Improvements in Chin Rests for Violins.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Oct., 1887
Specification Accepted, 9th Dec., 1887
Improvements in Chin Rests for Violins.
We ROBERT MOORE of 8.1. Queens Road Bayswater in the County of Middlesex
Gentleman and CHARLES WILLIAM TOWNLEY of 51 Clarendon Road in the said
county Gentleman 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 :-
This invention relates to chin rests for violins and is designed to afford comfort to
the chin of the musician and to provide an easy and efficient adjustment for the clamps
securing the violin to the rest and whereby we can instantly secure the rest to, and
detach it from the violin. We also seek to provide an actual rest plate that shall
not irritate the skin but rather tend to heal irritation which may exist.
Referring to the accompanying drawing which shews a perspective view of our
chin rest.
A is a foundation which may for the sake of lightness be formed of vulcanite wood
or like material and be covered with or by a facing or layer of zinc B which prevents
chafing of the skin and exerts a beneficial action thereon.
This foundation A is mounted on a plate C.
This plate carries pins D D¹ passing into tubes E E¹ E' united by a yoke or
This plate or
plate F, the tubes and yoke or plate being rigidly joined together.
yoke forms the upper clamp for the tail of the violin and may be lined with leather
or other soft material.
A screw G is journalled in the plate C and works in a female thread in the tube E'
so that by turning same, the foundation or base A B and plate C may advance or
retract from the yoke or plate F.
Through the lower ends of the tubes E E E², pins H H H (shewn in dotted lines)
stide and are joined to the lower clamp clamp I which may be lined with leather or
other soft material.
A spring J is secured to the yoke plate or clamp F and to the clamp or plate I and
tondo to draw I towards F

page_text: To fit the clip to a violin the rest is applied to the tail thereof, the clamp or plate I
pulled down and both slipped over the tail and when the moveable clamp is released,
it springs up and firmly clips the violin against the upper or fixed clamp.
The screw G can then be turned by its milled nut K or otherwise to lengthen or
shorten the rest, or it can be adjusted before fixing to the instrument. The spring or
springs might be placed around or within the tubes E E E² instead of as shewn ; and
the pins H H H might be replaced by tubes sliding outside the tubes E E' E².
The foundation might be readily removeable from the plate Cor the zinc facing be
readily removeable from the foundation, or we may rigidly mount the foundation
plate or rest without adjustment to or from the spring clip.
By our invention it will be seen that great accuracy of fitting a chin rest on a
violin is obtained besides extra celerity in such process.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is
Firstly. The improved chin rest for violins substantially as described and illustrated
in the accompanying drawings.
Secondly. In chin rests for violins, the employment of a spring clip or clamping
device for securing the rest to the violin substantially as described.
Dated this 8th day of October 1887
POPPLEWELL, COLTON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicants.