US3780612A - Stringed musical instruments - Google Patents

Stringed musical instruments Download PDF

Info

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
Application number
US00263455A
Inventor
A Robinson
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date 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 date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3780612A publication Critical patent/US3780612A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • GPHYSICS
    • G10MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; ACOUSTICS
    • G10DSTRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; WIND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; ACCORDIONS OR CONCERTINAS; PERCUSSION MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; AEOLIAN HARPS; SINGING-FLAME MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • G10D1/00General design of stringed musical instruments
    • G10D1/12Zithers, e.g. autoharps
    • GPHYSICS
    • G10MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; ACOUSTICS
    • G10DSTRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; WIND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; ACCORDIONS OR CONCERTINAS; PERCUSSION MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; AEOLIAN HARPS; SINGING-FLAME MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • G10D3/00Details of, or accessories for, stringed musical instruments, e.g. slide-bars
    • G10D3/14Tuning 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.
US00263455A 1972-06-16 1972-06-16 Stringed musical instruments Expired - Lifetime US3780612A (en)

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
US (1) US3780612A (en)

Cited By (19)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
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)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
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

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
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)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
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

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US3780612A (en) Stringed musical instruments
US4712464A (en) Stringed instrument finger positioning guide
US4291606A (en) Musical string instrument
Lockhead et al. Practically perfect pitch
US6288315B1 (en) Method and apparatus for musical training
US4856404A (en) Guitar with tuning changing, key changing, chord changing and modulating capabilities
US3568560A (en) Auto chord device
US3785239A (en) Fret board for guitar
US3783731A (en) Chromatic multiple stringed musical instrument
KR890016503A (en) Electronic musical instrument
US4545282A (en) Chord selector device for stringed musical instruments
US2406946A (en) Music teaching device
CA2002955C (en) Musical scale indicator
US3153970A (en) Aid for stringed instruments
US4023460A (en) Intonation aid for the violin, viola and cello and other instruments of the violin family
US3704646A (en) String depressor and method of using same
US3398622A (en) Musical instruments
US3319504A (en) Slanted finger board for stringed instruments
US5133239A (en) Curved fret arrangement for guitar or similar instrument
ES2164317T3 (en) SET FOR THE DESCIFRADO OF SCORES AND HELP FOR THE LEARNING AND PRACTICE OF A POLYPHONIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.
US967507A (en) Finger-board for musical instruments.
EP0108783B1 (en) A string instrument of guitar type
US3805664A (en) Chord selector apparatus for stringed musical instruments
US3515026A (en) Chord zither with tubular frame
US4530268A (en) Stringed musical instrument