US677860A - Piano attachment. - Google Patents

Description

2 Sheets-Sheet L.

Patented July 9, I90I.

J. H. DEUTSCH.

PIANO ATTACHMENT.

(Application filed Oct. 25. .1900.

(N0 Model.)

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Patented July 9, I91". 1

J H. DEUTSCH.

PIANO ATTACHMENT.

(Application filed Oct. 25, 1900.:

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN H. DEUTSOH, OF DALLAS, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO MAX .BUSCH, OF SAME PLACE.

PIANO ATTACHM ENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 677,860, dated July 9, 1901.

Application filed October 25, 1900. Serial No. 34,319, (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN H. DEUTSCH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dallas, in the county of Dallas and State of Texas, have invented new and useful Improvements in Piano Attachmen ts, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in piano attachments and contemplates the provision of means through the medium of which bell-like tones corresponding in pitch to the strings may be produced coincident with the striking of the strings, the said means being adjustable, so that the usual tones caused by the hammers striking the strings may be produced alone or in concert with the bell-like tones at the will of the performer.

With the foregoing in mind the invention will be fully understood from the following description and claims when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a transverse section of so much of an upright piano as is necessary to illustrate the application of my improvements. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail transverse section illustrating the levers of my improved attachment and the parts in conjunction with which said levers are designed to operate. Fig. 3 is an enlarged broken horizontal section taken in the plane indicated by the broken line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail section taken in the plane indi cated by the broken line 4 4 of Fig. 2.

In the said drawings similar letters of ref-' erence designate corresponding parts in all of the several views, referring to which-- A is the case of an upright piano, B B are.

the strings, and O is the action, all of which may be of the ordinary or any approved construction, with the exception that the felt heads a. of the hammers D comprised in the action are provided on their upper sides with metallic projections a, preferably shaped as shown, for a purpose presently pointed out.

E F are horizontal-bars which are preferably of wood and are arranged one above the other adjacent to the front panel of the case and connected at their ends to the end walls thereof.

G G are plates of steel or other suitable metal which are preferably shaped and disthe fulcrum-point.

posed with respect to the bars E F, as best shown in Fig. 2, and have their forward ends secured in recesses 1), formed at intervals in the upper sides of said bars. I J are levers fulcrumed on the opposit end walls of the case, so as to swing in planes parallel to said walls, and K is the support for the plate-striking levers of my'improved attachment. In the preferred embodiment of my invention this support K comprises a longitudinal central rod 0, connected at its ends to the levers I J and interposed between said levers so as to move therewith, and spacing-disks d, of wood or other suitable material, which are arranged about the proportional distance apart-illustrated on said rod 0. Fulcrumed on the rod 0 of support K, between the spacing-disks thereof, are levers L M, the levers L having their forward ends equipped with metallic tips 6 and arranged to strike the upper series of plates G, and the levers M, which are a little shorter than the levers L, having their forward ends equipped with simi lar metallic tips e and arranged to strike the lower series of plates G. At their rear ends the levers L M terminate in depending an.- gular branches f, which have tips g, of sheep leather or other suitable material, designed to be engaged by the metallic projections a on the felt heads of the hammers D. The

said levers L M are also provided, as best ployed in conjunction with each lever L M,

and, as best shown in Fig. 2, they are connected to portions h, interposed between the disks d of the support K, and have their outer portions arranged below projections 2 depending from the leverat opposite sides of When desirable, an auxiliary spring It may be employed in conjunc tion with each of the plate-striking levers. These springs R are connected to pins j, interposed between the disks d of support K,-

and bear on the upper sides of the platestriking levers at opposite sides of the fulcrum-point thereof. It will be appreciated from the foregoing that the springs described will operate to normally hold the levers L M in the positions shown in Fig. 2, with their dampers P bearing against the under sides of the plates G; also, that subsequent to the forcible rocking of the levers in the direction indicated by arrow in Fig. 2 to carry their metallic tips against the plates G the springs will operate to rock said levers in the direction opposite to that indicated by arrow to carry the metallic tips away from the plates and the dampers into engagement therewith, so as to stop the sound given off by the vibration of the plates.

S is an actuating device, which is preferably in the form of a handle and is arranged and adapted to slide in guides on one end wall of the piano-case adjacent to the keys. T is a lever fulcrumed at an intermediate point of its length on said end wall of the case and connected at one end to the actuating device or handle S, and U is a link interposed between and connecting the opposite end of the leverT and the lever J. By virtue of this construction it will be seen that when the performer draws the actuating device or handle S forwardly or toward him the levers I J, together with the support K and the platestriking levers L M, will be moved downwardly, and the tips g on the branches fof the latter will be carried into the paths of the projections a on the heads of the hammers D, while when the handle or actuating device S is moved rearwardly or away from the performer the support K and the levers L M will be raised and the tips g on the branches f of the latter will be carried above the paths of the projections CL. hen the parts of my improved attachment are in the position last stated, it will be observed that the attachment is idle, and consequently the tones produced by the hammerheads striking the strings B will be similar to those produced by the ordinary piano.

