US805208A - Attachment for piano-action flanges. - Google Patents

Description

No. 805,208. PATENTED NOV. 21, 1905. U. L. KALLSTROM. ATTACHMENT FOR PIANO ACTION FLANGES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 17, 1905.

15 i Fig. 1 2 12 CHARLES L. KALLSTROM, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ATTACHMENT FOR PIANO-ACTION FLANGES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 21, 1905.

Application filed June 17,1905. Serial No. 265.660.

T0 at whom it may concern;

Be it known that 1, CHARLES L. KALL- STROM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Attachments for Piano-Action Flanges, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in piano-actions, and has especial relation to means for connecting the wooden flanges to the main rails of the actions; and it consists in certain peculiarities of the construction, novel arrangement, and operation of the various parts thereof, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth and specifically claimed.

As is well known, certain parts of pianoactions are hinged or pivotally secured to wooden flanges, which are fastened to the main rails by means of screws, and a damp atmosphere will cause these wooden flanges to swell or expand, which operation crushes the fiber of the wood under the heads of the screws, and that a dry atmosphere will extract the moisture from the fl.nges, thus causing them to shrink or contract, so as to become loose or to rattle on the rails, thereby causing great annoyance when the piano is used. It is also a well-known fact to those skilled in the art that in order to stop or prevent the rattling of the flanges upon the main rail each screw must be separately and carefully tightened or adjusted by an experienced person, usually a professional pianotuner. After being so tightened similar atmospheric conditions as those above named will again produce like results in the actions and further outlay for repairs.

It is therefore the principal object of my invention to provide means for overcoming the above-named objections and imperfections under all atmospheric conditions by furnishing means to compensate for the contraction and expansion or shrinkage and swelling of the wooden flanges and rail by producing a constant yielding or spring pressure between the flanges and rail which will hold the flanges firmly against the heads of the screws, thereby preventing rattling after they have become shrunken by atmospheric influences.

Another object of the invention is to furnish compensating springs for the series of flanges which shall be so constructed that they may be quickly and properly inserted in place for action on the flanges or easily removed.

Other objects and advantages of the inven tion will be disclosed in the subjoined de scription and explanation.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my invention pertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe it, referring to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is an enlarged view in elevation of a portion of the main rail of a piano-action, showing a series of flanges secured thereon and embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view, partly in section and partly in elevation, taken on line 2 2 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view through a portion of the main rail, but showing one of the flanges in elevation mounted thereon. Fig. 4 is a fragmental plan View of the main rail and its flanges, showing a modification in the construction of the compensating spring. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 4 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows. Fig. 6 is a detached perspective view of the spring used in said modified form. Fig. 7 is a plan view of a portion of the main rail and its flanges, showing another modification in the construction of the compensating springs; and Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view thereof.

Like numerals of reference refer to corresponding parts throughout the different views of the drawings.

As the invention relates particularly to the means for connecting the flanges to the main rail of a piano-action, I have shown such parts of the action only as will be necessary to a thorough understanding of the invention.

The reference-numeral 1O designates the main rail of a piano-action, which may be made of any suitable size and material, but preferably of wood and of the ordinary construction, except that it is formed near one of its edges and in one of its side surfaces with a longitudinal slot 1 1 to receive the compensating springs. Located on the surface of the rail 10, in which the slot 11 is formed, and extending in paralellism with said slot is a rib 12, which is provided with a series of openings 13 to receive the inner ends of screws 14, which pass through suitable openings in the flanges 15 and are employed for securing said flanges to the main rail. As shown in Figs. 3, 5, and 8 of the drawings, the rib 12 is bev eled at its edges to fit in a flaring recess 16, formed in the inner surface of each of the flanges.

Located in the 'longitudinally-extending slot 11 are a series of compensating springs 17 and 18, which are formed of one continu ous piece of steel wire, as is clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. This piece of wire is bent to form the springs 17 and 18, which are substantially elliptical in shape and are projected in opposite directions, as shown, the slot 11 being sufliciently deep to encompass the greater portion of each of said springs, yet it will be understood that the springs 18, which impinge the surfaces of the flanges 15 adjacent to the main rail, will project slightly beyond the open edges of the slot. By reference to Figs. 1 and 2 it will be seen and understood that the springs 17 and 18 are located in alinement with one another and that the ends 19 of the loops comprising the springs 17 will be spaced apart at a point directly opposite the inn er ends of the screws 14:, while the ends 20 of the loops comprising the springs 18 will be spaced apart at a point to register with the spaces between the flanges, thus presenting elongated portions of said springs to rest against the inner wall of the slot 11 and the inner surfaces of the flanges.

In Figs. 4 to 6, inclusive, I have shown a modification in the construction of the main rail as well as in that of the compensating springs, which I may sometimes employ instead of the construction above described and illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, of the drawings. In this modified construction the slot 11 is omitted from the main rail 10, and a strip 21, of any suitable resilient material, is secured longitudinally by means of screws 22 or otherwise to the upper edge of the main rail. This strip is provided with a series of transverse slots 23, which extend inwardly from the edge of the piece 21 adjacent to the flanges, and thus provide on said portion of said. strip a series of springs 24, which are connected together, yet are deflected and overlap that portion of the main rail adjacent to the flanges, so as to impinge the inner surfaces of the latter. ence to Fig. 4 of the drawings it will be seen that the slots 23, which divide the springs 2 1, will register with the spaces between the flanges 15 and that the springs 24 will extend crosswise and against the inner surface of said flanges.

In Figs. 7 and 8 of the drawings I have illustrated another modification in the con struction of the device, which consists in forming the main rail 10 with a series of openings 25, which are located in the surface of By refer- 1 said rail adjacent to the flanges 15 and usually in a longitudinal line or row above the rib 12 thereon. In each. of these openings is located one end of a spiral spring 26, the other end of which rests in an opening 27, formed in the inner surface of each of the flanges.

From the foregoing and by reference to the drawings it will be readily understood and clearly seen that by using either of the constructions illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, or 4 to 6, inclusive, an independently-acting spring will be provided for each of the flanges, yet said springs will be united. together, so that they may be quickly and readily secured in place on the main rail or easily removed therefrom, and that when the flanges have been properly fastened to the main rail by means of the screws 14 the springs will compensate for the shrinkage and swelling of the wooden flanges and rail caused by varying atmospheric conditions. hen the construction illustrated in Figs. 7 and S is employed, it is apparent that the same function will be performed, but that more time and labor will be required in placing the springs in position than in the other construction, for the reason the spiral springs are separated one from another and must necessarily be placed in position one at a time.

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

1. In a piano-action, the combination with the main rail, of a series of flanges secured thereto, and a series of independently-acting springs connected together but spaced apart and interposed between the rail and said flanges, substantially as described.

2. In a piano-action, the combination with the main rail, of a series of flanges secured thereto, and a series of substantially elliptical and alternately-oppositely disposed springs connected together and located longitudinally on the rail and in contact therewith as well as with said flangcs, substantially as described.

3. In a piano-action, the combination with the main rail having in its side surface a longitudinal slot, of a series of flanges secured to said rail, and a series of substantially elliptical springs connected together but spaced apart and located in said. slot, said springs being alternately extended in opposite directions, those projected in. one direction being in contact with the rail and those project ed in the other direction being in contact with-the flanges, substantially as described.

CHARLES L. KALLS TROM.

IVitnesses CHAS. C. TILLMAN, M. A. NYMAN.

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