GB2326267A

GB2326267A - Adjustable height foot rest with a piano pedal extension mechanism

Info

Publication number: GB2326267A
Application number: GB9811979A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Suzanne Pillinger; Edward Pillinger
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1997-06-09
Filing date: 1998-06-05
Publication date: 1998-12-16
Anticipated expiration: 2018-06-05
Also published as: GB9711756D0; GB2326267B; GB9811979D0

Abstract

A height adjustable foot rest incorporating a piano pedal extension mechanism to enable children or people with short legs to operate piano pedals comfortably whilst maintaining a correct hand and foot position consistent with good piano technique. The height of the footrest 1 is easily adjusted by means of a knob 7 activating the rotatable screw 16 inside the carrier 15 or, alternative system, floating bar (20, Fig 5) causing reciprocating action of the scissor action legs 3. An auxiliary pedal 2 is attached to the foot rest 1 and activates the piano pedal by means of a connecting rod 11 joined to a lever 10 whose contoured end is in contact with the piano pedal 14. The height of the pedal is adjusted by means of a barrel ha and extendible piston 11b whose position is locked by means of a pinch screw 13.

Description

Adjustable Foot Rest Incorporating Piano Pedal Extension Mechanism for Grand and Upright Pianos This invention relates to an adjustable foot rest incorporating a piano pedal extension mechanism thereby enabling children or people with short legs to operate piano pedals comfortably whilst maintaining the correct hand and foot position consistent with good piano technique.

Young children, by virtue of their size, are precluded from using the pedals of a piano because, when pedalling, the heel of the foot (or feet) operating the pedal(s) must remain on the floor. This is impossible for young children if they are also to maintain a good seating position with arm and hand well positioned relative to the keyboard. In their enthusiasm, children do often try to use the pedal, either by 'pumping' with their toes, or by sliding off the piano stool and playing in a virtual standing position. This is altogether unsatisfactory and encourages bad practice. However, the inability to benefit from the increased resonance in the tone resulting from the use of the pedal, deprives children of an important musical dimension, and limits their choice of repertoire; this detracts from their personal enjoyment and is detrimental to their overall musical development.

Previous attempts have been made to provide a solution to this problem, but none of the prior devices has combined all the attributes of the present invention which include; simplicity of design using a minimum number of components; ease and speed for both a child and a teacher to set up and adjust; simulation of the usual visual and dimensional aspect of piano pedal in relation to floor.

An object of this invention is to provide a height adjustable foot rest for use with all types of upright and grand pianos, large enough to accommodate two feet comfortably, yet small enough so as not to obstruct the positioning of a piano stool.

A further object of this invention is to provide an adjustable piano pedal extension mechanism, thereby enabling children or people with short legs to operate piano pedals.

Accordingly, this invention provides a piano pedal extension mechanism, operated by an auxiliary pedal attached to a foot rest mounted on height adjustable scissor action legs.

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows in perspective the foot rest and auxiliary pedal mounted on scissor action legs; Figure 2 shows a side elevational view of the auxiliary pedal, connecting rod and transmission lever in their operating positions on the piano pedal; Figure 3 shows a sectional view of the foot rest height adjusting winding mechanism using a U bracket; Figure 4 shows an underside view of the U bracket system located over rear legs; Figure 5 shows a sectional view of the alternative foot rest height adjusting winding mechanism, in keeping with the spirit of the invention, where a threaded floating bar is used, in place of the U bracket; Figure 6 shows an underside view of the floating bar system; Referring to the drawings, the foot rest and pedal extension comprise a rectangular platform 1 mounted on a pair of scissor action legs 3, a foot rest height adjusting mechanism 8 attached to the front edge of the platform, and an auxiliary pedal 2 hinging on a pin 24 fixed through the upper portion of an L shaped mounting bracket 9 which is secured to the rear edge of the platform 1. The top section of the front pair of legs 3a is secured by means of two brackets 5 towards the rear of the platform but in front of the extendible connecting rod 11. The top section of the rear pair of legs 3b is held in position by the height adjustment mechanism 8 which is attached to the front underside of the platform. The height adjustment mechanism shown in figure 3, comprises a knob 7 rotating a worm screw 16 passing through the sides of a U shaped housing bracket 8 and held in place by a thrust washer 17 and split pin 18 outside the housing on the protuding section of the worm. A carriage in the form of a threaded U-bracket 15 is located on the worm between the inner sides of the housing bracket and moves along the worm as it is rotated. Figures 5 & 6 illustrate a small alteration to the system whereby the threaded U-bracket 15 is replaced by a threaded floating bar 20.

The connecting rod 11 which adjusts the height of the auxiliary pedal is attached to the underside of the auxiliary pedal by means of a pivot pin 22. The connecting rod 11 consisting of a barrel lia, piston 11b and pinch screw 13, passes through an aperture in the platform and connects with the transmission lever 10 where it is held by a pivot pin 23 between a small bracket 10a welded to the contoured end section of the transmission lever 10; this transmission lever 10 is welded to the rotatable axle 6 and due to the free rotation of the axle, is able to swing freely. A strip of high density felt 19 covers the underside of the contoured section of the lever where it comes into contact with the piano pedal 14, providing protection for the piano pedal and a smooth, silent action when in operation.

