Improvements in Stringed Musical Instruments.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Nov., 1896-Accepted, 20th Mar., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Stringed Musical Instruments.
I, THEODOR HENRY FRIEDRICH MÜLLER of No. 10 Grindelberg, Hamburg,
in the German Empire, Teacher of Music, 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 improvements in that class of stringed musical instruments
in which the sounds are produced by the friction of a mechanically operated end-
less band bow against the strings of the instrument, and consists in improvements
upon the mechanism for establishing and controlling the said friction.
The present invention differs from its predecessors of an analogous type
principally in the following respects:-
(a.) The key levers are not arranged in such relative positions that it is possible
to depress them by the thumb whilst the four fingers of the same hand are striking
the bass strings. In the present invention, the instrument has not any bass strings.
The key levers are turned round, their free ends being in line on the opposite side
of the instrument where they can be depressed by the fingers and thumb of that
hand or by any of them.
(b.) Each improved key lever is one piece bent through a right angle; the
members intermediate of the old key levers and the friction levers have been
dispensed with; and the construction of the said levers and of their actuating
mechanism simplified and improved, especially by placing the fulcra of the said
levers on different sides of the wires by which they are connected to their respective
key levers.
Referring to the accompanying figures, which are to be taken as part of this
specification and read therewith:-
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation :
Figure 2 is a transverse sectional elevation:
Figure 3 is a plan :
Figure 4 is a plan of the key lever and friction lever box after it has been swung
back on its hinges, and
Figure 5 is an end elevation of one key lever detached.
The
A is the body of the instrument-violin, viola, violoncello, or the like. a is
the endless band, herein referred to as the band bow. It is led to and fro as
heretofore over three pulleys b above and two pulleys 6' beneath the table Con
which the instrument is laid, thereby producing six parallel portions, five of which
are always, respectively, within a short distance of the five strings e.
remaining portion of the band bow is led round a pulley d supported on a suitable
axle d' beneath the table C on which the instrument is laid and to which the
operating mechanism is affixed. Regular motion is imparted to the band bow by
means of a driving cord e and a pulley c fast to the pulley d. The mechanism for
driving the cord e may be of any suitable kind.
To maintain the band bow a at a uniform tension, the lower pulleys rollers b¹ are
journalled in bearings adapted to slide in slots 6 in the frame B, such bearings
being held to the said frame by suitable springs adapted to draw them downwards
and to so maintain the band bow a in a normal and uniform tension.
To press the band bow a against any particular string e, I provide a series of

page_text: triction levers (so called because they establish the friction necessary to produce
the musical sounds).
These are horizontal fulcrummed on pivots m' which are secured to the underside
of a plate m that carries the means for controlling the band bow a, and are guided
in slots formed in a transverse bar m³ that is conveniently secured also to the
underside of the aforesaid plate m. The free end of each lever f forms a finger
that stands by the side of and close to the respective portion of the band bow a.
The plate m is further made fast to a vertical standard me which is hinged to the
table C, the two-plate and standard-together constituting the key-lever and
friction-lever box. This box may be swung over as illustrated in Figure 4, thus
affording ready access to. the mechanism on the undersidé thereof and making
it possible to then lift the entire instrument up clear of the table C and to
remove it.
The key levers h are bell crank levers fulcrummed on a rod k supported by
suitable uprights I secured to the plate m. The downwardly directed short arm of
each key lever h is connected as illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 with its corresponding
friction leverf by a suitable wires of suitable material and strength, so that the
depression of a key lever swings the respective friction lever fin one or the other
direction according to the position of its respective fulcrum and bring it from a
normal position of rest and into contact with a moving portion of the band bow a
for the purpose of pressing the said portion against the string on the outer side
thereof. Suitable springs h and f¹ are provided to return the key levers / and
levers 7, respectively, into their normal positions of rest.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. The combination with the mechanism for establishing and controlling friction,
of key levers arranged as and for the purpose set forth.
2. In a musical instrument of the kind described, the combination of key levers
each bent at a right angle and fulcrummed on a horizontal axis; friction levers;
connecting wires between the said key levers and friction levers respectively; and
the fulcra of the latter respectively, whereby depression of any key lever presses
the respective portion of the band bow against the respective string of the
instrument.
3. In a musical instrument of the kind described, the combination with an endless
band bow and a string, preferably on each outer side thereof, of two friction levers
having fingers in proximity to the inner side of said band bow, said friction levers
arranged on separate fulcra; two key levers; and connections between the latter
and the friction levers adapted to move the latter bars in opposite directions when
the former are depressed, as set forth.
4. In a musical instrument of the kind described, the combination with an endless
bard bow; a violin string preferably on each outer side thereof; two friction
levers arranged each on a separate fulcrum and provided with suitable fingers or
the like close to the inner sides of the said band bow; a key lever connected with
one of the friction levers and a second key lever connected with the other friction
lever, being thereby adapted to move the friction levers in opposite directions when
the key levers are depressed, for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 24th day o
PHILLIPS & LEIGH,
No. 22 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.