US732188A - Piano-action. - Google Patents

Description

No. 732,188. PATENTED JUNE 30, 1903. v

R. M. HUTGH'VINSON.

PIANO ACTION.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 9. 1902. N0 MODEL. 3 SHEETS-SHBET 1- WW M V #1 4 M: s vs nzns IDIPHOKLLITNOY, msmuemu u c No. 732,188. PATENTED JUNE 30, 1903. R. M. HU'TGHINSON.

PIANO ACTION.

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Patented June 30, 1903.

PIANO-ACTION.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters ?atent No. 732,188, dated June 30, 1903.

Application filed June 9, 1902. Serial No. 110,717. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT M. HUTOHIN- SON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Adrian, county of Lenawee, State of Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful Improvementin Piano-Actions; and I declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in upright-piano actions, and is especially designed as an improvement over the construction shown in my Patent No. 419,678, issued January 21, 1890.

The object of my invention is to provide means for taking up the lost motion between the key and the abstract when the action is adjusted by the soft pedal. In the ordinary piano-action of the class to which this relates when the soft pedal is operated the extension and connecting parts are lifted and the hammer-rail set forward to correspond with the movement of the hammer. In my patent referred to I made use of the swinging extension in combination with an inclined key-' rocker; but the rocker was inclined upward from the fulcrum of the key.

My invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure l is a side elevation of a piano-action in its normal position. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same action, showing the position of the parts when the soft pedal is operated. Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the key depressed.

In the drawings, A represents the key, provided on its upper edge with an inclined face a, the incline pitching downward toward the inner end of the key.

B represents the extension; B, the wippen.

0 represents the lower half of the actionrail, and this portion of the rail is hinged to the upper portion, so as to swing in a horizontal direction. V

0 represents the extension-guide, pivoted to the rocking action-rail at one end and to the extension at the other end.

D represents the pedal-rod, which is pivoted at (Z to an arm (1 on the rocking actionrail and at the upper end to the hammer-rail E, the construction being such that when the pedal-rod is lifted it causes the rocking portion of the action-rail to swing and likewise causes the hammer-rail to swing upward and inward. The hammer-rail is pivoted at each end on a rocking arm e, the length of the rocking arm being suitable to give to the hammerrail the proper movement.

F represents a felt-padded button set in the lower end of the extension and at such an angle as to cause the felt face to lie fiat upon the inclined surface a of the key. When the pedal-rod'is operated, the rocking action-rail carries the extension outward and causes the button F to slide up the incline a of the key to the position shown in Fig. 2. This incline on the key is of such a pitch that it will lift the extension and keep the upper end of the jack G always in contact with the hammerbutt as the hammer is lifted forward by the movement of the ham mer-rail. This arrangement of the parts should be such that the lifting of the extension and the movement of the hammer-rail shall bear the proper relation to one another to keep the jack and hammer-butt in contact to avoid all lost motion. I

I prefer to use in combination with the incline on the key and the other mechanism described the form of action herein shown, in which the ordinary form of back-check is dispensed with and the check 9 is employed in combination with the inclined face g on the jack, as the check mechanism just described holds the hammer in the proper position at all times through the movement of the parts, as I have described, the other parts of the action operating with my invention in the usual manner.

What I claim is- 1. In a piano-action, the combination of the movable hammer-rail, the extension B, means for swinging the extension outward toward the fulcrum of the key, the key provided with an inclined surface, said inclined surface extending downward toward the inner end of 'thekey, and the adjusting-button F set at an angle in the extension and bearing on said inclined surface, substantially as described. 2. In a piano-action, the combination of the extensions, means for swinging all the exten 3. In apiano-action, the combination of the swinging extensions, the keys provided with inclined contact-surfaces, adjusting-buttons F set at an angle in the ends of the extensions and bearing on the inclined surfaces of the keys, the wippens, the hammers and hammer-butts, means for setting up the hammers, the back-checks g, and the jacks provided with inclined surfaces g for engaging with the checks g, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification in the presence of two Witnesses.

ROBERT M. HUTCHINSON.

WVitnesses:

BERT FULLER, J. A. AMBLER.

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