IM- PROVEMENTS IN PIANOPORTE ACTIONS
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edmund Dowling, of St. John's Wood, in the
County of Middlesex, Pianoforte Maker, for the Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN PIANOPORTE ACTIONS."
Sealed the 9th October 1869, and dated the 14th April 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edmund Dowling at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 14th April 1869.
I, EDMUND DOWLING, of St. John's Wood, in the County of Mid-
dlesex, Pianoforte Maker, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PIANOFORTE ACTIONS," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to improvements in that portion of pianoforte
actions known as the hopper, and consists in dispensing with the ordinary
back in which the adjusting screw is located, and applying a screw to
the lower extremity of the fly screwed through such fly in an oblique
direction in order that a button on the end of such screw may rest
upon the key, and by being screwed backwards or forwards may thus
alter the angle of the fly.

page_text: This Invention further consists in applying a metallic T-headed screw
to the upper end of the fly, by means of which the height of the fly
may be regulated to the greatest nicety.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Edmund Dowling in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 14th October 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDMUND
DOWLING, of Saint John's Wood, in the County of Middlesex, Pianoforte
Maker, send grecting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of April, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
first year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Edmund Dowling, Her special licence that
I, the said Edmund Dowling, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Edmund Dowling, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN PIANOFORTE
ACTIONS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I the said Edmund
Dowling, 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 Edmund Dowling, do hereby declare
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 Drawing here-
unto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon :-
This Invention relates to improvements in that portion of pianoforte

page_text: actions known as the hopper, and consists in dispensing with the ordinary
back in which the adjusting screw is located, and applying a screw to
the lower extremity of the fly screwed through such fly in an oblique
direction in order that a button on the end of such screw may rest upon
the key, and by being screwed backwards or forwards thus alter the
angle of the fly.
This Invention further consists in applying a metallic T-headed screw
to the upper end of the fly, by means of which the height of the fly
rest may be regulated to the greatest nicety.
In order that this my said Invention may be the more readily seen
and understood, I have hereunto annexed a Drawing illustrative of my
improvements drawn to a scale of about full size.
Fig. 1 represents a perspective view of a pianoforte action having
my improvements applied thereto; Fig. 2 is a side view, Fig. 3 a front
view, and Fig. 4 a plan of the same. In all the views the same letters
of reference are used to denote similar parts.
Fig. 5 illustrates the ordinary method of mounting and adjusting the
hopper fly. This view is appended in order that its difference as com-
pared with my Invention may be seen at a glance.
A represents an ordinary pianoforte key, in which a transverse groove B
is formed to receive the lower extremity of the hopper fly C, which is
securely fastened in such groove, as illustrated, or if preferred it may be
dovetailed into the key; D is my adjusting screw, which is screwed
through the fly near its lower extremity in an oblique direction, as
illustrated, and has a button E at its extremity, round which is secured
an annular ring of woollen cloth or other suitable soft material F to
deaden the sound in striking against the key A upon which it rests, and
at the same time to act as the fly stop. This screw D allows the angle
of the fly to be regulated to the greatest nicety by being turned back-
wards or forwards or screwed in or out of the fly. At the upper end of
the fly C and screwed into it is a brass or other metallic T-headed
screw G, which is designed to shorten or lengthen the height of the fly,
upon the head of which screw the ordinary lever H rests. The metallic
screw G acts as a substitute for the ordinary black-leaded tip hitherto
used, and ensures the more perfect working of the hopper.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of this
iny said Invention, together with the best methods with which I am

page_text: acquainted for carrying the same into practical effect, I wish it to be
distinctly understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details,
relative proportions, or dimensions illustrated on the Drawing and herein-
before described, as the same may be considerably varied without
departing from the Invention; but what I claim is, the use and applica-
tion of the adjusting screw screwed through the hopper fly in an oblique
direction and the T-headed screw for regulating the height of the fly
rest, as and for the purposes herein-before described and illustrated in
the accompanying Drawing, or any mere modification of the same.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edmund Dowling, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of October, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.