Steel soundboard revisited.

[Wimblees@aol.com]

Several weeks ago we talked about different soundbaords, and I mentioned I
had seen one with a steel soundboard. I knew I had made copies of the patents
for this piano, but thought I had thrown the copies away, since I didn't have
the pictures to go along with it. (someone stole the camera)

Well, guess what, I found the copy of the patent.

The patent was given to "PER ARON WALLER"  of Stockholm, Sweden, who,
according to the patent, "assigned his right, title, and interest in said
improvement to Carl Richard Waller, of Trenton New Jersey".

The Patent is good for 17 years from the 7th day of November, 1916.

In looking through the information, it mentioned that the sheet metal should
be "heated to from 350 to  400 degree centigrade has proved effective: and
when heating beyond the critical point of transformation is desired, heating
to from 800 - 900 degree centigrade will give good results".

It also says" "a new article of manufacturing a metal sheet for acoustic
purposes having a thickness of less than 1 mm and made up of metal stretched
to beyond its elastic limit."

I hope some of you find this as facinating as I do. I still am mad at the
person who stole the camera, and I wish I could remember where those people
live.

Willem Blees  RPT
St. Louis.