US1009330A - Expression device for musical instruments. - Google Patents

Description

Patented Nov. 21, 1911.

L. H. MAIER. EXPRESIEION DEVICE FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLIUATION FILED 00119 1910.

Wane

LOUIS H. MAIEB, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

EXPRESSION DEVICE FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

Specification of Letters ratent.

1 ,ooasso.

Patented Nov. 21, 1911.

Application filed October 19, 1910. Serial No. 587,796.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LOUIS H. MAIER, a citizen of the United States, and resident of New York city, borough of Bronx, in the county York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Expression Devices for Musical Instruments, of which the follow ing is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide im roved means to permit the damping or so toning of the tones at will of various series of strings of a piano, whereby the strings of one, two or more of such series may be damped as desired, to produce subdued or pianissimo effects.

In carrying out my invention I provide a plurality of hammer rails, each rail being associated with a desired number of hammers of the piano action, and each of such rails is connected with operating means for independently operating each such rail, the means I have shown comprising concentrically dis osed oscillatory members, each member eing, connected with one of the hammer rails to support and operate the same, with means for independently operating, as desired each of such members.

My invention also comprises novel details of improvement and combination of parts that will be more fully hereinafter set forth and then pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein,

Figure 1 is a face view, partly broken, of a portion of a piano action illustrating my improvements 'in connection therewith, the operating bellows being illustrated on a reduced scale; Fig. 2 is a vertical section substantially on the line 2, 2, in Fig. 1, and Fi 3 is a central section through a portion 0 the operating members for the hammer rails.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding arts in the several views.

The numera s 1 2, 3, indicate hammer rails shown provided with felt or the like 2, 3, each of said rails bein of suitable length to coact with any desire num r of hammers 4 of the piano action, which latter may be of an well-known or suitable construction. Said rails are shown in line with each other, end to end.

' At 5 is a shaft or member rock in suitable bearings and shown proof New York and State of Neva journaled to vided with arms or supports 5 connected with the hammer rail 3.

At 6 is a tubular shaft or ed concentrically upon shaft with arms or supports 6 hammer rail 2.

At 7 is a tubular shaft or member mounted concentrically upon shaft 6 and provided with arms or supports 7 connected with hammer rail '1.

The concentric shafts 5, (l, 7, are shown journaled in hearings ,in the piano action brackets 8, which are shown supporting the general hammer rail 9 that extends the length of the :tion and operated by a pedal as usual, said rail having usual felt 10, althou h said shafts may be supported in any suita le manner.

In Fig. 1 the hammer rails 1, 2, 3 and their shafts are shown broken away to indicate that they each may be of any desired length to correspond to" any desired number of strings, and the length of shaft 5 will be equal to the entire series of strings, while shafts 6, 7, will have a suitable length proportioned to the number of hammers with which the corresponding hammer rails .coact, any suitable number of such rails and their shafts being provided. The shafts 5,

member mount- 5 and provided connected with 6, 7 are provided, respectively, with arms or projections 5", 6", 7", for rocking said shafts separately. Suitable means are provided for operating said arms. The means I have shown for such purpose comprise independent bellows 11, upon a chest 12, and connected with the corresponding arm 5, G", 7", by suitable links or rods 11, shown attached to brackets 14 carried by said pneumatics or bellows. I

Any suitable means may be rovided for cau ing the operation of either of such pneumatics or bellows which have well valves. I have shown pi cs 15 which communicate with each sucii valve as usual. Suction through said chest is maintained in any suitable or well known manner through pipe 12. From the foregoing it will be understood that when either of the pneumatics is caused to collapse it will operate the corresponding rod 11 and arm 5", 6 or 7'', to cause operation of the corresponding shaft 5, (l or 7, whereby the corresponding hammer rail 1, 2 or 3 will be moved forwardly to carr the corresponding series. of hammers orwardly to reduce the lit) blow of the hammer on string 1), as to a point ct'irrosponding to tho liroktrn lino a in Fig. 2. ()no or more of suoh hammcr raih may hi lipci'zitcd at a time. This may lit donthr spring prcs t-d huttons IT opcratin rain-s l8 that control tho opcninnj and closing of the oriticcs ot' pipcs l5. liy this means damping of any dcsircd set of strings whethor in the trohle, bass or tenor, or an) number of these, may he ott'eoted as dusircd, whereby pianis-simo or subdued tonal of facts may he produced at. will. By having tho shafts 5i, 6, 7 supported coiurentrivally as sct forth and correspondingly carrying thc hammer rails, the positions of the latter may he maintained uniformly with respect t i'ach other, the construction is simpliticd. and a compat't arrangement is provided.

Having now describedmy invention what l i on i 1 l. 'ilnr combination with the llttlliliiti's of a piano action, of a plurality of hal'nnlcr tails. t-{t 'tl assoriiatcd with a plurality of said hanmu rs a shaft supporting one of said rails. and a hollow shaft disposcd upon the tirst nauu'd shat't and connectod with anothr-r of said rails, said shafts being rotatahly mountcd.

2. tho conihiliation with the hammers of a piano action. of a pltli'alityot hammcr rails adjaccnt said hannners, a shaft, supports connecting said shaft with out of said rails, a hollow shaft cont'untrically disposcd up n the lirst named shaft, supports (f0!)- nerting tho hollow shaft with another of said rails, a serond hollow shaft conccntrirally disposed upon the first named hollow shaft supports connecting the second named hollow shaft with another of said hammer rails. and tin-ans for operating said shafts at will.

rails, t'oii cntrically ilisposcd mcmhcrs, each of which is connoctcd with our of said hammcr rails, pnctunatus, arms t-xtvndmg from said lllt'ttllit'l'h and tlilllltt'tlUHH lNl\\'t'('ll said arms and said pncumatics l'or opcratinp thc fornu-r lI Y thc lattvr to aotualv tluhanuucr rails.

.3. This combination with the hamnu-rs ot a piano action, ot a plurality of hammt-r rails, ttilltt'lltl'ltit l disposcd mt-mhcrs cash 1 conncctcd with our of said hummcr rails, a

chest, a plurality of pnoumatics conncctcd with said chcsl. c nccntru'ally disposcd arms on said mcmhcrs, and moans conncct mg tilt'll t of said pntzumatu-s with said arm of our ol 1 said nu-mhcrs for rotating thc lath-r to aotu- 3, llurotnhination with the hammers of 1 a piano action, of a plurality of hammer ah, thc hammer rails.

(3. The comhination with tho hammcrs ot a piano action, of a plu'ality ot' hammcr rails, concentrically disposud mcmhcrs cach conucctvd with ouc of said hammcr rails, t chi-st, a plurality of pncumatics connci'trd with said chest. and moans connvctiug uach of said pnoumatirs with adjacent and ot' a corresponding member for rotating thilatter to actuate the hammer rails.

Signed at New York city, in the county of New York, and State of New York this lath day of October, A. D. 1910.

LOUIS H. AIER.

Witnesses T. F. BOURNE,

RALPH ll. RAPHAEL,

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