Improvements in the Production of Musical Sounds and in Means and Appliances therefor.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Mar., 1891-Accepted, 25th Apr.. 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Production of Musical Sounds and in Means
and Appliances therefor.
I, JULIUS HEINRICH ZIMMERMANN, of No. 26, Querstrasse, Leipzig, in the
Empire of Germany, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
The object of my invention is the production of musical sounds in stringed
instruments, by means of vibrating, non-sounding, free reeds, the tongues of which
are caused to vibrate and strike the strings of the instrument, as required.
And in order that my said invention may be particularly described and
ascertained, reference is hereby made to the accompanying drawings, in which
similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation; showing one method of carrying out my invention;
and
Fig. 2 is an elevation of the same, at right angles to Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of another method of carrying out my invention,
and
Fig. 4 is a section at right angles to Fig. 3.
Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, a is the reed, consisting of a pipe closed at one end,
and having a slot e formed therein. b is a light spring tongue formed of metal, or
other suitable elastic material. The tongue is riveted to the reed at c.
d is one
of the strings of the instrument. The tongue b is formed so as to vibrate in unison
with the tone of the wire: the number of vibrations in a given time being alike.
The action is as follows:-On a current of air being drawn or driven in the
direction of the arrows, the tongue 6 vibrates at the necessary speed. The free end
of the tongue strikes the wire or string d, and thereby causes the same to vibrate
and emit the note to which it is tuned; the sound continuing as long as the current
of air causes the tongue to vibrate.
Referring to Figs. 3 and 4, it will be seen that the reed a¹ is enclosed in an outer
case or wind chest f. The string d passes freely through holes g g. The current
of air is driven, at the requisite pressure, in the direction of the arrows, whereby
the tongue and string d are caused to vibrate, as above described.
It is obvious that the tongues may be mounted in various ways, such as in or on
wind chests of musical instruments, in a manner well understood; and that the
vibrations of the tongues may be caused by either wind pressure or a partial
vacuum; the strings being suitably placed for being struck by the tongues, when a
state of vibration, as above described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
:-
1. The improved method of causing the strings of stringed musical instruments
to vibrate, and thereby emit musical sounds, by means of vibrating tongues,
mounted as, or in an analogous manner to, what are known as "free reeds,'
substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by the drawings.
2. The general construction, combination, and arrangement of the several and
respective parts, together forming my invention of Improvements in the production

page_text: of musical sounds, and in means and appliances therefor, substantially as herein-
before described and illustrated by the drawings.
Dated 5th March 1801
GEO.
DOWNING,
8, Quality Court, London, W.C., Agent for Applicant.