US578396A

US578396A - Albert s

Info

Publication number: US578396A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1897-03-09
Anticipated expiration: 1914-03-09

Description

S. FILSON. VIOLIN ATTACHMENT.

- (No Model.)

No. 578,396. Patented Mar. 9, 1897 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT S. FILSON, OF IVINSTON, MONTANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALE TO SAMUEL A. IVHITE, OE SAME PLACE.

VIOLIN ATTACHMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 578,396, dated March 9, 1897.

Application filed July 13, 1896- Serial No. 598,920. (N0 model.)

To (tZZ whont if; 777/66]; concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT S. FILSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at lVinston, in the county of Jefferson and State of Montana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Violin Attachments; 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.

It is a well-known fact that the E strings of violins are made in four string-lengths and that when they are attached to the violin they are generally cut into a length slightly longer than the distance between the tailpiece and the tuning-key, being secured to the former by means of a knot passed through a slot therein and to the latter by being wound thereon. It is also well known that the breakage of violin-strings generally takes place near their upper ends at points near the tunin g-keys. \Vhen this happens, it necessitates the entire renewal of the string, causing a waste of the greater part thereof and the loss of much time to re-form the knot and reinsert the string. Myinvention is designed to overcome this difficulty, to provide a ready means of attaching the string, and also to effect the saving of a large part of the string.

The invention consists in providing an attachment for the tailpiece of a violin, which is adapted to fit the different sizes of tailpieces; and it consists of a base-plate having arms or extensions thereon adapted to embrace said tailpiece, for securing the attachment thereto, a post or spindle rising centrally from said base-piece, having a laterallysliding pin in its outer end, and a reel or drum mounted to rotate on said post or spindle, having recesses therein adapted to be engaged by said stop-pin.

The invention also consists in other details of construction and combinations of parts, which willbe hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the drawings forming part of this specification, Figure 1 represents a perspective view showing my attachment applied to a violin. Fig.2 isalongitudinal section through the same. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view showing the different parts of the attachment.

Like reference-numerals indicate like parts in the different views.

The tailpiece 1 is of the usual form of construction and is adapted to receive the reel attachment 2, which is made up of a basepiece 3, having arms 4 4 thereon, which are adapted to embrace said tailpiece and constitute a clip, the forward edges thereof engaging the enlarged portion of said tailpiece. Rising centrally from the base-piece 3 is a post or spindle 5, having a peripheral groove 6 therein, and upon said post is mounted a drum or reel 7, having flanges 8 8 thereon and a pin 9, which projects through said drum and engages the peripheral groove 6 in said post or spindle, thereby preventing the detachment of the reel from said spindle. The upper flange S of the reel 7 has a milled edge, by means of which a grip may be obtained thereon for the purpose of turning said reel. The upper surface of the reel 7, adjacent to the edge of the opening therethrough, has a series of radially disposed recesses 1O 10, which are adapted to be engaged by a stoppin 11, slidingly mounted in a dovetailed groove 12 in the upper end of the post or spindle 5, having a handle 13 thereon for the purpose of operating the same.

In using my device the same is applied to the tailpiece 1 by inserting the arms l around the narrow portion of said tailpiece, allowing it to be drawn forward until the forward edges of said arms engage the enlarged portion of said tailpiece, and one end of the E string is attached to the drum or reel 7. The said string is then wound upon the reel until just enough of the string projects to reach from the reel to the tuning-key upon the neck of the instrument, the said string passing through and around one of the slots at the forward end of the tailpiece. Vhen the proper length of string is obtained, the stop pin 11 is thrown outwardly into engagement with one of the recesses 10 in the upper surface of the reel 7. The string is then tightened and tuned in the usual manner. Should 2 srasoe the string break from any cause the end attached to the tuning-key is detached and thrown away, and the stop-pin 11 is released from engagement with the recess 10. The drum or reel 7 is then allowed to unwind until a sufficient length of string extends therefrom to reach up to the tuning-key, and said stop-pin is replaced. This can be done in a moments time, does not necessitate the detachment of the string from both ends and the forming of a knot in the rear end of the string, and, furthermore, saves so much of the length of the string as extends from the point of the break to the reel. A saving of time as well as material is therefore effected, besides adding to the convenience of applying the string.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with the tailpiece of a stringed musical instrument, of a reel attachment therefor consisting of a baseplate having arms or extensions thereon adapted to embrace said tailpiece for securing said at tachment thereto, a post or spindle rising centrally from said base-plate, having a laterallysliding pin in its outer end, a reel or drum mounted to rotate on said post or spindle, having recesses therein adapted to be engaged by said stop-pin, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. The combination with the tailpiece of a stringed musical instrument, of a reel attachment therefor consisting of a base-plate having arms or extensions thereon adapted to embrace said tailpiece for the purpose of securing said attachment thereto, a post or spindle rising centrally from said base-plate having a peripheral groove thereon and a dovetailed groove in its outer end, a reel or drum mounted to rotate on said post or spindle having radially-disposed recesses in its upper surface adjacent to the opening through said reel, a pin projecting through said reel and engaging the peripheral groove in said post or spindle and a stop-pin mounted to slide in the dovetailed groove in the upper end of said post or spindle and adapted to fit within the recesses in the top surface of said reel, substantially as and for the purpose described.

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

ALBERT S. FILSON'.

Vitnesses:

II. E. JOHNSON, JOHN CAUGHLIN.