US449583A - Upright-piano action - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

G. M. GUILD. UPRIGHT PIANO ACTION.

No. 449,583. Patented Mar. 31,1891.

I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- GEORGE MORSE GUILD, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

UPRlGHT-PIANO ACTION.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 449,583, dated March 31, 1891.

Application filed (lune 23,1890. Serial No. 356,473- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE MORSE GUILD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in I'pright-Piano Actions; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an uprightpiano action constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing modifications of portions of the action to be hereinafter explained. Fig. 3 is an under side view, and Fig. e an end view, of the lever N. Fig. 5 is a top view of the jack-butt shown in Fig. 1. Fig. (3 is a view showing the position of the jack with relation to the jack-butt and the back-check when the key is in its lowest position.

The object of my invention is to simplify and reduce the cost of construction of the action, and at the same time render it more efficient and reliable in its working, the nature of my invention being defined in the claims hereinafter presented.

In the drawings, A denotes the centerrail, and 0. the flange fixed thereto, to opposite ends of which the damper-lever l3 and hammer-heel O are pivoted.

D denotes the hammer-spring rail, and E the hammer-spring.

F is the hammer, and G the hammer-rail, and B the damper-spring, the parts thus far referred to being arranged and, with the e):- ception of the rail A, constructed in the usual manner. To the heel of the hammer is pivoted what I shall term the combined lifter rod and jack II, it being provided with a hearing 1) for the free end of a spring I, a pin 0, adjustable buttons d and e, and a doubly-inclined back-stop f, and rests at its lower end on an adjustable jack-butt K,tl1e latter connected to the key L by a right and left threaded screw M, which screws into each and is provided between the threads with holes to re ceive an implement by which the screw can be turned to effect adjustment of the buttin altitude when required. A pin g, fixed in the key, extends upward through a slot h in the butt and preserves said butt in position. The said butt K is provided with ears 1', pivoted to which is a lever 70, the upper surface of which is in line with or a little below the surface or seat Z for the lifter rod or jack. A spring m bears upward against the arm of the lever 7o nearest the jack, the other arm of said lever being provided with a button it for adjusting said lever as may be required.

N represents a lever pivoted to a flange 0, the latter secured to the rail A or to the lower rail X, and provided with arms 2) and g, which when said lever is turned on its fulcrum by depressing the key operate respectively the damper-lever l3 and the lifter rod or jack II. The said lever N is notched, as represented at s, to receive the pin 0, projecting from the lifter rod or jack, said lever being borne downward against said pin by thespring I, said pin turning the leverN on its fulcrum when the jack is lifted. The spring I also draws the jack toward the lever and against the stop 6 of the butt K on release of the key from the touch of the player. Instead of the spring I, the bottom of the notch s and the pin 0 may be inclined, the damper-spring B indirectly forcing the bottom of said notch against the pin and drawing the jack against the stop if of the butt K.

O denotes a rail, which sustains the adjustable back-check 1'. By providing the butt K with the lever 7o, the button a, and spring on the action is rendered very efficient for rapidly repeating a note when desired. On the key being struck the lowerend of the jack will be moved on to the next adjacent arm of the lever 7t" (see Fig. 6) and said arm will be slightly depressed by the jack as the latter drops and carries its backstop into contact with the back-cheek and the hammer away from the string a suitable distance, and as soon as the key is released from the touch of the player or as soon as the key is allowed to rise a little the spring m will exert its force on the lever 7t and cause its depressed arm to immediately rise and return the jack to its seat.

Instead of providing the butt K with the ears i lever 70, and spring m, as shown in Fig. 1, I sometimes form the butt, as represented in Fig. 2, with an additional fixed seat Z, arranged below theseat Z to facilitate the repeating of a note, the difierence in. height between the seats to be such as to allow the jack to drop enough to carry the hammer the proper distance away from the string after the blow has been delivered, the jack bearing on said additional seat during the repeatplication to pianos of a cheaper grade than that shown in Fig. 1.

