US694094A - Zither support and sounding device. - Google Patents

Description

"0.6941194. Patented Feb. 25, 1902;.

J. A. DUEBST.

2mm: SUPPORT AND souuoma DEVICE.

(Application filed Jgn; 30, 1901.) an; Ilodol.)

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\ hole, the sound efiect shall be greatly im- 'of the strings or the rnore serious effect of a UNITED TATES ATENT ,FFICE.

JOSEPH A. DUERST, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

srncrrroarion forming part of Letters Pa tent N 0. 694,094, dated February 25, 1902.

Application filed January 30, 1901. Serial No. 45,291- (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OSEPH A. Dunnsr, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Zither Supports and Sounding Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a zither support and sounding device, and has for its object to provide a conveniently-adjusted support for the top of the zither to thereby preventthe usual sagging of the top, with its consequent efiect of varying the tension and pitch-note total collapse of the top under the tension of the strings.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved zither support and sounding de-' vice consisting of a bottom plate having a screw mounted therein which is provided with a shoulder adapted to support a top plate and a square portion upon its free end by which the device may be adjusted.

Another object is to provide a support of this character that by its bearing upon the upper side of the bottom of the zither and the under side of the top of the same, with the screw connecting the bearings or supports and the device located at or contiguous to the soundproved.

The invention consists in the parts and combination of parts hereinafter described, illustrated, and pointed out in the claim.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan view of a zither, which may be of any preferred form of construction, the device being shown as applied thereto in the feature of the top support shown as extending transversely of the sound-hole and bearing against the under side of the top. Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing the device in position Within the body of the zither, portions of the latter being shown in section. Fig. 3 is a sectional detail View showing a preferred form of construc-' tion.

1 designates the zither, with the usual soundhole 2 formed in the top 3, the bottom being designated by the numeral 4..

The support comprises a base-plate 5, hav ing a central screw-threaded boss 6, a top plate 7 of a length to span the sound-hole 2 and bear against the marginal side thereof, with a central orifice 8, and preferablya hearing 9 upon its under side.

10 designates a screw, preferably with a left-hand thread,the lower end of which screws into the lower plate and is provided with a shoulder 11 to bear upon the upper plate at the bearing 9 and with a squared end 12, upon which the string-wrench may be adjusted to revolve the screw and cause the plate 7 to bear with any desired degree of pressure upon the under side of the top 3.

The effect of the support is to fully sustain the broad top of the zither from sinking from its normal relation with the bottom 4, thereby maintaining a determinate tension upon the strings and also preventing a collapse of the top, as often occurs. A further effect is to, by the connection with the bottom and top by a determinate pressure, greatly increase the musical tone of the instrumentthat is to say, renderthe modifications of tone controllable.

While I have described my invention as particularly applicable to a zither, it is adapt= ableto difierent forms of stringed instruments, and I wish it to be so understood in the interpretation of the claim.

What I claim is In a zither support and sounding device, the combination of a bottom plate havin gascrewthreaded orifice, a screw mounted in the said threaded orifice, a shoulder upon the said screw, a top plate having a central orifice, the said toprplate supported by the said shoulder, and a square portion upon the free end of the said screw, projecting up through the orifice in the said top plate, substantially as shown and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLI M WEBSTER, E. V. M. BRENNAN.

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