A Novel Construction of Sound Boards for Pianos and like Stringed Instruments.
Year: 1897

page_text: A Novel Construction of Sound Boards for Pianos and like Stringed
Instruments.
I, FRANK BEEDLE, of 28, Belgrave Road, St. John's Wood, in the County of
Middlesex, Habit Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, which
has been communicated to ine from abroad by Henrietta Beedle, of 3, Oliver
Road, Seapoint, Cape Town, Cape Colony, Gentlewoman, to be as follows:
This invention has for object, improving the quality of sound and tone with less
risk of harshness than at present.
"
The invention consists in slightly bellying the sound board, such as springing
each plank into place and tying them by say seven back bars also shaped to the
spring of the belly. The wood employed should be straight Beech for the "slips
and where the lines are filled in the belly slips" should be solid and of a thick-
ness to suit the height of the wrest plank.'
"
"
The "middle blocks" should be higher than the corner blocks and the side slips
should spring at least of an inch.
33
If the instrument be "straight strung" the belly must be cut off at a line
beyond the front and be left open as for an overstrung" and where the "lines
are left open a Beech slip should be glued to the belly with blocks at corners, and
where the belly is left open the slips should be sprung at least of an inch.
The expressions used are well known in a workshop by belly makers and over-
strung hands.
דד
; A Novel Construction of Sound Boards for Pianos and like Stringed
Instruments.
I, FRANK BERDLE, of 28, Belgrave Road, St. John's Wood, in the County of
Middlesex, Habit Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, which
has been communicated to me from abroad by Henrietta Beedle, of 3, Oliver
Road, Seapoint, Cape Town, Cape Colony, Gentlewoman, and in what manner the
DR.77

page_text: same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement:
This invention has for object, improving the quality of sound and tone of pianos
and like stringed instruments with less risk of harshness than at present.
The invention consists in slightly bellying the sound board by springing it into
place, and tying the belly boards or planks by, say seven back or belly bars also
shaped to the spring of the belly, slips of straight Beech being secured around the
edge of the belly or sound board, with middle and corner blocks at intervals.
The invention is clearly represented on the annexed diagram figure of the back
of a sound board, in which from a to ba Beech slip 1 inch wide and inch thick
is glued to the belly, with blocks cc' on the slips at the corners, the block c being
about inch thick, and the block slightly thicker say inch.
The Beech slip a b tapers in thickness from about
at the end thus causing a spring of of an inch.
inch at the end a to inch
The curved portion of the sound board from e' to is left plain without any slip
or block.
From d to and from d' to e other belly slips are glued on, and they
must be made so that the sound board at that part is slightly less in height than
the wrest plank, which comes directly above it when the sound board is placed in
position.
It is advisable that good straight Beech should be used for all the slips.
At the part frome to the angle f the slip should be inches wide and
inch thick at the angle tapering down towards the angle e to the extent of
about of an inch in its length.
Another lock is placed at e, and is approximately thick.
9 is a corner block about inch thick, and another slip is attached to the belly
between fand the anglo i, said slip being 1 inch in width and inch deep with a
spring or increased thickness of inch at the end f.
Another corner block is placed at and a slip extends from the angle i to a,
said slip being inch deep and 1 inch wide.
A block is placed at j and should be of an inch above the level of the corner
blocks and, the thickness of the latter blocks being of an inch and of the
former inch.
The belly boards are arranged as shown, and with their grains running in
the direction of their length; these boards are supported at intervals by belly
bars mm, preferably seven, arranged in a vertical direction, their edges in contact
with the belly boards being slightly curved so that said boards are sprung across
them in the usual manner.
If the instrument be straight strung, the belly should be cut off at the
dotted line m¹.
The expressions used are well known in a workshop by belly makers and
overstrung hands.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim:-
The hereinbefore described novel construction of sound board for a piano or
like stringed instrument, and substantially as shown.
T011
11007
H. GARDNER,
Patent Agent, 166, Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said Frank Beedle.