A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Stringplate
STRINGPLATE (Fr. Sommier en fer; Ital. Cordiera; Germ. Anhängeplatte, Metallner Saitenhalter). The iron plate on the hitchpin block of pianofortes to which the further ends of the strings are now attached. It forms with the tension bars the metal framing of the instrument; the wooden framing being a bracing more or less complete of wooden beams, in connection with the wrestplank, which is also of wood, and sometimes covered with metal. [See Wrestplank.] The service of the stringplate is one of weight; it bears an important share in resisting the continual draught of the strings. It was invented, rather with the idea of compensation than resistance, by William Allen, a tuner in Stodart's employ, and was patented by James Thorn and Allen in January 1820. A rigid stringplate was introduced by James and Thomas Broadwood in the following year; it was the invention of one of their workmen, Samuel Herve. The single casting for stringplate and general resistance was the idea of Alpheus Babcock, of Boston, U.S. 1825; and was meritoriously improved and rendered practicable by Conrad Meyer of Philadelphia, U.S. in 1833. The important systems of construction that have arisen from the use of iron in stringplates and bars are described under Pianoforte.
[ A. J. H. ]