Patents by Inventor S. Frank Murray

S. Frank Murray has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Member with synthetic surface replicating a surface of a specimen of a natural material
    Patent number: 5509344
    Abstract: A piano key cover having a body of synthetic material pigmented to resemble natural ivory defines a top playing surface having a random orientation of peak-to-valley texture and a multiplicity of fine pores to replicate a surface of natural ivory. A multiplicity of the pores have diameters generally in the range of 0.0002 to 0.0012 inch (0.005 to 0.030 mm). The synthetic material is selected from the group consisting of acrylic polymer, polyurethane, epoxy and the like. A method for forming such a piano key cover and a piano having key covers of the invention are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 23, 1996
    Assignees: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Steinway Musical Properties, Inc.
    Inventors: Salvadore J. Calabrese, Henry A. Scarton, S. Frank Murray, Christopher M. Ettles, Warren C. Kennedy, Saim Dinc, Bessem Jlidi, William Strong
  • Key covers formed of ivory substitute and pianos having same
    Patent number: 5265515
    Abstract: A piano key cover having a body of synthetic material pigmented to resemble natural ivory defines a top playing surface having a random orientation of peak-to-valley texture and a multiplicity of fine pores to replicate a surface of natural ivory. A multiplicity of the pores have diameters generally in the range of 0.0002 to 0.0012 inch (0.005 to 0.030 mm). The synthetic material is selected from the group consisting of acrylic polymer, polyurethane, epoxy and the like. A method for forming such a piano key cover and a piano having key covers of the invention are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1993
    Assignees: Steinway Musical Properties Inc., Renesselaer Polytechnic Institute
    Inventors: Salvadore J. Calabrese, Henry A. Scarton, S. Frank Murray, Christopher M. Ettles, Warren C. Kennedy, Saim Dinc, Bessem Jlidi, William Strong
  • Piano key covers formed of ivory substitute and pianos having same
    Patent number: 5183955
    Abstract: A piano key cover is formed of synthetic material pigmented to resemble natural ivory and having a top playing surface with a random orientation of peak-to-valley texture and a multiplicity of fine pores replicating natural ivory. The key cover is formed by providing a mold, engraving a surface of the mold with a randomly-oriented pattern of peak-to-valley texture replicating natural ivory, placing in the mold a composition of suitable synthetic material pigmented to resemble natural ivory and filler, the filler having the characteristic of being removable from a molded article by further treatment, forming the piano key cover within the mold, and treating the piano key cover to remove the filler thereby causing the surface of the paino key cover to define a plurality of fine pores replicating the surface of natural ivory. A piano including the key cover of the invention, and formed by the above method, is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 1990
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1993
    Assignees: Renselaer Polytechnic Institute, Steinway Musical Properties, Inc.
    Inventors: Salvadore J. Calabrese, Henry A. Scarton, S. Frank Murray, Christopher M. Ettles, Warren C. Kennedy, Saim Dinc, Bessem Jlidi, William Strong