US640838A - Piano-action. - Google Patents

Description

No. 640,&38. Patented lan. 9, 9oo.

' w. c VOUGH.

PIANO ACTION.

(Application filed Sept. 7, 1899.)

2 Sheets-Sheet (No Model;)

, l INVENTOR WITNESSES:

No..64o,838. Patente'd lan. 9, aoo. W. C. VOUGH.

PANO ACTION.

(Application fild Sept. 7, 1899.)

2 Sheets--Shet 2.

(N' Model.)

WITNESSES:

INVENTOR ATTORNEYS THE NORRIS mms co woman-w.. WASHINGTON. u 9.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

WILLAM o. vonon, on wATERLoo, NEW YORK;

PIANO-ACTION;

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 640,838, dai-,ed J' anuary 9, 1900; Application filed September 7, 1899. Seria1No.729,708. (No model.)

TO all whont it meny concrn:

V Be it known that I, WILLIAM C. VOUGH, of Waterloo,in the county of Seneca,in the State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Piano-Actions,of which the following, taken in connection with' the acconpanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention has for its object the prod uction of a piano-action which is of such constrnction that the pitch of the piano may be readily raised or lowered and is particularly simple,durable, and effective; and to this end it consists in the combination, Construction, and arrangenent of the Component parts of a piano-action, as hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

In describing this invention reference is had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which like letters indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure l is a sectional view, partly in elevation,of my improved piano-actio1,the parts being shown in their position assuned When the pitch is normal. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional View, partly in elevation, of a portion of the piano-action seen in Fig, the parts being shown in their position assumed when the pitch of the piano is raised. Figs. 3 and 4 are sectional views taken, respectively, on lines 3 3 and 4:4, Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is an isometric View of one of the detached extensions or stickers of my piano-action.

It is well known that it is desirable to readily raise or lower the pitch of a piano as, for instance, to change the same from standard to concert pitch, and Vice versa. My piano-action is of such Construction' that this object may be readily effected without material addition to the cost of the action, injury to the piano, or impairment of its operation. The essential change in a piano-action rendered necessary in order that the same may ernbody my invention is to provide each of its extensions or stickers With engaging faces adapted to be contacted by two adjacent keys and to provide suitable means for moving the extensions or stickers so as to force their engaging faces lengthwise of the keys into and out of operative position and to hold the extensions or stickers in their adjusted position. The means for moving the extensions or stick.-

ers may consist of the small rail, which is usu ally connected thereto and may be suitably hinged for permitting the necessary movement thereof.

AA represent the hammers, B B the keys, O C the extensions or stickers, and D the small rail,of a piano-action enibodying my in vention. The hammers A, the keys B, and the remaining parts of said piano-action,with the exception of the extensions or stickers C and the small rail D, may be of any desirable form, size, and Construction. It is therefore unnecessary to further describe said parts, as the same form no part of my present inven-- tion.

The extensions or stickers C are preferably connected in the usual nanner at their upper extremities to the Whips or jack-whips of the action and are each provided at their lower extremities with engaging faces c c', which are usually arranged above contiguous keys in alinement therewith and one in advanco of the other, with their corresponding sides disposed in planes arranged side by side. These engaging faces c c' are generally provided upon the lower ends of branches 0 0 forned at the lower extrenities of the extensions or stickers O C, one branch 0 of each extension or sticker having its lower end arranged directly above the contact-face b of the underlying key, and the other branch 0 of each extension or sticker having its lower end arranged in alinement With the branch 0 of the contiguous extension or sticker and in front of said branch 0 and a plane extending upwardly from the contact-face b of the key next adjacent to the former key. The branches 0 usually extend downwardly from the overlying portions of the extensions or stickers in substantially continuous planes, and the branches 0 preferably project laterally beyond the left-hand sides of the front portions of said extensions or stickers. It is ohvious, however, that the branches 0 may extend from the right-hand sides of said extensions or stickers and from the rear portions thereof.

The rail D extends at substantially right angles with the lengthwise planes of the keys and is suitably supported, so as to move toward and away from the front of the piano, being preferably Secured loy hinges d at its upper edge to a fixed rail d'. Said rail D is connected to the extensions or strickers O by suitable link connections 61 and is held in its adjusted position by any desirable fastening means, not necessary to herein illustrate and describe. When said rail is held in one of its positions, as illustrated in Fig. 1, the engaging faces c of the extensions or stickers O are registered or alined with the contactfaces Z of the keys B. As said rail is moved to its other position, as illustrated in Fig. 2, the portions of the extensions or stickers provided with the faces c c' are simultaneously moved lengthwise of the keys, thus forcing the engaging faces c out of their operative position in alinement with the contact-faces b of the keys B and registering or alining the engaging faces c' with said contact-faces. hen the rail D and the extensions or stickers C are in their position assumed in Fig. 2, the movement of any one key will operate the hammer actuated by the next higher key when said rail and extensions or stickers are in their position assumed in Fig. 1. lt is obvious, however, that if the branches 0 should extend from the right-hand sides of the extensions or stickers C and were alined or registered with the contact-faces of the keys then any one key would operate the hammer actuated by the next lower key when the branches 0 were alined with the contactfaces b.

