US536081A

US536081A - Stringed instrument

Info

Publication number: US536081A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1895-03-19
Anticipated expiration: 1912-03-19

Description

(No Model.)

W. H. HOWE.

STRINGED INSTRUMENT.

No. 536,081. Patented Mar. 19, 1895.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.-

\VILLIAM H. HOIVE, OF XVATERTOWN, MASSACHUSETTS STRINGED INSTRUMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 536,081, dated March 19, 1895.

Application filed January 23, 1895. Serial No. 535.851. (N model.

T0 at whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM H. HOWE, of Watertown,countyofMiddlesex,StateofMassachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Stringed Instruments, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

Violin's, and other instruments of the ViOl family, invariably have to a greater or less extent certain troublesome notes, or tones, technically called wolf-notes, the elfect of such notes upon the ear being a discordant tremor; and the skill of the maker is always taxed to the utmost to eliminate them, but his efforts have been attended with no greater success than to so change them that their presence is felt with less intensity. The defeet is more discernible in good instruments than in bad ones, as inferior instruments are so little susceptible to true vibrations, that they are naturally less sensitive to the false ones. Numerous attempts have been made to ascertain the direct cause of these wolfnotes, but as the most minute variation in the construction of the instrument, necessitates radically different treatment to diminish the wolf, no direct cause or reason has ever been assigned, which is applicable alike in all cases. There is a general vibration, caused by the whole sound-board responding to the string-notes, but there is also a particular local sensitivenesss to certain notes, and it has been said that if any certain notes cause the local to exceed or contradict the general Vibrations, a tremor or wolf is the instant result.

I have discovered that by graduating the top or back of the instrument, preferably both, in a certain novel way, the general vibration is enhanced, and the local sensitiveness to certain notes eliminated, and the wolf is not present.

In carrying out my invention, I graduate the top or back of the instrument in such a manner that the pressure over the entire surface is the same, the distribution of the Wood being such as to bring about this result.

I-Ieretofore, the top of the instrument has been graduated in such manner that the graduations extend radially from an established center, that is, a central portion of a predetermined thickness, which is located beneath the bridge, as for instance, the usual thickness under the bridge, and for an area of say three and one-half inches, or more, toward the neck and tail, and one and one-half inches toward the sides, is one-eighth of an inch, or thereabout, gradually diminishing to half that thickness toward the edges, becoming there a little thicker that the edges may be strong.

To distribute the wood so that the pressure over the whole surface is the same, owing to the peculiar yet artistic shape of the top and back, I find that the graduations must radiate at or near the center of the upper bouts orlobe, and the other at or near the center of the lower bouts or lobe, and as the surface area of the lower bouts or lobe is slightly greater than the surface area of the upper bouts or lobe, the established center of the lower bouts or lobe, is made slightly thicker than the established center of the upper bouts or lobe, and the graduations extend radially from these centers toward the edges, and toward each other in the same relative proportion, so that close to the edge the top or back will be the same thickness all round. It is this peculiar mode of graduating the top or back of the instrument, which constitutes the essence of my invention.

Figure 1, shows in front elevation the back, and Fig. 2, the top of an ordinary violin, the dotted lines representing the graduations; Fig. 3, a front elevation of the top of a violin, the dotted lines representing graduations in accordance with this invention; Fig. 4, an enlarged vertical section of Fig. 3 on the line zit/+13- Referring to Fig. 1, a single established cen ter of greatest thickness is represented by the dotted lines a, and from this center the wood gradually diminishes in thickness toward the edge, becoming a little thicker at the edge. Referring to Fig. 2, a single established center of greatest thickness is represented by the dotted lines I), and from this center the wood gradually diminishes in thickness toward the edge, becoming a little thicker at the edge. These two figures represent the ordinary mode of graduating respectively the back and top of the instrument, and it will be noted that in each case, a single established center, or center of predetermined thickness, is provided beneath or opposite the bridge.

Referring to Fig. 3, the points a and d, represent two established centers, that is to say, two centers of a predetermined or established thickness, one as 0, being located at or near the center of the upper bouts or lobe, and the other as (Z, being located at or near the center of the lower bouts or lobe, and from these two established centers the wood gradually diminishes in thickness toward the edge, becoming a little thicker at the edge. As the surface area of the lower bouts or lobe is greater than the surface area of the upper bouts or lobe, I have made the center at a little thicker than the center 0, as for instance, the center 02 may be made ten sixty-fourths of an inch, and the center 0, nine siXty-fou rths of an inch in thickness. The graduations are radial from these two centers, toward the edge, and toward each other, being made relatively proportionate, so that the wood is an even thickness at the thinnest part next to the edge, as atthe dotted line 6. Owing to the peculiar shape of the top and back the radial diminution in thickness is not the same in all directions, but starting from a fixed point as c or d, I have represented by dotted lines f, a part of the bouts or lobes that is of an even thickness. By thus graduating the top or back of the instrument, or both, the general vibration caused by the whole sounding board responding to the strings is equalized, the pressure being the same over the whole surface, and the undesirable wolf-tones and nasal effects are eliminated. The tone has a peculiarly flute-like quality, pleasing to the performer, as well as to the listener, and has a superior carrying tone.

I claim The top or back of a violin, or other instrument of the V101 family, graduated radially from two established centers, one at or near the center of the upper bouts or lobe, and the other at or near the center of the lower bouts or lobe, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM II. HOWE. lVitnesses:

BERNIOE J. NOYES, CHARLES B. CROCKER.