Abstract: A damper action for an upright piano that comprises a springed tab on the damper lever that “ratchets” or gives way or folds away in one direction and does not in the other, to provide retention when the spring tab passes by the longitudinal ridge on the sostenuto rod in one direction and non-retention when the spring tab passes by the longitudinal ridge on the sostenuto rod the other direction. The ratchet aspect of the spring tab uses tension from the damper spring and does not require a separate spring to apply tension to yield the ratchet effect.

Abstract: A damper action for an upright piano that comprises a springed tab on the damper lever that “ratchets” or gives way or folds away in one direction and does not in the other, to provide retention when the spring tab passes by the longitudinal ridge on the sostenuto rod in one direction and non-retention when the spring tab passes by the longitudinal ridge on the sostenuto rod the other direction. The ratchet aspect of the spring tab uses tension from the damper spring and does not require a separate spring to apply tension to yield the ratchet effect.

Abstract: A damper assembly for a piano includes a rail assembly with an adjustable mount for mounting the rail assembly to the piano case, and a plurality of underlevers coupled to the rail assembly. The rail assembly is configured for vertical adjustment relative to the case, for example, continuous adjustment (in which the rail assembly can define a vertical slot) or discrete adjustment (in which the rail assembly defines discrete openings arranged vertically). The adjustable mount includes mounting blocks, and the rail is mounted to the blocks for rotation relative to the blocks. The mounting blocks each define an adjustment slot. A method of simultaneously adjusting a plurality of piano underlevers in a piano includes mounting a damper assembly to a piano case with an adjustable mount, and adjusting the position of a rail assembly of the damper assembly relative to the case.

Abstract: A piano includes an underlever assembly having an underlever arm and an underlever support joining the underlever arm to a string damper. The underlever arm is mounted to move between an at-rest position and a second position. A latch is mounted to a latch mount for movement between non-latching and latching positions. In latching position, the latch engages a latch surface of the underlever support to maintain the string damper spaced from a corresponding piano string. A stop mounted to the latch mount limits movement of the underlever arm toward its second position. A method for controlling a piano string damper includes contacting the underlever arm with the latch to maintain the string damper spaced from the string, and contacting the underlever arm with the stop to limit movement of the underlever arm.

Abstract: A silent electronic keyboard instrument for operation in conjunction with a synthesizer for transmitting sound only electronically to a headphone terminal, and exhibiting keyboard operation substantially duplicative of acoustic piano keyboard operation.

Abstract: A combination acoustic mode and electronic mode grand piano is provided including a hammer shank stop rail that intercepts the hammer shank when operating in its electronic mode, so that the hammer cannot complete its normal travel to strike its corresponding string(s) when its key is actuated. The positioning of the hammer shank stop rail is actuated by a user-operated control that, when placed into the "acoustic" mode, raises the hammer shank stop rail to a non-engaged position that does not interfere with the normal movements of the hammer shank. When in the "electronic" mode, the control lowers the hammer shank stop rail into an engaged position where it intercepts the hammer shanks of the piano, thereby preventing each hammer head from striking its respective string(s).

Abstract: A mechanical keyboard according to the present invention has a main sostenuto pedal mechanism for holding off a damper associated with a key depressed and an auxiliary sostenuto pedal mechanism provided for keys of a bass range for holding off the associated damper or dampers, and the auxiliary pedal is provided in the vicinity of a soft pedal for easy depression.

Abstract: Each muffler (6) is individually subjected to a separable pair of sollicitation means (9, 10) of which one of them (10) depends on the harmonic bar (11) and of which the other one (9) depends from the muffler (6); also provided is a so-called harmonic pedal which actuates the harmonic bar (11) in order to space apart the assembly of mufflers (6) from the set of strings (7), the simultaneous depression of the harmonic pedal and of a key (1) causing the separation of the pair of sollicitation means (9, 10) with respect to the muffler (6) of the string (7) corresponding to said key (1).

Abstract: In the upright piano action, the wire protruding up from the damper lever leaning or biased towards the string contacts and slides back to and forth along a pin fixed and protruding straight out from the hammer spring rail towards the string.On the sostenuto rod, attached and moveable horizontally on top of the hammer spring rail, is fixed a thin wire arm with a hooked end extending straight towards the space between the strings, reaching just long enough to clear the damper lever wire as it travels horizontally back and forth when the damper is on the string.When the damper moves off the string after depression of the key, the damper wire slides back along the side of pin in hammer spring rail and is hooked by wire arm on sostenuto rod when it moves horizontally towards the damper wire clamping it securely back, even after release of the depressed key. So long as the sostenuto rod is held in that position, thus allowing the string, after being struck by hammer to continue to vibrate sustaining the tone.

Abstract: A sostenuto piano action is provided for upright pianos. Each damper is provided at the top rear thereof with a rubber fitting having a catcher flange or tab thereon. A pivoted sostenuto knife similar to that in a grand piano has a blade thereon which, upon pivoting of the sostenuto knife, will catch or engage the catcher tab or flange of each fitting to retain retracted such dampers as are in retracted position. With the knife pivoted to sostenuto position and additional notes played thereafter the flanges will bump the backside of the knife, but will not be caught. Spring biased elbows or hinges are provided in the damper levers to allow "breaking" of the levers at such time so as to avoid providing a strange feel to the pianist. The rubber nature of the fitting prevents any noise at such time.