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B. F. MIESSNER
1,915,358
3 Shets-Sheet l
ifINVENTOIQ,
1,915,858
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1,915,858
UNITED STATES
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PATENT OFFICE
Application ?ed April 8, 1931, Serial No. 528,750. Renewed August 5', 1932.
5 employed for the actuation of further ap tem of the class described. Other and allied
paratus and more speci?cally to mechamco objects will more fully appear from the fol
electric translating devices and their employ lowing description and the appended claims. '
ment in such instruments and systems for
In the detailed description of my invention
translating the vibrations of the tuned bodies
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drawings, of which :-
ing application, ?led January 30, 1931, erial accompanying
Flgure l is a. perspective view of a single
disclosed certain '
as
tion;
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'Although the methods and apparatus here cross-sectionalyiew of a string provided with
any form of tuned vibrating body, they are translating devices designed for such spurious
by percussion, which excitation in instru trol of the individual amplitude and the
ments of the class described often entails cer
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vices;
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'
40
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45
g2
1,916,858
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is neither directly toward nor away from the bucking induced voltages.
pole piece, being parallel to its face. This The large vertical component of the mothe magnitude of the transient voltage is tion of any of the strings is in this case trans
greatly reduced.
Should the string be caused by such impact lated with even less e?icienoy than in that of
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the excitation of an appreciable component before, however; and to these the arrange
of vibration in a plane at right angles to the ment
shown is particularly responsive, a mo
direction of striking-4. e., in a horizontal tion of
the string toward one translating
plane as shown in Figure 1and that as a device and
away from the other inducing
result the impairment of e?icie'ncy of action voltages in the
coils of the two devices which
of the translating device is by no means as
add. Modi?cations of translating devices in
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1,915,858
tion in the opposite direction, corresponding exactly, following a section of a cylinder hav
in the same example to a negative oscillation ing the string as its axis. Thus in Figure 4
peak. Thus the wave-form of the oscilla I show in cross-section string 1 and the trans
tions is rendered asymmetrical about the lating devices 14 of Figure 3, the section
axis; and such asymmetry denotes, of being along line 4-4 of Figure 3. The ends
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course, the presence of even harmonics; of the magnets 24 of the translating devices
which, since similar string motions in the 14 adjacent string 1 are seen to be dished or
two directions were assumed in the example, curved as described. It will be appreciated
were not present in the string vibration. that the plane of vibration of the string may
In Figure 2 the only distinction between mo shift materially from the vertical without
tion of the string in the two horizontal direc appreciable changing the relationship of the
tions is a difference in phase or sign of the string at any given instant to the curved pole 80.
15 oscillation peak thereby produced, the wave
surfaces of the magnets 24. This curving of
form and amplitudes on each side of the the pole surface may equally advantageously
mean position being symmetrical, owing to be employed with a single translating device
the symmetrical placement about the string such as either the lower or upper translating
85
of the two devices active in translating its device 14.
33 vibration into electric oscillations.
Further details of my invention appear in
Such bene?ts of spurious even harmonic Figure'?. In this ?gure 1 and 1 are sections
elimination may be obtained in the case of of strings, excitable by hammers 2 and 2'.
strings and translating devices not specially Underneath strings 1 and 1 are shown re~
arranged for elimination or reduction of rap. spectively translating devices 16 and 16, 90
Thus in Figure 3 I show a string 1; hammer which may comprise magnets 26 and 26 and
2 arranged to excite it principally into verti coils 36 and 36, the latter being preferably
cal vibration, and devices 14 arranged for connected in series. \Vhile 1-2 and 1-2'
most e?icient translation of such vertical are shown respectively in different horizontal
string vibration. The devices 14 may consist planes, 26 and 26' different in length, and 95
of two bar magnets 24, one below and one 16 and 16' in different longitudinal positions,
above string 1, with similar poles of each it will be understood that those differences
adjacent the string._ Thepoles are uniform
not exist, being incorporated in the
l_v designated N by way of example. Coils need
?gure for the sake of clear depiction. The 100
34, shown schematically, may surround mag translating devices 16 and 16' may be
nets 24, a proper method of connection being. mounted in block 51, which is carried by
such that the coils tend mechanically to form
56.
