Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 13th July, 1897-Accepted, 2nd Oct., 1897
I, KARL LOUIS THIERFELD, of 9 Schallergasse, Johanngeorgenstadt, in the 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 :-
This invention relates to an improved musical instrument similar to those called
Auto harps in which the dampers for preventing certain notes from sounding and by
which means certain chords can be selected are arranged in a carrier so as to slide,
the sliding movement being operated by hand according to the key required, the
dampers being brought into action by means of keys which are fixed on the top of the
casing placed over the sliding movement.
In this manner a key board is obtained capable of being operated in a simple and
quick manner, differing in this respect from other similar contrivances.
In the annexed drawing Fig. 1 is a front view of the arrangement with partial cross
section. Fig. 2 is a plan view. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal cross section the sliding part
being shown as pushed in. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal cross section the sliding part being
shown as pulled or partly pulled out.
Over the strings of the instrument is a sliding frame or carrier A in which is arranged
the damper movement B in the usual manner and kept from falling on to or operating
on the strings by means of springs d d.
The sliding frame or carrier A is moved horizontally by means of a button e or the
like and is guided in this movement by supports E E carrying roller wheels a a, on which
the frame slides easily being limited in its movement by means of abutments b b
Fig. 4 or in any other suitable manner.
The supports E E also support the cover F in which the keys G G are arranged so
that they can be pressed downwards in a swinging manner acting on the damper
bars B and pressing same on to the sound producing strings or wires. Thus by pressure
on any of the keys G G the corresponding damper bar is brought to bear on the wires
rendering inute certain of the strings and leaving free those appartaining to the
corresponding chord in the particular key according to the position of the sliding
frame. The damper bars in the key board slide under the keys on the cover which
act thereon and may be of any number required. During displacement the sliding
frane can either be moved freely or held in check by any device as for instance by
means of a toothed rack f Fig. 4 fixed above or under or at the side of the frame A
on to which is pressed by means of a spring the check or pawl g fixed in a suitable
position on the inside of the cover F.
By means of an indicator h which is fixed on the sliding frame A and reaches
through a slot & Fig. 2 in the cover F and by means of a scale fixed on the cover F
the adjustment of the sliding frame can be set to the key required such key being
shown by the indicator on the scale.
The device may be of any construction.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
An improved musical instrument with displiceable key damper board in which the
damper bars are arranged in a slide displaceable across the strings carried by rollers
and moved by means of a button or any other means the said slide being covered by
a cover carrying the keys operating the damper bars and displaceable for the different
keys either freely or adjustably by means of an adjusting device which adjustment
can be shown on the cover by means of an indicator and scale.
Dated this 13th day of July 1897.
HERBERT HADDAN & Co.,
18, Buckingham Street, Strand, London, Agents to Applicant.