Improvement in Pianos.
Year: 1893

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvement in Pianos.
I, GEORGE STECK, of 1066 East Boulevard, New York, County and State of
New York, United States of America, Manufacturer, 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 :-
more
This invention relates to an improvement in stringless pianos and
particularly to the mode of securing the vibrating rods to the back plate, so that
they may be readily attached and that they may be tuned without twisting.
The invention consists in the various features of improvement more fully pointed
out in the claim.
In the accompanying drawing:
Fig. 1 is an elevation of the back plate of an upright piano provided with my
improvement.
Fig. 2 a longitudinal section thereof taken parallel to the sounding rods.
Fig. 3 a section on line x, x, Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 a section on line y, y, Fig. 2, and
Fig. 5 a similar section of a modification.
The letter a, represents a metal plate adapted to be set into a piano and designed
to carry the sound producing rods.
b, is a step-shaped ledge or rail provided with a series of perforations which are
of square or angular shape in cross section (Fig. 4). Within each perforation
there moves a slide e, which is of corresponding square shape so that it cannot turn.
At its rear, the slide c, terminates in a screw shank c', surrounded by a nut c', that
bears against the upper edge of the step-shaped ledge b, each step forming the seat
for one of the nuts. At its lower end the slide c, carries an enlargement or head c³,
that limits the motion of the slide and is provided with a perforation c. This
perforation is engaged by the hook-shaped end d', of the vibrating or sound
producing metal rod d. The lower hook shaped end d¹, of this rod is received by
one of the perforations e', of a plain rail or ledge e, placed opposite the rail b.
The two hooked ends d', of the rod d, should be slightly bent inwards (Fig. 2)
so that the rod is firmly held in place without injury to its pitch and so that the
natural spring of the rod will not throw it out of its seat.
In order to tune the instrument, the nuts o, are turned to move the slide c, in or
out and to thus put the metal rods d, under the proper tension. In this way the
rods are tuned without being twisted. To remove or change the rods, it is only
necessary to move the slide inwards to relax the tension and then the bent ends of
the rods may be readily lifted out of their seats.
In Fig. 5, the slide c, is made of rounded form in cross section and provided
with a groove c', that is entered by a screw f, passing through a tapped opening of
the rail b. This construction, of course, also prevents the slide from turning.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:
1. In a stringless piano the combination of a perforated rail with a perforated
slide and with a sound producing rod having a hook shaped end that engages the
slide, substantially as specified.
2. In a stringless piano the combination of a perforated rail with a perforated

page_text: slide and with a sound producing rod having an inwardly bent hook-shaped end
that engages the slide, substantially as specified.
Dated this 14th day of February 1893.
ALLISON BROS.,
Agents for the Applicant.