AN IMPROVED CELLULATED BELL PIANOFORTE
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Urali Corelli Hill; Professor of Music, of the Oity,
County, and State of New York, United States of America, for the
Invention of "AN IMPROVED CELLULATED BELL PIANOFORTE.”
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Ureli Corelli Hill at
-
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 31st July 1878.
I, URELI CORELLI HILL, Professor of Music, of the City, County, and
State of New York, United States of America, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED CELLULATED BELL PIANO-
FORTE," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to an instrument styled an “ Improved Cellu-
lated Bell Pianoforte."
The object of the said Invention is the construction of a musical
instrument wherein the sounds produced are obtained from a series
of bells or forked vibrators in combination with reverberating cells,
using wires for certain of the bass notes (or bells, as desired), and I

page_text: Twelfth. In the employment of dampers operating on the middle of
the upright prong of the vibrator in the front.
Thirteenth. In the combination with the bells or vibrators of an action
consisting of levers, trippers, hammers, and other parts combined in
such manner that the bells may be struck readily from the same key
board.
Fourteenth. The combination with covered strings for bass notes of the
action and combination of levers and their connections arranged and
operating from the same key board.
Fifteenth. In arranging the same in combination with bells for the
bass notes.
Sixteenth. In arranging and constructing the vibrators and rever-
berating cells at one or more ranges or angles, so as to permit of their
being struck from a key board of the usual length (seven octaves), the
bells occupying more space than the key board.
Seventeenth. In the combination of a sounding board with the bells
and calls above described.
The advantages of an instrument of this kind are increased brilliancy,
sweetness, and length of tone, and after finishing and once being in tune
they never require tuning, while, with regard to their power and porta,
bility, they are about equal to a "grand pianoforte."
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Ureli Corelli Hill in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 9th January 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, URELI
CORELLI HILL, Professor of Music, of the Oity, County, and State of
New York, United States of America, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her. most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirty-first day of July, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-
seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Ureli Corelli Hill, Her special licence that

page_text: I, the said Ureli Corelli Hill, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Ureli Corelli Hill, my executors, adminis-
trators, 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 Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and
Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED CELLULATED BELL PIANOFORTE,”
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Ureli Corelli Hill,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my,
or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe 1
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office within six calender months next and immediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Ureli Corelli Hill, do hereby declare 1
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawing forming a part of this Specification :-
The object of my Invention is to construct a musical instrument 2
wherein the sounds produced are obtained from a series of bells or forked
vibrators in combination with reverberating cells, using wires for certain
of the bass notes (or bells, as desired), and to construct and arrange the
internal mechanism in such manner that it will all be contained within
the dimensions and portability of the ordinary pianoforte; and my 2
Invention definitely consists,-
* First. In placing the bells or vibrators vertically, in conjunction with
the reverberating cells, each vibrator having a cell corresponding there-
with, and upon suitable supporting posts or standards.
Second. In the construction of the supports for holding and sustaining 3
the bells or vibrators and their reverberating cells, said supports being
constructed of hardwood, either of seperate pieces, or of one piece, with
spaces between.
Third. Placing strings for the bass notes vertically over each other and
on a lower level or beneath the key bound with sounding be

page_text: The advantages in an instrument of this kind are, viz., increased
brilliancy, sweetness, and particularly length of tone, and after finishing
and once being in tune they never after require tuning, while their
power and portability are about equal to a "grand" pianoforte.
Fig. 1 of the Drawings represents a vertical view lengthwise, supposing

page_text: A sounding board may be connected with the bells of the lower notes
only, or as many as desired, and connected with the elongated handles T
in any suitable manner.
The lead on the ends of the bells corresponds in shape and thickness
with the curve of the prongs, and the lower notes may be lengthened
about 1%, inches, more or less, and the higher notes ½ of an inch, more
or less, and properly graded between.
The bells are circular (in horizontal section), and are held by a hole
through the handle, which hangs on a clothed screw which is not to
touch the metal, and held or kept in place by leather nuts to avoid
noise, and nearer the ends of the handles are held by a small screw to
gently keep the vibrators in place; also its precise position is regulated
by a régulating screw, on which there is a nut or leather. bar, to be
slightly moved by the screw, as shown at a, Fig. 6.
The same sounding board used for strings will answer for and may be
used with the bells, if desired, the opposite side from the strings.

page_text: Witnesses,
ARTHUR NEILL.
ABRAHAM LEVY.
URELI CORELLI HILL. (L.S.)
E