_
one continuous, similarly directed winding. base
Base 56, although illustrated in its normal
Translating devices 15 are of an alternative position, will also be seen to be hinged to
form, wherein the phase of the upper coil 35 string support 57 by hing-e 58. This permits 105
and the polarity of the upper magnet 25 have its movement away from the strings, as to the
each been reversed. In the case of devices position shown in dotted lines; and handle 59
15, magnets 25 may be replaced with pole may be provided to facilitate such motion.
pieces, and a single horse shoe magnet em When base 56 is so moved, block 51 and the
ployed with one of its poles touching the translating devices are lowered in position 110
top of the upper pole piece and the other away from the strings, resulting in uniformly
the bottom of the lower pole piece.
decreased translation c?iciency. Thus a gen
It frequently happens that the vibration of eral control of oscillation amplitude, or of
strings, particularly of those notcontinu~ output volume from loudspeaker 5, is pro
ously excited, does not consist of,.0r may not vided by movement of the translating devices. 115
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such plane about the mean position ofnthe be raised or lowered in such holes to any de
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string as an axis or as a pendular oscillation sired position and there secured by means of i
of such plane back and forth about such axis. set screws 62 and 62. Thus not only may
lVith most forms of translating device this inequalities in the amplitude of the oscilla
action causes a continuous change in the.
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l...)
1,915,868
in actuation mechanisms for the several next, for example in a horizontal plane, over
mers 2 below the strings may be provided to the plane of the strings. A cross sectional
view of the assembly of Fi ure 7, taken along
excite the same.
the line 88, appears as igure 8. In this
To the frame 70, as to the bottom thereof, ?gure
the letters N and S, alternately ap
may be secured block 72, vcarrying a plu
pearing by the lower poles of the magnets 86,
rality of translating devices 17. These may denote
their alternate polarity. The several '
each consist of a vertical bar magnet 27 car
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rying nearits upper pole coil 37; and each strings are caused - to form one continuous
magnet may be adjustably held in place in series circuit-by the connections 87 appear
a hole in block 72 by a set screw 63. The ing in Figure 7 ; and this circuit may be con
nected to the input terminals of an electrical
magnets are preferably of wide, thin stock, ampli?er
4, preferably including a step-up
and the coils are arranged in two rows, those
in each row being staggered with res eet to transformer 88. Loudspeaker 5, as in pre
vious ?gures, is shown connected to theout
those in the other. The coils are pre erably put
terminals of ampli?er 4.
electrically connected in series so that all
of a group of translating devices associated tion of bar 82 between these magnets. Each
string 1, being caused by its hammer 2 to
put terminals of such an ampli?er one is fre vibrate with a large vertical component, cuts
quently effectively connected to ground either the magnetic lines in its gap and thus there
directly or through a low reactance or im
pedance, while the other is of relatively free frequency corresponding to that of the string
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to limit it, these embodiments being equally the active portion of a string or of each
applicable to and useful with other forms of string in a group, and having an operating
mechanical connection to the strings. As in
translating device, as will be understood.
In Figure 7 I show an alternative form of prior ?gures, the strings and the hammers
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- translating device in which no coils need be herein are respectively designated as 1 and 2.
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employed. With this form strings I may be The strings are each passed over an edge 89
of electrically conductive block 90 and may
used, strung from one tuning pin 80 to the be
secured to pins 91 in electrically conduc
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sion to bear down upon the edge 89 of block tively responsive to components in other
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90; and this downward pressure is trans planes.
.
