US1788137A - Violin - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 6, 1931. w. A. WEAVER 1,788,137

VIOLIN Filed my 19. 1929 f [bg ...10:5-

/'lz'am A/ea geni" BY @mi ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 6, Y 1931 g vUNITED STAT WILLIAM A. WEAVER, orfrniarn, FLORIDA i Y VIOLIN Application led J'uly 19,

This invention relates to improvements in violins, an object being to provide a relatively narrow neutral zone kwhich extends longitudinally of the violin, centrally beneath the bridge to provide separate vibration zones upon opposite sides of the neutral zone, to cause the vibrations to start simultaneously from opposite sides of such neutral zone. This action creates sound waves which are divided and travel in oppositev directions from a central point, and pass outward through the sound openings of thefviolin.

Another object of the invention isA the provision of means of the above character which in addition, will take the place of the usual base bar; provide clearer and more even tones due to the absence of attachments on either side of the center of the violin; eliminate the necessity of regluing the base bar and the consequent disassembling of the violin for this purpose; increase the strength, durability andy artistic appearance of the instrument; provide additional space beneath the tail piece and finger board for cleaning purposes; provide a better footing for the bridge with resultant easier vibration; eliminate the use of gluing for the base bar, glue acting'to stiften the wood and retard vibration; produce increased tone harmony due to unity oi' wood and grain; provide a wider range of tone regulation by making the instrument more sensitive to vibration; increase the carrying power by eliminating all hindrance to How of tone through the sound openings; is more subject to light and shade in tone due.

v to its sensitiveness to vibration; prevent screeching noises in bowing; is economical in the use of bow hair due to its sensitiveness to light touch, and in addition, reduce fatigue occasioned by long concerts owing to itssenstive touch.

` Vith the above and other objects in view,

the invention further includes the following novel features and details of constructiom'to bek hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompan ing drawings and pointed out in the appen ed claims.

In the drawings y Figure 1 is a lan View of a violin conJ structed in accor ance with the invention, the

vthree'jilast 4mentioned elements v ieaaf';senaiwukavensa n Y y iinger board anditailgpiece beingshown "by dOtted-linesl'"V 'y f 'f Figures and. 3. are sectional viewstake'nv `respectivelyr 'onf the lines 2*-2 and f3-3 of Y Figurel.' f, 55v

= Figure 4 is a yfragment-ary sectionlshowing a slightly modified form ofthe inventio'mj; v .-*Referring to the drawings in detail where! in like lcharacters of reference denotecorre-r sponding parts, thebody of the violin which i'sindicalted at 10 `lincludes-a back 11 and a top-12. The nbody. is shaped after `the manneroffthe*usual'violin vand the top 12 isfproi vided with sound escape openings `13; The finger boardpofthe vil'in-y is indicated at 14, 65 the tail pi-ece at 15 and the bridge atlG-,these n beingindicatedbydottedlineslil 1 f f As is well lmowgth'eviolin'as ordinarily constructedis providedy with ajbase b'ar'which 70 A extends'longitudinally withinthe body/f and is glued tothe'top atione sidejof the centerof the violin. This barsometimes' becomes dei tached and the Violinfmust be taken apart to reglue thebaiv `In addition,thefglue acts to 751 sti'iieir the wood and render the ytop ofthe violin `less sensitive to vibration; Further, the bar is located at one sideof the center of the topso that thevibratory area 'of the top upon opposite sides'o this bar-is uneven or v80 unbalanced, and therefore the soundV waves which arecr'eated withinthe tone'chamber pass unevenly from the sound openings upon opposite sides 'ofthe center-fof the violiniV Thesef'andl lother disadvantages are over= 85 come-in theV present invention `byprov'iding a groove orfrecess 17 which extendscentrally and longitudinallyof the sound board or top 12.` For thispurpose, the sound board extendsiinwardlyat this point and the walls oi this groove-:orf-recess ltake theplace of the usual base bar. In addition, this construction `ifreini'o'rces and stiii'ens the sound board longitudinally `and.`centrally,` and not only v'materially strengthens the instrument, but 95 provides a central neutral zone with separate vibratory zones upon opposite sides thereof. The vibratory action of the zones upon opposite sides of the recess 17 sets up sound waves within the tone Chamber, and as the neutral 10 vzone is central of this chamber,these sound Waves are evenly produced upon opposite sides of the center of the tone chamber and pass out in equal volume through the open- 5 ings 13.

This construction renders the instrument more sensitive to vibration :and .produces .an even trwvel olf sound waves gin' appesteiree'- tions from a central point and adds materially to the tone quality as well as the volume of sound. By forming the wallsoff the recess 17 integral with the sound board, increased tone harmony results.

If desired, the back .1l .may likewise :be

provided with a similar groove'18 to divide the backinto 'separate vibratory zones.

The invention may be applied it@ told. line .by attaching. a strip 19" to .the'czmm'wall v of the sound board and' forming amm-120,.

2@ as shown in Figure 4 of the drawing,.:butsis preferred to' ferm the walls .of `the groove integral with the violin structure.

The invention is .susceptible of various changes 'in its form, proportions land minorl details `of -construetion and: the .right is hemeiln reserved to makesnch changes as Lprorperly fall WithinV the-scope 4of theuppended claims.

Having described- -the invention. what isy claimed is 3,) 1. In a violin, a troughJ-ike depression .ex-

tending centmll-y and longitudinally .in top and .bottom Walls ofthe violin to yprovide a neutral zone and separate vibrator-y zones upon opposite sides` thereof.V

2. .Ina. `violin, a trough-.likedepression extending' centnally and longitudinally of the body of the violinte .providenepamute vi-L bratoryzones. y

v3.` In afvinlin, a troughflikedepressinnx- .m tending centrally und longitudinally of the body and formed` integral with--theitop and bottom VWalls to divide said body .into rate vibrator zones.

4. In avio in,.al sound board hafving .a cen- 4 7, tral y1ongitudinaJzly disposed depression there-l in Vtapering .at `-.euch end and dividinglsd board into separate vviblatory. zones.

.5 Ina violi-n1, afsound beard hav-ing a eentr al longitudinally.disposeddepnesaiomthene to in dividing said boardfintoseparate vibratory zones, the Walls-ef the recess being." .1 Wih. the sound board, and tapering` at en 6. Ina violin, a. body Vhavin yits 'opposed op and' bottom wal-1s :provide `with mnem- -rmll-y located longitudinally disposed ire- CSSS'.

.In'testimony 'whereof I 1 ax my* 4.- time.

11AM A.

Images