US1063203A - Mandolin. - Google Patents

Description

1". KORDIGK.

MANDOLIN.

APPLICATION FILED O0T.16, 1911.

Patented June 3, 1913.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK KORDIOK, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 REGAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT I 00., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CGRIQRATION OF ILLINOIS.

MANDOLIN.

Application filed October 16, 1911.

T 0 all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, FRANK KonDIoK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and use ful Improvements in Mandolins, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to mandolins and aims to provide an instrument which will be simple in construction, cheap to manufacture and which will have a sweet and pleasing tone.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings illustrating one preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawingsFigure 1 illustrates a top view of an instrument embodying my invention, a portion being broken away to show the interior construction thereof. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Mandolins as ordinarily constructed comprise an end block to which the neck is secured by dove-tailing or other means of fastoning and a body consisting of a top piece and a series of narrow strips forming the bowl. The end block is customarily shaped to conform to the curvature of the bowl and serves as a point of attachment for one end of all the narrow bowl strips while the other ends are secured to a block at the other end of the bowl. A large amount of labor and considerable expense is necessary in the manufacture of mandolins as ordinarily constructed since each of the body strips must be made to accurately fit with its adjacent strips and must be secured at both ends to the blocks. Furthermore, the neck, which is made independent from the end block, must be fitted into the block with great accuracy in order that the strings may lie in proper position upon the finger board.

My present invention greatly reduces the labor and expense of manufacturing by making the end block integral with the neck and forming the back of the body of a single piece of material instead of a great number of narrow strips such as has heretofore been employed.

From the drawings it will be observed that the neck 5 is widened at its base to pro- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 3,1913.

Serial No. 654,880.

vide an end block 6 which is integral with the neck. This construction eliminates the necessity of fitting the neck to the end block,

insures rigidity of the neck and obviates any possibility of the neck becoming displaced so as to interfere with the proper position of the strings. The front and rear faces of the end block are made flat as will be evident from Fig. 2 and the projecting ends of the block are shaped to conform to the required curvature of the sides of the body. The sides are formed from one or more thin pieces 7 which are curved as shown in Fig. 1. If one piece is used for both sides it may be bent into the required form and both ends may be secured to the ends of the block. This is the preferred construction, but if two pieces are employed they may be joined at the rear beneath the tail piece in any well known manner. The top 8 is secured upon the front face of the end block and around its perimeter to the upper edge of the side pieces 7. In order to prevent splitting of the top a oleat 9 is preferably secured to the inner side thereof back of the sound hole 10. The back of the body is formed from a sin gle piece 11 similar in shape and contour to the front piece 8. The back is likewise strengthened and prevented from splitting by a rib or cleat 12 secured upon its inner face. After the side 7 and the front and back 8 and 11 have been secured to the end block 6 the finger board 13 equipped with the usual frets 14: is secured upon the front face of the neck. The top piece 8 is cut away or provided with an elongated slot over the end block 6 which extends back to the sound hole 10 to permit the finger board to set down substantially flush with the face of the top piece and to be fixedly secured to the neck and end block. The tail piece 15, bridge 16 and strings 17 are assembled in the usual manner and any well known or preferred type of keys 18 may be employed for imparting the required tension to the strings.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that I have provided a mandolin which will be simple in construction, exceedingly cheap to manufacture and very rigid and durable. No labor is required in fitting the neck to the end block nor is it necessary to form and fit a great number of narrow strips to form the body of the instrument nor to curve the strips and provide corresponding curved :nrfaces upon the end block to which the ends 01 the strips may be secured,

While I have shown the preferred embodiment of my invention it will be manifest that various minor mechanical changes in the construction and proportions of the various parts may be resorted to Without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of the material advantages thereof.

I claim:

A mandolin comprising a neck formed to provide an integral end block having flat front and back faces, side pieces secured to v the ends of said block, front and back faces secured to the front and back faces of said end block, the front piece being cut away to form a slot terminating in a sound hole, and t finger board secured to the front face of said neck and disposed in said slot in the front piece, the end of said finger board terminating at the sound hole and forming a part of the perimeter thereof.

FRANK KORDICK.

Witnesses IRA J. WILSON, HENRY M. I'IUXLEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents eachJby addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C.

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