GB298308A - Means whereby a piano and a bowed stringed instrument may be played simultaneously - Google Patents

Abstract

298,308. Hamant, C. July 29, 1927. No Patent granted (Sealing fee not paid). Pianofortes combined with bowed stringed instruments ; silencing; keyboard stringed instruments; bows; sound posts; soundboards &c.-A bowed stringed instrument is mounted on an upright pianoforte and played, simultaneously or independently, from the same keyboard. The bowed instrument comprises a resonance box 8 to which are hinged as at 13 bars 14 each carrying a string 16, the bars being lifted with an amplified movememt, by links 21'and rods 24, on depression' of the piano keys C so as to carry the strings into contact with the endless bowing band 26, sound-posts 40 with abutments 43 at the same time making contact with the resonance box 8. Permanent contact is made between the mountings 12 of the bars 14 and a " diffuser " 36 comprising a stretched donkey-skin or vitrified canvas 37, by rods 38 touching the skin. The bowing-band 26 consisting of leather covered with horse-hair or catgut extends horizontally between two pulleys one of which is driven by an electromotor, and is provided with a spring-pulled stretching-roller and a spring-pressed flexible steel plate or shoe for pressing the band on the strings. A tremolo-bar 44, pressing on the strings when they are raised, is oscillated by an eccentric from the driving-pulley of the bowing band. The piano is silenced by two bars (treble and bass) which are swung to press the hammers against the strings. The outer casing of the bowed instrument has an arched cover 7 open in front.