Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 27th June, 1892-Accepted, 3rd Sept., 1892
As will be evident from Figs. 1 & 2 the plate t of the table is an essential feature
of the entire arrangement and can form the bottom of the instrument whereas the
strings can be arranged in the customary manner.
On that side of the instrument where the tuning pegs are located and at a distance
from the bridge corresponding to half a tone, the upper ends or heads (Fig. 3) of
the tone raising pegs or pins e protrude vertically through the instrument to the
strings so that the same can freely vibrate when they are played.
The lower ends of the pins or pegs e rest on cross bars attached to the ends of
the levers the opposite ends of the latter being connected to the pedals p p p² etc.
by connecting rods ce said pedals being held up by means of appropriate springs.
The pedals are arranged at the rear end on a fulcrum and at the other are so
attached to the connecting rods e, that when said pedals are operated the levers h
will be depressed & the cross bars 9 with the pins or pegs e raised so that the heads
of the latter are pressed against the strings.
It will be evident that in this device the raising pegs'e (Sheet 1) must be of
varying length as the cross bars y or levers are superposed and consequently lie
at different distances from the strings but equidistant from each other. The raising
pins or pegs e can however be made of like length when the same are, instead of
having their bearings on the cross bars y or levers h, arranged to bear on the upper
ledges of parallelograms which can move the pegs upwards and are in so far
movable as the lateral members ff are adjusted at an angle between the upper
ledge and the stationary ledge f¹ and are so connected to the same that the upper
ledge of the parallelogram will, when the lateral members of fƒ³ are caused to
approach the vertical plane, be lifted and the raising pegs or pins 6 simultaneously
pressed against the strings said movement being effected by push or pull.
In the present case a pull is used for which purpose shafts g with tappets are
arranged between the pedals e and the parallelograms preferably vertically one
above the other and each of which is connected to a cord, chain, wire or the like
running from one of the pedals over suitable rollers » (Figs. 1^, 2ª, 3ª, & 5ª) or
connected to bell crank levers (Fig. 4A) or to one or more parallelograms, so that
by depressing the lever the parallelogram or parallelograins is or are caused to
raise the pins or pegs b. Each of the tappets is connected on the one hand to only
Dain Q.71

page_text: -
one of the pedals on the other hand two or more parallelograms are arranged on
wedges which are preferably arranged to be operated by means of screws i so
that the pins or-pegs can be exactly adjusted to the correct distance from the
strings.
9 are
It is evident that in this arrangement the levers (Fig. 1) and cross bars
omitted. The pedals are preferably arranged in groups, and stepwise, with a fixed
pedal or step between each three pedals, serving as foot rest and also for readily
finding the pedals during the playing. Each pedal operates at least, two raising
pins or pegs e so that they will raise all the D's to D, all the F's to F, all the
Gs to A, all the Ds to E and so on.
The main pedal Por el serves for simultaneously raising all the strings and is so
coupled to the other pedals or tappet shafts g, that when the same is depressed all
the other pedals or tappet shafts are operated.
For increasing the tone of the raised strings a bridges (Figs. 1 to 6^) can be so
arranged above the said strings that the latter are pressed against the bridge when
the pins or pegs are raised. In this case the bridge is.arranged at a point denoting
exactly half a tone higher and the entire number of raising pins or pegs between
the customary bridge and the bridges near the latter so that the shortening of the
strings is effected by the bridge.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention,
and the manner, in which the same is to be performed I declare, that what I
claim, is:
1) The arrangement of the raising pins or pegs (Figs. 1, 2, 3) which run
through the bottom of the zither and reach with their upper ends or heads so near
towards the strings, that the latter can freely vibrate and are at their lower ends
inserted in cross rails 7 carried by levers turning on the fulera o and connected to
the pedals by means of connecting rods e so that by operating said pedals the cross
rails 9. will be raising and the pins or pegs e pressed against the strings, substan-
tially as described and shown in the drawings.
2) The arrangement of the raising pins or pegs. (Figs. 1 to 6) in the bar a on
the plate of the table, so that the same can be moved upwards and will otherwise
be held in their position of rest by appropriate springs, substantially as described
and shown in the drawings.
3) The arrangement of recesses in the sound board of the zither so that the same
can be so placed over the bar a that the distance of the heads of the raising pins or
pegs bfrom the bridge at the tuning peg end of the instrument corresponds with
one half tone whilst the strings which are not raised can freely vibrate substantially
as described and shown in the drawings.
3
4) The construction and application of inclined parallelograms for receiving the
raising pins and which can be adjusted in vertical direction by means of wedges h
and screws whereas the upper ledges and lateral members can be so operated
that when pull or push is applied to the same the members will approach the form
of a rectangle and the raising pins or pegs bresting loosely on the upper rail be
pressed against the strings, substantially as described and shown in the drawings.
5) In pedal zithers the arrangement of levers, bell crank levers, eccentrics, and
the like, which are so arranged beneath the raising pins or pegs b, that when the
same are operated the pins or pegs will be pressed upwards against the strings, but
will otherwise be retained in their position of rest by incans of springs or the
like, substantially as described and shown in the drawings.
6) In pedal zithers of the kind characterised in the foregoing claims the arrange-
ment of shafts or spindles g with eccentrical tappets or lever arms g¹ connected on
the one hand to the pedals e or e¹ and on the other hand to one or more parallelo-
grams or their equivalents by means of chains, cords, straps or the like, substantially
as described and shown in the drawings.
7) In pedal zithers the arrangement of step like pedals por e, one above the
other, which are held in position by springs and are arranged to turn at their ends

page_text: or between the same and the arrangement of stationary or dumb pedals p¹ or e¹
between the step like pedals, substantially as described and shown in the drawings.
8) In pedal zithers, the arrangement of a pedal Por el which is so coupled to
the tappet shafts g that by depressing the same all of the accompaniment strings
will be simultaneously raised a half tone substantially as described and shown in
the drawings.
9) In pedal zithers of the kind characterised in the foregoing claim, the manu-
facture and application of the tension bridges (Figs. 14, 24, 3, 4, 5 and 6).
against the lower edge of which the raised strings are pressed by the raising pins
and thus put under tension, the said bridges being arranged at the distance of a
half tone from the main bridge, the heads however of the raising pins or pegs b.
being arranged between the bridges and the main bridge preferably nearer to
the bridges substantially as described and shown in the drawings.
Dated 27th June 1892.
GEO.
DOWNING,
8, Quality Court, London, W.C., Agent.