US1483104A - Damper attachment for pianos - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 12 1924. 1,483,104 D. MCILWRATH v DAMPER ATTACHMENT FOR PIANOS Filed Ap'nil 21. 1922 2 Sheets-Shes?.r l

Feb. y

1,483,104 D. MCILWRATH DAMPER ATTACHMENT FOR PIANOS Filed April 2l, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 12, 1924.

DAVID MCILWRATH, OF NEWCASTLE, INDIANA.

DAMPER ATTACHMENT FOR PIANOS.

`Application filed April 21, 1922. Serial No. 555,901.

To .CIU whom t 27mg/ concor/li lie it known that l, DAvin Moliiwnii'riifr, a citizen of the United States, residing :it Qevfcastlc. iu the county olf Henry and State oi Indiana, have invented new and useful linprovemcnts in Damper Attachments for Pianos, of which the following is a specification.

lhe object of this invention is to provide means in the actions of grand, upright, and playenpianos, whether hand, foot, or electrically opi-irated. wl'lereby the tone-volume can be reduced from three to either one, or two strings per unison, and to produce an attachment to the piano action. oi' specially ifi-ranged group unites or dampers which are og; ated by the regula-r foot-pedals in handplaying pianos or by lever or automatic equipment in playeiepianos. whe-ther foot or electrically operated. This appliance reduces or subsides the volume ot tone in desired secti/.nis ot the piano, as above de- Sfc ri bed.

A Yfurther object of this invention is to provi h= a device `for lthe above purpose which can be applied to either grand or upright actions as now used, and, by making the actions stationary will give the same or more pleasing eii'ects and will eliminate the sliding or shfliting action in grand pianos when soit or reduced volume is desired.

The object also is to prevent lost motion in upright and player actions caused by the use oi the soft pedal as at present equipped and further object is to prevent much oif the wear and frequent action-adjustment now necessary in upright and grand pianos under present methods of construction, and one of my important objects is to produce the sweet dulcimer effects so.

much desired in the rendition of certain musical compositions.

l accomplish the above, and other objects which will hereinafter appear, by the mech anism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1, is a view in vertical section ot the string and hammer mechanism of a standard piano shown in part and with my invention applied' thereto and operated by a foot pedal mechanism, as illustrated in full lines and also showing the hand-lever operating mechanism in dotted lines the view being substantially on the line 1-1 of Fig. 2. F ig. 2, is a view in rear elevation of the middle portions of the strings of the piano showing the application of the mutes or dampers and their supporting and operating mechanism comprising the essential features of my invention. Fig. 3, is a section on the line 31% of Fig. 2 and Fig. 4 is a like section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Like characters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

The treble strings 5 and base strings 6 are oi usual construction for pianos and are vibrated by being struck by a hammer 7, operated by liey levers and the usual and suitable mechanism (not shown).

Supported upon and by a board 8 are standards 9 which support brackets 10 and 11 to which bracket supports 3 are fastened and in the ends of these supports a rock-bar 12 is journaled. The dampers 13 are of usual construction. Mounted on the rockbar 12 is a mute-bar l-l which swings in unison with the rocking movement oi' the bar 12. Mounted on the mute-bar 14 is a series ci felt pads 15 which have tapering sides and are so proportioned and placed as to contact one or two strings, according to the desire of the builder, when the bar 12 is suitably rocked, and by such contact mute the strings contacted.

Generally two strings are rendered imite by the contact of the pads 15 with said strings, and a third one or a pair of strings not contacted and allowed to function, produce the dulcimer effect required for the intended rendition oi' certain musical classics written before the development of the modern piano and not possible of rendition on the latter as now constructed, lwithout my attachment. It is entirely optional as to whether two strings are damped or only one is damped by each pad 15.

A rod 16 is attached to an arm 17 extending from the rock-bar 12, and by a longitudinal movement imparted to the rod 16 the bar 12 is rocked. This movement of rod 16 may be by lever 18 iulcrumed at 19, upon the rear end of which lever the rod 16 is attached and with the front end o'l which lever a toot-operated pedal 2O is connected. Movement of rod 16 may he in'iparted through a hand-lever 21 shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1.

The operation or' my invention is obvious from the above description, taken with the illustration of the drawing, and while I have here shown the preferred form of my inveution, it is capable of variations, Sonie of which lieve been speciiczilhv inentioned ind I therefore do not desire to be liniited to the precise forni shown, or any niore than is required by tlie appended claims; and having thus fullyv described lny invention what I claiin as new and nisli to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination with a group of treble strings of a piano and n group ot bass strings, all substantially in i connnon plane, of a rock-bar crossing both string groups, means for rocking tlie burr` :i imite-bnr lifted to nieve Witli the rocl-bnr und also crossing both string groups7 and pads [ined to tbc. mute-bar, each oi said pads being" adapted to Contact one or inore of said strings when the rock-bar is rocked in one direction and to be disengaged therefrom when the rockbar is oppositelyv rocked,

2. The, combination, with the strings of n piano. of i roclvbzir, zi mute-bar Swinging in unison with tbe rock-bar, tapering pads on the mute, bnr placed to enter between the strings by the rocking ot the roclebnr and g5 DAVID Moll'VHiYl`I-l.

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