US546174A

US546174A - Metallophone-zither

Info

Publication number: US546174A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1895-09-10
Anticipated expiration: 1912-09-10

Description

(No Model.)

F. MENZENHAUER.

AMETALLOPHONE ZITHER.

Patented Sept.

cal instrument or metallophone-zither.

arr" rates heresy tries.

FREDRICK MENZENHAUER, OF JERSEY CITY, NEYV JERSEY.

METALLOPHONE-ZHTHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 546,174, dated September 10,1895

Application filed November 24,1894- Serial No. 529,836. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDRICK MENZEN- HAUER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Jersey City, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Metallophone-Zithers, of'which the following .is a specification.

This invention relates to a new musical instrument that is formed of a combination of the well-known zither with a so-called metallophone, or instrument in which musical sounds are produced by means of anumber of different-toned metallic bars or plates when they are struck by a suitable hammer, whereby an instrument is obtained that may be easily played with little practice, so that it can be placed within the reach of children of different ages, but which can also be furnished on a larger and more extended scale, so' as to become an instrument by which a better class of music can be produced ,in the hands of a skilled performer, especially as the related sounds of the metallic bars or plates and the strings can be blended with each other in new and attractive effects; and the invention consists of a musical instrument or metallophonezither which comprises a sounding-board having a longitudinal opening, raised portions at each side of the opening, and metallic bars or plates supported on the raised portions of the sounding-board, and a number of groups of strings on the sounding-board extending transversely of the metallic bars in juxtaposition to the ends of the same, while the strings of each group are tuned to the intervals of separate harmonic chords of the bars or plates, as hereinafter more fully described, and then specified in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a top view of my improved musi- Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section of the same on line 2 2, Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a detail transverse section on line 3 3, Fig. 1, showing the metallophone on a larger scale.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the sounding-board, which is made in the form of that of a zither, and which can be made of any suitable size and finish, according as to whether the instrument is to be used as an instrument for children or for a skilled performer. At one side of the sounding-board A. is arranged a metallophone B, of the well known construction, said metallophone being composed of a number of metallic bars or plates 1), that are tuned according to the ordinary scale. The metallophone is supported upon strips 13' forming raised portions located at each side of an opening A, extending lon gitudinally of the sounding-board, so that the tones produced by the striking of the bars or plates composing the metallophone will be clear and distinct. Along the other side of the sounding-board and parallel with the metallophone, so as to extend transversely of the metallic bars forming parts of the metallophone, are arranged a number of groups of stringsnamely, O O 0 which are tuned to the intervals of separate harmonic chords for the different bars or plates Z) of the metallophone B, each group being composed of a bass string and additional strings tuned harmonically with the bass string.

When playing the instrument, the hammer for for striking the bars or plates of the metallophone is taken in one hand, the melody being produced by striking in succession the bars of the metallophone, while the accompaniment is produced by the thumb passing over that group of strings that is tuned in harmonic chord with the bar or plate struck by the hammer. in this manner the melody is played on the metallophone, while the ac companiinent is given by sounding of corresponding groups of strings, wherebya very novel and effective musical instrument is obtained, that can be made on a small scale for children, while when built on a large scale it forms an instrument for the skilled performer that is far superior to the ordinary metallophone, tumblerophone, or musical glasses, and similar instruments, as the same permits the playing of a better class of music and furnishes a very interesting and pleasing instrument.

It is evident that instead of a metallophone a Xylophone may be mounted on the sound ing-board, and that for the bars resonant tubes may be substituted without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Having thus described my invention,

claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- A musicalinstrument or metallophonezither, consisting of a sounding-board having a longitudinal opening, raised portions each side of said opening and metallic bars or plates supported on the raised portions of the sounding-hoard, and a number of groups of strings on the sounding-hoard extending transversely of the metallic-bars, in juXtaposition to the ends of the same, the strings of each group being tuned to the intervals of separate harmonic chords of the bars or plates of the metaliophone, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as 15 my invention I have signed my name in pres ence of two subscribing Witnesses.

FREDRICK MENZENIIAUER.

Witnesses:

PAUL GonPnL, Gno. S. WHnnLooK.