US687607A - Repetition piano-action. - Google Patents

Description

No. 687,607. Patented Nov. 26, I90I. J. W. HARLEY, JR. REPETITION PIANO ACTION.

A i at nfll dSept 23 1898) 2 eet 1.

(No Model.)

- Yaw No. 687,607 Patented Nov. 26, l90l.

J. W. HARLEY, 1R.

,REPETITION PIANO ACTION.

(Application filed Sept. 23, 1896.) (No Mudel.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN IV. DARLEY, JR., OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO MICHAEL HOLZMAN, PHILIP IIAMBURGER, AND LEON IIAMBURGER OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

'REPETITION PIANO-ACTION.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 687,607, dated November 26, 1901.

Application filed September 23, 1896. $erial No. 606,735- (No model- T ttZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN W. DARLEY, J11, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Repetition Piano-Actions; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in piano-actions, and especially in those actions which are designed to enable the operator to strike the same note repeatedly and in rapid succession.

The present invention is intended to cover certain improvements upon the device described in my application, Serial No. 563,365, filed September 23, 1895; and it consists in certain novel features which will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

Referenceis had to the accompanying drawings, wherein the same parts are indicated by the same letters throughout the several views and in which for the sake of clearness the supporting-frames are omitted.

Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a piano-key and the various parts connected thereto, showing the parts in their normal po- 0 sition with the hammer at rest and in its position farthest from the string, the supporting-rails being shown in sections. Fig. 2 represents a similar View of the action, showing the parts in the position assumed immediately after the hammer has struck the string and while the key is held down. Fig. 3 represents a front elevation of the operating-bar of the device.

Throughout the description and drawings I have described and shown only one pianokey and the mechanism operated thereby, it being understood that the same mechanism is duplicated for each key and string, excepting in the case of the treble strings, where the damper is dispensed with.

The word jack is used to denote a member of a piano-action which engages or disengages from operative connection with the hammerbutt or some other member and through which-the driving force is applied to the hammer. This member is also sometimes called a fly. The word abstract is generally used in the art to indicate the main operating-bar or connecting-rod driven by the key, which bar has one or more fixed points of connection and which moves, approximately, in the direction of its length. This bar or abstract is one of the elements through which the power is transmitted from the key to the jack and which is never disengaged.

A, B, O, D, and E designate the supporting-rails, which extend across the piano and support the several parts, as is usual.

The various rails and other parts of the piano-action are faced with felt or other similar material wherever they are likely to be struck by any of the moving parts, and all centers are bouched with a cloth in the wellknown way, the effect of the whole being to prevent rattling and to deaden all sounds except of the strings which have been struck.

at designates one of the many strings of the piano.

F designates the key, pivoted, as atf', on the pin fand having the usual cushions beneath all its points of contact with the framework of the piano.

The main operatingbar II is hung to the supporting-rail B bya straight lever I and to the lower supporting-rail A by the bell-crank lever K, the latter having a lower padded shoulder Zawhich rests upon the rounded head of the screw f on the inner end of the keylever F.

The supporting-rail O has a cross-piece c, in one end of which is pivoted, as at c, the hammer-buttM, from which extends the stem M, carrying the hammer M made of buckskin or other suitable material. When in the normal position, the stem M rests upon the hammer-rail D, which is hinged to the supporting-rail D, as at d, and cushioned, as at d, to receive the impact of the hammerstem, the rail D being operated by the soft pedal in the usual manner. A depending lug in is formed on the lower corner of the hammer-butt, cushioned, as shown, to receive the thrust of the jack N. A tailpiece m depends from the other lower corner of the hammer-butt and has a cushioned shoe m formed on its lower end for a purpose to be explained hereinafter.

