US2377582A - Piano - Google Patents

Description

s. c. sHlLL June 5, 19.45y

PIANO Filed Aug. 17, 1'943 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. S/DNEY C H/Ll.

ATTORNEY ill.

S. C. SHILL June 5, 1945.

PIANO Filed Aug. 17, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 S/DNEY C. .SH/LL HTTORNEY Patented June 5, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PIANO.

Sidney C. Shill, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application August 17, 1943, Serial No. 498,939

12 Claims.

This invention relates'generally to musical in- Struments and particularly to pianofortes.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a horizontal, downstrike piano action Whose elements arey so structurally characterized and functionally related that thel action will be extremely compact and particularly adapted, although not necessarily, for use in a portable piano capableyof being constructed suillciently small to llt within an airplane trunk or beneath a car or' steamer berth, and comparatively light in Weight and inexpensive sol as to permit transportation `of the instrument with ease, and its widespread use in remote locations and restricted spaces.

A further object of the invention is to provide an extremely simple, compact piano action of the horizontal, downstrike hammer type ywhich embodiesv the standard inch key dip and 1% inch. hammer strike; which uses standardv piano action parts; which has the touch of conventional piano actions so that the normal piano playing technique can be developed at they piano; and Whose parts are conveniently accessible andv adjustable, Wit-h each key and hammer unit removable from the actionk for adjustment, inspection, or repair without disturbing other units.

With these and other objectsL in View, the invention resides in the combinations, arrangements and functional relationships of elements as set forth in the following specification and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure l is a vertical transverse sectional view through the key frame of the piano action, and illustrating in its normal position, a typical key and hammer unit embodying this invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentaryvertical sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure l;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5,is a view similar to Figure 1 and illustrating the key depressed to a position immediately in advance ofr that at which the let-off or escapernent of the jack from the hammer takes place;4 and Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 1 and illustrating the positions of the working partsA resulting from holding the key in its fully depressed position.

Referring specifically to the drawings, the piano action embodying this invention comprises the usual key bedv or frame I having a center rail II supporting the balance key pins I2, on each 01 which a key ,I3 is pivotally mounted approximately medially of its ends for movement corresponding to. the normal key dip of %k inch, from the normal raised orplaying position shown in Figure 1 to the fully depressed positionshown in Figure 6. A front key pin I4 coacts with each key to confine the latter to its vertical movement.

At its inner end the top portion of the key I3 is cut away to leave a relatively narrow end portion I5 on which is supported a hammer flange I6 having a fiat base. I1 through which extends an opening I8 (Figure 1) receiving a screw I9 threaded into the portion I5 of the key I3. Pivotally mounted on the flange I 6 by means of a pin is the shank 2| of a hammer 22. A wire spring 23 has one end coiled at 24 and anchored to the hammer ilange I6. The other and rounded end of the spring 23 seats in a longitudinal groove 25 in the hammer shank 2 I, and the spring urges the hammer 22 upwardly to its fully raised position relative to its string 26 which, like all strings of the piano, is horizontally disposed at a level immediately below the key framey IIJ. As shown in Figure l, the upward movement of the hammer 22 under the action of its spring 23 is definitely limited bythe felt 21 of a hammer rail 28. Infits raised position, the heel portion 29 of the harnmer head 30 is opposite to and slightly clears the felty 3| ofA a xed back check 32 whose wire 33 is rigidly anchored to the back check rail 34.

Afjack flange is provided with a longitudinal slot 36 through which passes a screw 31 into the jack flange rail 38 to mount the llange 35 for adjustment on the rail Aby means of a feed screw 39 threadedly mounted in an overhanging portion 40' of the rail to abut the endof the flange, all as shown in Figure 1.

