Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G10—MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; ACOUSTICS
  • G10C—PIANOS, HARPSICHORDS, SPINETS OR SIMILAR STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS WITH ONE OR MORE KEYBOARDS
  • G10C3/00—Details or accessories
  • G10C3/16—Actions
  • G10C3/22—Actions specially adapted for grand pianos
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G10—MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; ACOUSTICS
  • G10C—PIANOS, HARPSICHORDS, SPINETS OR SIMILAR STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS WITH ONE OR MORE KEYBOARDS
  • G10C3/00—Details or accessories
  • G10C3/26—Pedals or pedal mechanisms; Manually operated sound modification means

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a musical method for traditional keyboard musical instruments and struck strings, such as pianos, as well as a mechanism implementing said method.
• the mechanism according to the invention is of the type comprising a set of cords capable of being struck each by a hammer actuated by a key, each cord being equipped with a damper which, in the unsolicited position, is supported on the cord and prevents it from vibrating and which, in the stressed position, is moved away from the rope.
• the demand for dampers is: either global under the effect of a strong bar which acts directly on a battery of supports each of which is associated with one of said dampers or under the effect of a harmonic bar which acts on a battery of exhausts, each of which is associated with one of said damper supports, said bars being actuated by a mixed pedal which, in the semi-depressed state is in the so-called “harmonic” position and in the fully depressed state is in the so-called “strong” position, either individually, under the effect of a so-called “distal” part, of a touch or of a spoon associated with said touch.
• the function of the harmonic bar and the strong bar is to remove all the dampers from the strings.
• the harmonic bar leaves the damper supports accessible to said distal parts of the keys, unlike the strong bar. More specifically, the invention relates to a mechanism for ensuring that the effect of the forte bar can be interrupted with respect to the notes about to be played while retaining this effect with respect to the notes coming to be played, which mechanism makes it possible to keep in resonance and to keep in the harmonic position arpeggios played in strong position.
• a mechanism of the aforementioned type is known for example from patent EP-0 271 527 in the name of Denis de L Rochefordière, a mechanism which is dried atically represented in FIG. 1.
• a spoon 103 associated with the key 10 and acting directly on the damper support 10 causes, when the key 101 is pressed, the separation of the exhaust means 109,110 and maintains the damper 10 to the distance from the cord 107; the note vibrates until the button 101 is released and the damper 106 returns to the string 107. The note is then muffled while the bass strings continue to vibrate out of sympathy.
• the object of the invention is therefore to propose a musical method and a pedal mechanism which make it possible to remedy these drawbacks of the known system.
• This object is achieved in that the method according to the invention consists in linking the displacement of said harmonic bar to that of said strong bar so that:
• the harmonic bar and the exhausts are capable of returning to engagement, after a key has been pressed and released in the harmonic position, either by total relaxation of the pedal and then very slight depression thereof, or by depression from the pedal to the strong position and then very slight release of it.
• the mechanism according to the invention comprises a linkage system which connects the harmonic bar and the bass bar to the mixed pedal.
• the harmonic bar and the strong bar are each pivotally mounted and slaved to the movement of one of the ends, called “distal”, of a connecting rod, the other end of which , called “proximal”, is animated by a pivoting movement under the effect of a control rod actuated by the mixed pedal.
• each of the connecting rods is slaved to the pivoting of the same part, called “guignol”, on which the control rod acts.
• each of the exhausts is a freely pivotally mounted part between a stop position against the associated damper support and either a position of equilibrium by gravity (corresponding to another stop position against the damper support), or a position of support on an interfering part, which is, for example, the end, called "distal", of the associated key or the harmonic bar.
• each of the exhausts is a pivotally mounted part between two positions, elastic means tending to keep or reduce said exhaust to one of said positions.
• each of the exhausts has two contact zones, one being capable of coming into contact with said distal part of the fingerboard or said spoon and the other being capable of come into contact with said harmonic bar.
• FIG. 1 is, as indicated above, a schematic representation of the configuration of the mechanism known from EP-0 271 527, when the mixed pedal is in the harmonic position, which mechanism is applied to an upright piano
• Figure 2 is a schematic view of the configuration of the mechanism according to the invention at rest, applied to a grand piano
• Figure 3 is a schematic view similar to Figure 2, but with the key depressed
• FIG. 4 represents the same configuration as FIG.
• Figure 5 shows the same configuration as Figure 4, after pressing and releasing the key
• Figure 6 shows the same configuration as Figure 2, but with support of the mixed pedal in the strong position
