Music – Instruments – General features
Patent
1986-11-06
1988-07-12
Fuller, Benjamin R.
Music
Instruments
General features
G10C 312
Patent
active
047562250
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a keyboard of pianos and similar key instruments, for example grand pianos and harpsichords. The keyboard comprises a keyboard frame and a plurality of key arms arranged on bearing means in the keyboard frame in such a way that the key arms can be swinged only in a plane that is perpendicular to the plane of the keyboard frame.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
For the present, keyboards of pianos and similar key instruments are manufactured substantially of wood. The keyboard frame as well as the key arms require a special kind of wood and a special pretreatment of the wooden pieces to be used. The key arms are sawed one after another from a carefully shaped key arm beam. This manufacturing method has several considerable disadvantages. First, the manufacturing is expensive, because a substantial effort of manual work is required for readjustment of pins and other bearings and of the key positions and this time consuming work has to be done by skilled craftsmen. Second, in spite of all the care taken during the manufacturing, the wooden pieces are affected during transportation and storing which makes further adjustments necessary in connection with the delivery to the purchaser. Third, the wooden pieces are affected by variations in temperature and air moisture which makes continuous adjustments necessary during the life of the keyboard.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The main object of the present invention is to provide a keyboard design that substantially completely eliminates the above mentioned disadvantages, thus considerably reducing the manufacturing costs and the need of continuous maintenance.
Due to the fact that the keyboard frame consists of metal, the risk of successive changes during a possible storing time as well as during the life is eliminated. This obviates substantially the need of adjustments when the instrument in which the keyboard is adapted is delivered, and during the life of the instrument. However, the use of metal in the keyboard frame causes difficult resonance effects and disturbing extraneous noise when the keys of the keyboard are pushed down and released. These disadvantages are avoided by positioning a vibration absorbing material between the bearing means of the key arms and the keyboard frame. Due to the fact that the vibration absorbing material is provided in grooves in the keyboard frame an improved manufacturing accuracy is obtained, particularly if the bearing means of the key arms are fastened directly in the vibration absorbing material, as well as a substantial stabilization of the vibration absorbing material.
In prior keyboards each key arm is mounted on two vertical pins, one of which, the balance rail pin, being provided at a certain distance from the front end of the key arm and the other, the front rail pin, being provided at the front end of the key arm. The balance rail pins and the front rail pins of the separate key arms form pin rows usually running substantially perpendicularly to the front portions of the key arms. Due to the fact that the keyboard frame is provided with two elongated grooves for the vibration absorbing material, one groove being provided for the balance rail pins and the other groove being provided for the front rail pins, and the balance rail pins and front rail pins are fastened directly in the vibration absorbing material in the pertaining grooves, the manufacturing is very simple. At the same time a very high accuracy can be obtained. The continuous, elongated blocks of vibration absorbing material also provide a very efficacious damping of the vibrations, so that no disturbing resonances or extraneous noise arise when the keys are touched.
Due to the fact that the keyboard frame consists of metal and vibration absorbing material is provided between the bearing means of the key arms and the keyboard frame, the keyboard frame forms a rigid unit which can be moved laterally, i.e. perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the keys. This fea
REFERENCES:
patent: 3456545 (1969-07-01), Kondo
patent: 3499362 (1970-03-01), Harada
Carlsson Lars G.
Sjostrand Staffan
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