US1689467A - Grand piano - Google Patents

Description

W. WEISER GRAND PIANO Filed April 30, 1927 Patented Oct. 30, 1928.

UNITED STATES WALTER WEISER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

GRAND PIANO.

Application filed April 30, 1927. Serial No. 187,732.

In the manufacture of grand pianos there has been a tendency to produce grand pianos of reduced size, without impairingthe resonance, tone quality or volume of the instrument. In view of the fact that the tone quality is directly dependent upon the length of the strings, the size to which grand pianos can be reduced has practically reached a limit in the construction of baby grands and parlor grands.

In View of the growing demand for grand pianos of a size smaller than the present type of baby grand, for use in small modern apartments, this invention has been devised whereby a grand piano of a very small size may be produced having tone qualities and volume comparing favorably with larger types of grand pianos and made possible by equipping a pianoforte case with a sound box mounted below the string plate in place of the ordinary sound board at present in use.

It is an object of this invention to provide a pianoforte case with a soundbox positioned beneaththe string plate and having openings in the top sound board thereof.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a pianoforte, the casing of which is equipped with a sound boxhaving apertures in the top sound board thereof and also provided with adjustable openings in the bent rim thereof positioned to register with screen openings in the rim of the pianoforte case.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a piano case with a sound box, the rim of which is provided with openings adapted to be regulated by slidable shutters operable from the exterior of the casing through openings in the casing rim registering with the openings in the rim of the sound box.

It is furthermore an object of this invention to provide agrand piano of reduced size, withtone qualities comparing favorably with those of concert and parlor grands by providing an apertured sound box in a casing beneath the string supporting plate, with one of the sound boards of the sound box having sound outlet openings therein of a selected configuration.

It is an important object of this invention to provide an improved grand piano which may be of a comparatively small size, with the lengths of the strings of both the bass clef and treble clef proportionately reduced and positioned to coact with an apertu'red sound box mounted within the casing of the piano below the string plate and having adjustable shutters in the rim thereof adapted to coact with registering openings in the rims of the sound box and casing to afford a means whereby the tone quality or resonance of the piano may be improved to favorably compare with thetone qualities of concert grands andthe like.

Other and further important objects of this invention will be apparent from the disclosures in the specification and the accompanying drawings. i

This invention (in a preferred form) is illustrated inthe drawings and hereinafter more fully described. 7

On the drawings Figure 1 is-a top plan View of an improve grand piano, with the cover removed and showing parts of the strings and string plate broken away, as well as illustrating a fragmentary section through one side of the piano case."

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section through the piano case taken on line II1'I of Figure l, with parts omitted.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary detail section taken on line III -I'II of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary outer or face view of the sectional portion of the casing rim illustrated in Figure 3.

As shown on the drawings: The improved grand piano embraces a case construction comprising in part a continuous bent rim 1, the ends of which connect up with .a key-bed 2 in which the key board 3 is supported. The key board 3 is constructed in a standard manner and comprises a plurality of keys 4 coacting with piano actions designated as a whole by the reference numeral 5. Mounted in the upper portion of the casing behind the front board 6 is a metal string supporting framework comprising a wrest plate section 7 beneath which a wrest plank is adapted to be mounted, and a rear plate secill tion 8 connected by a plurality of longitudinally disposed brace ribs 9 and a transversely disposed capotasto bar 10 beneath which the bass clef strings 11 and the treble clef strings 1.2 are engaged. The front ends of the strings 11 and 12 are connected to wrest pins or tuning pins 13 projecting through openings in the wrest plate 7 and supported in the wrest plank. The rear ends of the strings 11 and 12 are connected to pins l l and 15 respectively supported on the rear metal frame section 8. The rear portions of the bass strings 11 pass over a bass bridge 16 while the rear portions of the treble strings 12 pass over a treble bridge 17.

