US1069987A

US1069987A - Stringed musical instrument.

Info

Publication number: US1069987A
Application number: US64027511A
Authority: US
Inventors: John Taylor; Fred C Stephens
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1911-07-24
Filing date: 1911-07-24
Publication date: 1913-08-12
Anticipated expiration: 1930-08-12

Description

J. TAYLOR & P. C. STEPHENS.

STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 24, 1911.

1,069,987, Patente i Aug. 12, 1913.

FIG. I.

FIG. 2

WITNESSES: INVENTORS A 6. Gi /5c By Q/MGWJ ATTORNEY.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN TAYLOR AND FRED C. STEPHENS, OF LANSING, MICHIGAN.

STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN TAYLOR and FRED C. STEPHENS, citizens of the United States, residing at Lansing, in the county of Ingham and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stringed Musical Instruments, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to stringed musical instruments, more particularly to those of the general type of the guitar, mandolin, and banjo; that is, stringed instruments in which the strings are picked, instead of being operated with a bow or similar device, and its purpose is to make a musical instrument that shall be more sonorous, shall have a greater volume of tone, together with a rounder, and fuller tone than in other instruments of the same general method of operation.

lVe attain these purposes by the means shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a plan view of the body of our device; Fig. 2, a partial longitudinal sec tion of Fig. 1 along the line a:m, to show the method of construction, and Fig. 3, a plan of a modified form of our device.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 is the main body of our device which is made star-shaped as shown in the figure, the star having preferably an even number of points. By reason of this shape, the body may be made very much larger without becoming unwieldy, and also without making the wood of which the body is constructed so thick as to detract from its sonorous qualities.

In its general proportions of depth to size, our device is substantially the same as a guitar or similar musical instrument, and is built in somewhat the same manner and of similar materials, the top 2 being, however, preferably formed thinner than the bottom, and also being thicker toward the center than at the points of the star, as shown in Fig. 2. Strengthening braces 3, 4, 5 and 6, extend across the instrument as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. These may be either fewer or more numerous without departing from our invention. An opening 7 is formed in the center of the upper plate of the body of the instrument, and a groove 13 is formed in the Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 24, 1911.

Patented Aug. 12,1913.

Serial No. 640,275.

wood of the body surrounding this opening, the plate being considerably thickened to make this possible, as shown in Fig. 2. A head 9, similar to a banjo head in construction, attached to a wire 10, is'placed over the opening 7 in the body, and is tightened by metallic rings 8 and 12 and bolts 11. The bridge 15 is mounted on the head 9 in the usual manner. Sound openings 14:, which may be of any desired size or shape in proportion to the size of the body, are formed in the upper plate. If desired, the head 9 may be omitted and the upper plate be uniform in thickness except for the general thickening toward the center. This modification is shown in Fig. 3. The neck and strings of the supports therefor which are of similar construction as those employed in a guitar, are preferably attached as shown in Fig. 1, at the bases of the points, not only for the purpose of securing added strength, but for greater convenience of manipulation.

We claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. The combination, in a stringed musical instrument, of a hollow wooden body starshaped in horizontal cross section and hav ing a central opening in the upper plate of said body, with a tightly drawn membrane covering said central opening.

2. The combination, in a stringed musical instrument, of a hollow wooden body starshaped in horizontal cross section and having sound-openings in the upper plate thereof, and a central opening in said plate, with a tightly drawn membrane covering said central opening.

3. The combination in a stringed musical instrument, of a hollow wooden body starshaped in horizontal cross section and having sound openings in the upper plate thereof, and a central opening in said plate, with a tightly drawn membrane covering said central opening, and means for tightening said membrane.

In testimony whereof, we affix our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN TAYLOR. FRED O. STEPHENS.

WVitnesses EDWARD CAHILL, L. E. PUETT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.