Improvements in and relating to Foot Operated Musical Instruments, and in Mechanism for Transmitting the Movements of the Foot or Feet to such Instrument.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Oct., 1895-Accepted, 14th Dec., 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Foot Operated Musical Instruments,
and in Mechanism for Transmitting the Movements of the Foot
or Feet to such Instrument.
We, SAMUEL BLACKETER and ANDERS LARSSON WALLINE, citizens of the
United States of America, both residing at Gowrie, in the County of Webster
and State of Iowa, United States of America, Gentlemen, 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 :-
In playing musical instruments in which the hands are used, as the violin, mouth
organ and the like, it is often very desirable to have some instrument on which an
accompaniment can be played, and which can best be done by the feet. Heretofore
it has been common to have the feet operate such instruments as a drum or cymbal,
in which but a single tone was produced, but such instruments are not always
desirable.
By the use of our invention, however, it is not only possible to produce different
tones, but also possible to play an accompaniment in any one of several different
keys. Although we have shown this invention as applied to one style of stringed
instruments, it is evident that it could be adapted for other forms, or to other kinds
of instruments. By its use the performer can play an accompaniment by the use
of the feet, thus leaving the arms and hands free for performing upon the main
instrument.
In the accompanying drawings in which the same reference numerals indicate
corresponding parts in each of the views in which they occur-
Figure 1 is a face view of the boards to which the beaters are secured;
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the instrument,
Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view, and
Figure 4 a plan view of the dulcimer.
Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 indicates the case of the instrument,
within which is secured the stringed portion 2, which is preferably in the form of
the dulcimer. The dulcimer is made hollow with the ordinary sounding board,
upon which are placed the bridges 3 and 4. The bridge 3 divides the instrument
transversely of the strings into the bass and treble, and the bridges 4, 4, are placed
to one side of the central bridge. Each of the bridges is provided with holes or
openings 5, through which a portion of the strings pass so that a portion of the
strings may pass over the tops of some of the bridges and through the openings of
the other, so that the planes of the strings cross each other intermediate the
bridges and thereby be arranged to sound different tones without interfering with
each other.
Arranged within the case parallel with the front of the instrument are two
boards 6 and 7, on which the beaters are arranged so that the free ends of the
beaters may be caused to strike the desired strings and thereby produce the desired
tones. One of these boards is provided with the beaters for the treble or upper
notes, and the other one is provided with those for the bass. As it generally
requires three tones to produce the chord for the treble, those beaters are made
larger than the bass beaters, so that the three arms 8 can be secured on the rock
bars 9 without interfering with each other. These rock bars are pivoted in suitable
bearings 10 on the board, and are arranged in any desired manner, generally one
above or in front of the other, as shown in the drawing. The free end of each of
the armis is provided with a head or hammer which is adapted to strike its respective

page_text: string when operated and cause it to vibrate and produce the desired sounds. By
making the arms of different lengths it is evident that when the rock bar is turned
on its pivot, all of the hammers of that beater will. be thrown against their
respective strings and cause them to vibrate in unison.
For the purpose of operating these beaters by means of the feet, we provide
pedals 11, which are pivotally secured at the bottom of the frame, with one end
projecting outside, and the opposite end located within the case and provided with
the hook 12, or other means, to which is secured a cord or chain 13, the opposite
end of said cord being connected with the rock shaft of the beater. Intermediate
the pedals and the beaters are located pulleys 14, over which the cords piss so that
when the outer end of any one of the pedals is pressed down by the foot, its cord
will be drawn over the pulleys and thereby rotate the rock shaft on its pivot and
cause the hammers to strike the strings. A suitable spring 15, or other means, is
provided for returning each of the beaters to its ordinary position after the pressure
on the pedal has been removed. As only a few of the beaters are used in playing
the chords in any key, it is not necessary to provide a pedal for each beater, but
only enough pedals for the number of beaters that will be used in that key. To
make the pedals and beaters interchangeable, as it were, we prefer to detachably
secure the cord to the pedal, so that it can be removed at any time and another
cord put in its place. For this purpose we provide the end of each cord with a
series of links 16, which may be passed over the hook and may also be secured to
hooks 17 on the rear of the boards 6 and 7 when not in use. By using a sufficient
number of links, the proper tension of the cords can always be secured even though
they should stretch to a greater or less extent in use. For the sake of' convenience
we prefer to lay each one of the hooks on the boards 6 and 7, with the letters
indicating the chord which will be struck by the different beaters; and then securing
the end of the cord when not in use, from each beater on its respective hook.
In the drawings we have shown an instrument adapted for playing accompaniments
in the keys of D, E, G, A, C, A, D, and F, as indicated in ascending order at
the left hand or bass side of the instrument. On the right hand or treble side of
the instrument will be found the treble chords to correspond with these bass chords,
and also additional beaters for playing partial or intermediate chords.
In using the instrument, it is placed on the floor in front of the performer, with
the pedals in convenient reach of the feet. The cords from the beaters to the
pedals are then arranged according to the key in which the accompaniment is to
be played. For instance, if the accompaniment is to be played in the key of D,
the pedals are connected with such beaters that when they are depressed, the chords
of D, A and G can be sounded, as desired. Having thus arranged the instrument,
it is evident that by placing the feet alternately upon the pedals of the
treble and of the bass beaters not only can the proper chords he struck to harmoniz
with the music being played upon the main instrument, but they can be beaten or
operated in perfect time. By means of the partial or intermediate chords, suitable
changes can be made by operating the respective pedals when necessary. If it is
desired to play an accompaniment in another key, the cords of the beaters that will
not be used are disconnected from their pedals and those from beaters which will
be used are substituted.
By making the instrument as above described it occupies but small space, and
the case can be made as ornamental as desired, and can easily be carried from
place to place, and thereby enable a single performer to produce very sweet
melodious music. By arranging the beaters so as to operate keys or openings, it is
evident that the mechanism could be adapted for use up on wind instruments, as an
organ, by providing wind-chests and reeds, instead of strings.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said invet-
Lion cad in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is
1. The combination with a case, of a musical instrument secured therein, boards

page_text: adjacent to the instrument, one side of which boards is provided with beaters
pivotally secured thereto, and the other side is provided with a series of hooks,
there being a hook for each beater, pedals secured in the case, and cords secured to
the beaters and adapted to be secured to the pedals or to the hooks upon the
boards, substantially as set forth.
2. The combination, with a case, of a musical instrument secured therein and
provided with strings, rock bars which are pivoted in suitable bearings, beaters
mounted on said rock bars, two or more of said beaters, having arms of different
lengths, being mounted on the same rock bar, so as to strike different strings, and
mechanism for actuating said beaters, substantially as and for the purpose described.
Dated this 8th day of October 1895.
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.