US1435442A - Piano action - Google Patents

Description

F. H. ABENDSCHEIN.

PIANO ACTION.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. I6. 192x.

Patented Nov. 14, 1922.

3 SHEETS-SHED I.

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F. H. ABENDSCHEIN.

PIANO ACTION.

INVENTOR ATTORNEYJ.

F. H. ABENDSCHEIN.

PIANO ACTION. KPPLICATION FILED SEPT-16, 1921 1 435,442 Patented Nov. 14, 1922.

3 SHEETSSHEE1 3.

W F, MN MW N W L fb Patented Nov. 14, 1922.

UNITED STATES FREDERICK H. ABENDSCHEIN, OF YONKERS, NEW YORK.

PIANO ACTION.

Application filed September 16, 1921. Serial No. 501,102.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK H. ABENDsoHEIN, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Yonkers, in the county of WVestchester and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Piano Actions, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention which forms the subject of this application for Letters Patent pertains to piano actions, having reference more particularly to those actions which are designed for use in a grand piano, and as adapted for this use the improvement will be hereinafter illustrated and described. The improvements reside in certain novel attachments and appliances in the action which very greatly contribute to its value, its efficiency and to-the finer playing qualities which highclass musicians seek and, in fact, require for perfect execution.

Primarily the improvements involve novel. means for producing a soft tone by the operation of the soft pedal; and the radically novel nature of this feature which I have devised may be most readily comprehended from the following considerations:

Heretofore in all grand pianos, actions not employing a lost motion device, were set on a shifting key-board. which, by means of a pedal and suitable intermediate mechanism was shifted laterally toward the treble to obtain a softer tone, so that the hammers, when a soft pedal tone or movement is required, do not strike the strings as they do when in position for striking a louder tone. It will be understood from this, that inasmuch as more force is required to propel the hammers against the strings to produce the loud tones and that as more loud than soft ones are struck, the hammers acquire from wear deep grooves from the impact of the greater force of blow, so that when shifting the key-board for a softer tone it can readily be seen that it is quite impossible for the hammers to strike the strings so that the same grooves in hammers acquired fromthe impact of the harder blow for loud tone do not come into play, other grooves being thereby formed as a result of the shifted blow, giving the striking face of the hammers a cut up or corrugated appearance and by reason of a certain amount of lateral vibration from impact of the hammer blow in both positions of the struck strings and hammers it can further readily be seen how impossible it is for either set of grooves now formed in hammer to correctly register with the strings. This condition is considerably aggravated when the hammers are caused to strike the strings in rapid succession as is frequently the case according to the nature of the music. In order to produce the proper volume of tone it is the practice to place the strings in a series of one, two or three strings to the note according to the section of the scale in which either of these series lie, the hammers therefore which are in position for normal or louder tone, strike one, two or three strings as the case might be, but by operation of the soft pedal the keyboard to which the action is attached is shifted sothat the hammers strike in the case of two strings only one, or of three strings only two. This has the effect of lessening the amount of vibration and therefore yields the so-called softer tone. While this plan has been in very general use, it nevertheless pre sents many objectionable features.

The key-board, for example, requiring to be shifted, was, necessarily, practically loose, being held in position merely by springs applied to either side of the key-frame and guides. These springs are liable to weaken and the guides due to the very nature of their construction are frail at best. Other conditions arise which make the plan objectionable, the chief trouble arising from the inability of the aforesaid grooves formed in striking face of the hammers caused by wear, to properlyregister with the strings from either the normal or shifted. position of keyboard, and when the blow is given there is caused a blurred tone, thebreaking away of the keyboard from its correct position, rattling, and its tendency, being free, to warp and thereby throw out of perfect regulation the action, with resultant trouble and annoyance to the musician.

By my improvement .a grand action with what is technically known as a lost motion attachment, which is another means for accomplishing the same result, avoids all of these objections, and in such case the keyframe may be fastened securely, and warping and tendency to get out of perfect regulation entirely done away with. This lost motion attachment differs from the shifting keyboard plan in the following particulars:

The soft pedal operates a hammer rail by means of which the hammers are to a certain extent raised. This is accomplished by means of a lifting lever and a hammer rail placed beneath the shanks ot the hammers,.

by which the latter are moved to a position of any lesser distance from the strings, usually in the soft pedal position one-half the full distance, thereby leaving a lesser distance through which the hammers travel tor the blow, and hence a less powertulxstroke against the strings.

