Improvements relating to Violins and similar Musical Instruments.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Nov., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 14th Aug., 1893-Accepted, 16th Sept., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to Violins and similar Musical Instruments.
I, AUGUST PETTERSSON, of Kungsör in the County of Westmanland, Sweden,
Filer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :—
In order to increase the volume of sound in violins such instruments are
sometimes constructed with double-strings each pair of which are arranged at such
a distance from each other, that they cannot come into contact during their
vibration. Each such pair of strings is tuned in unison and can be acted upon
with the bow as well as with the fingers when the sound of course gains in power
and beauty. Such instruments have however another form than that of the usual
violin and form in some measure a separate kind of instrument, which cannot be
changed to the usual violin.
My invention relates to an apparatus by means of which such extra-strings can
easily and conveniently be placed on bow-instruments especially violins without the
necessity of altering the instrument. The apparatus thus allows of such un
instrument being used at pleasure either as a double-stringed or as a single-stringed
instrument.
The apparatus consists of a frame, box or block, containing as many spindles as
the number of extra-strings which it is desired to employ. Each of these spindles
has on its outer-end a driving wheel, into which engages a screw supported by the
frame, by which screw the spindle can be turned round. The one end of each
string is united with its corresponding spindle, while the other end is fastened to
the string holder. The frame box or block is attached to the neck of the instru-
ment by means of screws, clasps.or other suitable arrangements and the extra-
strings can, after they have been attached to the string-holder and the spindles,
then be strained by the turning of the screws gearing into the spindles. The
bridge and fret of an instrument, which is to be changed to a double stringed one
must of course also have a number of extra notches corresponding to the number of
extra-strings, which it is desired to employ.
Dated this 14th day of November 189)
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to Violins and similar Musical Instruments.
1, AUGUST PETTERSSON, of Kungsör, Gärden 38, in the County of West-
manland, in the Kingdom of Sweden, Filer, 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: -
In order to increase the volume of sound in violins such instruments are
sometimes constructed with double-strings, each pair of which are arranged at such
a distance from each other, that they cannot come into contact during their
vibration. Each such pair of strings is tuned in unison and can be acted upon with
the bow as well as with the fingers, when the sound of course gains in power and
beauty. Such instruments have however another form than that of the usual violin
and form in some measure a separate kind of instrument, which cannot be changed
to the usual violin.
My invention relates to an apparatus, by means of which such extra strings can
easily and conveniently be placed on bow-instruments especially violins, without

page_text: the necessity of altering the instrument. The apparatus thus allows of such an
instrument being used at pleasure as a double-stringed or as a single-stringed
instrument.
In the accompanying drawing.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved apparatus arranged upon the neck
of a string-instrument.
Figure 2 is a rear side view of the same.
Figure 3 is a plan, and
Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view showing the strings.
The apparatus consists of a frame, box or block A, containing as many
spindles B, B' as there are extra strings which it is desired to employ.
Each of these spindles has on its outer-end a wheel, with which engages a
screw C or C, supported by the frame, by which screw the spindle can be turned.
In each spindle is an opening or other suitable device for fastening the one end
of the string, the other end of the same being in the usual manner secured to the
string-holder F. Connected to the frame A are links D, D, which support a
screw-pin E which is passed through one of said links and either through a hole
in the neck of the instrument, or underneath the said neck and screwed into a
tapped hole in the opposite link. The frame, box or block A may be connected
with the neck of the instrument by means of screws, clasps or other suitable means.
Each spindle may also be divided into two parts which are independent of each
other, and each part may be turned by a separate screw and connected with a
separate string.
The frame A being attached to the instrument and the one end of the extra-
strings to the string-holder F, the other end is attached to the spindles B, B', and
the strings can then be strained for tuning by turning the screws C, C.
The arrangement for tuning above described, consisting of the spindle B, with
the wheel and the screw C, belonging thereto, is not new, but has already been
used for string-instruments. The bridge G and the fret H of an instrument, which
is to be changed to a double-stringed one, must of course also have a number
of extra notches corresponding to the number of extra-strings, which it is desired
to employ.
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
The herein described apparatus for enabling the use on stringed instruments
especially violins, of more strings than is ordinarily employed, without changing
the form of the said instrument, the said apparatus consisting of a frame, box or
block (A), intended to be attached to the neck of the instrument and containing
screws (CC) and spindles (B, B') gearing with the said screws, all with the object
of permitting the attachment of the apparatus to the instrument and, by turning
the screws, the straining of the strings attached to the spindles, the other ends of
these strings being fastened in the string-holder, whereby the instrument can be
used either as a single-stringed or as a double-stringed one.
Dated this 14th day of August 1893.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.