The jack N is pivoted in the bar H just above the lever I, as at n, and extends upward at an angle to the bar H, its upper end a resting beneath the lug m on the hammerbutt M. In the upper end of the bar II is pivoted a lever 0, formed somewhat like a bell-crank lever, one end 0 of which is provided Wit-h a recovery-spring 0 connected with a flexible piece n from the jack N. The tendency of the recovery-spring o is to pull the upper end of the jack toward the bar H; but its movement is limited by a cushioned stop h on the end of a screw it, which passes through the bar H, and it is held normally with its upper end under the lug on of the hammer-butt, as shown in Fig. 1. It will be noted that the jack is carried by the bar or abstract II-that is, it partakes wholly of the motion of said bar and has not merely one of its ends partaking of said motion. Atailpiece N projects from the lower end of the jack N through a slot provided in the abstract or the bar H and is provided with a screw N carrying a cushioned stop W. I find by experimenting with this action and those of the usual construction that it is advisable to balance dynamically such parts as the jack, which are only constrained to move in their proper paths by spring tension, for I find that with very sudden blows a loss of power sometimes results, owing to the inertia of the parts acting on this spring, and thus moving out of their proper relations to the coacting parts. Especially is this true in very powerful staccato playing. For this reason I make the screw N heavier than necessary for mechanical strength in order to dynamically balance the jack N for that portion of its motion during which it is driving the hammer toward the string. To the end 0 of the lever O is secured a rod 0 provided with an eye and point 0, to which is secured a strap m from the hammer-butt. The tension of the recovery-spring 0 is regulated by a screw 0 and this spring tends to keep the hammer-butt M, the jack N, and the lever 0 in their proper positions. A small bent rod m is secured to the ham mer-butt M, the bent end thereof extending beneath the strap m A block P is pivoted in the bar H above the jack N, and a rod 23, secured thereto, extends through the slot in the bar H and is bent around the jack, as at p, terminating in a" cushioned shoe P. The upper part of the block P is recessed, as at 19 and a disk 7L2, secured upon a regulating-screw ha, is arranged within the said recess 1]". Thus by turning the screw its the shoe P may be adjusted with relation to the shoe m on the hammer-butt, beneath which the shoe P is arranged.

R designates the damper-lever,which is pivoted in the rear end of the cross-piece c and has a stem 1" extending upwardly from its upper end, carrying the damper R, which is oe /30v of the usual construction and adjustable upon the stem 1. A spring 9 extends upwardly from the cross-piece c and presses against the damperlever to normally hold the damper against the string :0. To the lower end of the damper-lever is secured a tailpiece R extending toward the bar II and cushioned, as at 4- on its extreme end. A screw-rod 1 extends at an acute angle through the lever I and has a stop i on its rear end which is normally held in such a position that when the lever I is thrown upwardly the said stop t" will press against the piece It and throw the damper R away from the string as, as shown in Fig. 2, the contact of the stop 1" with the cushion r beginning when the key has been depressed a short distance.

The operation of the device is as follows: When the key is pressed downwardly, the bell-crank lever K will be thrown upwardly in the direction of the arrow, moving the lower end of the bar II in an arc of a circle upwardly and rearwardly. The lever I,turning upon its fulcrum-point i, will carry the portion of the bar II, where it is attached to the said lever, in an approximately vertical direction, which, combined with the rearward movement of the lower end, will cause the upper end of the said bar II to move upwardly and forwardly. This motion of the bar II will cause the jack N to throw the lug m on the hammer-hutt upwardly and cause the upper end of the jack IT to follow the are described by the said lug m as the hammer-butt M moves about its pivot c. The levers I and K being pivoted to the abstract determine its motion, as the jack partakes wholly of the motion of said abstract. The levers I and K by the combination of their movements determine the locus of the top of the jack. This movement continues until the hammer has nearly reached the string 0:,when the end of the lover I will strike the stop a on the screw N passing through the tailpiece N of the jack N, and throw the said jack from under the lug m toward the tailpiece m of the hammer-butt. The hammer will continue to move by its acquired momentum until it strikes the string 00, when it will rebound until the shoe m of the tailpiece on is caught upon the shoe P, which has moved up beneath the shoe m as shown in Fig. 2, which prevents further vibration of the hammer. The distance between the abutting portion of the tailpiece m and the top of the jack is such that the top of the jack will strike the tailpiece immediately after the hammer has struck the string, the parts being so arranged that the jack has an effective leverage on the hammer. This is of great assistance in arriving at a quick rebound of the hammer, especially in the case of light blows. It also aids in arriving at a quick repetition movement, for the jack is thereby restrained to a limited movement from the coacting part of the hammer, and hence no time is lost in recovery. When the hammer moves toward the string, the wire m on the hammer-butt will strike the under side of the flexible piece m as shown in Fig. 2, thus adding a certain adjustable retractive efieet to the retractive effect of gravity upon the hammer and its connected parts, which, it will be noticed, swing upon the center 0. The additional retractive effect may be adjusted by bending the wire m up or down. the hammer is against the string so I find that gravity has scarcely any retractive effect upon the hammer on account of its vertical position over the center 0, but that when the hammer is in the position farthest from the string the retractive effect of gravity is considerable. Thus it follows (considering gravity hammer retraction per 56) that were the spring 0 made sufficiently strong to bring the jack under the hammer-butt, with the hammer at the string, it would be too weak to perform a like function with the hammer away from the string. This defect is obviated by allowing the wire m to strike the connection m when the hammer-has performed about one-half of its stroke, thus adding the effect of the spring to the effect of gravity, and thereby giving an approximately equal retractive effort upon the hammer throughout its motion. Hence if the spring 0 be adjusted to bring the jack under the hammer-butt in one position it will do so in all.

