US552141A

US552141A - Caleb c

Info

Publication number: US552141A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1895-12-31
Anticipated expiration: 1912-12-31

Description

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

CALEB O. POLK, OF VALPARAISO, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO WVELLINGTON HUNTINGTON, OF SAME PLACE.

PIANO ATTACHM ENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.%52,141, dated December 31, 1895.

Application filed June 6, 1895. Serial No. 551,860. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, CALEB O. POLK, of Valparaiso, in the county of Porter, State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Piano Attachments; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying draw ings, forming a part of this specification, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

This invention relates to improvements in piano attachments, and has for its object to provide an attachment which, when thrown into operation, will so modify or change the tone of the strings of the piano as to cause the instrument to give forth tones like those of the mandolin, guitar, or other like instrument; and the invention consists in certain novel details of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts, all of which will be described in the following specification and the particular features of novelty pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of the attachment, showing the application to a piano. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a view showingthe strikers placed behind the strings of the piano and the operating mechanism therefor. Fig. 4. is a detail view of one of the strikers. Figs. 5 and 6 are detail views of a modified form of striker.

Similar letters of reference in the several figures indicate the same parts.

The letter a indicates the strings of an upright piano, 1) the damper, and c the hammer, these parts being of the usual construction and needing no further description.

Extending across the piano and preferably in front of the strings is a bar G, supported at each end by the arms D, carried by the damper'flange E. Mounted on this rod are a series of strikers F, of any suitable or preferred material, and having a relatively thin shank portion f to give them the necessary resiliency or springiness, and are formed with a thickened end or head portion f, having a straight contacting edge, as shown in Fig. 3.

Extending across the piano in front of the strikers is a bar G supported at each end by arms G1 formed integral with or attached to said bar, connected to a rock-shaft II, pivoted at each end in brackets J on the damperspring rail. At one end the rock-shaft is provided with a crank-arm K, and co-operating with this arm is a rod L connected with suitable pedal mechanism,whereby the rock-shaft may be operated, as will be understood, for a purpose to be explained.

The operation of the device will now be understood. The strikers are normally held retracted and out of contact with the pianostrings. When, however, it is desired to bring the strikers into operative position, the performer simply presses upon the pedal, and through the described mechanism elevates the bar G, whereupon the strikers are released and spring into contact with the strings, the vibration of the string, after being struck by the hammer, vibrating and prolonging the vibration of the strikers. There is, however, another operation of the device which produces a very pleasing effect. The strings of the piano being under great tension, when the strikers are released and strike the strings they will bound and rebound several times against the strings. Now the keys of the piano may be gently pressed down without causing the hammer to strike the wires. At the same time the wires will be free from the dampers belonging to the keys that have been struck. If the strikers be now released, by striking against the strings corresponding to the keys pressed down they will bound and rebound against them and cause them to give forth tones in imitation of the mandolin without being caused to vibrate by a blow of the hammer.

The strikers instead of being made in one piece may be formed of a separate head portion M carried by a spring-shank m, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, in which form the head has a disk or circular contacting surface N, the head being of any suitable or preferred material, such as celluloid, bone, dzc.

\Vhile the strikers have been described as arranged in front of the strings, they can as well be placed behind them, and such an arrangement is illustrated in Fig. 3. Referring to this figure, A. are brackets fastened to the sounding-board orsome other part of the back of the piano, one at each end, and secured to these brackets is a bar G, carrying the springstrikers F. Mounted on this bar are arms J, upon which is pivotally supported a rockshaft H, which carries arms G upon which in turn is supported abar G which normally holds the strikers back from the strings, as shown in full lines. The rock-shaft is connected by means of a rod K to a pedal, whereby the shaft may be turned to release the strikers, as shown in dotted lines, to permit them to come into contact with the strings.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is- 1. The combination with the strings, the bar extending across the strings, the flexible strikers carried thereby, the rod for holding said strikers out of contact with the strings, and means for elevating the rod to permit the strikers to automatically spring into contact with the strings; substantially as described.

2. The combination with the strings, the bar extending across the strings, the flexible strikers carried thereby, the rod or bar for holding the strikers bent back out of contact with the strings, the rock shaft upon which said last mentioned bar is carried, and means for rocking said rock shaft to elevate the retaining bar, and release the strikers; substantially as described.

8. The combination with the strings, the bar extending across the strings, the series of flexible strikers carried thereby, the retaining rod or bar for holding the strikers retracted, the rock shafts upon which said retaining bar is supported, the arm 011 the rock shaft and the rod cooperating with the arm to rock the shaft, whereby the retaining bar will be elevated and the strikers thrown into operative position; substantially described.

CALEB C. POLK.

lVitnesses:

N. L. AGNEW, HELENE OWEN.