Year: 1887

page_text: [Communicated from abroad by JOHANN D. LOPPENTIEN, of Pittsburg, in the County
of Allegheny, State of Pennsylvania, U.S.A., Manufacturer.]
1, SAMUEL SIDNEY BROMHEAD of 97 Newgate Street, London, E.C. Patent Agent,
(communicated), 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 :-
;
My invention relates to an improvement in musical instruments played upon with a
how and it consists in the introduction of a bar into the body of the instrument,
between its top and bottom, one end of which bar is fastened to the block by which
the neck of the instrument is held and the other to the knob that supports the string-
holder, thereby forming a longitudinal connection between those points, and also a fulcrum
for a cross-piece, upon one end of which stands the sounding-post, supporting the top
of the instrument, while its other end is held by a screw, the raising or lowering of
which increases or diminishes the pressure of the sounding-post against the under side
of the top of the instrument, all which improvements are for the purpose of enriching
its tone by an increased vibration.
The accompanying drawings represent my invention.
Figure 1 is a plan of the instrument from which the top has been removed. Fig. 2
is a longitudinal section of the same. Figs. 3 and 4 are cross-sections taken through
the body of the instrument at different points.
In Fig. 1, A shows the interior of the instrument. The bar is attached to the
block of the neck and to the block c, to which the string-holder is fastened, thus
extending over the whole length of the body of the instrument without coming in
contact with its top or bottom. At the place over which the bridge of the instrument
stands the upper edge of the bar d is thinned or sharpened, to serve as a fulcrum for
a short lever, e, placed across it. By means of a screw, g, passing through a sleeve, n,
under one of its ends, the bar e can be raised or lowered, to either elevate its opposite

page_text: end, on which the sounding-post s stands, pressing against the under side of the top
of the instrument, or its pressure reduced by a reversed motion of the screw; or the
lever or bar e may be passed through a slot made in the bar d, under the bridge, and
fulcrumed, as stated. The screw 9, passing through the bottom of the instrument, is
at the outside provided with a flat head, and has a nut on its threaded end by which
to raise or lower the end of the bar e, that can be reached through the sounding-hole
in the top of the instrument. Or the end of the lever e, which projects beyond the
bar d, on the side next to the sound post, s, may be cut away and this sound-post may
sit upon the back of the violin in the usual way. In this case the end of the lever e,
is made to fit in the bar d, as in Fig. 4, then the straining of the screw n, causes the
hody of the instrument to twist a little on the bar d, this tilts the sounding posts, a
little. This post is a little longer diagonally from corner to corner lengthwise, than
it is in a line parallel to its axis lengthwise. Consequently when tilted as described,
it by an increasing pressure adds to the tension both of the back and front of the
instrument. From the bar d ribs à extend to the inner sides of the side walls of the
instrument, between top and bottom, and press against said walls with their slightly-
enlarged ends.
The vibration of the strings produced by the use of the bow is by them first
communicated to the bridge upon which they rest, and, standing on top of the
instrument, it causes the body to vibrate, thereby adding strength to its tone; hence
if good material-i.e., material that vibrates readily-is required to produce agreeable
sounds, bad or indifferent material can only produce feeble or disagreeable sounds, for
want of its vibrating quality. To obtain the necessary vibrations or a good tone from
instruments made of secondary or inferior material has been the object of my
invention, not excluding improvements in good instruments, and I have accomplished
this by augmenting and communicating the vibrations through instantaneous reaction
upon all parts of the body to expel the sounds from the interior through the sounding-
holes, and by applying means for controlling them by reducing or increasing the
tension of the top of the instrument and its connection.
Having now fully described and ascertained what my said Invention is, and
how the same is constructed and performed, as communicated to me by my foreign
correspondent, I do hereby declare, that what I claim as my Invention, and desire
to secure by Letters-Patent, is ;
1. In combination with the bar d, the lever or bar
substantially as described.
in sleeve
screw g
e,
12,
and ribs h,
2. The combination of the body A of a musical instrument with the bar d, which
extends from one end of the body to the other, the ribs or braces h, which are
applied to opposite sides of this bar, a lever which is connected to the bar, and a
screw for adjusting the pressure of the lever upon the bar, substantially as set
forth.
DAL 11
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