A jack 4I is pivotally mounted on the ilange 35 by means of a pin 42, and a spring 43 co-acts with the jack spring rail 44 to urge the jack against a jack stop 45 on the hammer shank 2I inthe fully raised position of the hammer 22 wherein the free end of the jack abuts a knuckle 46 on the hammer shank as also shown in Figure 1I. Although the jack stop 45 and knuckle 46 are shown as separate parts, they could be integral so far asy their respective functions are concerned. A let-oi rod 41 is fixed to the portion I5 of the key I3 to clearv the path of movement of the hammer shank 2|, with the free end of the let-off rod disposed to engage and move the jack clear of theA knuckle when the key I3 has been depressed slightly less than the amount necessary for the. hammer y22 to complete its strike of 1% inches, thus disrupting the operative connection between the key and hammer.

A damper 48 is secured to one end of a lever 49 formed by slitting into strips, a sheet of iiexible material such as Celluloid which is secured in a slot 50 in the key frame I0 with a wire spring 5I for each lever bearing thereon as shown in Figures l and 4. A lift tape 52 is detachably connected at; one end to the loop 53 of a lift wire 54 anchored in the portion I of the key I3. The other end of the tape 52 is passed through two openings 55 and 56 in the lever 49 (Figure 4) to lock the tape to the lever in any selected position of longitudinal adjustment. The usual sustaining pedal bar 51 common to the dampers 48 of all the strings 26, is arranged beneath the levers 49.

The operation of the invention is as follows:

Initial depressing movement of the key I3 by pressure of the finger upon the outer end of the key will raise the inner end of the key and hence will raise the pivoted end of the hammer 22 directly mounted on the key by the flange I6. As the knuckle 46 is abutting the free end portion of the jack 4I, movement of the hammer 22 towards the string 2B will be effected. Continued depressing movement of the key I3 causes the knuckle 46 and jack 4I to rockably engage each other as they relatively move under the load to which they are subjected by the hammer spring 23. It will be noted that the stop operates to reduce to a negligible minimum, relative sliding motion between the knuckle and jack, by preventing the jack spring 43 from moving the jack beyond the position shown in Figure l wherein only a sufiicient part of the free end of the jack passes across 1*.'

the knuckle 46 to provide the operative connection between the two, thus reducing wear on the jack felt to a minimum.

As depressing movement of the key approaches the position shown in Figure 5, the let-off rod 41 engages the jack 4I, which latter then is pushed off of the knuckle 46 with but a relatively slight wiping motion against the knuckle when the hammer reaches a point about 1/8 of an inch from the string, whereby to disrupt the operative connection between the key and hammer so that the latter, by its acquired momentum, will be free to strike the string.

It will be noted that in Figure l the damper lifting tape 52 is normally slack and is pulled taut by the key I3 during the aforestated movement of the key so as to lift the damper 48 from the string 26 just prior to striking of the latter by the hammer, whereby to render the string free to vibrate. Upon release of the key, the hammer spring 23 restores the hammer to its fully raised position in engagement with the hammer rail felt 21, and the key gravitates to its playing position, thus permitting the jack spring 43 to restore the jack 4I to its normal position against the jack stop 45 and in operative relationship to the knuckle 46, all as shown in Figure l.

It will also be noted that although the iixed back check 32 will be clear of the hammer in the normal raised position of the latter, and will not obstruct free movement of the hammer in one direction by the key and in the other direction by the spring 23, the back check will co-act with the heel portion 29 of the hammer head in preventing repeated striking of the string by the hammer should the key be held depressed as shown in Figure 6. Under such conditions the heel portion 29 of the hammer head will become jammed or wedged against the back check felt 3l during the return movement of the hammer by the spring 23, due to the fact that the hammer pivot 20 on the key moves closer to the back check during raising movement of the inner end of the key, all as clearly shown in this figure. However, upon the release of the key with the attending movement of the hammer pivot away from the back check 32, the hammer will instantly disengage the back check felt so as to continue movement to its fully raised position under the action of the spring 23.

