Improvements in Violins or Similar Instruments.
Year: 1899

page_text: Improvements in Violins or Similar Instruments.
I, CLARK POWERS, of Somerville, in the County of Middlesex, and State of
Massachusetts, one of the United States of America, Violin Maker, 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:
This invention relates to violins and instruments of a like character; and its
object is to improve the tone of such instruments.
The theory on which I carry out my invention is that the body of the violin
or related instrument and the air inclosed thereby should be as nearly as possible
in equilibrium or even balance on either side of the center of tone generation-
namely the bridge and post. In other words, the center of gravity and the center
of air distribution should coincide as nearly as possible with the position of the
bridge and post. In violins as heretofore constructed the center of gravity of the
body has commonly been located from one-quarter to three-quarters of an inch
forward of the bridge, while the internal air-chamber has commonly been of larger
size behind the bridge than in front thereof. This unequal distribution of weight
and air does not, I conceive give the best possible tone results, and I propose to
remedy this difficulty by means of the hereinafter described construction of
parts.
In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a horizontal sectional view of a violin
constructed in accordance with my invention. Figure 2 represents a vertical
sectional view thereof.
Referring to the drawings, a is the violin belly. b is the back. cc are the sides.
d is the neck-block. e is the tail-block. ff are the corner blocks. g is the
bridge, and his the sound post. The said parts are all located in the same
relative positions which they occupy in ordinary violins and are of the same
general construction. In accordance with my invention, however, I propose to
bring the center of gravity of the violin-body back towards the tail end thereof
to a position corresponding substantially with the transverse line of plane of the
bridge g, while at the same time reducing the size of the inclosed air-chamber
back of the bridge and increasing it in front thereof. In order to accomplish this,
I make the following alterations in structure: The belly a and back bare slightly
increased in thickness and consequent weight behind the position of the bridge 9
and decreased in thickness in front of said bridge as compared with their

page_text: dimensions in ordinary violins. The distribution of the material may be varied
within limits, as desired, so long as a proportionate increase and decrease is
maintained as described. Thus in the drawings the thickest part of the belly
are at 2, 3 and 4. Also the neck block d and the two corner blocks ff, which lie
forward of the violin waist, are reduced in size, their usual dimensions being
indicated by the broken lines, while their dimensions when constructed in
accordance with my invention are represented by full lines. The tail-block e and
the two corner-blocks f¹ flying behind the violin waist, are on the contrary,
increased in size, as represented by full lines, over their normal size, which is
indicated by broken lines. When the required amount of alteration has been
made, the violin-body will balance on a suspending-cord passed through the sound
holes substantially on the transverse line of the bridge.
By altering the size of the blocks and changing the belly and back, as described,
to an amount which brings the center of gravity of the violin-body back to the
line of the bridge the air spaces included, respectively, in front of and behind such
line will also be made more nearly equal in volume, as the larger air-space has
been partly filled up and the smaller one increased in size over the normal.
The result of the entire change and redistribution is to produce longer singing
tones of a fuller and more musical quality when the instrument is played, as the
resistance offered to the vibrating strings is not only minimized to the lowest
degree, but is at the same time equally distributed from the central impact or seat
of tone generation. This principle will also allow of considerable more wood
throughout the whole vibrating body and eradicates a too-common error which
now exists of "regraduating" violins too thinly--a natural outgrowth of imperfect
construction.
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. A violin or similar instrument having a body so constructed that its center
of gravity lies at a point coinciding with the position of the bridge.
2. A violin or similar instrument having a belly thickened behind the bridge
and reduced in thickness in front of the bridge, and further provisions whereby
the center of gravity of the violin-body is brought to a point coinciding with the
bridge.
3. A violin or similar instrument so constructed that its body incloses equal
air-spaces in front of and behind the bridge.
4. A violin or similar instrument having its end and corner blocks behind the
bridge increased in size above the normal, and its end and corner blocks
diminished in size below the normal, and further provisions whereby the center
of gravity of the violin-body is brought to a point coinciding with the position of
the bridge.
5. A violin having a body inclosing equal air-spaces in front of and behind the
bridge, and so constructed that the center of gravity of the said body lies at a
point coinciding with the position of the bridge.
Dated this 9th day of August 1899
JOHN P. O'DONNELL, Fel.Chart. Inst.P.A.,
Agent for Applicant.