US3780612A - Stringed musical instruments - Google Patents
Stringed musical instruments Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US3780612A US3780612A US00263455A US3780612DA US3780612A US 3780612 A US3780612 A US 3780612A US 00263455 A US00263455 A US 00263455A US 3780612D A US3780612D A US 3780612DA US 3780612 A US3780612 A US 3780612A
- Authority
- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- strings
- bridge
- sound
- sets
- stringed musical
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Lifetime
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Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G10—MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; ACOUSTICS
- G10D—STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; WIND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; ACCORDIONS OR CONCERTINAS; PERCUSSION MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; AEOLIAN HARPS; SINGING-FLAME MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G10D1/00—General design of stringed musical instruments
- G10D1/12—Zithers, e.g. autoharps
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G10—MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; ACOUSTICS
- G10D—STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; WIND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; ACCORDIONS OR CONCERTINAS; PERCUSSION MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; AEOLIAN HARPS; SINGING-FLAME MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G10D3/00—Details of, or accessories for, stringed musical instruments, e.g. slide-bars
- G10D3/14—Tuning devices, e.g. pegs, pins, friction discs or worm gears
Definitions
- This invention relates to a stringed musical instrument of the kind capable of being played by plucking, and comprising a sound boardor table and a plurality of sets of strings extending over the sound board or table.
- a musical instrument of the kind described has its strings arranged in sets, each tunable to sound a chord and has a separate bridge for each chordal set of strings, which bridge supports the associated strings between their ends clear of the sound board or table and is slidable over the sound board lengthwise of the strings simultaneously to adjust the effective lengths of all strings of its associated chordal set to change the pitch of the chord sounded.
- the instrument can be played by plucking by hand or by a plectrum and using one hand only and may be plucked either side of the bridge so that each chordal set of strings may sound two different chords. Also the position of each bridge can be readily adjusted by one hand and the bridges are retained in position against the sound board or table by the tension in the strings. The instrument is thus especially suitable for handicapped persons.
- FIG. 1 is a plan view of the instrument
- FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic section on the line 22 of FIG. 1, and
- FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate suitable forms of bridge.
- the instrument as illustrated comprises a rectangular sound board 10, which may form the belly of a boxbody or may be mounted on legs as a table, with attached strips 11 adjacent and parallel to the shorter sides of the board to provide the fixed nuts for the strings. Beyond one nut 11 there are fixed pegs 12 for the strings, and beyond the other nut there are pegs 13 by which the strings are tuned.
- the strings are arranged in a number of sets, live sets 15a, 15b, 15c, 15d and le each of six strings in the illustrated instrument, and each set has an associated bridge, 16a, 16b, 16c, 16d and 16c respectively.
- Each bridge supports its associated strings clear of the sound board and has for this purpose a notched ridge 17 (FIGS. 2 to 4) upstanding from a base 118.
- the base 18 is slidable over the sound board and has portions projecting from each side of the ridge 17 so that the bridge does not tilt under the loads applied by the tensioned strings.
- the sound board 10 may have scale markings, as shown, indicating the positions of the bridge to give particular chords, and for example as shown in FIG. 3 the bridge may have a surface 19 leading vertically from the undersurface of the base 18 to the peak of the ridge 17 thereby to facilitate correct positioning of the bridge relatively to a scale mark.
- the sound board may if desired be provided with a sound hole as indicated in broken lines in F IG. 1.
- a stringed musical instrument for playing as by strumming, said instrument comprising a sound board or table, and a plurality of sets of strings extending over the sound board or table, and a pair of spaced nuts contacted by the strings adjacent their ends, characterised by the features that the nuts are parallel, that the strings of each set are adjacent, are of the same length between the nuts and are tunable to sound respectively the different notes of a musical chord, that the sets of strings are tunable to sound different chords, and that a plurality of bridge members are provided corresponding in number to the number of sets of strings, each such bridge member supporting only the strings of its corresponding chordally-tuned set of strings and being slidable in contact with the sound board or table lengthwise of the strings simultaneously and proportionately to vary the vibration lengths of all the strings of the chordally tuned set thereby to select the key of the chord to be sounded.
