IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF PIANOFORTES
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Prince, of the Office for Patents, 4, Tra-
falgar Square, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF PIANOFORTES."-A communication from
abroad by Dr. Hürlimann, of the Firm of Wädensweiler & Company,
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Prince at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 2nd
January 1860.
I, ALEXANDER PRINCE, of the Office for Patents, 4, Trafalgar Square, in the
County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF PIANOFORTES," (a communication from
abroad by Dr. Hürlimann, of the Firm of Wädensweiler & Company, Piano-
forte Makers, resident at Zurich, in Switzerland,) to be as follows:-
This Invention relates principally to the upright pianos, and consists in the
construction of the more essential parts, namely, the back framework and the
sounding board. In pianos now in use the back is entirely of wood, and
rather thick to resist the force of contraction of the strings which the whole of
it bears, the sounding board being whole without any opening, then follow the
strings.

page_text: This Invention consists of two parts, first, on the back of the piano is a
wooden frame like other pianos but much lighter, being only a third or fourth
of the usual thickness, as it bears only the smallest part of the force of con-
traction of the strings.
Second, metal bars are employed to bear the principal force of the strings,
and to make them as effective as possible they are placed between the sounding
board and the strings, five or more metal bars are used according to the con-
struction of back framework, and extend in the same direction as the strings,
and are fastened in the rest plank near the piano pins and below on the iron
plate on which the strings are fixed. The difficulty to overcome here is the
rest plank on the sounding board. Upon this plank the strings rest, which do
not allow the passage of the metal bars between them and the sounding board,
but the metal bars are carried from the rest plank to the lower part, where an
opening or hole is made in the sounding board for every bar, and through
which they are brought to the iron plate above mentioned, to resist the entire
force of the contraction of the springs. The back frame and bars are con
nected by screws and metal bolts, which serve to keep the bars in a straight
and firm condition. The advantages of this mode of construction are that the
piano is rendered smaller, consequently more elegant, more solid, and less
liable to get out of tune. The rest plank cannot be easily torn off, and the
sound is fuller and clearer in consequence of the opening in the sounding
board.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Alexander Prince in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
2nd July 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALEXANDER
PRINCE, of the Office for Patents, 4, Trafalgar Square, in the County of
Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters:
Patent, bearing date the Second day of January, in the year of our Lord.
One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-third year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Alexander Prince, Her special licence that I, the said Alexander
Prince, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Alexander Prince, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times

page_text: thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Bri-
tain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF PIANOFORTES," (a communication from
abroad by Dr. Hürlimann, of the Firm of Wädensweiler & Company, Piano-
forte Makers, resident at Zurich, in Switzerland,) upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Alexander Prince, 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,'
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 Alexander Prince, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, that is to say :-
This Invention relates principally to the upright pianos, and consists in the
construction of the more essential parts, namely the back framework and the
sounding board.
In order to explain the said Invention as completely as possible, I will now
proceed to describe the best means I am acquainted with for carrying the
same iuto practical effect, as follows:-In pianos now in use the back is
entirely of wood and rather thick to resist the force of contraction of the strings
which the whole of it bears, the sounding board being whole without any
opening, then follow the strings.
This Invention consists of two parts, first, on the back of the piano is a
wooden frame like other pianos but much lighter, being only a third or fourth
of the usual thickness as it bears only the smallest part of the force of
contraction of the things.
Second, metal bars are employed to bear the principal force of the strings, and
to make them as effective as possible they are placed between the sounding
board and the strings, five or more metal bars are used according to the con-
struction of the back framework and extend in the same direction as the
strings, and are fastened in the rest plank near the piano pins, and below on
the iron plate on which the strings are fixed. The difficulty to overcome here
is the rest plank on the sounding board, upon this plank the strings rest
which do not allow the passage of the metal bars between them and the
sounding board, but the metal bars are carried from the rest plank to the lower
part where an opening or hole is made in the sounding board for every bar and

page_text: through which they are brought to the iron plate above mentioned to resist the
entire force of the contraction of the strings. The back frame and bars are con-
nected by screws and metal bolts which serve to keep the bars in a straight and
firm condition. The advantages of this mode of construction are that the piano
is rendered smaller, consequently more elegant, more solid and less liable to
get out of tune. The rest plank cannot be easily torn off and the sound is
fuller and clearer in consequence of the opening in the sounding board.
Having now described the nature and object of the said Invention of
"Improvements in the Construction of Pianofortes," together with the manner
in which the same is to be performed, I would remark in conclusion that what
I claim as this Invention is the constructing of pianofortes in the manner.
herein described for the purposes herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Prince, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Second day of July, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
ALEX. PRINCE. (L.S.)
Witness,
WILLIAM KNOX,
Clerk to Messrs. Prince & Co.,
· Office for Patents,
4, Trafalgar Square, Charing Cross.