US1401158A - Harp - Google Patents

Description

F. P. KENT.

HARP.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 15. 1920.

1,401, 1 58. Patented Dec. 27, 1921.

an, I r r mum,

; UNITED STATES,

PATENT OFFICE.

FRANKLIN? KENT; or-mvons; KANSAS.

HARP;

' To all whom it may concern them, by striking them, or by operating hammer bars. 1

One of the objects of the invention is to provide the instrument with strings having bridges so arranged as to divide the strings into groups, a portion of each string being in each group and each of said portions of one string being adapted to produce a tone spaced an octave from that produced'by the other portion of thestring.

Another object is to so arrange the bridges that, without" increasing the number of strings, the range of the instrument can be at least doubled while, at the same time,

tones can be produced simultaneously in octaves, thereby to increase the volume.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides'in'the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being. understood that, within thelscope of what is claimed, changes 'in'the precise embodiment of the invention shown can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of shown. 7

In said drawings- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the instrument, the same being of a type in which the strings are vibrated by the fingers or bythe invention has been Specification-dictum Patent. Patented Dec, .21, 1921,

Application filed July 15, 1920. Serial No. 396,365.

Pegs 5 are extended longitudinally from' one end of the body while the other end of the body has a transverse flange 6 parallel therewith and spaced therefrom, this flange carrying a series of keys 7. Strings 8 are secured at one end to the pegs 5 and at the other end to the keys 7 and by means of these keys the strings can be adjusted so as to produce. the desired tones. All of the strings are extended over. two bridges indicated at 9 and 10 respectively. The bridge '9 is set at such an angle relative to the end bridge 11 adjacent the keys 7 that those portions of the strings between the bridges 9 and 11 will produce desired tones, such as those of the octave. The bridgelO is placed where it will contact with the strings at such points that the length of each string between the bridge 9 and the bridge 10 will be exactly double that of the length of the same string" between the bridge 9 and the bridge 11. Thus those portions of the strings between the bridge 9 and the bridge 11 will produce tones an octave higher than those portions of the corresponding strings between the bridges 9 and 10. Consequently the range of the instrument is doubled without increasing the number of strings and, at the same time, cords can be played in octaves.

lVhat is claimed is:

1. A musical instrument of the class described including a hollow elongated body, means for attaching strings to the end portions of the body, the means at one end of the body constituting the keys, a transverse bridge at one end of the body, and supple mental bridges extending transversely of the body and cooperating to divide the strings into portions arranged in separategroups, those portions of the strings in one group being adapted to produce tones varying an octave from those portions of the same strings in the next group, there being an opening in the body under each group and communicating with the interior of the body.

2. A musical instrument of the class described including an elongated hollow body, pegs extending longitudinally from one end thereof. a bridge extending transversely of the body at the other end thereof, a flange spaced from the bridge and connected to the body, said flange and bridge being parallel, keys carried by the flange and extendinglongitudinally of the'body below that 1 face thereof on which the bridge is mounted,'str1ngs extendlng longltudlnally of the body and fastened at one end to the pegs and at the other end being extended doWIb,v wardly and fastened to the keys, and sup-v plemental bridges upon the body and en, gaging; the strings; said bridges being ar ranged relative to eaehother so es to sepz v rate each string into two sound produclng portions, thetone produced by one portion of each string being separated by an oetzwef Witnesses:

from the tone produced by the other poi'tion thereof, there being openings in the body between "the bridges.

. In testimony that I oleim the foregoing 15 as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature ln-the presence of two wltnesses.

FRANKLIN P. new.

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