8/17/2019 US Patent 652353 for a Stringed Instrument from 1900

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N o .6 5 2 , 3 5 3 . P a t e n t e d J u n e 2 6 , I 9 0 0 .E . A . EDGREN.

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8/17/2019 US Patent 652353 for a Stringed Instrument from 1900

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UNITED STATES P A T E N TO F F I C E .

ERIK ADOLF EDGREN, OF O M A H A , N E B R A S K A ;

STRINGED INSTRUMENT.

S P E C I F I C A T I O Nf o r m i n gp a r t o fL e t t e r sP a t e n t N o .6 5 2 , 3 5 3 , d a t e dJ u n e2 6 , 1 9 0 0 .A p p l i c a t i o n ? l e dO c t o b e r1 1 ,1 8 9 8 .

To 6 1 / ”whom t may concern.Be t k n o w n h a t LERIK ADOLFEDGREN, r e

s i d i n ga t Omaha, i n t h e c o u n t yo f D o u g l a sa n dS t a t e o f Nebraska, h a v e inven ted c e r t a i n u s ef u l I m p r o v e m e n t si n S t r i n g e dI n s t r u m e n t s ;a n d I d o hereby d e c l a r e t h a t t h e f o l l o w i n gi sa f u l l ,c l e a r , a n d e x a c t d e s c r i p t i o no f t h e i nv e n t i o n , such a s w i l l enab le o t h e r s s k i l l e d i nt h e a r t t o w h i c h t apper t a ins t o m a k e a n d uset h e same , r e f e r e n c e b e i n g h a d t o t h e accompany ing d r a w i n g s ,which form a p a r t o f t h i sspeci?cation. _ >

This invent ion r e l a t e s t o a n e w i m p r o v em e n t i n s t r i n g e d i n s t r u m e n t s .

The b j e c t s o f my n v e n t i o na r e , ? r s t , t o p r ov i d e a s t r i n g e dmusical i n s t r u m e n t ,a n d , s e co n d l y , t o p r o v i d e a n e w d e v i c e f o r q u i c k l yt u n i n ga n d h o l d i n gt h e s t r i n g s i n c o n n e c t i o nw i t h m u s i c a li n s t r u m e n t s , t he a d j u s t a b l emechan i sm e m p l o y e di n m y i n v e n t i o nb e i n ga d a p t e d ,h o w e v e r , t oa l ld e v i c e swhere s t r a n d sa r e t o b e a d j u s t a b l y s u p p o r t e da n d s e c u r e d .

I n t h e accompanying d r a w i n g s ,F i g u r e 1shows a broken top v i e w o f a musica l i n s t r um e n t e m b o d y i n g my n v e n t i o n . F i g . 2 showsa c e n t r a l v i e w i n s e c t i o n o f a mus ica l i n s t r um e n t e m b o d y i n g my n v e n t i o n . F i g . 3 showsa l o n g i t u d i n a ls e c t i o n a lVi e w o f t h e h e a d usedi n my n v e n t i o n . F i g . 4 s h o w s a c r o s s - s e ct i o n a l Vi e w o f t he n e c k on my m p r o v e d mus i c a li n s t r u m e n t . F i g s . 5 , 6 ,7 ,andSshow, r es p e c t i v e l y , a c e n t r a l s e c t i o n , a n e n d , a t o p ,a n d a s i d e v i e w o f a s t r i n g e d h e a d e m b o d yi n g my n v e n t i o n , w h i l e F i g . 9 shows a s e c

t i o n a l view o f t h e t a i l p i e c e a s used i n my ns t r u m e n t .

I n t h e a c c o m p a n y i n gd r a w i n g s ,A r e p r es e n t s t h e b o d y o f my n s t r u m e n t ,which i s o fa n y u i t a b l e s i z e o r conformation,but n w h i c ht h e body s w e l l s and i n c r e a s e s i n c a p a c i t yf r o m t he f r o n t t o the r e a r l o n g i t u d i n a l l y , a sw i l l be n o t i c e di n r e f e r r i n g t o F i g . 2 . To t h i sbody A s n e x t secured a neck B , which i nc r o s s - s e c t i o ni s approximate ly i n t h e form o fa double convex, a s i s s h o w n i n F i g . 4 , a n di s prov ided wi th a c e n t r a l groove o r ? n g e rr u n . A b o v e t h i s t h e neck i s provided witht h e usual f r e t s c ca n d i s secured t o t h e b o d y

o f t h e ins t rument b y a n y s u i t a b l e m e a n s . I n‘ r e f e r r i n g t o t h e d r a w i n g si t w i l l b e n o t i c e dt h a t t h e l o w e rp o r t i o no f t h i s neck B x t e n d sa s u i t a b l e d i s t a n c e beyond t h e body A , b u t

