Year: 1898

page_text: I, VINCENZ ECKHART, Architect, of 39, Heinrichstrasse, Steiermark, Graz, in
the Empire of Austria, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
―
The acoustic effect of zithers of ordinary construction being more or less im-
perfect, and consequently often complained of by artists and musical connoisseurs,
has already led to a great variety of modification in the form of the instrument
with a view to improving and strengthening the tone, but hitherto none of these
have proved practically successful.
This invention relates to an improved zither, termed a lyre-zither, its con-
struction being somewhat after the form of a lyre, and has for its object to
improve the tone of the instrument by remedying the acoustic defects hitherto
complained of and consists in arranging in the interior of the zither two sets of
strings crossing one another, which, when the ordinary outside zither strings
are played on, sound with them, and thus considerably augment the volume of
sound; and further by increasing the resonancy or acoustic capacity of the
zither, by means of suitable supporting parts and a novel method of fixing the
ends of the upper or outer strings.
The instrument being in the form of a lyre as stated is peculiarly adapted
for the attainment of a favorable refraction of the sound and desirable tone effect
and its being likewise rendered possible thereby to introduce certain special
supporting parts into the interior of the zither.
The lyre-zither is illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
Fig. 1 being a plan view.
Fig. 2 a longitudinal section along the line
Fig. 3 a cross-section along the line y y Fig. 1.
in Fig. 1.
Fig. 4 a horizontal section or view from above of the round or circular part
of the zither, with the cover removed.
The zither is constructed according to the general rules relating to the con-
struction of musical instruments of the best dry pine wood or the like.
A bottom piece furnished with feet or studs in the usual manner is first con-
nected by a frame with a cover furnished with four sound holes, the form and
arrangement of which are shown in Fig. 1. The said cover is strengthened by
longitudinal and cross-stays or bridges IV, V, as also III, X, VI, VII, VIII
and II glued on to the underside thereof, and these stays or bridges are flattened
in those places where they cross each other or rest on the frames Z, and are
connected with the bottom of the zither by means of the sound posts St shown
in Figs. 2, 3 and 4
The upper ends of the finger board strings are fastened in the usual manner
to pegs, and wound thereon and these pegs are inserted in a strong wooden
block IX, which is fixed to the underside of the zither cover. The lower end
of the finger board strings are connected in the usual manner to a tail-piece L,
and beneath the finger board, which is under the last mentioned strings, the
longitudinal stays or bridges IV and V are arranged in such a manner that they
strongly support the zither cover exactly under the finger board, that is to say,
any deflection of the cover at this spot in consequence of the tension of the

page_text: finger board strings is rendered impossible and certain desirable acoustic effects
are produced, further mention of which is made below.
In order that a very special fine "timbre" should be imparted to the tone, the
finger board which usually consists of a single piece of wood, may be made of
two or more pieces of different kinds of wood glued or otherwise joined together.
The accompaniment and bass strings of the lyre-zither are suspended in the
ordinary manner by their upper ends, as specially shown by means of Fig. 1
and 2, in the same manner as the finger board strings, on pegs, for the reception
of which a head piece I, ornamented if desired as shown in Fig. 1, is arranged
on the upper end of the zither or its cover in such a manner that it does not
come against the back of the instrument, but only rests with its two narrower
ends against the frame or is joined thereto by glueing.
The strings referred to are carried from the pegs over a metal truss" N¹ on
a wooden ledge or ridge N, which is supported by the cross stay or bridge III
resting on the sounding posts St.
The lower ends of the accompanying and bass strings are carried over the
ledge or ridge L supported by the cross stay or bridge II already mentioned,
through holes in the zither cover, across the hollow space in the body of the
zither and through suitable holes in the bottom of the zither to a tail-piece 0¹,
to which they are attached in the usual manner.
Of the strings, arranged in two sets, which cross one another in the interior
of the zither, those running in the longitudinal direction of the zither are guided
by the upper ends through a free space O, which is left beneath the head piece I
as described above, and attached to the under side of the zither bottom or back
whilst they are guided on the upper side of the back over a metal truss or
support P, placed in a suitable wooden strengthening rib on the upper part
of the back of the zither. The lower ends of the interior longitudinal strings
referred to are likewise carried over a truss or support Q, which is fastened to
a wooden block R arranged in the interior of the zither bottom or back and
attached to pegs S, which are inserted in the horizontal direction in the bottom-
strengthening block mentioned.
The strings running crosswise of the zither are carried and fastened, or wound
on, in precisely the same manner as the interior longitudinal strings, above
referred to.
The new technical acoustic effect obtained by means of the special arrange-
ments, the construction of which has been described, is brought about as follows:
The carrying of the lower ends of the accompaniment and bass strings through
the body of the zither and the fastening of the same to the string holder O
placed on the outside of the zither bottom results in the blending or uniting
of the resonancy of the zither cover with that of the zither bottom, the two
being thus advantageously increased and strengthened, whilst the arrangement
of the cross stay or bridge underneath the support L on two side sounding posts
contributes materially to increase the volume and clearness of the tone, as thereby
the diffusion of the acoustic vibrations is assisted to an extraordinary extent,
whereas the usual method of supporting the piece L as carried out in the ordinary
construction of zithers, by means of massive wooden blocks, is highly prejudicial
to the propagation of the sound waves.
The complete freeing of the head piece I at the upper end of the zither from
the back of the instrument as described, is likewise of considerable importance
as thereby the fastening of the upper ends of the interior longitudinal strings is
effected as also a special unimpeded expansion of the resonant vibrations of this
head piece I and of the sound waves induced by means of the body of the zither.
The construction of the head piece I and of the supporting piece L as likewise
the parallel arrangement of these parts renders it possible with the co-operation
of the lyre form of the.zither body, to adjust the whole of the accompaniment
and bass strings to the same length, whereby these sets of strings are considerably
simplified and can be easily tuned.

