Improvements in Zithers.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Apr., 1895-Accepted, 24th May, 1895
Improvements in Zithers.
We ERNST TIPPMANN, Instrument Maker, and OTTO KELLER, Music Teacher,
both of Zeitz in the Empire of Germany 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 an improved zither constructed for playing mechanically
any piece of music by using music sheets.
In the annexed drawing
Fig. 1 represents a front elevation, and Fig. 2 shows a portion of the zither in
plan view.
Fig. 3 is a section along the pickers.
Fig. 4 a portion of the plan view broken away to show the key levers and pickers
or picking members from above, and
Fig. 5 represents a cross section along the strings and across the pickers.
The instrument is in the usual manner provided with its stretched strings and the
mechanically actuated pickers are arranged at the top and across said strings.
This arrangement substantially consists of the key levers a arranged on the top
of the instrument distributed in rows over the strings, and provided with
corresponding dampers each of the said key levers being pivotally connected to a
picker actuated by a stop pin o; the arrangement may further comprise the
screws e provided upon the instrument, said screws having each an annular groove
made around its upper end in each of which grooves one string f is passed for the
purpose of regulating the positions of the strings with regard to the pickers. Each
key lever a at one extremity is pivotally mounted on a pin i in a series of recesses
below the bottom' part of the frame and while projecting with their engaging
points through holes in the bottom of the said frame these levers are held in upward
position by means of springs n.
'
With the other extremity of each key lever a an angular picking member b
resting upon a stop pin o is so connected that on pressing down the key lever a the
angular lever is turned about the pin o so that the downturned end of the picker b
passes transversely over the corresponding string f, deflecting it in its passage and
thus producing a vibration of the string. On the rising of the key lever a under
the pressure of the spring n the angular picker is slightly raised, and thus the
picking arm of said angular picker is partially lifted before it turns back under its
own weight around the pin o and thus resumes its initial position without touching
the string on its return passage.
Furthermore on each key lever a a downwardly projecting fingers is arranged
and upon the instrument there is provided for each string fa spring n carrying a
damper. The springs n serve to keep the dampers up against each of the strings f
and the fingers & serve to press the dampers off the springs f before the latter are
touched by the picking members and thus to keep the string free for vibration.
The music sheet m is as illustrated in Fig. 1 moved along over the bottom of the
frame over the key levers a and is held pressed against the latter by means of a
covering plate which can be folded on to it, so that the engaging points of the key
levers are forced back by the music sheet into the bottom of the frame.
On the arriving of a note that is to say of a hole in the music sheet (representing
the note) above the engaging point of a key lever, this engaging point rises under
the action of the spring n, into the corresponding hole in the music sheet and the

page_text: picking member 6 is during this process carried over the corresponding string and
brought to the other side of the same without touching it.
As the music sheet is moved forward the engaging point is again forced out
of its music sheet hole, and the picker b, passing over the string, strikes or picks the
same (Fig. 3).
In order to bring the picking members b and the strings to be struck into
a suitable position with regard to one another, each of the strings f, is passed into
the groove, near the top of a screw c, so that by turning the screw in the one or
other direction, each string can be adjusted to a higher or lower position to come
correctly within reach of the corresponding picker.
Instead of the grooved screws e pins or pegs may be used which may be displaced
in-direction of their weight by means of an eccentric, wedge or the like and which
are provided with holes or recesses through which the strings are passed.
The music sheet may be passed along in sliding motion over the engaging points
of the key levers a either as shown in Fig. 1 by the gearing of the teeth of the
wheels w into certain holes of the music sheet m in which case the music sheet is by
means of the roller kept in gear with the teeth of the wheels we or by winding said
music sheet on a roller or in any other suitable form and manner.
In order that the strings may be easily tuned, a tuning tongue is or may be
provided, as shown in Fig. 5 for each string which indicates the normal tone to be
given to the corresponding string.
These tuning tongues which are made to sound when blown into are each
separately inserted. in a cell and each of the cells is provided with an orifice to
receive a blow pipe r so that on inserting this pipe successively in any of the
respective orifices of the cells each of the tuning tongues can be made to sound.
Instead of such tuning tongues for actuation by wind other tuning forks or plates
to be actuated by touch or striking may be arranged on the instrument.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. The combination with a zither of the series of key levers a arranged and
spaced over the strings, pickers & severally connected to said key levers and fixed
pins o adapted to co-operate with said pickers in such a way that on pressing down
the respective key lever the picker strikes across the string but on the rising of the
lever returns clear of said string.
2. The combination with a zither of a frame a traversing the strings of said
zither, key levers a pivoted on said frame, pins o in said frame, angular pickers b
resting on said pins o and connected to key levers a, and springs n for raising said
levers a the whole substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
3. In a zither the combination with the springs of means for mechanically
striking said strings and adjustable pins adapted to engage said strings and hold
same at the correct elevation for operation of said striking mechanism.
Dated this 11th day of April 1895.
HERBERT HADDAN & Co.,
18, Buckingham Street, Strand, London, W.C., Agents for Applicants.