US1320532A - William a - Google Patents

Description

W. A. COPELAND. BASS ATTACHMENT- FOR ZITHERS.

APPLICATION FILED mm], 1917. RENEWED MAY 29.1919.

I 1,320,532. Patented Nov. 4, 1919.

Mafl (70,159 Zane? UNITED STATES PA TENT OFFICE. Y

WILLIAM A. COPELAND, 0F BROOKLINE', MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE PHONO HARP COMPANY, OF EAST BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE BASS ATTACHMENT FOR ZIT'HERS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented NOV. 4,, 1919.

Application filed January 17, 1917,8eria1No,142,886. Renewed May 29; 1919. Serial No. 800,785.

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, WILLIAM A. COPE- LAND, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brookline, in the county. of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Bass Attachments for Zithers, (Case A,) of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to zithers and has for its object to provide a simple attachment for use in connection with groups of bass strings, so that an operator can cause a selected group to sound in accompaniment to a melody produced on a group of melody strings.

On the drawing- Figure 1 illustrates a zither equipped with an attachment embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 represents a section on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 represents an enlarged sectlon on the line 33 of Fig. 2 and is intended to show how the bridge wire is notched to insure that the strings, irrespective of their dimensions, will be simultaneously engaged by the head of the associated striker.

The particular style and shape of the body portion of the zither to which my attachment is applied is immaterial, and it is likewise immaterial whether the melody strings are plucked by the fingers of the player or are caused to sound by the aid of hammers.

As exemplifying. one form of zither with which the attachment may be used, Fig. 1 illustrates a zither formed in the usual manner and having the apertured sounding board 5, which forms the upper wall of a hollow body. The melody strings, which are arranged to furnish either a diatonic scale of any key or a chromatic scale, are indicated at 6. The chord strings are arranged in groups which are tuned to furnish the tonic, dominant and subdominant chords of a key, and an additional chord such for example as bass (Z, a, d, and fit if the tonic chord be in the key of C. In fact, in an instrument having the melody strings arranged in a chromatic scale, I may employ twelve groups of chordstrmgs arranged as described in Letters Patent to Marx No. 1,190,782, dated July 11, 1916. As indicated, however, there are four groups 7 8, 9 and 10 of chord strings, each group three additional strings to produce a triad.

tops of the strings will be tangential to a common plane for a purpose to be explained.

At the front end of the zither is the hand rest or guard 12, which is spaced by blocks 18 from, but which is secured by screws 14; to, the front end wall 15 of said zither. This hand rest has at its upper edge a flange 16 overhanging the bridge wire but spaced above the strings, the under face of the flange being concave as shown in Fig. 2. This hand rest serves as a support for the strikers for the groups of chord strings. Each striker is constructed and arranged to trated four strikers. of a relatively stilf leaf spring 17 which is substantially equal in width to the space occupied by the associated four chord strings, and which is so short that it will not twist to any appreciable extent when.

lifted by one corner of its free end. One end of each such spring is secured to the under curved face of the flange 16 of the hand rest or guard 12, and its free end ex tends rearwardl longitudinally of the strings but is lnclined thereto. On the under face of the free end of each spring is secured ahead 18 by screws 19. The head in each case may be formed of wood or metal, such, for example, as lead, but I prefer to construct it of relatively hard felt, of a'width slightly greater than the group of strings therebeneath, to insure that the head will impinge upon all said strings. The head is shown as triangular in section, to provide a beveled face 20 at an angle of about 40 or 15 to the plane of the strings, and a corner 21 for impingement on the strings. By reason of the arrangement of the stringsand the varying depths of the notches therefor in the bridge wire 11, the head will strike all of the strings of the group simultaneously and with the same degree of force. The heads are all preferably arranged in a row transversely of the strings.

In operation, the operator from time to time inserts a thumb or finger under the beveled face of the head of one or another of the strikers, lifts the free end of the striker, and releases it, whereupon the resili-- ency of the spring and the momentum of the head will cause the head to strike all of the strings of the associated group, Naturally, to prevent damping the strings, the heads, when at rest, are spaced above the strings.

Having thus explained the nature of my said invention and described a Way of making and using the same, although without attempting to set forth all of the forms in which it may be made or all of the modes of its use, What I claim is 1. The combination with a zither having melody strings and spaced groups of chord strings, of one striker for each group of chord strings, each striker consisting of a leaf spring substantially equal in width to the associated group of strings, and having ahead on the under side of its free end, said springs all extending longitudinally of the strings, and supporting means for attaching the fixed ends of aid springs to said zither with the heads in proximity to the strings, the free ends of said springs being exposed and unobstructed, in consequence of which each may be manually raised and then released.

2. The combination with a zither having melody strings and spaced groups of chord strings, and a hand rest or guard at the front end of said zither, of one triker for each group of chord strings, each striker consisting of a leaf spring substzmtially equal in width to the associated group'of strings, and having a head on the under side of its free end, said springs all extending longitudinally of the strings, and means for securing the fixed ends of said springs to said hand rest or guard with the heads in proximity to the strings, the free ends of said springs being exposed and unobstructed, in consequence of which each may be manually raised and then released.

3. The combination with a zither having melody strings and spaced groups of chord strings, and abridge Wire having notches of different depths as described for said strings according to their cross dimensions, of one striker for each group of chord strings, each striker consisting of a leaf spring substantially equal in width to the associated group of strings, and having a head on the under side of its free end, said springs all extending longitudinally of the strin s, and supporting means for attaching the ilXeCl ends of said springs to said zither with the heads in proximity to the strings, the.free ends of said springs being exposed and unobstructed, in consequence of which each may be manually raised and then released.

4:. The combination with a zither having melody strings, and at one side thereof spaced independent groups of chord strings, said zither having a support at the front end of the body thereof, of a plurality of strikers, one for each group of chord strings, each striker consisting of a leaf spring secured at its front end to the said support, and extending therefrom longitudinally of the associated strings, andv a head affixed to the under side of the free end of such spring and located in proximity to the associated strings, and not less in. Width than the associated group of chord strings, the free ends of said strings being unobstructed to permit the free end thereof to be lifted and then released to strike all the chord strings of the associated group.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature.

WVILLIAM A. COPELAND.

Copies of. this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0.

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