Re Bell Pianos

[Kenneth Sloane]

                      Subject:                              Time:  4:31 PM
  OFFICE MEMO         Re Bell Pianos                        Date:  1/8/96

-------------Original Post----------------

The Illimitable Repeating Action (spring to help jack back under butt) and the
Lost Motion Compensator were
_excellent_ innovations IMO. While the Fandrich makes a good attempt at the
former neither should really be all that expensive to design into new
verticals, especially with the competition from electronics we're seeing
these days. The patents must have run out long ago on both designs but they
should still be registered.

Did any other manufacturers use these inventions? Is anyone (other than
Canadian techs) familiar with them?

Have a good day, everyone, and thanks for your patience with yet another
long message from me!

------------REPLY-------------

A long time ago I serviced a Mason and Hamlin upright with "repetition"
springs that (theoretically) helped the jack return quickly and positively
under the butt. For the life of me, I can't remember exactly how the
arrangement worked, but I sort of remember a brass spring attached to the back
of the jack that helped push the hammer assembly toward the string when the
key was released. I believe the spring pushed against a leather bearing
attached to the catcher shank on the butt.

This piano probably had a loss motion compensator on the action, also. Mason &
Hamlin actions were made (at least the ones that I remember) by Wessel,
Nickel, & Gross, and the loss motion compensator was relatively common on the
better pianos into which the WN&G actions were installed. Maybe your Bell
pianos have WN&G actions?

Ken Sloane, Oberlin Conservatory