US460863A - Carl gtimbel - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

0. GU-MBE-L.

STRINGED INSTRUMENT.

No. 460,863. Patented Oct. 6, 1891.

.fiawzzfor UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CARL GIIMBEL, OF KROFDORF, NEAR \VETZLAR, ASSIGNOR TO JULIUS HEINRICH ZIMMERMANN, OF LEIPSIO, GERMANY.

STRINGED INSTRUMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 460,863, dated October 6, 1891.

Application filed April 13, 1891- Serial No, 388,720. (No model.) Patented in Germany May 1, 1888,11'0. 45,762.

To all whmn it 79260; concern:

Be it known that I, CARL GUMBEL, a citizen of Germany, residing at Krofdorf, near VVetzlar, in the Kingdom of Prussia, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stringed Instruments, (for which I have obtained a patent in Germany, dated May 1, 1888, No. 45,762,) and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to mechanism for producing musical sounds and harmonies, and especially to that type of instrument in which the musical tones and combinations of tones are produced by strings stretched to a proper tension and giving forth, when vibrated, a musical tone, the pitch of the latter being governed by the size and length of the string.

It is the purpose of my invention to provide simple means which may be substituted for the single-stroke hamn1erssuch, for example, as those used upon pianosfor producing vibration of the string, whereby a sustained vibration shall 'be produced and a musical tone or note of increased strength, purity, and duration. I

The invention consists to these ends in the several novel features of construction and new combinations of parts hereinafter fully described, and then more particularly pointed out and defined in the claims which conclude this specification.

To enable others skilled in the art to which my invention pertains to understand, construct, and use the same, I will proceed to describe said invention in detail, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a vertical section upon the line 00 a: of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is an elevation showing a single device embodying my invention, a portion of a string under tension being shown in said figure. Fig. 3 is a detail vertical section showingamodified construction. Fig. 4 is a vertical section upon the line y y, Fig. 3.

I11 the said drawings the reference-n umeral '1 indicates a string formed of any suitable material and prepared either by winding it or in any other suitable manner, said string being placed under tension and associated with a series of strings of various lengths and tension.

Arranged within suitable proximity and at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the string 1 is a tubular casing 2, closed at one end and open at the other. This casing may be arranged vertically or horizontally or in an inclined position, and in one of its sides is formed a slot 3, extending nearly from end to end, and mounted upon the same is an elastic strip 4, of metal or other suitable material, of such size as to fit the slot 3 without material contact with the edges or end of the same. The strip or tongue 4: extends transversely to the string 1 and is entirely disconnected therefrom in such manner that the free vibratory end of the tongue lies in or over that end of the slot which is adjacent to the closed end of the casing. The tongue is of thin material, and, having suitable elasticity, it will be readily seen that by forcing a current of air from" without through the slot and through the open end of the tube a vibration of the tongue 4; will be set up similar to that of the reed of an organ. If the casing 2 be arranged properly, so that the vibrating end of the tongue shall just fail to strike the string 1 at each vibration, it will, provided said string is of suitable size and length, set up vibrations therein similar in number to those of the tongue. By varying the width and length of the latter its vibrations may be multiplied or diminished in number in the same period of time, and in this manner a series of strings may be adjusted to sound the chromatic scale, each string being vibrated by a tongue or strip having a corresponding rapidity of vibration. Thus a series of strings of any number may be used to produce harmony by vibrations sustained for any length of time, like those of the reeds of an organ, the tones being produced by the sonorous vibration of the strings instead of the reeds.

\Vith the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2 I may use a suction or exhaust; but I have shown in Figs. 3 and 4 a construction by which a forced blast may be used, if preferred. This device consists of a two-part casing, in one or both of the legs 5 of which is formed a slot 3, a vibratory tongue 4 being mounted over said slot upon the side on which the air approaches the slot. The string 1 is arranged to pass through openings 6, of such size as to permit the sonorous vibration without contact.

Air enters the casing by a flue 7, common to both the legs 5.

That I claim is- 1. The combination, with a string capable of sonorous vibration, of a casing open at one end and having a slot over which is arranged a Vibratory tongue or strip of elastic material extending transversely to the longitudinal axis of the string, fastened at one end to the casing, and having its free end in suitable proximity to the string, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with a two-part casin g .having a flue common to both parts, of an elastic strip or tongue rigidly attached at one end over a slot in the part or leg of said casing, and a string capable of sonorous vibration, arranged to pass through the part of said casing, entirely disconnected from but 1 adapted to strike the free vibratory end of said strip, the string lying in openings in the Wall of said casing large enough to permit free Vibration, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CARL GUMBEL.

Witnesses:

ALvEsTo S. HOGUE, J EAN GRUND.

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