[CAUT] Sostenuto mounting (was Re: Forum format)

[Fred Sturm]

On Jul 18, 2008, at 4:10 PM, Ron Nossaman wrote:

> Thanks Fred, I had seen the 1916 patent, but not the 1875, called an  
> improvement in piano attachments. <G> But the text describes it as a  
> cord, wire, or strip, so maybe it doesn't count.

Well,  the strip is a "strip of flexible or rigid material." I think  
that covers the sostenuto rod of current grands, as well as the  
fixture with a piece of cord Steinway used on uprights. The term used  
is "rock shaft" (I guess this means a shaft that "rocks" or pivots  
through a short rotation). He describes in some detail the method of  
mounting the rock shaft to the bellyrail by means of a bracket which  
enables the position of the rock shaft to be "adjusted with great  
nicety." I think it does, indeed, count, and was the obvious forebear  
of all the various sostenuto devices in use today.
	It is quite wonderful to be able to see the drawings and read the  
texts of all these patents from the comfort of one's own home (or  
classroom with WIFI, as has been the case for me today, when taking a  
short breather).
	Now as for when and why the decision was made to change to an action  
bracket mounted system, that remains shrouded in mystery. Perhaps Bill  
Shull can help us with the when. I think one can assume that those who  
made the decision thought it would be an improvement for some reason,  
but didn't find it worthwhile to patent the change.
Regards,
Fred Sturm
University of New Mexico
fssturm at unm.edu