US893619A - Harp. - Google Patents

Description

- PATENTED JULY 21, 1908.

J. P. GANNON.

HARP. 7, APPLICATION FILED DEG. 6,1907.

. v Wrmzsszs: gfl ww UNITED STATES JOSEPH P. GANNON, SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

HARP.

Application filed December 5, 1907.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JosEPH P. GANNON, citizen of the United States, residing at San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Harps, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to musical instruments, and refers especially to stringed instruments designed to be played by the hands without the employment of an intermediate device.

The chief objects of my invention are to provide a musical instrument capable of producing harmonious sounds of unusual and pleasing melody to furnish a stringed instrument having a sounding board so arranged as to augment and prolong the vibration of the strings without impairing the melody and to produce an instrument of the class described that can be played with the hands applied upon opposite sides of the strings.

Further objects of my improvements are to furnish an instrument that can be played with equal effect when placed in various positions; to furnish a musicalsound-producing mechanism having a sinuously curved bridge mounted upon a sound board, the strings being attached to said bridge so that the vibrations of said strings will be effectively con ducted thereto.

I accomplish the above and other correlated results by the mechanical construction illustrated in the accompanying drawing which forms a part of this application, and in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of my im proved musical instrument, Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, with the strings and attaching devices removed, and Fig. 3 is a fragmentary section on the line 3 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the details of the drawing, the reference numeral 5 indicates a base, or foot piece, formed of several plates arranged in apposition, a method of construction espe cially applicable when the material is wood, which is to be preferred. The frame, which is approximately in harp form, consists of diverging members 6, 7, firmly fixed in the base 5, and connected at the top bya cross piece 8, all the parts being thoroughly secured to gether in a manner usual in the construction ofappliances of this class. At a suitable distance below the said cross piece 8, is located a transverse bar 9, the ends being mortised in the diverging members 6, 7. This bar is Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jul 21, 1908.

Serial No. 405,175.

' arranged at a slight angle with the base and forms a support for the lower margin of a sound board 10, which completely fills the interval between said bar and the frame members 6, 7, 8 and occupies the median plane between the sides of the frame. I prefer to employ a comparatively thin sheet of wood for the sound board and secure it by inserting its margins into the adjacent portions of the frame.

An iron bracket consisting of a curved bar 11 is secured at each end to the main frame, and supported to the cross piece 8 by a series of arms 12. To the bar 11 are attached strings 13, spaced apart and extending paral lel with the frame member 7, to the frame member 6, where they pass over a metal bearing 14, and around spaced pins 15, and are then attached to tuning pins 16, in the usual manner. Between the said strings 13 and the sound board 10, I interpose a bridge 17, having a sinuous outline to correspond very closely with the contour of the bar 11 of the iron bracket to which the strings are attached. Said bridge is firmly fixed through out nearly its entire length to the sound board. The ends 18, 19, of said bridge stop short of the frame members and are bent or curved away from the surface of the sound board for a short distance. The reason for avoiding contact between the bridge and the outer margins of the sound board is because of the increased rigidity of the board in the vicinity of its attachment to the frame, and the amplitude of the vibrations would be correspondingly lessened producing a damping effect upon the strings if the bridge was brought too. close to the frame. The strings bear with a suitable amount of pressure upon the bridge and each string is secured thereto by two small screws or pins 20.

The strings in the interval below the transverse bar 9 being exposed upon both sides, a portion of said strings can be played upon with the left hand upon one side of the instrument, while with the right hand other site side.

This appliance, at first sight presents certain general resemblances to other musical instruments, notably the harp and zither; but here the resemblance ceases, the character of the sounds evolved, the method of playing and the construction of the device differing materially from these features as heretofore produced. The zither can .be

strings can be manipulated from the oppoplayed only when in a horizontal position, and in the location of the sound board and the attachment of the strings thereto, this instrument differs materially from the harp.

Having thus described my invention What I claim as new is 1. In a musical instrument, the combination with a frame, and a sound board, of a bracket attached to the frame, a bridge having its ends curved away from the plane of the sound board, a series of strings attached to said bracket and frame, and means attaching said strings to the bridge.

2. In a musical instrument, the combination with a frame of a bracket attached to said frame, a sound board carried on the frame, a bridge mounted upon the sound board and having its ends curved away from the plane of the said board, a series of strings attached to said bracket and frame, and means attaching said strings to the bridge.

3. In a musical instrument, the combination with a frame, of a sinuously' curved bracket supported on said frame, a sound board carried on the frame, a sinuously curved bridge mounted u on the sound board and having its ends ent away from the plane of the said board, a series of strings attached to said bracket and frame, and means attaching said strings to the bridge.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH P. GANNON.

Witnesses:

NEIL. E. GILLIEs, MARTIN T. HOLMES.

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