US473241A - William w - Google Patents

Description

(No Modl.)

W. W, SHAILER. FLANGE FOR PIANO ACTIONS.

No. 473,241. Patented Apr. 19, 1892.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

XVILLIAM WV. SHAILER, OF IVORYTON, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE COMSTOCK, CHENEY & COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

FLANGE FOR PIANO-ACTIONS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 473,241, dated April 19, 1892.

Application filed June 8, 1891. Serial No. 395,514- (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM W. SHAILER, of Ivoryton, in the county of Middlesex and State of Connecticut, have invented a new Improvement in Flanges for Piano-Actions; and I do hereby declarethe following, when taken in connection withaccompanying drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, and which said drawings constitute part of this specification, and represent, in-- Figure 1, an end View of the rail, showing the butt-flange, the damper-lever flange, and the jack-lever flange applied thereto; Fig. 2, a front View of a portion of the rail, showing a butt-flange applied thereto; Fig. 3, a vertical central section through the butt-flange and a corresponding portion of the rail; Fig. 4, a perspective view of the flange looking from the rear side; Fig. 5, a perspective View of the flange looking upon the front or face; Fig. 6, a vertical section cutting in a plane between the two jaws and on the face of the body; Fig. 7, a vertical central section of the flange, cutting through the jaws and Fig. 8, a modification in the formation of the groove H, the last five figures being enlarged.

This invention relates to an improvement in the construction of the flanges secured to the supporting-rail of a piano-action and which form the pivot-point for the moving parts hung to the rail, such as the hammer, damper, and the jack-lever. Heretofore in some cases these flanges have been made from metal, the base being adapted to be secured to the rail and extending to form one jaw, while a second piece of metal forms a companion jaw, between which two jaws the pivot-pins are clamped by means of a screw through one jaw into the other jaw. The two jaws make a complication of parts and add materially to the cost of the flange. Again, as these flanges are secured to the rail by a screw passing through the body of the flange into the rail the head of the screw bears upon the metal around the screw-hole through the body of the flange. It is very difficult to make the bearing of this screw so perfect upon the metal that the flange will not in many cases be thrown out of its proper plane that is to say, if the screw-head bears harder upon one side than it does upon the opposite side the tendency is to give to the flange a twist and such twist throws the flange out of its proper plane, and consequently changes the plane of movement of the parts swinging on the pivot. This is a serious objection in the use of flanges thus secured to the rail and causes much difficulty and labor in the adjustment of the action.

The object of my invention is to construct a flange in a single piece of metalthat is, in which the jaws are both integral with the body-as well as to overcome the difficulty occasioned by displacement under the operation of securing the flange to the rail; and it consists in the construction as hereinafter described, and particularly recited in the claims.

A represents the rail of the action; B, the butt-flange to which the hammer is hung; C, the flange to which the damper-lever is hung, and D the flange to which the jack-lever is hung, these flanges all being secured to the rail.

The flange consists of a body E, this body being a flat plate, and is constructed with a groove F transversely across its face, which corresponds to the rib G, formed on the rail and so as to locate the flange upon the rail. The ribs running longitudinally of the rail and parallel with the pivots of the flanges serve to locate the flanges, with their pivots, in the proper relation to the rail, and, as usual, in the attachment of flanges to the rail. Upon the out or face side of the flange a groove H is formed transversely across the face of the body, which may be of very slight depth; but the width of the groove must be less than the diameter of the head of the screw or the washer placed under the head, and for the purpose hereinafter described.

I and J represent the two jaws. These project from the outer end of the body, but both are cast integral with the body. They are 95 preferably narrower than the width of the ward and from each other, so thatthey may produce the desired clamping eitect.

Transversely through the two jaws in the slot a pivot-seat L is formed, adapted to receive the pivot, and at right angles to the pivot-seats a screw M is introduced, the tendency or power of which is to draw the two jaws toward each other.

