Improvements in the Construction of Pianofortes.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Feb., 1899-Accepted, 24th Feb., 1900
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Pianofortes.
I, DAVID MAKINSON, of 120, Wenwick Road, Warrington, in the County of
Lancaster no occupation, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to improvements in the internal construction and arrange-
ment of pianos. The objects of my invention are to increase the volume of sound
and improve the tone. I effect these objects by the means hereinafter described,
reference being made to the accompanying two sheets of drawings, in which
Fig. 1 is an edge view or vertical section, and Fig. 2 a face view of portion of the
back part of a piano constructed according to this invention. Fig. 3 is a detail
of part of the same drawn to an enlarged scale; Figs. 4 and 5 are end view and
side view respectively of my improved sound board. Fig. 6 is front view of
bridge for placing on the front of sound board; Fig. 7 is a sectional elevation
of the action :
In these views similar letters refer to similar parts.
In this invention I construct a piano or musical instrument by placing within
a case of any preferred form or design a metallic frame on which beads or bars
as a and a are either formed thereon or attached thereto; the said beads are
separated by divisions band extend from end to end of the case; the lowest
bead a¹ is rounded on the under side in order that the wires t which pass down
in front of the bead a and return up the back of the lower bead a¹ then over
the face of the bead a to the top of the frame may work easily; the upper bead
is in the same plane as the lower bead and has shallow grooves therein by which
the wires are kept level and parallel; curved pillars as c connect the aforesaid
beads to the bridge d that also extends from end to end of the case; a break e
which may be formed with knife edges c¹ is placed immediately above the bridge
for the purpose of holding back the wires and reducing the tension on the wrest
plank. A wrest plank dis fixed at the back of the case extending from the
bridge to the top of the case, said wrest plank is covered with a metallic plate 2,
holes for the wrest pins being drilled or otherwise formed therein: a level surface
is formed above the break by the pressure bar fl against which the wires are
pressed by the pressure blocks f that are actuated by the set screws f. The
pressure bar is bolted to the wrest plank and set back sufficiently to enable the
wires to take the pressure from the pressure blocks; the wires are continued to
the wrest pins n to which they are fastened.
The iron pillars herein before mentioned are curved in order to afford space for
single or double sound boards which are bolted or otherwise secured thereto. I
construct the sound board Figs. 4 and 5 of thin strips of Swiss pine or cherry
tree with the grain of the wood running vertically, the finest grain of the wood
is placed at the treble end gradually increasing with an open or coarser grain
to the opposite end of the said board. The back of the sound board rests on a
suitably constructed frame formed so that the bridge which is intended to be

page_text: placed on the front of the sound board for the wires to rest on may be bolted or
screwed through said frame to each of the aforesaid pillars e at the back of the
frame.
Said bridge may be either of hard wood or metal as may be preferred and is
bolted through to each pillar, the lowest point being placed at the base end. The
listing regulating and tension bar which is placed in proximity to the bridge is
secured by passing bolts through from the under side and screwing it up on the
top or face side, so that it may be easily removed, and is lined on the
top with brass or other metal as preferred through which thumb screws are passed.
In the action, the flats on the faces of the hammers vary, the top hammer or
that at the treble end having the smallest flat and increasing in size to the
bottom hammer, or that at the base end. The damper j has the back portion
formed with a hinge j; an indent or groove is formed in the damper, the
wire that goes through the damper has a nut 3 placed under and on the top
thereof; the wires & that passes through the damper passes also through a rail
placed transversely, the said rail rests on brackets attached to the action frame
and is parallel with the damper cover m, which is united thereto with a hinge
that extends from end to end so that said cover may be opened to admit of the
dampers being regulated.
9.
The hammer blocks pare formed to receive the ends of the hammer shank
The hammer shank g has a screw thread at the top with adjustable nuts, a hook
is fastened into the front of the hammer block on which to secure the end of
an india rubber band n, the opposite end of said band is fastened on a hook in
-the-check-block-rEach-check-block-is-contained_in_a_separate_cell in a box u
that is lined through with baize or other suitable material. The pin in the check
is on a level with the pin in the block when the hammer is touching the wire.
The key is grooved a short distance from the front end of each key, a pin with
a rounded top is fitted on the underside so that the keys will act promptly; the
key rail is padded with damper felt and covered with baize; and may be formed
of wood or metal. Each pin through the keys at is formed flat, with rounded
edges. The key bed may be fitted so that it can be lifted out entire when wiring.
The pedal action is made of iron either flat or rounded as may be preferred, the
pedals are adjusted by a double hinge screwed to the bottom of the piano, and
are each supplied with a good spring fastened to the bottom of the piano or
pedals.
In the piano I have hereinbefore described I employ either radiated or straight
keys and one to eight wires for each note.
'
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. A piano or musical instrument that is constructed with a metallic frame or
back with curved pillars as c, beads or bars as a and a¹ cither formed thereon or
attached thereto at the lower part of said frame the wires extending down on one
side passing under the rounded edge of the lower bead or beads and returning up
the other side of side beads, a bridge as d, a break as e with a knife edge el, a
level surface as g for the wires to pass over in combination with pressure blocks f
and a wrest plank with a metallic face all substantially as and for the purpose
herein before described.
2. In a piano or musical instrument a sound board that is constructed of thin
strips placed vertically on a frame with the finest grain of the wood at the treble
end and gradually increasing with an open or coarser grain to the opposite end
of the board for the purpose and in the manner substantially as hereinbefore
described.
3. In a piano or musical instrument the action substantially as hereinbefore
described.

page_text: 4. In a piano or musical instrument the arrangement of pedal mechanism sub-
stantially as herein before described.
5. A piano or musical instrument that is constructed substantially as herein-
before described.
Dated the 23rd day of February 1899
GEO. DAVIES & SON,
Agents for the Applicant, 4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester.