New or Improved Apparatus for Damping the Strings of Zithers and other similar Musical Instruments.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Feb., 1896-Accepted, 4th Apr., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
New or Improved Apparatus for Damping the Strings of Zithers
and other similar Musical Instruments.
I, PETER RENK, of 194 Neumarkt, Leipzig, in the Empire of Germany, Dealer in '
Musical Instruments, 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 invention relates to an apparatus, which, when placed across a chromatically
stringed zither or other similar musical instrument, enables all the chords or
harmonies that occur in music to be produced on such instrument.
The invention is illustrated in the accompanying sheet of drawings, in which
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of the apparatus,
Figure 2 a sectional plan taken on the line -r of Figure 1, and
Figure 3 a plan corresponding to Figure 1.
This apparatus is contained in a box-like case, which can be placed over the
zither or other similar instrument transversely to the strings u of such instrument
as shown in Figure 2. a a represent twelve damper bars hung on springs b. Each
of these damper bars corresponds to all the strings of the same name or note that
there may be in the instrument, and is furnished with a damper ce for each of such
strings;
for example, the first bar a on the left hand corresponds to all the Cs,
the next to all the C-sharps, the next to all the Ds, and so on. All these bars
are so arranged that their dampers c come immediately over their respective
strings.
Over these bars a is placed a bridge d which is pivotted at one end on pins e
fixed in the case, the other end rests on two springs i, arranged one at each side of
the case, and which constantly tend to press the said bridge up into its normal
position shown in Figure 1.
Immediately over the bridge d, but with a small intervening space between it
and them, are placed the key bars which are pivotted on pins a fixed in the case.
These key bars carry at one end the keys h. On the upper surface of these key
bars are fitted springs k which, when the keys are released, return the bars f
into their normal positions. In order to prevent side play of the damper bars a
and key bars f the former are guided by sheet metal plates at both ends, taking
into notches m, and the latter at one end only by similar sheet metal plates taking
into the same notches, while the wooden bar n furnished with small pins serves as
a guide for the other ends of the bars f.
Below each of the key bars is a third bar p, pivotted on the pin o fixed
to the bar f. The free end of this third bar plies loosely on the corresponding
damper bar a and has at its end a slot 9 which receives a pin r fixed in the
damper bar a and which pin serves as a guide for the intermediate bar p. The
loose free end of this bar p projects, when its normal position, a short distance
under the bridge d.
It will now be understood that when one of the keys is pressed down the end
of its key bar is raised, the intermediate bar p connected with the said bar is
likewise drawn up and its loose end slides out from under the bridge quite free of
the latter. The front end of the key bar f, in its descent, comes in contact with
and pushes the bridge d downwards, and as the loose ends of all the other
intermediate bars p remain still under the bridge d the latter bears on these loose
ends, and these again on the damper bars a which are therefore forced to participate

page_text: in the downward. motion, and consequently the dampers c on these bars a are
pressed against their corresponding strings, and all the strings are damped except
those corresponding to the key that has been depressed, so that if the strings of
the instrument are struck those of which the key has been depressed sound in all
their octaves, but those that have been damped remain silent.
If 3, 4 or more keys are pressed down at once all the damper bars corresponding
to them are thrown out of action, and all strings of the instrument having the
same name as these keys sound when struck whilst all the other strings are damped.
As the combination of the keys to be pressed down can be varied as required it
is possible to produce every chord or harmony that can occur in music.
The cross bar e serves as the point of resistance for the springs k and the
pins t serve for guiding and holding the case of the apparatus in position on the
instrument.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :--
The apparatus for damping the strings of zithers and other similar musical
instruments, which consists of a series of keys h, intermediate bars p, damper bars a,
and a pivotted bridge d, combined and operating substantially as described with
reference to the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 19th day of February 1896.