The Construction and operation of my improved piano=action will now be readily understood upon reference to the foregoing description and the accompanying drawings, and it Will be particularly noted that the exact detail construction and arrangement of said piano-action may be more or less varied without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. In a piano-action, the combination with a key, and a plurality of hammers; of extensions or stickers having engaging faces for Contacting with said key, the portions of the extensions 'or stickers provided with the engaging faces being movable substantially lengthwise of the key for forcing said engaging faces into and out of operative position, substantiallyas and for the purpose described.

2. In a piano-action, the combination with a key and a plurality of hammers; of extensions or stickers supported side by side and each having an engaging face for contacting with the key, said faces being arranged one in advance of the other above the key and in alinement therewith, substantially asand for the purpose set forth.

3. In a piano-action, the combination with a key, and a plurality of hammers; of extensions or stickers supported side by side and each having an engaging face for contactin g with said key, the portions of the extensions or stickers provided with the engaging faces e ioss being movable substantially lengthwise of the' key for forcing the engaging faces into and out of operative position, and said engaging faces being arranged one in advance of the other above the key and in alinement therewith, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. In a piano-action, the combination with a plurality of keys and a hammer; of an extension or sticker having a plurality of engaging faces for contacting with said keys, substantially as and for the purpose described.

5. In a piano-action, the combination with a piurality of keys, and a hammer; of an extension or sticker having a plurality of engaging faces for Contacting with said keys, one engaging face being arranged in position to coperate with one key and a second en gaging face being arranged out of position to cooperate with a second key, said extension or sticker being novable for forcing the first engaging face from its operative position and for forcing the second engaging face into position to coperate with the second key, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. In a piano-action, the combination with a plurality of keys, and a hammer; of an extension or sticker having a plurality of engaging faces for contacting with said keys, one engaging face being arranged above one key in alinement therewith, and a second engaging face being arranged in front of the first engaging face and above a second key in alinement therewith, and means for moving the portion of the extension or sticker provided with said faces substantiallylengthwise of the keys, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

7. In apiano-action, the combination with keys and hammers; of extensions or stickers supported side by side and each provided with engaging faces having corresponding sides arranged in planes disposed side by side, the engaging faces upon contiguous sides of adjacent extensions or stickers being arranged one in advance of the other, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

8. In a piano-action, the combination with a key, and a plurality of hammers; of extensions or stickers having engaging faces for' Contacting with said key, a movable rail extending at substan tially right angles With the lengthwise planes of the keys, and means connecting the extensions or stickers and the rail for nioving said engagin g faces lengthwise of the keys, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

9. In a piano-action, the combination with a plurality of keys and hammers; of extensions or stickers each having a plurality of engaging faces for contacting with the keys, one engaging face of one of the extensions or stickers being arranged above one key in alinement therewith and at the rear of an engaging face of a contiguous extension or sticker, and a second engaging face of said one of the extensions or stickers being ar- ICO i'anged above a second key in alinement there- With and in front of the first engaging face of said one of the extensions or stickers and an engaging face of a contiguous extension or sticker, a' movable rail extending at substantiallyright angles With the lengthwise planes of the keys, and means connecting the extensions or stickers and the rail for noving` said engaging faces lengthwise of the keys, su bstantially as and for the purpose set forth.

10. In a piano-action, the combination With keys and hammers; of extensions or stickers keys and hamners;` of extensions or stickers supported side by side and each provided witli branches, the lower ends of the branches upon contiguous sides of adjacent extensions or stickers being arranged one in advance of the other, substantially as and for the purpose set fOl'`h.

12. As a new article of manufacture, the herein-described extension or sticker for a iano-action, the same havin its lower end provided With branches having their extremities arranged one in advance of the other, with their corresponding` sides disposed in planes arranged side by side, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testinony whereof I have hereunto signed my name, in the presence of two attesting witnesses, at XVaterloo, in the county of Seneca, in the State of New York, this 1th day of May, 1898.

W`ILLIAM C. VOUGH.

Witnesses:

GEORGE E. ZARTMAN, LEONARD STORY,

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