US727348A - Touch-regulator for pianos. - Google Patents

Description

N0. 727,348 PATENTED M AY 5,1903

M. G'OGGAN.

TOUCHREGULATOR FOR PIANOS.

APPLICATION rump JULY 29, 1902.

UNITED STATES.

Patented May 5, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

MICHAEL GOGGAN, OF SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO THOMAS GOGGAN AND JOHN GOGGAN, OF GALVESTON, TEXAS.

TOUCH-REGULATOR FOR PIANOS.

PE IFIGATION forming part'of iretters Patent No:727,34s, dated May 5, 1903.

Application filed July 29, 1902. Serial No. 117,518. (No model.)

Zo aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it knownthat I, MICHAEL GOGGAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Antonio, in the county of Bexar and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Touch- Regulator for Pianos, of which the following With this and other objects inview the in vention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out irrthe appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a transverse sectional elevation through a portion of the keyboard of a musical instrument provided with a touch-regulator in accordance with'my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same, a portion of the keys being brokenaway to more clearly illustrate the construction of'the.

adjustable regulator. Fig. 3 is a detail per spective view of one of the key-springs.

Similar numerals of reference are employed bar when the latter is formed of wood, I employ a centrally-disposed strengthening-bar 14, of steel or other material.

To the central portion of the cross-bar is In order to prevent Warping of the cross-- secured a depending arm 15, which extends througha suitable opening 16 in thekeyboard-support and at its lower end is swiveled to the rear end 17 of an adjusting-screw 17, which fits within a nut 18, and at its outer end is provided with a knob 19, arranged within convenient reach of the performer, the

turning of'thesc'rew in either direction causing a swinging movement of the bar 12 on its hinges or pivots 13.

To the upper surface of the bar 12 are socured a number of springs 20, a screw or other securing device 21 being passed through the 'upperportion of each spring at a point on each side of the strengthening-bar 14 in order that the springs may be more securely held in place. A separate spring is used for each of the keys, the lower rear ends of said springs bearing against small strips of felt 22, ar-

ranged on the upper surface of each key.

By turning the screw 17in either direction the spring may be depressed with greater or less force against the keys, so that more or less pressure will berequired todepress the keys, as'desired by the performer. It has been found best in practice to employ the flat-strip springs illustrated in'the'drawings,

owing to the greater uniformity in temper and elasticity which they possess "and the ease with which such springs 'may be secured in position. The adjusting-screw isplaced at a convenient position, preferably a trifle to one side of the center of the keyboard, and

where the depending arm 15 passes down between the keys it becomes necessary to offset the keys, as indicated in Fig. 2.

While the construction herein described and illustrated in-the accompanying drawings is the preferred form of the device, it is the key-levers, a depending arm secured to said bar and extending through an opening in the keyboard-support, an adjusting-screw having one end swiveled to the arm, and a stationary nut engaging with said screw.

2. The combination with a musical instruinenthavingakeyboard,ofapivotally-meunted bar 12 extending across all of the keys, a strengthening-bar 14 forming a part of said pivoted bar, springs 20 connected to the pivoted bar and having their lower rear ends engaging strips on the rear ends of the key-levers, a depending arm 15 secured to the piv-

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