US945882A - Pedal mechanism for musical instruments. - Google Patents

Description

P. WELIN.

PEDAL MBGHANISM FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLmATIoN FILED JULYe, 1908.

945,882. Patented Jan. 11,1910.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEicE.

PETER WELIN, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS. TO KRELL AUTO-GRAND PIANO CO. OF AMERICA, OF CONNERSVIILE, INDIANA, A

CORPORATION OF INDIANA.

PEDAL MECHANISM FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

Patented Jan. 11, 1910.

Original application filed September l2, 1907, Serial No. 392,540. Divided and this application filed .Tuly G,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PETER VELTN, a citizen of the United States, residing at W'orcester, in the county of lVorcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Pedal Mechanism for Musical Instruments, of which the following is a specification.

This application is a division of my prior application on pedal operating mechanism for musical instrument cases, iiled September 12, 1907, Serial No. 392,540.

This invention relates to pedal mechanism for musical instruments.

The principal objects of this invention are to provide a construction especially adapted for combination upright pianos, but capable of general use, that will be of such a nature that no large holes or perforations will show either when the pedals are folded in the instrument or when they are drawn out for automatic playing; to provide a construction in which this advantage is brought about chiefly bythe fact that the links or arms constituting a part of the pedal connection iills the notches in the bottom rail or the molding thereof when out and the connecting links between the pedals and bellows fill the notches when the pedals are folded in the casing; and to provide a construction of this character in such form that it does not weaken the lower or pedal rail or complicate or increase the cost of the instrument.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings which sh'ow a practicable form in which the invention may be carried out and in which,

Figure 1 is a front elevation showing the pedals drawn out ready for automatic playing. Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view of the same on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a front elevation showing the device with the pedals folded within the casing, and Fig. l is a sectional view similar to Fig. 2

showing the parts with the pedals folded in.

The invention is shown as applied to a musical instrument casing 10 which is provided with a lower front opening 11 adapted to be closed by sliding panels 12. At the bottom of the opening is the usual lower or pedal rail 13 which is preferably provided with Serial No. 441,954.

a molding 14 at the top thereof having two sets of notches therein numbered 15 and 1o respectively. The pedals 17 for operating the instrument are each provided with a link or pair of links 18, pivoted to the lower or front part of the pedal and also pivoted insidel the bottom rail below the top thereof. This link is provided with a bend or knee l) whereby when the pedals are drawn out, as shown in Fig. 2, the link will extend along through the notches l5 and close them so that they will not be readily observed from the front.

For the purpose of operating the bellows 20, the latter is provided with an arm or link 21 which extends downwardly under the bottom rail and terminates in a pivot located adjacent to the lower front edge of the bottom rail. The upper or free end of the pedal is connected with this pivot by means of a link 23 which is provided with two arms 241 and 25 making an angle with each other'. Vhen the pedal is out, as shown in Fig. 2, this link performs the usual functions of a pedal link but when the pedal is folded within the casing, as shown in Fi 4, the conformation of the link to give it a shape similar to that of the outside and top of the bottom rail becomes important as this permits the arm 241 to extend up the vertical front side of the bottom rail and the arm to extend inwardly through the notch 1G, as indicated in Figs. 3 and 4. The slides l2 can then be closed over the notches without interfering with the pedal connections. In this position of the parts it will be seen that the notches 1G are substantially filled by the arms and that the notches l5 are similarly tilled by the bends 19 of the links 1S when the pedals are drawn out.

It will be seen that thelinks or pedal connections are so proportioned and located that when the pedals are drawn out of the casing for automatic playing, the panels slide over the pedal connections in contact with the top of the molding on the bottom rail so that the inner portions of the connections are entirely concealed by the panels. Moreover, when the pedals are folded into the casing, as indicated in Fig. f1, the links which connect them with the bellows extend upwardly over the bottom rail and through the notches 16 so that the panels may slide over them in the same way as has been described in connection with the other links so that practically everything is concealed. All this is accomplished without ,materially weakening the bottom or pedal rail and it adds greatly to the appearance of the instrument, and gives a strong, compact and convenient construction.

lllhile l have illustrated and described one form in which the invention may be carried out, l am aware that, it may be modilied in many ways by a person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as expressed in the claims. Therefore, l do not wish to be limited to all the details of construction shown, buth that l do claim is :w

l. rlhe combination with the bottom or pedal rail of a musical instrument casing, of pedal connections extending outwardly under said rail and folding back over the rail when the pedals are turned back into the casing.

The combination with the bottom or pedal rail of a musical instrument casing, of pedal connections extending outwardly under said rail and folding' back over the rail when the pedals are turned back into the easing, said connections each comprising two pivotally connected. links, the outer end of one of them terminating just outside the bottom of the rail, and the other extending upwardly therefrom and having a formation similar to that of the front and top oit' the rail, whereby when the pedals are withdrawn into the casing it will lie vertically along the surface of the rail.

3. The combination with the bottom or pedal rail of a musical instrument casing having ay molding on top provided with a notch, of pedal connections comprisingl a link adapted to fold back over the rail when the pedals are withdrawn into the casingl and having two arms, one adapted to lie vertically along the front of the rail and the other at substantially right angles thereto adapted to lie in said notch when the pedals are withdrawn into the easing.

fl. rl`he combination with the bottom or pedal rail of a musical instrument casing, of pedal connections extending outwardly under said rail and folding back over the rail when the pedals are turned back into the easing, said rail having a molding provided with a horizontal notch, and said connections comprising a link connected with the bellows and having` a shape conforming to the front and top ofthe rail, and adapted to extend through said notch when the pedals are folded within the casing.

5. The combination with the bottom or pedal rail of a musical instrument casing ha ving a notch at the top thereof, of pedal connections eoniprising a link adapted to fold back over the rail when the pedals are withdrawn into the casing and. having two arms, one adapted to lie vertically along the front of the rail and the other at substantially right angles thereto adapted to lie in said notch when the pedals are withdrawn into the casing, a second link pivoted to the inside of the rail and shaped to extend over the top thereof when the pedals are drawn out into operative position.

G. lhe combination with a musical instrument casing having a panel in the front thereof, and a bottom or pedal rail provided with two sets of notches at the top thereof, of pedals and pedal connections, said pedal connections comprising` two sets et links, those of one set pivoted outside the casing near the bottom of the lower rail and having a shape conforming to that/of the outer and top surfaces of the lower rail, and connected with the top of the pedals, and those of the other set connected with the bottom of the pedals and pivoted insidethe rail and extending upwardly around the lrail through one of the sets of notches when the pedals are not in operative position, the first named set of links extending through the other set of notches when the pedals are folded within the casing.

T. The con'ibination with a piano casing having a lower opening and a bottom or pedal rail, of pedals and pedal connections comprising a set of links connected with the bottom of the pedals and pivoted to the inside ot said rail and extending upwardly over the top thereof when the pedals are drawn out, and a, second set of links in ovably pivoted near the front of the bottom of the rail and connected with the tops of the pedals, and having a shape conforming substantially to that of the front and top of the rail.

8. The combination with a piano case, of a front board therefor, a panel moimtcd to slide on said front board, said case comprising a lower front rail under said panel and along which the panel is adapted to slide and having notches, and a pedal n'iechanism comprising links adapted to rest on the upper surface of said rail and pass through the notches therein when 'the pedals are folded within the easing and when they are extended outwardly for playing, in such position that the panel slides over the links.

ln testimonywhereof l have herermto set my hand, in the presence ot two subscribing witnesses.

PETER 'WE JN. lllitnesses (lr-marins F. Vance, EDwrN B. PMU.

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