US622464A - Karl grienauer - Google Patents

Description

y PatentedApr'. 4, |899.

v K. GRIENAUER' PIANO. mpiimiop alea pct. 2o, 1898.1

(NQ Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.-

KARL GRIENAUER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.,

PIANO.

SECIFICATION forming part f Lttels Ptlll NO. 622,464, dated Ap1il4, 1899.

Application filed October 20, 1898. Serial N0. 694,114. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

lle it known that I, KARL GRIENAUER, a citizen oi Austria-l-Iungary, and a resident of New York city, county and State of New York, have invented new and useful Im provements in Pianos, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a piano in which the sound is produced in imitation of a violin or similar stringed instrument by drawing a band or bow across the strings. In addition to this bow the piano is provided with pads adapted to be rocked upon the strings after the keys of the latter have been struck, so as to obtain a tremolo or vox-humana tone effect.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a vertical longitudinal section of portion of a grand piano embodyingmy invention; Fig. 2, a vertical cross-section on line 2 2, Fig. l; Fig. 3, a detail of the rocking attachment e',- and Fig. Ll, a section on line et 1i, Fig. l.

The letter d represents'the case of a grand 'or upright piano. b is the sounding-board. c are the keys, and d the wrest-pins. The strings e are arranged as usual, preferably in sets of three for each note. Across the rearends of the strings e is arranged, at a slight distance below the same, a transverse endless band or bow f, running over pulleys j and receiving motion from a suitable motor f2, while a tension devicef, of suitable construction, engages the lower portion of the band.

Between the sets of strings e and slightly below the same are placed in a plane between .the strings and the band f anticontact devices which have for their object to hold the band oit all those strings thecorresponding keys of which have not been struck. These anticontact devices are shown to consist of rollers g, hung in bearings g', which depend from a rail g2, secured to case co.

The action of the piano is so constructed 'that the band f is held against the strings c as long as the correspondingkey remains depressed. To this effect l secure to the rear 'end oi' each key a bearing 7i, in which is free vstantially as specified.

to turn a roller h', that is adapted to engage the band fupon the depression of the key and bulge it into Contact with the strings., Thus the movable band will vibrate the set of strings desired; but owing to the anticelltact-rollers g the band will be held off the neighboring sets of strings to avoid discords.

In order to produce a tremolo or vox-humana effect, I cause each set of strings to be engaged by a pad e', free to rock longitudinally upon a pin i', projecting upwardly from a rail 2. The pad i has a rounded contactsurface which engages the string, and by rocking the pad in a plane corresponding to the longitudinal axis ot the string after the latter has been sounded by the endless band a tremolo-tone effect will be obtained. The pad t' is connected by arm j, lever j', and arm j? to a pin 70, pivoted within a socket c' ot' the key c. A pressure-roller Z or similar device bearing upon the armj holds the pad i in per-- manent contact with the strings e. The niotor being started to feed the band facross the strings, the instrument is played in the usual manner by striking the keys o. treniolo-tone eiect is desired, the pin 7e is moved back and forth within the struck .key to produce a corresponding rocking motion of the pad e' upon the sounding-string.

Vhat I claim is 1. In a piano, the combination of a string, with a rounded pad engaging the saine, and means for rocking the pad longitudinally upon the string, substantially as speciiied.

2. In a piano, the combination 'of strings and keys, with a transversel movable band,

means connected to the keys for bringing thev band into contact with the strings, pads engaging the strings, and pins pivoted to the keys and adapted to actuate the pads, sub- KARL GEIENAUER.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM SCHULZ, F. v. BRIEsEN.

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