Improvements in Musical Instruments.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Oct., 1899-Accepted, 24th Feb., 1900
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Musical Instruments.
I, EDWARD GABLE, of 2522 E. North Avenue, in the City of Baltimore, Stato
of Maryland, United States of America, 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 musical instruments having sounding boards or other
resonant parts and the object is to improve the tone and power of such instru-
ments by amplifying and sweetening the sounds produced by the vibration of
the strings, reeds, etc.
I have discovered, after extended experiments, that by thoroughly coating
either or both surfaces, external and internal, of certain parts of a musical
instrument with an alkaline silicate such as silicate of soda or silicate of potash,
in such manner that the said silicate will penetrate and fully permeate the part or
parts to which it is applied, the sonorousness of the instrument is increased and
the power and sweetness of tone is greatly improved; so much so, in fact, that
a musical instrument, such, for instance, as a violin of ordinary construction,
when treated in accord with my invention is greatly improved in timbre, strength
of sound and sweetness of tone, to an extent never before produced by any
method known to me.
In the practice of my invention, I apply to one or both sides, external or
internal, of each piece of material used to increase the sound of a musical
instrument, one or more coats of silicate of soda or potash, or other suitable
silicate that will penetrate the resonant part to which the silicate is applied.
I preferably employ the commercial silicate of soda. If the part to be coated
with silicate should require coloring, the necessary stain is applied to that
part before the silicate is put on. It is preferable to apply the silicate thickly,
that is to say, in several coats one on another. The silicate of soda or potash or
other suitable silicate will thoroughly permeate the parts to which it is applied
and also imparts a smooth surface. I have found that a suitably thick coating
of silicate applied to resonant parts of a musical instrument and thoroughly
permeating the same possesses the valuable property of greatly increasing the
sonorousness of the instrument, imparting added volume and power and largely
improving all the desirable qualities of tone and sweetness. It is preferable to
apply the silicate coating to the interior of an instrument, such as a violin, and
the coating should be applied somewhat thickly to produce the best results.
The silicate coating may be rubbed down until a smooth polished surface is
obtained. If desired, the silicate coating may be burnished over or rubbed
with oil, and this can be allowed to remain several days, in order to render
the coating of silicate more elastic. The silicate coating is to be applied to
any desired parts or to the whole of a musical instrument, according to its con-
struction and character, the application being made wherever it is desirable to
increase the resonance and improve the tone by securing a thorough penetration
of the silicate into an appropriate part or parts of the instrument. I would
have it understood that the silicate is preferably applied to the interior of a

page_text: musical instrument as the improved tone and power will be thereby more per-
fectly developed.
In applying the invention to reed instruments I apply the silicate both
externally and internally to the surfaces of the pipes or reeds (when the material
of same is of wood). This will effectually close the pores of the wood as the
silicate will permeate the wood thoroughly and render it impervious to the
influence of changes of temperature and also render it more compact firm and
sound, thereby improving and strengthening the tone.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:
1. A musical instrument having a resonant part or parts containing a coating
of a silicate, whereby to improve the tone and power of said instrument, sub-
stantially as described.
2. A musical instrument having a resonant part or parts, the material of
which is thoroughly permeated with a silicate whereby to improve the tone and
power of said instrument, substantially as described.
3. A musical instrument having a resonant part or parts, the material of
which on the interior is thoroughly permeated with a silicate whereby to
improve the tone and power of said instrument, substantially as described.
4. A musical instrument having a resonant part or parts, the material of which
on the interior is coated with a silicate whereby to improve the tone and power
of said instrument, substantially as described.
Datad this 24th day of October 1899