The further advantages of this construction are that the connection m is always under spring tension and that shrinkage or expansion does not change its certainty of operation. Also it will be noticed that when the hammer is striking the string the piece m is but slightly bent by the wire m hence the retractive effort of the spring 0 upon the hammer is but slight, but that when the key is released and the bar H commences to drop the bending of the piece m rapidly increases, with a consequent multiplication of the retractive effect of the spring 0 Hence great rapidity of hammer motion is obtained.

At the upward movement of the bar or abstract H and lever I the stop t" on the screwrod I will strike the tailpiece R on the lower end of the damper-lever R and move the damper away from the string, as will be readily understood.

The first downward movement of the bar II when the key is released will cause the shoe P to drop away from the shoe m and release the hammer. The tension of the recoveryspring 0 upon the jack then causes the forward inclined face to press upon the hammerbutt lug m, causing relative motion between the two until the top it of the jack passes under said lug, when the jack will be resting against the pad 72. Bythis means the usual hammer-spring is dispensed with, the spring 0 on the lever 0 being sufficient for the return of both the jack and the hammer.

The rod W is operated by the loud pedal In practice when of the piano in the usual manner and serves to throw all the dampers off at the same time.

It will be seen by an inspection of the drawings that all the adjusting-screws may be turned from the front. Thus any adjustment may be made without removing the action from the piano.

The various advantages of this invention will be apparent to any one skilled in the art to which it appertains.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a piano-action, the combination with a key, an operating-bar, a lever pivoted to the lower end of said bar and also to a part of the piano-frame, and pressed upon by said key, a hammer, and a jack and spring carried by said bar for imparting reciprocal motion to said hammer, substantially as described.

2. In a piano-action, the combination with a key, an operating-bar, a bell-crank lever having one of its arms pivoted to the lower end of said bar, and the other to a part of the piano-frame, and pressed upon by said key, a hammer and a jack and spring carried by said bar for imparting reciprocal motion to said hammer, substantially as described.

3. In a piano-action, the combination with a key, an abstract, alever pivotally connected to the lower end of said abstract and also to a part of the piano-frame and provided with a shoulder pressed upon by said key, a jack and spring carried by said operating-bar, and a hammer-butt driven by said jack and retracted by said spring, substantially as described.

4:. In a piano-action, the combination with a key, of an abstract pivoted at two points and operated by said key and moving partly in the direction of its length, a jack carried by said abstract, and a hammer operated by said jack, substantially as described.

5. In a piano-action, the combination with a key, of a lever, an operating-bar pivoted to said lever, a second lever pivoted to the operating-bar and to the piano-frame, and a jack carried by said operating-bar, and a hammer operated by said jack, substantially as described.

6. In a piano-action, the combination with a key, an operating-bar operated by said key, a bent lever carried at the upper end of said bar and provided with a spring, a jack pivoted to said bar and connected to said spring, a hammer-butt engaged by said jack, and a flexible connection between said hammerbutt and said bent lever, substantially as described.

7. In a piano-action, the combination with a key, an operating-bar operated by said key, a bent lever carried at the upper end of said bar and provided with an adjustable spring, a jack pivoted to said bar and connected to said spring, a hammer-butt engaged by said jack, and a flexible connection between said hammer-butt and said bent lever, under tension from said spring, substantially as described.

S. In a piano-action, the combination with a key, an operating-bar operated by said key, a bent lever carried at the upper end of said 'bar and provided with a spring connected thereto, and carrying a screw for adjusting said spring, a jack pivoted to said bar and connected to said spring, a hammer-butt and hammer operated by said jack, and a flexible connection between said hammer-butt and said bent lever, under tension from said spring, substantially as described.

