| 摘要 |
A hammer shank and shank butt for a grand piano with greatly improved rigidity and the collateral benefits of increased efficiency of manufacture and maintenance. Hammer shank comprises a long cylindrical member that is connected at one end to a traditional grand piano hammer and at the other end to a novel shank butt. Shank butt comprises: a hammer shank hole, a knuckle slot, a set of two flange attachment holes, and a void area. A traditional grand piano knuckle is attached to the knuckle slot. The shank butt is connected to the repetition flange of the piano. Thus, hammer shank is not directly connected to these members and thus can remain an integral cylindrical member without holes, notches, or voids, thereby allowing for a lighter, more rigid sub-member yielding hammer assembly with less mass. The invention provides the capability for a piano to be played with less touch weight on the keys and therefore provides a more responsive piano keyboard. The invention also allows for full "retrofitability" of hammer assembly into all existing grand piano brands. Embodiments include a composite shank butt that is a molded article and a composite hammer shank that is an extruded or molded article.
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