AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE DAMPER ACTION OF PIANOFORTES
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Frederick Collard Moutrie, of 4, King.
Street, Holborn, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE DAMPER
ACTION OF PIANOFORTES."
Sealed the 8th August 1856, and dated the 13th February 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Frederick
Collard Moutrie at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
his Petition, on the 13th February 1856.
I, WILLIAM FREDERICK COLLARD MOUTRIE, of 4, King Street, Holborn,
do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE
DAMPER ACTION OF PIANOFORTES," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object an improvement in the damper action of
pianofortes. For which purpose, in upright pianofortes, the dampers of felt,
or other material, are attached to the ends of upright levers, which move on a
horizontal axis, carried by a rail suitably placed for the purpose.
The dampers
are each constantly pressed towards the springs by a spring. The other end of
the lever, which carries a damper, is stopped by a suitable stop rail, and such
end, by a bent wire, constantly presses on the heel or end of the hammer stick
above, where it is hinged, there being felt or leather interposed between the
heel and the end of the lever. In applying this improvement to grand and
horizontal pianofortes, the dampers are similarly attached to the ends of levers
which are pressed on by springs, and the sticks from the keys come under and
raise up the dampers, the springs insuring their descent.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Frederick Collard Moutrie in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 13th August 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
FREDERICK COLLARD MOUTRIE, of 4, King Street, Holborn, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the nineteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said William Frederick Collard Moutric, Her special licence that I,
the said William Frederick Collard Moutrie, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Frederick Collard Moutrie,
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 luvention for "AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE DAMPER
ACTION OF PIANOFORTES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
William Frederick Collard Moutrie, 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 imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Frederick Collard Moutrie, 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:―
This Invention has for its object an improvement in the damper action of
pianofortes. For which purpose, in upright pianofortes, the dampers of felt or
other material, are attached to the ends of upright levers, which move on a hori-
zontal axis, carried by a rail suitably placed for the purpose. The dampers are
each constantly pressed towards the strings by a spring. The other end of the
lever, which carries a damper, is stopped by a suitable stop rail, and such end
by a bent wire, constantly presses on the heel or end of the hammer stick above,
where it is hinged, there being felt or leather interposed between the heel and
the end of the lever. In applying this improvement to grand and horizontal
pianofortes, the dampers are similarly attached to the ends of levers, which

page_text: are pressed on by springs, and the sticks from the keys come under and raise
up the dampers, the springs insuring their descent.
Having thus stated the nature of my said Invention, I will proceed more
fully to describe the manner of performing the same.
The Drawing shows a section of so much of an upright pianoforte action as
will enable ine to describe my Invention. a is the key; 6 is the hammer; c is
the damper, placed on a lever d, hinged or moving on the rail e.
The damper
is constantly pressed towards the strings by the wire spring f. The tail of the
damper lever is pressed forwards by an adjusting screw g against the butt of the
hammer, hence the hammer butt removes the damper. The tail of the lever
which carries the damper comes against the stop rail h when that rail is acted
on by the putting down of a treadle, otherwise the tail of the damper lever
does not come in contact with that rail. I would remark that the details of
the action of a pianoforte may be varied, and still retain the peculiar com-
bination constituting my Invention, whereby the hammer butt is caused to
move the damper.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Frederick Collard Moutrie, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of August, in the
year of our Lord Oue thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
Witness,
S. CARPMAEL.
WF. C. MOUTRIE. (L.S.)