US1364541A - Sounding-board for grand pianofortes, pianofortes, and the like - Google Patents

Description

A. BRANDES.

s'ouunme BOARD FOR GRAND PIANOFORTES; PIANOFORTES, AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 1, 1920.

1,364,541, Patented Jan. 4, 1921.

) I If L L i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR BRANDES, OF BERNE, SWITZERLAND.

SOUNDING-IBOARD FOR GRA1\TD PIANOFORTES, PIANOFORTES, AND THE LIKE.

Application filed April 1, 1920.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ARTHUR BnANDns, sub- 'ect of German Republic, and residing at erne, Switzerland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sounding- Boards for Grand Pianofortes, Pianofortes, and the like, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the soundingboards of pianofortes, and the like.

It is well known that pianofortes frequently lose their original beautiful tone in a relatively short time. This change in the original tone takes place generally only very gradually, and its cause can lie principally onlyina change in the sounding-board which, in turn, is due to localconditions depending on various causes, such as fluctuations of temperature, stresses set up in the soundingboard and the like.

This invention has for its main object to obviate this defect. To this end, the sounding-board is provided between the usual ribs with rib like reinforcements.

One embodiment of the invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is an elevation of a soundingboard according to the invention removed from the instrument to which it belongs, and

Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line IIII in Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing, 1 designates a sounding-board made as usual of thin wood, on the back of which known ribs 2 are provided running transversely of the lengthwise grain of the sounding board. Various builders of musical instruments place these ribs 2 at various distances apart in their instru ments, and their ends are gradually slanted ofi'.

According to this invention, rib like reinforcements 3 are provided between these ribs, which reinforcements occupy nearly the whole space both in length and breadth, between the ribs. They are somewhat shorter than the ribs 2 and like these are beveled or slanted off at their ends, so that they are Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 4:, 1921.

Serial No. 370,413.

higher at the middle, where the bridge is provided at the other side, than at their ends.

The vibration of the sounding-board when the strings are struck is not only in no way impaired by these reinforcements, but, on the contrary, is increased, which materially aids in increasing the sonorousness or fullness of tone of the instrument. The reinforcements increase the mass of the sounding-board without impairing its elasticity, and they increase the resistance of the board to stresses due to the strings and to other stresses that are set up in it.

The described sounding-board can of course be built into existing used instruments order to permanently impart to them their original tone, or a still better one.

I claim:

1. In a musical instrument of the character described, a sounding-board provided with the usual ribs extending transversely of the lengthwise grain of the soundingboard, and provided further with rib-like reinforcements located between said ribs.

2. In a musical instrument of the character described, a sounding-board provided with the usual ribs extending transversely of the lengthwise grain of the soundingboard and provided further with rib-like re inforcements located in the space between said ribs and occupying nearly the entire length and width of said space.

3. In a musical instrument of the character described, a sounding-board provided with the usual ribs extending transversely of the lengthwise grain of the soundingboard, and provided further with rib-like reinforcements located in the space between said ribs and occupying nearly the entire length and width of said space and being gradually reduced in height toward their extremities.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

' ARTHUR BRANDES.

Witnesses:

J. ALLnnsoN, .liis. PUTTING.

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