US904730A

US904730A - Auxiliary transposing-keyboard.

Info

Publication number: US904730A
Application number: US40074407A
Authority: US
Inventors: George Gouthwaite Scurfield
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1907-11-05
Filing date: 1907-11-05
Publication date: 1908-11-24
Anticipated expiration: 1925-11-24

Description

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Patented Nov. 24, 1908.

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APPLIouIoN FILED Nov. 5, 1907.

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APPLICATION HL No .5.1907.

904,730. Patented Nov. 24, 1908.

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G. G. SGURFIELD. AUXILIARY TRANsPosING KEYBOARD.

APPLIUATIOH FILED NOV.5,1907.

Patented Nov. 24, 1908.

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GEORGE GOUTHWAITE SOURFIELD, OF CARLISLE, ENGLAND.

AUXILIARY TRANSPOSING-KE YB OARD.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 24, 1908.

Application filed November 5, 1907. Serial No. 400,744.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, GEORGE GOUTHWAITE SCURFIELD, a subject of the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and residing at Carlisle, Cumberland, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Auxiliary Transposing- Keyboards, of which the following is a speciication.

This invention relates to auxiliary keyboards of the kind fitted to pianos and like musical instruments to facilitate the transposition of music, and it has for its object to provide a simplified and improved construction of such keyboards whereby the same may be adjusted to suit various makes of pianos, etc.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a sectional elevation and Fig. 2 a part plan of the improved auxiliary keyboard fitted over part of an ordinary keyboard. Figs. 2a and 2b are detail views hereinafter referred to. Figs. 3 and 3aare plan and sectional end elevation respectively of the front rail and end brackets of the apparatus. Fig. 4 is an elevation showing part of an adjustable bar adapted to carry the striking pins. Figs. 5 and 5fL show in part front and end elevations respectively a bar carrying guide pins and levers hereinafter referred to. Fig. 6 is a part sectional elevation of one of the keys showing a dupleX arrangement for retaining the back ends of the keys in position and also an alternative mode of steadying the back ends of the levers. Fig. 6a is a corresponding view showing a modification. Fig. 7 is a plan of a portion of the foundation piece of the keyboard.

As shown the apparatus comprises a stationary wooden or other foundation piece A (see Fig. 7 which is fitted detachably on or over the ordinary keyboard B of the instrument, and to this foundation piece the auxiliary keyboard C is attached by a plate D loosely pivoted on the ends of a rod CZ passing through the back ends of the transposing keys and the sliding brackets D1 as shown at d (Figs. l, 3 and 3a) or a similar device on said brackets D1 or some equivalent device on the rear side so that the said keyboard C may be freely raised on said pivot rod Z as well as slid longitudinally along with it in a dovetail groove (Z1 in said foundation piece A.

The above mentioned brackets D]L are attached to a dovetailed bar ZX by bolts passed through slotted holes in the brackets Dl or by some similar device, to allow of forward and backward adjustment, thus enabling the distance between the striking pins al and the supporting pivot at (l to be varied or adjusted as desired by the movement of either the pivot or the pins or both.

The above mentioned foundation piece A is slotted longitudinally and has a bar A1 of wood or other device formed with a number of perforations a in order to allow a row of pins al to play through it on to the keys o, b1 below; said bar A1 being attached to, placed upon, over, or let into the foundation piece A in such a manner as to be capable of vertical and if necessary horizontal adjustment independent of the main foundation piece. The vertical adjustment may be made by means of thumb screws as shown at S, Fig. 4, the object of this movement being to enable the power of the springs to be varied. The horizontal adjustment may be made by the insertion of a second bar A2 which may be placed either in front of or behind the bar A1, thus altering 'the position of the pins al without disturbing the main foundation piece A, the object of this movement being to allow an eXtra variation in the touch of the apparatus. Instead of adjusting the bar A1 horizontally, the perforations may be placed slightly oif the center so that by reversing the bar the pins may be brought either further forward or further back as the case may be.

