Improvements in Pins or Pegs for the Strings of Wire-strung Musical Instruments.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 31st May, 1897
Complete Specification Left, 26th Feb., 1898-Accepted, 9th Apr., 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Pins or Pegs for the Strings of Wire-strung
Musical Instruments.
I, CHARLES GITTUS, of 141. Sandpits, Birmingham, Pianoforte Tuner, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:
-
My invention relates to an improved pin for holding the wires or strings of wire-
strung musical instruments and especially of pianofortes of all kinds.
In setting forth the nature of iny invention I will briefly describe the same
with especial view to its application to an upright piano of ordinary construction.
The apparatus consists essentially of two parts:-
1st. A screw plug having an external and an internal thread in opposite directions
adapted to be screwed into the wrest plate or frame.
2nd. A pin provided at one end with a screw thread adapted to engage in the
interior screw of the plug aforesaid and having at its other end a double
spiral groove in which the wire is coiled.
The pianoforte wire passes in the first instance through a hole cut obliquely from
a point at the circumference of the said pin towards its centre and in the direction
of its axis, and from this it passes into the deep slot aforesaid. It is then coiled in
the spiral groove or slot until it reaches the end of the pin, passes through a slit
at the end and returns along the return groove and is finally cut off at the end
thereof. In consequence of this manner of arranging the wire upon the pin the
wire is not bent at any abrupt angle and the strain when strung to the required
pitch 13 equally distributed over its whole surface in such a manner as to obviate
any partial strains on parts thereof and thereby diminish the risk of breakage.
In certain cases I may make the pin without a screw thread and simply fitting
in the plug aforesaid in the manner of a socket, but the arrangement first described
is preferable, or I may arrange the threaded end of the pin to screw into a collar,
which collar interlocks by means of suitable slots and projections with
the screw plug. The plug in this case can be constructed with a smooth bore inside.
In order to hold the pin in the proper position and to prevent it from turning
round and thus causing extra strains upon the wire a slot is cut in the wrest plank
or iron frame corresponding thereto in which engages a feather or rib forming
part of the pin, or any equivalent device so as to ensure that the pin oan only move
forward or backward in one plane. The pins may be set in the wrest plank at
any convenient angle it is preferable to place them at an angle slightly more or
less than 90 degrees to the direction of the strings in order to have these latter
adjusted in the best manner for convenience of manufacture and tuning.
The pianoforte wire after being secured to the pin in the manner aforesaid passes
through a alot or way cut in the plate and wrest-plank and is strung over the front
of the wrest-plate in the usual manner.
If thought requisite a cover or case of brass or other suitable material may be
screwed or pluced over the pin.
The apparatus herein before described may be made in any suitable material.
I have constructed the screw plugs of brass and the screw pins of steel but other

page_text: metals or materials may of courso be employed if found advantageous. The exact
arrangement of the parts is also capable of variation to some extent according
as the invention is to be applied to square, upright or grand pianofortes, or other
wiro strung musical instruments.
Improvements in Pins or Pegs for the Strings of Wire-strung
Musical Instruments.
.I, CHARLES GITTUS, of 141, Saudpits, Birmingham, Pianoforte Tuner, do hereby
declaro the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
My invention relates to an improved pin for holding the wires or strings of wire-
strung musical instruments and especially of pianofortes of all kinds.
In setting forth the nature of my invention I will briefly describe the same
with especial view to its application to an upright piano of ordinary construction.
The apparatus consists essentially of two parts:-
1. A screw plug having an external and an internal thread in opposite directions
adapted to be screwed into the wrest plate or frame.
2. A pin provided at one end with a screw thread adapted to engage in the
interior screw of the plug aforesaid and having at its other end a double
spiral groove in which the wire is coiled.
The pianoforte wire passes in the first instance through a hole cut obliquely from
a point at the circumference of the said pin towards its centre and in the direction
of its axis, and from this it passes into the deep slot aforesaid. It is then coiled in
the spiral groove or slot until it reaches the end of the pin, passes through a slit
at the end and returns along the return groove and is finally out off at the end
thereof. In consequence of this manner of arranging the wire upon the pin the
wire is not bent at any abrupt angle and the strain when strung to the required
pitch is equally distributed over its whole surface in such a manner as to obviate
any partial strains on parts thereof and thereby diminish the risk of breakage.
In order to hold the pin in the proper position and to prevent it from turning
round and thus causing extra strains upon the wire a slot is cut in the wrest plank
or iron frame corresponding thereto in which engages a feather or rib forming
part of the pin, or any equivalent device so as to ensure that the pin can only move
forward or backward in one plane. The pins may be set in the wrest plank at
any convenient angle; it is preferable to place them at an angle slightly more or
less than 90 degrees to the direction of the strings, in order to have these latter
adjusted in the best manner for convenience of manufacture and tuning.
