US718383A - Tailpiece and bridge for zithers. - Google Patents

Description

- No. 718,383. PATEN'EED JAN. 13, 1903.

P. REINHARD.

TAILPIEGE AND BRIDGE FOR ZITHERS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 26, 1901.

H0 MODEL.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK REINHARD, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY.

TAILPlECE AND BRIDGE FOR ZITHERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 718,383, dated January 13, 1903. Application filed February 26, 1901. $erial No. 48,906. (No model.)

To all whom it incty concern:

Be it known that 1, FREDERICK REINHARD, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Jersey City, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and Improved Tailpiece and Bridge for Zithers, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The purpose of the invention is to so con-- struct a tailpiece for zithers and like musical instruments that the bridge will be combined with the tailpiece, and, further, to provide the tailpiece with tongues adapted to receive the loops of the strings, which tongues are in the same plane with the surface from which they are struck out, the material around the tongues being pressed inward in conical form, so that the loops of the strings when placed upon the tongues are protected and prevented from opening,and wherebypins are done away with, space is economized, and the tone of the instrument is improved, as the bridge is a part of a firm support.

Afurther purpose of the invention is to so form the upper face of the combined tailpiece and bridge that the strings after being secured to the tongues on the tailpiece will have no further bearing thereon until the bridge is reached, but will have a firm and positive bearing upon the bridge.

Another feature of the invention is to provide a detachable cover for the combined tailpiece and bridge which will protect the strings where they are connected with the tailpiece.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the several parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion of a zithcr and a plan view of the applied improvement, the cover being omitted. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a portion of the zither, a part of one side being broken away and the combined tailpiece and bridge being shown in transverse section, together with its cover. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one end of the combined tailpiece and its cover, showing the manner in which the two are connected. Fig.

4. is a front elevation of one end of the combined tailpiece and its cover; and Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail view of one of the tongues in the tailpiece for the reception of a string, illustrating the manner in which a tongue is formed in the tailpiece.

A represents the body portion of the zither, and B the improved device, including a tailpiece and a bridge. This device Bis preferably made of metal, although other suitable material may be employed, and comprises an upper inclined face 10, the inclination being downward in direction of the rear of the instrument, a rear member 11,which is attached to an end portion of the instrument, and a front member 12, which rests upon the top of the instrument, as is clearly shown in Fig. 2. The front or upper face of the combined tailpiece and bridge is provided with a series of tongues 14, facing rearwardly, which tongues are practically in the same plane as the upper face of the tailpiece, and, as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, the material 13 adjacent to these tongues is struck downward, forming downwardly-extending conical concavities C, so that when a loop 18 of a string 17 is passed over a tongue 14 the loop will be protected by the conical concavity 0 below the tongue and will not be liable to become loosened or to readily break.

At the forward or front edge of the tailpiece B a rib 15 is formed, which extends upwardly, and this rib 15 constitutes the bridge. The upper face of the tailpiece B is more or less curved at 16 between the bridge 15 and the tongues 14, which latter are arranged in horizontal series, as shown in Fig. 1, and by reason of this slight curvature in the upper face of the tailpiece the strings do not have bearing on the tailpiece except at the tongues 14 and at the bridge 15; but on said bridge 15 the strings bear positively and firmly.

It will be observed that the combined tailpiece and bridge has such positive bearing on the instrument as to promote the tone thereof and that a string will sound clearly from the bridge. Furthermore, as the bridge and tailpiece are combined space is economized.

I desire it to be understood that instead of attaching the combined tailpiece and bridge to a musical instrument in the manner stated the combined bridge and tailpiece may be secured to the upper face of the instrument in any well-known or approved manner.

At the outer end of the tailpiece B the upper vertical section 12 is cut away, so that the upper face 10 of the said tailpiece extends at the ends beyond the front piece, and these extensions 19 of the tailpiece are struck up in such manner as to provide offsets, as is particularly shown in Fig. 1. These offsets are adapted for locking engagement with a cover D. This cover is adapted to extend over all of the tongues 14 and the depressions O beneath the said tongues and serves to prevent the loops 18 of the strings 17 from being tampered with. This cover D extends the full length of the tailpiece and likewise extends over yet not in engagement with the bridge 15, and at each end of the said cover D slideways 20 are formed, adapted to receive the upset sections 19 of the tailpiece, as is shown in Figs. 3 and 4t. Preferably at each end slideway 20 a triangular downwardly-extending section 21 forms an integral portion of the cover D, and these end extensions 21 of the cover rest upon the upper face of the instrument. The cover D may be removed whenever it is desirable to replace a string or to investigate the condition of any of the strings.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A tailpiece for zithers and other musical instruments, provided at one longitudinal edge with a bridge and with tongues which are in substantially the same plane as the plane of the upper face of the tailpiece, the tongues being rearward of the said bridge, and said tailpiece being provided with depressions arranged one below each tongue, for the purpose set forth.

2. A tailpiece for zithers and other musical instruments, provided at one longitudinal edge with a bridge and with tongues which are in substantially the same plane as the plane of the upper face of the tailpiece, the tongues being rearward of the said bridge, and said tailpiece being provided with conical depressions arranged one below each tongue, the upper face of the tailpiece upon which the tongues are formed being concaved, whereby when the loops of strings are received by the said tongues the strings will engage positively with the bridge integral with the tailpiece but will not engage with the said tailpiece at points between the tongues and the bridge, for the purpose set forth.

3. A tailpiece for zithers or like musical instruments, provided with an integral bridge located at its forward longitudinal edge, the ends of the tailpiece being upset and cut away at the front, a series of tongues formed upon the upper face of the tailpiece at the rear of the bridge, each tongue being provided with a concavity produced in the tailpiece below it, and a cover for the said tailpiece and its combined bridge, which cover has sliding engagement with the end upsets of the tailpiece, as set forth.

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

FREDERICK REINl-IARD.

l/Vitnesses:

J. FRED. AOKER, EVERARD BOLTON MARSHALL.

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