US579031A - zintzsch - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet l.

1A Z1NTZSGH. MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

` No. 579,031. P11-16111611 111m. 16,1897.

No Model.) 3 Sheets- Sheet 2.

v P. ZINTZSH.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

No. 579,031. Patented Mar. 16. 1897.

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

P. ZINTZSGH.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

Patented Mar. 16,1897.

n o w UNrrnn Statics rines.

arrivi SPECIFICATON forming part of Letters .Patent No.. 579,031, dated March 16, 1897.

Application inea Apii 15, 1896.

To all whom t 77cm/ concern:

Be it known that LPAUL ZINTZsCI-Lformerly a subject of the Emperor of Germany, (having declared and proved my intention to become a citizen of the United States,) residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Musical Instrument, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to musical instruments, and particularly to a device adapted to be manipulated in a manner similar to that of an ordinary piano and having the general appearance thereof, the same being of more simple construction and being adapted for manufacture at a less cost, whereby it is brought within the reach of people of moderate means.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will appear in the following description,and the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of an instrument constructed in accordance with my invention, the keyboard being exposed for manipulation. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the keyboard covered and the writing-desk extended, the doors of the cabinet being also shown open. Fig. 3 is a front view, partly broken away. Fig. 41- is a detail oi' one of the sound-producing devices, including a resonant bar, a sounder, and the operating-key. Fig. 5 is a detail front view, partly in section, of the same to show the connection of the means for operating the main damper. Fig. 6 is a view of a slightlymodified form of sound-producing device. Fig. 7 is another modified form of the same. Fig. 8 is still another mediied form of the same. Fig. 9 is a detail view of a slightlymodiiied form of damper mechanism for use in connection with resonant bars which are adapted to be sounded by means or" hammers. Fig. 10 is a plan view of a keyboard constructed of resonant bars and adapted te be operated by means of an auxiliary sounder. Figs. 11, 12, and 13 are detail views of resonant bars of different cross-sectional construction. Fig. 14 and 15 are respectively side and edge views of an auxiliary sounder adapted to be used in connection with the Serial No. 587,665. (No model.)

form of instrument shown in Fig. 10. Fig. 1G is an auxiliary sounder adapted to be used in connection with either of the forms of instrument illustrated, and particularly in connection with the form illustrated in Fig. 10.

Similar numerals of reference in dieate correspondingparts in all the iigures ofthe drawings.

The sound-producing features of the instrument embodying' my invention are constructed and arranged to occupy a small space bounded approximately by the keyboard portion 1 of a case of the ordinary shape, whereby the remaining space in the case may be utilized for the purposes of a cabinet, as illustrated in Fig. 2. A portion of the interior of the case above the plane of the keyboard is constructed to form cupboards 2, having shelves 3 and doors -1, and below these cupboards is a compartment 5, of which the closure G forms a writing-desk when extended, as illustrated in Fig. 2, above the plane of the keyboard. ln the same way the portion ol' the case below the plane of the keyboard is coustrucied to form cupboards 7, having shelves S and doors 9.

Various sound-producing devices may be used in connection with a cabinet constructed as above described; but the preferred i'orm which is illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, embodies resonant bars 10, consisting of spring-tongues which are fixed at one end, as shown at 11, to a suitable shoulder 12 of the casin g and are arranged at their free ends in the paths of arms or spurs 13 on a sounder la, said sounder being rotatory and being adapted to receive motion `from an operating-key 15. rihe key is pivoted at 1G, the pivot being supported by a standard 17, and extends in rear of its pivotal point for attachment to a return-spring 1S, and the downward movement ot the front end of the key is limited by a padded stop-shoulder 19 ou the front board 2O of the keyboard. This key is provided near its front end with a push-rod 21 to engage the spurs or arms of the sounder successively, and carried by the rearend of the key is a key-damper 22, supported by means ol' a rod 23. A friction-brake 2l is secured te the front board 2O and is arranged in contact with the hub 25 of the sounder to prevent ro- IOC tation of the latter after the downward movement of the key has cca-sed.

In connection with the above-described form of sound-producing mechanism l erfploy a main damper-bar 2G, which extends continuously from one end otthe series of resonant bars to the other and supported at its extremities by means oi' cords or llexible connections 27, which extend around direction-pulleys 28 and are connected to a footpedal in order to return the damper-bar to its position in contact with the resonant bars, employ a cord or tlexible connection 30, which extends to and is attached te a Afootpedal 3l. Theiunct-ion of this common damper-bar, which spans a plurality of resonant bars, is to dcaden the sound ol' the resonant bars or allow the same to vibrate freely, as may be required by the character of the music being performed.

In Fig. G l iave shown a modified form of sound-producir] g mechanism in which the resonant bar 32 is supported near its extremities by means of cords or their equivalents, and the Sounders consist of hammers Si, et which the Shanks 35 are of spring-wire, and are connected by means ot push-bars '36 with the keys 37. liVhen a key is depressed and checked by the padded stop-shoulder 23S, the iiexibility of the shank allows the head of the hammer to continue until it strikes the surface of the resonant bar. Vihis key is provided with a return-spring 30, and in connection therewith l preferably employ a keydamper consisting o' a pad l0, carried by a pivotal arm or lever il, which connected with the key by means of a link it?.

