Improvements in Musical Stringed Instruments.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 6th May, 1897
Complete Specification Left, 7th Feb., 1898-Accepted, 2nd Apr., 1898
Improvements in Musical Stringed Instruments.
We, HENRY MÜLLER, of 20, Crawford Street, Camberwell, London, S.E., Musical
Instrument Maker, and WILLIAM YORKE WRIGHT, of Prairie Cottage, Baldock,
Herts, Hotel Manager, do hereby declare the nature of our said invention to be as
follows:
--
Our invention relates to an improved musical instrument called a cello-harp
forming the subject matter of an application for Letters Patent dated 30th October
1896 No. 24,228 and its object is to effect further improvements in or relating
thereto.
In accordance with our invention we apply to the strings of the instrument a
frictional appliance analogous to or possessing the properties of the violincello
bow, for playing an accompaniment or producing any other suitable effect. Or
we make use of a pivoted stick which we call a picker stick. For this purpose a
sliding board is fitted in front of the frame, held in position by wires passing
across the back of the frame and suitably supported.
This board has one, two, three or more rows of raised surfaces or projections,
the spaces between which correspond with the notes of the chords to be sounded.
One row of raised surfaces may be constructed for sounding major chords, another
for minor chords and another for sevenths, or otherwise according to the required
harmony or effect, or otherwise. The lower end of the picker stick is pivoted to
the base in any suitable manner, and the upper part is fitted with a metallic tube
carrying a fork or other suitable device for the finger, also one two or more pickers
or strikers, rubber or other wheels or rollers, for guiding and operating the pickers,
and a coiled spring.
When manipulating the pickers the wheels or rollers are caused to traverse the
board, the picker being held so that one wheel governs the distance of the picker
from the board, towards which it is gently pressed and at the same time another
wheel is caused to press against the projections upon the same board whereby
the picker is held away from the strings until the wheel enters one of the spaces
between the projections whereupon a note or notes is or are sounded by the contact
of the picker with one or more of the selected strings.
The spring presses the wheel against the board and the same spring may be
compressed so as to carry the wheel downwards to other portions of the board upon
which other combinations of raised surfaces and recesses are arranged.
Instead of the wheels or rollers, rubbers or pads may be used for governing the
position of the picker or pickers.
We also in some cases form the frame of the instrument of aluminium bronze
or other suitable alloy of aluminium.

page_text: Improvements in Musical Stringed Instruments.
We, HENRY MÜLLER, of 20, Crawford Street, Camberwell, London, S.E., Musical
Instrument Maker, and WILLIAM YORK WRIGHT, of Prairie Cottage, Baldock,
Herts, Hotel Manager, do hereby declare the nature of our said invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
Our invention relates to an improved musical instrument called a 'cello-harp,
forming the subject of an application for Letters Patent dated 30th October 1896,
No. 24,228 and its object is to effect further improvements in or relating thereto.
And in order that our said invention may be particularly described and ascer
tained, reference is hereby made to the accompanying drawings, in which similar
figures of reference indicate corresponding parts.
Fig. 1, is an elevation of the instrument.
Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the upper end of the chord picker rod 13.
Fig. 3 is a section on the line cd, of Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 is a section on the line cf, of Fig. 2.
13 is the picker rod or stick the lower end of which is fitted with a projecting
pin which works in a hole in the base 12, acting as a pivot. 14 is a sliding board
fitted in front of the instrument and held in position by wires or rods passing across
the back of the frame and sliding in brackets or sockets attached to the frame!
This board has one, two, three, or more rows of raised surfaces or projections, the
spaces between which correspond with the notes of the chords to be sounded.
One row of the surfaces only is shown in Fig. 1, from which it will be understood
that others may be added, one corresponding with major chords, another with minor
chords, and another with sevenths, or otherwise, according to the required harmony.
The upper part of the picker stick is fitted with a metallic tube 16, as shown in
the drawings, the tube carrying a finger piece or fork 15, or other suitable device
for the finger; an adjustable picker or striker 17; rubber wheels 18 and 19, and a
coiled spring 20.
When manipulating the picker stick by causing the wheels or roller to traverse
the board 14, the picker stick is held so that the wheel 18 governs the distance of
the picker from the board 14, towards which it is gently pressed, and, at the same
time, the wheel 19 is caused to press against the projections upon the same board,
whereby the picker 17 is held away from the strings until the wheel 19 enters' one
of the spaces between the projections, whereupon a note or notes is or are sounded
by the contact of the picker 17 with one or more of the selected strings.
The spaces are arranged so as to sound the several notes of a chord, or otherwise,
as required. The spring 20 presses the wheel 19 against the board 14. The
spring 20 may be compressed longitudinally, by the operator, whereby the wheel 19
is carried downwards, and caused to traverse another portion, or other portions of
the board 14, upon which other combinations of chords are or may be arranged.
The picker 17 and wheel 19 are carried by slotted levers, which may be adjusted
by thumb screws, as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4.
Instead of the wheels or rollers, rubbers or pads may be used for governing the
position of the picker or pickers.
We sometimes apply to the strings of the instrument a frictional appliance in
the form of a pad of any suitable material, which takes the place of the picker 17
and operates in a manner analogous to the violoncello bow, for playing an accom-
paniment, or producing any other suitable effect.
We also in some cases, form the frame of the instrument of aluminium bronze,
or other suitable alloy of aluminium.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that we
claim is:-
1. The improved musical stringed instrument substantially as and for the
purposes herein before described.
2. In a musical stringed instrument, the application and use therewith of a
picker and stick 13 and a sliding board 14, severally operating substantially as
herein before described and illustrated by the drawings.
Dated 5th February 1898
GEORGE DOWNING & SONS,
8, Quality Court, London, W.C., Agents.