S e r i a lN o . 6 9 3 , 2 3 6 . ( N om o d e l . )

not touching t h e s a m e . A t t h e u p p e r e n dt h e neck Bis p r o v i d e dw i t h t h e head 0 , whichh e a d p r e f e r a b l ycom r i s e s t h e b a s e 3 a n d t h eb o r d e r1 1 , ‘t h e l o w e re x t e n d i n gp o r t i o n 5 , a n dt h e f o r w a r d - e x t e n d i n gp o r t i o n6 , a s i s c l e a r l yshown i n F i g . 3 , t h e b o t t o m p l a t e 3 b e i n guni t ed t o t h e p o r t i o n 5 b y m e a n s o f a r i b 7 .The p o r t i o n 5 i s p r o v i d e d w i t ha n o p e n i n g1 ,while t h e border 4 a t t h e up p e r e n d i s prov ided wi th a n o p e n i n g ’ 9 a n d a t t h e lowers m a l l e r end w i t h t h e openings 1 0 a n d 1 1 .S u i t a b l e t u n i n g - p i n sD r e he ld w i t h i n t h eo p e n i n g s9 a n d 1 0 ,w h i l e t h e o p e n i n g s1 1 a r eadapted t o r e c e i v e t h e s t r i n g s w i t h which t h ei n s t r u m e n ti s p r o v i d e d . Wo r k i n g upon t h et u n i n g - p i n sD a r e t h e s t r i n g - h o l d i n gheadsF , t h e r e b e i n g one such head upon each p i n ,a n d t h e s e heads a r e p r e f e r a b l yr e c t a n g u l a ri n c r o s s - s e c t i o n , a s w e l l a s be ing squaredl e n g t h w i s ea n d b e i n g p r o v i d e dw i t h a c e n

t r a l o p e n i n g ,which opening i s o f two d i am—e t e r s , each be ing o f a h a l f - c i r c l e , a s w i l l b eu n d e r s t o o di n r e f e r r i n g t o F i g s . 5 a n d . Ref e r r i n g t o F i g . 5 ,a c r o s s - s e c t i o n a lVi e w o f oneo f t h e s e h e a d s F s shown, a n d i t w i l l be notedt h a t t h i s h e a d h a s a t h r e a d e d opening 1 2 ,p a s s i n gc l e a r t h r o u g h t h e s a m e ,but t h a t t h i st h r e a d e dopening i s m u t i l a t e d a t two p o i n t s

marked 1 3 ) b y m e a n s o f a s e m i s p h e r i c a lr emoved p o r t i o n ( M o r ec l e a r l y shown i n F i g6 . ) These m u t i l a t e do r r emoved p o r t i o n s1 3a r e placed o p p o s i t eone a n o t h e r , s o t h a t a f t e rt h e s e h e a d s h a v e b e e n placed upon h e screwsD t h e y may b e t i l t e d upon t h e screw because

o f t h e s e removed o r t i o n s1 3 1 3 . These t r i n gh e a d s can be m a d e i n ? r s t prov id ing t h e mwith a c y l i n d r i c a lopening f a diameter q u a lt o a d i a m e t e r o f t h e s m a l l e r opening, whicho p e n i n gi s t h e n t a p p e d and p r o v i d e d w i t ha s u i t a b l e screw-thread. O n e h a l f o f t h i st h r e a d e dp o r t i o n i s t h e n r emoved upon opp o s i t e s i d e s t o p r o v i d e two r emoved p o rt i o n s 1 3 1 3 o f i n c r e a s e d d i a m e t e r s . Now na s s e m b l i n gt h e head p r o p e rt h e t u n i n g - p i n sD r e each p rov ided wi th one o f t h e s t r i n gh e a d s F , and b y v i r t u e o f t h e s e r emovedp o r t i o n s 1 3 1 3 t h e s e h e a d s m a y b e i n s t a n t l yc a r r i e d f r o m one e n d o f t h e t u n i n g - p i nD t o

t h e o t h e r i n t i l t i n g t h e p i n , s o t h a t t h e r em o v e d p o r t i o n 1 3r e s t s a g a i n s t t h e t h r e a d e dt u n i n g - p i n , i n which m a n n e r t h e t u n i n g - p i nw i l lf r e e l y p a s s t h r o u g ht h e c e n t r a l o p e n i n g

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8/17/2019 US Patent 652353 for a Stringed Instrument from 1900