Mounted within the piano casing is a wooden sound box comprising a top sound board 18 having a plurality of either round openings 19 or F slots 20 therein. The bass bridge 16 and the treble, bridge 17 are mounted upon the upper face of the rear portion of the top sound board 18 to permit vibrations from the bass and treble strings to be transmitted to said sound board. The sound box furthermore comprises a continuous rim 21 bent to conform to the shape of the rim of the piano case. The sound box is also provided with a bottom board 22 and a front closure wall 23. The sound box rim 21 is provided with a plurality of spaced openings 24 which register With similarly shaped openings 25 provided at intervals in the piano case rim 1. Mounted in each of the piano case openin s 25 is a scroll screen 26 having a diametrical guide slot 27 therein through which a handle or rod 28 projects, with the rear end of said handle 28 secured to a slide plate or shutter 29 slidably engaged in grooved guide rails 30 secured to the inner face of the sound box rim 21.

It will thus be seen that an improved grand piano has been provided which may be constructed of a size materially smaller than the average size of parlor or baby grand pianos and having tone qualities and volume oom paring favorably with the large type of concert and parlor grands. For the purpose of producing the desired tone qualities, the improved piano is equipped with a wooden sound box disposed in the rear portion of the piano case beneath the metal string supporting frame. The improved sound box is ar ranged with the top sound board having a plurality of either circular or F-shaped openings therein or a combination of both kinds of openings if desired. The lower sound board 22 of the sound box is preferably plain and without openings. The improved sound box equipment enhances the tone quality of the instrument, while the volume may be varied by adjusting the adjustable shutters or slides 29 by means of the handles 28 to vary the size of the registering openings 2&- and 25 provided in the respective rims 21 and 1 of the sound box and piano case. It will,

of course, be understood that the piano may be provided with a sound. box of the type disclosed or with a sound box omitting the openings 24 and the adjustable shutters 29 coacting therewith. In case the openings are omitted from the rim of the sound box, it will, of course, be understood that the openings 25 in the rim of the piano case are also dispensed with.

I am aware that many changes may be made, and numerous details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and I therefore do not purpose limiting the patent granted hereon, otherwise than necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

1. A grand piano comprising a case, the rim of which has a plurality of openings therein, a metal supporting frame mounted in said case, strings supported on said metal supporting frame, piano actions mounted in said case for coaction with said strings, keys for operating said piano act-ions, a sound box mounted in said case and having openings in the rim thereof adapted to register with the openings in the piano case rim, and adjustable shutters for varying the size of the registering openings in said piano case and sound box.

2. In a grand piano of the type described, a casing having openings in the rim thereof, a sound box mounted therein having openings in the top sound board thereof and a plurality of openings in the rim registering with the openings in the case rim, slotted screens mounted in the case rim openings, shutters slidably mounted in the sound box to permit regulation of the registering openings in said sound box rim and in the piano case rim, and means connected with said shutters projecting through said slotted screens to permit the shutters to be adjusted from the exterior of the piano case.

3. The combination with a grand piano case, of asound box mounted therein having openings in the top sound board and in the rim thereof, and means for adjusting the openings in the sound box rim.

4. The combination with a pianocase, of a sound box mounted therein having openings in the rim thereof, guide members in said sound box, shutters slidably mounted in said guide members adjacent said openings, and means for adjusting said shutters for regulating the openings in said sound box.

5. The combination with a grand piano case, of a wooden sound box mounted therein having a plurality of openings in the top sound board thereof and a plurality of openings in the rim thereof, a pair of guide mem bers secured to the sound box rim on opposite sides of each of the openings thereof, a shutter slidably mounted in each pair of guide members, and handles connected to said shutters and projectingthrough the rim openrim thereof, and independently adjustable ings to permit said shutters to be operated to means mounted on the sound box for varyopen and close said openings. ing the rim openings thereof.

6. The combination with a grand piano In testimony whereof I have hereunto sub- 5 case, of a sound box mounted therein having scribed my name at Chicago, Cook County,

a plurality of openings in the top sound board Illinois.

thereof and a plurality of openings in the WALTER WEISER.

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