IMPROVEMENTS IN MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Robertson, of Saint Ninians, in the County of
Stirling, North Britain, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS."
Sealed the 12th May 1859, and dated the 17th November 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Robertson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
17th November 1858.
I, JOHN ROBERTSON, of Saint Ninians, in the County of Stirling, North
Britain, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS," to be as follows, that is to say:-
This Invention relates to a means of increasing the sound and volume and
richness of tone of musical instruments of various kinds as applied in the
construction of a violin or similar stringed instrument; it consists in making
the sounding board of fir, pine, or other suitable wood of increased thickness
as compared with existing sounding boards. The inner surface of the sound-
ing board is grooved out to a considerable depth longitudinally in parallel
lines; in this grooving out, the white, soft, and grainless or fibreless wood is
removed, leaving only the fibrous portion standing. The effect of this is that
the sounding effect is very considerably increased, and the instruments derive
very superior richness of tone as compared with common instruments. The
back and other portions of the violin may also be similarly prepared, but the
sounding board is the part essentially suited for the application of the Invention.
Similarly the sounding boards and sounding board supports of pianofortes
may be grooved or prepared with a like result. Organs and all other instru-
ments, where mechanical difficulties do not prevent it, may be similarly treated
with good result; and even in cases when wood which is comparatively
grainless or homogeneous is used, the principle may also be carried out with

page_text: advantage, as not only is there gain from extending the sounding surface,
but also from the increased tendency to vibratory action brought about by the
production of thin ribs of wood or other material operated upon.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Robertson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
16th May 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
ROBERTSON, of Saint Ninians, in the County of Stirling, North Britain,
Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-second year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said John Robertson, Her special license that I, the said John Robertson,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
John Robertson, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
John Robertson, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to
be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next
and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Robertson, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
My said Invention relates to a most simple and effective means of increasing
the volume and richness of tone of musical instruments of various kinds. As
applied in the construction of a violin or similar stringed instrument, it
consists in working the sounding board of increased thickness as compared
with existing sounding boards. The inner surface of the sounding board is
grooved out to a considerable doth longitudinally in parallel lines; in this.

page_text: grooving out, the white, soft, and grainless or fibreless wood is removed, leaving
only the fibrous portion standing. From the above process the instruments
derive very superior power and richness of tone as compared with common
instruments. The back and other portions of the violin may also be similarly
prepared, but the sounding board is the part essentially suited for the applica-
tion of the Invention. Similarly the sounding boards, sounding board supports,
and bracing bars of pianofortes may be grooved or channelled. Organs and
all other instruments, where mechanical difficulties do not interfere with the
process, may be similarly treated with good result; and even in cases where
wood which is comparatively grainless or homogeneous is used, the principle
may also be carried out with advantage, as not only is there gain from
extending the sounding surface, but also from the increased resonant vibratory
action caused by the production of thin ribs of wood or other material operated
upon.
In order that my said Invention may be properly understood and readily
carried out in practice, I shall now proceed to explain in detail the particular
means which I adopt for securing the advantages derivable from my special
improvements; and that a simple and plain practical modification or form of
my arrangements may be thoroughly comprehended, I shall at once refer to
the annexed Diagrams, Figures 1 and 2 on this Sheet.
Fig. 1.
Fig. 2.
Figure 1 is an internal plan of a portion of a
sounding board of a violin or other musical instru-
ment as formed or constructed according to my
Invention; Figure 2 is a corresponding transverse
section of the same. In these Diagram views, the
reddish brown linear portions A represent the
fibrous or grain portions of the wood which are left
standing after the white, soft, and fibreless wood is
removed from between them by any convenient
tool. This removal of the white fibreless wood
leaves deep narrow grooves B; so that the fibrous
LAMAN lines are left standing quite free, except at the
bottom part C, where they are held together by the
[The original Diagrams are coloured] remaining portion of the white wood. In this way
not only is the vibratory area of the wood greatly increased, but each line of
fibre is left free to vibrate fully, and thus secure a full aid complete intonation
in the instrument. This accurate plan of removing the toneless or tone-
deadening wood from the sonorous or specially everberatory fibres, can only
be carried out in wood which is very regular ad even in its grain, and where

page_text: the fibres are not very close together. In woods which are comparatively
homogeneous, or where the fibrous portions are close together or irregular in
linear structure, the essential principle can be only partially carried out. In
such a case the channelling or grooving-out of the wood must be performed
without regard or with very little regard to the lines of fibre, still however,
securing great advantages in point of richness, volume, and purity of tone;
for this indiscriminate grooving or channelling of the surface of the wood, in
the first place, greatly extends the area of sounding surface, and secondly, it
very much increases the tendency of the wood to resonant vibratory action
consequent upon the conversion of the ordinary flat plane surface of the wood
into a series of thin ribs. The same systems of grooving or channelling the
wood or sounding material, of whatever such sounding material may be com-
posed, may be carried out under various forms and in various portions of
different musical instruments, such as violins, pianofortes, harps, harmoniums,
organs, and others, the channelling or grooving not being confined to the
special sounding board surfaces, but being applicable to other surfaces from
which a resonant vibratory action can be obtained.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I may observe, in conclusion, that I do not confine or restrict myself
to the precise details or arrangements which I have had occasion to describe
or refer to, as many variations may be made therefrom without deviating
from the principles or main features of my Invention; but what I consider to
be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by
the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
First, the system or mode of improving the effect and tone of musical
instruments, as herein-before described.
Second, the system or mode of adding to the effect and tone of musical
instruments by removing the comparatively soundless wood or material from
between the sonorous fibres, and thus setting the latter free to vibrate.
Third, the increasing the sonorous surface area of musical instruments by
grooving or channelling the surface of the sounding portions.
In witness, whereof, I, the said John Robertson, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of May, One thousand eight
hundred and fifts_nine
JOHN ROBERTSON. (L.S.).