US584721A - wuest - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

P. WUEST, Jr. PIANO KEY COUPLBR.

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(No Model.)

P. WUEST, Jr. PIAN@ KEY GOUPLBR.

No. 584,721. Patented June 15. 1897.

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(N0 Model.)

P. WUEST, Jr. PIANO KEY GOUPLER.

No. 584,721` Patented June 15,1897.

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UNITED STATES PATENT EErcE.

PHILIP lVUES'l, JR., OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGIIOR TO CHRISTOPHER J. IIEPPE AND FLORENCE J. HEPPE, OE SAME PLACE.

PIANO-KEY COUPLER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 584,721, dated June 15, 1897.

Application tiled December 6, 1895.

fo cir/ZZ whom it may con/cern:

Be it known that I, PHILIP WUEsT, Jr., a citizen of the United States, residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Piano Key Couplers, of which the following is a speciiication.

My invention relates to certain improvements in piano-key couplers in which the coupler is independent of the keys while out of action and when thrown into action will act freely without undue pressure on the part of the performer.

My invention is based on the application for patent for piano-key coupler tiled by me on May 31, 139-1-, Serial No. 513,051.

My present invention relates particularly to the method of mounting the coupler so that it will be more easily operated and adjusted.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of an upright piano, illustrating my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan View of a portion of the keys, showing some of the coupling-levers. Fig. 3 is a front view of the piano. Fig. 4 is a detached View of the skeleton frame on which the coupling-levers are mounted, and Fig. 5 is a View showing a two-part skeleton `trame arranged so that the bass can be coupled with the treble.

My improved coupler can be applied to a piano under the keyboard Without materially altering the parts, and when the coupler is out of action the keys are entirely free from the coupler. Consequently the touch of the piano is not impaired.

A is the case of the piano.

B is the ordinary piano-action.

C are the keys, pivoted at c to a balance-rail a 0n the key-frame secured to the keyboard A. Each key C acts upon its abstract I) of the piano-action, as clearly shown in Fig. 1, and the motion is transmitted through a series of levers to the hammer b.

The action illustrated is one now in common use, and it will be understood that this portion of the piano may be modiiicd without departing from my invention.

Pivoted at d to the front rail A2 of the piano is a skeleton. frame D, extending under the keyboard nearly the i'ull width of the piano Serial N0. 571,309. (No model.)

and extending back et the front bottom board AS.

The skeleton trame D is in the present instance of the form clearly illustrated in Fig. 4f and is arranged for a divided coupler, being wider at the back than at the front, and has on its upper surface a balance-rail DQ covered with felt, and a rest-rail D2, also covered with felt, and on the balance-rail D are mounted the coupling-levers E, which extend from a point directly under the front oi" the keys diagonally to a point directly under the .action ot the octave above or below; but it will be understood that if the keys are coupled in one direction only the shape of the skeleton frame will be modiiied, or if the bass and treble are divided then the `frame is divided, as shown in Fig. 5.

Mounted in the keyboard A', directly under the majority of the keys, are vertical pitmen e. Each of these pitmen c has a pin which is adapted to a hole in the outer end of the coupling-lever E. \Vhen the couplinglevers are raised, any movement of the key C will be imparted to the lever E. Preferably on the key is a felt disk c, and on the lever E is a felt disk d, and the passage for the rod c has a felt bushing d.

Supported by the opposite end of each lever E is a pitman c2. The pitmen c2 are adapted to openings e3 in the levers, and regulatingscrews c1 are used as supports for the rods, so that by adjusting these screws the rods can be raised or lowered. This construction makes it possible to adjust each pitman independently.

Each pitman c2 passes through the keyboard A, the openings in which have a bushing of felt a2, and on the abstract b of the piano-action is a rear extension b2, having felt on its under side, against which the pitman strikes when the coupler is in action, so that it will be seen that any motion imparted to the piano-action through the coupling-lever is entirely independent ot' the key which would normally act upon that particular portion ot' the action.

F is a lifting-rail extending the full length. of the skeleton 'frame D near the rear, as

shown in Eig. 1 and by dotted lines in Fig. o.

This rail is hinged at ff to blocks A4, secured to the sides of the ease. Attached to the rail at the center is an arm f', which is connected to the pedal G by a lifting-rod g. rlhe lifting-rail is held normally out of action bythe spring g.