9. In a piano-action, the combination with a key, an operating-bar operated by said key, a bent lever carried at the upper end of said bar and provided with a spring, a jack pivoted to said bar and connected to said spring, a hammer-butt engaged by said jack, a rod or arm projecting from the front of said hammer-butt and a flexible connection between said hammer-butt and said bent lever, adapted to bear on said bent rod or arm when the hammer is near the string, substantially as described.

10. In apiano-action, the combination with a key, an operating-bar operated by said key, a bent lever carried at the upper end of said bar and provided with an adjustable spring, a jack pivoted to said bar and connected to said spring, a hammer-butt engaged by said jack, a rod or arm projecting from the front of said hammer-butt, and a flexible connection between said hammer-butt and said bent lever, held under tension by said spring and adapted to bear on said bent rod or arm when the hammer is near the string, substantially as described.

11. In a piano-action, the combination with a key, an operating-bar, a bent lever pivotally connected to the lower end of said bar and also to a part of the frame of the piano and pressed upon by said key between said pivots, a hammer-butt and hammer, means operated by said bar for imparting reciprocal motion to said hammer, a lever I pivoted to part of the framework of the piano, and pivotally connected to said bar, an inclined stop I carried by said lever I, and a damper-lever provided with a tailpiece adapted to be struck bysaid stop, substantially as described.

12. In a piano-action, the combination with a key, an operating-bar, a bell-crank lever having one of its arms pivoted to the lower end of said bar and the other to a part of the frame of the piano, the said key pressing upon said lever between said pivots, a hammer-butt and hammer, means operated by said bar for imparting a reciprocal motion to said hammer, a lever I pivoted to part of the framework of the piano, and pivotally connected to said bar, an inclined stop I carried by said lever I, and a damper-lever provided with a tailpiece adapted. to be struck by said stop, substantially as described.

13. In a piano-action, the combination with a key, an operating-bar, a bent lever pivotally connected to the lower end of said bar and also to a part of the frame of the piano and pressed upon by said key between said pivots, a jack operated by said bar, a hammer-butt and hammer operated by said jack, a lever I pivoted to part of the framework of the piano, and pivotally connected to-said bar, an inclined stop I carried by said lever I, and a damper-lever provided with a tailpiece adapted to be struck by said stop, sub stantially as described.

14. In a pianoaction, the combination with a key, an operating-bar, a bell-crank lever having one of its arms pivoted to the lower end of said bar and the other to a part of the frame of the piano, the said key pressing upon said lever between said pivots, a jack operated by said bar, a hammer-butt and hammer operated by said jack, a lever I pivoted to part of the framework of the piano, and pivotally connected to said bar, an inclined stop I carried by said lover I, and a damper-lever provided with a tailpiece adapted to be struck by said stop, substantially as described.

15. In a piano-action, the combination with a key, an operating-bar, a bent lever pivotally connected to the lower end of said bar and also to a part of the frame of the piano and provided with a rounded shoulder between said pivots, normally pressed upon by said key, a jack carried by said bar, a hammer-butt engaging said jack, a lever I pivoted to part of the framework of the piano, and pivotally connected to said bar, an inclined stop I carried by said lever I, and a damper-lever provided with a tailpiece adapted to be struck by said stop, substantially as described.

16. In a piano-action, the combination with an operating-bar with mechanism for moving the same in a direction approximately parallel to the string, of a transverse lever I pivoted to the framework of the piano and pivotally connected to said bar, an inclined stop carried by said transverse lever, and a damper-lever provided with a laterally-extending tailpiece adapted to be engaged by said stop when the hammer is near the string, substantially as described.

17. In a piano-action, the combination with an operating-bar with mechanism for moving the same in a direction approximately parallel to the string, of a transverse lever I pivoted to the framework of the piano and pivotally connected to said bar, an inclined screw provided with a cushioned tip carried by said transverse lever, and a dam per-lever provided with a laterally extending cushioned tailpiece projecting at an inclination to the front and engaging said tip when the hammer is near the string, substantially as described.

18. In a piano-action, the combination with a key, an operating-bar operated by said key, a bent lever carried at the upper end of said bar and provided with a spring, a jack pivoted to saidbar and connected to said spring, a hammer-butt engaged by said jack, a flexible connection between said hammer-butt and said bent lever, and means operated by said.

bar for checking the movement of said hammer-butt as the hammer'moves backward from the string, substantially as described.

