US713171A - Bowing-guide for violins. - Google Patents

Description

No. mm. v Patented Nov. ll, I902.

n. s. STRAUSS -& a. s. scnwsnonz.

ROWING GUIDE FUR VIOLINS.

(Applicltion filed In. 26, 1901.;

(No Model.)

WITNESSES! V MDK UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY S. STRAUSS AND EDWARD S. SCHNVERDTLE, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT.

BOWlNG-GUIDE FOR VIOLINS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 713,171, dated November 11, 1902.

Application filed March 25,1901. Serial No. 52,830. (No model.)

To all whont it may concern:

Be it known that we,HARRY S. STRAUSS and EDWARD S. SCHWERDTLE, citizens of the United States, and residents of Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Bowing-Guide for Violins, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to a bowing-guide for violins. Heretofore the most difiicult thing for beginners to acquire in the art of violinplaying is what is termed bowingthat is, to learn the art of carrying the bow squarely across the strings and at right angles thereto and also at a certain distance from the bridge. This is absolutely necessary in order to get the proper tone and eifect, which cannot be done if the proper position on the strings is not maintained together with the straight travel of the bow. Until the pupil has acquired the art of proper bowing he cannot become an accomplished player. In some cases this requires years of constant practice to acquire. With our attachment the art of bowing is acquired Without any elfort on the part of the pupil, as with its use thereis no chance to go astray.

To this end our invention consists of a rod pivotally supported in the rear of the bridge and projecting laterally from the violin. In connection with this rod a guide-ring is socured to the arm of the operator and adapted to run on this rod, so that when the bow-hand moves to and from the violin the guide will prevent the hand deviating from a straight line. In connection with this rod and ring a guide is arranged forward of the bridge to keep the bow in its proper position.

To enable others to understand our invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents an upper plan view of a violin, showing the hand-guide rod and bowgnide in position, the former shown as broken. Fig. 2 is a broken side elevation of a violin, showing the hand-guide rod elevated, said rod also shown broken. Fig. 3 is a detail view violin.

the attachment to which the guide-rod is pivoted, said rod shown as broken, also a broken view of the bow-guide adjustably secured to such attachment. Fig. 5 is a detail side elevation of the attachment shown at Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is an upper plan view of the clamp attached to a broken section of the violin, to which clamp the guide-rod support is detachably secured. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a hand holding a bow in the act of playing, showing the bracelet secured to .the wrist, also broken section of the guide-rod with the ring of said bracelet engaged therewith.

Its construction and operation are as follows:

1 is a clamp secured to the violin 2 by means of the thumb-nuts 3.

at is the guide-rod support, carrying the guide-rod 5, pivotally supported on the pin 6 and between the ears 7.

8 represents slots in the opposite end of this support to receive the swiveled buttons 9 of the clamp 1, whereby said support is detachably secured to said clamp.

10 is a small wire rod which is adj ustably secured to the support 4 by means of the thumb-nut 11. The forward vertical end 10 is the bow-guide proper, and its exact position relative to the sounding-board and bridge having been properly determined by the player it is firmly secured to said support 4.

12 is a spring-bracelet having the holes 13 adapted to be engaged by the swiveled button 14:. There are several of these holes, so that said bracelet can be reduced or expanded. In the drawings this bracelet is shown attached to the wrist, as that is the most convenient place whereby to attain the best results, although, if desired, it can be secured to any part of the arm.

15 is a swiveled ring or runner secured to the lower part of said bracelet,.which ring is adapted to slide freely over the guide-rod 5, as shown at Fig. 7.

The operation of the device is as follows: The bracelet 12 is attached to the wrist and the ring is slipped over the guide-rod 5. The bow being properly grasped by the hand is laid against the vertical wire guide 10. Now on moving the bow across the strings 17 it is impossible to deviate from the true line of perfect bowing. The guide-rod 5' will prevent any faulty side movement of the hand, while the guide 10 will keep the bow in proper place and prevent its crawling down the inclined strings toward the neck of the violin. The hand-guide rod 5 is so pivoted that it can only have a tilting motion varying all the way from the horizontal to the vertical. As the bow describes a curve, this tilting movement is necessary to enable the operator to reach all of the strings without any cramping effect. The forward portion 4 of the guiderod support is pitched downward, so that when the bow-hand'is brought to its extreme forward position it will not come in contact with the ears 7.

It will be observed that thehand-rod guide 5 is set at a slight angle, as shown at Fig. 1. This also assists materially in maintaining a straight-line movement of the bow. When the bow is pushed forward, the bending of the elbow will of course bring the hand closer to the body; but when-it is withdrawn the arm is comparatively straight and the hand is then almost at right angles to the said rod. Now if the rod were straight the outer or hand end of the bow would be carried away from the same, and thus describe a lateral curve when the arm was straightened; but by setting the rod at an angle this tendency to crowd or curve outward is counteracted and the bow will move in a straight line. Should there be any tendency of the runner on its guide-rod or the bow in contact with its guide to produce any noise that would annoy the player, those parts could be covered with felt or other like material.

We do not wish to be confined to the exact means whereby the ban d-guide rod is attached to the violin nor to the means employed for securing the guide for the bow, as these can be otherwise supported. It is, however, importo the violin, a guide-rod pivotally connected thereto, said guide-rod adapted to have a vertical movement in said support, combined with suitable means adapted to be secured to the bowing-arm of the operator to loosely embrace said guide-rod,for the purpose set forth.

2. The herein-described bowing device for violins, consisting of a guide-rod pivotally supported on the violin, and adapted to have a vertical tilting movement, combined with a runner adapted to be secured to the bowing- .arm, and abow-guide located forward of the bridge of the violin, for the purpose set forth.

3. The herein-described bowing device for violins, consisting of a detachable support adapted to be secured to the violin, a guiderod pivoted in said support and adapted to have a vertical n1ovement,an adjustable bowguide secured to said support, a runner adapted to be secured to the bowing-arm to loosely engage said guide rod, for the purpose set forth.

Signed at Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, this 23d day of March, A. D. 1901.

HARRY S. STRAUSS. EDWARD S. SCHWERDTLE.

Witnesses:

A. K. LOVELL, JOHN B. CLAPP.

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