AN IMPROVED PEG, AND APPLIANCE TO BE USED IN CONNECTION THEREWITH, FOR FACILITATING THE TUNING OF STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for an Invention of
"AN IMPROVED PEG, AND APPLIANCE TO BE USED IN CONNECTION THEREWITH,
FOR FACILITATING THE TUNING OF STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS."
A communication from abroad by Joseph Singer, of Chicago, Illinois, United
States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th May 1880.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, and Co., Patent
Agents, Southampton Buildings, London. "AN IMPROVED PEG, AND APPLIANCE
TO BE USED IN CONNECTION THEREWITH, FOR FACILITATING THE TUNING OF
STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS." [A communication from abroad by Joseph
Singer, of Chicago, Illinois, United States of America.]
This Invention relates to improvements in that class of pegs around which the
end of the strings or wires of stringed musical instruments are secured, and by
which the said strings are brought by turning such pegs to the desired musical
tone.
This Invention consists in the peculiar construction of the parts and their various
combinations, as more fully hereinafter described.
In carrying the said Invention into practice, I employ a peg of the ordinary
description commonly employed in violins (consisting of a head or thumb piece, by
means of which the peg is turned, and a tapered shaft), excepting that adjacent to
the hole in the peg through which the string passes there is turned or cut out a
groove within which to wind the same. This groove allows of a greater delicacy
of movement of the peg, requires less effort in turning, and prevents the string
from binding or chafing against the inner faces of the recessed head of the instru-
ment by causing the string to sink into the groove. The shaft of the peg tapers
from the thumb piece, and is inserted in the ordinary manner in the peg holes in
the ribs which form the sides of the recess of the violin head, so that the recess
and groove will be within such recess. The smallest end of the shaft is threaded,
and has a longitudinal groove cut in it the length of the threaded portion, over

page_text: which a washer slides; a tongue on the said washer engages with the said groove
in the threaded portion, and a thumb nut is provided to engage with the thread
on the shaft for the purpose hereinafter described. The shaft should be tapered
sufficiently to enable it to be used by pressing it endways into its bearings in the
manner of the ordinary tapered peg.
The shaft is made of metal, and preferably much smaller in diameter than the
wooden peg usually employed, and as all stringed instruments are provided with
peg holes to received such wooden keys, this improved shaft would not fit such peg
holes, consequently I employ bushings or small cylindrical boxes. These bushings
are flanged at one end, so that they inny be pressed into the peg holes only so far
as the flange will permit without any other mode of fastening. These bushings
perform a two fold purpose, that is to say, that of providing a more perfect frictional
surface for the shaft, and that of preventing all wear to the instrument itself. The
bushing or box fitting the larger end of the peg may be made long enough to
produce all necessary friction to support the tension of the string, thus dispensing
with the necessity of the internal taper of the smaller bushing; by this means the
adjustment of the peg in its bearings is much simplified.
In practice the bushings are tightly pressed into position in their respective peg
holes, the shaft is then inserted, and the washer and thumb nut adjusted into
position. By crowding the peg into the tapered bushing it is made stationary at a
point of friction sufficient to hold the string at the highest tension ever required.
The aforesaid thumb nut is then screwed tightly against the said washer. In turning
the peg the washer and thumb nut rotate with it (the groove in the shaft and tongue
on the washer, or other known mechanical means, being employed for this purpose),
and the necessary friction before secured can be thus maintained.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Robert Lake in the Great Scal Patent Office on the
23rd November 1880.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent
Agents, Southampton Buildings, London. "AN IMPROVED PEG, AND APPLIANCE
TO BE USED IN CONNECTION THEREWITH, FOR FACILITATING THE TUNING OF
STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS." A communication from abroad by Joseph
Singer, of Chicago, Illinois, United States of America.
This Invention relates to pegs or pins around which the ends of the strings or
wires of stringed musical instruments are secured, and by which the said strings
are brought (by turning such pegs or pins) to the desired musical tone.
The said Invention consists in the peculiar construction of the parts and their
various combinations, as more fully hereinafter described.
Figure 1 is a view of the shaft or peg proper and the head, both of which may
be made in one piece, or, if desired, in two pieces, which are afterwards secured
together, and shews the washer and nut detached.
Figure 2 is a view of my improved peg ready for use in a section of a violin
head.
D represents a peg consisting of a bead or thumb piece a, by means of which the
peg is turned, and a tapered shaft b; adjacent to the hole in the peg through which
the string passes there is turned or cut out a groove C within which to wind the
same. This groove allows the peg to be turned with greater delicacy of movement
and with less effort, and prevents the string from binding or chafing against the
inner faces of the recessed head of the instrument by causing the said string to
sink into the groove.
The shaft of the peg tapers from the thumb piece, and is
inserted in the ordinary manner in the holes in the ribs which form the sides of the
recess of the violin head, so that the hole and groove will be within such recess.
The smallest end of the shaft D is threaded, and has a longitudinal groove or flat
surface e cut in it for the length of the threaded portion, over which a washer F
slides; a tongue on the said washer engages with the last mentioned groove in the
threaded portion, and a thumb nut G is provided to engage with the thread on the
shaft for the purpose hereinafter described. The shaft should be tapered sufficiently
to enable it to be used by pressing it endwise into its bearings in the manner of
the ordinary tapered peg.
The shaft is made of metal, and preferably much smaller in diameter than the
wooden peg usually employed, and as all stringed instruments are provided with
peg holes to receive such wooden pegs, this improved shaft would not fit such peg
holes, consequently I employ the bushings H or small cylindrical boxes, shewn in
Figure 2. These bushings are flanged at one end, as shewn, so that they may
be pressed into the peg holes only so far as the flange will permit without any
other mode of fastening. These bushings perform a two fold purpose, that is to
say, that of providing a more perfect frictional surface for the shaft, and that of
preventing all wear of the instrument itself. The bushing or box fitting the larger
end of the peg may be made long enough to produce all the necessary friction to
maintain the tension of the string, thus dispensing with the necessity of the internal
taper of the smaller bushing; by these means the adjustment of the peg in its
bearings is much simplified.
In practice the bushings are tightly pressed into position in their respective peg
holes, the shaft is then inserted, and the washer and thumb nut are adjusted into
position. By forcing the peg into the tapered bushing it is made stationary at a
point where the friction is sufficient to hold the string at the highest tension ever
required. The aforesaid thumb nut is then screwed tightly against the said washer.

page_text: In turning the peg the washer and thumb nut are caused to rotate with it (the
groove in the shaft and tongue on the washer, or other suitable mechanical means,
being employed for this purpose), and the necessary friction before secured can be
thus maintained.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim,
First. For tuning stringed instruments, a tapered peg or pin provided with a
nut and washer on its smaller end, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
Second. In a tapered peg or pin, the ends of which are supported in bearings in
the ribs which form the recessed head of the instrument, a hole through which the
end of the string passes, and adjacent thereto a groove to receive the string wound
upon the peg, the said hole and groove being, when the peg is in use, within the
recessed head of the instrument, all substantially as and for the purposes specified.
Third. In combination with a tapered peg or pin, the bushings or cylindrical
boxes with flanged ends, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty third day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty.
117 M PORT LAKE
Ta