US1679187A - Piano - Google Patents

Description

Patented July 31 1928.

UNITED STATES PAUL H. TAYLOR, or WAKEFIELD, nessacnusnrrs.

PIANO.

Application filed February 28. 1927. Serial No. 171,425.

This invention relates to piano actions and aims to provide a novel and improved construction, one object of which is to provide a constantly increasing velocity and therefore greater force of impact for the hammer against the key while the key'is depressed at a uniform speed, and having, among others, the novel features and advantages hereinafter described.

In the drawing of one'embodiment of my invention selected for description and illustration herein, 7 f

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my novel action; l 0 Fig. 2, 'a' detail, enlarged, of portions or the key and wippen showing the'contactmg point between the two when the key is depressed half way; and p p I Fig. 3, a similar view of the same parts when the key is depressed to itsvful l extent.

In the drawing, Fig. 1, the key 1 isshown fulcrumed by any suitable construction, as the washer 2, pin 3 and V-shaped slot 4, dotted lines, upon the support 5, The key is provided at a suitable point with a novel upstanding wippen actuating post 6 having a curvilinear top constructed to cooperate with the suitably fashioned end of a downwardly extended post 7 on the lever 8 of the wippen, the latter being provlded also with the jack 9, hammer 10 as well as other con ventional parts not pertinent hereto.

While the cooperating surfaces of the key and wippen may beso shaped as to give any desired proportionate"accelerat on to the hammer 10 as compared to the action of the key 1, I prefer a logarithmically accelerated action of the hammer, andhave shown a. construction designed to etfect it, because such proportionate action is 1n accord with the law of response or receptivity of the ear to the intensity of sound, In other respects the construction of the wippen may be along conventional hnes.

When the key lis struck, Fig. l, the contact between the posts 6 and 7 is first made substantially at the point 11 on the post 6, and as the key is further depressed a succession of points of contact follow, and the contact point is advanced until, Fig. 1, when the key is depressed to the point designated (Z, in the diagram of its line of travel, and the hammer is raised to the point marked (Z, in the diagram of its path of travel, the

the meticulous player.

contact-point, between the two elements, Fig. 2, is substantially at the point marked 12.

When, Fig. 1, the hammer is depressed to the limit, point e in its line of travel and the hammer is raised to its highest point e, the

point of contact, Fig. 3, of the two posts 6, 7, is advanced substantially to the point 13.

It will be noted that, in the present case, every point of contact between the posts 6, 7, will be made on'the straight line oa-a: between the fulcrum-of the key and fulcrum of the wippen act-ion. Heretofore the contactingsurfaces of the usual capstan screw on the key and the wippen, or their equivalents,

and the action of the" key illlCl'WlPPQll have i not been designed to provide a succession of contacting points, but instead a progression of contacting and sliding surfaceareas with the result that there has alwayS been substantial friction between the two surfaces which, by my novel construction, is material- 1y eliminated; and there has been a lack of definitely predeterminedaccelerated rateof speed between the key and hammer of the action, with the result that the hammer speed has not been variable with respect tothe key speed and the hammer blows have been indefinitely uneven as to intensity measured by tone sensation.

By the foregoing described construction.

a constantly and regularly accelerating velocity of travel of the hammer isobtained so long as the hammer button rests upon the jack, according to the nature of-the blow upon the key by auniform velocity of the key, which ismuch easier and less tiring for Furthermore, the pressure of the finger-on the key is caused to be transmitted through the action and then to maintain the driving power upon the hammer button throughout the entire length of the travel of the jack. The velocity of the hammer travel does not become great enough from the initial movement of the key to cause it to run away from the jack as has hitherto been the case;

One result of this mode ofoperation is that "the force' of theimpact of the hammer against the string is more uniform throughout a series of notes than when the hammer" runs away from the 'jack;and this with the definitely accelerated rate of speed of the hammer results in more unlformity of playin with respect to loudness, or intensity and,

V markedly better tone volume control by the layer. Furthermore, the conscious effort of the meticulous player need not be focused so much upon his finger pressure upon the key, as is now necessary.

It will be noted, Fig. 1, that the key measurement from the fulcrum point on the pin 3 to the point 11 on the post 6 is less than from the fulcrum to the point 13, but the key co-operates with the lever 8 of the wippen, the measurement of which from the fulcrum or pivot point 14 of-the lever 8 to the point 13 is less than from the point 14; to the point 11.

This change of ratios in the effective key and wippen measurements is also effected as to any point between 11 and 13 in accordance with any selected law, as for instance the logarithmic, in this case.

The contact between the posts 6, 7, 1s more of a rolling or gear tooth contact than of a sliding one as in the present form of con-.

struction of the key and wippen.

My novel actlon enables a pianist with greater certainty to cause the hammer to strike the strings very light-lyfor pianissimo and very heavily for fortissimo so that, in

the latter case, the volume of sound. will be increased to such an extent and in such a way that the effect upon the car will be more nearly in accordance with the law of the logarithmic response of the ear to the intensity of the sound;

For example, if in order to produce three times the loudness of sound in f'ort-issimo it would theoretically require that the hammer possess nine times the energy, which is the result of speed, at the moment of impact, then this we would attain by greatly increasing the velocity, as explained, which increase of velocity is obtained by more efiicient and better controlled transmission of the speed of the finger on the key than heretofore, as explained above.

My invention is not limited to the embodiment thereof herein shown and described.

Claims: I

1. A piano action comprising a key, a wippen with a hammer, curved contacting surfaces on the key and wippen, said members cooperatively mounted one relative to the other, and providing, on movement of the key, a continued rolling contact between them along a straight line.

2. A piano action comprising a key, a wippen with a hammer, curved contacting surfaces on the key and wippen, said members cooperatively mounted one. relative to the other, and having, on progressive travel of the key, contact at a succession of points on a curved surface between the curved surfaces at a continued accelerating speed of the hammer.

3. A piano action comprising a. key, a wippen with a'hammer, cooperating contacting surfaces on the key and'wippen, said members engagin-gly mounted relatively to each other and producing, on progressive travel of the key, contact on a curve at a succession of points successively between the key and wippen surfaces, and also along a straight line between the key and wippen fulcra producing continued accelerating speed of the hammer according to any selected law of acceleration.

4. A piano action comprising a key, a wippen, cooperating contacting surfaces on each, the measurement of the key from its fulcrum to the first point ofcontact of the keywith the wippen being less than the measurement from the fulcrum of the key to any subsequent point of contact of saidparts, while the measurement of the wippen from its fulcrum to its first-'pomt of contact with the key is greater than the measure- 11101111 130 any subsequent point of its contact with the key. a

5. A piano action comprising a key, a wippen, curved contacting surfaces on each, the parts-so" assembled that the movement of the key produces a rolling contact between it and the wippen along curvilinear surfaces and an angularly directed straight path.

6. A piano action comprising a key, a

wippen, contacting surfaces on each and engaging each other in action along av convex and a concave surface. 7. A piano action comprising a key, a wippen, contacting surfaces on each, the parts engaging each other when in action along a concave and a convex surface, every point of contact being on a straight. line passing through the fulcra of the key and wippen. i l V 8. A piano action comprising a key,fa wippen, contacting surfaces on each, the parts engaging each other when in action along a concave and a convex surface, every point of contact being in the plane of a straight line passing through the fulcra. of the key and wippen, and producing accelerated speed of the hammer according to an approximately logarithmic ratio.

9. A piano action comprising a. key and wippen cooperatively mounted and provided with arcuate opposed faces, the first point of contact of which in action is on a straight line between the fulcra of the key and the wippen.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

PAUL H; TAYLOR.

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