The pianoforte wire after being secured to the pin in the manner aforesaid passes
through a slot or way cut in the plate and wrest-plank, and is strung over the front
of the wrest-plank in the usual manner.
If thought requisite a cover or case of brass or other suitable material may be
screwed or placed over the pin.
The apparatus herein before described may be made in any suitable material.
I have constructed the screw plugs of brass and the screw pins of steel but other
metals or materials may of course be employed if found.advantageous. 'The exact

page_text: arrangement of the parts is also capable of variation to some extent according
as the invention is to be applied to square, upright, or grand pianofortes; or other
wire strung musical instruments.
In order to make my invention alear, and to set forth the best method at present
known to me of carrying the same into effect, I will now proceed to explain the
same with reference to the accompanying drawing in which
Figure 1 shows a view of my improved apparatus provided with its cover or
case, and inserted in the wrest-plank of a pianoforte, which plank is shown in
section.
Figure 2 shows the same apparatus, the casing of which is shown in section to
display the interior arrangement of the pin and screw plug. In these drawings
B indicates the pianoforte wire.
E the wrest-plank.
'
F the screw plug having an external thread F* and an internal thread F³ in
opposite directions.
Gindicates a pin provided at one end with a screw thread.
H indicates the metal socket or casing inserted into the wooden wrest-plank E;
the said socket H is prolonged at H and cut away so as to set firmly in the wood
of the wrest-plank, being scoured there by cement or other suitable means.
In order to prevent the pin G from revolving with the screw, there is secured to it
a feather K working in a slot cut in H so that the said pin G can only move
forwards or backwards under the pressure of the scrow without participating in its
rotary motion. The pianoforte wire B passes in the first instance through a hole
preferably cut obliquely from a point at the circumference of the said pin G pass-
ing through its centre. From this hole it passes into the recess or slot shown in
the drawing, and is coiled therein until it reaches the slotted end of the pin and
passes down the return groove, and is finally cut off at the end. By this means of
attaching the wire abrupt angles are avoided and the strain is distributed uni-
formly over the frictional surfaces. The wire passing from the pin is strung
over the front of the wrest-plank in the usual manner passing through a sloping way or
slot Las shown in the drawing. This slot may be a metal lip or socket forming
part of the casing H. In adapting the invention to a metal wrest plate the casing it
may be dispensed with, and the slot L be simply cut in the metal. If desired caps
of brass or the like (not shown in the drawing) may be adjusted over the pro-
jecting ends of the screw plugs, which ends are preferably squared to accommodate
the usual tuning key. The device is operated as follows:-
Upon turning the plug F by means of the tuning key, the arrangement of the
double screw FF causes the pin G to be rapidly moved either in or out of the
casing H, the said pin being held steady by the feather K moving in the slot
aforesaid. By this means the wire is tightened or slackened as may be required
without undue strain or effort.
The pin G may be set in the wrest-plank at any desired angle, that shown in
the drawing is a suitable position for an upright piano frame.
Means may be adopted for securing the metal sockets in the holes cut in the
wooden wrest-plank, or a feather or cotter pin may be made use of to secure the
same firmly therein. They may also be secured by means of a circumferential
groove such as shown at H filled with a suitable packing or cement.
The screws and plugs may be conveniently constructed of brass and the grooved
pin of steeel, but other materials might be employed as may be found desirable.
The effort required to tune the piano with these improved plugs is very much
reduced permitting a finer adjustment, because there is no friction between the
pin G and the casing H except about the point where the feather K moves -in
the slot. Variations in construction within certain limits may be applied accord-
ing as the invention is intended for use with an upright or grand or other piano,
or with a metal wreet plate or to meet other special requirements, the same would
however, not form any deviation in principle from my invention.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of iny said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. A wrest-pin mechanism for pianofortes and the like, consisting essentially of
a single or double threaded screw plug in combination with a pin spirally grooved
to hold the wire and means to prevent the rotation of the pin with the screw
substantially as described.
2. In combination with a wrest-pin mechanism for pianofortes. The casing H
with recessed ring H³ and lip L, slotted to retain the feather K of the pin in
place, constructed and operating substantially as described and shewn in the
drawings.
3. The improved wrest pin mechanism for pianofortes and the like constructed
substantially as described with reference to the drawinga.
17
ليوم
1
TR 1
1000
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of London, Liverpool, Manchester and Birmingham,
Patent Agents for the Applicant.