US736675A - Piano pedal-action. - Google Patents

Description

No. 736,675. PATENTED AUG. 18, 1903. R. M. BENT.

PIANO PEDAL ACTION.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 16, 1903.

no 110mm.

fi %4, ATTORNEYK UNITED STATES Patented August 18, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

PIANO PEDAL-ACTION.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 736,675, dated August 18, 1903.

Application filed March 16, 1903. Serial No. 147,915. (No m0del.)

To a, whom it may concern: v f I I Be it known that I,RICHARD M. BENT,a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, in the county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Piano Pedal-Actions, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

My invention relates to improvements in pianos and analogous musical instruments; and the same has for its object more particu larly to provide a simple, durable, and efficient pedal-action which will be positive and smooth in its operation and obviate the squeaking and rattling which frequently results from continued use where the pedal-levers are supported and work upon fixed pivots in wooden blocks.

. These objects above set forth I am enabled to attain by means of my invention, which consists in the noveldetails of construction and in the combination, connection, and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described and then pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, wherein like letters of reference indicate like parts, Figure 1 is a view showing the lower portion of an upright piano, partly broken away, and disclosing a pedal-action made according to and embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 2 2 of Fig.1, and Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail perspective'view showing the" construction of the springsupport or fulcrum and the manner of its securement to a rigid support and a pedal-lever.

In said drawings, A designates an upright piano of the usual general construction, and B the base thereof, which is provided at the middle of its forward edge with a recessed plate C, through which extend the forward ends of the pedals D D D the rear ends of which are pivoted in the usual manner upon a rod 0., supported in blocks a.

E denotes a pedal-lever, which is secured to and supported intermediate its ends upon a spring fulcrum or support F, the inner end of said pedal-lever E being connected to the pedal D near its inner or pivoted end by means of a rod G, the upper end of which is screw-threaded and passed through an aperture in the inner end of said pedal-lever E and provided with a nutH for adjusting the tension of the pedal D, while the outer end of said lever E is provided in its upper side with a recess in which is socketed the lower end of a vertical rod I, the upper end of which contacts with a movable supportingrail, muffling attachment, or other attachment generally employed in pianos and op erated by means of a pedal.

The spring fulcrum or support F is formed of an integral piece or strip of steel or other suitable material and comprises a base or foot-piece I), having one end bent upwardly to form a Vertical member or standard 0 and then bent outwardly and upwardly to form the semicircular spring-member d, which terminates in a horizontal member 6, which extends inward and slightly upward, as shown, the base or foot-piece I) being provided with suitable apertures for the reception of screws, whereby said support may be secured to the rigid base B of the piano, and the horizontal member c is provided with similar apertures for screws, whereby said support is secured to the under side of the pedal-lever E.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: When not in use, the position of the parts is as shown in the drawings, the pedallever E being held in an inclined position with its inner end higher than its outer end and the projecting end of its pedal D drawn up by the spring-support F. As soon as the projecting end of the pedal Dis depressed by the player the inner end of the pedal-lever E will be drawn downwardly and its outer end correspondingly raised and operate noiselessly the connectedattachment through the rod 1. As soon asthe pressure upon the pedal is released the spring-support F will immediately return the pedal-lever E and connected parts to their initial positions.

It will be observed that owing to the novel yielding construction and form of the support F and the manner of its securement to the base B of the piano and the pedal-lever E said support F is subjected to a very limited movement, and as the said support F yields from the junction of the base I) with the vertical member 0 the parts are not liable to become loose and squeak and rattle in consequence of continued use.

Without limiting myself to the precise details of construction, which may be varied within the scope of the invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1S

1. A yielding fulcrum or support comprising a base, a vertical standard, and a curved member extending from the upper end of said standard, substantially as specified.

2. A yielding fulcrum or support comprising a base, a standard extending upwardly therefrom, and a curved spring member extending from the upper end of said vertical standard.

3. A yielding fulcrum or support comprising a base, a vertical standard extending therefrom, a curved spring member extending from the upper end of said vertical standard, having an inwardly-projecting end, substantially as specified.

4:- A yielding fulcrum or support comprising a base, a vertical standard extending upwardly from one end thereof, a curved spring member extending from the upper end of said Vertical standard, having an inwardly-projecting end extending beyond the vertical standard, substantially as specified.

5. A yielding fulcrum or support comprising a base having apertures therein, a vertical member extending upwardly from one end of said base, a semicircular spring member extending upwardly and inwardly from said vertical member, and having an inclined end extending inwardly beyond the vertical member, substantially as specified.

6. In a piano, the combination with a pedallever and pedal connected thereto, of aspringsupport, comprising a horizontal base portion adapted for securement to a rigid support, a Vertical member extending upwardly therefrom, and a semicircular spring member extending from the end of said vertical member, terminating in a horizontallyinclined end adapted for securement to the under side of the pedal-lever intermediate the ends thereof, substantially as specified.

Signed at the city of New York,in the county and State of New York,this 13th day of March, 1903.

RICHARD M. BENT.

Witnesses C. AUGUSTUS DIETERIOH, F. SPENCER PERRY.

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