A New or Improved Finger Shield for Players of Stringed Musical Instruments.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 12th July, 1888
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Mar., 1889
Complete Specification Accepted, 4th May, 1889
A New or Improved Finger Shield for Players of Stringed Musical
Instruments.
I ANTON AHLQUIST of Ishpeming in the County of Marquette and State of
Michigan United States of America, Painter do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
The object of my invention is to provide a finger shield for the protection of the
fingers of musicians while playing on stringed instruments, such as the guitar and
harp, which is simple and inexpensive and may be easily applied to and removed
from the fingers.
My invention consists in a curved strip of spring metal adapted to receive the end
of the finger or thumb, provided with a cover of leather or analogous material the
said covering being furnished with a coating of a mixture of Venice turpentine and
pitch. The ends of the strip of metal are rounded and separated so as to permit the
shield to spread and adapt itself to the size of the finger. The leather covering is
applied to the central portion of the strip and is attached thereto by cement or
otherwise, and the coating of Venice turpentine and pine pitch (which is mixed
together in about the proportions of three parts of turpentine and one of pitch and
which ensures a clear tone and facilitates playing) is applied to the outer surface of
the leather covering.
This improved finger shield takes the wear that usually comes upon the ends of the
fingers and thumb, and thus renders playing more comfortable, at the same time
ensuring a more positive action of the finger upon the string.
- 10th day of Tul- 1.400
ANTON AHLQUIST.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London,
Patent Agents.

page_text: 3214VRU
I ANTON AHLQUIST of. Ishpeming in the County of Marquette, and State of
Michigan, United States of America, Painter, 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 :-
The object of my invention is to provide a finger shield for the protection of the
fingers of musicians while playing on stringed instruments, such as the guitar and
harp, which is simple and inexpensive and may be easily applied to and removed
from the fingers.
My invention consists in a curved strip of spring metal adapted to receive the
end of the finger or thumb, provided with a covering of leather or analogous
material, the said covering being furnished with a coating of a mixture of Venice
turpentine and pitch.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this speci-
fication in which figure 1 is a perspective view, showing the application of my
improved finger shield. Figure 2 is a plan or top view of the shield. Figure 3 is
an end elevation; and figure 4 is a transverse section of same.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.
In carrying out my invention, I cut a strip A, of any suitable sheet metal, such as
gold, silver, brass or German silver, and round the ends thereof, and curve the strip
into an approximately circular form, with the ends separated so as to permit the
curved strip to spread so that it may adapt itself to fingers of different sizes.
I surround the central portion of said strip of metal with a leather covering B,
which is secured to the metal either by means of cement, or by sewing. To the
outer surface of the covering B, I apply a mixture of Venice turpentine and pine
. pitch, mixed together in about the proportions of three parts of turpentine and one
of pitch. This mixture ensures a clear tone and facilitates playing.
This improved finger shield takes the wear that usually comes upon the ends of the
fingers and thumb and thus renders playing more comfortable, at the same time
ensuring a more positive action of the finger upon the string.
...
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―
1. A finger shield, formed of a curved strip of metal adapted to receive the end of
the finger, and a leather contact surface carried by the said metallic strip, substantially
as specified.

page_text: 2. In a finger shield for players of stringed instruments, the combination of the
curved strip A, the leather covering B, and a coating of Venice turpentine and
pitch applied to the leather covering, substantially as specified.
3. As an improved article of manufacture, a finger shield formed of a curved
metallic strip, and a leather covering enclosing its central portion, substantially as
specified.
ANTON AHLQUIST.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London,
Patent Agents.