An Improved Adjustable Chin-rest for Attachment to Violins and Violas.
Year: 1888

page_text: An Improved Adjustable Chin-rest for Attachment to Violins and
Violas.
ALPHONSE CARY of 47 and 48 Northbrook Street Newbury Berkshire and 87 Oxford
Street, London, W. Musical Instrument Manufacturer 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 my invention has reference to a new and improved adjustable Chin-rest for
attachment to Violins and Violas and is designed with the object of providing violin &
viola players with a chin-rest which can be readily and conveniently adjusted to any
required height or angle.
By this my invention an advantage is gained over those chin-rests at present in
use inasmuch as it can be readily and securely attached to the oldest and most fragile
violin or viola without the slightest danger of injuring it, it is also the only chin-rest
which can be placed exactly over the tail-piece.
My invention may be described as follows:-reference being had to the drawings
hereunto annexed and the figures and letters marked thereon.
Fig.
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my improved chin-rest, shewing the method of
attaching same to the instrument. 2 is a perspective view of an alternative
form of my improved chin-rest. Fig. 3 is a section taken on line ZZ of Fig. 4.
Fig. 4 is a section taken on line XX of Fig. 3.
A represents the chin-rest which is of ordinary construction and consists essentially
of a piece of wood, vulcanite, or other suitable material shaped to conform to the chin
of the player and sometimes lined upon its upper surface with velvet or other soft
material. Suitably countersunk into the edge of the chin-rest is the support B stamped
or otherwise shaped of a piece of flat metal and in which is formed the slot b.
Said support B is suitably attached to the chin-rest A by means of the screw b' as
shewn.
The support B is pivotally attached to the bracket C by means of the stud c which
projects through and is capable of movement in the slot b.
A suitable nut c¹, screwed upon the stud c serves to hold the support B in place,

page_text: which may be readily adjusted to any required height or angle by the unscrewing of
the nut c with a small wire which is inserted into the hole and is provided for the
purpose.
The Bracket C is constructed of a piece of metal suitably bent or moulded to the
form shewn and provided upon its inner surface with a cloth or other suitable lining
which prevents injury to the varnish upon the instrument.
In order to apply the chin-rest to the instrument the strings are slackened and the
bracket C is placed beneath the gut D of the tail-piece E in the manner shewn.
An alternative form of my invention is shewn in Fig. 2 in which the bracket C is
in all respects similar to that shewn in Fig. 1 with the exception of the bosses K which
are formed in one piece with it, and are internally threaded to receive the screws G.
Said screws G are formed with the boss G¹ having the rounded shoulder and the
neck g.
The neck g¹ is formed with the head g which holds it loosely in place within the
hole h of the plate H. A plate J, having the hole j and screws j¹ hold the screws firmly
to the chin-rest A.
By inserting the piece of wire above referred to into the holes g³ of the boss G¹ the
screws G may be revolved and the chin-rest may thus be adjusted to any height or
angle at will.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1st. The novel arrangement and adaption of the bracket as shewn made of metal
and adapted to be attached to the violin or viola in the manner hereinbefore described;
said bracket provided with an inside lining of cloth or other suitable material, and a
stud projecting from the side of the said bracket all substantially as and for the purposes
set forth.
2nd. The support as shewn suitably attached to the chin-rest and said support formed
with a slot and held in place upon the stud aforesaid by any suitable nut all substan-
tially as and for the purposes set forth.
3rd. The bracket as shewn formed with internally screwed bosses; screws made to
fit into said bosses and said screws. movably attached to the chin-rest all substantially
as and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth and illustrated in the drawings.
Dated this Twenty ninth day of March One thousand eight hundred and
eighty-eight.