The pins al are surrounded by light helical springs a2 placed between the heads a3 of said pins and the top face of aforesaid bar A1 the vertical adjustment of the bar A1 permitting the compression of the springs A2 to be altered to suit the touch of the piano or other instrument without varying the height or level of the rod CZ. This vertical independent adjustment of that portion of the transposer which supports the pins al and springs a2 may be obtained in some other convenient manner. The pins are made in two lengths so as to bear equally on the white and black keys Z) b1 respectively while their upper ends are maintained at a uniform level, their length being sufhcient to enable thekeys of the piano or other instrument to be struck with full force without jamming the springs a2 (see Fig. 11.);

To insure that when the keyboard@ is swung upwards on its pivot (Z the black keys c, which are in this position unsupported (except when fitted with levers at their forward ends, as hereinafter explained), shall be held clear of the said pins al a thin rod or wire 02 extending parallel with the pivot axis Z may be run through orifices c2 formed in both the white keys c1 and the black keys c in proximity to and parallel with the rod d. These orifices o2 are of greater diameter than the rod or wire 02 to permit of free independent movement of each key c, 01 when playing. As indicated the orifices in the black keys c may be disposed slightly higher up than those in the white keys 01 so that the weight of the rod c2 is carried by the black keys c and the rod also acts as a means of preventing them from rising too high when they are released after being struck.

The rod l or the dovetailed bar ZX or both may be fitted with pins extending into vertical slits cut in the ends of some or all of the keys to maintain the back ends of the keys in position, as indicated at F and F1, Figs. 2, 6 and 6a. When fitted to the rod d the pins may be either vertical or horizontal. The white keys are positioned by pins at back and front the pins e in front being similar to those in the main keyboard of the instrument; these guiding pins e have levers e2 attached to or fitted on them and are firmly fixed in a bar of wood E or other material which is itself attached adjustably at e2 to the front bar which connects the end brackets C1 of the movable keyboard C so that on raising the barE all the white keys G1 are raised and with them also the black keys c through the action of the said rod or wire c2. On the other hand the use of this rod may or may not be necessary if the keys o are fitted with levers G2 attached by small pins or screws to the bar E as shown at G, Figs. 2, 2a, 2b and 5. (The said levers G2 are hidden by the levers el in Fig. 1).

In the use of the transposing keyboard C the keys c, 01 struck in playing transmit their motion to the keys l), b1 of the instrument B through the levers G2 or e1 or direct as the case may be to the vertical pins al which on release of the pressure on the transposing keyboard are immediately raised to the normal position by means of the springs a2. The back ends of all the levers el and G2 may be kept in correct position by pins fitted through slots cut in these levers, these pins being fastened in the underside A of the keys as shown at H and H1, Fig. 2;

or again thepins may form part of the levers c2 Vand G2 and may work in slots K in the underside of the keys as shown in Figs. 6 and 2E, the slots K being simply extensions of those shown taking the pins F or F1 above-mentioned; the slots K may if desired be extended to join the slots e3 at the front end of the keys so that one slot may do for three pins. The front ends of all the levers are attached to the bar E which is adjustably attached to the end brackets and front rail in such a manner as to enable the purchase of all the levers to be varied simultaneously. v

The black keys 0 may or may not be made to act directly on the pins al below them, but in order to produce approximate equality of travel of the black and white keys and to insure that the latter shall transmit approximately the same extent of movement to the keys Z), b1 of the instrument without traveling or dropping abnormally themselves, the white keys c1 act on the pins below them through the intervention of the levers c1. rlhese levers are bent or crankedl at a point forward of the pins al in such wise that as a white key c1 is depressed the end of the lever e1 which rests upon the pin al below the said white key travels further in a downward direction than does the actual point of contact between the key and the lever, thus reducing the travel or drop of the white key. The dotted position of the lever in Fig. 6a shows roughly the increased movement of the end of the lever el as compared with the point of contact of the lever and the key which depresses it. The levers G2 will, when fitted, serve a similar purpose, as regards the operation of the black keys.

The orifices c3 in the front end of the white keys intended to receive the guide pins e are made in the form of a slot to allow of the inward or outward adjustment of the bar E or the like so as to allow the back ends of said levers e2 (and levers G2, if any) to make contact with the striking pins a2 at various distances from the point of contact of the lever with the key above it as well as varying the position of such point of contact. The bar E may be attached by screws passed through slots at e2 and screwed into the bar joining the two end brackets C1 or in some similar convenient manner. By thus varying the leverage the downward travel of the auxiliary keys may be varied to suit the touch of diierent pianos or the individual requirements of different performers.

rlhe whole apparatus may, if desired, be made to take the place of the piano lid, using the hinges of aforesaid lid for the purpose of retaining it in position when in use or allowing the whole apparatus to be raised out of the way when not required; in this case the front may be boxed in if desired and the transposing keyboard fitted with a light lid. rlChis lid may be used with either arrangement.

Having now described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. In an auxiliary transposing keyboard for pianos and like musical instruments, in combination, a foundation piece, slotted longitudinally, transposing keys' mounted on the foundation piece, a perforated bar adjustably fitted in the slot in said foundation piece, striking` pins passing through said perforated bar and serving to transmit motion of the transposing keys to the ordinary keyboard, and adjustable springs interposed between the heads of said pins and said bar.

2. In an auxiliary transposing keyboard for pianos and like musical instruments, in combination, a foundation piece slotted longitudinally, transposing keys mounted on the foundation piece, a vertically adjustable perforated bar fitted in the slot in said foundation piece, headed striking pins passing through said perforated bar and serving to transmit motion of the transposing keys to the ordinary keyboard, and adjustable springs surrounding said pins, said springs interposed between the heads of said pins and the top of said bar.

3. .In an auxiliary transposing keyboard for pianos and like musical instruments, in combination, a foundation piece slotted longitudinally, transposing keys mounted on the foundation piece, a horizontally adjustable perforated bar fitted in the slot in said foundation piece, headed striking pins passing through said perforated bar and serving to transmit motion of the transposing keys to the ordinary keyboard, and adjustable springs surrounding said pins, said springs interposed between the heads of said pins and the top of said bar.

e. In an auxiliary transposing keyboard for pianos and like musical instruments, in

combination, a foundation piece slotted longitudinally, transposing keys mounted on the foundation piece, a vertically and horizontally adjustable perforated bar fitted in the slot in said foundation piece, headed striking pins passing through said perforated bar and serving to transmit motion of the transposing keys to the ordinary keyboard, and adjustable springs surrounding said pins, said springs interposed between the heads of said pins and the top of said bar.

. 5. In an auxiliary transposing keyboard for pianos and like musical instruments, in combination, a foundation piece slotted longitudinally, transposing keys mounted on the foundation piece, a perforated bar adjustably fitted in the slot in said foundation piece, headed striking pins passing through said perforated bar and serving to transmit motion of the transposing keys to the ordinary keyboard, adjustable springs surrounding said pins, said springs interposed between the heads of said pins and the top of said bar, and adjustable levers controlling the extent of travel and so regulating the touch of said transposing keys.

6. In an auxiliary transposing keyboard for pianos and like musical instruments, in combination, a foundation piece slotted longitudinally, transposing keys mounted on the foundation piece, a perforated bar adjustably fitted in the slot in said foundation piece, headed striking pins passing through said perforated bar serving to transmit motion of the transposing keys to the ordinary keyboard, adjustable springs surrounding said pins, said springs interposed between the heads of said pins and the top of said bar, adjustable levers controlling the travel or touch of said transposing keys, and a rod passing through orifices in said keys, as and for the purpose specified.

7. In an auxiliary transposing keyboard for pianos and like musical instruments, in combination, a foundation piece slotted longitudinally, transposing keys mounted on the foundation piece, a perforated bar adjustably fitted in the slot in said foundation piece, headed striking pins passing through said perforated bar and serving to transmit motion of the transposing keys to the ordinary keyboard, adjustable springs surrounding said pins, said springs interposed between the heads of said pins and the top of said bar, adjustable levers controlling the travel or touch of said transposing keys, a rod passing through orifices in all said keys, a second bar adjustable relative to said foundation piece to which second bar said levers are attached, said second bar being adapted to support the keys when raised up to be moved into another position for producing music in another key, as and for the purpose specified.

S. In an auxiliary transposing keyboard for pianos and like musical instruments, in combination, a foundation piece slotted longitudinally, end brackets for said keyboard adjustable relative to said foundation piece, transposing keys mounted on the foundation piece, a perforated bar adjustably fitted to said foundation piece, headed striking pins passing through said perforated bar and serving to transmit motion of the transposing keys to the ordinary keyboard, adjustable springs surrounding said pins, said springs interposed between the heads of said pins and the top of said bar, adjustable levers controlling the travel or touch of said transposing keys, a rod passing through ori- {iees in all said keys, a second bar adjustable namel to this specification in the presence of relative to said foundation piece todwhio two subscribing witnesses.

second bar said levers' are attache sai Y Y second bar being adapted to raise the keys GEORGE GGUTHWAITE SCURFIEID and to adjust simultaneously all the above Witnesses:

mentioned levers. RICHARD IRVINE STEELE, In testimony whereof I have signed my l Jos. MCNICOL.