AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE PREPARATION OF WOOD FOR INCREASING THE SONOROUS QUALITY AND IMPROVING THE TONE OF A PIANO, VIOLIN, OR OTHER MUSICAL INSTRUMENT TO WHICH THE WOOD IS TO BE APPLIED IN ITS CONSTRUCTION
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for
the Invention of "AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE PREPARATION OF WOOD FOR
INCREASING THE SONOROUS QUALITY AND IMPROVING THE TONE OF A PIANO,
VIOLIN, OR OTHER MUSICAL INSTRUMENT TO WHICH THE WOOD IS TO BE APPLIED
IN ITS CONSTRUCTION."-A communication from abroad by William Henry
May, of Bridgeport, in the State of Connecticut, United States of
America
Sealed the 27th March 1868, and dated the 16th October 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Newton
at the Office. of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 16th October 1867.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE PREPARATION OF
WOOD FOR INCREASING THE SONOROUS QUALITY AND IMPROVING THE TONE OF A
PIANO, VIOLIN, OR OTHER MUSICAL INSTRUMENT TO WHICH THE WOOD IS TO BE
APPLIED IN ITS CONSTRUCTION," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to a mode of preparing wood to improve its sonorous
quality and render it applicable for the construction of sounding boards and
other parts of pianofortes, violins, and other musical instruments. To this

page_text: end the sounding boards or other parts of pianofortes and other musical
instruments after they have been reduced nearly or quite to the required shape
and thickness are submerged in a tank of chamber lye or urine in which they
are allowed to remain undisturbed for a month or longer, until they are
thoroughly soaked and impregnated with the salts in the urine, after which
they are taken out and slowly dried at a low temperature until every particle
of moisture is dispelled; they are then ready for use, and may be dressed in
the usual way to be adapted to the instruments in the construction of which
they are employed.
Instead of soaking the boards in urine the wood may be charged by static
pressure or otherwise with urine.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 11th April 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirty-first year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said William Edward Newton, Her special licence that I, the said
William Edward Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said William Edward Newton, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to
time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should
and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United King-
dom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man,
an Invention for "AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE PREPARATION OF WOOD FOR
INCREASING THE SONOROUS QUALITY AND IMPROVING THE TONE OF A PIANO, VIOLIN,
OR OTHER MUSICAL INSTRUMENT TO WHICH THE WOOD IS TO BE APPLIED IN ITS
CONSTRUCTION," being a communication to me from abroad, upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said William Edward Newton, my executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of
their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,

page_text: and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Edward Newton, do hereby
declare the nature of the said 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):-
This Invention relates to a novel mode of preparing wood to improve its
sonorous quality and render it applicable for the construction of sounding
boards and other parts of pianofortes, violins, and other musical instruments."
The nature of the constituent elements and peculiar structure of wood
which confer upon it the sonorous quality to fit it for the construction of
musical instruments is only partially understood. Many efforts have been
made to improve the tone of sounding boards, and the common practice is
to kiln dry them. In some cases hardening of the fibre of the wood by
subjecting it to long continued extreme heat has been resorted to, and this
treatment renders the wood powerful and delicate in its powers of vibration,
and consequently highly sonorous for a short time, but it is found that the
advantageous effect is only temporary, and that the hardened fibre soon
relaxes and loses its power of delicate vibration and its superior sonorous
quality. By the improved method of preparing wood for sounding boards
and other parts of pianofortes and other musical instruments the wood is
raised to the highest pitch of sonorous quality, and possesses a power of
vibration far superior to any wood previously known, and these results of the
improved treatment are unchangeable and permanent. The method of
treatment to be pursued is to take the sounding boards or other parts of
pianofortes and other musical instruments after they have been reduced
nearly or quite to the required shape and thickness and submerge them in a
tank of chamber lye or urine, in which they are allowed to remain undisturbed
for a month or longer until they are thoroughly soaked and impregnated with
the salts in the urine, after which the boards are to be taken out and slowly
dried at a low temperature in a kiln or oven until every particle of moisture
is dispelled; they are then ready for use and may be dressed in the usual way
to adapt them to the instruments in the construction of which they are to be
employed. It is to be remarked in regard to the effect of this treatment of
wood that the fibre does not become hardened as in the case of subjection to
extreme heat, but acquires a temper or elastic principle which confers upon
it the most powerful and delicate sounding qualities. Instead of soaking the
boards as described in urine in a tank, the wood may be charged by static

page_text: pressure or otherwise with urine, or it may be treated with a solution of
chemical ingredients having the same or equivalent elements which will
produce analogous effects on the fibres of the wood.
Having now described the Invention that has been communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent, I claim as the Invention secured to me by
Letters Patent as aforesaid, the improved mode of preparing wood to increase
its vibratory power and sonorous quality for application to the sounding
boards and other parts, of pianofortes and other musical instruments as herein
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Third day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight;
Witness,
J. W. MOFFAtt,
66, Chancery Lane.
W. E. NEWTON.
L.S.)