US80073A - Improvement in piano-fortes - Google Patents

Description

UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.-

HIRAM HERRIOK, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS IMPROVEMENT IN PIANO-FORTES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 80,073, dated July `21, 1368.

To all whom it may coiiccm:

Be it known that I, HIRAM HERRICK, ot' Boston, in the county ot' Sutfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and uselnl Improvement in Piano-Fortes; and I do hereby declare the same to be fully described in the following specification and represented in the accompanying drawings, of which- Figure l is a top view ot' a piano-forte with the lid removed provided with my invention. Fig. 2 is a'transverse section of it with the lid in place. Fig.3 is a front elevation ofthe piano as open-that is, with its upper frame, soundin g-board, and strings raised otl` the action and into vertical positions.

AIn carrying out my improvement I arrange the sounding-board, the wrest-pin block, and the bridges underneath the iron frame and above the strings. I also arrange the iron frame, the sounding-board, the wrest-pin block, and the strings and the action in two separate cases, hinged together, so as to'enable the said "iron framc, sounding-board. and strings to be turned up or oi the action, so as to uncover it and bring the strings into a convenient position to enable access to be had to either of them. I also not only insert the straining, tuning, or wrest pins through the iron frame, so that their heads or ends to which the tuning-key is applied may project upward from the frame and the lower ends of such pins may project downward from the frame and wrestpin block, but I apply the strings to those parts of the said pins which project belowthe wrest-pin block. Furthermore, [combine with each string and its tuning-pin one or more auxiliary adjusters, as hereinafter described, the purpose of such heilig to enable the string to be tuned to a nicer degree than by its tuning pin or pins.

From the above it will be seen that I have `in some respects reversed the usual mode of constructing piano-fortes. I have found that the tone emitted from the back of a soundingboard is much fuller and purer than that from y the side next the strings, and therefore in ont the necessity of carrying any -part of it through the iron frame or sounding-board. This enables the iron frame to be braced in any manner as strongly as may be desirable without interfering with any of the parts below it. As no part of the iron frame goes below the strings, the hammers can be arranged at equal distances asunder, without breaks between them, as heretofore has 'been required in the ordinary construction ot' piano-fortes.

In the drawings the piano-case is represented as formed in two cases, A B, one of which is placed on the other, and both are hinged together at their rear sides, as shown at a a in Fig. 3. 4

In the drawings I have shown but one key, b, with its y c, hammer d, and damper e in a co ntracted 'or distorted state to what they would be in practice.`

The action is wholly arranged within the lower case, B. j

Within the upper case, A, to which the cover or lid G is hinged, I arrange the iron frame D, the sounding-board E, and the wrest-pin block F, the bridges Gr H, the hitch-pin plate I, and the strings K. The iron frame is directly over the sounding-board and the bridges and strn gs are placed underneath such board.

One ot' the hitch-pins is shown atf and two of the tuning-pins are shown at g g. These pins go through theiron frame D and the wrestpin block F, and project above the former and Ybelow the latter, the string being wound on those parts of the tuning-pins which extend below the wrest-pin block. The upper parts of the tuning-pins are to be made in the ordinaryA way for reception of the tuningkey.

The auxiliary adjuster hereinbefore mentioned consists ot' a hook or rod, h, having a screw out on its upper part and a hook or eye at its lower part to embrace or receive the string. This adjuster extends up through the wrest-pin block and theiron frame and between the bridge and the tuning-pin, and has a nut, i, screwed on that part of it which extends above the said frame. Byscrcwing down the nutagainst the iron frame that part of the string which is between the bridge and the tuning-pin will be drawn up and bent out of a rightline, so as to increase the tension of the string. By such auxiliary means of producing tension of the string the latter may be tuned to much better advantage than by the tuning-pin alone.

I claim as my invention the following-that is to say: f

1. The improved .arrangement of the sound- 3. The combination ofthe auxiliary adjuster with the string, the tuning-pin, and bridge.

4f.k The improved arrangement of the tuningpins with the strings and the wrest-pin block, or the saine and the iron frame, the tuning-pin, under sneh arrangement, having its head to extend from one side of the said bleek, and having the string applied to the part which projects from the other side of the block, the whole being substantially as set forth.

IRAM BERRIOK.

Witnesses:

R.' H'. EDDY, F. P. HALE, J r.

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