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Patent of 1811 : "Robert Wornum, the
younger, Princes-street, Hanover-square, Middlesex, piano-forte-maker;
for an improved upright piano-forte."
The Literary Panorama, Volume 10, 1811, p.
635
Patent of 1820 : "ROBERT WORNUM, of
Wigmore-street, Cavendish-square, Middlesex, Pianoforte maker, for an
improvement on piano-fortes, and certain other stringed instruments
Dated May 13, 1820."
The European Magazine, and London Review, Volume
77, 1820, p. 565
"One size wire used for stringing tenor
and treble. The length of the first note is determined on the monochord,
and for all the corresponding notes upwards you must halve the several
notes, and so on for as many octaves as you require, always halving for
the last octave. This is intended to produce equal tension throughout
the instrument."
The History of the Pianoforte, Edgar Brinsmead,
1879, p. 202 (archive.org) - or - See for more information :
The Port Folio, 1821, p. 129-130
"R. WORNUM, of Wigmore-street, for an Improvement on Piano-Fortes. —
Take a cabinet piano-forte, and determine what length you will give to
your longest plain string, then set off that length on a monochord, and
after having fixed what size the string shall be, and the tightness that
you wish it to bear, (for these are points wholly at the discretion,
approbation, or experience, of the manufacturer,) strain or string
accordingly on the monochord, and see what note it is in unison with, on
a well-tuned piano-forte.
This note being determined, you must sound the next above on the
piano-forte, and move the shifting-bridge of the monochord until you
have brought it into unison, and so proceed until you have ascertained
and marked all the notes of one octave.
You then transcribe those marks on a rod; and for all the corresponding
notes that you want upwards, you must halve the several lengths until
you have produced another octave, and so on for as many octaves as you
require, always halving from the last octave.
For the covered strings you must adopt another method. First, fix on the
length of your longest covered string, and draw a line from that to your
longest plain string, and thus you will have the several lengths of your
covered strings.
You must then ascertain what weight will bring your longest plain string
to its proper pitch, and with this weight you must try all your covered
strings; that is, you must increase or decrease the size of your
covering-wire until that weight brings each note, at its given length,
to its proper pitch: a few of the first will necessarily be open-spun,
but take up close spinning as soon as possible, which of course will
depend entirely on the fineness of the covering-wire.
The scale thus produced must be strung with one size of steel-wire
throughout; it may be varied in different instruments, but not in the
same, as two sizes of wire would instantly destroy the equality of the
tension."
Colburn's New Monthly Magazine, 1822,
p. 360
Patent of 1826 : "ROBERT
WORNAM [sic], of Wigmore-street, Cavendish-square, piano-forte maker, for
improvements in piano-fortes. - Dated July 4, 1826."
Mechanics Magazine, Volume 6, 1827, p.
256
&
"1826 R. Wornum patented the crank action, improved 1828."
A Dictionary of Music and Musicians, Volume 2, 1894, p. 723
Patent of 1828 : "To Robert Wornum,
of Wigmore Street, Cavendish Square, in the County of Middlesex, piano-forte
maker, for certain improvements on upright piano-fortes. 24th July - 2
months."
The London Journal of Arts and Sciences, 1828,
p. 374
Patent of 1834 ?? : "R.
WURNUM [sic], Manufacturer or Patent Double-Action Piccolo, and Grand
Pianoforte, Music-Hall Bedford-Square, London, HAS now forwarded to 4 High
Street; Dundee, an assortment of Piccolo and Piccolo Grand PIANO-FORTES.
The Royal Patent equal tension Piccolo Pianoforte is a superior specimen of
accurate mechanism. Its simplicity is admirable, perhaps the nimost
possible.
It is highly recommended by the most, eminent professional gentlemen in
London, and was the favourite instrument of the celebrated composer Bochsa.
It has two pedals ; stands extremely well in tune; maybe placed in any part of
a room, wi;li equal advantage, being highly finished on all sides, and
French polished. It possesses all the harmony and richness of tone of the
Grand.
The strings are all of the new Improved Steel, and equal in their tension, —
by which arrangement each string has a similar power of resistance against
the influence of the atmosphere.
With respect to the Double Action, it is an invention of the first importance
to upright Pianofortes.
