Improvements in Violoncellos, Violins, and Stringed Instruments of the like kind.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 6th May, 1898
Complete Specification Left, 6th Feb., 1899-Accepted, 11th Mar., 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Violoncellos, Violins, and Stringed Instruments
of the like kind.
I, JAN MULDER, of 22, Regent Street, London, Professor of Music, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
It is well known to all players upon violins, violoncellos, and stringed instru-
ments of the like kind, that certain notes upon certain of the strings are less
readily produced in playing than the remainder.
Assuming the instrument to be a violoncello, for example, it is always the
case that a more or less imperfect tone is produced when playing the E, and its
neighbouring notes F and F, upon the third, or G, string of the instrument,
this imperfection of tone being technically known as the "wolf," and resulting,
apparently, from an imperfect and irregular vibration of the string when
stopped" at these notes.
I have found that the cause of the imperfection originates from the "tail-
piece," or the wooden piece to one end of which the tail ends of the strings are
fixed, whilst its other end is attached to the tailpin at the lower end of the
instrument.
My invention consists in so modifying the tailpiece, or parts connected with
it, that its injurious effect upon the vibration of the strings is prevented or
neutralized.
For this purpose I make the tailpiece in two parts, by removing a part of it
at or near the centre of its length, the parts remaining being united by a suitable
flexible connection of sufficient strength, preferably one or more pieces of
sufficiently strong gut. The length of the part so removed may be varied more
or less as may be found desirable.
I sometimes effect the same object in a different way, by inserting somewhat
tightly a piece of suitable material such as cork, or wood, between the lower
side of the tailpiece and the belly of the instrument below it.
This piece may be inserted at or near the centre of the length of the tailpiece,
or more or less near one of its ends. I have found that when inserted, at about
the centre of the tailpiece it is very effective in preventing the objectionable
wolf," but it interferes slightly with the vibration of the belly and the power
of the instrument.
"
I prefer, therefore, to place it under the tailpiece near the lower end of the
latter, where it is also effective without interfering with the power.
The piece inserted as described between the tailpiece and the belly of the
instrument may be used in combination with the divided tailpiece having its
parts connected together as above described.
Dated this 6th day of Mon 1808
EDWARDS & Co.,
65 & 66, Chancery Lane, London,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: "
Improvements in Violoncellos, Violins, and Stringed Instruments
of the like kind.
I, JAN MULDER, of 22, Regent Street, London, Professor 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, and accompanying drawing, that is to say:-
It is well known to all players upon violins, violoncellos, and stringed instru-
ments of the like kind, that certain notes upon certain of the strings are less
readily produced in playing than the remainder.
Assuming the instrument to be a violoncello, for example, it is always the
case that a more or less imperfect tone is produced when playing the E, and its
neighbouring notes F and F upon the third, or G, string of the instrument,
this imperfection of tone being technically known as the "wolf," and resulting,
apparently, from an imperfect and irregular vibration of the string when
stopped" at these notes.
I have found that the cause of the imperfection originates from the "tail-
piece," or the wooden piece to one end of which the tail ends of the strings are
fixed, whilst its other end is attached to the tailpin at the lower end of the
instrument.
My invention consists in so modifying the tailpiece. or parts connected with
it that its injurious effect upon the vibration of the strings is prevented or
neutralized.
The accompanying drawing is in illustration of my invention. Figure 1 is a
front view of a violoncello having my improvement applied to it.
Figure 2 is a side view, upon a larger scale, of the tailpiece and the parts
connected with it.
Figure 3 is an end view, from the back, of the upper part of the tailpiece, and
Figure 4 is an end view, from the front, of the lower part of the tailpiece.
I make the tailpiece in two parts, a and b, by removing a part of it at or near
the centre of its length, the parts a and b remaining being united by a suitable
flexible connection of sufficient strength, preferably one or more pieces of
sufficiently strong gut c. The length of the part so removed may be varied
more or less as may be found desirable. The upper part 6 carries the lower ends
of the strings e of the instrument, and is also provided with holes, or attachments
for the gut strings c, by which it is connected to the part a, which has similar
holes or attachments for the gut strings c, and also in the usual way for the gut
or wire f by which the tailpiece is attached to the tailpiece of the instrument.
The two parts a and b of the tailpiece are shown connected together by a
single piece of gut c threaded through and secured by the several holes in these
parts.
A sufficient number of separate pieces of gut or other suitable material may
be used.
I sometimes effect the same object in a different way, by inserting somewhat
tightly a piece of suitable material such as cork, or wood, hetween the lower
side of the tailpiece and the belly of the instrument below it.
This piece may be inserted at or near the centre of the length of the tailpiece,
or more or less near one of its ends. I have found that when inserted at about
the centre of the tailpiece it is very effective in preventing the objectionable
wolf," but it interferes slightly with the vibration of the belly and the power
of the instrument.
-

page_text: I prefer, therefore, to place it under the tailpiece near the lower end of the
latter, where it is also effective without interfering with the power.
The piece inserted as described between the tailpiece and the belly of the
instrument may be used in combination with the divided tailpiece having its
parts connected together as above described, as shown in Figure 1 in dotted lines
at d.
The details of shape and proportion, material and arrangement of the several
parts, may be varied more or less as may be found desirable.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. In stringed instruments, such as violins, violoncellos, and the like, the
method of making the tailpiece in two parts, connected together by a suitable
flexible connection of sufficient strength, at c, substantially as described and
illustrated.
2. The use of a block of suitable material, such as cork or wood, inserted
between the belly of the instrument and the lower side of the tailpiece; sub-
stantially as described...
1034
EDWARDS & Co.,
Chartered Patent Agents,
65 & 66, Chancery Lane, London,
Agents for the Applicant.