Improvements in Violins and similar Stringed Instruments.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Feb., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 18th Oct., 1890-Accepted, 22nd Nov., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Violins and similar Stringed Instruments.
I PLACIDE JULES MASSON of 34 Rue des. Boulets. Paris in the Republic of France,
Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to stringed instruments of the violin class and consists in
certain improvements for increasing the sound or for improving or varying the quality
of tone or tones produced thereon.
The invention consists in combining with each string, a second string or strings in
the same plane therewith and as near thereto as it can be placed without the strings
of the group touching, when vibrating and, so that these added strings are fingered
and stopped by the player with the respective main string, they being tuned either in
unison therewith or in harmonic intervals or octave. The addition of these strings
will necessitate the enlargement of the head for receiving a sufficient number of pegs
one for each string, also the broadening of the neck and finger board and the bridge
so that the space between each group of strings in the improved instrument is equal
to that between the individual strings in the ordinary instrument. The tail piece
is provided with holes, with double slots so that each string is held in a slot.
The belly and back of the instrument are made somewhat stronger than usual
and the sound post is moved slightly to correspond with the larger breadth of the
bridge.
Dated this 13th day of Fohru 1800
HERBERT & Co.,
Agents to Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Violins and similar Stringed Instruments.
1 PLACIDE JULES MASSON of 34 Rue des Boulets, Paris in the Republic of France
Manufacturer 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 relates to stringed instruments of the violin class and consists in
certain improvements for increasing the sound or for improving or varying the quality
of tone or tones produced thereon.
The invention consists in combining with each string a second string or strings in
the same plane therewith and as near thereto as it can be placed without the strings
of the group touching when vibrating and so that these added strings may be bowed
and fingered and stopped by the player with the respective main string, they being
tuned either in unison therewith or in harmonic intervals or octave. The addition of
these strings will necessitate the enlargement of the head for receiving a sufficient
number of pegs on for each string also the broadening of the neck and finger board,
and the bridge so that the space between each group of strings in the improved instru-
ment is equal to that between the individual strings in the ordinary instrument.
The tail piece is provided with holes with double slots so that each string is held in
a slot.
The belly and back of the instrument are made somewhat stronger than usual
and the sound post is moved slightly to correspond with the larger breadth of the
bridge.
The accompanying drawings illustrate a violin constructed with double strings as
aforesaid

page_text: Fig. 2 an enlarged view of the head and neck. .
Fig. 3 a side view and Fig. 4a back view, thereof.
Fig. 5 shows the bridge and
Fig. 6 shows the tongue in two views.
A is the head fitted with eight pegs IB, C is the neck, D the bridge with eight 5
nicks D¹ arranged as shown. E is the tongue with the four double slots E¹.
.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is.
A stringed instrument of the violin class having double strings tuned in unison,
harmonics or octave and arranged each pair in the same plane for simultaneous
bowing substantially as set forth.
· Dated this 18th day of October 1800
HERBERT & Co.,
18, Buckingham Street, Strand, London, W.C., Agents to Applicant.