US1362220A - Piano-tool - Google Patents

Description

R. C. BISHOP.

PIANO TOOL.

APPLICATION man NOV. 21. 1919.

Patented Dec. 14, 1920.

mm (13 ml ll mll' Hm Mil mMEMP/M W mun A TTORNEYS UNITED STATES RUTHERFORD CHARLES BISHOP, 0F ADA, OKLAHOMA.

PIANO-TOOL.

Application fi1ed November 21, 1919.

T 0 all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, RUTHERFORD CHARLES Brsrror, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Ada, in the county of Pontotoc and State of Oklahoma, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Piano-Tools, of which the following 18 a specification.

My invention relates to a tool used in the repair and regulation of p1a no act1ons, and the purpose of my inventlon 1s the provision of such a tool which, although adaptable to innumerable uses in repairing and regulating piano actions, is especially designed for softening the felt of plano hammers and giving it the correct shape at its striking point, thereby improving the tone quallty of the piano.

The invention essentially consists in a pair of pivotally connected jaws which are curved to properly grip and compress the felt portion of a hammer to effect a loosen ing of the felt at its striking edge, thus restoring the original resiliency of the hammer. The invention also includes an abrasive element which is so shaped and supported as to facilitate the accurate reshaping of the hammer and an easy cleaning of the same.

I will describe one form of tool embodying my invention and will then po1nt out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a view showing in side elevation one form of tool embodying my inven tion" Fig. 2 is a view showing in edge elevation the tool shown in Fig. 1, a piano hammer being shown in phantom and gripped by the tool; and

Fig. 3 is a detail view of the abrasive ele ment and the manner in which it is applied to a piano hammer.

Similar reference characters refer to s1m1- lar parts in each of the views.

Referring specifically to the drawings, H and H designate a pair of handles which are disposed in the same plane and in spaced parallel relation to each other for a portion of their lengths, as indicated at One end of the linear portions 15 are 1nclined inwardly, as at 16, these converging portions being crossed and pivoted on a rivet or bolt 17. Formed on the ends of the converging portions 16 are a pair of jaws J and J which are curved outwardly so that Specification of Letters Patent.

site ends of which are Patented Dec. 14, 1920. Serial No. 339,652.

their free ends are substantially parallel to an axial line through the bolt 17. As clearly shown, the jaws J and J are gradually tapered toward their free ends, it having been found in practice that the most advantageous dimensions of the jaws are e of an inch wide at the point of connection with the handles and of an inch wide at their free ends. The inclined portion 16 of the handle H is provided with a threaded opening at a point adjacent the connection with the arm H to receive a screw 18 which is arranged to abut the inner face of the arm H and to thereby limit the inward movement of the handles and consequently the inward movement of the jaws. It will be understood that by rotating the screw 18 in one direction or the other, the contracted position of the jaws J and J can be readily varied.

l9 designates a leaf spring which is secured to the inner side of the inclined portion 16 of the arm H by'means of screws 20, the free end of the spring bearing against the inclined portion of the arm H and thereby serving to bias the handles outwardly so that in their normal position they are slightly spread. Secured to the inner side of the linear portion 15 of the arm H by means of screws 21 is an abrasive element "comprising a form or body 22 preferably formed of wood, such body being of substantially arcuate formation with its flat edge contacting with the linear portion 15 and secured thereto by the screws 21. Glued or otherwise secured to the outer edge of the body 22 is a strip 23 of sandpaper or other suitable abrasive material, the oppobent around to embrace the curved ends of the body and to thereby securely retain the same upon the body.

As illustrated to advantage in Fig. 1, the rear ends of the linear portion of the portion H and H are curved inwardly, as at 24 and 25, respectively, the latter curved portion being tapered to provide a prying bar which is capable of various uses in the repair and regulating of piano actions as well as other parts of a piano mechanism.

In the application of the tool to a piano for restoring the original resiliency of the felt, the hammer is placed between the jaws, as shown in Fig. 2, and the handles H and H compressed so that the jaws J and J grip the opposite sides of the barn mer at a point adjacent its striking edge. By applying sufiicient pressure to the handle H, the jaws J and J effect acompression of the felt at the opposite sides of the hammer thereby forcing the felt outwardly at the striking edge of the hammer and thus loosening the felt andrestoring its original resiliency. that because of the curvature of the jaws J and J= they are causedto embrace the hammer in the manner shown in Fig.2 so as to eifect a compression of the feltalong the striking edge of the hammer'with the greatest amountot compression at the exact point at which the hammer strikes the piano strings. This operation results in the f0rcing of the felt outwardly at the exact point at which the hammer engages the strings so that thegreatest amount ofresiliency is obtained at this point.

The screw 18, prevents undue compression of the hammer andlikewise prevents crushing of other parts of piano actions to which the tool isparticularly adapted.

The abrasive element carried by the handle H is used in the manner illustrated in Fig. 3, it being understood that the handle H can be swung outwardly to permit the unrestricted manipulation of the abrasive element in refinishing the working edge of the hammer. Because of the curvature of It will be particularly noted.

the abrasive element the reshaping of a hammer can be accomplished without necessitating the removal'of the hammer from the piano, it being obvious that by proper manipulation of the body 22 the grooves and ridges in the face of the hammer which result from the constant wear andcutting of the strings-after much use, can be removed, and the original curvature of the hammer can be restored after being subjected to the compression 'operationby the jaws J and J as has been previously described.

Although I have herein shown anddescribed only one form of piano tool embodying my invention, it is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be resorted to without departing. from the spirit of the invention and the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1.v A piano tool comprising a pair of pivoted jaws disposed in spaced parallel relation curved :in the i'iorm of an arc, and tapered in width from the point of their connection to their free ends.

2. A piano tool comprising, a pair of pivoted jaws disposed inspaced parallel relation and curved in the form of an arc.

=RUTHERFORD CHARLES BISHOP.

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