- a stringed musical instrument according to claim 1 the bridge having a ridge for engagement by the strings and a base projecting from each side of the ridge.
- a stringed musical instrument according to claim 1 having one or more auxiliary slidable bridges each associated with a respective chordal set of strings.
Abstract
A musical instrument, particularly suited to be played by plucking using one hand, has sets of strings extending over a sound board or table, each set having its own bridge, and each set of strings being tunable to sound a chord the pitch of which can be altered simply by sliding the associated bridge lengthwise of the strings.
Description
United States Paten Robinson Dec. 25, 1973 STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS 3,181,409 /1965 Burns et a1 84/307 x n e or: Aaan Thomas Robinson, 114 Mount 3,358,543 12/1967 Musser 84/173 St., London, W. 1, England Primary Examiner-Richard B. Wilkinson [22] Filed: June 16., B72 Assistant Examiner-Lawrence R. Franklin 21 APP] 2 3 455 Att0rney--Roberts B. Larson et iii [52] US. Cl 841/173, 84/284, 84/290 [57] ABSTRACT [51] Int. Cl. Gl0d l/00 A musical instrument particularly Suited to be played [58] Field of Search 84/173, 284, 285,
84/290 297 307 314 by plucking using one hand, has sets of strings extending over a sound board or table, each set having its own bridge, and each set of strings being tunable to [56] kefiergnces Cited sound a chord the pitch of which can be altered sim- UNITED STATES PATENTS ply by sliding the associated bridge lengthwise of the 479,323 7/1892 Bagdasarian 84/284 strings. 1,604,573 /1926 Hawkinson 84/307 2,486,549 11 1949 Bonkowski et al. 134 173 3 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures .4. 2 9!???00 OTQ 0O (PC0000 QQOOOT OQQOW:
L 1 1511 I I 15c "7'jm l v w w L] 1511 fiw n 17 16d 16C'\--- r} c 1:1 0 1:1 LL 1: c
STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS DESCRIPTION This invention relates to a stringed musical instrument of the kind capable of being played by plucking, and comprising a sound boardor table and a plurality of sets of strings extending over the sound board or table.
According to the present invention, a musical instrument of the kind described has its strings arranged in sets, each tunable to sound a chord and has a separate bridge for each chordal set of strings, which bridge supports the associated strings between their ends clear of the sound board or table and is slidable over the sound board lengthwise of the strings simultaneously to adjust the effective lengths of all strings of its associated chordal set to change the pitch of the chord sounded.
The instrument can be played by plucking by hand or by a plectrum and using one hand only and may be plucked either side of the bridge so that each chordal set of strings may sound two different chords. Also the position of each bridge can be readily adjusted by one hand and the bridges are retained in position against the sound board or table by the tension in the strings. The instrument is thus especially suitable for handicapped persons.
One form of musical instrument of this invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a plan view of the instrument,
FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic section on the line 22 of FIG. 1, and
FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate suitable forms of bridge.
The instrument as illustrated comprises a rectangular sound board 10, which may form the belly of a boxbody or may be mounted on legs as a table, with attached strips 11 adjacent and parallel to the shorter sides of the board to provide the fixed nuts for the strings. Beyond one nut 11 there are fixed pegs 12 for the strings, and beyond the other nut there are pegs 13 by which the strings are tuned.
The strings are arranged in a number of sets, live sets 15a, 15b, 15c, 15d and le each of six strings in the illustrated instrument, and each set has an associated bridge, 16a, 16b, 16c, 16d and 16c respectively. Each bridge supports its associated strings clear of the sound board and has for this purpose a notched ridge 17 (FIGS. 2 to 4) upstanding from a base 118. The base 18 is slidable over the sound board and has portions projecting from each side of the ridge 17 so that the bridge does not tilt under the loads applied by the tensioned strings.
