US3853030A - Modulation mechanism for harps - Google Patents

Modulation mechanism for harps Download PDF

Info

Publication number
US3853030A
US3853030A US00463839A US46383974A US3853030A US 3853030 A US3853030 A US 3853030A US 00463839 A US00463839 A US 00463839A US 46383974 A US46383974 A US 46383974A US 3853030 A US3853030 A US 3853030A
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
string
angled
saddle
hooks
hook
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US00463839A
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
K Petutschnigg
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3853030A publication Critical patent/US3853030A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G10—MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; ACOUSTICS
    • G10D—STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; WIND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; ACCORDIONS OR CONCERTINAS; PERCUSSION MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; AEOLIAN HARPS; SINGING-FLAME MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • G10D1/00—General design of stringed musical instruments
    • G10D1/04—Plucked or strummed string instruments, e.g. harps or lyres
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G10—MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; ACOUSTICS
    • G10D—STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; WIND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; ACCORDIONS OR CONCERTINAS; PERCUSSION MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; AEOLIAN HARPS; SINGING-FLAME MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • G10D3/00—Details of, or accessories for, stringed musical instruments, e.g. slide-bars
    • G10D3/14—Tuning devices, e.g. pegs, pins, friction discs or worm gears

Definitions

  • ABSTRACT An improved modulation mechanism disposed in the saddle of a harp and connected through angled hooks and sheet metal plates to lockable pedals, the operation of which so shortens the vibrating string length by contact of the angled hooks with the strings according to the laws of tempered tuning, that the tones of the tuned scale are raised by a semi-tone or a full tone, wherein each angled hook is pivoted into a position at which it bears on the string exactly opposite a pin defining the shortened string length.
  • the invention relates to modulation mechanism disposed in the saddle of a harp and connected by angled hooks and sheet metal plates to lockable pedals, the operation of which so shortens the length of the vibrating strings by pressing the angled hook against the strings, according to the laws of tempered tuning, that the tones of the scales tuned are raised by a half or by a whole tone.
  • the harp a very old stringed instrument, only gained importance for Western music when, in the eighteenth century, Hochbrucker introduced the pedal harp, which permitted the playing of the chromatic tone scale and the diatonic scale.
  • the improved double pedal harp introduced early in the nineteenth century by Erard made it possible to raise the scale to which the instrument had been tuned by not only a semitone but also by a full tone.
  • the entire chromatictone scale from counter G flat up to G flat in altissimo can be played, so that the instrument offers a range of tones corresponding approximately t the range of a piano.
  • the 40 strings of twisted gut, nylon or perlon are suspended in a strip on the resonance board of the body, so that the vibrations of the strings are transmitted directly to the resonance board and from this to the air and irradiated as sound.
  • the currently conventional instruments are tuned to C flat major.
  • the variation in tone level is brought about by shortening the vibrating length of the strings by means of an eccentric mechanism housed in the socalled saddle and which is mechanically connected to the pedals through angled hooks and sheet metal plates.
  • the tuning keys onto which the ends of the strings are wound.
  • the string tension and thus the tone level can be varied by turning the keys with a square-ended socket tool.
  • the angled hooks are pressed on the strings and tightened at the fixed pin which shortens the length of the vibrating strings, in fact so that a gap is created between this pin and the point at which pressure is applied by the angled hook on the string.
  • the string suffers a loading resulting in premature wear and breakage.
  • the application of pressure by the angled hook causes a lengthening of the string, necessitating continual readjustment by the tuning keys in order to restore the correct tone level of the string which is detuned by the stretching, a fact which the player finds to be particularly burdensome.
  • the problem is posed of avoiding the aforedescribed disadvantages and thus providing a mechanism of the type mentioned at the outset, in which there is no damaging of the strings and no need to readjust the tuning keys in order to restore the desired tone level.
  • the pin defining the shortened length of string is constructed as a pivotable angled hook and, when the pedal is engaged, bears on the string opposite the first angled hook, both angled hooks being mechanically coupled and being constructed so that they can be pivoted by a common pedal and, when the pedal is engaged, bearing on the string opposite each other.
  • the string is engaged on both sides at the same height and is held as if by forceps, so that it suffers no pressure or traction of any kind.
  • FIGS. I and 2 show the conventional arrangement of a mechanism for raising the tone level, in fact FIG. 1 showing the non-pivoted and FIG. 2 the pivoted angled hook, FIGS. 3 and 4 showing a first embodiment of the invention, likewise in the starting and operative positions of the angled hook, and FIGS. 5 and 6 show a further embodiment of the invention in which also the pin defining the effective length of the string is constructed as a pivotable lever. All embodiments are illustrated diagrammatically.
  • FIGS. 1 and 2 show a construction of known mechanism in which the angled hook I disposed to pivot in the saddle 4 of the harp (see arrow) is pressed against the string 3 at a distance from the pin 2 which defines the amount of shortening of the string.
  • a bending (FIG. 2) representing a tensile loading which in a relatively short time stretches the tautly stretched string, so that the player must continually check its tuning and re-tune the string by twising the tuning key.
  • the angled hook 1 must also be pressed quite strongly against the string, with the result that the string suffers a particularly heavy loading at the bending points.
  • FIGS. 5 and 6 show a further possible embodiment of the invention.
  • the pin 2 is constructed as a pivotable angled hook.
  • the two angled hooks l, 2 are connected to one pedal and are thus pivoted simultaneously against the string 3 so that they bear thereon opposite to each other.
  • no pressure of any kind is exerted on the string 3 and the angled hooks 1, 2 bear on it in the manner of the jaws of pliers.
  • the string 3 always remains in the same position and is neither bent nor kinked.
  • each angled hook is pivotally connected to said saddle at apposite with respect to the respective string, a pin fastened to said saddle and defining the shortened string length.
  • said pin comprises a pivotable angled hook pivotally connected to said saddle at a position oppsite the first angled hook, both angled hooks being mechanically coupled and pivotally by a common pedal is engaged, bearing on said string opposite each other.