In lifting the hammer rail mechanism, by means of the soft pedal, the hammer shank is raised from the support or wippen, which ordinarily transmits the movement to the pensated for in any way,-

shank and hammer. By this raising a space between the hammer shank knuckle and the WIPPGII is established which is technically practicable, since a skilled performer pre fers to have the same key depth at the front o'fthe key regardless of what conditions are established in the piano action itself. Secend, if the keys are not so'leaded as to dip in front so as toclose up the spacecreatcd between the shank and the wippen. there will 1 be a lost motion feeling detected by the player when the keys are depressed the full -.d1stance, as this: movement in space is talse to'a delicate finger and might create a force that would not control the lesser movement of the hammer as desired.

To compensate for and overcome the lost motion space between the shank knuckle and the wippen, without any dipping of the key to close it up, I have pivoted to the underside of the wippen a lever so disposed that its I forward end contacting with the wippen rests upon the capstan screw attached to the key which constitutes the point oi. power application of the latter in lifti. the piano action mechanism, while its rear end rests upon a litter, or What in my device constitutes a lost motion rod that is attached by arms which pivot in recesses in the action brackets and is in turn suspended by suit able means tci the pivoted arm of the hammer rail which. when the'soft pedal is applied, raises the hammer to an intermediate posi tion.

The rear end of the aforesaid pivoted lever is provided with anadjusting'screw carrying a padded button that contacts with theli-tter OF'lOSi'fIHOl'JlOD'IOd, and the hammer bracl rail is connected adjustably with this rod in such manner that when raised it raises also the rod, with the result that the'rear end of the pivoted lever, as well as the wippen, are raised, and as the forward end of said lever rests always on the capstan screw any movement of the key imparts, immediately, movement to the wippen and hammer, without regard tothe position of the latter, for while normally the capstan screw applies power directly through the forward end of the lever to the wippen, in the soft pedal position the rear end of said lever bearing on the latter or lost motion rod is raised by the movement imparted to itby the keyuand turning upon the said rod as a fulcrum raises the w-ippen through its pivotal point of connection therewith.

In this device, broadly resides the main improvementwhich my invention involves. The invention, however, resides in certain other features such as an adjustable device for regulating the height of the lost motion rod and the position of the adjusting device for facilitating the use of an adjusting tool, recessed brackets for the saving of space which in itself is highly desirable and a distinct mechanical advantage and a novel form of: spiral spring for holding the lever firmly against the wippen. The nature of these improvements can best be gathered from the detailed description which follows, in which will also be set forth the improvements of minor importance which characterize my improved piano action. I pass, therefore, to such description-and to a consideration of the drawings hereto" annexed in which my improvements are shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of the essential parts of a grand piano action with my improvements applied thereto, the parts being shown in their normal position of rest.

Fig. 2 is a similar view of the same parts with the soft pedal depressed to raise the hammers to an intermediate position.

3 is a similar view of the same parts wvith a key depressed to throw the hammer.

hi is a detail view of the lever hereinbeforerlescribed as pivoted to the wippen. Fi 5 is a detail view of a recessed action ona reduced scale and Fig. 6 is a section on line 66 of Fig. 5.

in my description I shall assume that all parts of the piano action not embodying my improvements are well known :by those skilled in the art to which this specification is addressed, and require but passing;

consideration and very little description. It may be assumed, therefore, that 1 represents a key, 2 the capstan screw carried thereby, and 3 the wippen pivoted at l, and operating when raised by the key to throw the hammer 5, pivoted in the line 6; The various parts carried by or operating connection" with this wippen, not hereinafter specifically deat all times in'its normal position of. contact with the wippen, as shown in Fig. 1.

The rear end of the lever 8 carries an adjusting screw 11 having a padded button 12 at its lower end, which by the adjustment of the parts normally rests very close to or in light contact with a lifter or lost motion rod 13. This rod 13 is supported by arms 14, pivoted at 15 in recesses 32 in action 'brackets 33 shown in the figures and is therefore capable of an oscillatory movement about 15 as a center. To said rod is secured a bracket 16 to which is pivotally connected a connection block 17. through which extends and is freely movable therein, a headed threaded rod 18. The said rod 18 carries a threaded nut'19, pivotally connected to a clamp nut 20 carried by one of the supporting arms or hooks 21, for the hammerrail 22, pivoted in the line 6. A lock nut 23 is provided for fixing the position of the screw nut 19.

The parts thus constructed are adjusted by means of the clamp nut 20 and the screw nut 19, so that the hammer rail 22 and the rod 13 move in perfect unison. That is to say, when the hammer rail is raised by the soft pedal in the usual manner, the screw rod 18 is drawn upward and forward and thus raises the rod 13 inexact unison with the movement of the hammer rail.

Normally, or when the soft pedal is not in I use, any movement of a key 1 is imparted directly by the capstan screw 2 through the padded end of the lever 8 to the wippen 3, and the hammer is immediately thrown. By the action of the spiral spring 10 the lever 8 is held against the wippen'at all times and the lever has no motion of its own.

