Improvements in Mounting and Securing Wires and Strings to Piano-fortes and other Stringed Musical Instruments, and in Appliances for Tuning the same.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Mar., 1886. .
Complete Left, 17th Dec., 1886.
☐☐ Complete Accepted, 8th Feb., 1887.
Improvements in Mounting and Securing Wires and Strings to
Piano-fortes and other Stringed Musical Instruments, and in
Appliances for Tuning the same.
I, FERDINAND RÄHSE, of Lobau, Saxony, in the Empire of Germany, Manufacturer
do hereby declare the nature of my said invention to be as follows:-
The object of my invention is to effect improvements in mounting and securing
the wires or strings of musical instruments, and in the method and means of tuning
the same; my invention being applicable to piano-fortes and other stringed musical
instruments.
In applying my invention to grand and other horizontal piano-fortes, I cast the iron
frame in such a manner as to provide grooves in the string plate of sufficient depth
to receive small vertical adjusting plates; one such adjusting plate being provided for
each wire. The upper ends of these adjusting plates are provided with studs or
projections, perforated transversely with a hole to receive the end of the wire, which is
firmly secured thereto.
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Just below these studs a transverse screw is fitted passing through a tapped hole
in the same. Each screw is furnished with a capstan" head, having holes therein
for conveniently turning the screw.
When the end of a wire has been attached to the stud of the adjusting plate, the
latter is inserted in the groove to which it belongs; the end of the screw abuts,
against one side of the groove, near the top, and the foot of the adjusting plate abuts'
against the lower (opposite) side of the groove.
The screw is then turned until the wire is rendered sufficiently taut to produce the
required note, when caused to vibrate.
The position of the adjusting plates being at right angles, or thereabouts, to that
of the strings, such plates assume a horizonal position in cottage and other, upright
piano-fortes.
It is obvious that, with slight modifications, my invention is applicable to all musical
instruments having wires or strings in a state of tension for the production of the
necessary sounds.
GEO. DOWNING,
Agent for Applicant,

page_text: Improvements in Mounting and Securing Wires and Strings to
Pianofortes and other Stringed Musical Instruments, and in
Appliances for Tuning the same.
I, FERDINAND RÄHSE, of Löbau, Saxony, in the Empire of Germany, Manufacturer,
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 state-
ment, and accompanying drawing, (that is to say) :-
This invention relates to an improved method of arrangement of apparatus for
holding and tuning the strings in pianos and other stringed instruments of the
like kind.
In the accompanying drawing, which is in illustration of the invention, figure 1
is a longitudinal section, figure 2. is a plan, and figure 3 a detail side view of a
string holder.
This improved construction consists essentially in a cast iron base plate a, which
follows in its outer shape the form of the piano in the part where it is placed, and
which is provided with the ribs 61, 62, 63, and 6. The screw e butts against the
upper part of the rib b¹, and traverses the string holder d', which latter butts with its
lower end against a shoulder of the rib 62. The screw c² butts against the upper part
of the corresponding string holder 2 and the latter with its lower end against a
shoulder of the rib b³.
The screws 3 have their abutment against the rib 63, and the string holder d³ against
the lower rib 64.
The screw heads c¹, c², c³, have small perforations e so that they can be turned, by
using a bar or wire.
By turning the screws, the strings will be less or more stretched, and in this
way tuned.
By means of the improved method of construction and arrangement, each of the
screws and holders being placed one behind the other, but in an inclined direction
sideways, the tuning of the corresponding strings is rendered very easy.
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 improved method of construction and arrangement for tuning the strings of
pianos and other instruments of the like kind, consisting of a cast iron base a with
its ribs b, in combination with the screws c, having perforated screw heads c*, and
the string holders d, substantially as described and shewn in the accompanying
drawing.
EDWARDS & Co.,
Agents for the Inventor.
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