US890297A - Musical instrument. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTED JUNE 9, 1908.

0. H. NEWMAN. MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.29,1906.

Hi mum's PETERS cm, WASHINGTON D c.

OSCAR H. NEWMAN; OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 9, 1908;

Application filed December 29, 1906. Serial No'. 3450,040

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OSCAR H. NEWMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California have invented a new and useful Musical Instrument, of which the following is a specification.

My invention'relates to an improvement in a musical instrument of Serial No. 334,859 filed Sept. 12, 1906, and the object of the invention is 'to provide a hammer string sounding means operated by the movement of a fret bar.

The accom anying drawings illustrate the invention an referring thereto Figure 1 is a plan view of the instrument, With portions of the top broken away to show underlying features. Fig. 2 is an upper section on line 22 Fig. 1 and a section of the frame and sound board of the old instrument showing the invention connected thereto. Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of a portion of Fig. 2, showing the hammers in their normal and striking positions. Fig. 4 is a section on line 4. 4 Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a detail side view of a portion of a treble fret bar. Fig. 6 is a perspective of a hammer bar and adjacent parts.

1 and 2 designates the fret bars. Sound post 3 are secured to the sound, board 4, which has a sound hole 4 A wire 5 extends across the instrument through the sound posts 3 .to which the fret bars 1 and 2 are pivoted, and these bars are guided to swing in a vertical plane by pins 6 which extend up from the soundboard 4. Each fret bar has a plurality of frets 7,. and two bridges 8 and 9.

tretched across the bridges on each of the fret bars 1 is a pair of base stringslO and stretched across the bridges on each of the fret bars 2 is a pair of treble strings 11, the ends of the strings being fastened to the head of the fret bars by turning screws 12 in the fret bars, all. of the strings at their other ends being fastened in perforations in the fret bars by pins 13. Over each of the fret bars 1 and 2 is pivoted a hammer bar 14 having a, butt 15, and pivoted to a wire 16 which extends across the instrument, the end of each hammer bar having a hammer 17 which is adapted to strike against the strings to vibrate the'same, a spring 18 being interposed between the hammer 17 and the hammer bar 14 to lighten and quicken the stroke of the hammer on the strings 10 and 11.

An extension spring 19 is secured to the end. of each fret bar and is made fast to the sound board 4 to hold the fret bar in normal position and to regulate the pressure on the said fret bar, to assist the layer to fret and sound the strings. A bloc 20 is secured to the top of each fret bar astride the strings on bars 1 While on bars 2 the treble strings 11 do not extend through the blocks 20. Said blocks cause the hammers to engage the strings to vibrate the same when the said fret bar is depressed. Secured to each of the fret bars 1 and 2 is a bridle 21 its other end being removably secured to the corresponding hammer bar 14, to regulate the stroke of the hammer 17 on the strings '10 and 11. The action being similarto a piano action. The operation is as follows :On depressing any of the strings 10 or 11 down on any of the frets 7 the strings will be brought against the fret so that the strings will vibrate between that fret and the bridge 8; while further downward movement of the fret bar in turn brings the top of the block 20 against the butt 15 on the hammer bar 14, the block sliding up the side of the butt, causing the hammer bar to swing upon its pivot 16 and the hammer 17 to strike against the strings, the strings vibrating in response, and as soon as the pressure upon the fret bar is released the spring 19 pulls down and re stores the fret bar to normal position. To avoid any noise in the movement of the fret bars and hammer bars, felt or other like deadening material may be provided on top of the block 20, at 20 on .the fret bars, and hammer bars, at .22 on the sound board and under the fret bars, at 23 on the end of the hammer bars as a damper block for the base strings. Above the sound board and hammer bars is an outer board 24 having a sound hole 25, which may be closed by a hinged lid 26, the lid being supported when opened at any desirable angle by friction toggle links 27, this outer board being removably secured to the sound board 4.

Having thus explained the nature of my invention what I claim is 1. The combination, in a musical instrument, of a sound board, bars, a plurality of frets on each bar, a pair of strings on each .bar, sound posts on which the bars are movably mounted said posts being secured to the sound board, a hammer for each pair of'strings provided with operating means adjacent to the corresponding bar and operated thereby. 2. The combination in a musical instrument, of a sound board, bars, a plurality of frets on each bar, a pair of strings on each bar, an extension spring for each bar secured to the soundboard to regulate the pressure on said bar and to assist the player to fret and sound the strings, sound posts on which the bars are movably mounted said posts being secured to the sound board, a hammer for each pair of strings, a spring for each hammer, interposed between the hammer and the hammer bar to lighten and quicken the stroke of the hammer on the strings, a block on each bar cooperating with the hammer means to sound the strings when the said bar is depressed.

3. The combination in a musical instrument, of a sound board, bars, a plurality of frets on each bar, a pair of strings on each bar, sound posts, on which the bars are movably mounted, said post being secured to the sound board, a hammer for each pair of strings, each hammer is provided with a bridle which is secured to the corresponding bar to regulate the stroke of the hammer on. the strings to sound the strings by operating the said bar.

4. The combination, in a musical instrument, of a sound board, bars, an extension spring for each bar secured to the sound board, sound posts secured to, the sound board, on which the bars are movably mounted, a plurality of frets on each bar, a pair of strings on each bar, a pivoted hammer for each pair of strings, operated by the movement of the said bar.

OSCAR H. N EYVM AN Witnesses:

LUTE S. ALTER, F. S. HURsT.

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