US2388550A - Mute for stringed musical instruments - Google Patents

Description

MUTE FOR STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Filed Nov. 22, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet l ZNVENTOR.

BY izmseZZfi. ,z'r yman ATTORNEY.

Nov: 6 1945. R. B. KHNGMAN 238%559 MUTE FOR STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Filed Nov. 22, 1943 I? 551,15? 5-5:; 2

13x EN TOR firswjgizjmam BY ATTORNEY.

Patented Nov. 6, 1945 MUTE FOR STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Russell B. Kingman, Orange, N. J.

Application November 22, 1943, Serial No. 511,210

4 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved means for muting stringed musical instruments, such as violins, Violas, cellos, bass-viols and the like.

The invention has for an object to provide a novel mute adapted to be attached to and carried by certain strings of the instrument subject to quick and easy manipulation, whereby it may be moved at will into and out of muting engagement with the string supporting bridge of the instrument, and so as to be thus readily available for use by the performer at any time during the playing of the instrument.

The invention has for another object to provide a novel mute which can be easily applied to and mounted behind the bridge on the instrument strings by which it is to be carried, so as to be slidable on said strings into and out of muting engagement with said bridge at will.

The invention has for a further object to furnish a mute of the kind mentioned which is provided with string engaging means so arranged that all tendency to buzzing, rattling or noisy vibration of the mute body per se, especially when the mute occupies its retracted inoperative position, is avoided.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mute of the kind mentioned which is substantially self-adjusting to variations in the spacing of the instrument strings by which it is to be carried.

Other objects of this invention, not at this time more particularly enumerated, wil1 be understood from the following detailed description of the same.

Illustrative embodiments of this invention are shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a stringed instrument, showing the mute of this invention applied thereto, and wherein the mute is shown by full lines in its operative or in-service position, and by broken lines in its retracted or outoi-service position.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevational view of the mute as mounted on instrument strings and as moved into muting engagement with the string supporting bridge of the instrument.

Fig. 3 is a forward end elevational View of the mute as carried by instrument strings, said view being drawn on further enlarged scale; and Fig. 4 is a. side elevational view thereof, the strings being omitted.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a modified form of the mute device of this invention; Fig. 6 is a plan view in part section of another modified form thereof; and Fig. '7 is a plan view in part section of still another modified form thereof.

Figs. 8, 9 and 10 are cross-sectional views of the mute body respectively showing various modificaticns of string receiving grooves or channels with which the sides thereof are provided.

Fig. 11 is a side elevational view of another modified form of the mute as mounted on instrument strings, and as moved to and held in retracted inoperative or outof-service position.

Similar characters of reference are employed in the above described views, to indicate corresponding parts.

The reference character ll indicates the body of a stringed musical instriunent, such e. g. as a violin, the strings l2 of which are anchored to a tail-piece i3, to pass thence over the bridge M to the neck of the instrument. The mute according to this invention is adapted to be mounted on a pair of the strings 12, in connection with the portions of the latter which extend between the tail-piece l3 and the bridge l4. Preferably the mute is mounted on a pair of intermediate strings 12, such e. g. as the D and A strings of a, violin.

The mute, in one embodiment thereof as shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, comprises a block-like body It: of suitable length, width and thickness, which may be made of ebony or like hard wood, plastic material, or other rigid material of desirable qualities. Formed as an integral part of said body l5, to project longitudinally forward from the front end thereof, is a thrust tongue l6 of less width than the distance between the strings l2 upon which the body I5 is mounted. Said thrust tongue l6 lies substantially in the plane of the top portion of said body [5, and said thrust tongue I8 is provided with an inwardly and downwardly shallowly inclined under surface or bottom face ll. Below said thrust tongue 16, the forward end of the body 55 provides a substantial area of contact surface [8 adapted, when the mute occupies a forwardly moved operative or in-service position, to abut and bear firmly against the rear face surface of the bridge I4. The lower portions IQ of the sides of said body l5 are inwardly inclined toward its bottom face, thus providing a bottom portion of cuneate formation in cross-section of less width at its tapered free end than the distance between the strings l2 with which the body is to be engaged. Formed in the upper portions of the sides of said body l5 are longitudinally extending, endwise open, string receiving channels or grooves 20.

Formed in connection with the upper face of the body I5, to upstand therefrom, is a suitably shaped finger-piece 2 I, whereby the body may be moved to and from operative bridge engaging position.

To apply the mute body I5 to the desired pair of instrumentstrings l2 by which it is to be carried, said body I5 is aligned with and between the strings at a point behind the bridge I4, and with its cuneate bottom formation provided by the inwardly inclined sides l9 disposed to pass between said strings, as indicated by the relation of the mute to the dotted representation of the strings shown in Fig. 3. With the body l5 thus disposed, the same is merely pushed down between the strings [2, as indicated by the arrow in said Fig. 3, whereupon the cuneate lower portion of the body enters between the strings l2, so that the inclined sides I9 engage and easily spread apart the latter for downward movement of the mute body therebetween, until the strin receiving channels r grooves 20 are brought into opposition to said strings, whereupon the latter snap into said channels or grooves 2B, and thus slidably mount the mute body on said strings.

