A NEW MODE OF TUNING AND KEEPING IN TUNE MUSICAL AND STRING INSTRU- MENTS IN GENERAL
Year: 1801

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
TODD, of Liverpool, Organ Builder, send greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King George the Third did, by
His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Fifth day of June, in
the forty-first year of His reign, give and grant unto me, the said Thomas
Todd, and EGERTON SMITH, of Liverpool aforesaid, Stationer, His especial
licence, that we, the said Thomas Todd and Egerton Smith, during the term
of years therein mentioned, should and lawfully might use, exercise, and vend,
within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, our Invention
of "A NEW MODE OF TUNING AND KEEPING IN TUNE MUSICAL AND STRING INSTRU-
MENTS IN GENERAL;" in which said Letters Patent there is contained a proviso
obliging us, the said Thomas Todd and Egerton Smith, or one of us, by an
instrument in writing under our hands and seals, or under the band and seal
of one of us, to cause a particular description of the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be inrolled in His
Majesty's High Court of Chancery within one calendar month after the date
of the said recited Letters Patent, as in. and by the same, relation being
thereunto had, may more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Thomas Todd, do hereby declare that the said Invention is described by the
Drawings hereunto annexed, and. the following explanation thereof, and is.
further described in manuer following, that is to say:-

page_text: The principle of the plan of tuning musical instruments depends upon the
mutual action of a screw combined with a lever or -levers, both of which are
necessary, and that part of the process where the wheel and axle is used is effected
by the intervention of pullies. I shall first describe the separate parts of the
apparatus, then explain the method of applying them to musical instruments.
C
Figure 1 A is a lever, near the small end of which the screw' b passes
through, the use of which is to carry up or down the wire d secured to it.
is the prop or rest attached to the same end of the lever, the points being
immediately under the said screw. This prop may either be formed with two
points to rest on, as Figure 9, or may work upon a sharp edge like that of a
penknife. The distance of the points x, y, Figure 9, vary according to the
distance of the strings from each other. The reason of shaping the levers
occasionally in a wedge-like form, as A, Figure 1, is to supersede the use of a
loose weight, which would be inconvenient. Figure 2: A is a lever nearly
similar to the other, but differs in the prop or fork c, which is moveable upon
x, where it is shouldered and rivetted. The screw 6 passes through this fork
or prop, and by its motion carries up or down the prop c. This prop is shewn
superficially in Figure 10, where x represents the rivet hole, and w the screw
hole, or Figure, 12, where it rests on a needle passing through the part v, w,
near the extremity.x, y. The point of this screw is flattened to prevent its
coming out of the fork. The wire a is passed through a hole in the lever
itself. Figure 3: the lever A has the prop c secured to it, and immoveable,
similar to Figure 1. The screw part 6 is secured, so that it cannot rise, but
acts between the two shoulders x, x. The wire d passes' round one of the
threads of this screw, and is carried up or down by its motion. The lever;
Figure 3, when made of metal, pewter, or other composition, must have brass
or steel. shoulders a, a, to fix the screw between. Figure 4 is a lever intended
generally to be used with one of the above; it is centered at y, and the string
secured to it on the hook w, or about half an inch from y. In a grand piano-
forte, where there are three unison strings to each note, three of these levers
may be hung together in grooves, such as Figure 11, cut in a piece of brass or
other metal, and centered upon fine needles or wire, and secured by a screw
passing through the hole a. Figure 5 represents two combined levers. The
upper one, A, similar, except not being wedge-like, to the lever described
Figure 2, and is connected to the lower wedge-like lever B, by means of a
needle or wire e; f represents the fork or prop of the lower lever similar to
Figure 9. Figure 6 represents a method of connecting three levers, the firs
lever A, similar to the lever A, Figure 5, and connected to the lower lever B
by the spring or wire s passing over the hook w.
This lever B rests upon the
:

