Improvements in Stringed Instrument Attachments:
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 24th May, 1894-Accepted, 8th Sept., 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Stringed Instrument Attachments:
I, HERBERT JOHN HADDAN, of the Firm of Herbert Haddan and Co., of
18 Buckingham Street, Strand, W.C. London, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention a communication to me from abroad by The
C. F. Zimmermann Company, of Dolgeville, N.Y., United States of America, 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 this invention is to provide simple and effective means whereby
the depression or actuation of a key will effect the release of certain strings of a
harp or like instrument and to this end the invention consists in the novel features
of construction set forth in the following Specification and claim and illustrated in
the annexed drawing in which,
Figure 1 is a plan view of a harp containing the invention.
Figure 2 is a section along x x Fig. 1.
Figure 3 is a section along y y Fig. 1.
Figure 4 is a detail view similar to Fig. 3 showing a damper released.
Figure 5 is an inverted plan view of actuating bars.
In this drawing the letter A designates a base or support having side pieces B,
on which is a sounding board C. The strings D of the instrument stretch over
the sounding board. Each damper E is shown fulcrumed on a bar F held by legs
or supports G. To the pin H of each damper is connected a spring I having a
hold on a bar K in the supports G, said spring serving to hold the damper in action
to deaden or cut out its string.
The tail L of the damper is exposed to the action of a releasing finger M
extending from a slide N guided in side pieces O secured to the supports G. These
supports G also have end pieces P and a top Q is supported on the pieces O P.
The end pieces P guide the bars R which bars by means of their fingers S are
adapted to actuate the slides N so as to release the dampers from the strings so
that the latter can speak or sound. By having the fingers S on a bar arranged so
as to release certain dampers, as for example the dampers of strings forming a
chord or arpeggio, such cord or arpeggio can be made to sound while the other
strings remain at rest or dampened.
The finger buttons T guided in top Q serve to move the actuating bars R to free
the strings, and when the finger buttons T are free the restoring springs U I hold
or move the parts to the normal position, in which the strings are dampened. One
of the actuating bars may be provided with sufficient fingers to actuate all the
slides N and release all the dampers, as for example the bar R' (Fig. 5.) ·
From one of the side pieces O are shown depending wires or fingers V between
which the dampers E are guided so as to properly engage the strings.
The keys T are disconnected or loose from the dampers E so that any jarring or
sudden jerk or movement of the keys will not exert a disadvantageous influence on
the dampers.
The device will be found very effective in the production of chords and
arpeggios.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what
I claim is ;-
1. The combination with a stringed instrument, of a series of pivoted, rocking
dampers, springs acting on the dampers and normally holding them in contact with

page_text: the strings of the instrument, slides movable to and from the damper and having
fingers acting thereupon to rock them out of contact with the strings when said
slides are pressed toward said dampers, means for guiding the slides in their
movements, spring-retracted keys arranged at one side of the slides, and devices
acted on by the keys for moving the slides and causing their fingers to move the
dampers out of contact with the strings, substantially as described.
2. The combination with a stringed instrument, of a series of pivoted dampers
having tail pieces, springs acting on the dampers and normally holding them in
contact with the strings, vertically movable slides having fingers for acting on the
tail pieces of the dampers to move the latter out of contact with the strings,
vertically movable bars extending over the said slides and adapted to engage and
depress the latter to rock the dampers and move them out of contact with the
strings, and spring pressed keys for actuating said bars, substantially as described.
3. The combination of a series of dampers, of releasing fingers for the dampers,
an actuating bar provided with lugs S made to act on a portion of the fingers and
to leave the remaining fingers unactuated, and a key for the actuating bar,
substantially as described.
4. The combination with a series of dampers, of releasing fingers for the
dampers, slides from which the fingers extend, an actuating bar for the slides, and
a key for actuating the bar substantially as described.
Dated this 24th day of May 1894.
H. J. HADDAN.