US1024235A

US1024235A - Piano tone-modifier.

Info

Publication number: US1024235A
Application number: US58973910A
Authority: US
Inventors: Philip Wales
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1910-10-29
Filing date: 1910-10-29
Publication date: 1912-04-23
Anticipated expiration: 1929-04-23

Description

P. WALES.

PIANO TONE MODIFIBR.

APPLICATION FILED 001. 29, 1910.

1,024,235. Patented Apr. 23, 1912.

2 BHEETS-SHBET 1.

- WWWW COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH $0., WASHINGTON. u c.

P. WALES.

PIANO TONE MODIFIER.

APPLIOATION FILED OUT. 29, 1910.

1,024,235. Patented Apr. 23, 1912.

2 SHEBTS-SHEET 2.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAP" C0..WAsHlNnTON. D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT oEEIoE.

PHILIP WALES, OF COV'INGTON, KENTUCKY.

PIANO TONE-MODIFIER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PHILIP VVALES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Covington, in the county of Kenton and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Piano Tone-Modifiers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a device to be used on pianos which allows a variation of tone to be obtained from the piano, by means of the use of different striking points in said device.

The object of my invention is to construct a device which may be readily attached to any piano and may be easily adjusted to produce a variety of tones.

My invention consists in providing a support extending across the piano action having striking shanks mounted in said support, striking heads on said shanks, and means whereby said support may be readily adjusted in order that any Striking shank may be brought into the path of the hammer of the piano, so that the striking head on the end of said hammer shank will strike the strings of the piano when the hammer of said piano is operated.

In the accompanying drawing which serves to illustrate my invention: Figure l is a vertical cross section taken through the action of any upright piano equipped with my invention. F ig. 2 is a fragmentary front elevation showing my device mounted in front of the hammers of the piano, some of the hammers being broken away for the sake of clearness. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the track which is mounted on the sides of the piano in which my device slides. Fig. 4 is a detailed view of one of the striking shanks mounted in the support. Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view taken through the action of a grand piano equipped with my device.

In the embodiment of my invention, as illustrated, 1 represents the hammer shanks of the piano and 2 the hammers of same. The piano action for operating the hammer shanks and hammers is of the usual construction, the hammer shanks resting against the hammer rest rail 10, and being mounted in a hammer butt or heel 11. The hammer butt is operated by means of the jack 12,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 29, 1910.

Patented Apr. 23, 1912.

Serial No. 589,739.

which is operated by the jack rocker 13, in which the bridle and catch wires are set. The jack rocker is operated in the usual manner by the lifter 15, which is operated by the rocker 16 to which are attached the piano keys (not shown.)

A support rail 17 is provided directly in front of the hammers 2 of the piano and several series of

shanks

18,19, 20, 21 and 22 are mounted therein, each series being adapted to be placed in striking position directly in front of the hammers of the piano by means which will hereinafter be described. Each series of striking shanks is provided with a corresponding number of striking heads, each series, however, being provided with differently constructed striking heads in order that different tones may be produced when different striking heads strike the strings of the piano. The series of striking shanks are provided with striking points or

heads

18, 19, 20, 21 and 22 respectively. The horizontal support rail 17 which extends across the piano action is slidably mounted in tracks 23 which are fastened on the sides of the piano. Fastened to the bottom of said horizontal support rail 17 are two arms 24, which extend downwardly one at each side of the piano, thereby clearing the piano action, and are adapted to be operated at the bottom thereof by a pedal of the piano. These downwardly extending arms or rods 24 may each be guided by means of a guide 25 if desired.

The pedal 26 of the piano is pivoted at 27, and has a link or arm 28 mounted at the end thereof which in turn is pivoted at 29. When the pedal 26 is forced downwardly, the end of the arm 28 is also forced downwardly and engages a series of teeth 30 on the lower end of the rod or arms 24, thereby moving said arms or rods 24 downwardly in order that the horizontal support rail 17 may be moved downwardly to bring a different se ries of striking shanks in striking position.

A spring 31 is suitably mounted in the sides of the piano, and is adapted to engage depressions or hollow surfaces 32 in the sides of the downwardly extending arms 24. Thus when it is desired to bring a series of striking shanks into striking position, it is necessary to operate the pedal until the spring 31 has engaged the proper depression. The

spring 31 is then strong enough to hold said horizontal support in that position until the pedal is operated again.