19. In a piano-action, the combination with a key, an operating-bar operated by said key, a bent lever carried at the upper end of said bar and provided with an adjustable spring, a jack pivoted to said bar and connected to said spring, a ham mer-butt engaged by said jack, a flexible connection between said hammer-butt and said bent lever, under tension from said spring, and means operated by said bar for checking the movement of said hammer-butt as the hammer moves backward from the string, substantially as described.

20. In a piano-action, the combination with a key, an operating-bar operated by said key, a bent lever carried at the upper end of said bar and provided with a spring connected thereto, and carrying a screw for adjusting said spring, a jack pivoted to said bar and connected to said spring, a hammer-butt and hammer operated by said jack, a flexible connection between said hammer-butt and said bent lever, under tension from said spring, and means operated by said bar for checking the movement of said hammer-butt as the hammer moves backward from the string, substantially as described.

21. In a piano-action, the combination with a key, an operating-bar operated by said key, a bent lever carried at the upper end of said bar and provided with a spring, a jack pivoted to said bar and connected to said spring, a hammer-butt engaged by said jack, a rod or arm projecting from the front of said hammer-butt, a flexible connection between said hammer-butt and said bent lever, adapted to bear on said rod or arm when the hammer is near the string, and means operated by said bar for checking the movement of said hammer-butt as the hammer moves backward from the string, substantially as described.

22. In a piano-action, the combination with a key, an operating-bar operated by said key, a bent lever carried at the upper end of said bar and provided with an adjustable spring, a jack pivoted to said bar and connected to said spring, a hammer-butt engaged by said jack, a rod or arm projecting from the front of said hammer-butt, a flexible connection between said hammer-butt and said bent lever, held under tension by said spring and adapted to bear on said rod or arm when the hammer is near the string, and means operated by said bar for checking the movement of said hammer-butt as the hammer moves backward from the string, substantially as described.

23. In a piano-action, the combination with a key, an operating-bar, a bent lever pivotally connected to the lower end of said bar and also to a part of the frame of the piano and pressed upon by said key between said pivots, a jack operated by said bar and provided with a forwardly-extending arm with adjustable stop N thereon, a hammer-butt and hammer operated by said jack, the stoplever I pivoted to part of the framework of the piano, and pivotally connected to said bar and adapted to strike said stop N an inclined stop I carried by said lever I, and a dam per-leverprovided with a tailpiece adapted to be struck by said stop I, substantially as described.

21. In a piano-action,the combination with a key, an operating-bar, a bell-crank lever having one of its arms pivoted to the lower end of said bar and the other to a part of the frame of the piano, the said key pressing upon said lever between said pivots, a jack operated by said bar and provided with a forwardlyextending arm with adjustable stop N thereon, a hammer-butt and hammer operated by said jack,the stop-leverI pivoted to part of the framework of the piano, and pivotally connected to said bar and adapted to strike said stop N an inclined stop I carried by said lever I, and a damper-lever provided with a tailpiece adapted to be struck by said step I, substantially as described.

25. In a piano-action, the combination with a key, an operating-bar, a bent lever pivotally connected to the lower end of said bar and also to a part of the frame of the piano and provided with a rounded shoulder between said pivots, normally pressed upon by said key, a jack carried by said bar and provided with a forwardly-extending arm with adjustable stop N thereon, a hammer-butt engaging said jack, the stop-lever I pivoted to part of the framework of the piano, and pivotally connected to said bar and adapted to strike said stop N an inclined stop I carried by said lever I, and a damper-lever provided with a tailpiece adapted to be struck by said stop I, substantially as described.

26. In a piano-action, the combination with an operating-bar with mechanism for moving the same in a direct-ion approximately parallel to the string, of a transverse lever I pivoted to the framework of the piano and pivotally connected to said bar, an adjustable inclined stop carried by said transverse lever, and a dam per-lever provided with a tailpiece having an inclined face adapted to be engaged by said stop when the hammer is near the string with means operated by said lever I for controlling the motion of the jack, substantially as described.

27. In a piano-action, the combination with an operating-bar with mechanism for moving the same in a direction approximately parallel to the string, of a transverse lover I pivoted to the framework of the piano and pivotally connected to said bar, an inclined screw provided with a cushioned tip carried by said transverse lever, and a damper-lever provided with a cushioned tailpiece projecting at an inclination to the front and engaging said tip when the hammer is near the string, with means operated by said lover I for controlling the motion of the jack, substantially as described.