• Figures 7 and 8 show the same schematic configuration of the mechanism according to the invention at rest, applied to an upright piano, Figure 7 showing the part escapes ent / damper with omission of the connecting rod part for clarity of the drawing and, conversely , Figure 8 showing the connecting rod part with omission of the exhaust / damper part.
• the mechanism 1 comprises a pedal 1 whose general direction x l " x 'l forms, at rest, an angle of about 30 ° relative to the horizontal, which pedal is mounted pivoting in its center around an axis 2 integral with a vertical support 3 belonging to a grand piano.
• the pedal 1 supports, at its distal end, that is to say opposite to that actuated by the pianist, one end of a control rod 4, substantially perpendicular to said pedal, and the other end of which, spherical, cooperates with a horn 5 which substantially takes the form of an equilateral curvilinear triangle.
• the horn 5 is articulated, at the level of the other apex 5b adjacent to said side 51, around an axis 7 integral with the curvilinear top 8a of a horn support 8, which has substantially the shape of a right triangle whose hypotenuse is, at rest, in extension of said side 51 of the horn 5.
• the side of said clevis 8 opposite said curvilinear top 8a is fixed to the bottom 9 of the piano which is horizontal.
• a post 10 extends perpendicular to the bottom
• the mechanism further comprises a battery of damper supports, such as 104, each of which corresponds to a key and to a string.
• the damper support 104 corresponding to the button 101 and to the cord 107 will be described.
• One end of said damper support 104 is connected to the free end of said upright.
• the damper support 104 At rest, the damper support 104 is horizontal. The other end of the damper support 104 forms a surface stop 54 from which project a pair of ears 55 which support an axis 30 around which is pivotally mounted an exhaust 13 provided with a heel 14, a tapered spout 15 and an abutment surface 56. Au rest, the upper zone of the abutment surface 56 is away from the stop surface 54 while the lower zone of the abutment surface 56 abuts against the stop surface 54, so that the heel 14 of the escapement 13 rests practically on the distal end of the key 101, that is to say on the end of the key opposite to that which the pianist operates.
• the third apex 5c of the horn 5 supports an axis 16 around which is anchored, pivoting, one of the ends of a connecting rod 19 whose other end is anchored, pivoting, around an axis 40 mounted on a plate drive 47 of a harmonic bar III.
• Substantially in the center of the horn 5 is mounted an axis 17 around which is anchored, pivoting, one of the ends of a connecting rod 20 whose other end is anchored, pivoting, around an axis 41 mounted on a plate drive 48 of a strong bar 112.
• the harmonic bars 111 and strong 112 which are substantially parallel in the situation in FIG.
• An axis 25 crosses transversely the damper support 104 and serves as anchoring to one of the ends of a damper rod 26 whose other end is fixed to a damper 106, at the center of gravity of said damper , the latter being provided with two felts 29a and 29b which are, at rest, in contact with the cord 107.
• FIG. 3 shows the mechanism according to the invention when the button 101 is pressed (arrow F2), the pedal not being pressed.
• the hammer (not shown) associated with said key 101 then strikes the cord 107.
• the distal end of the key 101 by pivoting along F3, lifts the heel 14 of the escapement 1 which pivots around the axis 30 until the upper region of the abutment surface 56 comes into contact with the stop surface 54; therefore, the exhaust 13 and the damper support 104 behave like a single piece which pivots around the axis 12.
• the rod 26 is biased upwards (arrow F4) and that, subsequently, the damper 106 moves away from the cord 107.
• the not played vibrates thus, until the key 101 is released, the mechanism then returning to the situation of FIG. 2.
• Figure 4 illustrates the mechanism according to the inventio in the case where the pedal 1 has been slightly depressed, up to the harmonic position (general direction 2-X'2 ⁇ ⁇ while the button 101-is at rest.
• the configuration of the device, at the time of actuation of the pedal 1, was such that the point of contact between the spout 15 and the harmonic bar III was in the plane formed by the axes 30 and 40, so that the exhaust 13 has not pivoted around the axis 30 but has risen, carrying with it the support d 1 damper 104 and rod 26.
• the same was true for all the other exhausts, which had the decorative effect ller all the dampers, such as 106, ropes, such as 107.
• the rotation of the horn 5 simultaneously caused the upward movement, via the connecting rod 20, of the strong bar 112.
• the button 101 If, being in this position, the button 101 is pressed according to F2, its distal end biases the heel 14 of the exhaust 13 upwards, resulting in the pivoting of the exhaust 13 around the axis 30 and the separation of the spout 15 from the harmonic bar 111. Then (FIG. 5), if the said button 101 is released, the heel 14, which is no longer subjected to any stress, follows the pivoting downward of the distal end of the button 101 while resting against said key 101, substantially until said key is completely released, and the spout 15 is then adjacent to the harmonic bar 111, along the front face thereof, that is ie from the side facing the piano keyboard. The damper 106 then returns to the rope 107. All the other dampers remain raised since the return of the damper 106 to the rope 107 results from pressing the button 101, the other buttons having remained inactive.
• the harmonic bar 111 in abutment against the battery of mouthpieces, such as 15, of the exhausts, such as 13 , raises said exhausts, putting the heels, such as 14, out of reach of the keys, such as 101, when these are pressed.
