US622822A

US622822A - Fritz petermann

Info

Publication number: US622822A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1899-04-11
Anticipated expiration: 1916-04-11

Description

Patented Apr. ll, I899.

F. PETERM ANN. GUITAR DITHERN.

(Application filcd Dac. 9, 1898.)

(No Model.)

WITNESSES;

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFF CE.

FRITZ PETERMANN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

VGU'ITAR-CITHERN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 622,822, dated April 11, 1899.

Application filed December 9, 1898. derial No. 698,738. (No model.)

To (0Z7 whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRITZ PETERMANN, a citizen of Germany, residing in the city of New York, in the borough of Manhattan and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Guitar-Oitherns, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in the musical instrument or guitarcithern forwhich Letters Patent of the United States were granted to Frederick Menzenhauer on May 29, 1894, No. 520,651, said improvements being designed with the view of enlarging the scope of said musical instrument and applying the same principle of construction--namely, an open scale of leading strings arranged at one side of the soundingboard and a number of groups of accompanying-strings arranged at the other side of the sounding-board, the strings of each group being tuned to the intervals of separate harmonic chords for the leading-strings, in such a manner, however, that the size of the instrument is enlarged and a concert-cithern with all the advantages of the guitar-cithern produced.

The invention consists of a music'alinstrument or guitar-cithern provided with an open scale of leading-strings and a number of groups of accompanyin g-strin gs arranged parallel and in the same plane therewith, each system of strings extending beyond the other system, respectively, at opposite ends of the instrument, and, further, in a musical instrument or guitar-cithern provided with an open scale of leading-strings arranged longitudinally of the sounding-board at one end of the same and a number of groups of accom panying-strings arranged in the same plane therewith at the other end of the soundingbo'ard, the groups of accompanying-strings being tuned to the intervals of separate harmonic chords for the leadingstrings and e11- tering the system of leading-strings at the inner end of said system, and, further, in certain details of construction and combinations of parts to be more fully described hereinafter and finally pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1' represents a plan view of my improved musical instrument or guitar-cithern, and Fi 2 is a vertical longitudinal section drawn on line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the sounding-board of my improved guitar-eithern, the general shape and size of which is that of the well-known concert-cithern. An

open scale of strings O is arranged at the,

right-hand side of the instrument, while a number of strings O are arranged, according to the number of chords, in groups of four at the left-hand end of the instrument. The strings Oof each chord are tuned so as to be in harmony with the corresponding strings O of the open scale. The leading or melody strings are stretched over a scale-rib D at the right-hand end of the instrument, while the opposite ends of the leadingstrings are passed over grooved straining-pinsf and attached to small fastening-screws f that are passed through the sounding-board and into a stilfeniug-brace f, extending diagonally across the supporting-frame of the soundingboard. Thetuning-pinsf for the leadingstrings are arranged outside of the scale-rib D at the right-hand end of the instrument.

At the left-hand end of the instrument is arranged an independent scale-rib g for the groups of accompanying-strings, said scalerib being provided with straining-pinst' for said strings, while the tuning-pins g for the accoinpanying-strings are arranged outside of the scale-rib g at the left-hand end of the instrument, as shown clearlyin Figs. 1 and 2. The inner ends of the accompanying-strings C are stretched over the ends of grooved straining-pins g and attached to fasteningscrews 9 which pass through the soundingboard into a transverse brace g of the frame of the instrument.

The body of the instrument is made of such length that the entire series of leading-strings are arranged in parallel line with the groups of accompanying-strings and in the same or approximately the same plane therewith and in such a manner that each system of strings enters the other system at the inner end of the same, as shown in the drawings. This permits the playing of the leading-strings at the right-hand end of the instrument in the usual manner, while the groups of accompanying-strings are sounded at the left-hand end by the fingers at that end of the instrument. The different groups of accompany ing-strings C furnish the accompaniment for the leading-strings or open scale and produce by the vibration of any one group a full and harmonious accompaniment. to the leadingstrings. The chord-strings C are arranged, as stated, in groups, there being four strings in each group, of which one is the leading'or bass string of the group. Below the righthand end of the system of leading-strings is arranged a strip (Z, provided with the numbers and notation of the leading-strings,while below the left-hand end of the groups of aceompanyingstrings is arranged a similarstrip (1, provided with the numbers of the chords and the musical notation corresponding to the aceompanying-strings. The pieces of music which are used for playing are not printed in the ordinary musical notation; but the notation is preferably the generally-accepted one used for the instruments known as guitarcitherns," in which the string of the open scale and the corresponding chord are indicated by numbers corresponding to the numbers on the strips (Z and d.

