US678638A - Piano-action. - Google Patents

Description

No. 678,638. Patented luly I6, l90l.

V BESSIER PI ANO ACTION.

[Application filed Dec. 28, 1900.)

(No Model.)

WITNESSES provements in Piano-Actions, of which the fol- ATENT FFIQE.

VETAL BESSIER, OF- BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

PIANO-A GTION.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Eatent No. 678,638, dated July 16, 1901. Application filed December 28, 1900, Serial No. 41,379. (No model.)

To atZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VETAL BESSIER, of the city of New York, borough of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Imlowing is a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to grand and upright pianos; and its object is to provide a new and improved piano-action whereby the performer is enabled to cause a stronger or weaker throw of the hammer without varying the throw of the key to sound the strings louder or softer.

The invention consists of novel features and parts and combinations of the same, as will be fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the claims.

A practical embodiment of my invention is represented in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both the figures.

Figure l is a sectional side elevation of a grand-piano action provided with the improvements, and Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional front elevation of the same on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

In grand pianos as heretofore constructed the action is shifted sidewise when the performer touches the piano-pedal, so that the hammers strike only two strings instead of three, as is the case when the pedal is released, and the action shifts back to a normal position. Now when the hammer strikes the two strings the latter cut into the hammerfelt, and when the hammer subsequently strikes the three strings the tone produced is uneven, as the third string receives a harder blow than the other two.

In upright pianos the hammer-rail is moved toward or from the strings upon pressing or releasing the soft pedal; but this arrangement is defective, as the hammer-butt is raised about one-eighth of an inch from the jack, and when the key is struck the leather on the butt-end is cut and worn out in a very short time, with a consequent bad touch of the key as the result.

To overcome the defects mentioned in both grand and upright piano actions, I provide the improvement presently to be described in detail, the improvement being shown in con nection with a grand-piano action; but it is evident that the same improvement also applies to upright-piano actions. I

The regulating-rail A is mounted to slide in bearings B in the sides of the piano-action frame B, and the ends of this regulating-rail A are connected with the soft-pedal mechanism O, under the control of the performer, to permit the latter to shift the rail A up or down for the purpose hereinafter more fully v described.

On the rail A are held the usual buttons D, adapted to be engaged by the heels F of the jacks F, fulcrumed on the jack-rockers G, connected with the key-rockers II on the keys I. Each jack F operates in the usual man ner on the butt-end J of the hammer J, adapted to strike the strings K with more or less force, according to the position of the rail A relative to the heels F of the jacks F.

Now when the soft-pedal mechanism 0 is in a normal position the rail A is at the uppermost end of its guideways B, so that when a key is pressed the heel F of the corresponding jack F strikes its button D somewhat later than when the rail A is in a lowermost position and the key is pressed. Thus when the rail A is in an uppermost position and a key is pressed the jack F is thrown oif of the butt-end J later, so that the hammer J strikes the strings K with full force; but when the rail A is in a lowermost position the heel F of the jack strikes its button D very soon, and consequently the jack F is thrown off of the butt-end before the hammer J receives its full throw, and consequently the hammer strikes the strings with less force. Thus without shifting the piano-action sidewise, as in grand-piano actions heretofore constructed, or moving the hammer-rail towardor from the strings I produce far better results by shifting the regulating-rail to increase or decrease the distance between the heel F and the button D.

I do not limit myself to the particular construction of the means described for varying the distance between the heels of the jacks and the buttons in the rail, as the same may be varied without deviating from my invention. It is evident that the rail may, for instance, be made to swing for the purpose mentioned instead of being made to slide, as shown and described. The rail, of wood, is reinforced on its sides by metal strips, (see Fig. 1,) extending throughout the length of the rail to prevent it from sagging or working.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A piano-action having jacks, a regulating-rail mounted to slide in bearings on the piano-frame and adapted to engage the heels of said jacks to control the escapement of the jacks to let the hammers off sooner or later, and a pedal-action connected with said regulating-rail to allow the player to move said regulating-rail at will, as set forth.

2. A piano-action having jacks, a regulating-rail mounted to slide in hearings on the piano-frame, buttons on the said regulatingrail and in alinement with the heels of the said jacks, and a pedal-action connected with the said regulating-rail to allow the player to move the said regulating-rail at will and bring the buttons in engagement with the heels of the jacks to control the escapcment of the jacks to let the hammers ofif sooner or later, as set forth.

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

VETAL BESSIER.

XVitnesses:

THEo. G. I'IOSTER, EVERARD BOLTON lVLARSHALL.

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