From the foregoing description, it will be manifest that the horizontal, downstrike action embodying this invention is composed of a minimum number of parts which positively act silently, smoothly and accurately in response to playing movement of the keys by the usual playing technique. Various novel features contribute to this result such as the downstrike hammer 22 mounted directly on the key I3; the co-acting knuckle 46 and jack stop 45 insuring contact between the knuckle and the jack 4I and reducing wear on the r latter to a minimum by preventing excessive wiping engagement of the knuckle by the jack; the let-off rod 41 on the key, controlling the let-ofi' or escapement of the jack in a manner to positively prevent blocking of the hammer on the string; the stationary back check and its relationship to the hammer pivot on the key positively preventing unintentional repeated striking of the string; the permissible adjustment of the jack iiange 35 to correctly relate the jack to the knuckle 46; the mounting of the hammer flange I6 on the key I3 by the screw I9 to permit lateral angular adjustment of the hammer about the screw as an axis in order to dispose the hammer head in proper striking relation to the string; and the mounting of the damper 48 and its actuation by the key with a pulling motion upon the tape 52 which is normally slack to provide the lost motion connection between the damper and key, and is also adjustable relative to the damper to properly synchronize the damper and key movements.

Furthermore, it will be noted that by detaching the tape 52 from the loop 53 of the damper wire 54, the entire key and hammer unit can be removed from the remainder of the action without disturbing any other key, thus greatly facilitating inspection, adjustment and repair of such unit.

It will also be understood that the use of the jack stop 45 is not absolutely essential, but is very desirable due to its functioning in minimizing relative wiping motion between the knuckle 46 and jack 4I so as to reduce wear on the jack felt. In the absence of the jack stop 45, the let-01T rod 41 would provide an equivalent stop engageable by the jack to definitely limit the movement of the latter by the spring 43 to the position of operative engagement of the jack with the knuckle 46.

I claim:

l. In a pianoforte, a horizontal action of the downstrike hammer type comprising: a key rockably mounted for playing movement; a hammer; means pivotally mounting the hammer directly on the inner portion of the key for movement downwardly to strike a string; a spring operatively connected to the hammer to urge same upwardly to an extreme position; a jack mounted for pivotal movement about a fixed axis above the hammer; a spring urging the jack into operative engagement with the hammer for downward movement of the hammer by the jack in response to depression of the key as in playing; and a 1et-o rod .tixed to the inner end portion of the key and projecting upwardly therefrom for engagement with the jack to swing same out of operative enaavmsa gagement` with the hammer when the latter has reached' a` predetermi'nedl position inits downward` movement.

2; Iny a pianoforte, a; horizontal action of the downstrike' hammerk type comprising: av key rockably mounted. for playingmovement; a ham.- mer; means pivotallyl mounting the hammer directly on the'. inner end portion of the keyl for movement downwardly to strike a, horizontallyv disposed string; a spring operatively connected to thehammerto urge same upwardly to an eX- treme position; a jack mountedr for pivotalv movement about a fixed axisabove the hammer; a spring urging. the` jack into operative engagementzwith the hammer for downward movement of the hammer by the jack in response to depression of the key as in playing; a let-off member disposed to. engage the jack and swing sa'mc out of operative engagement with the hammer whenthe latter reaches a predetermined position in its'y downward movement;` a pivotally mounted damper normally dampingy the string; and a detachable'roperative connection between the inner end portion of the key and the damper .including a;y normally slack, nexible member which is drawn taut by playing movement of the key to pull. the damper clear of the string for vibration ofv the'latter when struck by the hammer.

3. In a pianoforte, a horizontal action of the downstrike hammer type comprising: a key rockably` mounted for playing movement; a ham.- mer; means pivotally mounting the hammer directly on. the inner end. portion of the keyfor movement downwardly to. strike a. horizontally disposed string; a spring` operatively connected to the hammer to urge same upwardly to an extremer position; a jack mounted for pivotal movement about a xed axisr above the hammer; a spring. urging the jack into, operative engagement with the hammer for downward movement of the hammer by the jack in responseV to depression of the key as in playing; a let-off member on the key engageable with the jack to swing same out of operative engagement withthe hammer when the latter reaches a predetermined position in its4 downward movement; and a back check supported in such fixed position that should` the key be held depressed, the hammer will, during its upward movement, wedge. itself against the back check to prevent repeated striking.r of the string; the relation oi the back check to the hammer pivot being such that upon return movement of the key to playing position. the hammer pivot will move away from the back check suiciently for the hammer to free itself from the back check and be restored by said spring to said extreme position.

