US998135A - Fall-board for pianos and the like. - Google Patents

Description

E. T. TURNEY.

FALL BOARD FOR PIANOS AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 2a, 1908.

Patented July 18, 1911.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EUGENE T. TURNEY, OF ROCK ISLAND, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO ARTISTA PIANO PLAYER COMPANY, OF MILAN, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 18, 1911.

Application filed April 23, 1908. Serial No. 428,780.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EUGENE T. TURNEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rock Island, in the county of Rock Island and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fall- Boards for Pianos and the Like, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in fall boards for pianos and the like more particularly adapted for use in pianos having pneumatic playing attachments, and the primary object of the invention is to provide an improved, simple and etlicient device of this character which is adapted to fold compactly in a very small space and one which will not project into the casing to interfere with the pneumatic actions.

A further object is to provide an improved device of this character which may be readily removed to permit access to the pneumatic actions.

To the attainment of these ends and the accomplishment of other new and useful objects, as will appear, the invention consists in the features of novelty in the construction, combination and arrangement of the several parts hereinafter more fully described and claimed and shown in the accompanying drawing, illustrating an embodiment of the invention, and in which Figure 1 is a detail sectional view showing a portion of a piano casing with an improved fall board attached thereto constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention. Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view of a portion of the fall board. Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 33 of Fig. 1. Fig. l is a sectional view on line 1- 1 of Fig. 3.

Referring more particularly to the drawing and in the present exemplification of the invention, the numeral 10 designates a portion of the casing of the musical instrument, 11 the keys, 12 a portion of the panel above the keys, and 13 is a portion of the pneumatic action.

The shelf 14 is supported adjacent the lower end of the panel 12 and projects for any desired distance beyond the front there of. Depending from the forward end of the shelf is an upright member 15, which is pivotally supported by its upper end as at 16 adjacent the shelf 14 and this upright member 15 terminates above the keys 11.

Secured to the lower face of the shelf 14 are any suitable number of yielding members 17 preferably in the form of springs, the free extremities 18 of which are adapted to engage the rear face of the upright member 13, preferably adjacent the free end thereof and tend to hold the upright member in an inclined position by forcing the free end thereof forwardly.

A fall board 18 is pivotally supported as at 19 (see Fig. 3) to a fined portion of the casing 10 in such a position that the rear edge 20 thereof will stand adjacent the lower end of the upright member 15 and this member 15 is provided with a forwardly projecting portion 21 which is adapted to project over or beyond the edge 20 of the fall board 18 when the latter is lowered to form a dust proof joint between the upright 15 and the fall board 18 and the parts are held in this position by means of the yielding members or springs 17 when the board 18 is lowered. Obviously the portion 21 does not project over the edge 20 of the fall board a sufiicient distance to cause the parts to be locked or jammed, but only to such an extent as to permit free movement of the parts.

Suitable supports 22 may be provided which are adapted to rest upon a fixed portion 23 of the casing for holding the free end of the board 18, and a member 2 1 is pivotally supported as at to the free end of the fall board and. is adapted to close the space between the fall board and the keys when the fall board is lowered to the position as shown in Fig. 1.

Projecting beyond. the rear edge 20 of the fall board. 18 are spaced arms or projections 26, which may be of any desired length and these arms project into the casing beyond the upright member 15. The casing of the instrument is provided with slots or openings 27 which may be formed in any desired or suitable manner and to the walls of these slots or openings may be secured a suitable fabric, such as felt or the like.

When the fall board is raised from the position shown in full. lines in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the upright member 15 will be moved about its point of pivotal support 16 and against the tension of the yielding members 17 by the rising movement of the fall board, which will cause the latter to engage the forward edge of the projecting portion 21 and move the member 15 to the position shown in dotted lines in 1. is the fall board is raised the spaced arms at) will enter the slots or openings 27 and will frictionally engage the walls thereof to hold the fall board in its raised position. hen the fall board is lowered the friction of the arms 26 against the walls of the openings will be overcome and the yielding members 17 will force the upright member 15 into the position shown in full lines in. Fig. 1.

\Vith this improved construction, it will be apparent that the board may be folded in a very compact space and that it will not project into the casing to interfere with the pneumatic actions, thereby providing the necessary space for the actions without increasing the width of the piano casing.

In order that the invention might be fully understood the details of the foregoing embodiment have been thus specifically described, but

What I claim as new is- 1. In a musical instrument, the combination of a shelf, a pivoted upright member, a fall board pivoted to a fixed part of the casing, a portion of said member projecting over the adjacent edge of the board, and means for holding the uprightmember ina position to project over the said board when the latter is closed, said upright member being adapted to be moved about its pivot by the rising movement of the board.

2. In a musical instrument, the combination of a shelf, a pivoted upright member, a fall board pivoted to a fixed part of the casing, a portion of said member projecting over the adjacent edge of the board when the latter is lowered, and yielding means tending normally to hold the parts in such position, said member being adapted to be moved about its pivot by the board as the latter is raised and against the tension of the said yielding means.

3. In a musical instrun'ient, the combina tion of a shelf, a pivoted upright member, a fall board pivoted to a fixed part of the casing, a portion of said member projecting over the adjacent edge of the board when the latter is lowered, yielding means tending normally to hold, the parts in such position, said member being adapted to be moved about its pivot by the board as the latter is raised and against the tension of the said yielding means, and separate means for holding the board 111 a raised positlon.

l. In a musical instrument, the combina tion of a shelf, a pivoted upright member, a fall board pivoted to a fixed part of the casing, a portion of said member projecting over the adjacent edge of the board when the latter is lowered, yielding means tending normally to hold the parts in such position, said member being adapted to be moved about its pivot by the board as the latter is raised and against the tension of the said yielding means, and friction means for holding the board in a raised position.

In a musical instrument, the combination of a shelf, a pivoted upright member, a fall board adjacent the free end of the upright member, said board being pivoted to a fixed part of the casing, said upright member being provided with a portion project ing over the adjacent edge of the board when the latter is lowered, yielding means for holding the member in such position, said member being adapted to be moved about its pivot by the board as the latter is raised, and means supported by the board and adapted to frictionally engage the eas- .ing to hold the board raised and against ,he tension of the said yielding means (3. In a musical instrument, the combination of a shelf, a pivoted i'ipright member, a fall board adjacent the free end of the upright member, said board being pivoted to a fixed part of the casing, said upright member being provided with a portion projecting over the adjacent edge of the board when the latter is lowered, yielding means for holding the member in such position, said member being adapted to be moved about its pivot by the board as the latter is raised, and an arm projecting f1 om the board and beyond the edge thereof, the cusing being provided with an opening and said arm being adapted to enter the opening and frictionally engage the wall thereof to hold the board in a raised position and against the tension of the said yielding means.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, on this 10th day of April A. D. 1908.

EUGENE T. 'ITURNEY.

Witnesses DAVID Sears, (1. A. Lrrr'r.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C.

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