US718298A - Musical instrument. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTED JAN. 13, 1903.

P. G. AROHUTE. MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

APPLIUATIFON FILED FEB. 19, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

///III "Hill" f] winntoz H UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PAUL G. ARCHUTE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 718,298, dated January 13, 1903- Application filed February 19, 1902. Serial No. 94,773. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that 1, PAUL G. ARCHUTE, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Musical Instruments, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists of an improved stringed instrument, and has for its object to provide a musical instrument combining certain qualities of tone and sound of both a banjo and a mandolin, a further object being the holding of the bridge firmly in position and the adjustment of the tension of. the head, so as to vary the tone of the instrument.

The invention further consists of the details of construction hereinafter fully described and claimed.

Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a stringed musical instrument constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 represents a central longitudinal section thereof. Fig. 3 represents a plan view of a portion of the instrument, the head broken away for convenience of illustration.

Referring to the drawings, A designates the head, and B the hoop, the same being similar to the corresponding parts of a banjo. The

neck (3 and the finger-board D are similar to the corresponding parts of a mandolin, while the strings E are strung like those of a mandolin and are connected with the tailpiece F. The outer end of the latter is secured to the outside of the hoop B in the usual manner; but the inner or free end thereof is secured to the cross-bar G of the head, so that it can be held in the correct position and against movement away from the head A to hold the strings firmly upon the bridge H. In the construction illustrated said means for holding the free end of the tailpiece consist of a bolt or pin J, passing through the bar G, head A, and tailpiece F, while the nut or thumbpiece K is situated on the outside of the tailpiece.

I provide means for pressing the bridge H upon the head A, and in the instance illustrated said means consist of a strand or connected piece L in the form of a loop that passes through apertures in the head and an aperture in the bridge H and also through an opening M in the bar G and around the pulley or antifriction-roller N and is then connected with a tightening-rod P. The other end of this rod is screw-threaded and engages the thumb-nut Q, mounted upon the hook B, just below the end of the tailpiece. A block or enlargement R upon said tightening-rod P prevents the latter from turning. The lower side of the hoop instead of being open, as usual in a banjo, is closed by a plate or'soundingboard S.

In use the thumb-nut Q is manipulated to cause the desired tension upon the head A, while the nut K is turned to keep the free end of the tailpiece close to the head and to give the strings the correct angle relative to the bridge. I have found that with a stringed musical instrument of this description the quality of tone is softer than that of a banjo, while it partakes of the characteristics ofa mandolin with increased volume.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is v 1. In a musical instrument, a head, abridge upon said head, strings suit-ably secured and resting upon said bridge, and means independent of the strings for pressing the bridge upon said head.

2. In a musical instrument, ahead, abridge upon said head, strings suitably secured and resting upon said bridge, and means independent of the strings for holding the bridge under tension against said head.

3. In a musical instrument, a head, abridge upon said head, strings suitably secured and resting upon said bridge, a connecting-piece connected with said bridge, and means for exerting a tension upon said connecting-piece to hold the bridge against said head.

4:. In a musical instrument, a head, abridge upon said head, strings suitably secured and resting upon the said bridge, a connectingpiece secured to said bridge and passing through said head and a tension device connected with said connecting-piece.

5. In a musicalinstrument, a head, a bridge upon said head, strings suitably secured and resting upon the said bridge, a connectingpiece secured to said bridge and passing through said head, a tightening-bar connected with said connecting-piece, and a thumbnut connected with said tightening-bar.

6. In a musical instrument, a head, a bridge upon said head, strings suitably secured and resting upon the said bridge, a connectingpiece secured to said bridge, an opening in the shank of the neck of said instrument through which said connecting-piece passes, and a tension device connected with said connecting-piece.

7. In a musical instrument, a hoop having a head, a bridge upon said head, strings suitably secured and resting upon said bridge, a connecting-piece secured to said bridge and passing through the head, a plate or sound- PAUL G. AROHUTE.

Witnesses:

JOHN A. WIEDERSHEIM, HARRY COBB KENNEDY.

Images