4. In a pianoforte, a horizontal action of the downstrike hammer type comprising: a. key rockably mounted for playing movement; a hammer having a shank; means co-acting with the hammer shank to pivotally mount the hammer directly on the inner end portion of the key for movement. downwardly to strike a horizontally disposed string; a spring operatively connected to the hammer to urge same upwardly to an extreme position; a jack mounted for pivotal movement about a fixed axis above the hammer; a knuckle on the hammer shank; a stop on the hammer shank co-actable with the knuckle; a spring urging'the jack against said stop in a position wherein the free end portion of the jack engages the knuckle to operatively relate the jack and hammer for downward movement of the latter by the jack in response to depression of the key as in playing; and a let-off rod iixed to hammer shank to pivotally mount the hammer directly on the inner end portion of the key for movement downwardly to strike a string; ay spring operatively related to the hammer to urge same upwardly to an extreme position;v a jack mounted for pivotal 'movement aboutv a iixedf axis above the hammer; a knuckle onthe hammer shank; a stop on the hammer shank co- -actable with the knuckle; a spring urging they jack against said stop in a position wherein the free endl portion of the jack engages the knuckle to operatively relate the jack and hammer' for downward movement of the latter by thel jack in. response to depression of the key as in playing; a let-off rod xed. to the key in a positionJ to engage and swing the jack out of operative relation to theknuckle when the hammer reaches apredetermined position in its downward movement; a damper; a. spring-mounted lever carrying the damper and urging the latter to normally damp the` string; a. damper wire projecting.- from the inner end portion of thev key; and a flexible, normally slack member connecting the damper wire andsaid lever for operation in pulling: the damper clear ofthe string prior to striking: of the latter by the hammer.

6. In a pianoforte, a horizontal action of the downstrike` hammer type comprising: a key rockably mounted for playing movement; a hammer having a shank; means co-acting with Vthe hammer'shank to pivotally mount same directlyy on the inner end portion of the key for movement downwardly to strike a string; a spring operatively related'. to the hammer to urge same upwardly to an extreme position; a jack mounted for pivotal movement about a fixed axis above the hammer; a knuckle on the hammer shank; a` stop on' thehammer shank co-actable with the knuckle; a spring urging the jack against said stop in. ay position wherein the free end portion of. theV jack. engages the knuckle to operatively relate the jack and hammer for downward move- 'ment ofy the latter by the'jack in response to depression of the key as in playing; and a let-ofi member carried by the key and responsive to depression of thek key as aforestated, to swing the jackout of operative relation to the knuckle when the hammer has been moved downwardly'a predetermined., distance; said stop being located in such: proximity to the knuckle as tolimit movement of the jack by its spring to a position wherein` relative wiping engagement of the jack and knuckle by operationv of the last means will be reduced to a minimum so as to reduce wear on the jack, t

'7. In a pianoforte, a horizontal action of the downstrike` hammer type comprising: a key rockablyl mounted for play-movement; a hammerv having a shank; means co-acting with the hammer shank to pivotally mount the hammer directly on the inner end portion of the key for movement downwardly to strike a string; a spring operatively related to the hammer to urge same upwardly to an extreme position; a knuckle on the hammer shank; a jack rail above the hammer; a jack; a ange on which said jack is pivoted and having a slot; a fastening member passing through said slot into said rail to secure the nange on said rail for vertical adjustment to vary the operative relationship of the jack to the knuckle; a spring urging the jack into operative engagement of its free end portion with the knuckle for co-action therewith in moving the hammer downwardly to strike the string in response to depression of the key as in playing; and a let-off member engageable with the jack to swing same out of operative engagement with the knuckle when the hammer reaches a predetermined position in its downward movement.

