IMPROVEMENTS IN MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Machell, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, Pianoforte and Music Seller for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Machell at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 30th September 1882.
THOMAS MACHELL, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain,
Pianoforte and Music Seller, "IMPROVEMENTS IN MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
"
This Invention has principally for its object the construction of an improved
musical instrument having for its sound producers bars of steel or other suitable
metal bent into the form of tuning forks (without shanks); but it also comprises
various details or arrangements which are applicable to other kinds of musical
instruments; whilst portions of existing musical instruments may be substituted
for or used in combination with some of the parts of the said improved
instrument.
In the improved instrument the sound producers (hereinafter referred to as
forks) consist by preference of square rods or bars of steel bent into a U-form, the
forks being of graduated lengths for the various musical notes. A double sound
board, or sound box is employed similar in form to that of a harp but placed in
a vertical position with the bridge extending horizontally from end to end of its
front. Each fork is connected to the bridge of the sound box by a piece of spring
steel of the kind used for actuating time pieces, such piece of steel being bent into
the form of a semicircle and having one end clamped to the fork, by means of a
pair of small plates secured by screws, whilst the other end is held by a small
plate screwed to the bridge. The forks are additionally supported by pieces of
rubber or other suitable material applied at their nodes and fixed to a rail.
The ordinary pianoforte key-board is used but the action is arranged below the
keys and is of an improved construction.. The hammers are of lead covered with
felt or rubber or both and each is fixed to the outer end of a wire having its inner
end fixed to a metal or wooden crank. The crank has a steel centre pivot fixel

page_text: in it with projecting points which are held in indentations in the inner faces of a
forked piece of spring metal screwed to the underside of the key-drop rail. The
hammer butt formed by the other end of the crank is cushioned by a covering of
cloth and leather, and is acted upon by a hopper or link adjustably attached to and
depending from the back or drop end of the key. This hopper consists by
preference of a narrow strip of sheet metal with its upper end bent at a right
angle for being fixed by means of a slot and screw to the key and with its lower
end bent at an obtuse or other suitable angle for acting on the underside of the
butt of the hammer lever. Each hammer is drawn back after its stroke by a wire
spring connected to it by a leather or other suitable link; and the several springs
are fixed in a rail against which the hammers come to rest when moved back, the
part of the rail against which the hammers rest being suitably cushioned.
For damping each fork a piece of lead having its bottom covered with soft felt
is fixed to the bottom end of a vertical wire which passes up through a bushed
guide hole in a rail to a damper lever arranged above with its centre or hinge at
its back end and with its front end projecting just over the back end of the key.
The lead damper ordinarily rests on the end of one of the prongs of the fork, being
lifted whenever the key is struck and being held up as long as the key is held
down but instantly descending and damping the note whenever the key is released.
A hinged rod connected to a treadle is provided for lifting all the dampers when
required.
Any suitable pianoforte action may be used instead of the action hereinbefore
described the forks and other parts being placed in positions suitable for the action
employed.
The improved arrangement of forks hereinbefore described may be combined
with reed organs, or harmoniums, or other musical instruments or parts thereof.
In the improved instrument the various sections are by preference arranged so
that they can be removed separately for examination or repair with great facility.
The case of the instrument is made with the part for covering the keys arranged
on end pivots or journals so as to open by turning over, the upper front part of the
case being hinged at the top, and its lower edge being moved outwards when
turning over the part covering the keys, and when this part is turned over so as
to uncover the keys it presents a ledge for supporting music. With the improved
action below the keys the upper front part of the case can be conveniently made
with an inclination affording a very suitable support for music. The upper front
part of the case is by preference made with ledges or brackets for candles or
ornaments hinged so that they can be turned up into shallow recesses.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Thomas Machell in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
29th March 1883.
THOMAS MACHELL, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain,
Pianoforte and Music Seller, "IMPROVEMENTS IN MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
,,
My said Invention has principally for its object the construction of an improved
musical instrument having for its sound producers bars of steel or other suitable
metal bent into the form of tuning forks, but without the shanks with which
ordinary tuning forks are made. My Invention also comprises various details or
arrangements which are applicable to other kinds of musical instruments; and
portions of existing musical instruments may be substituted for or used in com-
bination with some of the parts of my said improved instrument.
In my improved instrument the sound producers (hereinafter referred to as
forks) consist by preference of square rods or bars of steel bent into a U-form,
the forks being of graduated lengths for the various notes. A double sound board,
or sound box is employed, similar in form to that of a harp but placed in a vertical
position with the bridge extending horizontally from end to end of its front. The
forks are carried partly by the bridge of the sound box and partly by a rail; and
the ordinary pianoforte key-board is used but the action is arranged below the
keys and is of an improved construction hereinafter described. Any suitable
pianoforte action may however be used the forks and other parts being placed in
positions suitable for the action employed.
My improved arrangement of forks may be combined with reed organs, or
harmoniums, or other musical instruments or parts thereof.
In my improved instrument the various sections are by preference arranged so
that they can be removed separately for examination or repair with great facility.
The case of the instrument is made with the part for covering the keys arranged
on end pivots or journals so as to open by turning over, the upper front part of
the case being hinged, at the top, and its lower edge being moved outwards when
turning over the part covering the keys.
And in order that my said Invention and the manner of performing the same
may be properly understood I hereunto append two sheets of explanatory drawings
to be hereinafter referred to and representing the principal part of my improved
musical instrument.
Figure, 1, on sheet, 1, of the accompanying drawings is a vertical section showing
one of the forks and the parts of the action connected therewith. Figures, 2, and 3,
on sheet 2, are sections showing the case and a set of the internal parts, with some
parts in different positions in the two figures. Figures 4, and 5, are a plan and
a front elevation of the sound box; and figure, 6, is a front view of a minor detail.
In these drawings the same reference numerals are used to mark the same or like
parts wherever they are repeated
Each U-shaped shankless fork, 7, (figure, 1) is connected to the bridge, 8, of the
sound box, 9, by a piece, 10, of spring steel of the kind used for actuating time
pieces, such piece of steel, 10, being bent into the form of a semicircle and having
one end clamped to the fork, 7, by means of a pair of small plates, 11, secured by
screws, whilst the other end is held by a small plate, 12, screwed to the bridge, 8.
Each fork, 7, is additionally supported by a piece, 13, of rubber or other suitable
material applied at its node and fixed to a rail: 14. The rubber piece, 13, may be
cut or stamped out of thick rubber sheet and have a hole cut or punched through it
for the fork, 7, to pass through.
The keys, 15, are arranged as in an ordinary pianoforte key-board but with the

