GB1273331A - Plastics piano action - Google Patents

Abstract

1,273,331. Pianoforte actions. D. H. BALDWIN CO. 5 Jan., 1970 [13 Jan., 1969], No. 378/70. Heading G5J. A pianoforte action includes a wippen comprising an elongated moulded plastics body having at least one pocket therein containing a coacting pair of wedges having mating channels therein defining an opening receiving a shaft projecting from the wippen. Preferably also the hammer butt, the damper lever, their respective mounting flanges and the hammer jack are plastics mouldings. The plastics material may be Nylon, ABS resin or the acetal resin sold under the Registered Trade Mark " DELRIN ". The wippen 3, Fig. 2, comprises a plastics moulding with pockets 30, 31, at either end. Pocket 30, Fig. 9, contains coacting wedges 43 having retaining lugs 46 and opposed grooves 48 to receive the damper spoon. Pocket 31, which has a shoulder 51 for positive location, similarly receives the back check rod. Bearing notches 38, 39 respectively are provided for the jack mounting and the pivot connection to the wippen flange. The wippen may be actuated by a striker engaging hook 32 or a capstan engaing the cushion 35. The hammer butt 5, Fig. 15, comprises a plastics moulding having a hammer shank socket 63 and a recess 61 receiving a stub shaft on the hammer butt flange. The jack and back check abutments 64, 72 comprise leather pieces retained by barbs 68, 69, 75, 76 in grooves 66, 67, 73, 74. Furtner cushioning may be provided under the leather piece 65. In a modification, Figs. 36 and 37 (not shown) the distal end of the hammer shank socket is of oval or square cross-section with corner ridges. The hammer butt, wippen and damper flanges comprise bifurcated plastics mouldings 80, Fig. 19, having grooved ears 81, 82 for receiving pivot pins and, in the case of the damper and hammer butt flanges, a groove to receive a spring end. The jack moulding 4, Fig. 22, comprises a pair of notched ears 94 to receive the jack pivot and a barbed stud 99 to engage the jack spring. The damper is mounted in a socket 109, Fig. 24, in a damper lever comprising integrally moulded plastics side members 107 and a front member 113 the lower part of which carries a cushion to engage the operating spoon. The pivot pin aperture 100 is formed by co-operation of notches 104 in the side members with a notch in the central member 106. The back check, Fig. 32, comprises a cushion 126 mounted on a moulded plastics body 128. The bridle cord 135 passes through grooves 133 and is secured to lugs 130 and a post 132.