US601100A - nalence - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 2 Sheets- Sheet 1 O. NALENOE. MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

No. 601,100. Patented Mar. 22,1898.

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MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

No. 601,100. Patented Mar. 22,1898.

WITNESSES Willi/[JIM N VE N 70/? 7 A TTOHNE Y8 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES NALENOE, OF NEIV YORK, N. Y.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 601,100, dated March 22, 1898.

Application filed October 28,1897. Serial No. 656,671. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, OHAELEs NALENOE, of New York city, in the county and State of New York, havein vented a new and Improved Musical Instrument, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to stringed musical instrumentssuch as pianos, harps, autoharps, phonoharps, banjos, mandolins, and the like; and the object of the invention is to provide certain new and useful improvements in musical instruments whereby the strings are operated on by a striker in such a manner that either a solid tone or a tremolo is produced, the device being also arranged to be used as a silent clavier.

The invention consists of novel features, parts, and combinations of the same, as hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims. v

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference inclicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a cross-section of the improvement as applied to the piano-action of an upright piano. Fig. 2 is a like view of the improvement as arranged for an upright piano with the usual hammers omitted. Fig. 3 is a similar view of the same with parts in a different position, and Fig. 4 is a like view of the same with parts in a still different position.

The improvement illustrated in Fig. 1 is arranged as an attachment to an upright piano, having the keys A, each for actuating a rocker B, fulcrumed on a central rail 0, and connected by a jack D with a hammer E for sounding the strings F. A damper G is also actuated from the rocker B in the usual manner for damping the strings in the well-known manner.

On the inner end of the rocker Bis formed or secured a support II, extending upward and carrying at its upper end a screw-rod I, supporting at its outer end a string J or other flexible connection for supporting a striker K, preferably made in the form of a ball and of hard material in alinement with the strings F for striking and sounding the same when the rocker B is actuated and the support H is moved inward to the position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. l.

A damper or muffler L, of any approved construction and under the control of the operator, is adapted to be moved into the path of the strikers K, so that the strikers do not engage the strings F when the keys A are played, and a similar damper or muffler N is adapted to be moved in the path of felt of the hammer E, so that the strings are not sounded by the hammer when the corresponding key is actuated. Now it is evident that by adjusting the screw-rod I transversely in the support 11 the connection J and the striker K can be moved nearer to or farther from the strings F, and when the striker K is near the strings F and the corresponding key is played then the transverse movement given to the support H from the rocker B causes an inward movement of the flexible connection J and the striker K, so that the latter moves in contact with the strings F to sound the same, the striker K upon being repelled by the vibration of the strings moving several times in contact with the strings to produce a tremolo effect. On the other hand, when the screw-rod I is screwed outward and the striker K is suspended quite a distance from the strings, then the said striker moves but once in contact with the string F upon playing a key, so that but one solid tone is produced, similar to the one produced by the hammer when striking the string or strings.

It is evident from the foregoing that the support H, the rod I, and the striker K, suspended from the rod I by the flexible connection J, can be used as an attachment to the action of an upright piano, as shown and described but the attachment can also be used on an action in which the hammers are omitted, as illustrated in Figs. 2, 3, and 4, it being understood that in this case the strikers are relied on solely for producing the desired music upon the strikers sounding the strings. As shown in said Figs. 2, 3, and 4, each key A is adapted to impart a swinging motion to the rocker B in the usual manner, the rocker being held on a central rail 0, which also supports a damper G, controlled by the rocker. On the latter is secured or formed a support H, carrying a screw-rod I, to the inner end of which is secured a flexible connection J, carrying a metallic striker K for sounding the strings F. A damper or muflier L is also provided and is adapted to be moved into the path of the striker, so as to render the instrument mute and to allow of using it as a silent clavier.

Byreference to Figs. 3 and 4t itwill be seen that when the rod 1 is screwed inward and the striker K is moved nearer to the strings F then the said striker will move several times in contact with the strings upon playing the keys but once and produce atremolo effect; but when the rod 1 is screwed outward, as shown in Fig. 4, and the striker K is quite a distance from the strings F then the striker moves in contact but once with the strings F upon pressing the key, and hence a solid full tone is produced without a tremolo effect.

It is expressly understood that the suspended striker K receives a transverse swinging motion on swinging the support H, carried by the rocker B; but this movement of the striker is independent of the movement of the support, owing to the flexible connection J between the striker K and the rod 1 forming part of the support. It is further understood that the metallic striker K is suspended in such a manner that after it has been propelled against the strings by the action of the movable support 11 it returns to its former position by its own gravity.

The mufflers or dampers L, L, and N, previously described, are arranged to be operated by foot orhand pedals. (Not shown.)

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A stringed musical instrument provided with a striker, a support adapted to be actuated by a key from the keyboard, a flexible connection between the support and the striker, for holding the latter in a suspended position, and means for adjusting the flexible connection relatively to the support, substantially as shown and described.

2. Astringed musical instrument provided with a hammer-action, keys for operating the action, a support carried by the action and set in motion thereby, a striker, and a flexible shank carrying the said striker and sus pended from the said support, substantially as shown and described.

3. A stringed musical instrument provided with a hammer-action, keys for operating the action, a support carried by the action and set in motion thereby, a striker, a flexible shank carrying the said striker and suspended from the said support, and dampers under the control of the operator, and adapted to be moved in and out of the paths of the hammers and the strikers, substantially as shown and described.

4:. Astringed musical instrument provided with a movable support, an adjustable rod on the said support, a striker, anda flexible connection between the said rod and the striker, for holdingthe latter suspended, and for 1novin g it nearer to or farther from the strings, substantially as shown and described.

CHARLES NALENCE.

Witnesses:

'lHEo. G. Hosrnn, J NO. M. BITTER.

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