CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN PRODUCING HARMONIC SOUNDS ON THE HARP
Year: 1836

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
CORBETT, of Richmond Place, Limerick, Ireland; Professor of Music; send:
greeting.
WHEREAS His present most Excellent Majesty King William the Fourth,
by His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date
at Westminster, the Third day of December, in the seventh year of His
reign, did, for Himself, His heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said James Corbett, His especial licence, full power, sole privilege and
authority, that I, the said James Corbett, my exors, admors, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said James Corbett, my exors, admors, or assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all
times during the term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of
Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN PRODUCING
HARMONIC SOUNDS ON THE HARP;" in which said Letters Patent is contained
a proviso that I, the said James Corbett, shall cause a particular description
of the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be inrolled in His said Majesty's High Court of Chancery
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being there-
unto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said James
Corbett, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and the manner
in which the same is to be performed, are fully described and ascertained in
and by the following statement thereof, reference being had to the Draw-

page_text: ing hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked thereon, that is
to say :-
My Invention consists in the application of an apparatus such as is here-
after described to harps, whereby harmonic sounds may be produced on any
selected number of the strings in the act of playing.
..
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 represents a harp having my improvements applied thereto, whereby
the player will have the power of producing harmonic sounds on any or the
whole of the strings of the harp. Figure 2 shews the apparatus full size, but
only applicable to produce harmonic sounds on a portion of the strings of a
harp; for it should be understood that the apparatus may be made capable
of extending to all or any desired number of the strings; but whatever the
arrangement, so far as regards the number of strings over which the apparatus
ranges, the parts are so combined in respect to each other, that the player may
set the parts to operate only on determined strings within the range of the
apparatus. Figure 3 shews a plan of part of the apparatus, full size; the
other Figures show the various details of parts of which the apparatus is
composed; and also the parts in combination shown in different positions;
all which will readily be understood from an examination of the Drawing.
In each of the various Figures the same letters indicate similar parts, a being
the pillar of the harp to which one end of the apparatus is applied by a strap
and band, or other suitable means; b is a bar or rod, which is so bent that the
parts of the apparatus which it carries may range opposite the strings, and
when pressed inwards by the performer will come against the middle of those
strings which the apparatus has been previously arranged to select; c, c, are
short rods, which combine the bar or rod 6 with the rod or bar d, as is clearly
shewn in the Drawing; hence the bars and rods b, c, d, constitute a light yet
strong frame, which, as before stated, is so bent that when moved inwards on
its axis will come in contact with the selected strings at the middle of their
length. e is a set screw to one end of the frame b, c, d, by which the frame
is connected to the arm or lever f, that arm or lever moving on a fulcrum at
9, as is clearly shown in the various Figures and parts of the Drawing; h is a
spring, which has constantly a tendency to force the arm or lever f, and the
frame b, c, d, away from the strings of the harp; i is an arm affixed to the
upper part of the harp, yet capable of adjustment by the set screw j, and k is a
lever moving on a fulcrum at l, on the end of the arm i, as is clearly shown;
but when the apparatus, as in Figure 1, extends over the whole of the strings
only the lever k is employed. To the lever k is affixed the frame b, c, d, by

page_text: the set screw m; hence it will be evident that the performer may, during the
act of playing, press the bars or frame b, c, d, in towards the strings. On the
bar or rod c are applied the projecting moveable apparatus n, n, n, one to
each string, over which the frame b, c, d, ranges, the outer ends of the parts of
which (when pressed inwards come in contact with the strings) are covered
with soft leather, or cloth, or other suitable material, as is clearly shown.
The parts or apparatus n consist of the plate n which have each a slit formed
at one end thereof, by which it can be slided and accurately set on the bar c
to come against the strings equally, without pressing unequally on the different
strings; n' is a block of wood or other suitable material which has a semi-
circular groove formed on one side, which partly embraces the bar or rod c, and
has a set screw affixed thereto, which passing through the slit formed in the
plate n, the plate n and the block n' are caused by a screw nut, of leather
or other suitable material, to bind on the rod or bar c with sufficient tenacity
to allow each of the instruments n to be placed in and retain at any position to
which it may be set.
From the foregoing description, aided by the Drawings, a workman will
readily construct the apparatus, and it will only be desirable further to remark,
that the performer before commencing to play any piece of music will arrange
the apparatus n in such manner that particular ones will come against their
respective strings when the frame b, c, d, is pressed inwards; and the other
apparatus n which are opposite the strings which are not required to have
harmonic sounds produced therefrom, are to be turned upwards, so that when
the performer presses the frame b, c, d, in towards the strings, those apparatus
n which are turned up will miss their strings, and there being an apparatus
opposite each string over which the frame b, c, d, ranges, any selected and
determined number of those strings may be acted on to produce harmonic
sounds, whilst others are not so acted on. The performer in the act of playing
at the time at which it is desired to bring the apparatus n into operation, will
press the frame b, c, d, with the left wrist or fingers, when the right hand is
only used in play; or the apparatus may be put in action by the foot acting
on a suitable pedal, as is well understood to musical instrument makers.
Having thus described the nature of my improvements, and the manner of
carrying the same into effect, I would remark that I do not claim any of the
parts separately, nor do I confine myself to the precise arrangement, provided
the principle of my Invention, that of having the capability of producing
harmonic sounds from any selected number of strings in the act of playing be
retained; and I do therefore claim the mode of combining the parts n, one
oposite each string, and the parts and apparatus combined therewith, in such

page_text: manner that any number of strings may be selected according to the nature of
the piece of music to be played as above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Corbett, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Second day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and thirty-seven.