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o f t h e s t r i n g - ‘ h e a d ,s o t h a t t h i s h e a d can b es l i d up a n d d o w n upon t h e t u n i n g - p i n . How‘e v e r , as soon a s t he tun ing -p in i s carr ied i nt h e o p p o s i t ed i r e c t i o n , s o t h a t t h e t h r e a d e ds e a t i n g s l 2 l 2 r i d e u p o n t h e t u n i n g - p i n s ,t h es t r i n g - h e a d sa r e i n s t a n t l y secured a n d t h e no n l y c a n b e a d j u s t e dby t u r n i n g t h e t u n i n gp i n s D. These s t r i n g - h e a d s a r em a d e s q u a r e ,s o t h a t t h e y may i d e a n d s l i d e upon the b o tt o m 3 o f t h e h e a d 0 , s o t h a t t h e y cannot r evolve a n d can only b e c a r r i e d s idewise i n onep l a n e . T h e s es t r i n g - h e a d s a r ep r o v i d e dw i t hgrooves a a n d b , s o t h a t t h e looped e n d o ft h e s t r i n g may b e c a r r i e d over t h e same, thec h a n n e l1 )coming o p p o s i t e t h el o w e r t h r e a ded s e a t i n g 1 2 w i t h i n t h e s t r i n g - h e a d s , s o t h a ta s soon as t he s t r i n g , a s i s s h o w n i n F i g . 6 ,b e c o m e s t a u t o r s t r a i n e d i t b i n d s t h e s t r i n gh e a d s upon t h e t u n i n g - p i n s ‘ , s o t h a t t h et h r e a d e d s e a t i n g s a r e engaged t o s e c u r e l yh o l d t h e s t r i n g ~ h e a dupon i t s t u n i n g - p i n . I tw i l l b e noticed t h a t t h i s a r r a n g e m e n t o f s ecur ing a musica l s t r i n g can b e u s e d i n conn e c t i o n w i t h a n y ins t rument i n which s t r i n g sa r e u s e d , a n d i t w i l l f u r t h e r be noticed t h a ta c o a r s e a n d quick a d j u s t m e n t o f a s t r i n g i s? r s t o b t a i n e dby s i m p l ys l i d i n g t h e head upor down a s f a r a s p os s i b l e and a s s o o n a s t h ehead ?nds a s e a t i n g a d j u s t t h e s t r i n g s b ym e a n s o f t h e t u n i n g ~ p i n s . I t w i l l f u r t h e r b enoted h a t t h e s t r a i n upon t h e tun ing-p in s ona p l a n e p a r a l l e l t o t h e a x i s o f t h e t u n i n g ~ p i n .

I n r e f e r r i n g t o F i g . 1 i t w i l l be noted t h a tt h e b o t t o m ? a n g e o f t h e h e a d 0 runs a t a n

a n g l e , s o t ha t one s i d e o f t h e n e c k B i l l b el o n g e r t h a n t h e s i d e o p p o s i t e . T h e f r e t s a sd i v e r g e , r u n n i n g f r o m t h e c e n t e r o u t w a r d ,s o t ha t t he l ower f r e t s w e x t e n d s l i g h t l y i n ad i r e c t i o n o p p o s i t et o t h e uppe r f r e t s . Thisi s d o n e s o t ha t t he i n s t r u m e n t may b e m o r eq u i c k l ya n d c o m f o r t a b l yh a n d l e d , t h e f r e t sb e i n g i n t e n d e d t o con verge a t a c e n t e r , w h i c hc e n t e r would b e r e p r e s e n t e db y t h e elbow o fa n o r d i n a r yo p e r a t o r . Refer r ing t o t h e t a i lp i e c e 2 0 , i t w i l l be n o t i c e d t h a t I p r o v i d e ac u r v e d? a n g e2 1 ,t h r o u g hw h i c h t h e s t r i n g sp a s s o v e r t h e p i v o t e d b r i d g e - b l o c k2 2 , whichblock i s m o u n t e d upon a p i n 2 3 , which Works

on a t a i l p i e c e 20 in to a n o r d i n a r y block 2 4 .The o b j e c t o f h a v i n gt h e b r i d g e - b l o c k2 2 p i vo t e d i s t o prov ide a r a d i a l a d j u s t m e n t o f t h i sb l o c k , a s i t i s o f t e n found t h a t one s t r i n g w i l lo c c a s i o n a l l ybe e i t h e r a t r i f l es h a r p o r ? a t ,a n d t h i s d e f e c t can o f t e n b e r e m e d i e d b ys i m p l y s w i n g i n gt h e b r i d g e - b l o c kr a d i a l l y .T h e common p r a c t i c e i s f o r t he music ian t oplace a b i t o f w o o d o r p a p e r be low t h e d ef e c t i v e s t r i n g a t t h e b r i d g e -block a n d s ol e n g t h e nt h e s t r i n g t h e t r i f l er e q u i r e dt o b r i n gabout a t r u e o c t a v e . Pass ing through t h i st a i l p i e c e 2 0 i s a m a i n c o n n e c t i n g - b a rK, whichbar p a s s e s through t h e neck B n d t h e o p e n

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i n g 1 w i t h i n t h e h e a dC , and s p r o v i d e d w i t ha n ord inary n u t , s o t h a t t h i s s t a y ~ r o du n i t e s? r s t t h e t a i l p i e c e 2 0 t o t h e body A , t h e neckB o t h e b o d y A , a n d ? n a l l y t h e h e a d 0 t ot he n e c k B.

