Improvements in the Actions of Upright and Oblique Piano-fortes.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Apr., 1886.
Complete Left, 10th Jan., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 11th Feb., 1887.
Improvements in the Actions of Upright and Oblique Piano-fortes..
I BENJAMIN JOSEPH BARNARD MILLS of the firm of Harris and Mills of 23 South-
ampton Buildings in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention, to be as follows:-
The improvement forming the subject of the present application consists in fixing to
the hammer the part called the damper which serves to damp the sound by pressing
upon the string.
The said part is fixed on the side opposite to the hammer in relation to the axis of
the latter in such manner as to approach the string as the hammer retires from. it.
The advantage of this arrangement is to suppress the special lever which has been
hitherto employed to cause the damper to act upon the string and thus to procure a
considerable economy in the manufacture combined. with. greater simplicity in the
mechanism.
The damper could also be fixed to the escapement or hopper lever. This piece
being put in motion when the hammer again rises, can at this moment conduct the
damper to the string. I reserve the right to employ either of these arrangements
according to the kind of action to which the invention is applied.
B. J. B. MILLS.
By Harris & Mills,
23, Southampton Buildings,
Agents.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Actions of Upright and Oblique Piano-fortes.
I BENJAMIN JOSEPH BARNARD MILLS of the firm of Harris & Mills of 23 South-
ampton Buildings in the county of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the
nature of said invention, a communication to me from abroad by François Claude
Baruth of 3 Place de la Bourse, Lyons in the Republic of France, Piano-forte
Manufacturer, and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The improvement forming the subject of the present application consists in fixing to
the hammer the part called the damper which serves to damp the sound by pressing
upon the string.
The said part is fixed on the side opposite the hammer in relation to the axis of the
latter in such manner as to approach the string as the hammer retires from it.
The advantage of this arrangement is to suppress the special lever which has been
hitherto employed to cause the damper to act upon the string and thus to procure a
considerable economy in the manufacture combined with greater simplicity in the
mechanism.
The damper could also be fixed to the escapement or hopper lever. This piece being
put in motion when the hammer recovers itself, can at this moment conduct the
damper to the string. I reserve the right to employ either of these arrangements
according to the kind of action to which the invention is applied.
The invention is represented in the accompany drawing.
It consists in fixing to the hammer the part A called the damper which serves to
damp the sound by pressing upon the string M. N.
The said part A is fixed on the side opposite to the hammer in relation to the axis
of the latter, in such manner as to approach the string as the hammer retires from it.
The advantage of this arrangement is to suppress the special lever which has
hitherto been employed to cause the damper to act upon the string and thus to
procure a considerable economy in the manufacture combined with greater simplicity
in the mechanism.
The damper A could also be fixed to the escapement or hopper lever B instead of to
the hammer lever, as represented by dotted lines A' in the drawing. This part being
put in motion when the hammer recovers itself can at this moment conduct the
damper to the string. I reserve the right to employ either of these arrangements
according to the kind of action to which the invention is applied.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of said invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :—
In the actions of upright and oblique pianos, the attachment of the damper either to
the hammer or to the escapement or hopper lever in order to dispense with the special
lever which has hitherto carried this part.