Improvements in Keyboard Musical Instruments.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 13th June, 1890
Complete Specification Left, 13th Mar., 1891-Accepted, 25th Apr., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Keyboard Musical Instruments.
I, IMRE BOOS, of 13, Grand Avenue, Milwaukee, in the County of Milwaukee,
and State of Wisconsin, United States of America, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in pianos and organs; and it has for its
object to enable a player to accomodate the instrument to the voice of a singer
without mentally transposing the music by simply shifting supplemental keys so
that the fingers will follow the written notes while the tones actually produced may
be in a higher or lower key than those in the notes. To this end, my invention
consists in a supplemental keyboard, consisting essentially of a stationary frame
mounted above the keyboard, a frame sliding thereon, and a series of supplemental
keys pivoted in the sliding frame and adapted to act on the ordinary keys of the
instrument.
The front rail of the fixed frame rests on the front ledge of the keyboard while
the side rails are curved so as to elevate the rear rail to a plane higher than that of
the top of the keys. The sliding frame is smaller than the fixed frame and its
bars are formed with concave bearings that rest upon the front and rear, rails of
the fixed frame and are suitably cushioned to prevent vibration, and they are
connected in front and rear by rods and upon the latter the supplemental keys are
pivoted. Each supplemental key has a striking pin projecting from its under side
whose lower end which is suitably cushioned is in contact with one of the keys of
the instrument. The front rod or bar is provided with upwardly projecting pins,
and the white keys of the supplemental keyboard with corresponding recesses and
these pins serve as guides for the white keys while the sides of the latter serve as
guides for the black keys as in an ordinary key-board.
Ordinarily I propose to provide the frame with ten keys less than the piano on
which it is to be used and the front rail of the movable frame is graduated so that
the player may adjust it to the position desired.
In making new pianos for shifting keys the parts may be put together more
compactly than when these keys are applied to old pianos, but the principle is the
same.
In applying the keys to new pianos the stationary and movable frames are
arranged in the manner already described, but the main keys of the instrument
are recessed upon their upper sides and the supplemental keys of the instrument are
pivoted as previously described but are curved downwardly so as to fit nicely in the
recess of the main keys, so that the keyboard will thus present the ordinary
appearance. The front bar of the movable frame passes through transverse
recesses of the keys and the guide pins project upwardly into recesses in the
manner already described.
Dated this 13th day of June 1890.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agents.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Keyboard Musical Instruments.
I, IMRE BOOS, of 13, Grand Avenue, Milwaukee, in the County of Milwaukee,
and State of Wisconsin, 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 :-
My invention relates to improvements in pianos and organs, and it has for its
object to enable a player to accommodate the instrument to the voice of a singer
without mentally transposing the music by simply shifting supplemental keys so
that the fingers may follow the written notes while the tones actually produced may
be in a higher or lower key than those in the notes. To this end my invention
consists essentially in a supplemental keyboard having means for adjusting it upon
the ordinary keys of a piano.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this
Specification, in which
Figure 1 is a cross-section, taken through the key-board of a piano.
Figure 2 is a broken front view of the same, partly in section."
Figure 3 is a broken plan view of the attachment embodying my invention, and
Figure 4 is a vertical cross section through the key-board shewing a modified
form of attaching the shifting keys.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.
As shewn in Figures 1 and 2, A is the key-board, B the white keys, and C the
black keys, of an ordinary piano. A frame D, preferably of metal, is fixed in the
piano between the two end pieces a in any suitable manner. The front rail e of
this frame rests on the front ledge of the keyboard while the side rails are
curved so as to elevate the rear rail d to a plane higher than that of the top of the
keys. E is a smaller frame than D and the side bars of this smaller frame are
formed with concave bearings and that rest upon the front and rear-rails of the
fixed frame D respectively and are suitably cushioned to prevent vibration. The
side bars of the frame E are connected in front by a bar F and in the rear by a
rod G which rod G is passed through the rear ends of supplemental keys I and J,
I being the white, and the black keys. Each of these keys has a striking pin L
projecting from its under side whose lower end, which is suitably cushioned, is in
contact with one of the keys of the instrument. The bar Fris provided with
upwardly-projecting pins F and the white keys I with corresponding recesses I¹
and these pins F serve as guides for the white keys, while the sides of the latter
serve as guides for the black keys. Ordinarily, I propose to provide the frame E
with ten keys less than the piano on which it is to be used and the front rail c of
the frame D is graduated, as shewn at jj so that the player may adjust the frame E
accurately to the position desired.
In making new pianos for shifting keys the parts may be put together more
compactly than when these keys are applied to old pianos, but the principle is the
same. In Figure I have illustrated a method of applying the keys to new pianos.
The frame D and the frame E are arranged in the manner already described, the
main keys A¹ of the instrument are recessed upon their upper sides, as shewn, and
the keys I and J being the black and white keys of the instrument are pivoted to
the rod Gas described but are curved downwardly so as to fit nicely in the recess
of the keys A', the keys will thus have the appearance of an ordinary keyboard.
As shewn in the above construction the bar F of the frame E passes through
transverse-recesses i¹ of the keys 12 and J.and the guide pins F¹ project upwardly
into the recesses in the manner already described. It will thus be seen that all of
the keys of the keyboard may be instantly changed with the same effect as when
the supplemental keys are shifted as described above..

page_text: 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
0
1. A shifting key mechanism for musical instruments, consisting essentially of a
frame mounted above the keyboard a sliding frame mounted on said frame and a
series of supplemental keys pivoted in said sliding frame and adapted to act on the
ordinary keys of the instrument, substantially as described.
2. In a shifting key mechanism for musical instruments, the combination, with
the keys thereof, of a frame mounted above the keyboard a sliding frame mounted
therein a series of keys pivoted in the sliding frame and striking pins fixed to the
under sides of said keys and adapted to impinge upon the lower keys, substantially
as described.
3. In a shifting key mechanism for musical instruments, the combination, with
the keys of the instrument, of a series of supplemental keys pivoted in suitable
supports above the ordinary keys and adapted to slide transversely above the same,
substantially as described.
4. A shifting key mechanism for musical instruments, consisting essentially of a
frame mounted above the keys of the instrument a smaller frame adapted to .slide
therein supplemental keys pivoted in the smaller frame so as to impinge upon the
lower keys and means for fixing the smaller frame in position, substantially as
described.
5. A shifting key mechanism for musical instruments, consisting essentially of a
main frame mounted above the keys of the instrument a smaller frame mounted on
the main frame so as to slide thereon and supplemental keys pivoted in the smaller
frame so as to impinge upon the lower keys, said supplemental keys having
transverse slots or recesses therein to receive the front bar of the smaller frame
which serves as a guide for the said keys, substantially as described.
Jared THIS ISLA May of vtarch toşi.
TR01 IARKI JO AKU BICI SLUT DOTGI
IMRE BOOS.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agents.