US1690549A - Piano construction - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 6, 1928. 1,690,549

H. PALEY PIANO CONSTRUCTION Filed April 9, 1928 INVENTOR HERMAN PALEY ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 6, 1928.

UNITED STATES mm! PM, 01' m YORK, N. Y.

Y unto CONSTRUCTION.

Application filed April 9, 1088. Serial Io. 268,603.

This invention relates to piano construction.

In the standard construction of grand {)1- anos, the top lid for the piano is usua ly made in two sections, a rear section adapted to be raised and maintained in raised position, and a front section hinged to the rear section, which must be ra sed, and folded back against the rear section, in order to make available the music rack. Th s construction has presented many difficulties and disadvantages. Children have experienced difficulty and inconvenience because of the comparatively heavy weight of the hinged front section which they must lift to make available the music rack. When large volume is desired, the rear section in order to be kept in raised position had to be lifted up together with the front section which had been folded thereover. There results in addition to the heavy weight to be lifted, an unsightly appearance due to the double section. Any decorative articles such as lamps, photographs and the like on the piano have heretofore had to be removed to allow the lifting of both the rear and front sections.

It is the general object of this invention to overcome and remove the difficulties and disadvantages aforementioned, by the provision of a simple, neat and comparatively cheap piano top construction which shall be practical and efficient to a high degree.

Another object of this invention is to provide a music rest which forms part of the front cover of the piano.

further object is to provide a music rack which may be positioned for use without necessitating the raising of the front top section of the piano.

A still further object is to provide a music rack which has a sliding connection in the front top section of the piano.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts which will be exem lified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope of application will be indicated in the followin claims.

n the accompanying drawin in which is shown one of the various possib e illustrative embodiments of this invention,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a grand piano showing the rack in position for use. Fig. 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1. 1 Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1. Referring in detail to the drawin 10 desigiiates a grand piano having a ront top section 11 which may be fixed to the side walls 11 of the piano, a rear lid 12, and the usual keyboard cover 13. Ordinarily the music rack is disposed beneath the front section which is hinged to the rear section and has to be lifted so that the music rack may be arranged in operative position. In accordance with the present invention the music rack 14 is made part of the top section 11 and the latter need not be hinged to the rear lid 12 which is shown in Fig. 1 in raised position and supported by the usual oblique support 15.

Preferably the rear edge of the front section 11 is cut away as at 11 to provide a shoulder or ledge for the rear section, so the latter may overlap the former, and rest on said ledge, thus providing a neat and dust proof junction between the two top sections.

The top front cover section 11 may be provided with an opening 16 having substantially the contour of back board or panel 17 of the music rack which is somewhat thinner than the section 11 and has a bevel edge 18 at its front end so that when the rack is not in use the backboard 17 may be swung down to cover the opening 16, the bevel edge 18 contacting with the bevel edge 19 in the backboard, thus providing a dust proof top cover for the piano, showing a smooth surface at the top. The panel 17 is hinged as shown at 21 to a cross member 20' having a sinuous groove for resting music sheets, the cross member 20 having extension 20 at each end adapted to slidein grooves 22 in the cover 11 at opposite sides of the opening 16 as shown in Fig. 2. A metal eye piece may be hinged to the front of the panel 17 as at 17 for opening the panel which may be swung on hinge 21, the bottom portion 23 of the panel striking against the back of the cross member for limiting the opening of the panel and for supporting the panel in open position. The entire rack may be moved forward or rearward to any desired position, the extension 20' of the cross member sliding in grooves 22.

The top cover 11 .is provided with an under cut portion 24 adjacent the front ends of the opening 16, to allow the cross member 20 to slide into said under cut, thus allowing the rack to be moved forwardly until the panel strikes the bevel 19.

It is to be noted that the grooves 22 may be cut to extend rearwardly only to a point flush with hinge 21, so that backward movement of the rack is limited to a point where the cross member reaches the end of the groove and the panel 17 when swung down at that position will exactly cover the opening 16 as shown in Fig. 3. For better supporting the backboard 17 when in down turned position, a cross piece 25 may be provided.

It will be seen that a person Wishing to use the music rack need merely swing open the panel and then pull the rack forward to any desired position, in which position the rack is held due to the extensions 20' in groove 22, and the front cover section 11 need not be lifted. The fixed front top section 11 afi'ords'a support for any decorative objects, so that the general arrangement on the piano top may be left more or less undisturbed, even when the rear top section is lifted for affording greater volume.

It will thus be seen that there is provided a device in which the several objects of this invention are achieved, and which is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and'as various changes might be made in the embodiment set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawing is-to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent 1. A top cover for a grand piano, said cover having an opening therein, and a music rack attached to said top and adapted to cover said opening.

2. A top cover for a piano, said cover having an openin therein, and a music rack for said piano s idably connected to said cover at said opening.

3. A top cover for a piano, said cover having an opening, and a music rack for said piano adapted to cover said opening, said rack being adj ustably mounted on said cover.

4. A top cover for pianos, having a music rack formed as part of said cover, said rack being adjustable with respect to said cover. 5. A top cover for a piano, said cover having an opening therein, and a music rack comprising a panel hinged to across mem her, said cross member havin a sliding connection with said cover at sai opening.

6. A top cover for a piano, said cover having an opening, a music rack for said piano, said rack com rising a panel hinged to across member slidably connected to said cover, said panel adapted to cover said opening when not in use.

7. A top cover for a grand piano, said cover having an opening, a music rack for said piano, said rack comprising a panel. hinged to a cross member, said cross mem, her having a slidin connection with said cover and said pane having the contour of said opening for covering the latter when not in use.

8. A top cover for grand pianos, said cover having a substantially rectangular opening therein, a music rack comprisin a panel hinged to a cross member, said cross member having a sliding connection with said cover at said opemng, and an under cut portion at the front side of said opening adapted to receive said cross memher when said rack is pulled to extreme forward position.

9. A' top cover for grand pianos, said cover having an openin therein, a music rack adjustably mounte on said to and adapted to cover said opening, and means on said top for limiting movement of said rack with respect thereto.

10. The combination with agi'and piano having a top cover section, of a music rack for said piano, said rack forming a part of said cover section, said rack being adjustable with respect to said section. v

l1. In combination with a grand piano having separate front and rear top cover sec tions, of a'music rack for said piano, said.- rack forming part of said front top cover section, whereby said rear section may beopened independently of the front section,

when said music rack is in use.

12. In combination with a piano having a top cover section, said section having an inclosed opening therein, of a music rack connected to said section at said opening and having the contour of said opening for covering the latter when not in use.

13. In piano construction, a top cover for the piano comprising a rear lid portion and a front, cover portion, the former being movable relative -to.. and independently of thelatter, said front cover portion having an ogenin therein and a member slidable anda apte to be positioned in said opening .to serve as a music rack and normally cover said opening when not in use. I

In testimony wherof I afiix my signature.

HERMAN PALEY.

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