US1278773A - Extension-pedal. - Google Patents

Description

A. P. SMITH;

EXTENSION PEDAL.

APPLICATION FILED nae. 2. 1918.

"1,278,773. Patented Sept. 10,1918.

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A. Pi SMITH.

EXTENSION PEDAL.

APPLICATION FlLiD FEB. 2, 1918.

1,278,773. Patented Sept. 10,1918.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

ARTHUR r. sMI'rH, or PORTLAND, MAINE, ssronon OF ONE-HALF r RALPH w.

SMITH, or ALFRED, -MAINE.

Ex'rENsIon-rnnAL.

Specification of Letters rat-exit. Patented Sept. 10, 1918.

Application filed February 2, 1918. Serial No. 215,116.

To all MILO m, it may concern Be it known that I, ARTHUR P. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Portland, in the county of Cumberland and State of Maine, have invented new and useful Improvements in Extension-Pedals, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an attachment or extension for the pedals of pianos whereby the same may conveniently used by small children when playing a piano.

The primary object of the invention is to produce a device of this character which may be readily and securely attached to the piano; wherein the pedals may be adjusted to properly engage with the piano pedals of varying elevations from the bottom of the piano.

It is a further object of the invention to produce an attachment for this, purpose which shall be of an extreinely simple construction, ornamental in appearance, cheap in manufacture, and which will perform the function for which it is devised with ease and with accuracyl Other objects and advantages will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating the application of the improvement.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the improvement.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation thereof.

Fig. 4: is a sectional view approximately on the line l 1; of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view approximately on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2

While in the drawings I have illustrated the piano 7 as provided with three pedals 8, my iniproven'ient may be successfully employed on pianos with only two pedals.

The improvement includes a boxlike casing 9, the inner face of which being open, as is also the bottom thereof. The loweredges of the casing 9 have arranged thereon cushion members 10, providing the feet for the casing, and the inner straight edges of the casing have arranged thereon a facing of compressible material providing cushions 11 which are designed to contact with the lower portion of the piano, when the device is applied, so as not to mar or injure the piano.

On the inner sides 12 of the 9 are pivotally secured, as at 13, the inner ends of clamping jaws 1%. These jaws project a si'iitable distance beyond the inner end of the casing 9 and have their upper edges provided with a facing of compressible material l5. Passing through openings in the topof the casing and through threaded openings in the jaws 14 are 'screwslti, the upper or outer ends of the said screws being headed as at 17, and by turning the, screws the aws 1% will be brought toward or away from the top of the casing 9. The jaws are designed to be arranged beneath the piano and are brought into contact with the lower edge'of the piano by the adjustnent of the screws 16, whereby to hold the improvement against the piano.

Preferably the top of the casing 9, in ward of the corners thereof is reducedand provided with three longitudinally disposed, equally spaced slots or openings 'lSQand in these openings are designed to'be arranged the outer angular ends of the pedals of the improvement. i i As the pedal members are cachof a similar construction, the reference characters referring to the parts of one are to be con- ,idered equally applicable to similar parts of the others. The pedals are broadly indi cated by the numerals 19 and include each a substantially rectangular 20' having'its inner ed e pivoted, as at21, in the casing 9. Each ofthe pedals 19, upon its inner end is provided with an eye or hook that is engaged by a helical spring. 23, the outer end of each of the springsbeing connectedwith a bolt Q-i-fthat passes through an opening in a clea-t 25 suitably securedin the casing. Screwed on the bolts 24 are nuts 26 which contacting with the under face of the cleat 25 adjust the tension of the sprin s 23, and consequently the upward swinging movement of the pedals influenced by the springs.

The top portions of the pedals 19, at the outer ends thereof are provided with angular extensions 27, and one of these exten sions is received in each of the slots or openings 18. The outer ends of the extensions are preferably rounded and have arranged thereon a metallic protector plate 28. The casing 9, upon the top thereof, and at a suitable distance away from the ends 27 of the pedals 20 is provided with a heel rest 29, the same preferably con'iprising a strip of rubber, but, as the device, for the sake of cheapness is mainly constructed of wood, a metallic heel rest instead of an elastic or compressible heel rest may be employed.

The body portion 20 of each of the pedals 19, upon its lower surface, and from its outer end is formed with a longitudinally arranged notched or cut-away portion 30 within which is received an element in the nature of an arm 31. This arm 31 is hingedly connected to the lower edge of the body 20, as at 32, and the outer edge of the arm 31 is rounded transversely, as at 33. To the rounded end of the arm 31 is secured, as at Set a metal plate 35, the same being provided with a central elongated slot 36 and having its upper end curved outwardly, as at 37. One of the plates 35 is designed to be arranged against the outer edge of the extension 27 of the pedal 19, and passing through the slots 36 of each of the plates 35, and entering the said angular ends 27 of the pedals are the threaded shanks of spaced binding members 38. By adjusting the members 38 it will be noted that the arm 31 may be swung and retained at any desired angle with respect to the pedal 19. It will be further noted that the elements 38 are disposed above the top of the casing 9, and as the same are also arranged a suitable distance outward of the piano proper adjustment of the arms 31 may be made after the device has been arranged on the piano it will be obvious that such adjustment may be made before the device is attached to the piano.

From the foregoing description, when taken in connection'with the drawings it is believed that the simplicity, the easy man ner in which the same may be applied to or detached from the piano, the operation thereof, the cheapness of the construction as well as the advantages of the improve-- ment will be apparent, to those skilled in the art to which such inventions appertain without further detailed description, itbeing understood that when the device is arranged upon a piano having two pedals, two of the pedals of the improvement are arranged over the piano pedals, and, of course. when the device is arranged upon a piano having three pedals each of the pedals of the improvement is arranged over and in contact with the piano pedals.

It is to be also noted that by arranging the slotted plates on the rounded outer ends of the arms, the said plates may be arranged at any desired angle with respect to the said arms, so that the plates will properly engage with the outer faces of the pedal extensions, or with the angular ends of the said pedals, regardless of the angle to which the same is swung with respect to the pedal.

\Vhat I claim is:

1. In a device of the class described, a boxlike casing having an open end, pivoted jaws in the casing extending through the said open end, means exterior of the casing for adjusting said jaws with respect to the top of the casing, a series of pedals pivoted in the casing, eyes on the inner ends of said pedals, springs connected to said eyes, bolt members on said springs, a cleat in the casing having openings through which the bolts pass, and adjusting nuts for the bolts contacting with the under face of the cleat.

2. In a device of the class described, aboxlike casing, awsextending theret-hrough, adjusting means for said jaws,.spring.inuenced pedals pivoted in said casing, said pedals having outer angular ends passing through slots in the top of the casing, an arm hingedly connected with the underface of each of said pedals, a slotted -plate loosely connected with the arm, said plates arranged over the outer faces of the extensions of each of the pedals, and binding elements passing through the slots of said plates and contacting with the plates and entering the extensions of the pedals.

3. In a device of the class described, a boxlike casing, clamping means therefor. a series of pivoted spring influenced pedals in the casing, each of said pedals having an angular end projecting through openings in the top of the casing, each of said pedals having its lower edge notched longitudinally, an arm in said notch having its outer end rounded, said arm having its inner end hingedly connected to said pedal, a slotted plate loosely connected to the rounded end of the arm and arranged over the outer face of the pedal extension. and binding elements contacting the outer face of the plate and passing through the slot thereof and entering the angular end of the pedal.

In testimony whereof I aFfiX my signature.

ARTHUR P. SMITH.

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

Washington, D. C.

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