US536563A - Tuning device for stringed musical instruments - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

IE. B. CONVERSE. TUNING DEVICE FOR STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

N0. 536,563. Patented Mar. 26, 1895.

4. a f i BY W mfg? ATTORNEY.

UNTTED STATES PATENT Onrrcn.

FRANK B. CONVERSE, OF NE\V YORK, ASSIGNOR OF FIVE-EIGHTHS TO FREDERICK R. BROOKE AND LOUIS AUGUSTUS ADAMS, OF BROOK- LYN, NE W YORK.

TUNING DEVICE FOR STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 536,563, dated March 26, 189 5.

Application filed May 24, 1893. Serial No, 475,387. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK B. CONVERSE, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of New York, county and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Devices for Tuning Stringed Instruments, of which the following is a full and true description, enabling others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make the same.

My invention relates to musical instrument tuning devices, and particularly to such as the banjo, violin, guitar, and mandolin. Its object is to provide a sure and ready means of correctly tuning stringed instruments by unskilled persons.

It consists of the device described in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1, is a perspective view of a section of the finger board of a banjo with device in position. Fig. 2, is a perspective view of the adjustable arm.

In the drawings A is a truss having a vertical slot A and a horizontal slot A a, a, are the jaws of the supports of the bridge, one or both of which may be adjusted to the frame of the instrument and held in position by a clamp screw.

or. is a cushion lodged in the jaws of the bridge. One or both may be thus cushioned to assist in securing a firm hold by the same on the board B and prevent scratching it.

Bis a section of the finger board of abanjo.

c, c, c, c, are frets.

D is a clamp screw upon which the jam nut D is operated.

E is an adjustable stop screw extending downward through slot A, in which it operates. It has a foot E. This foot has a shoe upon it preferably of leather, or the like. Its function is to engage and press down upon the finger board any desired string, thus securing or stopping it for the purpose of obtaining from it a certain pitch or sound.

E is a jam nut to hold screw E in any desired position along the slots A and A The shank of this screw is preferably square at E to prevent it turningin the slot A when being adjusted.

F is an adjustable arm having an eyefat one end (see Fig. 2) through which the screw E passes, and riding upon the jam nut E which holds it in such a manner that it may be adjusted to any desired degree and there firmly retained. This arm F is bifurcated at the other end, one arm of the bifurcation F terminating in the ring guard F the other F having an eye running through it, through which is loosely roved the ring G. This ring G is attached to the head of the vibrator H, which is preferably made of cork or other light material, and with a knob II on its lower end.

6, e, e, c, c, are the banjo strings.

The vibrator is strengthened by having a fine wire run through it one end of which may form the ring G.

The illustrations and description has been purposely adapted to a banjo, but it is obvious that this is mere selection as the device is readily ajustable and appropriate to any form of a stringed instrument.

The operation of this device is as follows: Then it is desired to tune a stringed instrument, as for example a banjo, the device is placed as shown in Fig. 1, so that the line of the slots in the same is parallel with the seventh fret of the fingerboard. The jaws arc fitted against the edge of the finger board and the jam nut on the clamp screw D is turned untilthe device is firmly secured. The fourth string is now brought to a tension by means of the usual method, that is, by turning the peg to which it is fastened until, while not being very taut it yet produces an agreeable sound; or it maybe tuned to accord with a pitch pipe, or any desired sound of the piano. IVhen this string (the fourth) has been tuned, the stop screw is moved along the slot until it is directly over it, the fourth string, upon which string it is screwed down until its head firmly presses on the string, holding it down upon the fingerboard. The vibrator is now adjusted so that it is suspended at right angles to and resting against the third string, the knob of the vibrator extending just below the level of the string. The peg of this third string is now turned gradually thus raising its pitch and as it is being turned the fourth string is struck near the bridge continuously. As the third string approaches the unison of the fourth string, (the pitch to be attained) a slight agitation of the vibrator will be observed accompanied by a faint singing sound. By continuing to turn the peg these will both increase in volume and intensity to a limit when the singing tone will be plainly heard, and the agitation of the vibrator be so great that its excursions are only limited by the ring guard,through which it is suspended, at which point the string has reached its proper pitch and is in tune. If over tuned the singing and movement of the vibrator will gradually subside and a final break of the string is inevitable. For tuning other strings this operation is repeated by first adjusting the truss at such frets, or positions, as may be necessary.

The device may be made of a combination of wood and metal, or wholly of metal.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A tuning device for stringed musical instruments comprising a clamping device, a stop engaging therewith and adapted to bear upon a string of an instrument and a vibrator supported by an arm, or clamp substantially as specified.

2. A tuning device for stringed musicalinstruments, consisting of an adjustable bridge supporting an adjustable stop and a suspended vibrator, substantially as herein shown and described.

3. The combination in a tuning device for stringed musical instruments of the bridge A,

set screw D, jam nut D, jaws a, adjustable screw E, arm F and vibrator H, substantially, as herein shown and described.

4. The combination in a tuning device for stringed musical instruments of a bridge or truss adapted to be supported over the strings of said instrument, by resting upon the frame of the same, an adjustable arm supported by and attached to said bridge and a vertically and loosely sustained vibrator suspended from said adjustable arm as herein shown and described.

5. The combination in a tuning device for stringed musical instruments, of a bridge or truss adapted to be sustained at either end and held in position by one or more clamp screws upon the framework of said instrument, said bridge or truss having one or more slots extending vertically and longitudinally through the same and a stop screw having a shoe upon its lower end, said screw being adjustable and holding in position an adjustable arm to the end of which is loosely attached a vibrator as herein shown and described.

6. In a tuning device for stringed musical through which the vibrator passes as herein shown and described.

FRANK B. CONVERSE. Witnesses:

ALEX. E. SHIPLEY, THEODORE P. DONALDSON.

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