US421265A - August gleitz - Google Patents

Description

(Ne Medel.)

A. GLEITZ. 'PIANO CASE.

Peteeted geb. 11

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N. PUERS, Mumoguplw. washington. n c

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AUGUST GLEI'lZ, OF NEIV YORK, N. Y.

PIANO- CASE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 421,265, dated February 11, 1890. Application led October 12, 1889. Serial 110.326,774. (No model.)

To allwlwm, t may concer/t:

Be it known that I, AUGUST GLEITZ, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Piano-Fortes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in that class of upright pianos which are provided with side openings controlled by hinged swell-panels operated by suitable lever-connections with a pedal.

vThe novel construction of the above-mentioned parts, together with other features of this invention, are Inore fully pointed out in the following specification and claim, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure I represents an interior view of the frame of an upright piano embodying my invention, which figure shows the swell-panels open. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section in the plane y y, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a horizoir tal section in the plane at Fig. 2, of part of the frame, showing the swell-panels closed.

Similar letters indica-te corresponding parts.

In the drawings, the letter A designates the case of an upright piano constructed in -the usual manner with a vertical soundingboard and a horizontal key-board and a lid or cover O, which may behin ged to the frame or rigidly secured thereto.

In the sides of ,the piano are formed discharge-openings D D', which afford communication between the outer air and the interior of the piano, and through which the sound-waves emanating from the strings can pass freely. In the example shown in the drawings one such discharge opening is formed ou each side of the piano, andthe said openings extend through the entire height of the piano; but the length and number of the openings can be varied as desired. These openings are normally closed by swell-panels E E', hinged at b b', Fig. 3, tol the frame of the piano, and which are swung outward by a system of levers connected and operated by a pedal F, which is adapted be depressed by the performer to swing open the said hinged panels E E'.

The connections of the hinged panels with the pedal F consist, in the example shown in the drawings, of a pair of bellcrank levers G G', pivoted at gg' to a stringcr in a casing, and the horizontally-extending arms of' these levers G G' are in a position to engage with each other, while to the vertical arms of the same are attached rods I-I H', which are att-ached to the doors. lever G is acted upon by a lever I, which is pivoted at i to a socket on the casing, and is connected to the pedal F by a rod J, so that when the pedal is depressed, as shown in the drawings, Figs. l and 2, the lever I will depress the arm g of the lever G', and both swell-panels E E will be swung outf ward, so as to allow the sound-waves to leave the instrument through the discharge-open-v ings D D. The area of theseV dischargeopenings varies with the extent of depression ofthe pedal F, so thatthe performer can increase or reduce the swell of the sound at pleasure.

In order that the swell-panels E E' may be held stationary when wide open, I construct the pedal F of two parts ff', which The arm g of the are pivoted together at f2, so that the part f or pedal proper can be turned about the pivot f2 when depressed and brought under a suitable stop f3, formed in the frame, whereby the pedal is held depressed and the swell-panels are wide open. To close the said swell-panels when the pedal F is rcleased, I provide the bell-crank lever G with anextension g2, which is subjected to the force of a spring G2, acting in the proper direction. However, other means may be employed to effect this same purpose.

The swell-panels E E' when closed have the appearance of ordinary panels and do not in the least affect or mar the general appearance of the piano.-

That I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination, with the case of an upright piano, of the discharge-openings D D', the hinged panels E E' bell-crank levers G G', one arm of each of which is connected with one of the panels, the lever H, the rod J, and pedal F,for operating the bell-crank levers, substantially as shown and described. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

AUGUST GLEITZ. [L. s] lVitncsses:

E. F. KASTENHUBER, WILLIAM MILLER.

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