IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF PIANOFORTE HAMMERS
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Henry Dreaper, of Number 96, Bold
Street, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Pianoforte Manu-
facturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
PIANOFORTE HAMMERS."
Sealed the 11th May 1869, and dated the 23rd November 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Henry Dreaper
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 23rd November 1868.
I, WILLIAM HENRY DREAPER, of Number 96, Bold Street, Liverpool,
in the County of Lancaster, Pianoforte Manufacturer, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION
OF PIANOFORTE HAMMERS," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in the use or application of vulcanized india-
rubber or other similarly elastic substances in the covering of piano-

page_text: forte hammers, and the advantages I obtain are greatly increased
durability and an improved quality of tone.
The mode which I prefer in using the india-rubber or other similarly
elastic substances is as follows:-Over the wooden foundation of the
hammer head I put a first covering of hard sole leather, and over
the part where the hammer comes in contact with the string I glue
the vulcanized india-rubber, which I again cover firmly with a thin
cloth or silk and afterwards cover in the ordinary way with felt.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Henry Dreaper in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 22nd May 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
HENRY DREAPER, of No. 96, Bold Street, Liverpool, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of November, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-
second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Henry Dreaper, Her special
licence that I, the said William Henry Dreaper, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Henry Dreaper,
my executors, administrators, 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 THE CONSTRUCTION OF PIANOFORTE HAMMERS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said William Henry Dreaper, 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Henry Dreaper, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof, that is to say:
My Invention consists in the use or application of india-rubber, by
preference, vulcanized india-rubber, in the covering of pianoforte
hammers. Various modes of applying india-rubber or compounds
containing india-rubber in the covering of pianoforte hammers are
shewn in the Drawing hercunto annexed, but I do not confine myself
to these arrangements as other methods might be adopted.
In the arrangement shown at Figure 1 a covering of vulcanized
india-rubber a is put over the end of the wooden hammer head b, and
is secured to it by strong glue, over the india-rubber is glued a strip of
cloth c, and this is again covered with thick felt d, such as is ordinarily
employed for covering the hammer heads of pianofortes.
In the arrangement shown at Figure 2 there are two thicknesses of
vulcanized india-rubber fixed to the end of the wooden head, and over
these is the thick felt d.
In the arrangement shown at Figure 3 the end or face of the hammer
is cut off square and to it is glued a small block a* of a vulcanized
compound of india-rubber and cotton fibre, over this is a strip a of
vulcanized india-rubber, and over this the covering d of thick felt.
In the arrangement shown at Figure 4 a covering of leather is first
glued over the wooden head b, over this at the striking end of the
head is a strip a of vulcanized india-rubber, over this a covering of
cloth c, and lastly the covering d of felt.
In the arrangement shown at Figure 5 there is fixed over the wooden
head first a covering of leather, then one of cloth, then one of vulcanized
india-rubber, then the covering d of felt.
In the arrangement shown at Figure 6 the hammer head 6 is made
shorter than in the arrangements previously shown, and to it is fixed
a strip of vulcanized india-rubber a, in front of this is a wooden end b¹
similar to the ends of the wooden heads b shown at Figures 1 to 5,
over this is a covering of leather, then a covering of cloth, and afterwards
the felt d.

page_text: It is not essential that the india-rubber should be vulcanized, and
compounds containing india-rubber may be used.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Henry Dreaper, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of May, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.