Key construction for keyboard instruments

Claim 2

A key construction for a musical instrument keyboard which includes a key frame with a pivot member for a key and upstanding spacers adapted to receive a key therebetween, comprising in combination, an elongated key arm of uniform material, a key cover member on said arm at one end thereof to form a key of the keyboard, a transverse notch formed in said elongated key arm rearwardly of said key cover member, said key arm being arranged to be inserted between the upstanding spacers with the sides thereof engaging the spacers and with said transverse notch inserted onto the pivot member, and a slot formed in said elongated key arm between the sides of the portion thereof between the spacers and substantially parallel to such sides in the region of said notch to cause said elongated key arm to be more resilient in the region of said notch to eliminate sticking of said elongated key arm between the upstanding spacers.

Claim 3

A key construction for a musical instrument keyboard which includes a key frame with a pivot member for a key and upstanding spacers adapted to receive a key therebetween, comprising in combination, an elongated key arm of uniform material, a key cover member on said arm at one end thereof to form a key of the keyboard, a transverse notch formed in said elongated key arm rearwardly of said key cover member, said key arm being arranged to be inserted between the upstanding spacers with the sides thereof engaging the spacers and with said transverse notch inserted onto the pivot member, and a slot formed in said elongated key arm between the sides of the portion thereof between the spacers and substantially parallel to such sides in the region of said notch to cause said elongated key arm to be more resilient in the region of said notch to eliminate sticking of said elongated key arm between the upstanding spacers.

Claim 4

A key construction for a musical instrument keyboard which includes a key frame with a pivot member for a key and upstanding spacers adapted to receive a key therebetween, comprising in combination, an elongated key arm of uniform material, a key cover member on said arm at one end thereof to form a key of the keyboard, a transverse notch formed in said elongated key arm rearwardly of said key cover member, said key arm being arranged to be inserted between the upstanding spacers with the sides thereof engaging the spacers and with said transverse notch inserted onto the pivot member, and a slot formed in said elongated key arm between the sides of the portion thereof between the spacers and substantially parallel to such sides in the region of said notch to cause said elongated key arm to be more resilient in the region of said notch to eliminate sticking of said elongated key arm between the upstanding spacers.

Claim 5

The key construction of claim 1 wherein said slot is formed in said elongated key arm in a direction perpendicular to said notch and intersects therewith.

Claim 6

The key construction of claim 1 wherein said slot is semicircular in side elevation, with the plane of said slot being perpendicular to said notch and the vertical axis of said notch being substantially in coincidence with the radius of said slot.

Claim 7

The key construction of claim 1 wherein said elongated key arm is formed of wood and said slot passes completely through said elongated key arm causing an opening in the under side of said key arm in the region of said notch, and further including grooves formed in said elongated key arm on each side of said notch and transverse to the longitudinal axis of said elongated key arm to provide terminations for said opening of said slot thereby preventing inadvertent splitting or cracking of the material of said elongated key arm.

Claim 8

A musical instrument keyboard assembly, comprising in combination, a key receiving frame for receiving a plurality of natural and sharp key means, guide means formed along a forward portion of said key receiving frame, pivot-spacer means secured to said key receiving frame at a rearward portion thereof, said pivot-spacer means having longitudinally aligned pivot spacers extending upwardly therefrom and a plurality of spacer portions extending upwardly on opposite sides of said discrete pivot portions, and a plurality of discrete elongated natural and sharp key means positioned on said key receiving frame to form an instrument keyboard, each natural and sharp elongated key means including a key cover member to form either a natural or sharp key of the piano keyboard, and an elongated key arm of uniform material to receive said key meMber at one end thereof, a transverse notch formed in said elongated key arm rearwardly of said key cover member mounted thereon, said transverse notch arranged to be inserted onto said discrete pivot portions of said pivot-spacer means with each side of said elongated key arm engaging one of said spacer portions, and a slot formed in said elongated key arm between said sides and substantially parallel thereto in the region of said notch to cause the portion of said elongated key arm between said spacer portions to be resilient and thereby eliminate tight engagement of said key means between said spacer portions.

Claim 9

A musical instrument keyboard assembly, comprising in combination, a key receiving frame for receiving a plurality of natural and sharp key means, guide means formed along a forward portion of said key receiving frame, pivot-spacer means secured to said key receiving frame at a rearward portion thereof, said pivot-spacer means having longitudinally aligned pivot spacers extending upwardly therefrom and a plurality of spacer portions extending upwardly on opposite sides of said discrete pivot portions, and a plurality of discrete elongated natural and sharp key means positioned on said key receiving frame to form an instrument keyboard, each natural and sharp elongated key means including a key cover member to form either a natural or sharp key of the piano keyboard, and an elongated key arm of uniform material to receive said key meMber at one end thereof, a transverse notch formed in said elongated key arm rearwardly of said key cover member mounted thereon, said transverse notch arranged to be inserted onto said discrete pivot portions of said pivot-spacer means with each side of said elongated key arm engaging one of said spacer portions, and a slot formed in said elongated key arm between said sides and substantially parallel thereto in the region of said notch to cause the portion of said elongated key arm between said spacer portions to be resilient and thereby eliminate tight engagement of said key means between said spacer portions.

Claim 10

The musical instrument keyboard assembly of claim 5 wherein said slot is formed in said elongated key arm in a direction perpendicular to said notch and intersects therewith.

Claim 11

The musical instrument keyboard assembly of claim 5 wherein said slot is semicircular in side elevation with the plane of the slot being perpendicular to said notch and the vertical axis of said notch being substantially in coincidence with a radius of said slot.