Improvements in Tuning-pegs or Tuning-pins for Stringed Instruments.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Apr., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 13th Jan., 1891-Accepted, 14th Feb., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Tuning-pegs or Tuning-pins for Stringed
Instruments.
I, JOHN EDWARDS, of Fairholme, Turle Road, Tollington Park, in the County
of Middlesex, Professor of Music, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows
This invention relates to tuning pegs or tuning pins for stringed instruments the
object of the invention being to provide a peg or pin which will fit any existing
instrument, may be readily set to a great nicety, shall not be liable to run down, and
shall provide for easily applying the strings of the instrument and neatly disposing
of the reserve length of the string to be employed only to make good, losses of the
string which occur through breakages.
The form of the peg or pin which I employ will vary in its adaptation for the
various kinds of stringed instruments which for the purpose of the present descrip-
tion may be divided into three classes; first those which are strung in the manner
adopted for violins; second those which are strung in the manner adopted for banjos
and third those which are strung in the manner adopted for pianofortes.
For the violin I make the peg in three parts consisting of a peg spindle of small
diameter, a peg handle and a screw. The peg spindle has at one end a shallow coned
head, it is round at the part which traverses the peg box and is square for a portion
of the part which projects outside the peg box on the side opposite to the side upon
which the shallow coned head of the peg abuts. Upon this projecting square
portion I fit the peg handle having a square hole formed axially therein to engage
with the square portion of the peg spindle capable of sliding therein. The peg
handle is coned at the inner end and is drawn upon the peg spindle by means
of a screw inserted axially into the peg spindle from outside the peg handle.
This arrangement provides for securing the tuning peg in the peg box by causing
the two cones, that on the peg spindle and that on the peg handle, to approach each
other by turning the screw and thus to be suitably fitted in the peg box whether it
be wide or narrow or whether the peg holes formed therein be large or small.
I
In order to apply the string provide a hole in the peg handle outside its conical
seating through which the string may be passed from outside the peg box to within ;
it is then carried along and secured to the tail piece in the usual way; then the free
end of the string is carried through a hole in the peg handle and the slack taken up
by pulling at the free end, the spare portion of which is then wound round the peg
handle outside the peg box, the extremity being finally passed through one or two
holes in the peg handle to fasten it.
With the string so secured in position the tuning may be effected in the usual
way but the peg spindle being of the smallest possible diameter having moreover no
perforation to weaken it is turned easily, being capable of being very nicely adjusted
and effectually remains in the position to which it is set, carrying all excess lengths
of strings neatly wound upon the pegs at the exterior of the peg box.
For the banjo I make the peg spindle shorter between the cones and form a con-
tinuation beyond the cone upon the peg spindle to provide the part upon which the
string is to be wound for tuning.
For the pianoforte I provide in the same way a projecting part upon which the
wire strings are to be wound for tuning and the extremity of this part of the peg
or pin is formed square to be operated by means of a tuning key in the usual way;
the peg. handle consequently being dispensed with and being replaced by the

page_text: necessary cone with a square opening to engage with the square part of the peg
spindle.
Dated this 23rd dar of Anvil 1800
AYRTON & THOMAS,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Tuning-pegs or Tuning-pins for Stringed
Instruments.
I JOHN EDWARDS of Fairholme Turle Road Tollington Park in the County
of Middlesex Professor of Music 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 tuning pegs or timing pins for stringed instruments the
object of the invention being to provide a peg or pin which will fit existing
instruments, may be readily set to a great nicety, shall not be liable to run down,
and shall provide for easily applying the strings of the instrument and neatly
disposing of the reserve length of the string to be employed for making good losses
of the string which occur through breakages.
The form of the peg or pin which I employ will vary in its adaptation for the
various kinds of stringed instruments which for the purpose of the present
description may be divided into three classes; first those which are strung in the
manner adopted for violins, second those which are strung in the manner adopted
for banjos and third those which are strung in the manner adopted for pianofortes.
Examples of pegs or pins suitable for each of these three classes of instruments
are represented in the accompanying drawings in all the figures of which the same
or similar parts are indicated by like letters of reference.
Figure 1 is a plan of the peg box of a violin fitted with four pegs.
Figure 2 are detail views of separate parts of which each complete violin peg is
composed, the handle proper being shown in side elevation and in plan.