It gives a firmness and certainty of touch hitherto unknown ; possesses great
excellence in rapid execution, and in no single property regarding touch is
it surpassed by other keyed instruments. The above Patent Pianofortes will
be sold in Dundee, at this manufacturer's printed list of prices, by Mr.
Alexander Cameron, Agent for the Patentee."
Dundee Directory and General Register, 1834,
p. 34 (digital.nls.uk)
Patent of 1842 : "ROBERT
WORNUM, of Store-street, Bedford-square, pianoforte maker, for improvements
in the actions of pianofortes. - Feb. 13."
The Mechanics' Magazine, Museum, Register, Journal,
and Gazette, Volume 36, 1842, p. 159 - or - "The tape check
action."
The History of the Pianoforte, Edgar Brinsmead, 1879,
p. 206 (archive.org)
Patent of 1866 :
"WORNUM. - 19th July 1866. - 1883. Alfred Nicholson Wornum, of Store Street,
Bedford Square, in the County of Middlesex, for an invention for
Improvements in pianofortes."
Chronological index of patents applied for and
patents, 1867, p. 130
LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Nicholson Wornum, of Store Street,
Bedford Square, in the County of Middlesex, Pianoforte Manufacturer, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF GRAND PIANOFORTES."
Sealed the 26th November 1875, and dated the 16th June 1875.
Patent of 1875 : PROVISIONAL
SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Nicholson Wornum at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 16th June 1875.
I, ALFRED NICHOLSON WORNUM, of Store Street, Bedford Square, 5 in the County
of Middlesex, Pianoforte Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF GRAND PIANOFORTES,"
to be as follows :
This Invention has for its object improvements in the construction of grand
pianofortes.
My improvements are applicable more especially to the shorter instruments
where a greater length of string is required than can be obtained by the
methods heretofore in use.
Wornum's Improvements in the Construction of Grand Pianofortes. I construct
the "action" so that the "heads" of the "hammers face the "wrest plank” and
the keys, and I arrange the "damper action" between the "hammers" and the
"wrest plank."
I arrange the "action" so that it may be drawn out from the bass side of the
case and not as heretofore in front, or it may be taken out 5 from beneath.
I arrange the "keys" so that they may be taken out of the instrument from
the front without disturbing the other parts of the "action" and "damper
action."
I use a metal bridge with an overhanging lip for the upper octaves and 10 so
obtain more space for the dampers.
In order more directly to resist the strain of the strings I employ iron
braces which extend between the strings, so that the strings lie in a plane,
passing between the upper and lower edge of the braces.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed by
the said Alfred Nicholson Wornum in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 15th
December 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALFRED NICHOLSON WORNUM, of
Store Street, Bedford Square, in the County of 20 Middlesex, Pianoforte
Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters Patent,
bearing date the Sixteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-five, in the thirtyeighth year of Her reign, did,
for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Alfred Nicholson Wornum, Her special license that I, the said Alfred
Nicholson Wornum, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Alfred Nicholson Wornum, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and
at all 30 times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF GRAND PIANOFORTES,"
Wornum's Improvements in the Construction of Grand Pianofortes. upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Alfred Nicholson Wornum, my
executors, or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was
to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alfred Nicholson Wornum, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say :
The object of this Invention, which is applicable to the "grand pianoforte,"
is to construct the instrument so that longer strings may be used,
relatively to the external dimensions, than in an instrument of the ordinary
construction.
Though the plan is more especially applicable to instruments not exceeding
six feet in length, it may however be advantageously used in making longer
instruments.
I construct the "action" so that the "heads" of the "hammers" face the
"wrest plank” and the keys, and I arrange the "damper action" between the
"hammers" and the "wrest plank."
I arrange the "action" so that it may be drawn out from the bass side of the
case and not as heretofore in front, or it may be taken out from beneath.
I arrange the "keys" so that they may be taken out of the instrument from
the front without disturbing the other parts of the "action" and "damper
action."
I use a metal bridge with an overhanging lip for the upper octaves and so
obtain more space for the dampers.
In order more directly to resist the strain of the strings I employ iron
braces which extend between the strings, so that the strings lie in a plane
passing between the upper and lower edge of the braces.
That the construction may be understood I will proceed to explain the
Drawing.
