Improvements in Upright Pianos and similar Musical Instruments.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Nov., 1890-Accepted, 6th Dec., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Upright Pianos and similar Musical Instruments.
1. WILLIAM BENNETT RULE, Member of the Royal College of Surgeons England,
of 56, Waterman Street, Providence, in the County of Providence and State of
Rhode Island United States of America, 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 :-
The object of this invention is to enable a performer on a piano or similar musical
instrument to regulate the volume of sound emitted, and it consists in providing the
casing of the instrument with a number of valves arranged in the front and sides of
the casing, which are under the control of the operator and may be opened and
closed at will.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this
Specification, wherein
Figure 1 is a front view of an upright piano, partly in section, and provided with
my improvement.
Figure 2 is a sectional plan view of the same, on line - Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a transverse section of the same, on line y y Figure 2.
Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional plan view of part of the improvement.
Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional side elevation of the same.
Figure 6 is a sectional side elevation of a modified form of the improvement; and
Figure 7 is a sectional plan view of the same.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.
A is the casing of the piano, the front and sides of which have openings B in
which the valves are mounted, said valves being adapted to open or close the
openings B so as to regulate the escape of the sounds. The valves Care opened or
closed by the performer, preferably by a pedal D arranged in the lower part of the
casing so as to be in position to enable the performer to conveniently actuate it with
the foot. Various means may be employed to connect the pedal D with the said
valves, two special arrangements being shewn in the drawings. As illustrated in
Figures 1. 2. 3. 4. and 5. the pedal D is pivotally connected with two longitudinal
levers extending in opposite directions from the centre of the instrument and
pivotally connected at their outer ends with upwardly extending rods F each carrying
at its upper end a link G extending to the front and to one side of the casing to
connect at its free ends with rods H pivotally connected with arms I secured on the
pivots J of the valves C. Thus when the performer presses the pedal D the several
valves in the front and sides of the casing are opened and when the pressure is
released from the pedal the valves close by their own weight or are assisted in closing
by a suitable spring or springs connected with the gates or with the pedal D.
illustrated in Figures 1 to 5, the pivots of the valves are arranged horizontally, the
valves swinging up and down in opening and closing. As shewn in Figures 6 and 7
the pivots of the valves are arranged longitudinally and the valves are adapted to
swing inwardly in opening. In the latter case each valve C is pivotally connected by
a link K with a horizontally-extending bar provided with an opening L' adapted to
be engaged by a wedge P formed on a rod O mounted to slide vertically in suitable
bearings in the casing. The lower end of the rod O is connected with the pedal D
which when pressed moves the rod O upward so that the wedge P engaging the
rod L moves the latter rearwardly, thus throwing the valves Copen to permit the
tones in the casing to pass out through the openings B. As soon as the pressure is
released from the pedal D, springs N pressing on the rod L force the same to its
normal position thereby again closing the valves C.
As
It will be seen that by opening or partly opening the valves C the tones produced

page_text: in the instrument can readily escape through the openings B. It will also be seen
that the performer is enabled to bring to the ear of the listener the full brilliancy and
utmost body of sound which the instrument is capable of producing. By entirely
closing the valves the softest possible effects may be obtained.
The valves may also be arranged in the cover of grand or square pianos and operated
by a pedal in a similar manner as above described in reference to upright pianos.
The effect is the same as the tones can more readily escapo whenever desired into the
room in which t..e instrument is being played.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is;
1. In an upright piano, a series of valves arranged in the front and sides of the
instrument substantially as shewn and described.
2. In an upright piano, a series of valves arranged in the front and sides of the
instrument and adapted to be opened by the performer, substantially as shewn and
described.
3. In an upright piano, the combination, with a series of valves arranged in the
front and sides of the casing, of a pedal connected with the said valves for opening
and closing the same, substantially as shewn and described.
4. In an upright piano, the combination, with a series of valves arranged in the
front and sides of the casing, of a pedal connected with the said valves for opening
and closing the same, and intermediate means, substantially as described, for connecting
the said pedal with the said valves, as set forth.
Dated this 1st day of November 1890.