Improvements in Stringed Instruments.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 21st July, 1891
Complete Specification Left, 20th Apr., 1892-Accepted, 16th July, 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Stringed Instruments.
I, CHARLES HUELSER of the firm of Huelser & Co., of Temple Chainbers,-
London, International Patent Agency, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion, a communication to me from abroad by Paul Stark and Carl August
Gütter of Markneukirchen, in the Empire of Germany, Manufacturers, to be as
follows:-
The object of this invention is a slide, which is applied to stringed instruments.
and, according as it occupies the one or other position, allows only a certain group
of chords to be struck by means of a pin, while it covers the rest of the strings..
Said slide consists of a number of parallel bars connected with each other at the
ends and can be moved lengthwise to and fro in guidings provided on the
instrument. One of the bars has a longitudinal slot in which a turn button is
provided for fixing the slide in any desired position. In the interstices between
the single bars short cords are stretched which cover those strings, which are not
to sound, and leave free between them those strings which sound together in
harmony.
To allow single strings to be tuned half a tone higher, as is required for single
chords, tappets are laid on, which are provided on a rod near the end of the strings.
Said rod tends to turn round by the action of spiral springs surrounding it at its
projecting ends and is held by arms of a slide movable in a guide. It carries
moreover another arm, which is depressed when the tappets are to be lifted. By
displacing the last mentioned slide, the tappets can be brought over the desired
strings.
Dated this 21st day of July 1891
HUELSER & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant..
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Stringed Instruments.
I, CHARLES HUELSER of the firm of Huelser & Co. of Temple Chambers,.
London, International Patent and Trade Mark Offices, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention, a communication to me from abroad by Paul Stark and
Carl August Gütter, of Markneukirchen, in the Empire of Germany, Manu-
facturers, 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 a slide, which is applied to stringed instruments and,
according as it occupies the one or other position, allows only a certain group of
chords to be struck by means of a pin, while it covers the rest of the strings.
In the accompanying drawings
Fig. 1 is a plan of a zither provided with my invention ;
Fig. 2 is a section and Fig. 3 a front view of the same.
Figs. 4 and 5 are plans of the same instrument with the slide in different
positions.
Said slide A chiefly consists of parallel bars connected with each other at the
ends and moveable lengthwise to and fro on guide rails C applied to the instrument..
One of the said guide bars has a slot, in which a turn button is provided for fixing
the slide in any desired position. The interstices between the bars composing the
slide are bridged over by short cords B which cover those strings which are not
Pine 871

page_text: to sound, and leave free between them those strings which sound together in
harmony.
For instance, in the position represented by Fig. 1, the lowest slot of the slide
allows the player to strike the group of notes which sound in harmony with G sharp,
while the intermediate slot allows the group which harmonises with D sharp, and
the third or uppermost slot the group harmonising with C sharp to be struck.
For striking the strings, I employ a pin L. If the slide A be shifted into the
positions shown by Figs. 4 or 5, other groups of notes may be struck in the three
slots. When the slide A has been placed into the desired position, it is secured
therein by means of the turn button D.
In order that single strings may be tuned half a note higher, tappets E are laid
on, which are mounted on a rod F situated near the ends of the strings. Said
rod E tends to turn on its axis by the action of spiral springs G surrounding it at
its projecting ends, and is held by arms J of a slide J' moveable in a guide plate K.
The rod F carries moreover another arm H, on which the player presses with the
hand, when the tappets E are to be lifted. By displacing the slide J', the tappets E
can be brought over the desired strings.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
An attachment to stringed instruments for allowing only predetermined groups
of notes to be struck, said attachment or device comprising a slide A moveable on
guides C and having parallel slots which are bridged over by strings B adapted to
cover the strings of the instrument, substantially as described.
Deted this 19th day of April 1892.
HUELSER & Co.,
Agents for Applicant.