To position the mute in inoperative or out-ofservice position, the body I is slid rearwardly on it supporting strings away from the bridge [4 and toward the tail-piece l3 of the instrument, and thus to the position indicated by the broken line representation of the mute body shown in .Fig. 1.

To position the mute in operative or in-service position, wherein it engages the bridge [4 with mutin effect, the body I5 is slid forward on its supporting strings up to the bridge I4, and thus to the position indicated by full line representation of the mute body shown in Figs. 1 and 2. As the mute body I5 approaches the bridge l4, its thrust tongue IE will ride onto the top edge of the bridge, so as to engage the latter by its inclined under surface or bottom face 11. As this inclined under surface or bottom face I! is advanced over the top edge of the bridge I4, it tends to exert an upward thrust upon the mute body [5 and upon the strings supporting the latter, so that by the time the contact surface l8 at the forward end of said body l5 firmly abuts the back of the bridge J4, thereactive stress of the upthrust strings functions to frictionally bind the meeting surface portions of the thrust tongue and bridge edge together against relative displacement, thus firmly holding the mute body in contact with the bridge M with desired vibration dampening or muting effect.

To enhance the frictional grip of the body It upon the strings I? by which it is supported, whereby to both secure the body against accidental longitudinal displacement, when occupying either in-service or out-of-service position,

and at the same time so relate the body to the supportin strings that any buzzing, rattling or noisy vibration of the body per se is eliminated, various means may be provided. For example, as shown in Figs. 2 to 4 inclusive, the string receiving channels or grooves 23 may be given a somewhat serpentine formation in vertical plane, thus providing spaced and staggered string snubbing points 22 along the length of said channels or grooves, which so engage the strings entered therein as to slightly angularly flex and snub the same to the body 15, whereby the body is held, against vibratory movement relative to the carrying string portions, as Well as against amcidental longitudinal shifting upon or along the latter. When this type of string receiving channel or groove is employed, the outlyin portions of the snubbing points 22, contiguous to the open side of the channel or groove, are inwardly chamfered as at 23, whereby to provide lateral guide faces inclining inwardly to converge toward the medial longitudinal axis of the channel or groove as a whole which serve to lead a string conformably into the latter, when the mute body is operatively inserted between the strings for engagement therewith.

Another arrangement for obtaining anti-rattlin and anti-shift relation of the mute body 15 relative to its supporting strings 12, as shown in Fig. 5, comprises the provision of outwardly bulged portions 24 at the bottoms of the channels or grooves intermediate the ends thereof.

These bulged portions tend to somewhat bow the channel or groove engaging portions of the strings l2, to thereby somewhat tensionally grip the mute body between the thus laterally stressed strings. Another somewhat similar arrangement is shown in Fig. 6, wherein an outwardly bowed leaf sprin 25 is afixed in the bottom of each string receiving channel or groove of the mute body 15. The latter construction has the further advantage of rendering the body l5 substantially self-adjusting to variations in the spacing of the strings 12 by which it is to be carried.

In Fig. 7 there is shown another anti-buzzing or rattling and self-adjusting mute body construction in which the string receiving channels or grooves 20 are provided with yieldable sprin pressed string engaging shoes 26 disposed therein to extend along the interior thereof. These shoes 26 are respectively carried by shanks 2! extending into transverse slide way bores 28 formed in the mute body; said bores having diametrically enlarged inner end portions 29 providing shoulders engageable by annular flanges or stopportions 30 with which the inner ends of said shanks 21 are provided, whereby outward movement of the shoes 26 is limited. Spring means 3| is arranged between the oppositely extending shanks 21 so as to transmit yieldable outward thrust to the shoes. To facilitate production of the bores 28 and their end portions 29, as well as the assembly therewith of the shoe and shank and spring structure, the mute body is split longitudinally into two halves I5 and I5", which, after assembly of the structure is obtained, are suitably permanently joined together, as e. g. by gluing one to the other. It will be understood, that when the respective shoes 26 are engaged by the strings entered in the channels or groove 26, the same, by their yielding thrust, will not only adjust themselves to the spacing of the strings, but will so tensionally bear on the strings as to prevent buzzing, rattling or like undesirable vibration of the mute body.

A very simple form of anti-buzzing or rattlin construction is shown in Fig. 8, wherein the string receiving channels or grooves 20, have their interior surfaces lined with a resilient lining means 32. This lining means may be made of any suitable comparatively soft and yieldable material. For example, a pile fabric, such as velour, velvet or the like may be used, and disposed with its pile face outward, the back of the same being cemented or adhered to the channel or groove surfaces. It will be obvious that such resilient lining means 32 will cushion the string and mute body against relative vibration, and at the same time will effect such frictionalerip 11 the stringas topr event accidental longitudinal shifting displacement of the mute body, especially when the latter is retracted to inoperative or out-of-service position.

