Musical Instruments (Patent No: 471844)

Inventor: Hartman, Lyle M.

Location: Ohaton

Comments: see Lure of the homestead; biographical information; took over farm 1945; designed and built a piano harp 1950s (photo); about 3000 hours work; patents in US and Canada; no interest from manufacturers; uses guitar, banjo and mandolin strings

Description:
The embodiments of: this invention in which an exclusive privilege or property is claimed are defined as follows:

(1) A piano-harp characterized by the combination with a horizontally disposed and substantially harpiform keyboard of a set of: keys and an associated line-up of shaft-supported hammers therebeneath, a striking action connected to and extending between each key and one of the
hammers, said action embodying (a) a bell crank component journalled on said shaft and (b) a connecting rod extending between said crank and said key, spring means also extending between said crank and an adjacent point of anchorage, said hammers each consisting of (a) a flat resilient strip of material secured to said crank (b) a string impacting head on the distal end thereof and (c) at least one leaf spring overlying said hammer in the region of attachment of said hammer to said crank for stiffening said strip, and a vibrating assembly composed of a stationary intercepting promontary and a butt-end extension on said hammer engageable with said promontary when said hammer is depressed to produce a vibrating sound effect on said keyboard.

(2) A piano-harp characterized by the combination with a horizontally disposed and substantially harpiform keyboard of a set of keys and an associated line-up of shaft-supported hammers therebeneath, a striking action connected to and extending between each key and one of
said hammers, said action embodying (a) a bell-crank component journalled on said shaft and (b) a connecting rod extending between said crank and said key, spring means also extending between said crank and an adjacent point of anchorage, said hammers each consisting of (a) a flat resilient strip of material secured to said crank (b) a string impacting head on the distal end thereof, and means for vibrating said hammer against the strings of said keyboard when a key is struck.

(3) A piano-harp characterized by the combination with a horizontally disposed and substantially harpiform keyboard of a set of keys and an associated line-up of shaft-supported hammers therebeneath, a striking action connected to and extending between each key and one of said hammers, said action embodying (a) a bell-crank component journalled on said shaft and (b) a connecting rod extending between said crank and said key, spring means also extending between said crank and an adjacent point of anchorage, said hammers each consisting of (a) a flat resilient strip of material secured to said crank (b) a string impacting head on the distal end thereof and (c) at least one leaf spring overlying said hammer in the region of attachment of said hammer to said crank for stiffening said strip, a vibrating assembly composed of stationary intercepting promontary and a butt-end extension on said hammer engageable with said promontary when said hammer is depressed to produce a vibrating sound effect on said keyboard, and a string damper on said extension for engagement with the associated string of said keyboard when said key is released.

(4) A piano-harp characterized by the combination with a horizontally disposed and substantial harpiform keyboard of a set of keys and an associated line-up of shaft-supported hammers therebeneath, a striking action connected to and extending between each key and one of said hammers, said action embodying (a) a bellcrank component journalled on said shaft and (b) a connecting rod extending between said crank and said key, spring means also extending between said crank and an adjacent point of anchorage, said hammers each consisting of (a) a flat resilient strip of material secured to said crank (b) a string impacting head on the distal ends thereof and (c) at least one leaf spring overlying said hammer in the region of attachment of said hammer to said crank for stiffening said strip, and a vibrating assembly composed of stationary intercepting promontary and a butt-end extension on said hammer engageable with said promontary when said hammer is depressed to produce a vibrating sound effect on said keyboard, said extension taking the form of a resilient strip which contacts said promontary before said impacting head makes contact with the string of said keyboard.

(5) A piano-harp characterized by the combination with a horizontally disposed and substantially harpiform keyboard of a set of keys and an associated line-up of shaft-supported hammers therebeneath, a striking action connected to and extending between each key and one of said hammers, said action embodying (a) a bellcrank component journalled on said shaft and (b) a connecting rod extending between said crank and said key, spring means also extending between said crank and an adjacent point of anchorage, said hammers each consisting of (a) a flat resilient strip of material secured to said crank (b) a string impacting head on the distal end thereof and (c) at least one leaf spring overlying said hammer in the region of attachment of said hammer of said crank for stiffening said strip, and a vibrating assembly composed of stationary intercepting promontory and a butt-end extension on said hammer engageable with said promontary when said hammer is depressed to produce a vibrating sound effect on said keyboard, said extension taking the form of a resilient strip which connects said promontary before said impacting head makes contact with the string of said keyboard, and a string damper on said extension for engagement with the string of said keyboard when said key is released.