An Improved Musical Instrument.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Oct., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 15th July, 1890-Accepted, 16th Aug., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Musical Instrument.
I RICHARD PILKINGTON, M.A., 1 Ham Terrace, West Ham Lane, West Ham,
Essex, Clerk in Holy Orders do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
From a single chord-a monochord-of catgut, or other suitable material, fastened,
at one end, to a thin, broad, rectangular or curved hook loosely attached to the pro-
jecting leaf of an ordinary table, from which it passes over one or two moveable
bridges, placed either directly on the table, or on pamphlets, or folded newspapers,
or on small boxes-from which better effects are obtained-laid on the table,
to a small unfixed handle, to which its other end is fastened, I am enabled, by
increasing or diminishing the tension of the monochord with one hand, whilst I
sweep, or pluck, or use the violin bow on the monochord with the other hand, to
produce the musical tones and notes of the lute or the violin.
The top of a writing desk or box answers equally well as the leaf of a table, with a
like arrangement, excepting that one end of the monochord is fastened to a loose
clamp, from the limb, on which the desk is made to rest, and, from the clamp, the
monochord passes underneath, then along one end, and then over the bridge or
bridges on the top of the desk or box.
With the above described arrangements, I find the leaf of a table, or the top of a
writing desk or box forms a satisfactory sounding-board.
ስሶ
1
1000
RICHARD PILKINGTON, M.A.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Musical Instrument.
I, RICHARD PILKINGTON, M.A., 1 Ham Terrace, West Ham Lane, West Ham,
Essex, Clerk in Holy Orders 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 :—
From a single chord-a monochord-of catgut or other suitable material, looped or
fastened at one end, to a rectangular or curved hook loosely attached to the projecting
leaf of an ordinary table, from which passes over one or two moveable bridges,
placed either on the table, or on pamphlets, or, better still, on a small box or two boxes,
laid on the table, to a small unfixed handle-to which its other end is fastened, I am
enabled, by increasing or diminishing the tension of the monochord with one hand,
whilst I sweep, or use the violin bow on, the monochord with the other hand, to
produce the musical tones and notes of the lute or the violin.
The top of a writing desk or box answers equally as well as the leaf of a table,
with a like arrangement, excepting that one end of the monochord is looped or
fastened to a loose clamp, from the limb on which the desk or box is made to rest,
and from the clamp the monochord passes underneath, then along the other end, and
then over the bridge or bridges, on the top of the desk or box, to the handle, to which
it is fastened.
The accompanying drawings will illustrate the construction of the clamps and the
andle and explain how the musical instrument is used, either on the leaf of a table,
or on the top of a writing desk or box.
Fig. I represents the hook A with its small hook B, on to which the chord G
(Fig. IV) is looped.
Fig. IV shows how the hook A is loosely attached to, and forms a clamp on, the
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page_text: projecting leaf of the table C, from the small hook B in which the chord G, which
passes over one or both of the bridges, which bridges may be of any suitable shape,
is looped, this chord passes to the handle D to which it is fastened and by which it
can be drawn tightly to any required tension.
Fig. III represents the handle D and its construction. It is shaped like a ruler, and
through about one half its length the narrow slot E is cut out. There is also through
it the small hole J, through which the chord is passed so far as that, about half an
inch from the end of it can be tightly bound by three or more coils of the chord
wound on the handle over it. The rest of the chord G is passed through the slot E,
and is thus prevented from being unwound.
To produce the notes of a lute the chord G, which is stretched by the handle D to
the correct tensions, is plucked or swept by a finger between the two bridges F, H.
To produce the notes of a violin a violin bow is used.
For a writing desk or large box, either of which makes a good sounding box, the
hook L with its little hook M, Fig. II, is used.
Fig. V contains a side view of a writing desk or box O, which is made to rest, on
either one end or the other, on the hook L, on the table N. The chord G is looped on
to the little hook M, and passes from it over the bridges F. H. to the handle D. As
before the chord is swept by a finger to produce the notes of a lute, or played on by a
violin bow, between the bridges F. H. for a violin.
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 ;
1. The hook A with its small hook B. Fig. I.
2. The handle D as drawn in Fig. III.
3. The hook or clamp K, with its small hook M.
4. The application generally of the whole, for producing the notes of a Monochord
Lute, or a Monochord Violin, from a chord stretched over the leaf of a table, or over
a writing desk or box.
111 1 T... 1000
RICHARD PILKINGTON.