IMPROVED APPLIANCES FOR CERTAIN STRING MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Daniel Semple, of Airdrie, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, for the Invention of "IMPROVED APPLIANCES FOR CERTAIN
STRING MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS."
Sealed the 13th February 1877, and dated the 23rd September 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Daniel Semple at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd September 1876.
"
DANIEL SEMPLE, of Airdrie, in the County of Lanark, North Britain. IMPROVED
APPLIANCES FOR CERTAIN STRING MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS."
This Invention relates to new arrangements applicable to the finger-board of
certain stringed musical instruments, such as the violin, violincello, bass viol, and
so forth, which I term the "New Suspension Foundation," by which the points are
to be formed in the scale for fingering the notes on the violin. This new sus-
pension foundation may be made of one single piece of common small wire twisted
or forced around small iron pegs fixed at measured distances and in upright position
on a common piece of wood with the design copied upon it from the true finger-
board of the violin, and forming raised or elevated points at measured distances con-
venient from the places marked on the finger-board with small dots, so that the
finger will easily feel by the sense of touch at the same instant when pressing upon
the string as near as possible where to take the notes correctly, though the car must
be the principal guide in concert with the elevated points to help the finger by the
sense of touch where to take the notes correctly; and if found by the performer on
the instrument to be necessary, a small channel or groove may be cut into the
finger-board, but not too deep, only to be a shallow channel for the free action
below the suspension foundation wire to cause or allow it to rise or full when pressed
upon by the finger in taking the notes on the strings.
The suspension foundation wire may be fixed over the nut near the screw pegs of
the strings, and stretched or drawn tight from this base along the whole length of
the finger-board up close to or near the bridge, but not to touch the bridge of the
violin, and fixed to a cross pin from this, being attached on to the tail piece of the
violin with screws or whatever is best suited for tightening the suspension foun-
dation wire.

page_text: The dots across the strings are placed where the notes are to be taken, which
should be proved by a pair of Patent chromatic tuning forks.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Daniel Semple in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 22nd March
1877.
DANIEL SEMPLE, of Airdrie, in the County of Lanark, North Britain. "IMPROVED
APPLIANCES FOR CERTAIN STRING MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS."
This Invention relates to new arrangements applicable to the finger-board of
certain stringed musical instruments (such as the violin, violincello, bass viol, and
so forth), which I term the "New Suspension Foundation," by which the points are
to be formed in the scale for fingering the notes on the violin. This "New Sus-
pension Foundation" may be made of one single piece of common small wire twisted
or forced around small iron pegs fixed at measured distances and in upright position,
first formed on a common piece of wood with the design copied upon it from the
true finger-board of the violin, and forming raised or elevated points at measured
distances convenient from the places marked on the finger-board with small dots, so
that the finger will easily feel by the sense of touch at the same instant as when
pressing upon the string as near as possible where to take the notes correctly (though
indeed the ear must be the principal guide in concert with the elevated points to
help the finger by the sense of touch where to take the notes correctly); and if
found by the performer on the instrument to be necessary, a small channel or
groove may be cut into the finger-board, but not too deep, and so as only to be a
shallow channel for the free action below the suspension foundation wire to cause or
allow it to rise or fall when pressed upon by the finger in taking the notes on the
strings.
The suspension foundation wire may be fixed over the nut near the screw pegs
of the strings, and stretched or drawn tight from this base along the whole length
of the finger-board up close to or near the bridge (but not to touch the bridge of the
violin), and fixed to a cross pin froin this end should be also attached on to the tail
piece of the violin with screws or whatever is best suited for tightening the suspen-
sion foundation wire.
The dots across the strings are placed where the notes are to be taken, which
should be proved by a pair of Patent chromatic tuning forks.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and incidentally inti-
mated in what manner the same is to be performed, I will now proceed (aided by
the accompanying Drawings) to further and particularly describe and ascertain in
what manner the same is to be performed or carried out in practice, that is to
Bay:-
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 shews by plan (by thick lines) the four strings on the finger-board of a
violin, and also (by the fine lines) the place on the finger-board for the suspension
foundation. 1, 2, 3, 4, are the four strings on the finger-board of an ordinary violin.
11, 21, 31, is the new suspension foundation. The small dots in the Figure (1) across
the strings shew raised or elevated points marking the measured distances where
the finger will feel by the sense of touch at the same instant as pressing on the
strings where the notes required are given, said points being proved by a pair of
chromatic tuning forks.
Fig. 2 shews a line ropresenting the suspension foundation wire with elevated
points formed upon a plain single piece of wire drawn or twisted around iron pegs,
which are fixed into a common piece of wood which serves to represent the true
finger-board of the violin.

page_text: Fig. 3 represents a model of the finger-board or common piece of wood with
the arrangements copied from the true finger-board of the violin. The small pegs a
are fixed at measured distances into the surface of the said piece of wood b, and
around such pegs the whole length of suspension wire is drawn or twisted to form
each point in succession on the same length or piece of wire. The suspension foun-
dation by which the points are to be formed admits of such a variety of material,
and its manner of being made, even from a piece of common sewing thread knotted
at the proper distances to the more refined piece of metal with a thread or screw
along its whole length, with little metal screw nuts to form two points, and which
would prove to the greatest nicety the proper distances and places for the points in
fingering the notes on the strings of the finger-board.
The small single picce of wire used for the suspension foundation would require
after being finished to be soldered together to prevent it from getting out of its
proper form when strained or tightened, and the suspension foundation will have to
be secured or fixed in position to the finger-board of the instrument.
A small channel or groove cut into the finger-board below the suspension foun-
dation may if found necessary be used.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature and object of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed or carried out in
practice, I hereby declare that I claim the Invention of "Improved Appliances for
Certain String Musical Instruments," substantially as the same is herein-before set
forth and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Daniel Semple, have hereunto set my hand and
soal, this Twentieth day of March, in the year of our Lord One thousand
night hundred and seventy-seven
Witness,
JAMES WYNNES,
Governor, New Monkland Poorhouse,
Airdrie,
N. B.
DANIEL SEMPLE. (L.S.)