IMPROVE- MENTS IN PIANOFORTES
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Joseph de Meyer, of Brussels, in the Kingdom
of Belgium, Pianofortes Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN PIANOFORTES."
Sealed the 18th November 1860, and dated the 21st May 1860.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Charles Joseph de Meyer,
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and
Declaration on the 21st May 1860, pursuant to the 9th Section of
the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
JOSEPH DE METER, of Brussels, in the Kingdom of Belgium, Pianofortes
Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
PIANOFORTES," and have petitioned Her Majesty to grant unto me, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, Her Royal Letters Patent for the
same, and have made solemn declaration that I am the true and first Inventor
thereof.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Charles Joseph de Meyer, do hereby
declare that the following Complete Specification under my hand and seal

page_text: fully describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings, that is to say:―
My new system of constructing pianofortes consists essentially in the
employment of two sounding boards (tables d'harmonie) fitted on a metallic
construction or framework, and in a special arrangement of the strings,
allowing them to be twice as long as those used in the present pianofortes.
The annexed Drawing is an illustration of my Invention; Fig. 1 shows the
metallic frame-piece; Fig. 2 shows the same piece provided with its two
barmony boards fixed on it by means of screws a, a; Fig. 8 is a vertical
section through the line C, D; this last Fig. is half, and Figs. 1 and 2 are fifth
the real size. The metallic frame-piece fitted with its two sounding boards
presents two surfaces, the one A on the fore part towards the key board, the
other one A' on the back part and opposite to the first one. Fig. 3 shows
how the harmony boards are respectively maintained by small wooden stays P
fitted between them to prevent their sinking, which is the chief cause of the
premature destruction of common pianofortes. The same Fig. 8 shows the
disposition of the strings B, B; both ends of a same string are wound round
each end of the same peg at C and C. At the lower part of the metallic
frame-piece D the portion B" of the string runs on a small metallic rocking
piece E resting on a pivot F; in this manner the strings clasp the metallic
frame strengthening it instead of being a cause of straining and destruction
of this frame.
It is important to remark here, that the portion B' of the string stretched
over the surface A', although not directly struck by the hammer, will never-
theless give a sound of the finest harmony, strengthening the sound of the
directly struck portion of the string at the front surface A; the effect
produced by each note is the same as if the hammer struck six strings at once.
The small perforations 9, 9, 9, Fig. 2, are for the passage of the stems of the
hinder stops or pads.
An examination of Fig. 3 will show the anology existing between my new
method of constructing pianofortes and that of bow instruments, whence it is
probable that my said pianofortes will improve by time as is the case with bow
instruments. Each one of the sounding boards is provided with a bridge; the
bridge G of the fore part is steady, whilst the bridge G, of the hind part is
moveable and composed of as many little pieces b, b, b, as there are notes,
Fig. 2 and 3. The moveable pieces b, b, b, can be moved up or down at
pleasure by the tuner, in case the stretching of the string by the peg should

page_text: fail to bring directly unison between both portions of the same string on the
fore and hind parts. The wooden top piece H is independent of the metallic
frame-piece; it is held in place upon the latter solely by the tension of the
strings. The pegs F, F, run through the top piece; they are partly cylin-
drical and partly conical. The keys of the finger board are regulated in a
horizontal direction by means of two angular blocks (taquets) K' fixed at
each point of the said finger board. a, aperture for point of the finger
board, Fig. 4; b, regulating screw for the part X of the angle block; c, d,
small brass pins; e, f, regulating screws of the part A" of the angle block
(taquet); L, regulating screw for adjusting the keys vertically by bearing on
the swing rod N. The angle block K' placed under the fore part of the key
is similar to the first one; N regulating swing rod serving to raise or to lower
the escapement rod Q by the help of the screw O. The action of the keys
may be made either light or resistant at the pleasure of the player, by means
of a very simple mechanism; c, hind part of the keys; r, helical spring
bearing on this part; s, rule on which the springs are fixed by means of the
adjusting screw v; t, guide piece into which the rod u fixed to the rules can
play up and down by means of the screw w;=, swing-piece actuating the rod
u, it hinges on the pivot i; y, adjusting screw to actuate the swing-piece 2. By
turning the screw y the swing-piece being actuated causes the rule s to move
up or down as required; if the rule moves up the springs being slackened
the keys work lighter, whilst if on the reverse, the rule moves down, the
springs bearing harder on the ends of the keys; the latter resist more to the

page_text: handles of the same; 9', rule of the hind deadening stops; ¹, wooden rule
provided with a band of felt to deaden at once all the strings of the hind part
any time the player wishes to give forth the sound of the front strings only; this
wooden rule or bar is brought down on the strings by means of the pedal;
s', hinge joint of the fore deadening stops handle. The key X being acted
upon, the nut a' of the hammer being set in motion pushes back the deadening
stop n, which is soon stopped by the rule q', the nut moving on actuates the
stop n, the handle of the latter being stopped at s' by the wire rod of the
hinder one n¹¹ moves away from the string soon enough to let it free just when
the hammer is to strike it. In this new system of pianofortes the effect
produced by the pedals is very great and diversified. The deadening stop
pedal produces three different degrees in the forts; 1st, the hind deadening
stop n being lifted up alone by the pedal No. 1, the solo vibrations of the
strings of this side will be heard. 2nd, the deadening stop n' being similarly
lifted up alone the vibrations of the strings of this side will be heard only,
but much louder than the vibrations of the strings of the other side. 3rd,
lastly, if both deadening stops were to be lifted up at the same time louder sounds
would be obtained by the vibrations of both sides of strings together. The
softening pedal also gives two sensible modifications in the loudness of the
sound; 1st. the pedal No. 2 bringing down the bar of the hind deadening
stops on all the strings of the binder side, the loudness of the sound is
sensibly lessened; 2nd, lastly, when "le jeu celeste," is moved down, another
modification is produced in the sounds. The mechanism for the actuating of
the pedals being fitted in the usual way there is no need for describing it.
I have adopted three octaves of spun or wire wound strings (cordes filées),
instead of two octaves as usual, but with this distinction that my first string,
beginning with the highest note, instead of being wound in its whole length, is
covered only to about an extent of 2 inches; the wire-wound portion of the
other strings gradually increases in length down to the last or gravest one
which has its whole length covered. I pass thus by a graduated transition
pass from the plain smooth strings to the wound or covered strings in
consequence of which there is a great equality or uniformity of sound.
My Invention being now described and illustrated by the annexed Drawing,
which shows how to carry it into effect, I wish to have it well understood, that
I do not confine myself to the particular details or arrangements represented,
but what I claim more particularly as constituting my Invention is,―
1st, the metallic frame-piece shown separately, Fig. 1 its combination,
arrangement, and fitting, with two sounding boards, which gives great solidity

page_text: to the instrument, and especially to the said sounding boards, which are less
liable to yield under the tension of the strings.
2nd, the particular combination and arrangement of two sounding boards
with strings of a length double that used in common pianofortes, which gives
more power and a better quality to the sounds.
3rd, the arrangement of the key board enabling it to have at pleasure a
lighter or heavier touch.
4th, the great variety in the effects produced by the pedals.
5th, the arrangement and combination of spun or wire wound strings
(cordes fileès,) which produces great equality and uniformity in the sounds
produced by the said strings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Joseph de Meyer, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
CH. J. DE MEYER. (L.S.)
RACLOOR.