US498815A - Piano-action - Google Patents

Description

PIANO ACTION.

. (No Mod No. 498,815. Patented June 6, 1893.

lul'n W, J/"DI M,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL R. PERRY, OF SCRANTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

PIANO-ACTION.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 498,815, dated June 6, 1893.

Application filed July 8,1892. Serial No. 439,434. (No model.)

.To all whom it ntcty concern.-

Be it known that I, SAMUEL R. PERRY, a citizen of the United States, residing at SCIZL11- ton, in the county of Lackawanna and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Piano-Actions, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The objects of my invention are: first, to provide a device whereby the friction between the seat on the bottom lever and the end of the jack lever is decreased so as to allow of the parts moving freelyand smoothly; second, to provide a device to guide and control the jack lever and connected parts by the bottom lever; third, to provide a spring device for the purpose of gradually disconnecting the parts at the proper time, together with the combinations effected by the above, and fourth, a device consisting of a screw and plate attached to the dowel or stud fastened into the rail whereby the hammer butt and other movable parts of the action may be secured to the said studs and easily removed or adjusted, all of which are illustrated by Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4.

In Fig. 1, A represents the key, B is the bottom lever, O is the action rail, L the damper lever and m the hammer; all of which are common and usual to actions generally.

Between the bottom lever B and the jack lever (D see Fig. 1) I interpose a piece of brass I or other suitable metal. This piece of metal may be secured to the bottom lever B on the surface N, or it maybe fastened to the lower adjacent surface of the jack lever D as shown in Fig. 2, letter O. In case the metal is secured to the bottom lever B the adjacent end of the jack lever D is covered with buckskin or other material suitable to deaden the shock,but in case the metal is fastened to the lower end of the jack lever as in Fig. 2, letter 0, then the surface H of the lever B is covered with buckskin. The piece of metal may have a part turned up at right angles as shown by letter I in which case it together with the wire hook II holds the cushion,against which the lower end of the jack lever D rests.- The object of placing the brass between the end of jack lever D and the bottom lever B, is to secure a surface which may be polished to allow an easy separation of the parts, and which by the action of the buckskin on the metal will keep the metal smooth and clean. Attached to the bot-tom lever B is a wire hook H. This is bent backward and is allowed to pass through and beyond the lower cushioned slot p of the jack leverD. This hookis placed upon the lever B for two purposes; first, as a guide to the jack lever D, and second, as a stop regulating and prescribing the movement of the jack lever; thus preventing said lever from going too far down into the recess R in the leverB and also serving to pullback the hammer in case it becomes sluggish from any cause, when the pressure is removed from the key.

Fig.3 represents aface view of the jack lever D showing the slot 1) and its bushings. The lever D is formed with a tongue S and said tongue is adjusted by means of the screw 25 toward the rail 0 or its equivalent strip K, for the purpose of checking the hammer after the stroke is madej I do not claim this manner of checking the hammer as new, nor do I claim the method as shown in Fig. 2, by the use of the post IV and its metal strip X as new, but I do claim these regulating devices in general in combination with the parts that are new.

The strip K is here called an equivalent as it may be dispensed with by thickening the rail 0, or by contracting the parts of the action so as to bring them nearer to the rail.

To the upper end of the jack lever D, I fasten with a screw as shown or in some other substantial manner, a thin strip of metal This strip or arm of metal is flexible toward the screw and cushion on the strip F, audits action is entirely different from that of the arm placed on the long link 6 shown in Fig. l, in a patent granted to me February 16, 1892, No. 468,918. In the patent just quoted the arm 6 is rigid, and its effect upon the links is immediate and positive, while in this case the flexibility of the spring arm E allows of a certain amount of contact between the spring arm and the regulating button before the jack lever is moved off its seat at on the bottom lever B. Thus the spring arm may be so nicely adjusted as to act upon the hammer as a retarding spring to keep it from rebounding and acts to keep the adjusting device S against the breast of the rail 0 or its equivalent K. The spring arm is shown in another position in Fig. 2 in which case itis operated upon by the metal strip X and its effect on the jack lever is the same.

