To all whom it may concern ;
Be it known that I, JOHN MACKAY, of the city of Boston, in the State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in the Mode of Fitting or Making the Hammer-Heads of Piano-Fortes, and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof.
Into the top of the wooden portion of the hammer-head I insert, in an opening or groove prepared for that purpose, a piece of lead or other metallic substance, after which I put on the usual covering of leather or other elastic substance.
In the accompanying drawing, a, a represent the wooden part of the hammer-head, and b the piece of metal let into it immediately under the elastic covering c. The effect of so weighting or loading the hammer-head is to cause it to produce by its blow upon the strings a much stronger, fuller, and louder tone than that produced by the common mode of making hammers.
I am aware that the keys of hammers have been frequently loaded by the insertion of plugs or pieces of metal for the purpose of accelerating their fall in playing ; but the object and effect of my invention is altogether different, it being to effect the force and quality of the tone.
What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is -
The insertion of a piece of metal or the affixing the same in any equivalent manner to the upper end of the hammer-head, substantially in the manner and for the purpose above set forth.
| JOHN MACKAY. |
| Witnesses : THOS. P. JONES, LINTON THORN. |