US574746A - Harp-cithern - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

F. .MBNZENHAUBR.

HARP CITHERN.

N0. 574,746. Patented Jan. 5, 1897.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK MENZENIIAUER, OF JERSEY CITY, NEWT JERSEY.

HARP-CITHERN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 574,746, dated January 5, 1897.

Application tiled October 28, 1896. Serial No. 610,292. (No model T0 @ZZ whom, t may concern,.-

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

This invention relates to an improved musical instrument which combines to some extent the advantages of a harp and a cithern and which can be built in larger sizes and played with great facility without any special vknowledge of the ordinarynotation of music,

as the melody is played on a group of leadingstrin gs and the accompaniment is played on a group of accom panimen t-strin gs in the nature of a harp; and the invention consists of a musical instrument or harp-cithern comprising an upright sounding-board arranged on a suitable base, an open scale of strings arranged to extend over the rear part of the sounding-board, which is in turn provided with an opening extending transversely across the group of leading-strings, and a number of accompaniment-strings arranged at the fore part of the sounding-board, said accompaniment-strings being arranged in groups which are tuned to the intervals of separate harmonic chords for the leadingstrings.

The invention consists, further, of a musical instrument or harp-cithern in which, across the lower part of the groups of accompaniment-strings, is arranged a transverse fret-board provided with frets, so that one string of each group can be acted upon by a pivoted presser-bar act-uated by a pedal connected thereto, thereby enabling the accompaniment-chords to be played either in major or minor key, as required by the melody played on the leading-strings.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l represents a side elevation of my improved harp-cithern. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section of the same on line 2 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged horizontal section on line 3 3, Fig. l; and Fig. is a detail front View of the transverse fret-board, showing the individual frets for changing one of the strings of each chord to the major or minor key, as required.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the sounding-board of my improved musical instru 1n ent,which I have given the name harpcithern because it partakes of the character of both the harp and cithern. The general shape of the sounding-board A is like that of a harp, being highest at its front part and diminished in height at its rear part and supported in upright position on a base I3, So

that it can be placed like a harp between thev feet of the player and played by the hands in the nature of a harp.

The harp-eithern can be made in any desired size from instruments of smaller size, adapted for the use of children, to instruments which correspond to the size ot' an ordinary harp.

At the rear part, at the right-hand side of the sounding-board A, is arranged an open scale of strings C, while at the front part of the instrument is arranged a number of accompaniment-strings C', which are arranged in groups, from three groups upward, the strings oi' each group being tuned to the intervals of separate harm onic chords of the corresponding leading-strings in the open scale of strings C. The groups of strings C' furnish the accompaniment-chords for the strings of the open scale C and produce by vibrating in one group a full harmonic accompaniment to the leading or melody strings. The chordstrings C' are preferably arranged in groups of four strings each, one of the strings being the lowest or base string of the group.

In the rear part of the sounding-board A is arranged transversely to the leading strings an opening a of sufficient width to permit the tin gers of the right hand to pass through the opening and sound the leading-strings, while the left hand is used for sounding the groups of accompaniment or chord strings. Above the transverse opening a in the soundingboard A is arranged, below the strings, a socalled musical slip7 d, on which are the names corresponding to the leading and accompaniment strings and iigures which indicate the leading strings and chords, so that the piece of music can be played from musicsheets which are not printed in the ordinary IOO .musical notation, but so as to indicate the 'numbers of the leading-strings and the numbers of the corresponding chords of the accompaniment-strings, whereby the art of playing' on this musical instrument can be acquired with comparatively little practice and without studying the ordinary musicalY notation.

Below the lower ends ol the different chords of accompaniment-strings is arranged a stationary fret E, which is provided with individual :frets e, one for each chord, said frets being located below that string of the accompaniment-chord by which the change oi' the chord from the major to the minor liey is obtained. Above the fret-board and in l'ront ot' the strings is arranged a centrally-pivoted and oscillating presser-bar l?, the pivots of which turn in suitable bearings D, attached to the sounding-board at the ends et the presser-bar, and which is provided in l'ront ol. each individual fret e with a presser-linger The Iingersjl of the presser-bar are pressed aga-inst the individual string of each chord, below which the l'ret e is arranged, by means ol a pedal I), that is attached to the presserbar li and which is guided in a slot S in the base B, the lower part of the pedal-shank being actuated by a helical spring g, that is interposed between the shank of the pedal and thesoeket for the same in the base, as shown in Fig. 2. The spring g presses the pedal in outward direction and thereby the presserbar with its iingers away from the frets, so that the minor key is sounded when the pedal is not depressed.

lVhen'ever the melody requires that a major hey be sounded l'or one of the leading-strings, the pedal is depressed and thereby the presserbar and its fingers moved against the strings7 so that then either one of the groups of accolnpaniment-strings may be sounded in the major key. As the pedal is operated by the feet the playing of the aceompaniment-ehords in the major or minor key is in full control, and thereby the range and charm oi my improved instrument is considerably enhanced.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim isl. A musical instrument or harp-cithern, consisting of a sounding-board provided with a transverse opening in its middle rear portion; an open seal e ot' lezuling-strin arranged on the rear portion of the sonndi11g-board, and extending across the opening, and a number of groups oi' accompaniment-strings arran ged at the front portion of the sounding-benul, the strings of each group being tuned to the intervals oi separate harmonic chords ol' the leading-strings, substantially as set forth.

2. A musical instrument or harp-eithern, eonsistingoi' an upright sonndi11g-board made in the form of a harp and provided with. a transverse opening in the middle rear portion oi' the same, a base .lfer supporting the sounding-board in upright position7 an open scale olf leading-strings on the rear part oi the sounding-board extending across the transverse opening'in the same, and a number olf groups of accompaniment-strings arranged on the i'ront part of the soundilig-board, each group olI accompanimeut-strings heilig tuned to the intervals el. the sepa rate harmonic chords ol.' the leading-strings, substantially as set Forth.

5. A musical instrument or harp-cithern, composed of an upright sonnding-board in the form of a harp and provided with a transverse opening' at the middle rear portion oli' the souinling-board, an open scale ot' leadingstrings arranged at the rear portion ol the sounding-board, a number of groups ol accompaniment-strings arranged on the it'ront part ol' the sounding-lmard, the strings oi' each group being tuned to the intervals ol. separate harmonic chords oi the leading-strings, a fret-board provided with. individual. frets below one of the strings oi each group ol;l aecompanimeiit-strings, a pivoted iin'csser-bar provided with iingers in front of the strings adjacent to which the frets are arranged, and a spring-actuated pedal. applied to the presserbar and adapted to aetuate the presser-bar so as to be pressed on. the strings or moved away ltherefrom and produce thereby the play of the groups of accompaninlent-strings in the major or minor key as required, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FREDERICK MENZ ENI lAl'lCl lllitnesses:

PAUL Gonrnt, GEO. W. Mening.

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