It will be clear that by sliding for example the bridge 16a lengthwise of the tuned set of strings 15a, the pitches of the two chords sounded by plucking on either side of the bridge 16a and as determined by the respective string lengths between the bridge 16a and the nuts 11, or between the bridge 16a and an auxiliary movable bridge 20, will be raised and lowered respectively.
Since the lengths of the strings of a set to one side of the bridge are always equal, moving the bridge only affects the pitch of the chord sounded.
The sound board 10 may have scale markings, as shown, indicating the positions of the bridge to give particular chords, and for example as shown in FIG. 3 the bridge may have a surface 19 leading vertically from the undersurface of the base 18 to the peak of the ridge 17 thereby to facilitate correct positioning of the bridge relatively to a scale mark.
The sound board may if desired be provided with a sound hole as indicated in broken lines in F IG. 1.
I claim:
1. A stringed musical instrument for playing as by strumming, said instrument comprising a sound board or table, and a plurality of sets of strings extending over the sound board or table, and a pair of spaced nuts contacted by the strings adjacent their ends, characterised by the features that the nuts are parallel, that the strings of each set are adjacent, are of the same length between the nuts and are tunable to sound respectively the different notes of a musical chord, that the sets of strings are tunable to sound different chords, and that a plurality of bridge members are provided corresponding in number to the number of sets of strings, each such bridge member supporting only the strings of its corresponding chordally-tuned set of strings and being slidable in contact with the sound board or table lengthwise of the strings simultaneously and proportionately to vary the vibration lengths of all the strings of the chordally tuned set thereby to select the key of the chord to be sounded.
2. A stringed musical instrument according to claim 1, the bridge having a ridge for engagement by the strings and a base projecting from each side of the ridge.
3. A stringed musical instrument according to claim 1, having one or more auxiliary slidable bridges each associated with a respective chordal set of strings.
Claims (3)
1. A stringed musical instrument for playing as by strumming, said instrument comprising a sound board or table, and a plurality of sets of strings extending over the sound board or table, and a pair of spaced nuts contacted by the strings adjacent their ends, characterised by the features that the nuts are parallel, that the strings of each set are adjacent, are of the same length between the nuts and are tunable to sound respectively the different notes of a musical chord, that the sets of strings are tunable to sound different chords, and that a plurality of bridge members are provided corresponding in number to the number of sets of strings, each such bridge member supporting only the strings of its corresponding chordally-tuned set of strings and being slidable in contact with the sound board or table lengthwise of the strings simultaneously and proportionately to vary the vibration lengths of all the strings of the chordally tuned set thereby to select the key of the chord to be sounded.
2. A stringed musical instrument according to claim 1, the bridge having a ridge for engagement by the strings and a base projecting from each side of the ridge.
3. A stringed musical instrument according to claim 1, having one or more auxiliary slidable bridges each associated with a respective chordal set of strings.
