US356803A - William g - Google Patents

Description

(No Mudel.)

W. G. STBVBNSON. HARP.

No. 356,803.V Patente-d Peb. 1, 1887..

@nme/osea Jr- UNITED STATESl PATENT OFFICE..

XVILLAM G. STEVENSON, OF MOREYCI, MICHIGAN.

HARP.

SPECIFECATXQN forming part of Letters Patent No. 356,803, dated February l, 1887.

(No model.)

To @ZZ whom may concern.'

Beit known that l', VILLIAM G. STEVEN- soN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Morenci, in the county of Lenawee and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Harps, of which the following is a speciiication.

My invention relates to an improvement in harps, and it consists in the peculiar construction and combination of devices that will be more fully set forth hereinafter,and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The object of my invention is to provide an apparatus by means of which the chords may be produced mechanically by the performer for a piece of music written in any key, and this object l attain by the construction hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-n Figure 1 is a top plan view of a harp provided with myimprovements. Fig. 2 is a sectional viewl of the same, taken on the line u a@ of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional view at right angles to Fig. 2, and taken on the line y y of Fig. l. Fig. 4i is an end view of the plate C.

A represents a harp of the required shape, which is provided with strings that are tuned by chromatic steps, same as a piano. Under the strings ol' the harp, and on the soundingboard thereof, near its base, are inscribed the letters of the musical alphabet, as follows: Cfg, DB?, E, F, A, B, B.

On opposite sides of the harp, and at a suitable distance from the lower side thereof, are projecting ears or keepers B, in which slides and is secured an endwise moving plate, C, which is supported at a suitable distance from the strings. The said plate is p rovidcd on one side with a depending ilange or` plate, D, on which are inscribed a series of numbers, E l, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7-indicating the notes of the diatonic scale. On the upper side ofthe plate C, near the center thereof, are inscribedthree or more series ol" iigures, E F G, Snc.

H I K, 8vo., represent cross-bars, which are secured under the plate C, and are arranged respectively under the series of figures E F G, &c. From the ends of the plate C depend vertical rods L, which have heads on their lower extremities, and the said rods pass through the ends of the cross-bars.

Goiled springs M bear between the heads and the lower sides of the cross-bars and serve to move the latter normally upwardly against the nn der side of the plate C and out ol' contact with the strings. On thc lower side of each cross bar are secured `a number of pieces of felt or other suitable material, forming projecting tongues N, that are adapted to bear upon certain of the strings, so as to render them mute, and only allow those strings which are arranged intermediate inthe spaces between said tongues, and which form the chord indicated by the' cross-bar,to be sounded when the thumb ofthe performer is swept over the strings.

H I K, &c., represent vertical rods or keys, which extend through openings in the center of the plate C, and have their lower ends connected'to the verticallymoving crossbars, the upper ends of said rods or keys be- -ing provided with buttons, as shown.

The operation of my invention is as follows: If a piece of music is to be playedwhich is written, say, in the key of G, the plate C is moved laterally in the keepers B until the [igures 1 on the ilaugeplate D are directly over the strings, underneath which are the letters G.. if the first note of the air or soprano is a note with which the bar marked l 3 5 will form a correct chord, the performer with his left hand depresses the key H', which lowers the crossbar H and' causes the tongues or pieces of felt thereon to bear upon all of the strings, excepting those corresponding to the notes Do, Mi, and Sol; then with thcthumb or finger of the right hand he sweeps quickly across all of the strings from the base upward, striking thenotc of the air or soprano last and most distinctly, thus playing the air or soprano and correct accompanying chord. The remaining bars are operated in like manner, when they form correct chords with the notes of the air or soprano. It a piece written in any other key than Gr is to be played, the plate (l is moved so as to causeithe figures l on the ilange-plate D toV come directly over the strings, underneath which is the key-letter of the piece of music to be played. By thus making the plate C laterally movable across the strings of the harp, and providing it with presser-bars having tongues or pieces of felt to render thc necessary strings mute, the air or soprano of any piece of music with correct accompanying chords can be played readily in any key.

A little practice will render it possible for any person, even though unacquainted with music, to correctly render a musical composition Written in anykcy.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. The combination, with the harp, of the plate C, movable endwise across the strings, andthe presser-bars secured to and movable with the said plate, the said presser-bars indicating different chords and being adapted to bear upon certain strings to render them mute, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the harp, of the plate C, movable endwise across the strings, and the independently-movable presser-bars to bear upon the strings, the said presser-bars being attached to the. plate C and movable therewith, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with the harp, of the plate C, movable endwise over and across the strings, with the depending flange-plate D, inscribed with a series of numbers, E, indicating the notes of the diatonic scale, and the presser-bars indicating different chords movable with the plate C, and adapted to bear upon certain strings to render them mute, for the purpose set forth, substantially as described.

4. The combination of the harp having the keepers B, the plate C, movable lengthwise in the keepers and extending across the strings, the presser-bars movable with the plate G, and the springs to normally raise the said bars out of contact with the strings, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signaturein presence of two witnesses.

VILLIAM G. ."IEVENSON Witnesses:

F. WHALEY, D. B. MORGAN.

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