Figure 3 represents a pianoforte pin in position in the pin board.
Figure 4 shows a side elevation and plan of the regulating cone shown in Figure 3
and the application of the regulating screw thereto.
Figure 5 represents a banjo peg in position in the peg board.
For the violin I make the peg in three parts consisting of a peg-spindle A of
small diameter, a peg handle B and a regulating screw C. The peg-spindle A has
at one end a shallow coned head D, it is round at the part which traverses the peg
box E and is squared or has a flat side produced upon a portion of the part
which projects outside the peg box E on the side opposite to the side upon which
the shallow coned head D of the peg-spindle abuts. Upon this projecting squared
portion I fit the peg handle B a set screw G being secured therein to engage the
squared or flat portion F of the peg-spindle A capable of sliding therein but con-
strained by the set screw G to rotate therewith. The peg-handle B is coned at the
inner end Hand is drawn upon the peg spindle A. by means of a regulating
screw C inserted axially into the peg spindle A from outside the peg-handle B.
This arrangement provides for securing the tuning peg in the peg-box E by
causing the two cones D and H to approach each other by turning the regulating
screw C bringing sufficient pressure to bear between the cones and the outer walls
of the peg box E whether this be wide or narrow or whether the peg holes formed
therein be large or small.
In order to apply the strings JI provide an inclined hole K in the peg-handle B,
leading from outside its conical seating, through which the string may be passed
from outside the peg-box E to within it is then carried along and secured to the
tail-piece in the usual way; then the slack part of the string is taken up by pulling
at the free end, the spare portion of which is then bound round the peg-handle B

page_text: outside the peg box E, the extremity being finally passed through one or two
holes L M in the peg handle B to fasten off the string.
With the string so secured in position the tuning may be effected in the usual
way but the peg-spindle A being of the smallest possible diameter, having moreover
no perforation to weaken it, is easily turned being capable of being very nicely
adjusted and effectually remains in the position to which it is set, carrying all excess
lengths of strings neatly wound upon the pegs at the exterior of the peg-box E as
shown in Figure 1.
For the banjo I make the peg-spindle A shorter between the cones D and H and
form a continuation of the spindle beyond the cone upon the peg-spindle A. to
provide the perforation or eye N in the part upon which the string is to be wound
for tuning.
For the pianoforte I provide as for the banjo, a projecting part upon which the
wire strings are to be wound for tuning, the wire string being secured in the eye N
and coiling upon the neck P which reduces the diameter of the pin at the part
where the wire is coiled thereon. Beyond the part upon which the wire string is
coiled I form the flat or square sides Q in order that the pin may be rotated by
means of a tuning key in the usual way, the peg-handle consequently being
dispensed with and being replaced by the necessary regulating cone H sliding
upon the peg-spindle A in accordance with the position assigned to the regulating
screw C.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. Tuning pegs for instruments strung in the style adopted for violins consisting
of a peg-handle B having a cone rigidly attached thereto, a peg-spindle A having a
cone rigidly attached thereto, and a regulating screw C adapted to urge the two
cones to approach each other for applying the required pressure between the
faces of the cones and the outside walls of the peg-box substantially as described.
2. The method of stringing instruments strung in the style adopted for violins
consisting of threading the strings from without to within the peg box by way of
the inclined hole K formed in the peg handle, binding the surplus quantity of
string upon the peg-handle outside the peg-box and fastening the extremity
by tying or by placing the end through one or more holes L M substantially as
described.
3. Tuning pegs for instruments strung in the style adopted for banjos consisting
of a peg-handle B having a cone rigidly attached thereto, a peg-spindle A having a
cone rigidly attached thereto carrying a continuing spindle upon which to wind the
string projecting beyond the cone and a regulating screw C adapted to urge the
two cones to approach each other for supplying the required pressure between
the faces of the cones and the outside walls of the peg-board substantially as
described..
4. Tuning pins for instruments strung in the style adopted for pianos, consisting
of a pin spindle A. having a cone rigidly attached thereto and carrying a projection
to engage with a tuning key, a cone H fitted to slide upon the pin-spindle A so as
to rotate therewith, and a regulating screw C adapted to urge the two cones to
approach each other for applying the required pressure between the faces of the
cones and the outer walls of the pin-board substantially as described.
Dated this 13th dor of Tonunun 1901
AYRTON & THOMAS,
Patent Agents.