US651749A - Pedal-action for pianos. - Google Patents

Description

N0. 65|,749. Patented lune l2, I900.

J. DIERDORF.

PEDAL ACTION FOB PIANOS.

(Application filed Sept. 15. 1899.)

/N VE N TOR ATTORNEY.

THE NORRIS PETERS co" PHOTO LI:THO., wasmumuu. '0. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIon.

- JOHN DIERDORF, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

PEDAL-ACTION FOR PIANOS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 651,749, dated June 12, 1900. Application filed September 15, 1899. Serial No. 730,565. No model-l To all whmn it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OHN DIERDORF, a citi-' Zen of the United States, residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pedal-Actions for Pianos, of which the following is aspeeification.

The object of my invention is to produce a new pedal-action for pianos, one which will be simple in construction, easily attached or detached, and one in which any lost motion through wear may be quickly and readily taken up. In all pedals now used in pianos, defects appear from time to time during their use by the different parts becoming worn, which in turn retards and interferes with the action of the pedals, as well as producing squeaking sounds, which it is the paramount object to overcome and on which a constant vigilance is kept by all piano manufacturers. When, however, a pedal in a piano shows signs of wear, to remedy the same is'accompanied by considerable labor. To overcome these obstacles is one of the objects of myinvention by being able to take up all lost motion by simply tightening the tension by means of a nut on the rods. There are other features, all of which will be hereinafter more particularly described and then pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are made a part hereof, and on which similar numerals of reference indicate similar parts, Figure 1 is a front elevation of the lower portion of a piano, the front wall of the piano under the pianoforte being removed, so as to allow an interior view of the main body of the piano, as well as to show the position occupied by my invention therein. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the combined parts constituting my invention, the same, being on an enlarged scale.

tone.

Fig. 3 is a rear,

that connects the pedal with the bell-crank. Fig. 5 is an under side view of that portion of the pedal that contains the corrugations which receive the elongated head on the upright rod and shows the manner in which said rod may be adjusted longitudinally with the pedal; and Fig. 6 is a fragmentary top plan view of the rear end of a .pedal, showing the notch formed in the end thereof, to-

gether with its connection with the standard.

secured to the floor 2 are the standards 3,

which form the pivotal point for the pedals. I have shown three pedals in my construction, this being the usual number employed in upright pianos. The pedals, through the different mechanism employed, effect the hammers and dampers in a piano, thereby bringing'about a greater or less volume of The exact manner in which the upright rods 24 (common in all pianos) manipulate the mechanism to bring about these results is old and well'known by those skilled in the art of piano construction, an dtherefore said standards has a horizontal slot 4 cut therein, which slot after extending a short distance into said standard turns downward or at right angles with the horizontal portion and which forms a seat for a pin 5, which passes transversely through the pedal. A thumb-screw 6, mounted in a vertical manner in the standard 3, seats itself on the pin 5 when the same is in position, and thereby a tension is secured for the pedal, as well as to prevent the pedal from disengaging itself from the standard 3. After the pedal is placed in position and the thumb-screw6 adjusted the screw is locked by the jam-nut 7, which screw seats itself upon the standard 3.

The pedals in shape are like the ordinary piano-pedal, except at their rear end a notch Sis formed therein, the notch 8 beingbest shown in Fig. 6. The upright portion of the standard 3 passes between the outer walls of the pedal, which remain after the notch Sis formed and which construction insures a firm bearing for the pedal, and while the pedal is allowed a free vertical reciprocating movement it prevents any sidewise or twisting movement.

The pedals have central thereto and longitudinally therewith a slot 9. On the under side of the pedals, that part through which the slot 9 extends, a series of lateral corrugations 10 is formed. (See Fig. 5.) The slot 9 is always of a length equal to the number of corrugations. The corrugations 10 form a seat for the elongated integral head formed on the upright 11, whereby said rod may be moved longitudinally with the pedal and through which means a variety of leverages may be secured for the pedal. The rod 11 has an elongated head formed on each end thereof and through which the pedal is connected to the bell-crank 12. In attaching the rod 11 to the pedal the elongated head on the lower end is turned so as to stand parallel with the pedal or the same as the slot 9 when the head is passed through the pedal and is then turned crosswise thereto, it then engaging with one of the corrugations 10, which prevents the said head moving after once positioned and after a tension has been placed on the rod 11. The head on the upper end of the rod 11 engages with the forked end of the horizontal portion of the bell-crank 12. The bell-crank 12 is mounted in the standard 13, which standard is rigidly secu red to the floor 2 of the piano. The bell-crank 12 has an extended integral flange or rib 14:, which rib extends down in a slot 15 in the upper end of the standard 13 in a longitudinal manner therewith. The rib 14: on the crank 12 has a series of holes therein, whereby the pivotal point of the bell-crank may be changed, thereby increasing or decreasing the leverage of said cranks. A pin 16 passes through one of the openings in the rib 14 and rests in a slot 16 in the upper end of the standard 13, the slot.

16 being at right angles to the slot 15 in said standard. When it is desired to change the leverage of the crank, the pin 16 is withdrawn and the bell-crank moved along in the slot 15 until the next hole comes in view, when the pin 16 is inserted. The termination of each end of the bell-eranks is slotted a short distance (see Fig. 3) and also has a laterally-formed cup therein. (See Fig. 2.) This cupped formation on the outer end of the horizontal portion forms a seat for the elongated head on the upright rod 11, while the one on the perpendicular por tion forms a seat for a half-round bearingstrip 17, which strip is preferably made of a substance less dense than metal, such as wood or the like, and will prevent sounds issuing from thejointconstructed in this manner during the operation of the parts. Theflat side of the bearing-strip 17 forms a seat for the wing-nut 18, which is screwed on the rod 19, which rod connects the bell-crank 12 with the bell-crank 20. The rear end of the rod 19, where it connects with the bell-crank 20, has an elongated integral head formed thereon and is connected to said crank 20 in the same manner as the rod 11 connects with the crank 12. The rod 19 at its front end connects with the perpendicular portion of the bell-crank 12 and is threaded so as to receive the wingnut 18. The bell-crank 20 is mountedin the same manner as the crank 12, except that it stands in a reverse or opposite direction from the crank 12. Should any lost motion occur between the cranks, the same may be readily taken up by the wing-nut 18 on the shaft 19.