• the exhausts are then in a so-called "out of touch" position.
• the strong bar 112 caused the damper supports, such as 104, associated with the other exhausts (not “re-armed") to pivot further upwards around the axis 12, so that the spouts , such as 15, exhausts, such as 13, are passed over the harmonic bar 111.
• all the dampers are in the same plane. From this position, it is enough to release pedal 1 very slightly so that all the exhausts are “armed” o "re-armed". By releasing pedal 1 further to the harmonic position, we can easily return to the situation in Figure 4.
• the mechanism applied to the upright piano does not differ fundamentally from the mechanism explained above.
• elements similar to those in FIGS. 2 to 6 are indicated by identical reference numbers, followed by the sign "prime”.
• the mechanism according to the invention applied to an upright piano differs essentially from that of the prior art, as shown in Figure 1, in that the spoon 103 does not act directly on the damper support 104 ', but via an exhaust 13' on which the harmonic bar 111 'can also act.
• the spoon 103 which is for example made of a resilient metal, is associated with a spoon support 43, connected to the key (not shown) and capable of pivoting in the opposite direction to said key.
• the spoon 103 is in contact with a square heel 14 ', in one piece with the exhaust 13' and in which is provided a housing intended to receive one end of a helical spring 42 whose other end is fixed to the damper support 104 '.
• the damper support 104 ' is capable of pivoting about an axis 48 mounted on a horizontal element 45, which element 45 is itself mounted on the vertical part 31 of the piano.
• the damper support 104 ' is held against the string 107' by a compressor spring 44, which is integral with element 45.
• the damper 106 'and the string 107' are also vertical.
• FIG. 8 represents the detail of a linkage mechanism according to the present invention, constituted by a control rod 4 ′, one end of which supports a guigno 5 ′ of a shape substantially different from that of the guignol 5 of FIGS.
• said guignol 5 ' having a roughly trapezoidal bottom structure in the small base of which there is an indentation 52 of irregular shape, of which a "corner” part is adapted to provide housing for the spherical end of the control rod 4'.
• L guignol 5 ' is rotatably mounted around an axis 7', transversa to an apex 5'b of the trapezoid, on a clevis 8 'which is, in this case, fixed to the vertical part 31 above of the upright piano structure .
• a connecting rod 19 ' is anchored, pivoting, on the one hand, around an axis 16' mounted on the horn 5 'at the level of its angle 5'c and, on the other hand, around an axis 40' mounted on a drive plate 47 'of harmonic bar 111'.
• a connecting rod 20 ' is anchored, pivoting, on the one hand, around an axis 17' mounted on the horn 5 'at its angle 5' a and, on the other hand, around an axis 41 'mounted on a drive plate 48' of 112 'strong bar.
• the operation of the assembly is sensiblemen identical to that of the mechanism described with reference to Figures 2 to 6.
• the respective cooperation of the strong bar 112 'with the damper support battery, such as 104', and of the harmonic bar 111 'with the battery of nozzles, such as 15', of exhausts, such as 13 ', is identical.
• some difference result from the fact that the cord 107 ′, the damper 106 ′ and its support 104 ′ are vertical and no longer horizontal.
• the distal end of the key 101 is likely (up to the harmonic position) to come directly into contact with the heel 14 of the escapement 13, as is described above, and to lift said exhaust, when the button 101 is pressed, which results in an upward pivoting of the damper support 104 on which said exhaust 13 is pivotally mounted, and therefore in the separation of the damper 106 with rope 107, on which it normally rests.
• the exhaust 13 which is free from any constraint, returns to its rest position under the effect of gravity.
• transition from the strong function to the harmonic function, and vice versa is precisely regulated by construction and will depend on the dimensions and the relative positions of the various elements previously described.
• the transition between these two functions can be made more easily perceptible for the pianist by adding to the mechanism a mechanical part capable of moving and encountering, on passing from the harmonic position, an obstacle generating, for the pianist, a feeling of hard point to cross in the race of the pedal.

Landscapes

• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Acoustics & Sound (AREA)
• Multimedia (AREA)
• Electrophonic Musical Instruments (AREA)
• Mechanical Control Devices (AREA)
• Vibration Prevention Devices (AREA)
• Stringed Musical Instruments (AREA)
• Toys (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=9475662

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (8)

Families Citing this family (14)

Family Cites Families (2)

• 1995
  • 1995-01-31 FR FR9501078A patent/FR2730084B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 1996
  • 1996-01-19 EP EP96901419A patent/EP0807303B1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1996-01-19 JP JP8523300A patent/JPH10513271A/ja not_active Ceased
  • 1996-01-19 WO PCT/FR1996/000090 patent/WO1996024125A1/fr active IP Right Grant
  • 1996-01-19 KR KR1019970705191A patent/KR100388177B1/ko not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1996-01-19 DE DE69603576T patent/DE69603576T2/de not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1996-01-19 CN CN96191698A patent/CN1105376C/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 1997
  • 1997-07-15 US US08/882,777 patent/US5936172A/en not_active Expired - Fee Related

Non-Patent Citations (1)

Also Published As

Similar Documents

Legal Events