Oddball drop action

[Richard Brekne]

Hi list.. just ran into a rather strange variant of the drop action that
I actually thought was pretty nifty. Instead of the sticker assembly,
(with all its woes and throes) this had an entirely different
arrangement, and it worked impressively well.

The keys were hinged at the back, about an inch beyond the balance pin.
(Indeed why there was a balance pin at all escapes me really). Half way
between this hinge and the front of the key was a push rod which push
downwards on what really amounted to the back half of the key. These
rods are about 8 inches long. The "back half of the key" is flanged and
has a capstan to adjust the whippen for then jack to knuckle
relationship as in all uprights. The length from flange to where the rod
connects is half as long as from the flange to the capstan so that the
basic 5 to 1 (or what ever the exact relationship is in this case) is
preserved. This "back half of the key" (underlever ??) is back weighted
to achieve what the designer meant was proper key weight.

What I liked about it was how solid a feel there was to the "touch" of
this little pianer. The hinged keys were solid as could be, and the
adjustment to the underlever was very solid and very stable. And of
course adjusting for lost motion functioned  fine as well being done
with a capstan instead of with that chincy solution the sticker assembly
provides for.

It was vaguely reminicent of a reed organ action really, and if there
was any thing to pick on about the touch.. it was perhaps a tendency to
feel a bit springy... or "organish" if you will, despite the fact that
no springs beyond the damper and hammer return springs were employed.

Had the designer given a little more thought to ease of removal for
servicing... I think he woulda had a definant winner here..

No name was visable anywhere on the piano, but the case looked like
typical 40's-early 50's style.

--
Richard Brekne
Associate PTG, N.P.T.F.
Bergen, Norway