers and mechanisms for
operating them, two or more adjustable slide-bars adapted to move at angles or
obliquely to each other, one or more of said bars being adapted to travel in lines
parallel or nearly parallel with the inclined strings of the piano, and devices adapted
to adjust said slide bars.
3. In a piano, the combination with the strings, the hammers and mechanisms
for operating them, an adjustable hammer arrest adapted to arrest the stroke of
the hammers as may be desired, and devices to adjust the same, and two or more
adjustable slide bars adapted to move at angles or obliquely to each other, and
devices adapted to adjust the same.
4. In a piano, in combination with the strings, the hammers and mechanisms for
operating them, a hammer arrest adapted to arrest the stroke of the hammers and
the devices adapted to adjust the same, and a series of tongues adapted to receive
the stroke of the hammers, when desired.
5. In a piano, in combination with the strings, the hammers and mechanisms for
operating them, two or more slide bars adapted to move at angles or obliquely to
each other, and devices adapted to adjust the same, and a series of tongues adapted
to receive the stroke of the hammers, when desired.
6. In a piano, in combination with the strings, the hammers and mechanisms for
operating them, an adjustable hammer arrest adapted to arrest the stroke of the
hammers and devices adapted to adjust the same; two or more adjustable slide
bars adapted to move at angles or obliquely to each other and devices adapted to
adjust the same, and a series of tongues adapted to receive the stroke of the
hammers when desired.
7. In a piano, the hammers, mechanisms for operating the hammers, piano
strings, adjustable hammers adapted to arrest the stroke of the haminers to prevent
them from striking the strings, and devices adapted to adjust the hammers to
convert the piano into a silent or practice clavier, as specified.
Dated this 12th day of November 1894.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents.