US252717A

US252717A - Piano-case

Info

Publication number: US252717A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1882-01-24
Anticipated expiration: 1899-01-24

Description

(No Model.) J. su J. P. BECKER.V

' PIANO OASE.

No. 252,717. Patented Jan. 24,1882.

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is obtained at the expense of the volume of.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAKOB BECKER AND JOHN P. BECKER, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

` PIANO-CASE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 252,717, dated January 24, 1862.

Application led October l, lSSl,

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, .Luton BnoKEc and JOHN P. BECKER., of Detroit, in the enmity ot Wayne and State of Michigan` have invented an Improvements in Pianos, of which the i'ollowing is a specification.

The nature of our invention relates to certain new and usetnl improvements in that class of instruments known as upright pianos#7 by means of which a much greater volumeoi' sound is obtained, and by means of which a swelling or diminishing ,of such volume is produced, whereby an effect similar in some degree to the swell of an organ is had. I

The upright piano-thatis to say, a piano in which the strings arc vertical instead of horizontal, as in square or in grand pianos, is becoming very popular, because, on account of its shape and eonstructiomit takes up so much less room than` those ofthe other classes; but, as such uprights are usually placed against the wall of a room, the saving inspace occupied sound which,impingingagainst the wall against lwhich the piano is placed, becomes deadened, asthe sound-waves are broken by such iinpin gement.

The object of'our invention is to remedy this serious objection to the use of upright pianos, and to render them just as eeetive instruments as those of the other classes named; and the invention consists in the improvement, as more fully hereinafter described.

Figure l is a vertical cross-section through the center of an upright piano. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same with the top removed.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part ot' this specication, A represents an upright piano, having the customary soundingboard, o, and apertured back wall o1" panel, b, for the passage ofthe soundwaves.

To the rear s ide ofthe piano, or, more properly, to the apertured back thereof', is secured a resonant chamber, B, formed of a metallic or wooden sheet-wall,C, preferablyy in theform of the half of an ellipse, a bottom, D, and a hinged cover, E.

To the side edges ot' the wall C are secured vertical stitenin g ribs or bars, G, having openings for the passage ot' screws or other fasten- (No model.)

ing devices that serve to secure the resonant chamber to the back of the piano. ing rib or rail, F, secured to the upper edge ofthe wallC, serves ior the attachment otthe hinges of the cover E.

The mechanism for raising the cover E and regulating the passage of sound from the res'onant chamber comprises the oblique lever H, the short lever, J, the pedal I, the short link d for connecting the two levers, and the rod K, connected with the longer arm of the lever H and the cover E, as is clearly shown in Fig. I. The treadle I projects through the front of the piano-casing, and is preferablylocated between the ordinary loud and softpedals ot' the instrument, so as to be within convenient reach ofthe player. The lever J is pivoted beneath the {nano-casing, and the long lever, H, hasits fulcrum in the apertnred back of the instrument and extends obliquely into the resonant chamber.

\Ve are aware that it is not new to vprovide an organK with a vertical resonant chamber located in rear of the reeds or sound-producing devices, and that an upright piano has been constructed with a resonant chamber arranged inside the casing ot`the instrument., in close contact with the sounding-board.

We are also aware of the existence ot'an upright piano in which a swell lid, arranged direetly above the string-chamber, is raised by means ot' a pedal and connections.

Ourinvention differs from the above, because we use a resonant chamber which is attached directly to the rear wall of an ordinary upright piano, and the swell-lid ot' said resonant chamber is actuated by simple and convenient devices requiring no cutting of the casing ofthe instrument in tting saidv parts.

What we claim as our invention is An upright piano having an attachable resonant chamber, provided with a swell-lid secured to the apertnred rear wall of ille instrument, as and tor the purpose set forth.

JAKOB BECKER. JOHN P. BECKER.

Witnesses:

H. S. SPRAGUE, E. ScULLY.

A stifl'enl