US856939A - Musical instrument. - Google Patents

Description

110.856.9539. PATENTED JUNE 11, 1907. A. T. BOND. MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

APPL IOATIOII FILED IAH.9, 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

No. 856,939. PATENTED JUNE 11, 1907.

A. T. BOND.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 9, 190B.

2 SHEETS-BHEET 2.

gawewl'oz Q/Vitneooca m $4 m form therefrom. A further object of the invention is to pro- ALFRED T. BOND, REXBURG, IDAHO.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENTu Specification of Letters Patent.

- Patented June 11, 1907.

Application filed January 9, 1906. Serial No. 295,309.

To aZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED THOMAS BOND, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Rexburg, in the county of Fremont and State of Idaho, have invented new and useful Improvements in Musical Instruments, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to musical instruments of the stringed type, and has for its objects to provide a comparativelysimple de vice of this character wherein the usual eX- pe'nsively constructed wooden body is dispensed with, one wherein the vibrations of the strings will be suitably augmented in volume, and the. sound waves produced in the instrument delivered in properly condensed vide a device of this character with a simple and efficient form of sounding board for properly multiplying the string vibrations, and one wherein the volume of'the sound waves produced in the body of the instrument will be augmented by the resonator through I which they are delivered.

the invention.

V with these and other objects in view,- the invention comprises the novel features of 0011- struction and combination of parts more fully hereinafter described.

In the accompanyingdrawings: Figure 1 is a top plan view of an instrument embodying Fig. 2 'is a'sideelevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1. Fig.4 is a detail plan view of the body portion of the instrument with the sounding board removed. p 1, g r

Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that the instrument comprises a hollow body 1 provided with a forwardly projecting neck 2 having transverse ridges or frets 3 arranged ment being equipped with siiitable strings 5 engaged at their rear ends with a tail piece 6 keys 7and supported between their ends by a bridge 8. Coupled to the bottom or the and at their forward ends with string postsor body 1 and communicating with the interior thereof is a forwardly projecting trumpetlike horn' or resonator 9 through which the sound waves produced within the body are delivered from the latter, the resonator being preferably in detachable threaded engagement'with an externally-threaded coupling member or nipple 10 secured to the bottom of the body 1.

Formed in the upper wall of the body is a pair of relatively spaced openings 11 nor mally closed by means of sounding members or diaphragms 12 preferably composed of aluminium or other appropriate material and constituting a sounding board on which the bridge 8 rests, said diaphragms being marginally disposed between rubber or. other elastic packing gaskets 13 and secured in place on the body 1 by means of a metalretaining member or plate 14 in turn secured by screws or other fastening members 15, the plate 14 being seated in a recess 16 suitably formed therefor in the upper face of the body,

it being noted in this connection that the ter minal supports of the bridge 8 are disposed respectively upon and at the centers of the diaphragms 1-2. In practice, when the strings 5 are vibrated in the operation of playing the instrument said vibrations are transmitted through the medium of the bridge 8 to the diaphragms 12, which in turn increase or multiply the string vibrations for producing sound waves within the body 1, from which the sound waves are delivered through the trumpet orresonator 9, it being observed in From the foregoing itis apparent that ,I

produce a simple device wherein the usual expensively constructed body or box is dispensed with, one in which the string vibrations will be -multiplied .to a maximum 1 through the medium of the d-iaphragms-for proportionately increasing the sound waves within the body of the instrument, and one in which the sound waves produced within the body of the instrument are manifoldly augmented in their delivery through the resonator, it being understood that in attaining these ends minor changes in the details herein set forth may he resorted to without depart ing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what i claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

Ainusical instrument comprising a hollow body and a neck, said body being provided with a pair of spaced openings in its upper wall and having its upper face depressed below the upper surface of the neck, a diaphragm arranged to cover the openings and constituting a sounding board, said diaphragm being of a size coextensive with that of the upper face of the body, a pair of resilient packing gaskets applied respectively at opposite faces of the diaphragm for marginally sustaining the same, strings applied to the instrument, a bridge supporting the strings, said bridge being arranged to straddle the space between the openings with its ends resting on the diaphragms respectively Within the openings, a retaining plate applied to the face of the body Within the depression and attached for holding the gaskets and diaphragm in place, and a resonator communicating with the body of the instrument.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

ALFRE T. BOND.

Vfitnesses @nas. J. Green, ARTHUR PORTER, Jr.

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