US638086A

US638086A - Protector for keyboard-rails.

Info

Publication number: US638086A
Application number: US71576999A
Authority: US
Inventors: Leopold Bernard
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1899-05-06
Filing date: 1899-05-06
Publication date: 1899-11-28
Anticipated expiration: 1916-11-28

Description

No. 638,086. Patented Nov. 28, I899. L. BERNARD. PROTECTOR FOR KEYBOARD RAILS. (Application filed May 6, 1899.) (No Model.)

THE Nonms Pzrzas co, mom um v, WASHINGTON, o, c.

WITNESSES UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEOPOLD BERNARD, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

PROTECTOR FOR KEYBOARD-RAlLS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 638,086, dated November 28, 1899.

Application filed May 6, 1899. Serial No. 715,769. (N0 model.)

To CLZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEOPOLD BERNARD, of the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, in the county and State of New York, have inventeda new and Improved Protector for Keyboard-Rails, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to devices intended for protecting the keyboards of pianos and similar instruments; and it consists of asheet of material, preferably of some flexible fabric, which is provided with hooks or arms adapted to extend over the upper edge of the rail and to have their ends inserted between the rail and the end of the keys.

My invention comprises novel features of construction, which will be hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a front view of a piano, showing my device in place. Fig. 2 is asection through the keyboard-rail and a portion of the keyboard, showing my device in place. Figs. 3 and 4 are perspective views showing different forms of hooks which may be used with my device, and Fig. 5 is an elevation of a portion of the inner side of my device.

In such instruments as pianos it is common to find the keyboard rail scratched and marred by rings upon the hands of players or in other ways, so that it presents a very bad appearance. The object of my device is to protect the keyboard-rail, so that it will not be marredin this manner, and to provide a device for this purpose which shall be pleasing in appearance, which will cost but little, and which may be readily removed, if desired, and which may be applied to instruments Without altering them in the least.

' With this end in view I use a sheet of material A, which is preferably made of some flexible fabric and which may be made as elaborate or as ornamental as desired. This sheet of material is of sufficient width and length to cover the keyboard-rail and is provided with hooks or arms 0, secured to the upper edge of the sheet A and of such size and shape as to fit snugly over the upper edge of the rail, the projecting end 0 fitting between the inner edge of the rail and the outer end of the keys. These hooks may be secured to the sheet A in any convenient manner. I have herein shown them as secured to the sheet by having one end thereof inserted into a pocket E, which is formed by stitching a small piece of fabric to the inner side of the sheet A. They may be securely held in place within this pocket by means of a rivet or in any other usual manner, or may be left without any additional securing means, so that they may be removed, if desired.

In Fig. 4 ahook O is shown,which is without the downward extension 0', such as shown in Fig. 3. These hooks would be used for the extreme ends of the cover or where it extends beyond the ends of the keyboard. These hooks may be made of very thin material, so that there will be sufficient room for theirinsertion between the inner face of the rail B and the outer end of the keys D. If desired, the entire device may be made of metal or of some comparatively rigid material; but it is preferred that it be made of cloth, leather, or similar flexible material. If made of metal or any stiff material, the hook ends 0 may be formed as a part of the protector or shield itself.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A protector or shield for the keyboardrail of a piano or similar instruments, comprising a sheet of material adapted to cover the front of the rail, and having arms adapted to extend over the upper edge of the rail to hold it in place, the ends of said arms entering between the rail and the keys, substantially as described.

2. A protector for the keyboard-rails of pianos and similar instruments, comprising a fabric sheet adapted to cover the rail, and having hooks secured thereto and adapted to pass between the rail and the ends of the keys, substantially as described.

3. A protector for the keyboard-rails of pianos and similar instruments, comprising a fabric sheet adapted to cover the rail, and having pockets in its upper edge, and hooks adapted to lie in said pockets and to extend over the top edge of the rail with their ends between the rail and the keys, substantially as described.

LEOPOLD BERNARD.

\Vitnesses:

1-1. L. REYNOLDS, EVERARD BOLTON MARSHALL.