US324467A

US324467A - Emil gables

Info

Publication number: US324467A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1885-08-18
Anticipated expiration: 1902-08-18

Description

Patented Aug. 18, 1885.

(No Model.)

E. GABLER.

. PIANO FORTE.

www v Jwm v J ZIO UNITED STATES PATENT EEICE.

EMIL GABLER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

PIANO-FO RTE.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, EMIL GABLER, a resident of New York city, in the county and State of New York, have invented an ImY provement in Piario-Fortes, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a side View, partly in section, of a piano-forte of my improved construction, showing the keys inclosed. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the keys uncovered. Fig. 3 is a detail section on the line c c, Fig. 2, Fig. 4, a modification of same.

This invention relates to a new construction of lid for covering the keys of pianoy fortes, the invention being more particularly applicable to upright and also to grand pianos.

The lids heretofore used on upright pianos for inclosing and protecting the keys when the instruments were not used were hinged at their rear ends to the faces of the instruments, and when folded back would lie against said faces, inarring the varnished surface thereof by Contact, and being otherwise in the way.

My invention consists in making the lid in two parts, of which the rear part is a slide, While the curved front part is hinged to the rear, the whole being adapted to enter beneath the face-board of the instrument to the extent hereinafter more fully described.

By the use of this invention the keys are wholly uncovered, which with the ordinary lids was not always the case, and the player therefore has greater freedom for the movements of the hands, and a music-rest is furnished. At the same time the lid will not in any way mar the appearance of the instrument, but rather improve its looks; nor will it interfere with the proper manipulation of the same.

In the drawings, the letterArepresent-s the easing of an upright piano-forte. B is the face-board or front board of the same-that is, the face-board beneath the key-board. C are the keys, which connect with the action in the usual manner. D is the improved lid.

rlhis lid consists of a back portion7 a, and a JECIIEICATICN forming part of Letters Patent No. 324,467, dated August 18, 1885.

Application filed March 9, 1885.

(No model.)

front portion,b. The back portion,a,ishigher in rear than in front, and rests at its ends on rails or guides d, (see Figs. 3 and 4,) which are formed on the inner side of the casing A, and is beneath the face-board B. To the thin front edge ofthe portion a is hinged at c the back edge ofthe portion b. This portion?) of the lid is curved, as shown. Vhen the keys are inclosed, as in Fig. i, the back portion, a, is drawn out and the hinged curved portion b folded down upon the supporting-edge fof the piano-case. In this position the iid will inclose the keys properly and will present substantially the saine appearance to the eye as the ordinary lid.

Vhenever the keys are to be used the front portion, b, of the lid is first folded back upon the back portion, c, as in Fig. 2, on which it k,wholly rests, and then the whole lid is slid back into the piano until it strikes one or more stops, g, which are secured to the inner portion of the piano for the purpose of arresting the further inward movement of the lid. ln this position-that is to say, when the lid has reached contact with the stops gthe keys C of the instrument are wholly uncovered and full freedom of manipulating the same is provided, and the concave upper face of the part I), where it extends in front of the face-plate B, will serve as a rest or support for the music. It will be seen that the sliding lid can be moved beneath the face-board B of the piano to the extent shown in Fig. 2. The forward motion of the sliding lid is arrested by a stop, h, striking a fixed bar, t', which bar is directly behind the keys C. The thick back part ofthe slide c fills the space beneath the faceplate B when the instrument is closed, as in Fig. l. The same space is filled by the upturned part b when the instrument is opened, as in Fig. 2.

I claim-u 1. In a piano-forte, the lid D, composed of the sliding back portion, a, and curved hinged front portion, b, the back portion, a, being thicker at the rear than in front, to close the opening beneath the face-plate B when the instrument is not to be used, as set forth.

2. In a piano-forte, the combination of the IOC) ense A and its face-plate B, rails d, stop or tially as and for the purpose herein shown Stops g, secured to the side pieces of the euse and described.

A, stop '11, that is secured to the under side ol the back portion, a, of the lid, and fixed bar 1', with the sliding lid D, having curved hinged front portion, Z1, which when folded buck will constitute a music rest, snbstznl-l ,EM IL G A BLEH.

VitnesSeS:

.CHARLES G. M. THOMAS, G Us'iuw SCHNEPP x'c.