The operation of the parts is as follows: When the forward end of the key A (not shown) is depressed all the mechanism on the lever 13 moves upward. The hammer moves toward the string 4) and the damper lever L moves away from the string. The spring arm E on the jack lever D may be required to come in contact with the buffer on the rail F when the hammer head is within say three quarters of an inch (seelineiin) of the piano string V, at which point the spring arm exerts some slight pressure to force the parts downward, and to remove the lower end of the jack lever D from its seat on the lever B at n. This latter object is not attained owing to the flexibility of the spring until the hammer is nearly in contact with the string, at which time the jack leverD is forced from its seat and its checking tongue S comes in contact with the strip K on the rail 0. The flexibility of the spring arm E new acts to keep the jack lever D against the check strip K and also to retard the rebound of the 11ammer m toward the string, and the slot 19 in the jack lever D is so cushioned that the wire hook II retards the movement downward; and when the key is released the hook also tends to pull down the whole mechanism should the parts become sluggish through dampness. The spring J acts to reseat the jack lever D upon the brass I ready for the succeeding stroke.

The dowels Fig. at are to be placed in holes in the action rail, forming studs upon which the movable parts are hinged. The new feature is a plate and screw placed upon one edge by which the movable parts are secured, and which allows of ready adj ustm cut and removal.

In the foregoing a piece of brass is mentioned as suitable to be interposed between the bottom lever B and the lower end of the jack lever D.

I do not confine myself to the use of brass or other metal. Such material as ivory, celluloid, hard rubber, or any substance capable of presentinga smooth surface upon which the parts may move can be used.

WVhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a piano action the bottom lever provided with a hook, substantially as set forth.

2. I11 a piano action the combination of the bottom lever provided with a hook, as set forth with the key, the jack lever and hammer buttas specified.

The combination of a piece of brass or other suitable material interposed between the lower end of the jack lever D and the seat a on the lever B, as specified and for the purpose named.

4. In a piano action the bottom lever pro vided with a plate of brass or other suitable material as specified.

5. In a piano action the combination of the jack lever, the plate of brass or other suitable material interposed between the jacklever and the bottom lever, substantially as set forth.

6. In a piano action the jack lever provided with a slotted and bushed hole in combination with the bottom lever carrying a hook as specified.

7. In a piano action the jack lever provided with a regulating device, as S, said device adapted to come in contact with the breast of the action rail or its equivalent as specified in combination with the bottom lever provided with a hook substantially as set forth.

8. In a piano action the combination of the key, the bottom lever provided with a hook as set forth, the jack lever carrying an ad justing device, as S, a spring, as J. the action rail, the hammer butt, and damper lever, substantially as described.

9. In a piano action the combination of the jack-lever carrying a spring arm, with a regulating rail F and its adjusting screw, as set forth.

10. In a piano action the combination of the piano key, the bottom lever. the jack lever provided with a spring arm, a regulating rail and its screw, as F,the hammer butt, the action rail or its equivalent, and the damper lever, substantially as described.

11. In a piano action the combination of the piano key, the bottom lever, the jack lever provided with a regulating device, as S, the action rail or its equivalent, the jack lever carrying the spring arm, a regulating rail F. and its screw, a spring, as .I. the hammer butt and damper lever as specified.

12. The dowels or studs provided with a plate and screw as shown and for the purpose set forth.

13. In a piano action the combination of the jack-lever carrying a spring arm, a regulating rail and its screw, as F, a regulating device, as S, carried by the jack lever, and the breast of the action rail or its equivalent, substantially as set forth.

14. In a piano action the combination of the jack-lever carrying a spring arm, with a regulating device to throw the said jack lever toward the breast of the action rail or its equivalent, substantially as set forth.

15. In a piano action the combination of the bottom lever, the jack lever carrying an adjusting device, and a piece of brass or other suitable material interposed between the bottom lever and the jack lever as set forth.

16. In a piano action the combination of the piano key, the bottom lever carrying a hook, a piece of brass or other suitable material interposed between the bottom lever and the jack lever, the action rail or its equivalent, the hammer butt, the damper lever, the j aek lever carrying a spring arm and a regulating device, as S, a spring, as J, with a deother suitable material interposed between vice for throwing the jack lever toward the the lower end of the jack lever and the upper action rail or its equivalent, substantially as surface of the bottom lever in combination set forth. with a regulating device designed to move I 5 5 17. In a piano action a piece of brass or said jack lever toward the action rail, for the other suitable material interposed between purpose substantially as described. the lower end of the jack lever and the upper 7 surface of the bottom lever, in combination SAMUEL PERRK' with the bottom lever provided with a hook, Witnesses: 10 as and for the purpose described. 0. B. GARDNER,

18. In a piano action a piece of brass or GEO. B. DAVIDSON.

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