IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to the Reverend George Jacque, of Auchterarder, in the
County of Perth, North Britain, Clerk, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS."
Sealed the 30th December 1856, and dated the 17th July 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Jacque. at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 17th
July 1856.
I, the Reverend GEORGE JACQUE, of Auchterarder, in the County of Perth,
North Britain, Clerk, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS," to be
as follows:-
This Invention relates to certain arrangements whereby musical instruments
with strings can be improved in tone, and their effect when played increased.
When such musical instruments consist of a hollow box, as in the case of the
violin and guitar, I place in the interior of such hollow box a series of strings,
either of wire or other suitable material, mounted upon a separate moveable
box or case, and arranged so that such strings can be tuned by means of nuts
in the ordinary way. Such separate box or case may be inserted through a.
suitable opening, to be afterwards closed in the end or side of the instrument,
and may be retained in its place by means of grooves, catches, or other suitable
means. The interior box or case may carry from one to twelve strings, or

page_text: even more, which ought to be tuned in unison with the instrument to be
played. One string will produce a certain amount of effect, but the best
effect will, in my opinion, only be obtained when the strings of the interior
case embrace a chromatic octave.
The object of this improvement is to obtain a resonance from the interior
strings, by means of sympathy with the strings of the instrument as they are
struck or touched.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Jacque in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 17th
January 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, the
Reverend GEORGE JACQUE, of Auchterarder, in the County of Perth, North
Britain, Clerk, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victòria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the twentieth year of Her reign, did;
for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said George
Jacque, Her special license that I, the said George Jacque, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said George Jacque, my
executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within
the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and
Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF STRINGED
MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said.
George Jacque, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should.
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in
what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed.
in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Jacque, 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
in writing, reference being had to the accompanying Drawing, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
My said Invention relates to certain arrangements whereby musical instru

page_text: ments with strings can be improved in tone, and their effect when played upon
increased. When such musical instruments consist of a hollow box, as in the
case of the violin and guitar, I place in the interior of such hollow box a
series of strings, either of wire or other suitable material, mounted upon a
separate moveable box or case, and arranged so that such strings can be
tuned by means of pegs and nuts in the ordinary way. Such separate box or
case may be inserted through a suitable opening, to be afterwards closed in
the end or side of the instrument, and may be retained in its place by means
of grooves, catches, screw posts, or other suitable means. The interior box
or case may carry from one to twenty double strings, or even more, which
ought to be tuned in unison with the instrument to be played. One string
will produce a certain amount of effect, but the best effect will, in my opinion,
be obtained when the strings of the interior case embrace a polychord
chromatic octave.
The object of this improvement is to obtain a resonance from the interior
strings, by means of sympathy with the strings of the instrument as they are
struck or touched.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood, I have
hereunto appended, and shall now proceed to describe, a Sheet of explanatory
Drawings, illustrative of the general mode of carrying out my said Invention
in practice.
Figure 1, on my Sheet of Drawings, is a longitudinal section or sectional
elevation of an ordinary violin, to which my arrangement of secondary or
sympathetic strings is applied. Figure 2 is a horizontal section or sectional
plan of a violin corresponding, showing the whole of the internal sympathetic
string arrangement. Figure 3 is a longitudinal side or edge sectional elevation
of the sympathetic string arrangement detached and entirely free from the
violin; and Figure 4 is an end sectional elevation of this part, corresponding.
The main box or sounding chamber A of the violin is constructed in the
ordinary manner in every respect, and it is strung with strings B, as is usual
in such instruments. It is this box or chamber which serves for the reception
of the secondary or sympathetic string apparatus C, consisting of a long narrow
rectangular sounding box or hollow frame. This hollow frame is composed
of a central longitudinal rib or stay D, supporting the upper and lower thin
sounding boards E, over which are stretched the upper set of sympathetic
wires or strings F, and the lower set of similar strings G. The end blocks
H and I afford the means for this distension, which is effected by the turning
or setting pins or screws J in the end blocks H. The opposite end block I'
carries a set of fixed abutment pins K, round or over each of which each

page_text: double string or wire is looped. The two ends of each double string are passed
together over the individual stop pins L in the end block H, and are then
finally attached to the turning pins J. In this way one turning pin turns
two strings, the operation being facilitated by sliding nuts moving along the
inclined stop slip M at one end, and the row of stop pins L at the other. In
addition to these details, the sympathetic string frame has two side or edge
sounding chambers, formed by the longitudinal pieces of wood N, which again
have side or edge pieces to carry sounding boards O, for the two sets of side
strings P, Q. These two sets of side strings are attached, and tuned in a
manner precisely similar to that of the upper and lower sets. In the present
instance the upper and lower sets of strings each consist of nine double strings,
whilst the two side sets each consist of four double strings, the whole being
tuned in unison with the playing strings of the instrument; and it is preferred
that the series should embrace a full and accurate polychord chromatic octave.
On the upper side of this string frame there is placed a platform piece R,
extending across its whole width, and carrying a vertical stay. pin S, for bearing
against the interior of the upper sounding board or belly of the violin, whilst a
similar platform T is set upon the lower side of the frame to carry a hinged stay
pin U. Thus fitted, the entire sympathetic string arrangement is placed in the
interior of the violin box or case, being, entered therein by an end door hinged
at V to the violin case. Previous to the insertion of the string frame case,
the hinged stay pin U is turned or folded down upon its platform, to facilitate
the admission of the frame, and when put in, the stay pin is turned to the
position shown in the Drawing, so that its free end bears tightly against
the interior of the lower sounding board or back of the instrument, thus
detaching, tightening, and steadying the whole, and confining the direct
contact of the sounding frame with the main case to these two points, and
the place of attachment at the entrance door. The connection at the entrance
end is formed by the two upper stay pins W, carried; upon the end block H
of the sounding frame, the upper ends of these pins being set up against the
interior of the upper sounding board of the main case, and the two adjustable
screw pins X passed through the ead block II, and screwed down with their
lower ends hard against the interior of the lower sounding board, thus securing
tightness and isolation, which are essential to the full effect. In this way the
sympathetic string frame is made to form, part of the violin, allowing the
full effect of the sympathetic influence of the secondary strings to be given
out in answer to the tones. of the primary playing strings. In the example
of the arrangement here selected the sympathetic string frame is disposed
diagonally in the interior of the main case in...order to secure as much

page_text: room longitudinally as is possible, but it is obvious that it may be disposed in
a straight line from end to end if desired. The secondary or sympathetic
strings may be tuned and applied in a variety of ways, and they may even be
attached directly to the main case; but I prefer to adopt the special plan
which I have herein represented. It will be obvious to the practical musician
that this system of secondary and sympathetic strings is applicable to a very
great variety of musical instruments, such, for example, as the harp, guitar,
viola, violoncello; piano, and other instruments, and that with due regard to
the mechanical arrangement and tuning of the sympathetic strings in concert
with the main or primary playing strings, a vast increase in the volume and
resonance of the musical tones can by this means be satisfactorily obtained.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect, I may observe, in conclusion, that I do not confine or restrict myself to
the precise details or arrangements which I have had occasion to describe or
refer to, as many variations may be made therefrom without deviating from
the principles or main features of my Invention; but what I consider to
be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by
the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is, the application and use in
stringed musical instruments of secondary or sympathetic resonant strings for
increasing the effect and volume of the tones, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Jacque, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twelfth day of January, One thousand eight hundred and
fifty-seven.
GEORGE JACQUE. (L.S.)