INUYDIUNAL DE MULTICALL
Year: 1894

page_text: INUYDIUNAL
DE MULTICALL
Improvements in Harps.
I, LEOPOLD LEHMAN, of Joliet, Illinois, U.S.A., Inventor, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows.
The object of this invention is to generally improve the construction of harps so
as to increase the intensity and quality of the sound.
In constructing a harp in accordance with my invention, I provide the hollow
neck with a set of tuning pegs on each side thereof Two sets of strings are
attached to the pegs in such manner that each pair meet and cross about midway
their length.
Suitable rests, consisting of pegs having grooves in one side or
around them to retain the stings, are fitted in the sides of the neck and serve to
elieve the strain from the tuning pegs. The back of the harp 18 constructed of
curved metal provided with a sounding hoard, the edges of which are secured to
the edges of the curved back. These joints are strengthened by corner strips.
The sounding board is strengthened by two longitudinal strips, one of which
extends along the interior, and the other along the exterior sido thereof. Sounding
posts connect the back with the sounding board and each an exterior head whereby
the sounding board is prevented from being bowed upwardly.
Dated the 29th day of December 1894.
W. II. MUNNS,
Agent for Applicant.
1, LEOPOLD LEHMAN of Joliet Illinois, U.S.A. Inventor 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 certain new and useful improvements in harps of which
the following is a Specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying
drawings and the letters of reference thereon, forming a part of this Specification,
in which,
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the harp.
Fig. 2 is a vertical section of Fig. 1. taken on line 1 looking in the direction of
the arrow.
Fig. 3 is a cross section through the body taken on line 3 of Fig. 1. looking in
the direction of the arrow.
Fig 4 13 a cross section through the neck taken on line 2 of Fig. 1 looking in
the direction of the arrow; and
Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a portion of the neck showing two of the tuning
pegs and a string wound upon one.
This invention relates to certain improvements in harps and it consists in the
novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter described and particularly
pointed out in the appended claims.
Refening to the drawings, D represents the body; A the pillar, and B the neck
of the harp.

page_text: The body consists of a cui ved metal back D having its edges secured to the
edges of the sounding board R by means of screws, rivets or any other means.
The interior of the body is provided with corner strips V, V, into which the
screws or brads may enter to give the body sufficient strength. A strip is also
secured to the inner side of the sounding board R running its entire length along
its centre, and a similar strip E is secured to the upper side of the sounding board
immediately above stup r, and extending the entire length of the sounding board.
These strips strengthen the sounding board, and give it sufficient thickness at that
place for holding the strings S which pass through apertures through said strips
and sounding board, and are prevented from drawing out by reason of having knots
on their ends as shown.
P are sounding posts located centrally in the body and councct the back and
sounding board, and prevent the sounding board from being bowed upward by
reason of said posts being provided with heads on either end as shown.
The neck B is intended to be hollow as shown in section in Figs. 2 and 4 and 18
provided with a double set of tuning pegs J, a set ai ranged to project from either
side of the neck as shown particularly in said Figs. 2 and 4, so that stungs may be
wound upon pegs upon either side of the neck.
The instrument is strung with a double row of strings S arranged so that the
strings of one tow cross those of the other row, but out of contact therewith, so
that the strings of each low be in the same line at their point of crossing as
shown. It is intended that the strings on one side shall be tuned to a full tone
apart, while those at the opposite side shall be tuned to be half tone between said
full tone, so that the haip may be tuned in a chromatic scale the same as a piano,
and so that all the strings may be struck by either hand, on either side of the
harp by reason of the strings being crossed as shown; also by the use of the two
sets of stings tuned in a chiomatic scale, all pedals or other meaus of shortening
or lengthening the stungs to give them a different tone are dispensed with.
When desired u playing all the strings can be struck by either hand at their
point or line of crossing as before stated whenever it is necessary, and as the hand
is moved in either direction from said line of crossing, the spaces between the
strings are farther apart so that those of oue set do not interfere with those of the
other set or row.
.
The neck B is intended to be made of metal and hollow as shown in Figs. 2 and 4
and with an integral rest O having notches n for the strings to rest in as shown
particularly in Fig. 5, instead of setting pegs in the side of neck for the strings to
bear against as in the ordinary construction, which is a very great improvement, as
there are no pegs to get loose or bent, or get out of order in any way.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said tuven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim 18:-
(1) In a harp the combination of a hollow neck B, a set of tuning pegs projecting
fiom each side of said neck, a double sot of strings arranged so that the strings of
one set cross those of the other set and an integial rest O on oach side of said neck,
said rest having notches n therein, substantially as specified.
(2) In a harp a body D consisting of a curved metal back, a sounding board
having its edges secured to the edges of said back, interior corner strips V V, a
longitudinal interior central strip running the entire length of said sounding board,
a similar exterior stup E, sounding posts P located centrally within the body and
connecting the back and the sounding board, and an exterior head on each end of
each of said sounding posts whereby said sounding board is prevented from being
bowed upwardly substantially as specified.
Dated this 29th day of September 1905