Improvements in or connected with Banjos, Guitars, Mandolines, and similar Musical Instruments.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Aug., 1896-Accepted 10th Oct., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Banjos, Guitars, Mandolines,
and similar Musical Instruments.
I, ERNST SIMON, Manufacturer of Musical Instruments, of Markneukirchen, in
the Kingdom of Saxony, 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 more particularly to the means for mounting the strings
and regulating the tension of the same, the object being, to increase the rapidity,
ease and certainty with which such strings can be mounted and removed.
In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the upper end of a
string instrument embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a vertical section of
the same, along line S-S of Fig. 3; Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the same;
while Figs. 4 to 6 are detail views of the regulating device on a larger scale.
The upper ends of the strings are attached to sleeves B mounted on pius or
axles A, which correspond to the ordinary regulating pins. The said sleeves are
adapted to slide on the pins A and to be coupled with the same.
For this purpose each of the said pins A has a pair of feather or other
projections a, a, and each of the sleeves B has a pair of longitudinal slots or
grooves b, b corresponding to the said projections, as shown by Figs. 5 and 6.
The sleeve B has also a flange d provided with holes c for attaching the end of
the string, as indicated by Fig. 4.
If it is desired, to mount a string on one of the pins A, the corresponding
sleeve B is made to slide on the pin longitudinally, until it is out of contact with
the projections a, and capable of turning on the pin, as represented by Fig. 6.
The string, which has been introduced through holes of the sleeve B can
therefore be rapidly wound up by turning the sleeve B with the hand until it has
acquired a certain tautness.
The sleeve B is now again coupled with the pin A, by turning it until the
grooves are in line with the projections a and then drawing the sleeve axially
over the projections a. After this the final tension of the string is produced
by the ordinary worm gear acting on the axle or pin A, as shown by Figs. 1, 3
and 4.
For loosening or detaching the string, the same manipulations are performed in
the reverse order or direction, the string being first somewhat loosened by means
of the worm gear, and then the sleeve B shifted on the axle A, after which the
string may be easily unwound by turning the sleeve B. It will be seen, therefore,
that in instruments provided with the improved string attachment, the strings can
be mounted and detached by a series of simple and rapid manipulations, instead of
the troublesome methods hitherto employed. Moreover, if the end of the string is
passed through a radial perforation of the pin as hitherto, the sharp edge of the
latter may easily cause the string to break, which danger is excluded by the use of
the new mechanism.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what I
claim is:
In guitars, mandolines, banjos and similar musical instruments, the combination
of the pins A and mechanism for turning the same. with loose sleeves B for

page_text: attaching and winding up the strings, the said sleeves being adapted to slide
on the pins A and to be coupled with the same, substantially as described and for
the purpose specified.
Dated this 7th day of August 1896.
FAIRFAX & WETTER,
433, Strand, London, Agents.