The number of plates G and levers L M correspond to the number of strings B and hammers D, and each plate G is pitched in accord with its complementary string. From this it follows that when the hammers I) are actuated by the player of the piano the felt heads a of the hammers will strike the strings B, and when the support K and levers L M are in their lower position the metallic projections a of the hammers will engage the branches f, and thereby rock the levers L M and forcibly carry the metallic tips thereof against the plates G, with the result that coincident with the production of a tone by the action of each head a against its complementary string B a corresponding tone, bell-1ike in quality, will be produced by the action of one of the striking-levers against its complementary plate G. The production of such bell-like tones in concert with the ordinary tones is obviously calculated to materially enhance the beauty of the volume of sound of the instrument.

It is obvious that when desired bells or other devices calculated when struck to alford belllike sounds may be employed in lieu of the plates G, also that means other than the handle S and the connections between the same and the support K may be employed to move the levers L M into and out of their operative position. I would further have it understood that when preferred the adjustable feature of my invention may be dispensed with and the lovers L M permanently secured in a position to be engaged by the projections Co of thehammers D without departing from the scope of my claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-- 1. The combination with a piano; of an attachment comprising devices, independent of the piano-strings, calculated, when struck, to

afford sounds different in quality from those afforded by the piano-strings when struck, and strikers for said devices, arranged to be engaged and actuated by the hammers of the piano-action incident to the movement of the hammers toward the strings.

2. The combination with a piano; of an attachment comprising devices, independent of the piano-strings, calculated, when struck, to afford sounds different in quality from those afforded by the piano-strings when struck, and levers, for striking said devices, arranged to be engaged and actuated by the hammers of the piano-action; incident to the movement of the hammers toward the strings; the said levers being adj nstable whereby they may be moved into and out of the paths of the hanimers comprised in the pianoaction.

3. The combination with a piano; of an at tachment comprisingdevices supported in the piano-case, and calculated, when struck,- to aiford sounds different in quality from those afforded by the piano-strings when struck, a support arranged in the piano-case, and spring-pressed levers for striking said de vices; the said levers being fulcrumed at an intermediate point of their length on the support, and having metallic tips at their forward ends arranged to engage said devices, and depending branches at their rear ends adapted to be engaged by the hammers of the piano-action, substantially as specified.

l. The combination with a piano, the hammers comprised in the action of which are provided with projections on their upper sides; of an attachment comprising devices sup ported in the piano-case, and calculatedmhen struck, to afford sounds diiferent in quality from those afforded by the piano-strin gs when struck, a support arranged in the piano-case, and spring-pressed levers for striking said. devices; the said levers being fulcrnmed at an intermediate point of their length on the support and having metallic tips at one end to strike the said devices, and depending branches at their opposite ends provided with leather tips adapted to be engaged by the projections on the hammers of the piano-action.

5. The combination with a piano; of an attachment comprising devices supported in the piano-case, independent of the piano-strings, and calculated, when struck, to afford sounds different in quality from those afforded by the piano-strings when struck, and levers for striking the said devices; the said levers being provided with dampers, and being adapted to be engaged and actuated by the hammers of the piano-action, incident to the movement of the hammers toward the strings.

6. The combination with a piano; of an attachment comprising devices supported in the piano-case, and calculated, when struck, to afford sounds different in quality from those afforded by the piano-strings, when struck, a swinging support arranged in the piano-case, spring-pressed levers for striking said devices; the said levers being fulcrumed on the support, and adapted to be engaged and actuated by the hammers of the piano-action, and suitable means through the medium of which the support is moved to carry the levers into and out of the paths of the hammers.

'7. The combination with a piano, of an attachment comprising devices, independent of the piano-strings, calculated, when struck, to afford sounds different in quality from those afforded by the piano-strings when struck,

tachment comprising bars arranged one above the other and adjacent to and parallel with the front panel of the piano-case, devices connected to said bars, and calculated, when struck, to afford sounds different in quality from those afforded by the piano-strings, a movable support, levers connected to said support and fulcrumed on the piano-case, means connected to one of said levers for adjusting the support, and spring pressed levers fulcrumed at an intermediate point of their length on the movable support, and having metallic tips at their forward ends, and depending branches at their rear ends, the lat ter being adapted to be engaged by the hammers of the piano-action, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN H. DEUTSOH.

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