1821.] New Patents and Mechanical Inventions. 343 
obvious to every one, since it effects 
that continuity of vibration which, 
somewhat like the bow of a violin, 
makes one note glide into another; and 
as this effect is produced without at all 
interfering with the dampers, the bass 
may be played staccato whilst the 
treble is played legato, and vice versa. 
The whole volume of tone called forth 
by the harmonic swell and damper 
pedal combined, is of extraordinary 
richness and power; and in passages 
requiring bold con trust, dramatic ener¬ 
gy? sustained grandeur, will be found 
of singular efficacy. The great im¬ 
provement given by this n§w construc¬ 
tion also to the extra additional kei/s in 
the treble , must be considered very im¬ 
portant, since all the great continental 
composers and performers now employ 
them so frequently in passages of bril¬ 
liant effect; and since they are found 
so highly useful not only for duets by 
two persons on the same instrument, 
but for giving the master an opportunity 
of marking the character of passages 
above, whilst the scholar is practising 
them in the octave below. 
Tlie additional pedal for fixing the 
keys on two strings is found very con¬ 
venient, as it leaves the feet to be em¬ 
ployed on the harmonic swell and 
damper pedal during a delicate strain, 
or for the purpose of accompaniment. 
The simple principle on which the 
improved grand piano forte cases are 
constructed is of such efficacy as to re¬ 
sist an immensely greater force than 
the most extensive compass of string 
can possibly produce. The advantage 
of this, in keeping the instrument in 
tune and counteracting the effects of 
climate , are sufficiently'obvious. 
From the long and deep attention 
bestowed on the structure of piano 
foi tes, and the eminent success with 
m hie*>i every hint for their improvement 
has been pursued, we were not pre¬ 
pared to expect any invention that 
might add to the general powers of the 
instrument, although among the pro¬ 
digious assistance mechanics are able 
to lend to art, we should not have 
doubted that there might be yet some 
particular parts susceptible of a superior 
construction. The object of Mr/Coi.- 
lard’s invention is however general, 
and it imparts not only a new and richer 
degree of tone, but it submits a choice 
oi fresh varieties and degrees to the 
player, which can hardly fail to call 
lorth novel and beautiful effects in per¬ 
formance. 
Freedom of vibration, power, rich¬ 
ness and equality of tone, being the 
great and essential qualities to be de¬ 
sired in piano fortes, the attention of 
t-lie patentee appears to have been di¬ 
rected generally to the discovery of 
some principle by which these requisites 
could be obtained in a higher degree 
than by the plan hitherto employed in 
their construction. The mechanism 
used having been already brought to a 
very high degree of excellence, it seemed 
manifest that if the qualities sought 
after could at all be produced to the 
extent desired, they must either result 
from a new construction of the sound¬ 
board, or from the mode of applying the 
strings, or from both means combined. 
The mechanism of each description 
ol piano fortes now commonly in use 
he leaves nearly in the same state as 
that employed by the most eminent 
manufacturers, so that the performer 
has no new difficulties whatever to en¬ 
counter from the application of Mr. 
CoLLARD’s inventions. 
1 lie cases or frame-work of grand 
piano fortes he constructs on a smiple 
principle, of so great strength as to 
enable them to resist the effects of cli- 
inate, and a far greater power tlian the 
combined pull of the strings produce. 
The improvement, that is the basis on 
which the other is founded, is an addi¬ 
tional bridge on the sound-board, not 
for the purpose of regulating musical 
intervals, but of augmenting the dura¬ 
tion of the vibration, and Consequently 
increasing and beautifying the tone. 
This bridge, which he calls 4 the bridge* 
of reverberation,’ is placed at a regu¬ 
lated distance on the sound-board ; and 
the important advantage resulting from 
it is, fbat tlie motion given to the prin¬ 
cipal part of the string by the impulse 
of the hammer, is kept up by (lie bridge 
of revei beiation, instead of being sud¬ 
denly checked by an attachment to an 
unyielding substance. The prolonged 
vibration produces an extraordinary 
pm ity, power, anu continuity of sound 
somewhat resembling the richness of 
an octave below. 
From this essential improvement the 
patentee’s second invention is derived, 
which is as follows 
On the old plan of passing the strings 
directly from the side of the case to the 
original bridge on the sound-board, it 
became necessary, in order, to prevent 
the jarring noise of those portions of 
the wire which lie between them, not 
only to place some soft substance on 
the 