A collar 33 is mounted on the downwardly extending arms 21 and is adapted to bear against the spring 31, the other end of the spring 31 hearing against a stationary bearing 35, which is suitably mounted on each side of the piano. lVhen it is desired to allow the support rail 17 to rise to its uppermost position, the pedal may be operated and released quickly, which will allow the spring 34: to carry the arms 24 upwardly against the pressure of the spring 31, and will not give the spring 31 time to engage and hold the arms in the depressions 32.

lVhen the horizontal support rail 17 is in its uppermost position, the normal hammers 2 of the piano may be employed. This, however, is not necessary inasmuch as a striking head may be provided on the horizontal support 17 which corresponds in construction to the original hammer head of the piano, and which would produce the same quality of tone as the hammer head 2.

In order to prevent the striking shanks from interfering with the hammers 2 of the piano when said striking shanks are being adjusted vertically, I provide means for disconnecting acks 12 of the piano action from the hammer butt 11, thereby preventing the hammer shanks from being operated. To accomplish this result I provide a bar 39 which extends across the piano action in front of the jacks 12 and is provided with arms 10 extending along the sides of the piano, having rollers 11 mounted on the ends thereof. The rollers 11 are adapted to engage the irregular surfaces 11 of the downwardly extending arms 24. The arms 10 on which the horizontal bar 39 is mounted may be journaled in suitable bearings 13 on the sides of the piano. As the arms 2a of the horizontal support rail 17 are operated vertically, it is seen that the rollers 11 will ride on the irregular surfaces 42 and thereby force the horizontal bar 39 to operate the acks 12, which in turn lock the hammer action and thereby prevent the hammers from being operated when said horizontal support rail 17 is being adjusted. The cam surfaces all along the arms 24: may be placed in correct position and may be distanced apart properly to make the arms 10 operate the jacks 12 at the proper time.

The striking shanks are all mounted so as to be struck accurately by the hammers of the piano, there being as many striking shanks in a series as there are keys or piano hammers on the piano. The striking shanks are provided with springs $1 one end of which is fastened to the striking shank. The purpose of the springs 44; is to return the striking shanks to their normal position after they have been operated.

My device may be applied to a grand or square piano as well as to the upright, and may also be used on any automatic player pianos. In Fig. 5 of the drawings I have shown my device applied to a grand piano.

The support 15 is mounted in the tracks a6 011 the sides of the piano and has arms 17 fastened thereto at 418. The arm 17 may extend to the front exposed part of the piano. The striking shanks and striking heads are constructed like those shown in the upright action having springs 141 for returning the striking shanks to their normal position. Teeth 49 may be provided in the arms 47 to engage a standard 50 thus causing the arm to stop at each striking position of the striking shanks of the support. A small spring 51 may hold the arm etS down in engagement with the standard 50 and the arm -18 may be raised against the pressure of the spring 51 when returning to its normal position. The support for the striking heads may be moved out of the striking path of the normal hammers 2 of the piano if desired. Thus it is seen that my device may be operated with a stop on the front of the piano similar to an organ, to obtain various tones, from the piano.

Many different means of operating my device may be employed, and I do not wish to be confined to the particular means shown.

The grand action shown is that which is in common use, 52 showing the piano keys partly broken away and 53 the rocker. The rocker operates the lifter 54C in the usual manner, which in turn operates the escape-' ment lever rocker 55. The escapement lever 56 is pivoted in the usual manner, as is also the hammer shank 57. The hammer shank 57 is mounted in the usual manner on the regulating and hammer rail 58.

Many modifications of my invention may be made without departing from its spirit and scope, and I do not wish to be confined to the exact details shown.

lVhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A piano tone modifier comprising a horizontally disposed support rail, a plurality of shanks having hammer heads mounted in vertical alinement therein, and a piano hammer adapted to strike any of said shanks as desired, substantially as set forth and for the purposes specified.

2. A piano tone modifier comprising a horizontally disposed and vertically slidable support rail, shanks each having a striking head mounted thereon and a piano hammer adapted to strike any of said shanks in the order desired, for the purposes set forth, substantially as specified.

3. A piano tone modifier comprising a horizontally disposed and vertically slidable support rail, a series of shanks arranged in vertical alinement thereon, each having a striking head and means adapted to strike any of said shanks.

4. A piano tone modifier, comprising a horizontally disposed and vertically movable support rail, shanks mounted in said support rail, a striking head on each shank, a piano hammer adapted to strike any one of said shanks as desired, and means Whereby said shanks may be adjusted to bring them into the path of said piano hammer for the purposes specified.

5. A piano tone modifier comprising a movable support rail, a plurality of series of shanks carried on said movable support rail and each having a striking hammer,

and piano hammers adapted to strike said shanks when said movable support rail is moved to proper position, substantially as set forth and for the purposes specified.

6. A piano tone modifier comprising a horizontal support rail, sets of striking members mounted therein, piano hammers, and means for moving said support rail vertically to permit a given piano hammer to strike different striking members as desired.

PHILIP VALES.

Witnesses:

JAMES N. RAMSEY, VVINONA DOAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0.