IMPROVEMENTS IN VIOLINS AND OTHER SIMILAR STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
Year: 1852

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Archibald Brooman, of the firm of
J. C. Robertson and Company, of 166, Fleet Street, in the City
of London, Patent Agents, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
VIOLINS AND OTHER SIMILAR STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS."―A
communication.
Sealed the 9th April 1853, and dated the 29th October 1852.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Archibald
Brooman at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 29th October 1852.
I, RICHARD ARCHIBALD BROOMAN, of the firm of J. C. Robertson and
Company, of 166, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent Agents,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN VIOLINS AND OTHER SIMILAR STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS" to be as
follows:-
This Invention has reference more particularly to stringed instru-
ments where the sound is produced by vibrating strings by the friction
of a bow drawn across them, as in the violin. In all musical instruments
of this character the different notes or tones must be produced by
lengthening or shortening the strings. This, as is well known, is done

page_text: by the fingers playing along the finger board. To learn to finger
correctly is the most difficult part, for unless the string is stopped at
the exact place, a false tone will be given; hence a very nice ear is
requisite. The Invention brings in mechanical aid to direct as to the
precise spot to stop the string, so that persons who do not intend to
devote their time professionally to this peculiar class of instruments may
yet become, by a mechanical process, as it were, quite proficient.
The mode of carrying the Invention into effect is as follows:―
Supposing the instrument to be a violin of ordinary construction, the
inventor places immediately above the regular finger board another
constructed very much like the first, except in length. Between the
upper and lower finger boards there is space for the strings to pass
without touching. A series of holes is made in the upper finger board
along the line of each string, and immediately over them. The distance
that one hole is from another is such as to mark the proper spot on the
lower finger board for stopping a string to sound a note, say a full tone
or semi-tone. Into each of these holes is next inserted a key, which
consists of a short round stud, and when properly in place, the top of the
stud or key rises a little above the surface of the upper finger board.
The bottom end projects through, and is armed with a button of some
proper flexible substance, as cork, leather, felt, &c. Between the
bottom and top finger board spiral or other spring is placed, which
serves to keep the key or stud always up. Each stud has play up
and down in its hole in the finger board. The keyed finger board is
fixed above the other one by short pillars screwed to the side, or it may
be hinged on one side, and kept in place by hook on the other. The
object of a hinge is to afford more facility for taking it off when a string
is to be replaced, or when a person prefers to play on the instrument in
the old way.
The operation is as follows:-Each key or stud represents a certain
note, and the player presses down with the finger the proper one for
sounding the desired note; this stops the string at the right place, so
that by drawing the bow in the usual manner the true note may be
sounded. Each stud to form a key is first fixed complete in a case or
bush, and the bush is inserted in the holes in the finger board, so that

page_text: in case of the derangement of any particular one it may be removed,
and another put in, without disturbing the adjustment of the instrument.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Richard Archibald Brooman in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 28th April 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
RICHARD ARCHIBALD BROOMAN, of the firm of J. C. Robertson and
Company, of 166, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent Agents,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Let-
ters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of October, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-two, in the sixteenth year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said Richard Archibald Brooman, Her special licence that
I, the said Richard Archibald Brooman, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Richard Archibald Brooman,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agrée
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN VIOLINS AND OTHER SIMILAR STRINGED MUSICAL IN-
STRUMENTS," (communicated to me by a foreigner residing abroad,) upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Richard Archibald
Brooman, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should
particularly describe and ascertain the 'nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same
to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Richard Archibald Broomân,
do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascez-
tained in and by the following statement:

page_text: This Invention has reference more particularly to violins, and other
similar stringed musical instruments in which the sound is produced by
vibrating strings by the friction of a bow drawn across them. In all
musical instruments of this description the different notes or tones are
produced by lengthening or shortening the strings. This, as is well
known, is done by the fingers playing along the finger board. To learn
to finger correctly is the most difficult part of the study of such an
instrument; for unless the string is stopped at the exact place, a false
tone or note will be produced, and hence great nicety of car is requisite.
Now this Invention brings in mechanical aid to direct as to the precise
spot at which to stop the string, so that persons who do not intend to
devote their time professionally to this peculiar class of instruments
may yet become quite proficient by the aid of a mechanical process.
The mode of carrying the Invention into effect is as follows :-Sup-
posing the instrument to be a violin of ordinary construction, the
Inventor places immediately above the regular finger board another
constructed very much like the first, except in length. Between the
upper and lower finger boards there is space for the strings to pass
without touching.
Figure 1, is a view of the violin. Figure 2, a side view of the finger
boards. Figures 3, 4, 5, detached parts. A, is the upper finger board, in
which are made a series of holes a, a, a, a, a, along the line of each string
and immediately over them. The distance that one hole is from another is
such as to mark the proper spot on the lower finger board for stopping
a string to sound a note, say a full tone or semi-tone. Into each of these
koles is next inserted a key b, which consists of a short round stud, and
when properly in place the top of the stud or key rises a little above
the surface of the upper finger board. The bottom end projects through
and is furnished with a button of some suitable flexible substance, as
work, leather, felt, &c., as seen at 6', Figure 3, which is a side view of
the stud. Between the button and top finger board a spiral or other
spring c, Figure 4, is placed which serves to keep the key or stud
always up. Each stud has play up and down in its hole in the finger
board. The keyed finger board is fixed above the other one by skort
pillars screwed to the side, or it may be hinged on one side, and kept in
.

page_text: place by a hook on the other. The object of a hinge is to afford more
facility for taking it off when a string is to be replaced, or when a
person prefers to play on the instrument in the old way,
The operation is as follows:-Each key or stud represents a certain
note, and the player presses down with the finger the proper one for
sounding the desired note; this stops the string at the right place, so
that by drawing the bow in the usual manner the true note will be
sounded. Each stud to form a key is first fixed complete in a case or
bush d, Figure 5, and the bush is inserted in the holes in the finger
board, so that in case of the derangement of any particular one it
may be removed, and another put in, without disturbing the adjustment
of the instrument.
And having now described the nature of the said Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim
the combining with the finger board of a violin or other similar stringed
musical instrument a supplemental keyed finger board constructed and
operating in the manner herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Archibald Brooman, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this 'Twenty-eighth day of April,
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.