IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OR CONSTRUCTION OF STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
Year: 1867

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Pain at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 25th January
1867.
I, WILLIAM PAIN, of Charles Street, Commercial Road, in the County of
Middlesex, Carpenter and Joiner, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OR CONSTRUCTION OF STRINGED
MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS," to be as follows:-
My improvements are applicable to various stringed musical instruments,
amongst others to the guitar, but are specially intended to be applied to that
called the banjo.
My first improvement consists in so constructing the bridge that it may be
shifted from place to place with the greatest facility, with the least possible
friction on the strings without loosening them, and without the necessity of
re-tuning the instrument after every shifting of the bridge. The part of my
improved bridge which carries the strings is a roller having as many grooves
as there are strings, and the spindle of which turns on bearings in vertical
supports at each end, these supports having a smooth broad base in order that
they may easily slide with the roller along the plane surface of the tambour,
drum, or case to the position required, the two vertical supports being tied
together and the entire bridge strengthened by cross pieces, one above and
the other below the friction roller. When the strings are at their proper
tension each lies in a separate groove of the friction roller; and when the
player desires to change the tone of his instrument by shifting the bridge,

page_text: instead of having to lower the bridge, move it, and raise it again at the desired
point, as hitherto, he has only to draw or push the bridge backwards or
forwards, the revolution of the roller preventing any excess of friction on the
strings, which will consequently last much longer than hitherto. The base of
the bridge may be covered with soft leather or other material, which will
soften the friction on the tambour or case, and instead of one roller with as
many grooves as there are strings several rollers may be carried on one
spindle, each roller having a groove or grooves corresponding with one or
more of the strings. The entire bridge may be made of metal if desired, or
of wood, or any material which may be found suitable, I prefer metal; and
the friction roller or rollers and the support of its or their spindle may be of
different material if preferred.
My second improvement has.for object to render the instrument portable
in a smaller compass than hitherto, and so that it may be at once used without
the necessity of re-tuning after having travelled a considerable distance; also
to enable the player when not using his instrument to relieve the tension upon
the strings without being required to re-tune the instrument when he renews
the tension. I effect this object by making the neck or fingerboard of the
instrument in two lengths, which I unite by a hinge. While the instrument
is being played upon the joint of the neck is kept extended by a hook or
catch tying the two parts behind the hinge and preventing the hinge being
closed by the tension of the strings; but when the player wishes to relieve
this tension or carry off his instrument he first passes an elastic or other band
over the strings immediately above the joint, and another one just below the
pegs; he then unfastens the hook or catch and folds the top part of the neck
over on to the lower part and front of the tambour, the upper tie piece of my
improved bridge preventing the strings leaving this latter. To restore the
instrument to its proper form for playing it is only .necessary to see that each
string is in the corresponding groove of the friction roller of the bridge, to
remove the two bands, bend back the top joint on its hinge, and secure it in
position by the book or catch. It need scarcely be observed that both these
improvements may be applied to existing instruments.