---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment Hi All- This discussion made me remember what I had written a few years ago. This is a post from rec.music.makers.piano from August 16, 1998, that I wrote in the middle of the night. Amusing, at least. Lisa >Well my wife would like narrower keys, I need more room between the sharps.> Variable key width? A variable width keyboard could be worked out.....Imagine an upright piano...grands have added obstacles to design around. You could have two versions. A keyboard built for larger hands which expands and extends beyond the case of the piano or a keyboard that starts at normal width and shrinks (keys cut narrower to accommodate). With a seriously modified keybed, the keys would be attached to a series of spreaders, like a continuing scissor mechanism (Spanner? Can't remember the word for this mechanism -- think Hoberman) which would move the keys apart, expanding or shrinking the keyboard to the pianist's preference. It would move on a wormgear with a knob for the pianist to turn. I imagine people with large fingers could tolerate up to a quarter inch space between the keys. Using my 1896 Steinway upright as an example, the white keys are 7/8" wide. The spaces between the keys are 1/16". If the spaces were expanded to 1/4", it would expand the whole keyboard by 12 9/16". The sides of the piano surrounding the keybed would have to be separate pieces attached to the keybed, so they could extend out from the sides of the case (maybe with a bellows looking fabric filling in the space or thin wood that rides in slots, veneered and finished like the case). To make the keys 'bend,' you could hinge them (a finger joint that is hinged after the balance rail). The point where the capstan touches the wippen cloth would have to be a more firm joint, maybe like some of those old uprights that had cup shaped capstans where the stickers fit into them. Also, to make up for the necessary added length, a universal joint instead of the regular sticker flange would be necessary. For the farthest out keys ... well, some of them just may have to become useless in the expanded position or some adjustments would have to be done by the pianist. Or ... how about spring loaded key extensions to still reach the wippens? That means a stopper at the back of the keybed which would create unwanted friction ... oh well. Another wall. Not bad for a 3 A.M. whim, huh? Lisa Weller RPT ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/pianotech.php/attachments/fa/22/e3/d5/attachment.htm ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment--
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