It is therefore, in effect, an'integral part of of connection of sai the wippen and its presence is not detectable by the player. I

Assume, however, that the soft pedal be depressed. This operates to raise the hammer to its intermediate position. It also raises the rod 13 and hence the button 12, and the rear end of the pivoted lever 8. The forward end of the lever is notthereby raised from the capstan screw 2, so that the rear end of thelever resting on the raised rod 13 becomes the ower. the pivotal point 8 lever with the wippen the weight, which is slightly raised, and the forward end resting upon the capstan screw still further raised.

tion and then depressing a key, has a double function in throwing the power, weight and fulcrum back and forth, creating an even and continuous movement without any l st motion, in the action or in the feeling to the musician at the instrument.

This lever, in other words, takes up the foreshortening of the piano action when placed in the soft pedal or half blow position, in such a way that the most skilled performer does not realize nor feel that the action has been foreshortened by any contrivance. In fact a most important and novel feature of the device in this regard is that less power is needed to depress a key when the lost motion movement is in op eration, thereby making the touch lighter, a

.most desirable feature when a reduced force above described is that it is located entirely back of the capstan screw, and so arranged that it occupies no more space than that of an ordinary grand piano action. It also results from this that the necessity of removing the lost motion rod 13 when an operator is called upon to regulate the capstan screw which regulates the action itself. is eliminated for the latteris readily accessible from the front and may be turned by any ordinary tool.

This feature of ready adjustment applies also to the combined lifting mechanism, such adjustment being effected by simply turning the squared exposed end of the screw rod 18- and loosening and tightening the lock nut 23, without disarranging any parts of the actionv or parts associated therewith. By these means the rod 13 mav be readily adjusted up or down as needed. and then locked in its adjusted position. such regulation being for the purpose of controlling the postion of the rod in general against the regulatable button of the lever 8, and then for individual regulation of the lever itself by means of the squared top of the screw 11, which is readily accessible through openings in the frame bars of the wippen or support.

Another and important feature which, however, I do not claim herein, of my improved action is in the spring; which sets to depress the sostenuto lever 24-. inerily this springi beers directly :lrom s point of attachment above the pivotal point oi? this lever upon the top of the same, but this results in a. relative movement bet-Wee the lever and the end of the sorinp' Which inv time almost inevitably resul s in squealing.

To avoid this I mount the spring 25 at a point 26, belovwsn dba-clr of the pivotelpoint end then bend it over so the; its end rests in a slight (LlQPI'GSSlOR in the top of the lever By this construction there isno sliding movement of the end of them on the lever. and. triction and resulting; sounds are completely eliminated.

Still another device is also cm nloyed.

There is alivzys a catch block 27. p *oted to secured in the block 27, While the other free end is simply bent back end lies in n cut or slot in the stationary this means the block is always held by a light spring pressure in its prope and nor- I mel position.

Consi lering; now, inits broader aspects, the construction and functions of my improved piano action, and more part cularly the soft pedal or lost motion mechani, n. it is manifest that when the soft oedel is depressed the hammers ere but conta between the hammers and the \vi tipens supports is maintained by a correspond" elevation of the latte i l ithout the sp provision which i nslie, this would. eitier leave a space between the capstan screw and the Wippen, or the tore, is to use a rigidly extensible connection between the key or its cspst screw and the ivippen when the hannneris set? to its in tern'ie'diste soft pedal po ion. Through and by means of this connectnn all. lost motion is taken up, and WJllllG the key has its full movement, the h nmer bet half of its normal movement and the depression of the key results in the immediate oi the hammer. F o or as l are aware t aradicslly new Feature inpiiino actions in the form in which I have designated and illustrated it.

..gain it will be observei l that Weight of the rod 13 and its connectio the hammer rail arms is su 'iported bi two fi ed hearings or supports athe pivots point of the hammer rail arm 21. end the hammer rail rest 31. The entire Weight o t part 30. By

front of the key would dip to close it. What I virtusllydo, there the cnti re i the hammer shank and support or W-ippen, furthermore, is borne by the lever 8 between tWo fixed bearing; sunports,-the capstan screw at. d the rod 13. Both of these features are of great advantage as they tend. to keep the action in better regulation and contribute to the better balance of the entire movement.

The several parts of my improved mechanism may be very greatly varied, so far as its ultimate purposeand function are con ceriied. ts specific mode of attachment may also be greatly modified, and the specific construction oi"- the other parts of the piano action are not manifestly of the essence of my invention. i i

vl-ifaving now described my invention, what i claim is:

1. In a piano action, the combination. with the he; ers of s pedal operated hammer rail f ising the hammers for softer tones,

wippens for operating the hammers, swing ing levers pivoted at theirfmiddle points to raid iv. pens, the ends of the forwardly 8X- tendin rms or which. lie in contact with the Wi.]')] )11$, and a litter rod connected to the hammer rail and lying; under the ends of the reerivardly est-ending, arms of said levers, the forwaid ends 0t said levers resting in operative contact with the keys.