A pin 21 passes transversely through the crank 20 and rests in vertical slots in the standard 22, similar to the pin 16 in the standard, only that the ends of the pin 21 project some distance on each side of the standard 22. (See Fig. 3.) The object of projecting the ends of the pin 21 is to form a contactpoint for the spring 23, which spring crosses the front of the standard 22, then around the ends of the pin 21, and upward to a point slightly below the cupped formation of the perpendicular portion of the bell-crank 20, where the ends of the spring are turned inward toward each other and rest on the face of the bell-cran k. The spring 23 insures to a greater degree the prompt return of all parts to their normal position when the pedal is released and also maintains a tension on the parts between the crank 20 and the pedal.

On the outer end of the crank 20 rests an upright rod 24. These rods are employed in all upright pianos and are usually three in numher, or the same number as there are pedals, in which one red is located in one end of the piano and two in the other. In Fig. 1 I have shown the end in which the one rod is employed, the framework of the piano being broken away, so as to leave the parts exposed, this end being considered more simple and less liable to confusion. The same construction of parts is used in the other end, however, the parts therefore being interchangeable. The description of one side is sufiicient for all.

The rod 2% extends up into the piano and affects the hammers and dampers in the same manner as is done in all upright pianos, and, as previously stated, as my invention does not relate to that portion the same will not be described.

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I desire to secure by Letters Patent 1s 1. In a pedal-action for pianos, in combination with the main piano-body, a standard "rigidly secured thereto and having a recess therein, a pedal having a longitudinal slot cut into the rear end thereof which receives the standard and forms a pivotal point for the pedal, a thumb-screw vertically mounted in the standard so as to seat itself on the transverse pin in the pedal when said pedal is in position, a jam-nut adapted to lock said thumb-screw when the parts have been adjusted, substantially as shown and for the purposes set forth.

2. In a pedal-action for pianos, in combination with the main piano-body, standards having recesses formed therein, pedals removably secured to said standards by means of a slot cut into the rear end of the pedals and a transverse pin which engages with the recesses in the standards, a series of notches cut into the under and central portion of the pedals, a longitudinal slot centrally located in the pedals which transverses the notches, a vertical rod, having its ends formed into elongated heads, connecting the pedal with the bell-cranks, the lower end of the rod engaging with the notches in the pedals and the upper ends'engagingwith the cups formed in the outer ends of the bell-cranks, whereby the leverage of the pedals may be regulated, substantially as shown and for the purposes set forth.

3. In a pedal-action for pianos, in combination with the main piano-body, standards rigidly secured to said body, vertical slots cut in the upper ends of said standards, bellcranks having integral downward-projecting ribs which engage with the slots in the standards, pins 16 rigidly secured to and set in a transverse manner to the bell-cranks and adapted to rest in notches formed in the upper ends of the standards transversely from the main slots, whereby a pivotal point is secured for the bell-cranks, a series of holes formed in the bell-cranks thereby providing a means for their adjustment, cups formed in the outer ends of the bell-cranks, which receive the elongated heads of the vertical rods, a longitudinal slot in the outer ends of the bell-cranks through which the upright rods operate, substantially as shown and for the V purposes set forth.

4:. In a pedal-action for pianos,"in combination with the main piano-body, a bell-crank 20 mounted in a standard and similar to the crank 12 except that it stands in an opposite direction thereof, the said cranks being connected by means of an adjustable rod, a pin passing transversely through the bell-crank 20 and resting in vertical slots in the standard 22, the ends of said pin extending out from each side of the standard .22, a spring passing across the face of the standard and behind the projecting ends of the pin, and extending in an upright manner parallel with the perpendicular portion of the bell-crank, the upper ends of the spring bent at right angles with the main body thereof, the said ends resting on the face of said perpendicular portion of the bell-crank, substantially as shown and for the purposes set forth.

5. In a pedal-action for pianos, in combination with the main piano-body, a bell-crank having an extended rib carrying a series of openings foradj usting said crank, a standard rigidly secured to the framework of the piano, the said standard having a longitudinal vertical slot cut therein, the said slot adapted to receive the extended integral rib on the crank, a cup formation on the outer end of the horizontal portion of the bell-crank 20, the said cup engaging with the lower end of an upright rod 24, a pin in the end of the rod 24c which extends downward and through a horizontal slot in the end of the bell-c1'ank,whe1'eby said rod is prevented from being displaced in a lateral manner, when said rod is actuated by said crank, substantially as shown and for the purposes set forth.

6. In a pedal-action for pianos, in combina tion with the main piano-body, standards secured to said body having a horizontal slot terminating in a recess therein, pedals removaoly secured to said standards by means of transverse pins in the pedals engaging with the recesses in the standards, thumb-screws vertically mounted in the standards and adapted to rest on the transverse pins when the pedals are in position, jam-nuts on said thumb-screws whereby said screws are secured when the parts have been adjusted.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal, at Indianapolis, Indiana, this 20th day of June, A. D. 1899.

JOHN DIERDORF. [L. s.]

Witnesses:

J. FROHLIGER, F. W. WOERNER.

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