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US26345572A | 1972-06-16 | 1972-06-16 |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
US3780612A true US3780612A (en) | 1973-12-25 |
Family
ID=23001852
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US00263455A Expired - Lifetime US3780612A (en) | 1972-06-16 | 1972-06-16 | Stringed musical instruments |
Country Status (1)
Country | Link |
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US (1) | US3780612A (en) |
Cited By (19)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US4020730A (en) * | 1976-03-18 | 1977-05-03 | Hill Elgie E | Musical instrument |
US4126072A (en) * | 1977-05-03 | 1978-11-21 | Taylor Robert A | Stringed musical instrument |
US4332184A (en) * | 1980-11-18 | 1982-06-01 | Peter Phillips | Stringed musical instrument having a bridge secured to and translatable along a string |
US4481855A (en) * | 1982-03-09 | 1984-11-13 | Bozung Richard E | Zither-like instruments |
US4976214A (en) * | 1989-09-13 | 1990-12-11 | Taylor Robert A | Door harps |
US5293804A (en) * | 1992-10-23 | 1994-03-15 | Myers Curtis P | Multiple resonant mode stringed musical apparatus and method utilizing primary and secondary bodies |
GB2384109A (en) * | 2002-01-15 | 2003-07-16 | Geoffrey Michael Smith | Microtonal tuning mechanism |
US20060150797A1 (en) * | 2004-12-30 | 2006-07-13 | Gaffga Christopher M | Stringed musical instrument with multiple bridge-soundboard units |
US20070006712A1 (en) * | 2005-07-11 | 2007-01-11 | Lyles Cosmos M | Stringed instrument that maintains relative tune |
US20070012161A1 (en) * | 2005-07-11 | 2007-01-18 | Lyles Cosmos M | Stringed instrument that maintains relative tune |
US20070214935A1 (en) * | 2006-03-15 | 2007-09-20 | Cosmos Lyles | Stringed musical instrument using spring tension |
DE102007014928A1 (en) * | 2007-03-22 | 2008-09-25 | Jan Krukow | Device for sound extension of stringed instruments, has string and nut of instrument is adjustable according to correct string oscillation lengths |
US7692079B2 (en) | 2007-01-11 | 2010-04-06 | Intune Technologies, Llc | Stringed musical instrument |
US7855330B2 (en) | 2008-01-17 | 2010-12-21 | Intune Technologies Llc | Modular bridge for stringed musical instrument |
US20120061175A1 (en) * | 2010-09-10 | 2012-03-15 | Bor-Tsuen Wang | Board Capable of Generating a Harmonic Sound |
US8779258B2 (en) | 2012-01-19 | 2014-07-15 | Intune Technologies, Llc | Stringed musical instrument using spring tension |
US9484007B1 (en) | 2015-11-18 | 2016-11-01 | Geoffrey Lee McCabe | Tremolo stop tuner and tremolo stabilizer |
US9847076B1 (en) | 2016-10-18 | 2017-12-19 | Geoffrey Lee McCabe | Tremolo spring and stabilizer tuner |
US9875728B1 (en) | 2015-04-20 | 2018-01-23 | John Paul Pallay | Musical key-changing apparatus for stringed instruments |
Citations (5)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US479323A (en) * | 1892-07-19 | Dulcimer | ||
US1604573A (en) * | 1926-01-16 | 1926-10-26 | Hawkinson Olaf | Musical instrument |
US2486549A (en) * | 1947-06-20 | 1949-11-01 | Teofil L Bonkowski | Musical toy |
US3181409A (en) * | 1961-12-06 | 1965-05-04 | Ormston Burns Ltd | Bridges for stringed instruments such as for guitars |
US3358543A (en) * | 1966-11-17 | 1967-12-19 | Musser Clair Omar | Musical instruments |
-
1972
- 1972-06-16 US US00263455A patent/US3780612A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
Patent Citations (5)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US479323A (en) * | 1892-07-19 | Dulcimer | ||
US1604573A (en) * | 1926-01-16 | 1926-10-26 | Hawkinson Olaf | Musical instrument |
US2486549A (en) * | 1947-06-20 | 1949-11-01 | Teofil L Bonkowski | Musical toy |
US3181409A (en) * | 1961-12-06 | 1965-05-04 | Ormston Burns Ltd | Bridges for stringed instruments such as for guitars |
