US683496A - Mute. - Google Patents

Description

No. 683,496. r Paten ted on. 1901. a. w. REMALIA.

MUTE.

(Applicltion filed Dec. 16, 1897. Renewed Feb. 13, 1901.) (No Model.)

FIG. 1

WITNESSES INVENTOR .7 4 mew/L THE Nouns PTERS co, rmYouTno. WASNINGYQK n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE \V. REMALIA, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

MUTE.

SEECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 683,496, dated October 1, 1901.

Application filed December 16, 1897. Renewed February 13, 1901. S i l No. 47,173. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, GEORGE l/V. REMALIA, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois,have invented a new and useful Improvement in Mutes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to mutes for musical instruments, and particularly for violins and violas.

Its main object is to provide a mute for violins, &c., which may be operated by the player without interruption while playing.

The mutes for violins in common use are of such nature that the player cannot operate same while playing, but must have one of his hands free to adjust the mute. This necessitates rests in the music at intervals when the rests are often not desired, and thus making it impossible to produce the fine effects which may be produced by the use of my invention.

The further objects of my invention and the particular features of the construction shown will be understood from the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a top plan of a mute constructed according to my invention, showing part of a violin in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a side viewof same. Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line as a: of Fig. 1, omitting the violin and showing in dotted lines the position toward which the parts travel when the mute is operated. For the sake of clearness the parts are shown in this view to have a greater travel thauthey will have in practice. Fig. 4 is a detail rear elevation of the bridge and the part of the mute immediately engaging the same.

The device consists, mainly, of a lever fulcrumed upon the tailpiece of a violin, one arm of which is depressed by the chin of the player, the other arm being thereby brought into contact with the ends of the bridge. In the form shown the shank or lever 1 is made, preferably, of a very light metal, such as aluminium, which is bent over at the sides to form the ears or projections 1 and 1. The

projections 1' are pivoted at 2 to the ears 2, which extend upward from the member 3, being cut and bent from the body of the member 3. Flanges 3 on the member 3 e11- gage the tailpiece 7 of the violin. The tongue 3 steadies the member 3 upon the tailpiece, and the tongue 3 operates as a support for the shank 1 and as a guide between the ears 1", preventing the lateral movement of the shank 1. A spring 4, which is coiled around the pivot 2, holds the shank normally in the position shown in Fig. 2. The member 5, which is the mute proper, is also, )referably, of metal or some stiff material. This is attached to the shank l and has the projections 5, with projections 5" thereon, arranged to have contact with the ends of the bridge 8 when the mute is operated-that is, when by operation of the shank the member 5 is raised. The projections 5 are reduced slightly toward the pins 5. Astrip of felt or other padding 6 is fastened to the member 5, perforated to permit the pins 5" to project through the same,and lapped over upon the reduced parts of the projections 5. The felt is slightly raised above the body of the member 5, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

The operation of the device is as follows: When the chin of the player is pressed upon the free end of the shank or lever 1, the memher 5 is raised. The pins 5 will then come in contact with the ends of the bridge, which is wider at the top than toward the middle or part opposite the pins, when the lever is in its normal position. The felt 6, through which the pins project, will be compressed, but will still have contact with the bridge around the pins, so as to aid in muftling the sound. This felt 6 also makes the contact of the pins with the bridge less abrupt than if omitted. The contact of the pins with the bridge, it is plain, will operate to muflie or modify the sound of the violin.

The pins 5 may be omitted. In such case the projections 5 should be of the proper dis tance apart to have contact with the bridge in like manner as the pins on the device shown, or, if lined with felt, the felt should have such contact. The felt may be entirely omitted; but I prefer to use the same, since it serves as a damper when raised against the ends of the bridge.

The office of the members 1, 3, and 5 will be understood from the foregoing description, and it is plain that the details of construction can be altered in various ways without departing from the spirit of my invention. I do not, therefore, confine myself to theparticular parts shown.

I am aware that a mute, comprising a member pivoted to the tailpiece of a violin adapted to engage the top edge of the bridge, is old. Such is shown in Patents Nos. 444,448 and 581,055. I therefore do not claim such construction broadly, but confine myself to a mute which acts upon the side edges of the bridge.

What I claim as my'invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 'is

1. A mute for violins, comprising a member adapted to engage the side edges of the bridge, and means pivotally secured to the violin for moving the member into the said engaging position, substantially as described.

2. A mute for violins, comprising a member adapted to engage the side edges of the bridge, and means secured to the violin for moving the member into and out of the said engaging position. v

3. A mute for violins, comprising a member adapted to engage the side edges of the bridge, means pivotallyseeured to the violin .vvu, Avv

for moving the member into the said engag ing position, and means secured to the violin normally urging said member out of the engaging position.

4. A mute for violins, comprising a member adapted to engage the side edges of the bridge, means secured to the violin, for moving the member into the said engaging position, and means secured to the violin normally urging said member out of the engaging position.

5. A mute for violins, comprising a member adapted to engage the side edges of the bridge, an arm on said member for moving the same into the said engaging position, and means on said arm for securing the same to a violin.

6. A mute for violins, comprising a member adapted to engage the side edges of the bridge, an arm on said member for moving same into the said engaging position, and a clamp on said member for securing same to the tailpiece of the violin.

GEORGE \V. REMALIA.

Witnesses:

ALFRED MELTZER, HERMANN HEINZE.

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