On the outsides of the jaws, at each end of the pivot-seats, a boss N is formed integral with the jaws, one half-being on one jaw and the other half on the other jaw. These bosses project slightly so as to form a transverse bearing for the parts to be hinged to the flan go without contact of those parts'upon the sur- The f t O he bo se arer n edtse as to s r t m face of the sides of the jaws.

s h ic h e a se e n F s- 6- The pivot Q- (see Ffig. 2,). is made from wire,

and, as usual for these pivots, it is placed between the two jaws, so as to project at opposite ends, and is clamped therein by means of thescrew M, so that the pivot ,willbe firmly held.

Through the body of the flange, and preferably centrally in the groove H, a. hole P is formed, through which the attachiug screw maybe introduced.

The flanges are applied as seen in Figs. 1,

I 2, and 3, and, as usual, in placing the flanges tact of the washer withtheflange at the right or left. Consequently the force of the screw is applied in the direction of the length of the flange that is, at right angles to the pivot-sand as thefla-nge ,liesflat upon its seat on therail there can be no,'ten de1icy to turn or twist the flange, as there would be did the washer take a bearing entirely arou'nd-'that is, so as tobear totheright and left. If there be any irregularity in thebearin g of the washer upon the flange, it will be equalized, as the bearing is but at two p oin ts,vand consequently no twistin gor other strain than a direct bear avoiding the transverse twisting of the flange before mentioned,

By making 'body of the flange, and whereby the flange the two jaws integral with the with the two jaws may be cast complete with the slot or space between the jaws and the seat also formed in the process of casting, not only is there a very great saving in the cost of production of the flange over that in which the jaws are made separate, but the two jaws are always in their proper relation to each other and by no possibility can bedisplaced or deranged as to their relative position.

Constructing the flanges with the projecting bosses at the two sides forms a most perfect bearing in the direction of the length of thepivots' for the parts hinged to the jaws and with but a slight actual contact between the flanges and the parts hung thereto.

I have represented the. groove H as termed pp s e, the g oo 1 t e ot e ide Qt th body but the position of the groovel l-isimmaterial with relation to the groove ,which corresponds to the rib formed on the rail, vThe groove on the rail maybe dispensed with, as it may bein flanges asheretofore constructed, The grooveGis therefore not essentiattothe invention. 4

Instead of making the groove H to extend entirely ac os he a e. of t e flangez isenly necessary thatthe length of the groove, be

greater than the diameter of the headof the screw or thewasher as, for illustration, the

groove may be an elongated recess on the face side of the fla nge,i as seen Fig. 8.. .The a ge may e m de with the jaws-integ a as described, without the groove ,I. that;is tov say, the groove H may be omitted witheut detracting from the advantages of; thetwoin-s vtegral jaws. The groove Hmaybe employed in flanges having one jaw made separate from the plate, as before deseribede-that is to say, the groove. H maybe employed to an equal advantage in flanges of other construction; Clhe bosses N at the sidesof the jaws.

may be employed to advantage in theusual construction otmetal flanges in which the jaws are entirely separate. j, is

Iclaimi 1. The herein-described metal flange for piano-actions, consisting of the body E, constructedwith the two, jaws J, I, both formed integral with the body, but with a space lee.- tween the two jaws, combined with a screw extending through one jaw into the other and by which-the two jaws are adapted to be clamped upon the pivot-pin, the said two jaws constructed, with a projecting boss N- at each side, the bosses being formed partly on one jaw and the remainder on the other, substanl tially as described. 1 I l i v 2. In ajmetal flange for piano-actions the jawswhich clamp thepivot-pin, thesaid-two. jaws cOnstructedwith a projecting boss Nfat partly on one jaw and partly on; the other jaw, substantiallyas described. 7

3. A flange for piano-actions,consisting of the body E, constructed with a transverse groove H, with a screw-hole through the body IOC their two sides, the said bosses being formed in the said groove, the width of the groove less than the width of the bearing under the head of the screw, substantially as described.

4. A flange for piano-actions, the body E, constructed with a transverse groove H on its face, having a screw-hole P through the body in the said groove, combined with a screw through the said hole E, and a spring-washer R between the head of the screw and the body of the flange, the said washer taking its bearing upon opposite sides of the said groove, substantially as described.

5. A flange for piano-actions, consisting of the body E, constructed with a transverse \VILLIAM YV. SHAILER.

Witnesses:

FREDERIC O. EARLE, LILLIAN D. KELsEY.

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