improvements in Mutes for Stringed Musical Instruments.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Dec., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Sept., 1894-Accepted, 27th Oct., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
improvements in Mutes for Stringed Musical Instruments.
I. JOSEF BLAILA of Belmont 21 Thicket Road, Anerley, in the County of
Surrey, Professor of Music do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
:-
My improvements in mutes. for stringed musical instruments consist in a tube
loosely fitting the neck of the screw of a violin, tenor, or cello, bow-which tube is
slotted at the bottom and preferably wedge shaped in order better to adapt it for
fitting the bridge of the instrument.
On the upper part of the tube slots are cut in which a pin at the side of the
nut of the screw falls into.
At the bottom of the slots a further slot is cut at right angles so that when the
bow is turned the pin fits in any one of them and fixes the tube of mute enabling
the violinist or musician to remove the said mute from the instrument, the mute
remaining on the nut of the bow ready to be replaced on the bridge of the
instrument whenever required in a moment. To hold the mute securely on the
nut of the bow springs may be fixed which guide the nut of the screw into
the tube as well.
According to a modification, the pin on the nut may be dispensed with and a
spring tube with bevelled or turned in end may have turned in edge sprung into a
groove in the nut and the projections are formed on the spring tube, which
projections take into the slots that hold the mute on this tube.
Dated the 23rd day of December 1893.
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Mutes for Stringed Musical Instruments.
I JOSEF BLAHA of Grafton Villa, 35 Palace Square, Upper Norwood, late of
Belmont 21 Thicket Road, Anerley, both in the County of Surrey, Professor of
Music 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 :—
My improvements in mutes for stringed musical instruments consist in a tube
loosely fitting the neck of the screw of a violin tenor or cello bow which tube
is slotted at the bottom and preferably wedge shaped in order better to adapt
it for fitting the bridge of the instrument.
On the upper part of the tube slots are cut in which a pin at the side of the
nut of the screw falls into.
.
At the bottom of the slots a further slot is cut at right angles so that when the
bow is turned the pin fits in any one of them and fixes the tube of mute
enabling the violinist or musician to remove the said mute from the instrument,
the mute remaining on the nut of the bow ready to be replaced on the bridge
of the instrument whenever required in a moment.
To hold the mute securely on the nut of the bow springs may be fixed which
guide the nut of the screw into the tube as well.

page_text: According to a modification, the pin on the nut may be dispensed with and a
spring tube with bevelled or turned in end may have turned in edge sprung into a
groove in the nut and the projections are formed on the spring tube, which
projections take into the slots that hold the mute on this tube.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
"
Fig. 1 shews a side view of one of the "mutes on the end of a violin bow nut.
Fig. 2 a side view, Fig. 3 a section and Fig. 4 an underside view of the "mute
drawn to an enlarged scale.
"
Fig. shews the tube 2 which may clip onto the nut of the bow, and Fig. 6 a
plan view thereof, whilst Fig. 7 shews the alternative method whereby a pin b,
through the nut a, forms the locking means.
Fig. 8 shews a sectional side view of the mute applied to the construction shewn
by Figs. 5 and 6 on a bow nut.
D
Fig. 9 shews an external view of Fig. 8.
Fig. 10 shews to a smaller scale the general appearance of the whole device
and bow end.
"
can
a is the nut of the bow. b the lock pin in Fig. 7. c sockets and c¹ slots
e is
for the pin a to enter into. d spring to keep pin a engaged in sockets c.
a division on which the spring d is seated and which regulates the extent to
which the bow end may enter and also the extent to which the "bridge
pass up the "muting" slots f. f is the packing material; b' (Figs. 5 to 10)
are four pins formed on the spring clip cylinder which is sprung on the bow
end with the turned in edge 63 engaging the crevice between nut and bow
and these pins are received into the slots c' and bayonet sockets c. The "mute
on the end of the bow when not in use is not liable to be mislaid, is not in
the way and is always there and to be found when wanted-a great desideratum
for a musician. The slit g may be vertical or inclined (91).
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
1 claim is
A "mute
"
for a stringed musical instrument constructed so that it can when
out of use be kept attached to the end of a "bow" such as a violin bow, and
readily accessible for instant application to the bridge of the instrument,
substantially as set forth.
Dated the 22nd day of September 1894.
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.