US1410504A

US1410504A - Stringed musical instrument

Info

Publication number: US1410504A
Application number: US416836A
Authority: US
Inventors: Post Clyde George
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1920-10-14
Filing date: 1920-10-14
Publication date: 1922-03-21
Anticipated expiration: 1939-03-21

Description

C. G. POST.

STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT. APPLICATION FILED OCT. 14, 1920 1,410,504. I Pate ted-Man 21, 1922.

CLYDE GEORGE POST, OF NORTH ENGLISH, IOWA.

STRING-ED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 21, 1922.

Application filed October 14, 1920. Serial No. 416,836.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLYDE GEORGE -I osrr,

a citizen of the United States, residing at North English, in the county of Iowa and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in String-ed Musical Instruments, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in musical instruments and has particular reference to stringed instruments, such as the guitar, mandolin, or the like 1n wlnch the strings are plucked with the fingers or v1- brated by means of a pick.

Inmany instruments,,of which thegu'itar is an example, the strings lie in a hor1zonta1 plane substantially parallel with the horizontal plane of the sound box and when the strings are plucked, by the fingers orby use of a pick, they are thus caused to v1brate in planes that are also substantially horizontal so that the plane of v1brat1on does not pass through the sound box but is in every case across the top oi the box.

By plane oi vibration I mean the d1reotion of the initial motion imparted to the string when it is stressed and released to cause its vibration.

In 'uitars, or the like, strings are stressed or dehected laterally and not in a direction toward and from the sound box as in my improved instrument.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a musical. instrument in which a plurality of strings are arranged 111 a plane perpendicular to the upper race or sound box, with which they are associated, so that they may conveniently be stressed or deflected by the performer in direction toward and from the sound box, thereby causing the plane of vibration to pass through the box instead of passing across the top thereof.

Another object is to arrange the fingerboard, upon which the strings are supported, sufficiently high above the sound box to permit the hand of the performer to be freely moved over the frets and about the finger-board, in the space between the latter and the sound box, and the arrangement issuch as to permit the sound box to be extended in length substantially equal to the length of the finger-board, thus increasing the volume of sound and rendering substantially the entire linger-board available ior manipulation by former.

Another object isto providea bridge for the strings, that will transmit the vibrations from the strings to the box in line with the vibrations.

Other, further and more specific objects of the invention willbecome readily apparcut, to persons skilled in the art, from a consideration of the following description, when taken in conjunction with the drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a plan view instrument.

"Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof, and

Fig. 3 is an end elevation.

In all the views. the same reference characters are employed to indicate similar parts.

In the exemplification shown in the drawings 5 is the soundbox, 6 is the finger-board and 7 is the arch for supporting one end of the finger-board, having two supports, 8 and 9, connected to the inert outer edges of the sound box 5. i

The string bridge 10 passes across the finger-board 6 and positions the strings 11 slightly away from the board. The lower end of the bridge 10 is bifurcated having a leg 12 and another leg 13 to straddle the opening 1a in the top 15 of the sound box.

16 is the bottom wall of the sound box, there being a vertical wall 17 between it and the top wall 15. The sound box, in the present instance is shown as pear shaped, having a projection 19 extending laterally therefrom, which engages the tuning peg end 20 of: the finger-board, and is one of the means in conjunction with the arch 7, by which the on the sound box, thus providing three inert points of support for the finger-board. The strings are fixed to a tail piece 21, at the other end of the linger-board. The frets 22, that extend transversely of the finger-board, may be continued substantially the full length of the board, and thus the entire length of the finger-board may become available.

Of course, it is obvious that this invention may extend to and be incorporated in other instruments of the same general character, such as the mandolin, banjo, and the like.

IVhile I have here shown a single embodiment of the invention for purpose of the fingers of the perof the improved finger-board is supported up- 9 clear disclosure, it is clearly apparent that changes may be made in the arrangement and configuration ot the parts within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention What I claim .is new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A musical instrument havin an oblong sound box and a plurality oi? strings arranged in a. plane perpendicular to the face of the box and each string parallel with the longest axis oi the box.

2. A musical instrument having an oblong sound box and a plurality ol" strings arranged in a plane perpendicular to the face of the box and with effective lengths within the lineal limit oil the box and parallel with the longest axis of: the box.

23. A musical instrument having an oblong sound box; a linger-board extending substantially' the length thereof and elevated thereabm'e and a plurality of strings in substantially a single plane perpeiulicular to the face of the box, supported on said fingerboard and parallel with the longest axis of the box.

4-. A musical instrument having a sound bbx; a linger-board extendingv substantially the length thereof and elevated thereabove to permit access to the strings between the board and box; a plurality of strings in a plane perpendicular to the iiace of the box and a three-point support lfor the board, on the box.

5. A musical instrument having a sound box substantially pear shape in outline; a finger-board extending from the widest portion to the smaller end of the box; an arch extending across the widest end of the box to support one end oi the linger-board and a single support for the other end of the finger-board extending from the smaller end of the box, said supports spacing said finger-board from the box to render sub stantially the entire length of the lingerboard available for fingering.

6. A musical instrument having a sound box; a plurality of strings in a single plane perpendicular to the face oil the box, the e!- t'eetire length of which is' in'unediately above the box; a fingerboard, upon which the strings are supported, spaced a \va y from the box to render the strings available for fingering through said space and a string bridge extending across and under said strings and in contact with said box.

In testimony Whereotl hereunto subscribe my nanie.

CLYDE GEORGE POST.