It will be understood that the string receiving channels or grooves 20 may be made of various cross-sectional shapes, such e. g. as of V-shape, as shown in Fig. 9, or of rigid V-shape as shown in Fig. 10, wherein an internal seat 20 is provided at the bottom interior thereof, in which the receiv ing string may seat itself, so as to be held against displacement.

In Fig. 11 is shown another modified construction of mute wherein the body I is provided with the bridge engaging thrust tongue [6 at its forward end, and with a similar rearwardly projecting thrust tongue 33 at its rearward end. Said rearward thrust tongue 33 is also provided with an inwardly and downwardly shallowly inclined under or bottom face 34. When the mute body [5 as thus constructed is retracted on the supporting strings I2 to out-ofservice position, the rearward thrust tongue 33 will ride onto the top marginal surface of the tail-piece [3, as shown in Fig. 11, and, in so doing, tends to exert an upward thrust upon the mute body l5 and upon the supporting strings 12, so that reactive stress of the up-thrust strings functions to frictionally bind the rearward thrust tongue to the tail-piece, whereby to hold the body against forward movement along the strings, and thus against accidental displacement from out-of-service-position. At the same time, the up-thrust of the body l5 against the strings [2 also holds the former relative to the latter so as to eliminate buzzing, rattling or like undesirable vibration of the body when out of use. It will be obvious that the thrust tongue 33 may be optionally located so as to engage either the upper marginal surface or the lower marginal surface of the tail-piece i 3, whereby, in either case thrust of the body against the strings will induce reactive stress in the latter for the purposes stated.

Having now described my invention, I claim:

1. A mute for a stringed instrument having a bridge by which its strings are supported comprising, a unitary block-like main body having endwise open longitudinal channels in opposite sides thereof to receive strings straddled thereby so as to slidably mount the body on said strings behind the bridge, said body having a cuneate bottom formation to facilitate its downward passage between said strings for application thereto, and a thrust tongue projecting longitudinally from the forward end of said body, said thrust tongue having an inwardly, downwardly and shallowly inclined underside adapted to ride onto the top edge of the bridge when said body is forwardly moved on said strings to abut the bridge with muting effect, whereby to produce sufficient down-thrusting tension in the engaged strings to frictionally retain said body against displacement from its muting relation to the bridge.

2. A mute for a stringed instrument having a bridge by which its strings are supported comprising, a unitary block-like main body having endwise open longitudinal channels in opposite sides thereof to receive strings straddled thereby so as to slidably mount the body on said strings behind the bridge, a thrust tongue projecting longitudinally from the forward end of said body, said thrust tongue having an inwardly, downwardly and shallowly inclined underside adapted LO ride onto the top edge of the bridge when said body is forwardly moved on said strings to abut the bridge with muting efiect, whereby to produce sufficient down-thrusting tension in the engaged strings to frictionally retain said body against displacement from its muting relation to the bridge, and string engaging means in association with said channels for retaining the body and strings free from buzzing, rattling or relative vibration.

3. A mute for a stringed instrument having a bridge by which its strings are supported comprising, a unitary block-like main body having endwise open longitudinal channels in opposite sides thereof to receive strings straddled thereby so as to slidably mount the body on said strings behind the bridge, a thrust tongue projecting longitudinally from the forward end of said body, said thrust tongue having an inwardly, downwardly shallowly inclined underside adapted to ride onto the top edge of the bridge when said body is forwardly moved on said strings to abut the bridge with muting effect, whereby to produce downthrusting tension in the engaged strings to frictionally retain said body against displacement from its muting relation to the bridge, and string engaging means in association with said channels for retaining the body and strings free from buzzing, rattling or relative vibration, said latter means comprising a channel formation of shallow serpentine shape in vertical plane to provide spaced and staggered string snubbing points along the extent thereof.

4. A mute for a stringed instrument having a bridge by which its strings are supported comprising, a unitary block-like main body having endwise open longitudinal channels in opposite sides thereof to receive strings straddled thereby so as to slidably mount the body on said strings behind the bridge, said body having a cuneate bottom formation to facilitate its downward passage between said strings for application thereto, a thrust tongue projecting longitudinally from its forward end of said body, said thrust tongue having an inwardly, downwardly and shallowly inclined underside adapted to ride onto the top edge of the bridge when said body is forwardly moved on said strings to abut the bridge with muting effect, whereby to produce sufiicient down-thrusting tension in the engaged strings to frictionally retain said body against displacement from its muting relation to the bridge, and string engaging means in association with said channels for retaining the body and strings free from buzzing, rattling or relative vibration, said latter means comprising a channel formation of shallow serpentine shape in vertical plane to provide spaced and staggered string snubbing points along the extent thereof.

RUSSELL B. KINGMAN.

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