8. In al pianoforte, a horizontal action of the down-strike hammer type comprising: a key rockably mounted for playing movement; a hammer; a hammer iiange on the inner end portion of the key on which the hammer is pivoted for movement downwardly to strike a horizontally disposed string; means pivotally mounting said flange on the key for adjustment of the hammer about a vertical axis to one side or the other of the key, for proper relationship of the hammer and string; means urging the hammer upwardly to an extreme position; means for moving the hammer downwardly in response to depression of the key as in playing; and means for freeing the hammer from the last means when the hammer reaches a predetermined position in its downward movement.

9. In a pianoforte, a horizontal action of the downstrike hammer type comprising: a key rockably mounted for playing movement; a hammer including a head having a shank extending above the inner end portion of the key and pivota-lly mounted thereon with the hammer head vertically disposed beyond said inner end portion of the key for vertical movement downwardly to strike a horizontally disposed string beneath the key; a spring operatively connected to the hammer to urge the latter upwardly to an extreme position; a jack pivotally mounted about a iixed axis above the hammer shank; stop means on the hammer shank; a spring urging the jack against said stop means to operatively connect the jack and hammer for downward movement of the latter by the jack as said inner end portion of the key is raised by playing upon the key; and a let-off rod xed to the inner end portion of the key and projecting upwardly therefrom for engagement with the jack to disconnect same from the hammer when the latter has reached a predetermined position in its downward movement so as to prevent blocking of the hammer on the string.

l0. In a pianoforte, a horizontal action of the downstrike hammer type comprising: a key rockably mounted for playing movement; a hammer including a head having a shank extending above the inner end portion of the key and pivotally mounted thereon with the hammer head vertically disposed beyond said inner end portion of the key for vertical movement downwardly to strike a horizontally disposed string beneath the key; a spring operatively connected to the harnmer to urge the latter upwardly to an extreme position; a jack pivotally mounted about a xed axis above the hammer shank; a spring urging the jack in one direction into operative engagement with the hammer shank for downward movement of the hammer by the jack as said inner end portion ofthe key is moved upwardly by playing upon the key; and a let-off rod xed to the inner end portion of the key to engage the jack and disconnect same from the hammer when reaching a predetermined position in its downward movement so as to prevent blocking of the hammer on the string.

11. In a pianoforte, a horizontal action of the downstrike hammer type comprising: a key rockably mounted for playing movement; a hammer including a head having a shank extending above the inner end portion of the key and pivotally mounted thereon with the hammer head vertically disposed beyond said inner end portion of the key for vertical movement downwardly to strike a horizontally disposed string beneath the key; a spring operatively connected to the hammer to urge the latter upwardly to an extreme position; a jack pivotally mounted about a xed axis above the hammer shank; a spring urging the jack in one direction into operative engage- .l ment with the hammer shank for downward movement of the hammer by the jack as said inner end portion of the key is moved upwardly by playing upon the key; a let-off rod iixed to the inner end portion of the key to engage the jack and disconnect same from the hammer when reaching a predetermined position in its downward movement so as t0 prevent blocking of the hammer on the string; a damper normally urged to damp the string; and a normally slack flexible member connecting the inner end portion of the key with the damper and being drawn taut to pull the damper clear of the string upon raising of said inner end of the key.

12. In a pianoforte, a horizontal action of the downstrike hammer type comprising: a key rockably mounted for playing movement; a. hammer including a head having a shank extending above the inner end portion of the key and pivotally Imounted thereon with the hammer head vertically disposed beyond said inner end portion of the key for vertical movement downwardly to strike a horizontally disposed string beneath the key; a spring operatively connected to the hammer to urge the latter upwardly to an extreme position; a jack pivotally mounted about a xed axis above the hammer shank; a spring urging the jack in one direction into operative engagement with the hammer shank for downward movement of the hammer by the jack as said inner end portion of the key is moved upwardly by playing upon the key; a let-off rod xed to the inner end portion of the key to engage the jack and disconnect same from the hammer when reaching a predetermined position in its downward movement so as to prevent blocking of the hammer on the string; and a back check supported in a position for the hammer head to be held elevated by the back check against repeated striking of the string when the key is maintained depressed.

SIDNEY C. SHILL.

Images