Wornum's Improvements in the Construction of Grand Pianofortes.
Figure 1 is a view of a longitudinal section of the instrument passing through
the space between the first and second dampers, shewing the note A. a is the
metal plate for carrying the hitch pins, which plate is fixed to the case in
the ordinary way with screws; b is the wooden wrest plank; c is an iron
pressure bar which is let into the wrest plank, it supports the five iron
struts (or bracings) which carry the entire strain of the strings; d is the
metal bridge which is cast with a lip d', and is drilled through at the back
in order that the strings after bearing upon the lip may pass on to the
wrest pins.
This metal bridge is only applied to the upper octaves, and when discontinued
the strings pass through drilled studs (as in ordinary use) to the wrest
pins; e is one of the cast-iron struts (or bracings) the section of which
taken at 1, 1, Figure I., is given in
Figure 2; it is so shaped that the lower edge of it passes below the level of
the strings, a slot being made in the bridge for that purpose.
There are five struts in all, which are fixed by screws to the wrest plank at
one end, and to the metal hitch pin plate a at the other.
The action is so constructed that the hammers f strike with their heads
facing the wrest plank, they are mounted on a hammer rail g which is carried
by an action frame h so constructed that it may be withdrawn from its
position through an opening made in the bass side of the instrument, which
withdrawal enables the regulation of the "action" to be effected more
conveniently than in the usual construction of grand pianofortes, in which
the whole mechanism, including the keys, has to be withdrawn from the front
of the instrument.
The opening in the side of the instrument is fitted with a moveable panel
which is removed when the action is to be taken out. The retaining screws h1
are then removed, the action frame is pushed backwards or away from the keys
for a short distance, and is then drawn out endwise like a drawer; or the
case might be so arranged as to admit of 30 being pushed further back and
removed at the bottom.
The action consists of the following parts: - The hammers already mentioned,
the levers i jointed to the hammer rail and the hopper k, which is jointed
to the lever, the hopper being slotted and the lever passing through it. The
lever carries the check it which coming into contact with a projection from
the hammer butt checks the recoil of the hammer from the string. The hopper
is prolonged beneath the lever
Wornum's Improvements in the Construction of Grand Pianofortes. and is then
furnished with an arm and an adjustable screw, which when the lever is moved
upwards by the key comes against the under side of the lever, and at the
proper instant sets the hopper off the hammer butt. i is a wire spring on
the lever, and is is a tape connecting it with the hammer butt and so
arranged as to become tense just at the instant when the hopper should leave
the hammer butt, and by so doing it facilitates the "quit; " it is the
hopper spring; k is one of the finger keys; it has its fulcrum at k1, and at
kit carries an adjustable block "horse" which acts upon the under side of
the lever i; l is the damper rail; it is carried by the wrest plank and
supports the axes on which the tongues m are able to turn; k is the damper
arm on the key which acts on the tongue m.
This arm can when it is desired to remove the finger key be turned down, being
fixed in a block jointed to the key; k is a turn button, its stem passes
through a slot or notch cut in the block which carries the damper arm; each
damper tongue m has an arm m' to which is connected the wire n passing
through a socket at n1 to the damper head; m2 is a spring which presses the
damper heads to the strings.
The pedal movements are not shewn in the Drawing.
The "forte pedal" movement is accomplished by bringing down the "damper
rail" (which is hinged at to the wrest plank) so that the damper tongues are
forced against the damper arms, which action lowers the "damper heads" from
the strings.
The piano pedal movement is effected by a lever forcing the hammer 25 rail
which can slide in the action frame towards the treble, thus shifting the
"hammer heads" off one unison.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that I claim,
30 First. The arrangement of the hammers and dampers in the positions
indicated with respect to the wrest plank, substantially as described.
Second. The use of a lipped metal bridge fixed to the wrest plank and
applied to the upper octaves, substantially as described.
Third. The arrangement of the "action" in such manner that it can 35 be
withdrawn through the bass side of the instrument, substantially as
described.
Wornum's Improvements in the Construction of Grand Pianofortes. Fourth. The
general arrangement and construction of grand pianofortes, substantially as
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Nicholson Wornum, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.
A. N. WORNUM. (L.S.)"
English Patents of Inventions, Specifications: 1875, p. 1-6
WORNUM
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