US24294A - gelin - Google Patents

Description

UNITED STATES PATENT GFEICE.

FELIX GELIN AND GHAS. GELIN, CF NEW' YORK, N. Y.

LEG FOR PIANOS.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 24,294, dated June 7", 1859.

T o all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, FELIX GELrN and CHARLES GnLIN, of the city and county of New York, in the State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in the Feet of Pianofortes and Similar Instruments; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear. and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings. making a part of this specification, in which-p Figure l is a cross section and Fig. Q is a cross section on the line S S in Fig. l.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in all the drawings.

It is generally known that a portion of the sound which is or would be produced by a piano is practically lost by reason of its contact with the Hoor and with the nonsonorous objects connected therewith. The deadening effect of the ioor is also well known to vary with its character and especially to be effected by the presence of a carpet thereon. Pieces of wood have been frequently introduced between the casters of a piano and the carpet to diminish the loss from this source but their effect is very slight. The material being similar to that in the legs. the introduction of these blocks is only equivalent to increasing the length of the legs.

A very greatly increased effect results from the introduction of glass in lieu of wood and in all situations whether on a carpeted or a bare floor in an empty hall or a crowded concert the effect of a piano is strengthened by the introduction of glass under the legs. It has been used in the form of blocks and sheets and also in the form of concave vessels or dishes and has in every instance resulted in an increase in the strength of tone.

To avoid the labor involved in moving a piano under which glass is used in this manner and to avoid the difficulties arising from an accidental movement of a piano thus mounted we prefer to surround the socket of each caster with glass. By this expedient glass is made to intervene between the piano and the floor as effectually as in the instances before cited without involving any dithculties. It has been proposed to make the wheels of the casters of glass but such would be open to serious objections to which our invention is not open. The drawings represent the caster wheel as of glass but this forms no portion of our invention. In surrounding the sockets of the casters with glass we take care to have the glass thick and well supported by the wood of the leg so there is very little danger of fracture.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use our invention we will proceed to describe its construction and operation by the aid of the drawings.

A is a section of the ordinary wooden portion of the base of a piano leg. B is the ordinary swivelling portion of the caster. C is the ordinary metallic socket, which receives B in the usual manner. D is the ordinary aXis riveted in B as usual.

E is a wheel of pressed glass in a form nearly cylindrical and with plane sides as represented. The axis D passes loosely through the hole in the center and allows E to freely turn thereon.

F is a socket holder of pressed glass constructed with a shoulder as represented and fitted tightly in the wood A. The cavity in its center to receive the socket C is constructed a little larger than C and the contact is made rigid by inserting cloth, leather, cement or other suitable material represented by G.

Any of the devices by which the swiveling piece B is retained when the piano is lifted from the floor may be used in our invention.

The effect of F is such that when the sound travels downward on A it is checked by the glass material of F and reflected backward instead of being' lost by traveling downward through C B D and E to the Hoor.

le are not aware that glass has ever before been used as a socket to contain the caster. Then used as the material for the wheel it is of unusual and objectionable appearance, is liable to be broken by the weight and is exposed to violent collisions with other objects. while in our invention it is concealed and shielded from any external injury, and being tightly embraced by the wood of the leg` is increased in strength.

sound from the instrument to the floor is 10 checked Without injuring the appearance or endangering the strength and durability of the instrument.

F. GELIN. C. GELIN. Witnesses:

THOMAS D. STETSON, JNO. VARD.

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