Improvement in Striking Apparatus for Stringed Instruments.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Apr., 1897-Accepted, 14th Aug., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvement in Striking Apparatus for Stringed Instruments.
I, JULIUS MÜLLER residing at Striesen near Dresden Kingdom of Saxony Empire
of Germany Manufacturer 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 :—
The present invention relates to a striking apparatus for stringed-instruments'
enabling to be struck or touch a number of strings at the same time. This purpose
is effected by the apparatus of which Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawing is a
section and Fig. 2 a plan.
Across the strings 8 s an adjustable rod a is provided. At each of its ends the
rod a slides on a bead y which, in order to reduce the friction can be prepared
with graphite.
In order to guide the rod straight, pins are arranged as usual catching into
the notches 2 at the ends of the rod a. At its lower side the rod a is provided
with the striking-pins d at a suitable distance apart and, by the side of the same,
also with dampers d 1 of india-rubber, felt or the like.
The upper surface of the rod (a) is interrupted by a saddle-shaped groove which
is faced with polished tin and at its vertical ends provided with little pieces of clothi
or felt.
Above this rod a key-lever his suspended, in form of a single-arm lever hinged
at p. By means of a spring 1 the lever h is always pressed upwards and is
stopped by a cross-ledge y, coated with cloth or felt (1).
At the front-end the key-plate t is fixed on the lever () under the lever is a felt
plate which softens the striking of the lever on the rod a when the lever his
pressed down.
Above the saddle-shaped groove 6 of the rod a cross-shaped
piece v, also lined with cloth, is suspended oscillating in a slit of the lever h. This
piece is held in vertical position by a suitably formed spring m, acting on its
horizontal arms.
The points of always stand so that, when pressed down, they meet the slanting
surfaces of b, either at the right of left of the points of b.
When the lover his pressed down, the lower point of slides along on the slanting
surface of bas far as its (b) vertical limit 2, and in pressing farther down, it
pushes the rod a forward in its longitudinal direction, until felt flies on the rod a
and thus the lift of hand the shift of a is limited by the cross then in slanting
position; this position is indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1. The striking-pins
with their dampers d 1 are therefore carried by the lever across the strings 8 thus
sounding the latter. If the key t and lever h is released, lever h, worked by the
spring goes up; the cross, also worked by the spring m, places itself vertically,
viz only with its point over the other slanting surface of b, so that, in again pressing
down, the rod is pressed by v to the other side (ie. into its original position).
The strings are thereby caused to resound.
The spring m 2 indicated in the drawing, on the rod a, serves to immediately lift

page_text: the striking-pins d and dampers d 1 out of the plane of the strings struck when h
is released.
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 :-
In a striking-apparatus for stringed instruments the transfer of the movement of a
key-lever (h) pressed down on a rod (a) situated across the strings (8) and provided
with striking-pins (d) and dampers (d 1), by means of an oscillating cross-shaped
piece (v) always held in the position of action by a spring, the lower point of the
piece (v)sliding along a surface of the saddle-shaped groove (b) of the rod (a) carrying
the striking-pins, and pushing this rod (a) forward or backward by touching either
of the vertical end of the groove (b), whereby the striking-pins are passed over the
strings (s) and sound the same (s) substantially as described.
Dated this 5th day of Anril 1807
ERICH PETERS,
Agent for J. P. Müller.