US738890A - Piano. - Google Patents

Description

No. 788,890. 7 v PATENTED SEPT. 15, 1903.

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PETER DUFFY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

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SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 788,890, dated September 15, 1903.

To all whom it may concern:

. Be it known that 1, PETER DUFFY, of'New York, in the county of New York, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pianos, of which the followingisacomplete specification,reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to improvements in pianos.

In the manufacture of pianos, and particularly of the back portion thereof, it is necessary that provision be made for securely supporting the strain exerted by the strings. It is also desirable that the back structure be of such nature as will afford means for securing an open pure tone by permitting free vibration of the soundingboard.

In employing the term back I intend to include the structures of both grand or horizontal pianos as Well as uprights.

The object of my invention is to produce a back structure which, while securely and positively resisting the strain exerted by the strings and permitting free vibration of the sounding-board,'thus securing the necessary purity of tone, will be simple, compact, and of comparatively light weight. It will be apparent that the reduction of weight in a piano means that the expense of transportation will be lessened proportionately; but it should also be borne in mind that care and extreme skill must be exercised in the production of a piano-back in order that as the weight is,

lessened the efficiency of the structure be not impaired.

Other objects of my invention will be more fully explained in the following specification and succinctly set forth in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure I is a front elevation of a piano-back detached with sounding-board and string-plate in place, some of the strings being shown adjusted. Fig. II is an end elevation of the subject-matter of Fig. I, illustrating a preferred form of structure within the scope of my invention. Fig. III is a top plan view of the subject-matter of Fig. I, illustrating a preferred means for insuring maximum rigidity of the back with minimum weight.

Referring to the numerals on the drawings, 1 indicates metal uprights, preferably made block 10, which is firmly secu red to the an gle-f 'jo 5 iron 5 and to the uprights 1. Upon the inner face of the angle-iron 5that is, upon the face opposite that to which the wrest-block is secured-I provide a plank 12,which is preferably beveled, as indicated at 13. The angleiron 6 is located at the base of the uprights 1 and also supports a beveled plank 14, simi* lar to the plank 12. The planks 12 and 1 L are designed to support the sounding-board 15, the beveled faces of the planks being provided in order that while the sounding-board is securely held in position yet its vibratory length is greater than if it made contact with the entire face of the rabbet-planks.

16- and 17 indicate boards which are secured to the uprights lin order to facilitate packmg.

18 indicates the ordinary metal string-plate, which being of unusual form does not require description in detail and which may be se-' cured to the piano-back in any suitable or preferred manner.

20 indicates tuning-pins embedded in the wrest-block 10. i

In assembling the parts of my device I prefer to employ four uprights 1. This is important, inasmuch as addition to the number of uprights 1 increases the weight of the back, and I have found in practice that in use of my back by reason of its general construction four uprights afiord a rigid support for the remaining parts of the device.

It will be apparent that with the four uprights affording a rigid support for the remaining structure the employment of the angle-irons 5 and 6, supporting as they do the wrest-block and sounding-board in secure position and being attached to the uprights 1, the main structure of the back is of metal,

but is so arranged that the Whole structure is of very light weight. The use of but four uprights, which is my preferred number in use, permits of the largest amount of open space behind the sounding-board, and thus tends to render available the greatest openness of sound, the open spaces of course being designed to do away with any avoidable muffling of the vibratory waves from the sounding-board.

Inasmuch as the wrest-block is supported in use by practically a complete structure of metal, the tendency thereof to sag beneath the strain of the strings is counteracted and the piano is adapted to stand in tune longer than in ordinary forms of back structure. The string-plate is also securely supported.

By the substitution of the metal uprights for wooden onesnow in use the reduced number of uprights necessary in my construction not only tend to reduce Weight, but also avoid that principal evil to which pianos are subjectednamely, that of moisture, which of course has the effect of warping any wood which can be practically used in pianos with out regard to the degree of seasoning which the wood may have had.

What I claim isl. A piano-back, comprising the combination with uprights and angle-irons secured to the uprights and adapted to cooperate with them in supporting the strain of the strings,

and means for operatively securing to said structure the strings of the instrument.

2. A piano-back comprising the combination with uprights having substantially in cross-section the shape described, and angle irons secured to the uprights and adapted to cooperate therewith in supporting the strain of the strings, and means for operatively securing to said structure the strings of the instrument.

3. A piano-back comprising the combination with uprights, of angle-irons secured to the uprights and adapted to cooperate therewith in supporting the strain of the strings, and means, supported by the angle-irons, adapted to insure maximum vibration of the sounding-board.

4. The combination with metal uprights, and angle-irons secured thereto, the angleirons being adapted to support the soundingboard and wrest-block, of planks secured to the angle-irons and adapted to insure maximum vibration of the sounding-board, all united substantially in the manner-and for the purpose specified.

In testimony of all which I have hereunto subscribed my name.

PETER DUFFY.

Witnesses:

J. T. MONTGOMERY, L. N. NARBOURG.

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