US85889A - Andrew v - Google Patents

Description

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ANDREW v; T. BARBERIE, or

lBRGOKLYN, E. D., NEW YORK.

Letters Patent No. 85,889, dated .Tamm/ry 12, 1869.

TREBLE-ATTACMNT FOR PIANO-FORTES.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

VTo all whom it ma/y concern:

Be it known that I, ANDREW V. T. BARBERIE, of Brooklyn, E. D;, in the county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented and made a certain new andmseful Treble-Attachment for Piano-Fortes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descxipiou of the said invention, reference being had to the annexed drawing, making part of this speoiiication, wherein- Figure l is a vertical section at the treble-part of the piano, showing my attachment applied thereto, and

Figure 2 is an inverted plan of the vibration-check,

the strings being shown by red lines.

The same letters denote corresponding parts.

[n piano-fortes, the treble-strings are short, and under heavy tension, and the vibration is very rapid and sharp. The eiect of this is to' impart to the restplank a tremor and motion that produce a dull or woody sound, that is-appreciable to the practised ear, and greatly detracts from the clear beauty of the tone. This diiiiculty is increased from -tl1e fact that generally the rest-plank a is undercut, as shown at b, Iig. l, thusleaving the edge upon which the pitch-pins are placed projecting, and more liable to vibrate. This undercut 1s necessary to theaetion, so that the hammers will have the required room for their movement.

To remedy the foregoing diiculty, metal bars have been employed to furnish both an up and also a down bearing for the strings at the rest-plank, in place of the pitch-pins. These give to the string a metallic sound that is also objectionable.

The nature of my said invention consists in a vibration-check, applied at the edge of the rest-plank, contguous to the pitch-pins of the treble, so that the vibration will be arrested at this end of the string, and the string itself; between the pitch-pins, be allowed to vibrate freely and clearly.

:In the drawing- The rest-plank a., sounding-board c, hitch-pins d,

of any usual or desired character; and v k represents a string or strings or" the treble-portion of the piano.

lis my vibration-check, made of lead, or similar metal that is heavy, but slightly'sonorous. A

The said checkhas a base, byineans of which it can rest upon and be united with the bridge on the edge of the rest-plank. Thisbase is shown as grooved longitudinally on the under side, as at o, so as to cause the veisely, at o, upon the lines of the strings, so as to allow them to pass freely, as illustrated in iig. 2; and s is a screw, for holding the vibration-check in place. l find practically that this .vibration-check prevents the disagreeable sound arising from the rest-plank at the treble-end, and increases the clearness and brilof sonni-ous properties, effecting this result.

The vibration-cheek may extend along any desired number of notes in the piano, and be made of one bar or of several separate pieces, and the vibration-check may be pressed upon the bridge of the rest-plank, or

pitch-pins e f, tuning-pins g, bridges h and i, are to be bearings to be upon the edges, and grooved trans liancy of tone, the weight of the lead bar, and its lack v held in its place by any desired means that will effect

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