IN VIOLINS VIOLONCELLOS AND OTHER STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
I FREDERIC HUDSON of Hanover Lodge New Park Road Brixton Hill in the
County of Surrey Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of my invention for
IN VIOLINS VIOLONCELLOS AND OTHER STRINGED MUSICAL
INSTRUMENTS to be as follows :-
IMPROVEMENTS
An improved tone and increased power is obtained from a metallic vibrator or
metallic vibrators which are inserted in the interior of the musical instrument.
These vibrators consist of a coil or coils of metallic wire of any shape or thick-
ness and are attached to the sounding post or any other part of the interior of the
instrument.
2

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I FREDERICK HUDSON of Hanover Lodge New Park Road Brixton Hill in the
County of Surrey Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of my invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN- VIOLINS VIOLONCELLOS AND OTHER STRINGED MUSICAL
INSTRUMENTS and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:—
The improved tone and increased power which my invention is intended to
effect is obtained from a Metallic Vibrator or Metallic Vibrators which are inserted
in the Musical Instrument.
These Vibrators consist of a coil or coils of Metallic Wire, and, if intended for
Violin, Violoncello, Double Bass or other musical instruments constructed upon
similar principles thereto, are attached to the sounding Post or to any other
convenient part of the instrument.
The Vibrators may be of any size shape or thickness, but, without restricting my
right to the use of any shape of Vibrator, I prefer to adopt the coil shape in which
main springs of Clocks or Watches are usually manufactured.
I do not confine myself to any kind of metal in the construction of my Vibrators
although at present I have manufactured them of nickel plated steel wire.
If intended to be applied to a Pianoforte one or several of such Vibrators can be
used according to the increased tone or power required.
The Vibrators when intended to be applied to the Pianoforte may be affixed to a
small upright sounding Post or sounding Posts which sounding Post or sounding
Posts are glued or otherwise fixed to the top or bottom of the sounding Board of
the instrument, or to the bridge or bridges over which the strings or wires pass, or
to some other convenient part of the instrument.
When it is desired to apply a combination of several Vibrators to the Pianoforte
this can best be done by soldering them to a Metallic Plate to be screwed or
otherwise fastened to the framework of the instrument and resting on a sounding
Post or sounding Posts affixed, as above stated, to the Sounding Board of the
instrument.
The Vibrators when applied to a Harp are attached to the Sounding Board
immediately under the strings.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood I proceed to explain it
more particularly with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Figure 1 is a plan of a wire coil vibrator.
Figure 2 is a cross section of a violin near the sounding post showing two
methods of placing a vibrator in this instrument.
Firstly, by fixing to and encircling the sounding post B by the vibrator A which
is similar in form to figure 1.
Secondly, by fixing a vibrator C to the bass bar D. E. E. are the F holes of the
violin.
Figure 8 is a method of placing a group of vibrators in a pianoforte.
A. is the plan of a metallic plate. having soldered to it three vibrators B. B. B,
this plate is attached to a part of the interior frame of the piana by the clamp D
1

page_text: of which E is a view in elevation, the other end of the plate is supported by a
post C which is made to adjust so as to rest upon the sounding board of pianoforte
by means of this post the vibrations of sounding board are communicated to the
plate and vibrators.
Figure 4 is a method of supporting the vibrators singly. A is a vibrator
supported upon a wooden pedestal B which is glued to the sounding board of
pianoforte C.
The last two methods I also use when applying the vibrators to the harp.
Having thus described the nature of my invention and in what manner the
same may be carried out I declare that what I claim as my invention and desire to
secure by Letters Patent, is
First, Metallic wire vibrators for increasing the tone and power of stringeḍ
musical instruments.
Second, The forming and tuning of such vibrators in accordance with the
qualities or strength of tone of the instruments to which they are attached.
Third, The methods of attaching theso vibrators to the instruments as shown
and described by reference to Figures 1. 2. 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawing.
Re-dated, amended, and re-signed this 30th day of March 1885.