As illustrated in Figure 2, the device is placed in front of the piano 12 and over the pedal 14 in such a way that the transmission lever's specially contoured section, near to the connecting rod bracket, sits centrally on the widest part of the piano's sustaining pedal, as shown in Figure 2. In order to accommodate the wide variation of pedal height encountered in different makes of piano, the end of the transmission lever 10 is specially shaped. Where the piano pedal 14 is located in a high position relative to the floor, the device should be pulled back from the piano 12 so that the upward curving end portion of the contoured section of the transmission lever 10 rests centrally on the piano pedal 14. Where the piano pedal 14 is located in a low position relative to the floor, the device should be pushed closer to the piano so that the lower portion of the shaped section of the transmission lever 10 is in contact with the piano pedal 14.

As illustrated in Fig. 2 and Fig.3, the height of the foot rest platform and the height of the auxiliary pedal are adjusted independently. Having slackened the pinch screw 13 on the connecting rod 11, the platform is raised by turning the knob 7 on the foot rest height adjustment mechanism 8 anti-clockwise, causing the worm screw 16 to turn inside the threaded U-bracket 15 which is moved along the screw, carrying with it the top section of the rear legs; this brings the two pairs of legs closer together thereby raising the platform. Once a comfortable platform height has been obtained, the auxiliary pedal height can then be adjusted by means of the connecting rod 11 consisting of the barrel 1 la with inner extendible piston 1 1b. With the pinch screw loosened and the transmission lever in place on the piano pedal, the auxiliary pedal is then lifted to a horizontal position in relation to the platform. The independent adjustment of the auxiliary pedal 2 with the transmission lever 10 resting on the piano pedal 14 causes the connecting rod piston lib to assume the correct length between auxiliary pedal 2 and piano pedal 14. The pinch screw 13 is then tightened to secure the setting.

The present invention could also incorporate further extension mechanisms to operate the Una Corda pedal and the sostenuto pedal without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Claims

1. A piano pedal extension mechanism operated by an auxiliary pedal attached to a foot rest mounted on height adjustable legs.

2. A foot rest as claimed in Claim 1 whose dimensions are large enough to accommodate two feet yet small enough so as not to obstruct the positioning of a piano stool.

3. Height adjustable legs as claimed in Claim 1 where the legs are formed in two U shaped pairs, secured and pivoting at the centre of each leg to form a scissor action.

4. Height adjustable scissor action legs as claimed in Claim 3 which are secured to the underside of the footrest by means of mounting brackets and the height adjusting mechanism.

5. Adjustable scissor action legs as claimed in Claim 3 or Claim 4 where height is regulated by the horizontal movement of a rotatably carried U-shaped bracket located over the cross-bar of the rear pair of legs.

6. Adjustable scissor action legs as claimed in Claim 3, Claim 4 or Claim 5 where height is regulated by the horizontal movement of a rotatably carried floating bar positioned between and inside the two halves of the rear pair of legs.

7. A piano pedal extension mechanism as claimed in claim 1 where a vertically adjustable barrel and piston, clamped by means of a pinch screw, is connected to the underside of the auxiliary pedal, facilitating levelling of the auxiliary pedal in relation to the platform and transmitting downward movement to the transmission lever resting on the piano pedal.

8. A barrel and piston as claimed in claim 7 is connected to a lower transmission lever which is shaped so as to enable the device to operate with a wide variation of piano pedal height.

9. An adjustable foot rest incorporating piano pedal extension mechanism substantially as herein described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Amendments to the claims have been tiled as follows We claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent

1. An adjustable footrest and independently adjustable piano pedal extension for both upright and grand pianos, comprising: a) a rectangular platform large enough to accommodate both feet, but without obstruction to the positioning of a piano stool, b) with a hinged auxiliary pedal carried on an L-shaped bracket mounted towards the rear of the platform, c) with legs, formed from two U-shapes whose central sections are secured to the underside of the footrest by means of mounting brackets towards the rear of the platform for the front legs, and to the height-adjusting mechanism at the front for the rear legs, d) with the arms of two U-shapes, secured and pivoting in the centre of each leg to form a scissor action which adjusts the platform height, e) where the height of the footrest can be regulated, via a knob on the front underside of the platform, which activates a rotatable screw which produces horizontal movement of either i) a U-shaped bracket located over the cross bar of the rear pair of legs or ii) a threaded, floating bar positioned between and inside the two halves of the rear pair of legs either of which operates the scissor action legs, f) and a piano pedal extension mechanism, where a vertically-adjustable barrel and extendible piston, clamped by means of a pinch screw, is connected to the underside of the hinged auxiliary pedal, facilitating levelling of the auxiliary pedal in relation to the platform, and transmitting downward movement to the transmission lever resting on the piano pedal, g) the barrel and piston being connected to a lower transmission lever which connects to the piano pedal, and which is shaped to allow the device to operate within a wide variation of piano pedal height.