US645342A - Pianoforte. - Google Patents

Description

' No 645,342. Patented Mar. I3, I900.

J. C. WARD.

PIANOFORTE.

Model (Application filed Dec; 27, 1897. Renewed Deg. 31, 1898.) 3 Sheets sheet l Fig.1.

Patented Mar. I3,- I900.

J. c. WARD. PIANUFORTE.

(Application filed D sc. 27, 1897. Rene wed Dec. 31, 189B.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 (No Model.)

mi. you; PETERS so, FHOTO-LI'YHO. wAsumumn. o, c,

Patented Mar. l3, I900.

J. C. WARD. PIANOFOBTE. (Application filed Dec. 27, 1897. Renewed Dec. 31, 1898.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

STATES UNITED PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN CHARLES lVARD, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

PIANOFORTE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 645,342, dated March 13, 1900.

Application filed December 27, 1897. Renewed December 31, 1898. Serial No, 700,857- (No model.)

To all whom, it nuv/ concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN CHARLES WARD, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at London, England, have invented Improvements in Pianofortes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to improvements in pianofortes of the kind in which the strings and mechanism appertaining to the notes A, B, Cfi, D14, F, and G are placed on one side of the frame, while the like appliances proper to the notes Ali, G, D, E, Fit, and Gfi are placed on the other side thereof, and the keyboard is arranged above, so as to com man d equally well the mechanism on both sides of the frame.

One object of my present invention is to render the tuning or wrest pins in pianofortes of said kind more accessible to the tuner than heretofore. Also by my present invention I am enabled to simplify the manufacture of such instruments by dispensing with the long wrest-pins hitherto required to pass through the wrest-plank in connection with the strings on the rear side of the frame. Furthermore, by this invention I am enabled to secure the advantage of freer egress to the tone of the instrument by way of the top. To obtain these results, I place the wrest-plank in a horizontal position, or nearly so, on the top of the frame and arrange the wrest-pins in the plank in a vertical position, or nearly so, and in conjuntion with this arrangement I employ keys and their auxiliary levers so reduced in width for a portion of their length that the implement employed for tuning purposes may pass down conveniently between them to reach the tuning-pins. \Vhere desirable, I also provide openings in the key-blocks for the same purpose.

In order that others skilled in the art may be enabled to make and use my invention, I will now proceed to more particularly describe it with the aid of the accompanying illustrative drawings, whereof- Figure 1 shows a plan of the lowest octave of the keyboard of one of my fullcompass pianos of the minimum length and in which the bass'key block is left intact, an arrangement which in this drawing incidentally serves to indicate in two instances the length of the openings required in the keyboard where the instrument is tricord. Fig. 2 is a transverse view showing the means employed according to the present example for working ordinary upright-pianoforte actions in connecr' tion with my pianofortes. Fig. 3 is a plan of the auxiliary levers with recessed part, so that the instrument employed in tuning may be passed down and engaged with any one of the wrest-pins.

The keys (1 and dare centered at their farther ends (4 In the middle of each key is a regulative screw b. To the front of the screw 1) each key is recessed for a certain distance to about one-half of the usual width. The recess in the one key faces the recess in the next one, thus forming the openings 0, through erate the auxiliary levers b while the black key a represents all the other keys, whether black or white, which operate the levers b and the wrest-pins are arranged so as to show the form of wrest-plank requisite where the instrument is tricord.

The keys at and a are shown strengthened at their farther ends by increased depth of material. Obviously they may be elsewhere so strengthened, while by the use of metal instead of or in conjunction with wood in their manufacture greater strength may be obtained in the keys concurrently with enlargement in the openings 0 0 0 The screw 1) in the middle of the key bears upon the sticker b. This is hinged to the auxiliary lever 6 which carries the rod 19 The latter is attached at its lower end to the bottom lever of the action employed on the front side of the instrument, which it operaies when the key is depressed. The action on the rear side is operated in exactly the same way by means of the auxiliary lever 17 on the depression of the key a.

For the guidance of the tuner the positions of the respective wrest-pins are indicated on the keys at o c.

Beneath the auxiliary levers Z2 Z1 and placed horizontally on the top of the frame d is the wrest-plank d, (clothedin metal,) holding the wrest-pins A, B, Ohin its fore part and Ali, G, D in its rear part. The auxiliary levers 12 19 are each recessed in width for a portion of their length, as shown at b so that the implement employed for tuning purposes may be passed down and conveniently engaged with any one of the corresponding wrest-pins. The position of the recessed portion of each lever is directly below the recessed portion of the key above it.

From the wrest-pin A the string e is shown passing to the stud c and likewise from the wrest-pin A5 the string e is shown passing to the stud 6 Obviously the strings may be made to pass to the reverse sides when desirable.

Guide-pins(n0t shown in the drawings) are employed when requisite.

When openings 0 c are made in the basskey blocks and the instrument is nowhere tricord, the wrest-plank need not be overhanging.

My invention may be carried out variously, according to the form of the frame, wrestplank, or wrest-pins employed, or as the keyboard may be fixed or movable, without departing from the distinctive characters of the invention, and it is also evident that various changes might be made and modifications resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, and hence I do not wish to limit myself to the constructions set forth or shown.

What I claim is 1. A keyboard for pianofortes provided with unobstructed openings extending vertically therethrough and located above wrestpins below, substantially as described for the purpose specified.

2. A keyboard for pianofortes provided with openings such as c and 0 formed in and located between adjacent keys, substantially as described for the purpose specified.

3. In a pianoforte in which the strings, and the appliances for sounding the same are on both sides of the frame,and the keys are above, the combination of a wrest-plank placed approximately in' a horizontal position on the top of the frame, with a keyboard provided with openings for giving access to the wrestpins; substantially as herein described and shown.

4. In a pianoforte the combination of a frame, a wrest-plank placed in or approximately in a horizontal position on the top of said frame, strings at both sides thereof, appliances for sounding said strings, and a keyboard constructed with openings adapted to afford access to the wrest-pins, substantially as described.

5. In a pianoforte in which the strings and the appliances for sounding the same are on both sides of the frame and the keys are above,

the combination of a wrest-plank placed approximately in a horizontalposition on the top of the frame with auxiliary levers Z7 Z9 each reduced in Width for a portion of its length adjacent to the wrest-pins whereby the implement employed for tuning may be conveniently engaged with the corresponding wrest-pins, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN CHARLES WARD.

VVit-nesses:

PERCY E. MATTOCKS, EDMUND S. SNEWIN.

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