US3358543A (en) * | 1966-11-17 | 1967-12-19 | Musser Clair Omar | Musical instruments |
Cited By (30)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US4020730A (en) * | 1976-03-18 | 1977-05-03 | Hill Elgie E | Musical instrument |
US4126072A (en) * | 1977-05-03 | 1978-11-21 | Taylor Robert A | Stringed musical instrument |
US4332184A (en) * | 1980-11-18 | 1982-06-01 | Peter Phillips | Stringed musical instrument having a bridge secured to and translatable along a string |
US4481855A (en) * | 1982-03-09 | 1984-11-13 | Bozung Richard E | Zither-like instruments |
US4976214A (en) * | 1989-09-13 | 1990-12-11 | Taylor Robert A | Door harps |
US5293804A (en) * | 1992-10-23 | 1994-03-15 | Myers Curtis P | Multiple resonant mode stringed musical apparatus and method utilizing primary and secondary bodies |
GB2384109A (en) * | 2002-01-15 | 2003-07-16 | Geoffrey Michael Smith | Microtonal tuning mechanism |
WO2003060872A2 (en) * | 2002-01-15 | 2003-07-24 | Geoffrey Michael Smith | Additional tuning mechanism for stringed musical instruments |
GB2384109B (en) * | 2002-01-15 | 2004-03-03 | Geoffrey Michael Smith | Microtonal tuning mechanism |
WO2003060872A3 (en) * | 2002-01-15 | 2004-03-25 | Geoffrey Michael Smith | Additional tuning mechanism for stringed musical instruments |
US7288706B2 (en) * | 2004-12-30 | 2007-10-30 | Christopher Moore Gaffga | Stringed musical instrument with multiple bridge-soundboard units |
US20060150797A1 (en) * | 2004-12-30 | 2006-07-13 | Gaffga Christopher M | Stringed musical instrument with multiple bridge-soundboard units |
US7534950B2 (en) | 2005-07-11 | 2009-05-19 | Lyles Cosmos M | Stringed instrument that maintains relative tune |
US20070012161A1 (en) * | 2005-07-11 | 2007-01-18 | Lyles Cosmos M | Stringed instrument that maintains relative tune |
US20070006712A1 (en) * | 2005-07-11 | 2007-01-11 | Lyles Cosmos M | Stringed instrument that maintains relative tune |
US20110126689A1 (en) * | 2006-03-15 | 2011-06-02 | Intune Technologies Llc | Stringed musical instrument using spring tension |
US7888570B2 (en) | 2006-03-15 | 2011-02-15 | Intune Technologies, Llc | Stringed musical instrument using spring tension |
US7541528B2 (en) | 2006-03-15 | 2009-06-02 | Cosmos Lyles | Stringed musical instrument using spring tension |
US7592528B2 (en) | 2006-03-15 | 2009-09-22 | Cosmos Lyles | Stringed musical instrument using spring tension |
US20090301283A1 (en) * | 2006-03-15 | 2009-12-10 | Cosmos Lyles | Stringed musical instrument using spring tension |
US20070214935A1 (en) * | 2006-03-15 | 2007-09-20 | Cosmos Lyles | Stringed musical instrument using spring tension |
US7692079B2 (en) | 2007-01-11 | 2010-04-06 | Intune Technologies, Llc | Stringed musical instrument |
DE102007014928A1 (en) * | 2007-03-22 | 2008-09-25 | Jan Krukow | Device for sound extension of stringed instruments, has string and nut of instrument is adjustable according to correct string oscillation lengths |
US7855330B2 (en) | 2008-01-17 | 2010-12-21 | Intune Technologies Llc | Modular bridge for stringed musical instrument |
US20120061175A1 (en) * | 2010-09-10 | 2012-03-15 | Bor-Tsuen Wang | Board Capable of Generating a Harmonic Sound |
US8299342B2 (en) * | 2010-09-10 | 2012-10-30 | National Pingtung University Of Science And Technology | Board capable of generating a harmonic sound |
US8779258B2 (en) | 2012-01-19 | 2014-07-15 | Intune Technologies, Llc | Stringed musical instrument using spring tension |
US9875728B1 (en) | 2015-04-20 | 2018-01-23 | John Paul Pallay | Musical key-changing apparatus for stringed instruments |
US9484007B1 (en) | 2015-11-18 | 2016-11-01 | Geoffrey Lee McCabe | Tremolo stop tuner and tremolo stabilizer |
US9847076B1 (en) | 2016-10-18 | 2017-12-19 | Geoffrey Lee McCabe | Tremolo spring and stabilizer tuner |
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