US1560268A - Grand-piano-body construction - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 3, 1925.

1,560,268 C. LOITSCH GRAND PIANO BODY CONSTRUCTION Filed Jan. i2. 192s Iy l lmlLLlLb umm in y Gilbzucl Patented Nov. 3, 1925.

CHARLES LOITSCH, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

GRAND-PIANO-BODY CONSTRUCTION.

Application filed January 12, 1923.

To all 7.0720977, t may concer/n:

Be it known that I, Cimnmzs LorrscH, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grand-Piano-llody Constructions, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to pianos, being intended more particularly for embodiment in the type of piano generally known as grand pianos.

The invention has more particular reference to the mounting of the sounding board and the support for the strings, having for an object to simplify the construction and assemblage of these parts.

A further object is to provide a sounding board of maximum area.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings,

and to the appended claims in which thev various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

Fig. 1 of the drawings is a perspective view showing the main casing elements of a grand piano to which the invention is applied, showing the sounding board, with its supporting casing section, as detached from the main casing member.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view, taken at the point indicated by the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, showing the sounding board in its proper position, and showing also the member on which the stringholding pins are mounted.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a. corner of the upper casing section.

According to my invention the usual curved wall element of a grand piano is divided on a horizontal line into upper and lower sections which are here numbered respectively 10 and 11, and which are of similar outline, or follow the same contour. These sections may be constructed in the usual manner of a number of thin strips glued together. Extending around the bottom edge of the top section 10 is. a thin moulding strip 12 which projects downwardly from said top section and overlaps the top edge of the lower section, giving the two sections when assembled the appearance of a single member having an ornamental mould- Serial No. 612,228.

ing strip running therearound midway between its top and bottom edges.

The top section 10 extends at its front end beyond the bottom .section 11 and is projected downwardly as at 10 across the front end of said section 11, and is united at its ends by the usual support or shelf 1i for the keys, while the lower section 11 is united at its ends by a transverse bracing strip or bar 15 which is Hush at its upper edge of the said section. This bar is of comparatively small cross section but it is reinforced by a second transverse bar 16 of larger cross section at its rear, this latter bar being spaced at its upper edge a short distance below the top of the section 11.

Upon the top of this casing section 11 is properly secured, as by glueing, the sounding board 20 made of the usual material and whose edges come flush with the edges of the said section. l-Vhen the parts are assembled the bar 16 rests on a rib 21 extending along the rear edge of the member la above referred to, while the downturned end elements 10 of the top 10 section are cut out as at 22 to receive the ends of the bottom section. This bottom section may be glued in place, or otherwise appropriately secured.

For supporting the usual devices to which the strings are attached I provide, in place of the usual frame, a metal plate 25 which, at the treble side of the piano, is supported on a moulding strip or shelf 2G extending partially around the inside of the top casing section 10, the marginal portion of the plate being upwardly offset as at 25 to rest upon said shelf, the main body of the plate being thus below the strings, and being suitably apertured to permit of passage of the sound waves. At the front of the piano this plate 25 rests upon flanges 28 formed on studs 29 screwed at their lower ends into the cross bar before referred to, these studs passing upward through suitable holes such as 30 in the sounding board, the holes being of somewhat larger diameter than the studs so that the latter do not touch the sounding board to interfere with its vibration. On the upper end of each stud a nut 32 is screwed which bears against the plate 25.

lVith the above construction I have obtained the maximum possible area of sounding board, there being no inner moulding strips or the like on the casing members to support the sounding board, which latter is supported directly on one of the casing memters Patent of the United States is as follows:

l. In a grand piano, a casing divided along a horizontal line into upper and louer elements, and a'sounding board lixed upon the lower element independently ofthe upper element and being flush at its sides with the outer face of the said casing element, the upper section having downturned parts at is front and covering the front end of the lower sections and being recessed to receive the latter.

2. In a grand piano, a casing divided along a horizontal line into upper and lower eleinents, and a sounding board fixed upon the lower element independently of the upper eleinent and being flush at its sides With the outer face of the said casing eleinent, an apertured string supporting` plate located above said sounding board, a shelf xed on the inner face-of the rear part of the Wall of the upper casing element and supporting` the rear end of the said plate, and studs fixed in the front Wall element of the lower section and extending upward through apertures in the sounding board and supporting the front end of said plate.

In testimony whereof I have aliixed iny signature.

CHARLES LOITS CH.

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