page_text: The entirely separate application of the peg block IX for the finger board
strings, in such a manner that this block is independent of the head piece I for
the accompaniment and bass strings and of the zither bottom, and the arrangement
of two longitudinal stays or bridges IV and V the first of which in turn rests
on the cross-stays or bridges III, X, VI, VII, VIII and II connected with the
zither bottom only by means of sound posts St, and the second on the same
parts excepting II, and with its lower end, on the frame Z, has likewise an
important effect in connection with the unimpeded expansion of the sound.
The arrangement of the two longitudinal stays or bridges IV and V below the
fingering board and in the direction of the longitudinal edges thereof as well
as the crossing and lapping over of these stays or bridges with the cross-stays
or bridges extending to the frames or in other words having their diverted ends
resting thereon but being only connected with the zither bottom by means of
the sound posts St is of considerable importance as compared with similar arrange-
ments, in ordinary zithers, which are never furnished with any second longi-
tudinal cross-stay or bridge corresponding with that here indicated by the letter V.
Although the well-known crossing of the strings in pianos, has served as a model
in connection therewith, the furnishing of the lyre-zither with the two interior
sets of strings, which cross one another and can be tuned from the outside, and
which is also made practicable by means of the suspended arrangement of the
head-piece I, the peg block IX and the whole set of longitudinal and cross-stays
or bridges, is so far distinctive and novel that the idea of crossing the strings
could not hitherto be applied to zithers in consequence of the technical diffi-
culties connected therewith.
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 zither, distinguished by an additional inner set of strings that sound
simultaneously with the outer string and are arranged in the interior of the zither
which is made in the form of a lyre, and are intended to produce greater fulness
and more blending of the tones; by an arrangement of longitudinal and cross-
stays or bridges IV and V and III, X, VI, VII, VIII, II, which cross and overlap
one another and are suspended, that is to say, only connected with the bottom
of the zither by means of sound posts St, by the head piece I arranged separately
and likewise suspended by the peg block IX and the supporting piece L, as
well as by the stringholder 0' fixed to the bottom of the zither and intended
for receiving the accompaniment and bass strings which are carried through
suitable holes in the cover and in the bottom of the zither, which three last
mentioned arrangements are likewise intended to ensure the unimpeded expansion
and diffusion of the resonance, an increased volume of the sound and the
harmonious blending of the zither tones as also the equal length of the accompani-
ment and bass strings and the keeping of the same in tune.
2. In zithers, as mentioned under Claim 1, the construction of the fingering
board by means of several thin pieces or plates of wood of different kinds con-
nected together by glueing or otherwise, for the purpose of increasing the power
of resisting any deflection and ensuring a specially fine timbre" in the tones
of the fingering board strings.
Data 10011. Jf Ontaban 1908
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents,