US794522A - Pedal-lever mounting for pianos or organs. - Google Patents

Description

No. 794,522. PATENTED JULY 11, 1905. L, LEMIEUX.

PEDAL LEVER MOUNTING FOR PIANOS OR ORGANS.

4 APPLICATION FILED MAR.21,1904.

9 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

No. 794.522. PATENTED JULY 11, 1905. L. LEMI-E'UX.

- PEDAL LEVER MOUNTING FOR PIANOS 0R ORGANS.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR.21,1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES Patented. July 11, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

LOUIS LEMIEUX, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO CHARLES RAMSEY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

PEDAL-LEVER MOUNTING FOR PIANOS OR ORGANS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 794,522, dated. July 11, 1905.

' Application filed March 21, um. Serial No. 199,186.

To all whom, it mlwy concern:

Be it known that I, LOUIS LEMIEUX, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pedal Lever Mountings for Pianos or Organs, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in pedal-lever mountings or brackets for holding or pivoting the levers or trapwork, so called, operated by the pedals under or at the base of pianos and organs or other musical instruments.

The object of my invention is to provide a cheap, effective, and durable mounting for such pedal-levers.

In order that those skilled in the art may understand and be able to make use of my invention, I will describe it by the aid of the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 shows a side elevation of a pedallever with my mounting, Fig. 2 being aview of the lever ready to be attached to the springmounting. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the lever shown in Figs. 1 and 2 with a dotted outline showing the position of the lever before it is connected with the pedal. Fig. 4 is a front'view of the three pedalssoft, muffler, and loudwith the connecting-levers in position mounted on my improved spring bracket or mounting; and Fig. 5 is an end view of same on the line 00 w of Fig. 4. Figs. 6, 7, and 8 are side views of pedal-levers mounted on brackets or spring pivotal mountings, showing different modifications in construction of my invention- Fig. 9 shows the flat side of one of my improved pedal-lever springs with an expandingpin of preferably wood insorted in the loop of spring, and Figs. 10, 11, 12, 13, and lishow different modifications in construction of the loop or enlarged and expandible part of the lever-spring on one or both ends thereof.

Similar reference-marks refer to similar parts throughout the several drawings.

In Figs. 1 and 4 the numeral 1 shows the preferred construction of my pedal lever bracket or pivotal mounting, being here shown as two flat strips or bands of spring- steel 1 and 1, riveted together by the rivet 2. At 3 is shown the pedal-lever, the spring-bracket being fixed to the under side thereof. The rod 4 connects the lever 3 with the pedal 5 5 or. 5", as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, While the rod 6 connects the other end of such lever with the hammer, damper, and muffler-rails up in the instrument.

It will be noticed that the slot 7, (see Figs. 2 and extending from the lower outside edge of the lever into the hole 8, into which the upper part, loop, or expandible-or turned end 9 of the bracket or mounting is inserted, is cut on the bias, as it were, so that when the lever is on an incline, as shown in Fig. 2, the slot 7 is perpendicular. This is for the purposeso that when the lever is forced over the loop 9 of the spring and is pulled down into a horizontal position and fastened to the rod 4, as shown in Fig. 1, the bracket or spring 1 being fixed to the upper side of the bottom board 10 of the piano, the lever 3 is then under more or less tension. In this way when the pedal to which that lever is attached by the rod 4 is operated there is no lost motion, but the rod 6 acts at once on the hammer, damper, or muffler-rail to which it is connected. This is an important feature of my invention.

In Fig. 9 I show the pedal-lever spring 1 looking toward the flat side, as shown by the arrow at a, in Fig. 1. In this figure a pin 12 is inserted in the opening of the loop 9, so as to expand the loop 9 into the hole-8 and make the same tight in the hole. This pin is not generally an essential feature, but may be used when required. With the loop or expandible part 9 and the hole 8 and slot 7 a fixed connection is made without screws 0 nails.

In Fig. 6 I show a modification in construction wherein the pedal-spring is reversed or the supports 1 and 1 are made fast by the screws 11 and 11 to the lever 3 and the loop or part 9 is fixed in the block 13, which is fixed to the bottom board 10.

In Fig. 7 I show as a modification of construction how a second loop 9 may take the place of the supports 1and 1". In this form the slot 7 in the lever 3 may be cut into the hole 8 perpendicular to the lever 3, and the slot 7 in the bottom board may be cut slanting, as shown, or the slot may be cut on an incline in the lever 3, as shown in Fig. 3, and the bracket may be made of one piece of metal, as shown in Fig. 7, the loop 9 being closed, as shown, or of two pieces and both loops being cut, as shown at 9 in Fig. 1. The pedal-lever in this way may be fixed to or pivotally connected with the bottom board or frame of the instrument without either screws, nails, or clamps. In the construction shown in Figs. 6 and 7 the rivet 2 is used same as in Fig. 1, and the pin 12, Fig. 9, may or may not be used, as preferred.

In Fig. 8 I show how only one of the two supports 1 and 1 may be used to answer the purpose instead of using two, and in this modification, as shown, the bracket 1, with the loop 9, is made of one piece of metal, being in form of an upright part 1 and a horizontal part 1. Thus with my invention the pedallever spring may have one or more supports and may be made with one or more pieces of metal.

In Figs. 10, 11, and 12 I show different shapes of theexpandible upper part 9 of the lever-bracket 1, as shown at 1 1 and 14; or 15 and 15 or as at 16, and either of which may be used instead of the shape shown in Fig. 1 or Fig. 8.

1 am aware that Z-shaped pedal-lever springs have been used with a horizontal part or support fastened to both the lever 3and the board or frame 10; but I know of none with only one horizontal support, and none, so far I know, having a loop or expandible part, as shown at 9 and 9, whereby the spring is fitted tightly into the hole 8 in either the lever 3or bottom board 10 or a block, as at 13, without either screws, nails, or clamps. This loop,

turned end, or expandible or enlarged part of a pedal-lever spring or support, whether made in form or shape substantially as shown in Figs.'1, 6, and 7 or as shown in Figs. 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, or 14, is of novel and useful construction.

In Figs. 13 and 1 1 I show how the springbracket may be made of one piece or strip of flat steel, each end of which may be turned over in form of a loop to take the place of the form shown in Fig. 7, the rivet 2 being dispensed with.

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

1. A musical instrument, having a spring bracket or support provided with an expandible part on one end and one or more sup ports on the other end-one end being fixed to one of the pedal-levers and the other to the bottom board or frame of the said musical instrument, substantially as shown and described.

2. In the pedal-lever mounting of a musical instrument, the combination of the pedal-levers and bottom board or frame of said instrument, with a spring bracket or support fixed to and connecting the same together, said bracket having at one end an expandible holder, and at the other end a support, sub stantially as shown and described.

3. In a musical instrument the combination of the pedal-levers and the bottom board or frame of said instrument; with a spring bracket or support having an expandible part on the end; and means for fixing said springsupport to the under side of the pedal-lever, and to the upper side of the bottom board or frame of said instrument, whereby said pedal-lever is springpivoted, substantially as shown and described.

4:. In the pedal-mounting of a musical in strument, the combination of a pedal-lever; a bottom board or frame; a spring bracket or support, having an enlarged part; and a socket for clamping the enlarged part of said springsupport, whereby said pedal-lever is pivotally connected to said bottom board or frame, substantially as shown and described.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 7th day of March, A. D. 1904.

LOUIS LEMIEUX.

Witnesses:

CLARIiaou PLACE, F. L. GARDNER.

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