Improvements in Zithers and Apparatus in Connection therewith, also Applicable to other Stringed Instruments.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Jan., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 9th Oct., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 16th Nov., 1888
Improvements in Zithers and Apparatus in Connection therewith,
also Applicable to other Stringed Instruments.
I, FRANZ KÜHMAYER of Pressburg, Hungary Manufacturer do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The present invention has for its object the combination of stringed instruments,
particularly zithers, with a mechanism which not only strengthens the sound but also-
and this is the main object-enables a single person to execute trios, quartets etc.
together with the complete accompaniment of chords and basses.
The strings are in this case played by an endless bow consisting of a band or ribbon
(for instance of fine Swedish glove-leather rubbed with finely powdered calophony).
The number of sounds produced simultaneously is not restricted as is the case with
the violin etc., but any desired number of strings may be played simultaneously
and kept sonnding for any desired length of time, any string touched being played
by the bow independently of the player and continuing to sound until the finger is
removed.
Any existing zither may with a slight modification, by which the sound is con-
siderably strengthened, be combined with the mechanism, it being for this purpose
only necessary to provide a second hole in the sounding board. The zither may, as
above stated, be played either by a bow or by twanging with the fingers as usual.
In the accompanying drawings
Fig. 1 is a plan of a zither provided with the above mentioned mechanism.
Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation of the apparatus employed in connection
therewith.
Fig. 3 is a sectional front view shewing also the battery.
Fig. 4 is a sectional side elevation shewing the electro-magnets together with
their armatures and levers in the position when the first string is touched.
a is the hole in the sound board of the zither, a metal bar b being arranged on
the front side for affording the necessary strength for resisting the tension of the
strings.

page_text: This hole is designed not only to receive the mechanism but also to strengthen the
sound.
Beneath the hole a a slide c, carrying the guide pullies d for the endless bow,
arranged upon the table e.
is
Within the bights f of the bow g are arranged the levers / carrying small pulleys i
which press the bow against the strings j to play them.
The levers are actuated by electricity, each of them having connected with it an
armature which, when attracted by its electro magnet 1, causes the bow to be pressed
against the string by means of the pulley i.
The bridges for the separate strings are insulated from each other and all the
frets n upon the finger board v are connected by a wire p with the terminals of the
battery r.
The other terminal s¹ of the battery is connected through the coils of the electro
magnets and the wires with the pins v. Now when a string is pressed down upon
a fret of the finger board, the circuit through the coils of the corresponding electro
magnet is closed, this electro magnet attracts its armature thus causing the lever con-
nected therewith to press the endless bow against the string which has been touched
and thus to play it.
w is the flywheel and a pulley rigidly connected therewith. This pulley imparts
the requisite continuous movement to the endless bow by means of suitable gearing.
The fly wheel is driven by the treadle y actuated by the left foot of the performer.
is the treadle for the right foot, which, when depressed draws down the slide c
so as to bring the endless bow entirely below the strings. The zither may then be
played in the usual way by twanging the strings.
On releasing the treadle the slide e is raised by the spring y, the strings being then
again played by the bow.
Dated this 21st day of January 1888.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in Zithers and Apparatus in Connection therewith,
also Applicable to other Stringed Instruments.
I, FRANZ KÜHMAYER of Pressburg Hungary Manufacturer do hereby declare the
nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The present invention has for its object the combination of stringed instruments
particularly zithers, with a mechanism which not only strengthens the sound but also,
and this is the main object, enables a single person to execute trios, quartets etc.
together with the complete accompaniment of chords and hasses.
The strings are in this case played by an endless bow consisting of a band or ribbon
(for instance of fine Swedish glove-leather rubbed with finely powdered calophony).
The number of sounds produced simultaneously is not restricted as is the case with
the violin etc. but any desired number of strings may be played simultaneously and
kept sounding for any desired length of time, any string touched being played by
the bow independently of the player and continuing to sound until the finger is
removed, from a fret against which this string is pressed.
Any existing zither may, with a slight modification, by which the sound is con-
siderably strengthened, be combined with the mechanism, it being for this purpose
only necessary to provide a second hole in the sounding board.
The zither may, as above stated, be played either by the bow or by twanging with
the fingers as usual.
In the drawings accompanying my Provisional Specification
Fig. 1 is a plan of a zither provided with the above mentioned mechanism.
Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation of the apparatus employed in connection
therewith.
Fig. 3 is a sectional front view shewing also the battery.
Fig. 4 is a sectional side elevation shewing the electro-magnets together with their
armatures and levers in the position when the first string is touched.
a is the hole in the sound board of the zither, a metal bar b being arranged on
the front side for affording the necessary strength for resisting the tension of the
strings.
This hole is designed not only to receive the mechanism but also to strengthen the
sound.
Beneath the hole a a slide e carrying the guide pullies d for the endless bow, is
arranged upon the table e.
Within the bights f of the bow g are arranged the levers / carrying small pullies i
which press the bow against the strings j to play them.
The levers h are actuated by electricity, each of them having connected with it an
armature which when attracted by its electro magnet 1, causes the bow to be pressed
against the string by means of the pulley i.
ૐ

page_text: The bridges for the separate strings are insulated from each other and all the
frets n upon the finger board v are connected by a wire p with the terminals of the
battery r.
The other terminal s¹ of the battery is connected through the coils of the electro-
magnets and the wires u with the pins v. Now, when a string is pressed down upon a
fret of the finger board, the circuit through the coils of the corresponding electro
magnet is closed, this electro magnet attracts its armature thus causing the lever
connected therewith to press the endless bow against the string which has been
touched and thus to play it.
w is the fly wheel and a pulley rigidly connected therewith. This pulley imparts
the requisite continuous movement to the endless bow by means of suitable gearing.
The fly wheel is driven by the treadle y actuated by the left foot of the performer.
is the treadle for the right foot, which, when depressed draws down the slide c so
as to bring the endless bow entirely below the strings. The zither may then be
played in the usual way by twanging the strings.
On releasing the treadle the slide c is raised by the spring q, the strings being then
again played by the bow.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
olaim is :-
1. In combination with the strings of a stringed instrument an endless bow or
continuous band transversely travelling near the strings with guide pullies by which
the bow can be pressed against one or more of the strings causing them to sound as
long as the pressure is maintained, substantially as described.
2. In combination with apparatus such as is referred to in the preceding claim a
battery or other source of electricity with conductors connecting the frets and separate
strings of the instrument with the coils of electro magnets, the armature levers of
which carry the guide pullies above mentioned, so that when any string is pressed on
a fret, the electro-magnet belonging to that string is excited, attracting its armature
and causing the guide pulley which it carries to press the bow against and sound that
string, substantially as described.
3. The construction of stringed instrument with the endless bow, the treadle and
gear for driving it, the battery and conductors and the electro-magnets with their
armature levers and guide pnllies, also the treadle and spring slide whereby the
endless bow and its gear can be drawn out of action, substantially as described with
reference to the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 9th day of October 1888