Improvements in and connected with Guitars and like Stringed Instruments.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Nov., 1890-Accepted, 27th Dec., 1890
CUMI LELE DE MULLICATION
Improvements in and connected with Guitars and like Stringed
Instruments.
1, HENRY DIXON of 112 Albany Street, Regent's Park, in the County of London,
Photographer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention a communication to
me from abroad by Augustus Le Plongeon of 113 Henry Street Brooklyn in the
United States of America M.D., and in what manner the same is to be
performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
My invention relates to guitars and like stringed instruments and has for its
object to increase the volume of sound and render the tone soft and mellow. The
invention consists in the construction arrangement and combination of parts
hereinafter described and claimed.
For a clear understanding of the invention recourse may be had to the
accompanying drawing forming a part thereof wherein similar figures of reference
designate corresponding parts in both views.
Figure 1 is a side clevation partly in section of so much of a guitar as will be
necessary to describe the invention having the improvements applied and Figure 2,
is a side elevation of a modified form of the resonator.
The body 10 of the guitar is in general of the usual and ordinary construction.
Near its lower end just beyond its rosette 11 is located a vertical post 12
which may be square or round in cross section, as may be deemed desirable, said
post being held between the front and back of the guitar by the bearing of its ends
thereon or held in place by other suitable means as by glue.
Directly below the rosette 11 is fixed by means of glue or in any other
proper manner a circular foot piece 13 in which is a hole destined to receive
the extremity of a circular post 14 having a vertical socket 15. in its upper
extremity in which is fitted the stem of a cup-shaped metal sound distributor 16.
In the opposing sides of the posts 12 and 14 are formed aligning sockets to
receive the reduced extremities of a horizontal bar 17 which serves to transmit
the vibrations of the metallic cup 16 to the post 12 and the body of the guitar.
In the modified construction of the resonator shown in Figure 2 the sound
distributor 16 is substituted by a resonator constructed of a metal spring in
inverted spiral form thus giving said resonator a cup-shape like that of the
resonator 16 but presenting an increased surface for the impact of the sound waves.
While I have shown and described my invention as applied to a guitar, it
may be equally as well applied to a mandolin or to any instrument of the violin
type, and with but slight modifications in its supports-to a banjo as will be readily
understood.
The resonator being applied as shown and described it will be obvious that
as the strings are set in vibration by the fingers of the player the sound waves
will be caught and reflected by the cup-shaped resonator and distributed to the
back and front of the instrument through the posts, foot piece, and connecting
bar, thus greatly increasing the volume of sound and by such distribution
softening the tones to a marked and pleasing degree.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is
First. A resonator for guitars and like stringed instruments consisting of a cup
shaped metal supported within the instrument below the opening or openings in
its sounding board or upper face substantially as shown and described.

page_text: resonator for guitars and like stringed instruments consisting of
a vertical post held within the instrument below the opening or openings in its
sounding board or upper face, and a metallic cup supported by said post sub-
stantially as shown and described.
Third. The combination with a guitar of a vertical post held within the
guitar below its rosette, a cup shaped metallic resonator supported by said post
a second vertical post held between the back and front of the guitar beyond
said rosette and a horizontal bar connecting said posts substantially as shown
and described.
Dated this Twenty-fifth day of November 1890
HENRY DIXON.
By Brewer & Son,
33 Chancery Lane, London, Agents.