US693885A - Piano. - Google Patents

Description

No. 693,885. Patented Feb. 25, I902. F. v. NEUVILLE.

PIANO.

(Application filed May 24, 1900.)

(No Model.)

2 Sheets-$heet I.

M T w WITNESSES ATTOHNEYJ F. V; NEUVILLE.

PIANO.

(Applicatiun filed May 24, 1900.)

(No Model.)

Patented Feb. 25, I902.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

WITNESSES: I w

TNVET TO ATTORNEYS UNIT STATE PATENT QFFIC FRANK VICTOR NEUVILLE, OF NEWV YORK, N. Y.

PIANO.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 693,885, dated February 25, 1902.

I Application filed May 24, 1900, Serial No. 17,792. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.- I

Be it known that I, FRANK VICTOR NEU- VILLE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of 805 East One Hundred and Fortyseventh street, New York city, county of New York, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pianos, of which the following is a specification, reference being .had to the accompanying drawings, forrninga part thereof, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

This invention relates to improvementsin pianos; and the. object thereof is to provide a durable and cheaply-constructed instrument of this character which embodies features of utility and general effectiveness.

The invention will be hereinafter fully described, and specifically set forth in the annexed claims.

In the accompanyingdrawings,forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a vertical sectional elevation of myimproved piano, taken onaline xwof Fig. 2; Fig, 2, asectional elevation taken on a line y. y of Fig. 1; Fig.3, a sectional plan View taken on a lines 2 of Fig. 2. Fig.- 4is a top view of apiano embodying my improved back with the top opened backward.

In the practice of my invention I use a string-plate A, which embodies the integrallyformed lower ribbed portion A and the solid wrest-plank A This plate is composed of aluminium, and its lower ribbed and openwork part A may be made in any suitable adapted design, having apertures through which the bridges B which are secured to the sounding-board B, may pass, the parts all being cast together to form a homogeneous structure. The wrest-plank A is extended rearwardly of the plate, and angular side flanges A are also extended rearwardly and around the sides and bottom of the plate to receive the sounding-board B, whereby a recess 1 is formed between the plate and sounding-board to allow of free movement and escape of the waves of sound in an upward di-- rection. The sounding-board B is secured to the flanges A of the plate A by means of screws b, and a flexible washer b is placed around each screw to prevent vibrations of the plate from communicating with the soundin g-board. These screws thread into the rearwardly-extended flange B of the soundingboard B, which extends all around the sounding-board to strengthen the same.

,As a means for securing the plate A within the piano-casing O lugs c are extendedthe piano casing by means of screws 0 These end frames 0 of the piano-casing are of novel construction and embody, respectively, solid wooden uprights O and crossbeams G which are doweled or secured to each other in any suitable manner, whereby a strong structure is provided, and held in place by means of the plate A, which owing to the integral formation of its several parts forms a strong brace. Asuitable cross-beam C is also employed in the construction of the casing and also the usual feet 0 The outside of each end frame 0 is covered by means of suitably-ornamented panels D, and the front ofthe casing is covered by the usual openwork wall D and the bottom wall D The back of the piano embodies a single wooden plate E, which engages grooves e in the end frames 0, whereby the back can be readily removed to afford facility for getting at the interior middle back of the piano should it become necessary to clean or repair that part of the instrument.

On the top of the piano-casing is a hinged lid F, which is hollow to allow of free pas sage of the waves of sound over the top of the wrest-plank. This lid has an open-work front wall f to allow the sound-waves to escape in a forward direction.

The lower portion A of the string-plate A is provided with integrally-formed tail-bridges a and a, and the upper portion is provided with the upper bridges a and a and with the holes a and d for receiving keys to string the treble and bass strings, respectively, in the usual and Well-known manner.

In the operation and use of my invention, the parts being properly assembled, as illustrated in the drawings, I have a strong structure which is cheaply constructed and durable and the quality of the tone is considerably improved, the structure being such that the waves of sound are not interfered with and the necessity of placing the piano against a wall being obviated. To'further facilitate movement of the waves of sound, I cut apertures B through the sounding-board B,which allows the sound-Waves to pass forwardly and backwardly into the hollow lid F to escape through the front wall thereof.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a piano, the combination, of the integrally-formed wrest-plank and string-plate, having angular flanges A extending rearwardly therefrom, a sounding-hoard having apertures B therethrough, to allow waves of sound to pass around the plate, the board having a flange around the edge of its rear surface and being secured by screws threaded into this flange, and the washers surrounding said screws, to prevent direct contact of the board with the plate; with the end frames 0, substantially as shown and described.

2. The combination with the frame of a piano, and the sounding-board and string-plate thereof of the removable backboard E, adapted to slide in the grooves e and by easy removal, to afford facility for reaching the interior back of the piano, substantially as shown and described.

3. In apiano, the combination and arrange ment. of the string-plate A, the soundingboard B, the angular flanges A the screws 1), and washers b, by which a recess is formed between the string-plate, and the soundingboard, the sounding-board prevented from coming into contact with the string-plate, and the vibrating area of the sounding-board enlarged, all substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. In a piano, the combination, of the integrally-formed aluminium wrest-plank and string-plate, having angular flanges A extending rearwardly therefrom, a soundingboard having apertures B therethrough, to allow waves of sound to pass around the plate, the board having a flange around the edge of its rear surface and being secured by screws threaded into this flange, and the washers surrounding said screws, to prevent direct contact of the board with the plate; with the end frames 0, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name, in presence of two witnesses, this 21st day of May, 1900.

FRANK VICTOR NEUVILLE.

Witnesses:

A. V. ll/ICLEAN, M. F. KELLY.

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