'
mitted .to block 96, of piezo-electrio material v 4. In a musical- instrument, the combina
such as quartz- Block 96 is thus placed in tion of a tuned string and means for roduc
compression between block 90 and electri ing therefrom electric oscillations re atively
cally conductive plate v93, which may be free of initial transients, said means compris
mounted to and insulated 'from the base 95 mg a hammer adapted to strike said string 75
10. b insulating block 94. The strings 1 are and mechanico-electric translating means en
ellectrically connected together and to block argued by said string, said translating means
92; and this may be connected to one input being relatively insensitive to motions of said
terminal, preferably the ground or low string immediately attendant upon such
15
terial, the latter being in general substituted ance with vibratory variation of the spacin
for the bridge of the usual purely mechan
ical and acoustical musical instrument, as port1on, said portion being arranged without
will be understood. In an instrument con the plane in which said hammer moves when
taining a lar e number of strings a single
25.
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said string.
piezo-electric lock for all strings, for each striking
6. In a musical instrument, the combina
group of strings, or for each string, may be tion of a string; a hammer adapted to strike
employed as desired.
said strin ; and a mechanico-electrio trans
It will be understood that while I have lating device having a ortion in spaced rela
shown and described the embodiments of my tion to said string and) operative in accord
invention in connection with strings, they ance with vibratory variation of the spacin
may readily be employed with other forms between said string and the surface of sai
of vibrators; and that various modi?cations portion, said portion being arranged without
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ed claims de?ned.
40
.45 vibration, and mechanico-electric translating in a plane substantially different from said
means sensitive to said vibration and rela ?rst mentioned plane.
tively insensitive to said initial de?ection.
_ 8. In a musical instrument, the combina
2. In a musical; instrument, the combina tion of a tuned string; means for vibrating
tion of a tuned vibrator and means for pro sa1d string; a mechanico-electric translating
ducing a sound of smooth inception there
from, said means comprising means for ex
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1,915,858
10
portions; and a single means connected to all through a portion of said body between its
extremities; means for vibrating said body
of said portions for simultaneously and in
plane substantially normal to said ?eld;
similarly adjusting the distances between an aelectrical
work circuit having two input 75
said bodies and said portions.
_ .
terminals;
and
electrical connections between
11. A musical instrument comprislng a
said apparatus having portions respectively transversely through each of said strings;
adjacent said bodies and being arranged to
20
25
and means individually connected to the sec the extremities of said string circuit and said
ond said portions of said mechanico-electric input terminals.
ume of a musical instrument of the type string exerting pressure upon a portion of
wherein the vibrations of tuned bodies are said block opposite said face; means for vi
tory variation of the distances between said upon said block is oscillatorily varied; and
means for translating into sound electric os
bodies and stationary translating apparatus, cillations
thereby generated in said block.
which consists in simultaneously and similar
18. In a musical instrument, the combina 00
ly varying the distances between said bodies
tion of a plurality of progressively tuned ;vi
and said apparatus.
13. The method of voicing a musical in bratory bodies; means for vibrating said
strument of the type wherein the various par bodies; an electrical series of translating de
40 tial frequency vibrations of each of a plu~ vices associated with said vibratory bodies,
rality tuned bodies are translated into sound a ?rst extremity of said series being associat 105
by a mechanico-electro-acoustic translation ed with at least one of said bodies tuned to
process including the vibratory variation of a low frequency and the second extremity
the distances between said bodies and station with at least one of said bodies tuned to a
' ary translating apparatus, which method high frequency; an electrical ampli?er hav
consists in selectively adjusting the distances ing an input terminal separated from ground 110
by not more than a relatively low impedance
betwen said bodies and said apparatus.
14. In a musical instrument, the combina and a second input terminal separated from
tion of a tuned vibrator, two substantially ground by at least a relatively high im
similar operatively stationary mechanico pedance; and a connection from said ?rst ex
electric translating devices in substantially tremity of said series to said ?rst ampli?er
similar spaced relation to respectively oppo input terminal and a connection from said
site sides of a portion of said vibrator, and second extremity to said second ampli?er ter
electrical connections between said translat minal.
BENJAMIN F. MIESSNER.
ing devices whereby oscillations of the funda
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