Landscapes

  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Acoustics & Sound (AREA)
  • Multimedia (AREA)
  • Stringed Musical Instruments (AREA)
  • Basic Packing Technique (AREA)
US00463839A 1973-05-11 1974-04-24 Modulation mechanism for harps Expired - Lifetime US3853030A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AT416773A AT324816B (de) 1973-05-11 1973-05-11 Modulationsmechanik für harfen

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3853030A true US3853030A (en) 1974-12-10

Family

ID=3560537

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US00463839A Expired - Lifetime US3853030A (en) 1973-05-11 1974-04-24 Modulation mechanism for harps

Country Status (9)

Country Link
US (1) US3853030A (sv)
AT (1) AT324816B (sv)
CH (1) CH567318A5 (sv)
CS (1) CS169768B2 (sv)
DD (1) DD111485A5 (sv)
DE (1) DE7413929U (sv)
FR (1) FR2229108A1 (sv)
GB (1) GB1419913A (sv)
IT (1) IT1017597B (sv)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4599931A (en) * 1982-08-09 1986-07-15 Joel Garnier Concert harps
US4936182A (en) * 1989-03-09 1990-06-26 Robert Bunker Sharping lever for a musical instrument
US6008439A (en) * 1997-07-03 1999-12-28 Kovac; John G. Pedal sharping apparatus for folk harps

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US605764A (en) * 1898-06-14 Alexander wascinski
US1134207A (en) * 1911-10-09 1915-04-06 Lyon & Healy Harp.
US1226991A (en) * 1915-08-04 1917-05-22 Dominick A Passarelli Chromatic-bass guitar.
US1302451A (en) * 1917-08-06 1919-04-29 Elmer S Tanquary Fretting device for musical instruments.
US1692123A (en) * 1927-05-18 1928-11-20 Hull Vade Harp

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US605764A (en) * 1898-06-14 Alexander wascinski
US1134207A (en) * 1911-10-09 1915-04-06 Lyon & Healy Harp.
US1226991A (en) * 1915-08-04 1917-05-22 Dominick A Passarelli Chromatic-bass guitar.
US1302451A (en) * 1917-08-06 1919-04-29 Elmer S Tanquary Fretting device for musical instruments.
US1692123A (en) * 1927-05-18 1928-11-20 Hull Vade Harp

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4599931A (en) * 1982-08-09 1986-07-15 Joel Garnier Concert harps
US4936182A (en) * 1989-03-09 1990-06-26 Robert Bunker Sharping lever for a musical instrument
US6008439A (en) * 1997-07-03 1999-12-28 Kovac; John G. Pedal sharping apparatus for folk harps

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
CS169768B2 (sv) 1976-07-29
DE2419312B2 (de) 1975-10-23
FR2229108A1 (sv) 1974-12-06
GB1419913A (en) 1975-12-31
DE2419312A1 (de) 1974-11-28
IT1017597B (it) 1977-08-10
AT324816B (de) 1975-09-25
CH567318A5 (sv) 1975-09-30
DE7413929U (de) 1976-12-30
DD111485A5 (sv) 1975-02-12

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US3677128A (en) Bass drum pedal assembly
US3598012A (en) Adjustable capotasto
US3853030A (en) Modulation mechanism for harps
US20100288109A1 (en) Stringed instrument
US685920A (en) Musical instrument.
US11640813B2 (en) String bender for stringed instrument
US3244054A (en) Neck stretching device in stringed instruments
US7674962B2 (en) Harp with exposed soundboard and separate bridges and method of altering the pitch of the harp strings
US9218795B1 (en) Stringed instrument tuning device
US4197780A (en) Method and apparatus for stabilizing the tension of musical instrument strings
EP4318458A1 (en) Educational string instrument
US20050155480A1 (en) Compound musical instrument string configuration and support system
US2023358A (en) Musical instrument
US4126074A (en) Violin harp
US2117628A (en) Fingering attachment for stringed musical instruments
US1961900A (en) Stringed musical instrument and method of sound amplification
US566146A (en) dati-ian
US497939A (en) John frederick charles abelspies
US3237503A (en) Stringed musical instrument
US2039227A (en) Stringed musical instrument with amplifier
US3319502A (en) Hackney musical instrument
JP3385518B2 (ja) 多弦楽器
US1551771A (en) Stringed musical instrument
US3129626A (en) Chord-forming attachment for stringed musical instrument
US3763735A (en) Stringed musical instrument having tone-varying means