AN IMPROVEMENT OR IMPROVEMENTS ON OR ADDITIONS TO STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
Year: 1827

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EUGENE
DU MESNIL, of Soho Square, in the. County of Middlesex, Esquire, send
greeting.
WHEREAS His present most Excellent Majesty King George the Fourth,
by His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing
date at Westminster, the First day of August, One thousand eight hundred
and twenty-seven, in the eighth year of His reign, did, for Himself, His
heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said. Eugene du Mesnil,
His especial licence, that I, the said Eugene du Mesnil, my exors, adiñors,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Eugene du Mesnil, my exors,
adiñors, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time
to time and at all times. during the term of years therein expressed, should
and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales,
and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "AN IMPROVEMENT
OR IMPROVEMENTS ON OR ADDITIONS TO STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS;" in which
said Letters Patent is contained a proviso, obliging me, the said Eugene.
du Mesnil, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, particularly.
to describe and ascertain the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, and to cause the same to be inrolled in His
Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the, said in part recited Letters Patent, as in
and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large
appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Eugene du Mesnil, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are particularly
described and ascertained in and by the Drawings hereunto annexed, and the
following description thereof (that is to say): :-
My improvement or improvements on or additions to stringed musical
instruments consists of an improved peg by which the instrument is turned.
This
peg is formed of one single piece, and varies in its figure according to
the instrument to which it is to be applied. If this peg is applied to a piano
or harp, on which it turns in one bearing or thickness, the peg must be cylin-
drical, and terminate in a little cone. If applied to a violin, violincello, or
other instrument in which the peg turns in two bearings or two thickness's,
then the peg must be in the shape of a cone betwixt two cylinders, the cone
and the cylinders having one same axis. The cylindrical part of the peg
penetrates into the instrument and the string is attached to the cone. Instead
of a cone a cylinder of small diameter may be used, but the conical form is the
best. One or several circular or spiral grooves are cut in the part of the peg
to which the string is attached, for the purpose of receiving the string, and of
drawing it nearer the centre of the peg. The cylinders which penetrate into
the instruments are hollow, and form a screw on the outside. The peg is put
in action by a turnscrew. The object of this Invention is to afford the
greatest facility in coming to the mathematical point of the cone, and to
impart to the instrument a tone as perpetual as possible, because when the
great cylinders are moved but little the strings are drawn but very little.
In the accompanying Drawing Fig. 1 represents the peg first described to be
set in one bearing. a, b, c, d, is the hollow cylinder, forming a screw on the
outside. e, c, b, is the little cone cut in several spiral and circular grooves.
Fig. 2 is an end view of the same. There are four small holes i, i, i, i, for
the turnscrew to be passed into, in order to turn the peg, as shewn at Fig. 3,
and r is a small hole to pass the string through in securing it to the peg.
The length of the pegs are to be about the same as the thickness of the instru-
ment in the part where they are inserted. In the guitar the lengths of the
pegs need not to be longer than from n to e. Fig. 4 shews one of the pegs
to be supported in two thicknesses or bearings, as in violins, &c. a, b, c, d, and
e, f, g, h, are the cylindrical parts formed with screws on the perephories e, g.
n is the cone, with the spiral and circular groove. Fig. 5 is a section of the
preceding Figure, with the turnscrew introduced into the holes v, v, for
purpose of turning the peg. o is the hole for making fast the string to the
peg. The proportion of Figs. 4 and 5 is good for violins, but for violincellos

page_text: and other instruments of different magnitudes, it must be enlarged in propor-
tion. Figs. 6, 7, and 8 are other modes of constructing the peg, Fig. 1, but I
prefer that form first described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Eugene du Mesnil, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eighth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and twenty-seven.
EUGENE DU MESNIL. (L.s.)
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Eighth day of November, in the
year of our Lord 1827, the aforesaid Eugene du Mesnil came before our
said Lord the King in His Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification
aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form
above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according
to the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Inrolled the Eighth day of December, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and twenty-seven.