Steinway Patents that Deal with Frames

A search of all Steinway patents issued through April 4, 1885, when the last patent taken out by Theodor Steinway was issued, indicates that the patents discussed below dealt with frames. Note that patents dealing with action frames, key frames, or sostenuto pedal frames are not included since this document focuses on the main frame of the piano, not the frame of the actions, keys, or pedals. This document also does not cover wooden frames and cases used for the exterior of pianos, but rather focuses on the metal frames that provide the interior structure of pianos.

* Patent 26,532, Henry Steinway, dated December 20. 1859, Grand Pianos. This patent deals with overstringing and notes that it uses an iron frame.

* Patent 55,385, William Steinway, dated June 5, 1866, Improvement in Piano-Fortes. This patent claims as new “The use in piano-fortes of a metal case cast in one solid piece, consisting of the plate a, braces b, rafters or brace-frame c, and a connecting piece or flange running round on three sides of the case and supporting the regulating apparatus, leaving one side open for the insertion of the sounding-board with its bars and bridges.”

* Patent 97,982, C. F. Th. Steinway, dated December 14, 1869, Improvement in Piano-Fortes. This patent includes a description of an revised metal frame for grand pianos that allows for a number of improvements, including providing room for a continuous sounding board bridge, allowing strains from strings above and below the treble bar to be balanced, and providing improved support for the sounding board.

* Patent 127,383, C. F. Theodor Steinway, dated May 28, 1872, Improvement in Piano-Fortes. This patent describes changes to the metal frame that improve its strength and also improve other features of the piano. A quote from the patent that summarizes the main changes to the metal frame reads as follows: “This invention relates to a piano-forte the metal frame of which is arched at its ends and provided with a flange, which serves to fasten the same down to the wooden frame.”

* Patent 127,384, C. F. Theodor Steinway, dated May 28, 1872, Improvement in Piano-Fortes. The following quote from the patent summarizes changes made of the metal frame: “This invention relates to certain improvements which are intended more particularly for upright piano-fortes, but some of which are also applicable to grand or square piano-fortes. These improvements consist in an arch or cupola shaped metal frame, provided with flanges which project down over the edges of the wooden case, and also with lips which descend beneath the level of the sounding-board and form abutments for the heads of screws, which are inserted into parts of the wooden case, and serve to compress the sounding-board in such a manner that the power of resistance of the metal frame against the tension of the strings is materially increased, partly by the arched shape of said plate and partly by the flanges and screws. The heads of the pressing-screws are bored out to receive plugs of India rubber, or other soft and elastic material, to prevent the metallic heads from bearing directly against the metal frame. The metal frame is also provided with lugs or ears for the reception of screws, which serve to connect the same to the front case containing the key-board, in such a manner that the entire front case can be readily detached from the rear case containing the sounding parts of the piano-forte, and thereby the front case is prevented from interfering with the vibrations of the sounding-board, and at the same time the transportation of the piano-forte is materially facilitated.”

* Patent 170,646, Christian F. T. Steinway, dated November 30, 1875, Improvement in Agraffes for Piano-Fortes. This patent covers use of a bar into which capodastros are inserted, and which is an integral part of the metal frame of the piano.

* Patent 170,647, Christian F. T. Steinway, dated November 30, 1875, Improvement in Metal Frames for Piano-Fortes. This patent covers the addition of several new braces that further strengthen the metal frame, allowing the tension applied by the strings to be substantially increased.

* Patent 178,565, Christian F. T. Steinway, dated June 13, 1876, Improvement in Piano-Fortes. This patent deals with an improved nose bolt for connecting the metal frame to the wooden case.

* Patent 204,108, Christian F. T. Steinway, dated May 21, 1878, Improvement in Piano-Fortes. This patent covers use of an additional metal plate that is connected to the iron frame and further strengthens it.

* Patent 230,354, C. F. Theodor Steinway, dated July 20, 1880, Upright Piano-Forte. This patent includes improvements to the iron frame, including use of integrally cast “agraffe-bars”. *

Patent 314,740, C. F. Theodor Steinway, dated March 31, 1885, Piano-Frame. This patent covers the addition of a bell shaped support added to the treble section to better support the iron frame so that lifting of the frame due to the tension of the treble strings is prevented.

* Patent 314,742, C. F. Theodor Steinway, dated March 31, 1885, Piano-Frame. This patent covers use of a modified iron string frame described as follows in the patent “The arched treble and middle webs of the string-frame and the arched bass-web, which is raised to a greater height than the middle and treble web, form a string-frame to which I have given the name of "double cupola frame."