28. In a piano-action, the combination witha, key, an operating-bar operated by said key, a bent lever carried at the upper end of said bar and provided with a spring, a jack pivoted to said bar and connected to said spring, a hammer-butt engaged by said jack and provided with a tailpiece with an inclined padded face, a flexible connection between said hammer-butt and said bent lever, and the shoe P carried by said bar and engaging the said padded face, substantially as described.

29. In a piano-action, the combination with a key, an operating-bar operated by said key, a bent lever carried at the upper end of said bar and provided with an adjustable spring, a jack pivoted to said bar and connected to said spring, a hammer-butt engaged by said jack, and provided with a tailpiece with an inclined padded face, a flexible connection between said hammer-butt and said bent lever, under tension from said spring, and the shoe P adjustably mounted on said bar, and engaging the said padded face, substantially as described.

30. In a piano-action, the combination with a key, an operating-baroperated by said key, a bent lever carried at the upper end of said bar and provided with a spring connected thereto, and carrying a screw for adjusting said spring, a jack pivoted to said bar and connected to said spring, a ham mer-butt and hammer operated by said jack, the hammer butt having a tailpiece with an inclined padded face, a flexible connection between said hammer-butt and said bent lever, under tension from said spring, and the shoe P adjustably mounted on said bar, and engaging the said padded face, substantially as described.

31. In a piano-action, the combination with a key, an operating-bar operated by said key, a bent lever carried at the upper end of said bar and provided with a spring, a jack pivoted to said bar and connected to said spring, a hammer-butt engaged by said jack and provided with a tailpiece having an inclined padded face, a rod or arm projecting from the front of said hammer-butt, a flexible connection between said ham mer-butt and said bent lever, adapted to bear on said rod or arm when the hammer is near the string, and the shoe P adjustably mounted on said bar, and engaging the said padded face, substantially as described.

32. In a piano-action, the combination with a key, an abstract operated by said key, abent lever carried at the upper end of said abstract and provided with an adjustable spring, a jack pivoted to said abstract and connected to said spring, a hammer-butt engaged bysaid jack and provided with a tailpiece having an inclined padded face, a rod or arm projecting from the frontof said hammer-butt, a flexiblo connection between said ham mcr-bu ttand said bent lever, held under tension by said spring, and adapted to bear on said rod or arm when the hammer is near the string, and the shoe P adjustably'mounted on said bar, and engaging the said padded face, substantially as described.

In a piano'action, the combination with an abstract and means for moving the same approximately parallel with the string, of a hammer-butt provided with a tailpiece with an inclined face, means operated by said abstract for moving said ham mer-butt, the screw its, the lever P pivoted to said abstract and adjusted by said screw, and the shoe P adjusted by said lever P and engaging the inclined face of the tailpiece, substantially as described.

34. In a piano action, the combination with an abstract and means for moving the same approximately parallel with the string, of a hammer-butt provided with a tailpiece with an inclined face, means operated by said abstract for moving said ham mcr-butt, the screw 71 the lever P pivoted to said bar and adjusted by said screw, the rod 1) projecting from said lever and provided with a shoe P thereon, the said shoe being adapted to engage the inclined face of the tailpiece, substantially as described.

In a piano-act ion, the combination with an operating-bar and means for moving the same approximately parallel with the string, of a hammer-butt provided with a tailpiece with an inclined face, means operated by said bar for moving said ham mer-butt, the lever P pivoted to said bar, with means for adjusting the position of the said lever P, and a shoe P operated by said lever P and engaging said inclined face of the tailpiece, substantially as described.

36. In a piano-action, the combination with an operating-bar and means for moving the same approximatelyparallel with the string, of a hammer-butt provided with a tailpiece with an inclined face, means operated by said bar for moving said hammer-butt, the lever P pivoted to said bar, with means for adjusting the position of said lever P, a rod 1) projecting from said lever with a shoe P thereon, the said shoe being adapted to engage said inclined face of the tailpiece, substantially as described.

37. In a piano-action, the combination with an operating-bar and means for moving the same approximately parallel with the string, of a hammer-butt provided with a tailpiece with an inclined face, means operated by said bar for moving said hammer-butt, the slotted lever P pivoted to said bar, the screw 7t secured to said bar, and the adjusting-nut h engaging in said slot, and a shoe P operated by said lever P and engaging said inclined face of the tailpiece, substantially as described.

