US974093A - Fall-board for pianos, organs, or other instruments. - Google Patents

Description

G. F. REEPS.

FALL BOARD FOR PIANOS, ORGANS, OR OTHER INSTRUMENTS. APPLICATION FILED SEPT.1'7, 1909.

974,093. Patented 0ct.25, 1910.

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III/II '5 III CHARLES F. KEEPS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

FALL-BOARD FOR PIANOS, ORGANS, OR OTHER INSTRUMENTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 17, 1909.

Patented Oct. 25, 1910.

Serial No. 518.219.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Crrannns F. liners, a citizen of the United States of Ameri a, and resident of Chicago, Cook county, Illinois. have invented a certain ne and useful improvement in Fall-Boards for Pianos, Organs, or other Instruments. of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to fall-boards for pianos, organs, player pianos, and similar instruments.

The principal object of my invention is the provision of a fall-board that will fold into a small space, without intruding too far within the interior of the piano, organ, player-piano or other similar instrument.

Another object is to provide an arrangement whereby it will not be necessary to locate the lock in the key-slip of the piano or other instrument.

Another object is to provide an arrangement whereby the two sections of the fall board will fold close together.

To the foregoing and other useful ends, my invention consists in matters hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawingsFigure l is a cross-section of a fall-board embodying the principles of my invention, showing adjacent parts, and illustrating in dotted lines the way in which the fall-board folds back into the casing to uncover the key-board. Fig. 2 is a detail vertical section on line 22 in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail section on line 33 in Fig. 1. Fig. t is a detail view showing a portion of the front of the fall-board and casing, and showing also the lock for locking the fall-board closed.

As thus illustrated, my invention comprises a fall-board composed of front and back sections A and B, the edges thereof being hinged together at C, whereby the outer surface of the fall-board is practically smooth and unbroken. The front section A has its ends provided with rearwardly and downwardly extending arms a that are pivoted at a to the sides of the casing, or to other parts of the piano structure. The upper portion of the section B is provided at each end thereof with pins Z), or other like devices having heads. Plates D having curved slots (Z are secured to the inner surfaces of the sides E of the casing. Each plate D has an inlet slot which permits the screws 5 to obtain access to the slots (Z. The heads of said screws work in the spaces back of said plates. hen the fall-board is closed the lower edge (1. thereof rests upon or near the usual key-slip F. The shelf G has a depending lip g that meets the upper edge of the fall-board. A lock 2. of any suitable character, is provided in the lip g for locking the fall-board in closed position.

hen the fall-board is opened, the two sections thereof fold close together. as the hinge is between their edges, and assume the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. l. In this position, the fall-board rests at its lower or hinged edges upon or immediately above the rail H that extends across the usual keys I, as illustrated. hen the lower section A is raised, the upper section B is pushed back, the screws 7) moving along the slots (Z. Thus the fall-board is opened without extending more than slightly within the interior of the casing. This is very important, especially in player-pianos, as there every inch of space is valuable for the disposition of the automatic playing mechanism and other parts.

lVhat I claim as my invention is:

1. The combination with a musical instru ment case, of a fall-board composed entirely of two portions hinged together, a pivotfixed to the case for supporting the outer portion, the hinge being in front of said pivot when the fall-board is closed, a pair of guides, and means at each end of the inner portion of the fall-board for engaging said guides to support the board.

2. The combination with a musical instrument case, of a fall-board composed of united sections, a pair of inwardly and upwardly extending guides attached to the case, means on the upper section of the fallboard slidingly engaging said guides, wherc by upon opening the fall-board said upper section will move bodily inwardly and upwardly, and means for pivoting the lower outer section of the fall-board to swing about a horizontal stationary axis.

3. The combination with a musical instrument case, of a fall-board, a pair of slotted guides attached to the case, means on the fall-board engaging said guides, said guides inclined upwardly to slightly raise the upper edge of the board when opened, a hinge connection for folding said board, disposed about midway between vertical lines struck from the inner and outer edges of the fall-board, when the board is closed, and pivoted arms rigid with the fall-board, said guides being disposed at opposite ends of the fall-board.

4E. The combination with a musical instrument case, of a fall-board, a hinge connection to permit folding of the board, pivoted arms for causing said connection to move upward and then downward when the board is opened, and sliding connections serving at all times to support the upper portion of said board, said sliding connections including means on the case and on said upper portion of the board.

5. The combination with a musical instrument case, of a fall-board composed entirely of two portions, a pair of slotted guides or plates on the case, means on the fall-board for engaging the slots of said plates, pivoted arms for movably supporting the fall-board, and a hinge connection between the upper and lower portions of said board, said arms extending rearwardly of the said hinge, when the fall-board is closed, said guides being disposed at opposite ends of the fall-board.

6. The combination with a musical instrument case, of a fall-board composed of upper and lower sections, the meeting edges of said sections being in the same plane so that the outer surfaces of the sections are flush with each other, said upper section being inclined upwardly and rearwardly when the fallboard is closed, a hinge connection between said flush edges, means for supporting the fall-board so that the same shall be bodily movable, said means being disposed in rear of said hinge connection when the fall-board is closed, said means including devices for directing the upper edge of the upper section when the fall-board is open to cause said upper section to assume a more upright position when the fall-board is fully opened.

7. The combination with a musical instrument case, of a board comprising hinge connected upper and lower portions, a pivot fixed on the case for the lower portion and disposed to the rear of said hinge when the board is closed, and means on the case for movably supporting the upper portion of the fall board at its upper edge and thus materially relieve the strain on said hinge in all positions of the fall board.

Signed by me at Chicago, Illinois, this 10th day of Sept. 1909.

CHARLES F. REEPS.

Vitnesses WM. B. DURNIoN, E. H. CLEGG.

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