Reading a Board

[Delwin D Fandrich]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Bill Ballard" <yardbird@vermontel.net>
To: "Pianotech" <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: October 04, 2003 6:17 AM
Subject: Re: Reading a Board


> At 4:59 AM -0400 10/4/03, David Skolnik wrote:
> >Bill-
> >Just curious how you are measuring downbearing, ?
>
> 3-legged dial indicator. I don't know what licensing agreements were
> involved with Tom Lowell's component db gauge (maybe an arrangement
> between him and Baldwin, maybe he's sitting on his own power to
> license), but when they start being made again, I want one.
>
> Bill Ballard RPT


There is no licensing agreement between the two as far as I know. At least
there was none during the late 1980s.

The basic tool was invented by Baldwin to measure and set string bearing
when the vertical hitch pin system was introduced. I don't think Baldwin
patented the device, though they may have. There was none on record in the
Baldwin patent files I had access to at the time. Also at the time doing a
patent search outside the company files was a bit more difficult than it is
now. In any case any patents Baldwin may have had on the bubble gage would
have expired long ago.

I do not know what patents Tom Lowell may have had on his device but
Baldwin's prior art would supercede any overlap.

Del