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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW.
Device for Testing the String
Tension of Pianos.
OQ
INVENTED BY MR. E. CASWELL.
E
CASWELL, President of the Hemme
• & Long Piano Co., San Francisco,
Cal., has invented a device for testing- the
string tension of pianos, which doubtless
will interest the trade to a very great ex-
tent. In the cut which appears herewith,
Mr. Caswell's method of testing can be
observed.
His explanation of the modus
operandi is as follows.:
" I weighed with the old-fashioned steel-
yards every note in the instrument, which
was done in this way: I first tuned a piano
to the international pitch and then placed
3
Length of
string.
If
2}i inches.
4
155
152
149
145
142
139
137
166
I64
162
I6O
159
158
157
156
154
I7O
168
166
I6 5
I64
162
inches.
T6O
inches.
F#
F
E
16
D
13^ inches,
C
B
Pitch 517.
A
Pitch 435.
G
F
E
D
inches
-C
B
18
A
G
SHOWS STEELYARD ATTACHED TO C STRING, PITCH
517. ._I5Q LBS. INTERNATIONAL PITCH.
it beside the back or skeleton with the
steelyards, then made a hook on the wire
to be used and placed it on the hitch pin
of the plate and adjusted the upper end to
the tuning pin in block attached to the
hook of the steelyards. Then turn up
the tuning pin until the lever regains a
horizontal position and then slip back the
weight on the bar until the string is
brought to a unison with the corresponding
note in the piano already tuned, and the
bar will register the number of pounds
tension for one string of that note. Then
move on to the next note, and proceed in
the same manner throughout the whole
scale. This can be relied upon as abso-
lutely correct, as the steelyards must regis-
ter the number of pounds tension when
the string is brought to pitch with the other
piano. The combined string tension of
the modern upright piano has been vari-
ously estimated at from ten to fifteen tons,
but as near as I can learn it has never be-
fore had an accurate test."
Mr. Caswell has also prepared the table
44^ inches
40^ inches
F
E
D
C
B
inches.. C
B
A#
A
G#
G
F
E
D
% inches.
53
inches...
Total in pounds
19
158
156
168
161
158
156
155
155
155
164
162
160
159
159
159
159
159
162
161
160
160
159
158
156
162
160
159
159
159
158
157
156
158
158
157
158
159
206
203
200
194
190
186
178
173
169
165
163
162
162
164
170
172
177
185
465
456
447
435
426
417
411
498
492
486
480
477
474
47i
468
462
5io
504
498
495
492
486
480
474
468
504
483
474
468
465
465
465
492
486
480
477
477
477
477
477
486
483
480
480
477
474
468
486
480
477
477
477
474
47i
468
474
474
471
474
477
412
406
400
3S8
380
372
356
346
338
32o
326
324
324
328
34O
344
354
37o
199
198
197
196
195
194
194
193
192
190
36,873
accompanying this article. It is lull scale
and gives each note.
He explains his
method of compilation thus: "First one
string, and where there are two strings
have multiplied by two, and where three
strings have multiplied by three, which
makes the combined string tension of the
piano 36,873 pounds, if I have made no
error in 'footing up.' I also give lengths
of every string in piano and size of wire,
and in this way I claim that any piano
maker can easily prove the scale, and I be-
lieve a piano could be made with equal
tension throughout excepting the upper
octave.''
Mr. Caswell's invention of testing the
string tension of pianos is certainly simple
yet ingenious. It proves him to be not
only the head of one of the progressive
houses on the Pacific slope, but an active
worker in the field of invention.
Factory Enlargement and Good
Business.
R
OTH & ENGELHARDT are about to
make another improvement in their
already splendidly equipped factory in St.
Johnsville, N. Y. Their present lumber
dry kiln adjoining the boiler house will be
used in enlarging the boiler house, into
which will be placed a new 150-horse power
Corliss engine, and a new dry house will
be erected containing the patent Andrews
lumber dryer, with a capacity for 32,000
feet of lumber, or about three carloads.
Mr. Engelhardt, of this prosperous firm,
told the St. Johnsville News last week that
should they not receive another order from
that day until January 1, 1896, the business
now on their books would keep their factory
busy night and day to its fullest capacity
till that time. But aside from this, the
orders they are receiving from firms to
whom they have never before sold goods
are rolling in, and swelling their order
books so far above their normal capacity
that to keep even with themselves another
factory as large as their present plant would
be necessary. They are adding to their
working force every day. Their employees,
have pleasant quarters to work in and make
good wages.
C. KURTZMANN & Co.,Buffalo, N. Y., who
represent the Northern part of the State in
the manufacturing line, find trade opening
up favorably for the Spring of '95.
THE advertising methods of Lyon &
Healy, Chicago, have been commented on
in eulogistic terms by that clever advertis-
ing paper, "Brains," which is published in
this city.
THE bursting of a water pipe in the
building the lower floor of which is oc-
cupied by the Rintelmann Piano Co., Chi-
cago, caused a damage of $1,500 to some
twenty-three pianos, including two grands,
which were in stock.
Some fifteen Mc-
Cammon pianos were slightly damaged.
AT a mass meeting held at 403 First ave-
nue, last Sunday, about fifty piano varnish-
ers signed their names to a membership list
for the purpose of reorganizing the Piano
Varnishers' Union.
PIANO thieves continue to operate in St.
Louis and other prominent cities in the
West.