Now, h a v i n gt h u s d e s c r i b e dmy n v e n t i o n ,wha t I c l a i m a s ’ n e w ,a n d d e s i r e t o s e c u r e b yUni t ed S t a t e s Le t t e r s P a t e n t , i s — ~

l . T h e combina t ion w i t h a tun ing~p in o f as t r i n g - h o l d i n ghead d j u s t a b l y h e l dupon s a i dp i n , s a i d h e a db e i n gp r o v i d e dw i t ht w oi r r e g ul a r o p e n i n g ss u b s t a n t i a l l yi d e n t i c a l , s a i d h e a db e i n g a p p r o x i m a t e l y ,c e n t r a l l y and t r a n sv e r s e l y d i v i d e d i n t o two s e c t i o n s , each s e ct i o n b e i n gp r o v i d e d w i t ha s m a l lt h r e a d e ds e a ti n g a n d a l a r g e r p l a i n r emoved p o r t i o n , t h et h r e a d e d s e a t i n g w i t h i n one p o r t i o n o f s a i ds t r i n g - h e a dc o m i n go p p o s i t e t h eremoved o rt i o n below, a s a n d f o r t h e p u r p o s e s e t f o r t h .

2 . A s a n e w r t i c l e o f m a n u f a c t u r e a s t r i n gh o l d i n gh e a d a d a p t e d t o r e c e i v e t h e e n d o f as t r i n g , a n d p r o v i d e dw i t h a t h r e a d e dopeninge x t e n d i n gt h r o u g h s a i d h e a d , s a i d t h r e a d e do p e n i n gb e i n g m u t i l a t e dupon o p p o s i t ee n d sa n d upon o p p o s i t e s i d e s , s a i d m u t i l a t i o ni nc l u d i n ga p p r o x i m a t e l yh a l f o f s a i d t h r e a d e do p e n i n g upon each s i d e , a s a n d f o r t h e p u r ~pose s e t f o r t h .

3 . T h e combina t ion with a t a i l p i e c e prov i d e dw i t ha p e r f o r a t e dr e c u r v e d?ange a d a p te d t o r e c e i v e t h e e n d s o f s u i t a b l e musica ls t r i n g s i n combination with a b r i d g e - b l o c kp i v o t a l l y secured t o s a i d t a i l - p i e c e , a s a n d f o rt h e purpose s e t f o r t h .

4 . In a musica l i n s t r u m e n t the c o m b i n a t i o nw i t h a sounding b o d y r b o x , . o f t h e f o l l o w i n gi n s t r u m e n t a l i t i e s , t o w i t : a neck a p p r o x im a t e l y n the f o r m o f a doub le c o n v e x n crosss e c t i o n prov ided be low with a c e n t r a l groovet o f o r m a ?nger-run, a plura l i ty o f f r e t s s ec u r e dt o s a i d neck a b o v e , s a i df r e t s b e i n gp o s it i oned at a n a n g l e one t o the o the r so t ha t t he? r s t a n d l a s t f r e t s i n c l i n e i n o p p o s i t ed i r e ct i o n s , a h e a d secured t o t h e u p p e r p o r t i o n o fs a i d n e c k , t h r e a d e d t u n i n g — p i n sh e l d w i t h i ns a i d h e a d , s t r i n g - h o l d i n gh e a d sw o r k i n gupons a i d t u n i n g - p i n s , s a i d s t r i n g - h o l d i n gh e a d sb e i n g p r o v i d e d w i t ha t h r e a d e dopening p r o

v i d e d with m u t i l a t i o n s upon o p p o s i t e s i d e sa n d o p p o s i t e e n d s , s a i d m u t i l a t i o n sencomp a s s i n ga p p r o x i m a t e l yo n e - h a l fo f t h e t h r e a de d p o r t i o n o f s a i d s t r i n g - h o l d i n gh e a d s , a n da t a i l p i e c e secured t o t h e sounding-box o f s a i di n s t r u m e n t p r o v i d e dw i t h a p i v o t e d b r i d g eblock a l l a r r a n g e d s u b s t a n t i a l l y a s a n d f o rt h e purpose s e t f o r t h .

I n test imony whereof I a f f i xmy i g n a t u r ei n t h e presence o f two w i t n e s s e s .

ERIK ADOLF EDGREN.WVitnesses:

G . W . S u n s ,B . CLYDE G o s s .

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