page_text: action below them. Each hammer, 16, is of tin, lead, or other suitable material
covered with felt or rubber or both, and is fixed to the lower end of a wire, 17,
having its upper end fixed to a metal or wooden crank, 18. The crank, 18, has
a steel centre pivot fixed in it with projecting points which are held in indentations
in the inner faces of a forked piece, 19, of spring metal screwed to the underside
of the key-drop rail, 20. The hammer butt, 21, formed by the other end of the
crank, 18, is cushioned by a covering of cloth and leather, and is acted upon by
a hopper or link, 22, adjustably attached to and depending from the back or drop
end of the key, 15. This hopper, 22, consists by preference of a narrow strip of
sheet metal with its upper end bent at a right angle for being fixed by means of a
slot and screw, 23, to the key, a piece of thin cloth being by preference interposed
between it and the key; whilst its lower end is bent at a suitable angle for acting
on the underside of the butt 21, of the hammer lever. Each hammer, 16, is drawn
back after its stroke by a wire spring, 24, connected to it by a leather or other
suitable link, 25; and the several springs, 24, are fixed in a rail, 26, against which
the hammers, 16, come to rest when moved back, the part of the rail against which
the hammers rest being provided with suitable cushions, 27.
For damping each fork, 7, a piece of lead, 28, having its bottom covered with
soft felt, is fixed to the bottom end of a vertical wire, 29, which passes up through
a bushed guide hole in a rail, 30, to a damper lever, 31, arranged above with its
centre or hinge at its back end attached to a rail, 32, and with its front end pro-
jecting just over the back end of the key, 15. The lead damper, 28, ordinarily
rests on the end of one of the prongs of the fork, 7, being lifted whenever the
key, 15, is struck, and being held up as long as the key is held down, but instantly
dropping and damping the note whenever the key is released. A horizontai
rod 33, carried by cranks or hinges at its ends, is arranged under the series of
damper levers, 31, and can be raised, so as to lift up all the dampers, by a vertical
rod, 34, (figures, 2, 3,) connected to a pedal, 35.
The sound box or double sound board, 9, which I prefer to employ, is shown in
position in the instrument case in figures, 2, and 3, and as detached in figures, 4,
and 5. In figure, 2, the deeper end is seen in elevation, and in figure, 3, the sound
box is shown in section-as with the deeper end cut off. A rib, 36, is by preference
fixed to the inside of the front of the sound box, 9, immediately behind the
bridge, 8, the object of it being to counteract any tendency of the bridge to strain
the sound box.
The keyboard cover, 37, is shown closed in figure 2, and open in figure, 3, It is
fitted with metal pivots or journals, 38, which can turn in metal sockets or bearings
fixed in the sides of the case of the instrument. The upper front part, 39, of the
case is hinged to the top, 40, and when the instrument is to be opened or closed
this upper part is turned up into the position indicated by dotted lines at, 41, in
figure, 3, and then the keyboard cover, 37, can be turned over inwards or outwards
as required. The pivots or journals, 38, are made like sliding bolts as shown in
figure, 6, so that they can be moved inwards out of the sockets in the side of the
case when it is wished to remove the keyboard cover, 37. This keyboard cover, 37,
is formed with a ledge, 42, which when the cover is turned over inwards is in a
*suitable position for supporting music. With my improved action below the keys
the upper front part of the case can be conveniently made with an inclination, as
shown in figures 2 and 3, affording a very suitable support for music. The upper
front part, 39, of the case is by preference made with ledges or brackets, 43, for
candles or ornaments, such ledges being hinged so that they can be turned up into
.shallow recesses.
Having thus particularly described my said Invention and the manner of
performing the same I have to state that I do not restrict myself to the precise
details herein described or delineated but that what I believe to be novel and
original and claim as the Invention secured to me by and in terms of the herein-
- before in part recited Letters Patent is :-
1. The improved construction of musical instrument having as sound producers

page_text: U-shaped bars or shankless forks of metal arranged and carried substantially in the
manner hereinbefore described.
2. The attaching of the forks to the bridge of the sound board by curved pieces
of thin spring metal combined with the supporting of them at their nodes by
pieces of rubber or similar material fixed to a rail as hereinbefore described.
3. The arranging and combining together of the parts of the action substantially
in the improved manner herein before described.
4. The combination with the U-shaped forks, of the sound box or double sound
board shaped and placed substantially as hereinbefore described and as shown in
the accompanying drawings.
5. The combination of the turn-over keyboard cover and the upper front part of
the case the latter being movable on hinges at the top and fitted with ledges or
brackets arranged to shut up into recesses as and for the purposes hereinbefore
described.
In Witness whereof I, the said Thomas Machell, have hereunto set my hand
and seal this twenty-eighth day of March in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty-three.
Witness,
EDMUND HUNT.
Patent Agent
Glasgow.
THOS. MACHELL. (L.S.)