Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Feb., 1888
Specification Accepted, 2nd Mar., 1888
I, JAMES WARNER MAJOR, of 6, Hampton Buildings, Bath Road, Exeter, Devon-
shire, Grocer's Assistant, 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 has reference to the bridges of violins and the like which said
bridges are usually made of a flat solid piece of wood cut and perforated to the
required shape.
According to this invention 1. make the said bridges of a hollow or box-like form
as hereinafter described thereby gaining a great increase of power and a finer and
purer tone in the violin or other like instrument with which my said invention is
used.
In the accompanying drawing Fig. 1 is a front elevation partly in section of a
bridge constructed according to this invention for a violin or other like musical
instrument; Fig. 2 is a side elevation and Fig. 3 is a plan of the same; Figs. 4 and 5
represent parts of the same as hereinafter described.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the Figures.
In making one form of bridge for a violin or the like according to this invention
I take an ordinary wooden violin bridge and perforate it by fret sawing or otherwise
cutting away the inner part so as to leave a thin frame all round. A bridge after
being perforated in this way is represented by Fig. 4 and is marked A. A central
rib a is preferably left so as to better support the top and bottom of this frame. To
each side of this frame I glue or otherwise firmly secure a thin piece of wood of the
same shape and size as the frame thus leaving hollow spaces between the side pieces
where the wood was removed in perforating the frame A.
These thin side pieces of
wood are respectively marked B and B on the drawing and one of them is shewn
separately by Fig. 5; the side piece B' in Figs. 1 and 3 is broken away to show the
hollow space inside the bridge.
It is to be understood that in making a hollow bridge for a violin or other like
instrument as above described I do not confine myself to the external shape or

page_text: configuration shewn as my invention is applicable to such bridges of all shapes and
sizes; nor do I confine myself to the number and shape of the perforations or hollow
spaces in the frame A of the bridge as in some cases I leave for instance several
vertical bars connecting together the top and bottom bars of the frame; nor do
I confine myself to the employment of wood as the substance of which the said bridges
are made, as other substances such for instance as vulcanite, glass, papier-mache or
metal may be employed.
When metal is employed in making this example of the said improved bridges
the central frame A is formed by casting or is stamped from sheet metal and the side
pieces B1 B2 which are then made of thin sheet metal are soldered, brazed or otherwise
firmly fixed one on each side of the frame A; and in making this example of my
invention from vulcanite, glass or papier-mache, the central part A is formed of
vulcanite, glass or papier-mache by being pressed in suitable moulds of the required
shape and size and a thin piece of a like substance is cemented or otherwise firmly
secured on each side thereof.
Figs. 6 and 7 illustrate a modified form of the bridge above described in which the
frame or edge pieces (marked c¹) are formed in a piece with one of the side pieces
(marked C) see Fig. 6. This method of construction applies more particularly when
making the bridges of sheet metal or of vulcanite as a side piece C with its edge
turned up all round (as e¹) can readily be formed by suitable press tools (as will
readily be understood) from a sheet metal or vulcanite blank. The side piece D is
then soldered, brazed, or in the case of vulcanite is cemented or otherwise firmly
secured, to the upturned edges c' and the hollow bridge is finished.
The upper edge of the bridge is nicked in the usual way for the strings.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :
1st. The improvements in the construction of the bridges of violins and the like,
hereinbefore described and illustrated by the accompanying drawing, that is to say,
making the said bridges of a hollow or box-like form substantially as described.
2nd. A bridge for a violin or the like constructed substantially as hereinbefore
described and illustrated by Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 of the accompanying drawing, that
is to say, a violin or other like bridge consisting of a perforated frame enclosed
between two thin side pieces fixed thereto, the whole forming a hollow or box-like
bridge, substantially as set forth.
3rd. A bridge for a violin or the like constructed substantially as hereinbefore
described and illustrated by Figs. 6 and 7 of the accompanying drawing, that is to
say, a violin or other like bridge consisting of a thin side piece of the form of the
bridge and having upturned edges all round to which another thin side piece is
secured so as to form a hollow or box-like bridge, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 28th day of January 1888.
CHARLES BOSWORTH KETLEY,
Agent for the Applicant.