IMPROVEMENTS IN PIANOFORTE ACTIONS
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Molineux, of 37, John Dalton Street,
Manchester, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PIANOFORTE
ACTIONS."
Sealed the 3rd March 1863, and dated the 11th September 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Molineux at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents with his Petition on the 11th
September 1862.
I, THOMAS MOLINEUX, of 37, John Dalton Street, Manchester, do hereby
declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PIANOFORTE ACTIONS,"
to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in pianoforte actions. For
these purposes the lower end of the sticker is attached by a double hinge and
connecting piece to a fixed rail. The lower end of the sticker rests on the
key, and there is a regulating screw in the end of the key whereon the lower
end of the sticker rests. A piece of felt or other suitable material is inter-
posed between the end of the sticker and the adjusting screw. In the upper
end of the sticker is a recess into which a pin on the hammer rail enters, 50
as to guide the upper end of the sticker. Towards the upper end of the
sticker is fixed the lower end of the stem or wire of a check carried by the
sticker above the point where the stem of the check is fixed; in the sticker

page_text: a spring is affixed, which consists of a wire, one end of which is fixed in the
sticker; the wire is then formed into a short spiral, and its other end is
formed with a hook which connects the upper end of the spring with a link
or eye fixed to the hammer butt above its axis of motion. The upper end of
the sticker comes under a step in the hammer butt, and there is an adjusting
screw through the upper end of the sticker against which the tail of the
hammer butt comes when the hammer comes against the string. The hammer
butt at its upper end has the stem of a check fixed to it. The sticker gives
motion at its upper end by a wire or stem fixed thereto to the damper in any
ordinary manner. By these means when the hammer strikes the string the
tail of the hammer butt comes against the adjusting screw on the sticker,
which presses out the sticker, and thus releases the hammer from the string;
the spring also draws the hammer into check. In repeating the blow of the
hammer the spring presses the sticker against the hammer butt and produces
a very rapid repeat.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Molineux in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
6th March 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
MOLINEUX, of 37, John Dalton Street, Manchester, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Thomas Molineux, Her special licence that I, the said Thomas
Molineux, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said Thomas Molineux, my executors, administrators, 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
"IMPROVEMENTS IN PIANOFORTE ACTIONS," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Thomas Molineux, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,

page_text: 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 calendar months next
and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Molineux, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the fol-
lowing statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto
annexed, and to the figures and letters marked thereon, that is to say :-
:
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figures 1 and 2 shew two views of the action of a pianoforte combination
according to my Invention. The lower end of the sticker a is attached by a
double hinge b and connecting piece to a fixed rail c; the lower end of the
sticker rests on the key d, and there is a regulating screw in the end of
the key, whereon the lower end of the sticker rests; a piece of felt or other
suitable material is interposed between the end of the sticker and the
adjusting screw. In the upper end of the sticker is a recess e, into which
a pin on the hammer rail enters, so as to guide the upper end of the
sticker a. Towards the upper end of the sticker is fixed the lower end of
the stem or wire g of a check 9' carried by the sticker. Above the point
where the stem of the check g¹ is fixed in the sticker a spring his affixed,
which consists of a wire, one end of which is fixed in the sticker; the
wire is then formed into a short spiral, and its other end is formed with a
hook h', which connects the upper end of the spring with a link or eye h¹
fixed to the hammer butt i above its axis of motion. The upper end of the
sticker comes under a step i¹in the hammer butt, and there is an adjusting
screw through the upper end of the sticker against which the tail of the
hammer butt comes when the hammer comes against the string. The
hammer butt at its upper end has the stem is of a check i fixed to it. The
sticker gives motion at its upper end by a wire or stem k fixed thereto to
the damper in any ordinary manner. By these means when the hammer
strikes the string the tail of the hammer butt comes against the adjusting
screw on the sticker, which presses out the sticker, and thus releases the
hammer from the string; the spring also draws tho hammer into check. In
repeating the blow of the hammer the spring presses the sticker against the
hammer butt and produces a very rapid repeat.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner
of performing tho same, I would have it understood that I make no claim to

page_text: any of the parts separately, but what I claim is the combined arrangement
of parts herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Molineux, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fifth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
THOMAS MOLINEUX. (L.B.)