Improvements in Horizontal Pianoforte Actions.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Mar., 1895-Accepted, 20th Apr., 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Horizontal Pianoforte Actions.
I JULIUS BLUTHINER, Pianoforte Manufacturer of Leipzig in the Empire of
Germany 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 statement:-
This invention relates to horizontal pianoforte actions and more especially to
the repetition action thereof and it consists in a construction which is made to
take weight off the key-bridge and to bear and engage with the hammer-jacks
respectively in such a manner as to render possible the regulating and exact
adjusting of the motions of each jack and hammer respectively.
The improved construction is illustrated in the annexed drawings in which
Fig. 1 represents a vertical section in the plane of the key, showing the parts in
the position they occupy when they are at rest. Fig. 2 shows a front view and
Fig. 3 a plan of the same.
Fig. 4 is a section illustrating the position of the parts when the hammer touches
the wires. Fig. 5 shows the same, when the hammer swings back from the wires.
Fig. 6 is a representation of a modification, in which the supporting lever
hereinafter described is attached to the key bridge.
Fig. 7 shows another modification, where the supporting lever is also connected
to the key itself.
This invention relates to an action, in which the hopper acts on the hammer
through a downwardly projecting bar or hammer jack A, pivoted to the hammer
and having a nose a for engagement with the hopper.
The jacks A are provided with the nose a for the hopper and the nose b for the
supporting lever. This nose in connection with the supporting lever represents the
principal feature of this improvement. The lever B, one end of which is attached
to the cross bar C or as shown in Fig. 6, to the arm D fastened on to the key
bridge, reaches with its other end underneath the nose of the jack and is caused
to press upward thereunder by the adjustable spring f
This spring f being attached in a convenient way, for instance to the arm D of
the key bridge, can be adjusted by means of the set screw g, in order to cause it to
press more or less strongly against the supporting lever B.
To limit the upward motion of the lever an adjusting button h is attached in a
suitable way to the key bridge and in addition to this button there is a counter
button i above each lever B on some stationary part of the frame work.
The lever B can also be constructed as shown in Fig. 7, with an extension arm k
in connection with the button h, which latter lies against the key to limit the motion
of the lever B and the screw g with the spring f can be fastened to the lever B, as
shown in this figure.
The above described construction is designed to produce the following effect.
The object of the arrangement is to get the hammer as quickly as possible into a
striking position so as to ease the key and obtain an easy touch, which is most
important for repetition.
The supporting lever on downward movement of the hammer-jack, catches the
latter elastically, for which purpose the spring f is adjusted underneath the lever B
according to the size and weight of the hammer.
By the jack and the respective hammer being thus caught, the hopper is always
certainly and quickly brought under the nose a and the hammer is, by the effect of
the button h held at the proper distance from the wires.

page_text: By the co-operation of the supporting lever, which is regulated by the adjustable
spring f, with the adjustable button h and the nose of the jack, the key is eased,
a quick and sure return of the hopper to the nose a of the jack is assured and thus
an easy touch and an excellent capability of repeating obtained.
The arrangement of the principal parts of the mechanism can be made in
different ways.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
In a horizontal pianoforte repetition action the mechanism consisting of a
supporting lever B, regulated by the adjustable spring f, one end of which lever B
reaches up to the nose b of the hammer jack A to catch the latter in its downward
motion, this lever being limited in its motions by the adjustable button and the
stationary button i; substantially as illustrated and described and for the purposes
set forth.
Dated this 16th of Manal 1005
HERBERT HADDAN & Co.,
18, Buckingham Street, Strand, London, 'W.C.,
Agents for Applicant.