page_text: prop y, and, is connected to the lower wedge-like lever C, over a hook at r;
this lower lever C resting upon the prop z. The ends of the levers A and B
may either be plain, or, as represented in this Figure, having the segment.. of
a wheel, q, fixed to them, of which the length of the lever is the radius..
Figure 7: the mode of applying the mechanism to a grand pianoforte or harp-
sichord, is as follows:-We prepare a frame of wood A secured down to the pin
board by the screws c, c. A piece of brass or other metal t, shewn superficially
at Figure 11, is secured to the bottom of the frame"A by the screw l. That
part of the frame to which the brass part t is fixed, projects a little (perhaps
half an inch) below the other part where the two screws c, c, appear, and
must be let in, so that the hook'a, of the upright lever B, may be about the
same height as the top of the bridge E, the upright lever B being, centered in
a groove in the brass piece t and b. This frame extends across the instrument.
on the pin. board nearly parallel to the bridge E, about an inch distant from
it, and has a part d, brass or other metal, secured to it by the screw y; in
which are three grooves x, xx, to admit the props of three levers, one behindi
123
T
the other. The tuning pegs being removed from the pin board to the opposite
side, where the string was formerly looped over pins, the musical string
wrapped round this tuning peg,, brought over the
looped on the hook,a, of the upright lever B.
Figures 1, 2, or 3, is connected by the 'wire f to the
two bridges, as usual, and
Then any of the levers,
upright lever B. I have
chosen in this Drawing the lever, Figure 3, which is here lettered C. 9, 9,
represents the prop which
into the groove x.
When we intend only to
passes
use the lever C along with the upright one B, it must be formed wedge-like,.
as expressed by the dotted lines 1 to 10, as it otherwise would not be heavy
enough. In this case, when the string is hooked on the hook a, of the lever
B, connect this last lever near the top by the wire f to the threads of the
screw of the lever C, and turn the tuning peg till this lever C is raised to a
position nearly horizontal or about right angles with the lever B. When this
is done, try the pitch of the string s.. If it be too flat, turn the screw of the
lever C, by means of the key K, towards you, so that the wire f may descend;
which will sharpen it, and, if too sharp, turn it from you, which will cause the
wire to ascend and flatten the note, always taking care to bring the lever Ċ to
it's horizontal position before you leave it. When one lever is fixed, as above
described, resting the front of the frame a in the groove a, the second lever
is placed behind it in the groove x, and the third behind that in the groove
1
x; then the fourth lever ranges in front again similar to C, in the Drawing.
3

page_text: 3
1
The reason why they are not all in front is because the forks or props are too
wide to admit them as near to each other as the strings are.
This groove
part a, where the levers rest, may either be flat, as in the Drawing. or may
have grooves one above another, as Figure 8, the lever resting on the groove
being the uppermost, that in x the lowest. When I find it convenient to use
two levers along with the upright lever B, we shape the lever C not wedge-
like, as before, but coming to a point as in the Drawing, where, as at i, it is
connected with the third wedge-like lever D by the hook h, this lever resting
in the groove of a piece of brass or other metal e, secured by a screw to the
frame A. The spring in this case is tuned exactly as before, observing that
the two levers C and D must be left parallel with each other. In order to
gain room for the levers in the bass part of the pin board, which, on the pre-
sent construction, could not be applied there, the pin board is brought forward
about six inches at each side, and three inches in center, forming an arch in
front, which arched part comes down nearly to a level with the under side of
the pin board, the front of the instrument below that part being flat, as usual;
the case also, as far as the dampers may be raised about three inches or
more to admit upright levers of a proper length. Should we find it con-
venient to use the lever C or C D, without the upright one B, we shall not
require the frame A, but the brass piece d, where the levers rest in the
grooves x, x, x, must be secured to the pin board itself, where the brass piece
1
3
t. at present is, then the strings, instead of being looped to the lever B at a,
must be secured round the screw of the lever C, when I use either that lever
or the lever Figure 1; but when the lever Figure 2 is applied, the string
must pass through a hole in the end of the lever itself. In tuning upright
grand pianofortes, an additional piece of metal in the form of a square (k, m, n,
may be added. This piece, which is moveable upon a center m, is connected
to the upright string dotted o, through the hole n, and acts like a bell crank.
It is connected to the upright lever B, by a wire passing from the hook a, to
the lower end of the crank or square k, and thus the string o is drawn down
in the direction of the dotted arch o. Square pianofortes may have a frame
similar to the one described, Figure 7, placed across the instrument on the
right hand, where the tuning pegs are at present, and well secured down to
the frame with three screw bolts, one at each end, and one through the pin
bar. This frame may be, perhaps, six inches or more from the end of the
instrument, which may be lengthened a few inches, and raised at that part, so
as to admit upright levers of a suitable length.-N.B. The forks or props,