Passing through a lug in the pedal and int-o the frame is a regulating-screw g2, and between the head of the regulating-screw and the pedal is a felt washer. This screw regulates the forward throw of the lifting-rail F, so that by adjusting the screw the entire series et pitmen can be moved toward or from the piano-action, while the independent pitinen are regulated by the adjusting-screws e4' on the levers E.

Secured to blocks A5 on each side of the trame are flat springs t'. These springs rest under the inner end et' Ithe skeleton frame D and carry the main weight of the frame, so that when the perlormer places his foot upon the pedal to t-hrow in the coupler a very light pressure is all that is necessary, as the springs counteract the weight of the frame and its levers, as described.

The spring g is comparatively light and is et sul'llcient tension to return the lifting-rail to its normal position.

One great diliieulty in the manufacture of piano-key couplers has been the want ol rigidity et" the several parts without aliecting the touch. Consequently numerous couplers have been made that have been more or less defective and reliance cannot be placed upon them.

By my invention the support for the coupling-levers is rigid, an d when the vl'oot is placed upon the pedal all parts are elevated alike and the lifting-bar F is moved to such a position as to ferm a rigid support tor the trame without undue pressure of the foot.

lt will be understood that when the piano has been arranged so that the entire coupling mechanism can be elevated so as to throw in both the bass and treble couplers the skeleton frame is made iu one section, but when the bass and treble are to be operated independently then I make the skeleton frame as shown in Fig. 5 and use two pedals, and l prefer to so arrange the frames that the frame controlling the bass will overlap the frame controlling' the treble, so that while the bass can be raised independently of the treble by placing the foot on the other pedal the treble and bass are raised in unison, as it is very seldom that the performer wishes to use the treble independently of the bass.

I claim as my invent-ienl. The combination of the keys, the keyboard upon which the keys are mounted, a piano-action, a pivoted trame under said board,coupling-levers mounted on said frame, pitinen extending from each coupling-lever at each end, a longitudinal lifting-rail F pivoted to the t'rame of the piano and mounted under the pivoted frame, a pedal G connected to the lifting-rail, said rail being so pivoted to the bodyof the piano that when it is moved to throw the coupling-levers into action the pivoted vframe will be supported throughout the greater portion of its length by the body through the said longitudinal liftil'ig-rail, substantially as described.

EZ. The combination et the ease, the keys, keyboard on which the keys are mounted, piano-action, a frame pivoted to the case at its outer end and extendingback ot the front bottom board et' the case and being wider at the back t-han at the trout, a balance-rail on said frame, and a lifting-rail for elevating the frame, said lifting-rail extending nearly the full length of the trame, so as to iirmly support it at both ends, substantially as described.

The combination el' the keys, the keyboard, the pivoted frame made in two parts, one part overlapping the other, coupling-levers on said trame, pedals connected to each part so that one part can be elevated independently of the other and ou the depression of the pedal on the other part both sections of the frame will be raised in unison, substantially as described.

4. The combination of the keys, keyboard, pivoled frame, coupling levers thereon, springs for sustaining part of the weight el' the frame and its levers, with means l'or elevating the frame to throw the coupling-levers into action, substantially as described.

5. The combination et the keys, the keyboard, a pivoted frame mounted under the keyboard and pivoted at the Atrout end and extending back of the bottom ilront board, springs forsustaining a portion of the weight of the trame and its levers, a -rail pivoted at each side of t-he piauoand resting against the under side of the frame at the rear, an arm extending trom the said rail, a pedal connected to said arm, with an adjusting-screw so as to regulate the throw ol the lifting-rail and the upward movement el' the frame, substantially as described.

6. The combination in a piano-key coupler, et the keys, the keyboard on which the keys are mounted, piano-action operated by the keys, a pivoted frame under the keyboard, coupling-levers mounted on the said trame, pitmen connecting the levers to the keys and pitmen connecting the levers to the pianoaetion, a set-screw under the latter so that they can be independently adjusted, a lifting-rail, a pedal connected to said lil'tingrail, an adjustable stop to limit the movement of the pedal or lifting-rail so that either the entire coupling mechanism can be adjusted or the individual pitmen, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof l have signed my naine to this specification in the presence el' two subscribing witnesses.

lVitnesses:

WILL. A. Riti-uz, Jos. il. KLEIN.

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