US1217240A - Upright-piano action. - Google Patents

Description

M. S. THOMAS.

UPRIGHT PIANO ACTION.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 2a. 1916.

Patented Feb. 27, 1917.

HHIIIHHHHHHIII I! MERTON S. THOMAS, 013 NEW ROCHELLE, NEW YORK.

UPRIGHT-PIANO ACTION.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 27, 1917.

Application filed November 23, 1916. Serial No. 132,921.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MERTON S. THOMAS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New Rochelle, in the county of WVestchester and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Upright-Piano Actions, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved upright piano action, and more particularly to novel means for mounting the bridle strap on the bumper. Heretofore, this strap was generally secured to the bumper by tacking or gluing its upper end to the hammer butt, which rendered it quite difficult to replace a torn strap and necessitated a partial dismantling of the action for the purpose of gaining access to the point of attachment. By my invention this difficulty is obviated, While furthermore, the strength of the connection between bumper and strap is considerably increased.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a side View partly in section of the principal parts of an upright piano action embodying my invention;

Fig. 2, a perspective view of the bumper and bridle straf;

Fig. 3, a si e view partly in section of part of a piano action having a modified form of bumper head, and

Fig. i, a detail of the bridle strap.

The action comprises a wippen 1, a jack 2, engaging the hammer butt 3, and a hammer spring 4. From the hammer butt, there extends forwardly, the bumper shank 5, carrying the bumper head 6, which is adapted to be engaged by the back check 7 all as usual.

The bridle strap 8 is provided near its upper end with a longitudinal slit or eye 9, which is of such a .length that the head 6 may be passed freely through the same. Thus in effecting the connection between the strap and bumper, head 6 is slipped through slit 9 and the lower or free end of the strap is with the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2, passed through an aperture 10 of the bumper head and is then attached to the bridle hook 11. With the construction shown in Fig. 3, in which the bumper head is imperforate, the over head 6, but is then directly connecte hook 11.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for strap is likewise slipped With both embodiments, the bumper shank 5 will be accommodated within the upper end of slit 9 so as to be encompassed by the strap, while the upper end of the strap, will come to lie closely against the rear face of head 6, to which it may be secured by an adhesive. This adhesive however, simply serves to maintain the upper end of the strap in position, and not to take up the strain or pull to which the strap is subjected when in use, such function being entirely taken up by the solid portion of the strap located above the slit. In this way, the durability of the connection is augmented, while furthermore, by connecting the strap to the bumper head instead of to the hammer butt, the leverage of the strap, acting on the pivot 12 of. the hammer is increased to a desirable extent. So also as the bumper shank normally assumes an inclined position, the strap will have a tendency even if loose, to slide into contact with the rear face of the bumper head, so that the strap will maintain its sea It will be seen that by the construction described, the application of the strap to the action is greatly facilitated, as the bumper head is readily accessible and the difficult operation of tacking or gluing the strap to the hammer butt is dispensed with. Finally as the straps are all of equal length, and their slits may all be formed at exactly the same points, by dies, irregularities in mounting the straps are not liable to occur.

I claim:

1. An upright piano action comprising a hammer butt, a bumper shank projecting therefrom, a bumper head carried by the bumper shank, and a bridle strap havin a longitudinal slit near its upper end, sa'i slit encompassing the bumper shank and being adapted to be passed over the bumper head.

2. An upright piano action comprising a. hammer butt, a bumper shank projecting therefrom, a bumper head carried by the bumper shank, and a bridle strap having a slitted upper end that encompasses the bumper shank and engages the rear face of the bumper head, said slitted upper end being adapted to be passed over said head.

MERTON S. THOMAS.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patent, Wuhington, D. 0.

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