38. In a piano-action, the combination with an operating-bar and means for moving the ICC IIO

same approximately parallel with the string, of ahammer-butt provided with a tailpiece with an inclined face, means operated by said bar for moving said hammer-butt, the slotted lever P pivoted to said bar, the screw h secured to said bar, and the adjusting-nut 7t engaging in said slot, a rod 19 projecting from said lever with a shoe P thereon, the said shoe being adapted to engage said inclined face of the tailpiece, substantially as described.

39. In apiano-action, the combination with a key, of an operating-bar, and a jack and hammer operated thereby, of a spring carried by said operating-bar and producing tension on both jack and hammer, substantially as described.

40. In a piano'action the combination with a key, of an operating-bar, and a jack and hammer operated thereby, of a spring carried by said bar, one end of said spring retracting the jack and the other end producing tension upon the hammer, substantially as described.

41. In a piano-action, the combination with a key, operating mechanism, and a hammer operated thereby, of a bridle under spring tension and means for causing said bridle to a key, an abstract, and mechanism for operating the hammer, of aback-check carried by said abstract and projecting from the side thereof, substantially as described.

43. In a piano-action, the combination with a jack and hammer, and mechanism for operating said jack, of a spring connected to both jack and hammer by flexible bridles, substantially as described.

44. In a piano-action, the combination with a hammer subject to a variable gravity retraction, and a key for operating said hammer, with means for imposing an additional retraction upon the. hammer at any desired point in its movement, which additional retraction shall be of such an amount as to render the total hammer retraction approximately equal to the total hammer retraction at the beginning of motion, substantially as described.

45. In an upright-pianoforte action, the combination with a hammer-butt pivoted on the action-frame, a hammer carried thereby, a jack, means for operating said jack from the lever-key, a jack-spring for normally keeping said jack under the hammer-butt, and escapement mechanism for said jack, of a shoulder located on said hammer-butt with which said jack is adapted to contact to impart its stroke to said hammer-butt and hammer, and a cushion attached to said hammerbutt beneath said shoulder and depending below the bottom of said hammer butt against which the jack is adapted to contact when impelled by its release movement beneath the shoulder on the hammer-butt, said jack operating against the cushion in a direction to aid the rebound of the hammer from the string, substantially as described.

46. In a piano-action, the combination of a key, operating mechanism, and a hammer subject to a variable gravity retraction operated thereby, a spring acting upon said hammer with an increasing tension as the key rises should the hammer lag, and means for rendering the hammer retraction approximately constant, substantially as described. 47. In a piano-action, the combination with a key and operating mechanism, of a pivoted jack operated by said mechanism, a screw carrying a pad located in front of said jack and above the pivot thereof and adapted to serve as a fulcrum for said jack independent of its pivot, a second screw in the lower end of said jack adapted to engage with a part of said operating mechanism near the end of the stroke, and a hammer-butt operated by said jack, substantially as described.

48. In a piano-action, the combination with a hammer, a jack and mechanism for operating said jack and hammer of means for balancing the inertia of the jack about its pivot, whereby the jack has no tendency, due to inertia,to turn on its pivot during its stroke, substantially as and for the purpose described.

49. In a piano-action, the combination with a hammer, a jack and mechanism for operating said jack and hammer, of means for balancing the inertia of the jack about its pivot which consists of a projecting arm rigidly connected to said jack and properlyweighted, whereby the jack has no tendency, due to inertia, to turn on its pivot during its stroke, substantially as described.

50. In a piano-action, the combination with a key and operating-bar, of a jack carried thereby, a hammer operated by said jack, and means including levers pivoted to said bar and restraining the top of the jack to approximately the same locus as the corresponding portion of the hammer, substantially as described.

51. In a piano-action, the combination with an abstract, a jack, and a hammer-butt operated by said jack, of means controlled by the abstract for causing the face of the jack which abuts upon the hammer, to move during the direct drive in substantially the same locus as the coacting part of the hammer butt, substantially as described.

52. In a piano-action, the combination with a key and an abstract, a jack carried by said abstract, a hammer operated by said jack, a lever pivoted to said abstract, and a damper operated by said lever, substantially as de scribed.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

J. WV. DARLEY, JR.

Witnesses:

A. WAGNER, W. S. LOWDENSLAGER.

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