The strings are preferably arranged longitudinally of the body of the instrument.

Above the tuninginnsf for the leadingstrings at the right-hand -end of the instrument is ar 'anged a restboard F, which is attached by hooks h or other fastening devices to the right-hand end of the instrument and which serves as a rest for the right hand in playing the leading-strings. A small restboard (not shown in the drawings) may be used at the left-hand end, although in this case it is not so necessary, as the free space between the groups of aecompanying-strings and the edge of the body of the instrument can be used as a rest for the left hand. The sounding-board A can be supported either on a simple wooden frame, as illustrated, or on a frame made of case metal, in the nature of the metallic frames of a pianoforte, whereby the tone of the instrument is rendered more sonorous and bell-like and the so-called woody tone is avoided.

The instrument combines the advantages of the guitar-eithern with the fullness of tone and senority of an old-style concertcithern, enabling thereby the guitar-cithern also to be built and furnished as a concert-cithern,which heretofore was not accomplished.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters 1atent 1. A musical instrument orguitar-cithern, provided with an open scale of leadin g-strin gs and a number of groups of accompanyingstrings arranged parallel and in the same plane therewith, each system of strings eX tending beyond the other system,respeetively, at opposite ends of the instrument, substantially as set forth.

2. A musical instrument orguitar-cithern, provided with an open scale of leading-strings arranged longitudinally of the sounding-board atone end of the same, and a number of groups of aceompan ying-strin gs arranged parallel therewith at the other end of the sounding board, the groups of accompanying-strings being tuned to the intervals of separate harmonic chords for the leading-strings, and entering the system of leading-strings at the inner end of and in approximately the same plane with the same, and each system extending at its outer end beyond the other system of strings, substantially as set forth.

3. A musical instrument or gnitar-cithern, provided with an open scale of leading-strings and a number of groups of accompanyingstrings arranged parallel and in approximately the same plane therewith, independent scaleribs at both ends of the instrument, one for the leading-strings and the other for the accompanying-strings, tuning-pins for the leadingstrings near the scale-rib for the same, a separate group of tuning-pins near the scale-rib for the aceom panying-strings, braces beneath the sounding-board of the instrument, intermediate of the scalen-ib ends of the string systems, s'trainingpins arranged in said braces, and fastening-screws arranged in said braces for attachment of the inner ends of the leading and accompanying strings, substantially as set forth.

4. A musical instrument or guitar-cithern, consisting of a sounding-board, a frame for said sounding-board, separate scale-ribs at opposite ends of the instrument, tuning-pins adjacent to said scale-ribs respectively for the leading and accompanying strings, transverse braces intermediate of said scale-ribs, an open scale of leading-strings applied to the scale-rib and tuning-pins at one end of the instrument and to straining-pins and fastening-screws applied to one of said braces, and a number of groups of accompanying-strings arranged parallel and in the same plane with the leading-strings and applied to the scalerib and tuning-pins at the opposite end of the instrument and to straining-pins and fasteningscrews applied to a second brace of the frame, substantially as set forth.

5. A musical instrumentor guitar-cithern, provided with an open scale of lead ing-strings arranged longitudinally of the son ud ing-board at one end of the same,and a number of groups of accompanying-strings arranged at the opposite end of the sounding-board, the leading-strings entering the system of accompanying-strings at the inner end of said system and each system extending at its outer end beyond the other system, and tuning-pins for each system of strings respectively at each end of the sounding-board, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention Ihave signed my name in pres ence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRITZ PETERMANN.

Vitnesses:

PAUL GonPnL, M. HENRY Wnnrrznn.

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