US593468A - Musical instrument - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

G. H. GRAHAM. MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

Patented Nov. 9, 1897.

Wma/@w i@ ATTORNEYS.

PATENT trice.

GIIOLSON H. GRAHAM, OF SEABRIGHTNEW JERSEY.

'MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 593,468, dated November 9, 1.897. Application tiled November 17, 1896. Serial No. 612,446. (No model.)

[0 all whom, t m/cty concern:

Be it known that I, GHOL'SON H. GRAHAM, of Seabright, in the county 0f Monmouth and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and Improved Musical Instrument, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact descrip-v tion.

The invention relates to stringedmusical instruments, such as violins, cellos, and the like, and in which a bow is drawn over the strings to sound the same.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved musical instrument which is simple and durable in construction and arranged to enable the performer to properly play the instrument by manipulating keys on a keyboard.

The invention consists of certain parts and details and combinations of the same, as will be fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all thefigures.

Figure 1 is a cross-section of the improvement. Fig. 2 is a sectional front view of the same on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view of the same on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

The improved musical instrument is provided with a suitably-constructed casing A, in which is held a soundingboard B, and strings C, stretched over the sounding-board in the usual manner. Each of the strings C is adapted to be engaged by a hair D, Wound on a wheel D', secured on a shaft D2, journaled at its lower end in'a step E, fulcrumed on the keyboard-base A or other part of the frame or casing of the instrument.

The upper end of the shaft D2 is journaled in a link F, pivotally connected with a lever F', fulcrumed at F2 on the base A' and pivotally connect-ed with av jack G, loosely guided in a guideway A2, forming part of the casing A. The free end of the jack G rests on the inner end of a key II, and a spring G' presses on the said jack to hold the latter and the lever F' normally in an outermost position, as indicated in Fig. l, so that the hairs D are away from the corresponding strings C.

The upper end of each shaft D2 is iited to slide laterally in a suitable bearing A2, forming part of the frame A, and near this end of the shaft is secured a grooved wheel D2, adapted to be moved in contact with a traveling rope, cord, or belt I, passing over pulleys J J', journaled in the upper part of the casing A. The shaft J2 of the pulley J receives a rotary motion from a suitable motor or other means, the shaft being provided for this purpose with a pulley J 3, over which passes a belt K, connected with the motor or other dev1ce.

When a traveling motion is given to the belt, cord, or rope I and the performer plays one or more keys H, then the corresponding jacks G of the said keys impart a rearwardswinging motion to the levers F', each of which by the link F swings the shaft D2 rearwardly to bring the pulley D3 in contact with the moving traveling rope, cord, or belt I, so that a rotary motion is transmitted to the corresponding shaft D2. The rearward-swinging motion of the shaft D2 brings the hairs D in engagement with the corresponding string C, and as the shaft D2 is at this moment rotated, and with it the wheel D.' and the hairs D, it is evident that the latter by moving over the string C sound the same in a similar manner as a bow does when drawn over a string. By pressing a number of keys simultaneously the corresponding stringsare sounded to produce the desired chord or the like. Thus it is evident that the performer in playing the keys causes a sounding of the strings by the action of the revolving hairs D.

As soon as a key II is released the spring G' draws the lever F' toits former position, and the lever F in'moving to this position swings the shaft D2 forward and moves the hairs D out of contact with the strings C and the pul ley D2 out of engagement with the traveling` belt I, so that the rotary motion of the shaft D2 ceases.

It will be seen that the instrument may be constructed with any desired number of octaves to give any desired range to the instrul ment.

I-Iaving thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A musical instrument, provided with a revoluble shaft adapted to be moved laterally,

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a l1aircovered Wheel on each shaft, and adapted te engage a corresponding string,and a traveling belt adapted te be engaged bythe said shaft to rotate the latter at the time the hairs of the wheel are in engagement with the said string, substantially as shown and described.

2. A musical instrument, comprising a sounding board carrying strings, shafts mounted to turn and to swing laterally, a hair-covered wheel on cach of the said shafts and adapted te engage a corresponding string, levers connected with the said shafts and adapted to be actuated by keys to move the said shafts laterally, a traveling belt, and pulleys on the said shafts and adapted to engage the said traveling belt to rot-ate the shafts, substantially as shown and described.

3. In a musical instrument, the combination with the strings, of shafts pivoted at one end to swing toward and from the strings, wheels on the shafts for engaging the strings, levers pivoted at one end adjacent to the pivoted ends of the shafts and having their free ends connected to the free ends et the said shafts, means for swinging the said levers on their pivots and means for rotating the shafts when swung upon their pivots to bring the wheels in contact with the strings7 substantially as described.

i. In a musical instrument, the combination with the strings and keys, of shafts pivoted at their lower ends to swing toward and from the strings, and provided with wheels, levers pivoted at their lower ends adjacent to the shafts and having a link connection at their upper ends with the upper ends of the shafts, means for swinging' the levers en their pivots from the keys and means for rotating the shafts when swung upon their pivots te bring the wheels in contact with the strings, substantially as described.

5. In a musical instrument, the combinaw tion with the keys, the strings and an endless traveling belt,ef piveted sha ij'ts provided with i grooved wheels at their upper ends for engaging the endless belt, wheels on the shafts for engaging the strings, piveted levers, links connecting the upper ends of the levers and shaft-s and jacks connected with the levers and operated by the keys, substantially as herein shown and described.

GlIOIiSON ll. G 4trilliriil. Vitncsses:

FRANK D. GRAHAM, W. M. GRAHAM.

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