In Fig. 7 l have shown another slightlymodiied form of soinul-producingmechanism in which the resonant bar 32, sounder it, push-bar 3G, key 37, and return-spring 39 are similar to those described in connection with Fig. G, the damper, however, consisting et a pad 43, which is connected directly by means oi' a rod afi with the rear extremity of the key.

ln Fig. S l have shown still another modied formv oi sound-producing mechanism in which the resonant bar 32 is caused to vibrate by means of a hammer 415, having a springwire shank Li6 attached to the frame, motion being imparted to the hammer directly by the key Lif?, which carries a pad Yl-S to strike the head of the hammer.

it will be seen that in all of these iforms of sound-producing mechanisms the resonant bars are arranged directlybcneath and in the plan es of the keys by which they are manipulated, and in the same way the Sounders for said resonant bars are disposed beneath and in the planes ot the keys, whereby the entire space within the case in rear and above and below the keyboard is unoccupied.

ln Fig. 9 l have shown a form of damper adapted for use in connection with resonant bars, such as l have illustrated in G, 7, and 8, the same consisting of levers ett), carrying pads 50 and normally held separated by means of a sp xing 5l. 'lhese levers are drawn together at their padded extremities against the tension oi' the spring 5l, and hence into contact with the 'resonant bars by means or an operating-cord 52.

in iilig. l0 l have shown a form of soundprodueing device in which the resonant bars are exposed, as in a Xylophone, and in connection therewith l may employ sonndcrs such as `hat illustra-ted in Figs. l-.t and l5, which is of the ordinary construction, or such as that illustrated in Fig. lf3, which is provided with aspring-metal shank 525, terminating at one end in a ring 5lto encircle the linger of the operator and a thimble 55 to engage the extremityv of the finger. This form ot striker may also be employed in connection with the sounding mechanism embodying keys, as in Li, G, 7, and 8, in order to give greater elasticity te the touch ot the performer.

ln Figs. ll, l2, and lf3 l have illustrated 'different forms ot resonant bars adapted to be substituted for those illustrated in Figs. G, 7, and S.

it is desirable in connection with the abovedescribed preferred form ot my invention to provide means for positively preventing the sounder from moving 'through a greater number of degrees than no essary in order to actuate the resonant bar, and hence in the drawings l have illustrated the hubs of the soun/ders as of cross-sectionally angular construction and have provided. the brakes 2l with angular extremities to engage the angles et" said huls snccessivel ln this connection l also employ means 'for preventing backward rotation et the sounder by reason of the :trictional. contact therewith of the pnslrrod 2l., said means preferably consisting of i'ixed. ratchets il, engaged by soring -actuated pawls lill, carried by th soun ders l-t.

It will be understood that while in Figs. G, 7, and 8 i have shown springs i'or returning the kys to their normal positions weights may be substituted therefor, if preferred.

The resilient or yielding' push-bar ill is arranged contiguous to a .stop-ln-aeket 21, provided with apad or cushion 2l, to prevent rattling during operation.

rifhe compactness vith which the sounding mechanism isarranged, due to the horizontal disposition ot th sounding-bars and their arrangement rcspectively under and parallel with the keys, and the specific arrangement of the keyndampers and continuons damperbar adapt the operating parts ol. the device, with the exception oi' the foot-pedals and connections, to be arranged in the horizontal kcyboardranie, which is arranged at an intermediate part of the casing ol the instru ment, whereby the remainder oi the interior of the casing is vfree for the other uses hereinbctore mentioned.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction maybe ICO IIO

resorted to Without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having described my invention, what l claim isl. A musical instrument having a casing provided With an interni ediate horizontal keyboard-fram e, depressible keys yieldin gly supported in their normal positions and'pivotally mounted upon suitable supports, terminally-supported soundin g-bars arranged horizontally below the plane of the keys and respectively in the vertical planes thereof, sounders connected with the keys and arranged respectively in operative relation With the sounding-bars,key-dampers supported respectively by the keys and normally held in Contact with the respective sounding-bars near their rear ends, a continuous horizontal damper-bar arranged above the plane of the sounding-bars and in a position transverse thereto at an intermediate point, foot-pedals, and connections between the foot-pedals and said dam per-bar, whereby the latter may be moved either toward or Afrom the plane of thc sounding-bars, substantially as speciiied.

2. A musical instrument having resonant bars, spring-returned keys, spurred rotary sounders operatively connected with the keys and provided with ciosssectionally-angular hubs, and brakes having angular extremities to engage the angles of the said hubs, substantially as specilied.

3. A musical instrument having resonant bars, resilient keys, spurred rotary sounders, yielding' push-bars depending from the keys to engage the arms of the Sounders, stopbrackets arranged in thc paths of the pushbars, and an interposed cushion,substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto atlixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

AUL ZINTZSCl-l.

lVitnesses:

GorrLrEn MAIER, JACOB GRAPMANN.

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