page_text: steel or brass, Figure 9, 10, 12,. are much too large for the levers, as they are
drawn here, and the Figures are not constructed with any pretensions to exact
scale or dimensions, as the lever B may vary from three to six inches, according
to circumstances, and the levers, Figures 1, 2, and 3, will also vary according
to their required length or weight. Those upright levers I have used have
generally been about four inches, and the wedge-like levers from six to twelve
inches, and of cast metal, either lead, or lead and pewter, or metal such as
types are made of, the upright levers being brass or iron.
The
Figure 13, my process of tuning by wheel, axle, and pulley is as follows:-
a is a musical string looped on the peg 1; it passes over the bridge g and b,
goes round the groove of the pulley c, and repasses the bridges 6 and h, and is
looped on the other peg 2. The string n is fixed in the same way, as may be
seen by the Drawing. Connect a string or wire 5 to the end of the frame of
the pulley c, which string must pass round the pulley d, and be secured to the
pulley e. Then let another string 6 pass from this, round the axle of the
double wheel f, from which may be suspended either two weights 7 or a single
one 8, which weight may either be solid or canisters adjusted by shot.
bridges g, h, i, k, are moveable in grooved plates by screws, by which means
the strings are brought to their proper length. A single wheel and axle may
be used, but we have preferred a double one in the Drawing. Thus, by the
intervention of pulleys, the two strings a and n produce four notes, which are
drawn up by one wheel and axle; and it is evident that eight strings could as
well be tuned on this plan, by the addition of more pullies or almost any
number of strings drawn up by one weight over a wheel and axle; whereas
by every former method a wheel, axle, and separate weight were required for
every string. One continued string of sufficient length may, by this plan, pro-
duce four, eight, or almost any required number of notes, so that all the notes
of an instrument may be thus produced from one string; for, suppose the
string a to extend in one entire piece, in its course from the peg 1, till it.
arrive at the peg 2; there, instead of being secured, let it continue its course
round the dotted pulley 7, and over the bridges i and b, till it arrive at the
peg 4, where it may proceed over the dotted pulley m, and so on, at pleasure.
Let us suppose, for instance, it terminates its course about o, where it passes
round the axle of the pulley p; then it is evident that five notes are produced
by this one string a, and all drawn up by this one weight 7, the moving
bridges adjusting them to their proper lengths; and a bare inspection of the
Figure will demonstrate that any number of notes may thus be produced from
one long string. The reason of dotting part of this Figure is, because the
pullies 7, m, and wheel p (so dotted) do not properly belong to this Figure;

page_text: the pulley d and the wheel and axle ƒ being useless on this plan, as the
wheel, and axle p. and weight q are only required, all the pullies in this
method being fixed down, and having no motion but round. Tho' I have
hitherto rejected the use of loose weights as inconvenient and cumbersome,
yet I mean occasionally to employ them particularly in tuning of instruments
whose strings are made from gut, or similar to violin strings, which are subject
to much greater expansion and contraction than wire. In this case we might
suspend a weight over the arch of the wheel r; of the lever. A, Figure 6; or if
the two lovers A, B,'are used, the weight would then be suspended from the
arch q of the lever B. Tho' I generally chuse to apply. my levers, as..fully
specified above, yet, if required, I may apply my mechanism over the long
bridge, the tuning pegs remaining on the pin board. In order to prevent, the
motion of the levers on removal of the instrument, a piece of wood moving
on hinges may be made to approach:close to the: under side of the levers to
prevent their descending, and the lid of the instrument will prevent their rising.
When the levers are fixed in the instrument, there must be a small needle. or
piece of wire fixed between each lever, or every third lever, to prevent the
levers being displaced on removal of the instrument.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Todd, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, the First day of July, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and one.
Inrolled the same Second day of July, in the year above written..