US1812524A - Auxiliary keyboard for pianos - Google Patents

Description

June 30, 1931. A, FRASCAN] 1,812,524

* AUXILIARY KEYBOARD FOR PIANOS Filed Aug. 22. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 30, A, FRASCAM 1,812,524

AUXILIARY KEYBOARD FOR PIANOS Filed Aug. 22, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 pvveN 77 Patented June 30, 1931 PATENT OFFICE ARTURO FRASCANI, OF ROME, ITALY AUXILIARY KEYBOARD FOR PIAN OS Application filed August 22, 1929, Serial No. 387,748, and in Italy December 22, 1928.

My present invention has for its object to provide an auxiliary keyboard for pianos of any kind which though comprising,- as ordinary keyboards, some 85-88 keys, is of far smaller dimensions so as to allow of small persons, such as children, to easily strike octaves, and even ninths and tenths, and performing without straining the arms or body.

This auxiliary keyboard is arranged l0 drawer-like under the ordinary keyboard and is drawn out for playing, and then pushed back into a recess in the body of the piano so as to restore the latter to its usual appearance.

35 The keys of the auxiliary keyboard are individually connected to the respective devices actuating the respective ordinary keys of the piano so that on striking one or more keys of the auxiliary keyboard the c0rresponding chords of the piano are struck which would be struck when actuating the corresponding keys of the ordinary keyboard.

It is obvious that the smaller and narrower auxiliary keys imply a correspondingly smaller rotation angle and a correspondingly smaller counterweight on the key-lever.

In order that my present invention may be more clearly understood I am going to describe same by an illustrative, not limitative embodiment, referring to the annexed drawings in which Fig. 1 is a partially sectioned side elevation of a cottage piano showing my present invention applied thereto,

Fig. 2 a corresponding view of a grand piano,

Fig. 3 a partial plan view of auxiliary keyboard and Fig. 4 a detail view of pivoted guide of striking pin.

From the above mentioned fact of the auxiliary key mechanisms being individually connected to the corresponding ordinary key mechanisms it appears that the connection links form, as a whole, a fanlike structure 1, Fig. 3.

lVhilst the two keyboards are independent of each other both of them actuate the same striking pins 2, Fig. 1, each of which extend rom the back end of the key of the auxiliary keyboard 3 through the actuator of the corresponding ordinary key 4 and operates the hammer without moving the ordinary key which, in this case, only provides a guideway for the striking pin 2.

The striking pin 2 may also be shaped like the usual actuating mechanism extension and be guided in its movements by two pivoted arms 5, 6 supported on a longitudinal rod 7 independent from the actuating mechanism, Fig. 4.

On performing, however, on the ordinary keyboard 4 each ordinary key is directly positioned below the head of the pin which is common to both of the keyboards, and actuates the hammer without the corresponding key of the auxiliary keyboard being in any way engaged thereby.

For grand pianos the invention is slightly modified in that the actuating pin for each key extends from the auxiliary keyboard through a guiding aperture and strikes the actuating pin. 2 of the corresponding key of the ordinary keyboard 4 thus operating the mechanism and the damper without moving the ordinary keyboard, Fig. 2.

The auxiliary keyboard 3 is arranged below the ordinary keyboard 4, namely under the bearing plate 9 of the latter, and is slidingly disposed on guides 10, Figs. 1 and 2. When the auxiliary keyboard 3 is not used, the same remains invisible, being pushed drawer-like into the body of the piano where it remains masked to the eye by the rotatable front 12 of the main keyboard, Figs. 1 and 2.

To the two lateral heads 13 of the auxiliary keyboard 3 are attached the ends'of a spring device 14 which locks the frame of the auxiliary keyboard in its inner and outer positions. This device, Fig. 3, comprises a longitudinal rod 15 below the front part of the keyboard, keeping the keys in raised position and keeping their back ends depressed so as not to strike the actuating pins when the keyboard is being pulled out or pushed in.

Upon each end of the rod 15 is fixed a lever 14 arranged at right angles to the rod. The outer ends of the levers are provided with buttons located in openings in the associated side arts 13, while the inner ends thereof are provided with projections adapted to en gage in notches 16 of the guide frame. In this manner the auxiliary keyboard may be firmly secured in its open or playing position, or in its inoperative or in closed position.

When the auxiliary keyboard is in its operative position, an inclined projection 17 on One of the two sides engages the rod 18 and raises the same, as shown in Fig. 1, and approaches the hammer row of the mechanism at a distance equal to the difference between the depression of the keys of the two keyboards in order to obtain with either keyboard the same percussion of the strings by the hammers and adapt the key movement of the auxiliary keys to the performance of small persons or children. The rod 18 functions as a conventional damping pedal.

The auxiliary keyboard, as stated, is smaller than the main keyboard. There, however, may be cases in which it will be desirable that the auxiliary keyboard is of the same dimensions as the main keyboard, for instance, for four handed'performance or special pianistic effects. In such cases, of course, the rod 18 may be omitted.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is 1. A piano having an unobstructed chain ber under the keyboard thereof, actuating signature.

ARTURO FRASCANI.

pins slidably associated with the keys of said 7 V keyboard, an auxiliary keyboard slidable in the chamber and having its keys arranged in diverging relation, the inner ends of the keys of the auxiliary keyboard being positioned under the actuating pins when the auxiliary keyboard is confined within the chamber and adapted to be moved under said pins when the auxiliary keyboard is slid outwardly from the chamber into playing position.

2. A piano having an unobstructed chamber under its keyboard, a closure for the front end of the chamber, actuating pins associated with the keyboard, an auxiliary keyboard slidably mounted in the chamber, the inner ends of the keys of the auxiliary keyboard being adapted to be moved under the pins when the auxiliary keyboard is moved outwardly from the chamber, and locking

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