I11 the action shown in Fig. 1 it will be perceived that the lower rail usually employed in this class of actions is dispensed with, and that the adjusting-buttons and the screws connecting the several parts of the action to the rail A can be readily reached from the front of the piano without removing the action when it becomes necessary to adjust parts of the action to take up the wear.

By forming the back-stop f as represented and having the back-checkr adjustable said parts operate together to excellent advantage and cannot fail to perform their functions.

The back-stop, instead of being doubly i11- clined with relation to the lifter-rod or jack, as represented, is sometimes used by me in such action with but a single incline.

What I claim is- 1. In an action for upright pianos, the combined lifter rod and jack pivoted to the hammer-heel and provided with the spring-bearing 1), the pin 0, buttons (Z and e, and backstop f, as and for the purpose explained.

2. In an action forupright pianos, the combined lifter rod and jack pivoted to thehammer-heel and provided with the spring-bearin g 1), pin 0, an adjustable button, and a backstop f, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In an action for upright pianos, the lever N, provided with the arms 1) and q, the notch s, and spring I, fulcrumed to a flange-piece, essentially as shown. j

4. In an action for upright pianos, the combination of a lever N, provided with arms 1) and q, a notch s and spring I, said lever fulcrumed to the'fiange-pieoe 0, with the combined lifter rod and jack II, pivoted to the hammer-heel and provided with a bearing for the said spring I, a pin 0, one or more adj ustable buttons, and a back-stop, essentially as shown and set forth.

5. In an action forupright pianos, the combination of the combined lifter rod and jack pivoted to the hammer-heel and provided with a spring-bearing b, a pin 0, one or more adjustable buttons, and a back-stop with an adjustable back-check r, the latter supported substantially as shown and set forth.

6. In an action for upright pianos, the jackbutt K, provided with the stop Z, seat Z, ears a, lever k, pivoted to said ears, the adjustable button ,a, the spring m, and slot 71, in combination with the key, provided with the pin 9, and the right and left threaded screw M, as and for thepurpose explained.

7. An action for upright pianos, substantially as described, it consisting of the flangepiece a, the damper and hammer pivoted thereto; the damper-spring B, thecombined lifter rod andjack H, provided with a springbearing b,a pin a, one or more adj Listing-buttons, and a back-stop, the adjustable backcheck the lever N, provided with arms 1) and q, a notch s and spring I, the flange-piece oIsupporting said lever, the jack-butt K, provided with the stop 25, seat Z, ears 2', lever 7t, button a, spring on, and slot h, and the key provided with the guide-pin g and the'right and left threaded screw M, connecting said butt to the key, all arranged and supported essentially as represented.

8. In an action for upright pianos, the com-' bined lifter rod and jack pivoted to theham mer-heel and provided with inclined pin 0, one or more adj listing-buttons, and a doublyinclined back-stop, essentially as represented.

9. In an action for upright pianos, the combined lifter rod and jack provided with the doubly-inclined back-stop f, essentially as represented.

10. In an action for upright pianos, the lever N, provided with arms 19 and q, and the notch 8, provided with the inclined bottom, as and for the purpose explained.

11. In an action for upright pianos, the combination of the damper B and spring B, the lever N, provided with arms 19 and q, and a notch having an inclined bottom, the com bined lifter rod and jack pivoted to the hammer-heel and provided with the inclined pin 0, oneor more adj usting-buttons, and a doublyinclined back-stop f and the adjustable backcheck 4", all arranged and supported essentially as represented.

12. In an action for upright pianos, the jack-butt K, provided with the stop 25. seat Z, ears 2', lever 7c, fulcrumed to said ears, the adjusting-button n, and the spring m,'incombination with-the key supporting said butt, essentially as and for the purpose explained.

13. In an action for upright pianos, the combined lifter rod and jack pivoted to the hammer-heel and provided with a spring-bearingb, a pin a, and one or more adjustable buttons, arranged essentially as shown.

14. In an action for uprigh t pianos, the combined lifter rod or jack provided with .a backstop, the working-face of which is inclined, for the purpose explained.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE MORSE GUILD.

Witnesses:

S. N. PIPER, S. W; HARMON.

IOC

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