2. in a nisno action, the combination with the lien of a. pedal operated, hammer reil tor raising the same for softer tones, ivippens for operating the hammers, swinglevers pivoted to said ivippens-pspiral .piings betiveenthe Wippens end the rear portions of said l6Y8 'S ,.Wl1616by thetorvvard ends of: said lovers are held normally against the ivippensi and a litter rod connected With and adapted to be rsised bythe hammer rail and lying under the rear, ends of the pivoted levers. the forward ends of said levers resting; in operative contact with the keys.

3. in; a piano action, the combination with the hamm rs of a. pedal operated hammer reil for raising the some, Wippens for operating the hammers, levers pivoted at their middle points beneath and to the wippens, and capable of movement about such pivotal. points of connection with said ivippens, lifter rod. and adjustable con nection between the some and the supports 1 the hammer 11's.. said lifter rod lying i ler the ends of the rearw'ardly extend ing; arms of the pivoted levers whereby said ends are raised when the hammers are lifted to an i. mediate position, the forwardly extending arms of the said pivoted levers resting in operative contact with the keys.

4;. in a piano action, the combination with the hammers, of a pedal operated hammer rail for raising the same, Wippens for operating the-hammers, swinging levers pivoted at their middle points to the under side of said Wippens, the endsof their for- .Wsrdly extending armsbeing normally in contact with the wippens, an oscillatory lifter rod lying under the ends of the rearwardly extending arms of said levers, a rod pivotally connected with said lifter rod, and adjustable connections between said pivoted rod and the hammer rail supports whereby the lifter rod may be moved in unison with. the hammer rail, the forwardly extending arms of said pivoted ley ers resting in operative contact with the keys.

In a piano action, the combination with the hammers of a pedal operated hammer rail for raising the same, wippens for operating the hammers, swinging levers pivoted at their middle points to the under side of the wippens, the ends of their forwardly extending arms being normally in contact with the wippens and the ends of their rearwardly extending arms being provided with adjustable buttons, an oscillating lifter rod lying under the adjustable buttons, and adjustable connections between said lifter rod and the hammer rail supports by means of which the two move in unison, the forwardly extending arms of said pivoted levers resting in operative contact with the keys.

6. In a piano action, the combination with the hammers, of a pedal operated hammer rail for lifting the same, wippens for operating the hammers, a lifter rod movable in uni-- son with said hammer rail and levers inter mediate the wippens and keys of the piano, said. levers being pivoted at their middle points to the wippens, the forwardly extending ends of which are in contact with the keys and the rearwardly extending ends resting on the lifter rod, the said levers and lifter rod being located back of the oint of engagement of the keys and pivoted evers.

7. A piano action comprising, in combination, hammers, a pedal operated hammer rail, wippens, levers pivoted at their middle pointsbeneath and to said wippens, a lifter rod, connections for moving the same in unison with the hammer rail and lying under the ends of the rearwardly extending arms of the pivoted levers, the forwardly extending arms of which rest in contact with capstan screws on the piano keys, and means for adjusting the connections between the lifter rod and hammer rail, said means be ing accessible from the front of the instrument for purposes of ready adjustment.

8. In a piano action, the combination with the hammers of a hammer rail and hammer rail supports, arms pivoted to a fixed support for supporting the hammer rail, wippens for operating the hammers, swinging levers pivoted to the wippens, a lifter rod under the rear ends of said levers, connections between the same and the hammer rail arms at a point intermediate the hammer rail rests and the fixed pivotal points of said arms, the forward ends of the pivoted levers resting in operative contact with the piano keys.

9. In a piano action the combination with the hammers, a hammer rail and pivoted arms supporting the rail, of wippens for raising the hammers, a lifter rod connected to the pivoted arms and adapted to be raised in unison with the hammer rail, and levers pivoted to the underside of the wippens at points intermediate the rod and the points of contact of the keys and wippens, the rear ends of said levers lying over the lifter rod and the forward ends over the contact points of the keys.

10. In a piano action, the combination with the hammers of a pedal operated hammer rail for raising the same for softer tones, wippens for operating the hammers, swinging levers pivoted to said wippens, the forward ends of which lie in contact with the wippen action brackets, a lifter rod, arms supporting said rod pivoted in recesses in the sides of the action brackets, said lifter rod being connected to the hammer rail and lying under the rear ends of the said swinging levers, the forward ends of said levers resting in contact with the piano keys.

In testimony whereof I hereto afiix my signature.

FREDERICK H. ABENDSCHEIN.

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