Filton? It's a musical instrument

Anton Orush collects only Bulgarian inventions

published on 6/4/24 2:21 PM

Photo: Facebook /Anton Orush

In 2009, Bulgarian Anton Orush started his collection dedicated to Bulgarian technology.

The exhibits include televisions, radios, appliances, computers, telephones, cash registers, etc. Gradually, this passion of his led him to start researching and retrieving artefacts representing the entire technical history of Bulgaria. Two editions are the result of his research - "A Big Book on Bulgarian Technology" and "Made in Bulgaria 101 Bulgarian Mechanical Products". The latter contains some new finds in his collection, acquired in the last 3-4 years, but also tells about other interesting facts and inventions. Among them are the first Bulgarian electric bus, the first Bulgarian light bulb factory in the Principality of Bulgaria and many more.

There is also information about the filton, a musical instrument created by teacher Lyuben Istatkov:

"As he himself said, he wanted to make an instrument in which each note would produce a corresponding sound, so that the pupil could get not only an auditory but also a visual idea of the tones - researcher Anton Orush tells Radio Bulgaria. - In the summer of 1940, Istatkov drew a blueprint of a new string instrument, which resembled a large counting frame like those once used by children in schools.

The filton has a resonator, the two plates of the resonator being connected by a slat which transmits the vibrations from the upper plate to the lower plate of the resonator. A fret is placed on the upper board so that the strings do not rest against the board but vibrate freely. The strings are tuned so that their range is from G below the staff to F above the staff. Opposite the upper board of the resonator is another board, on the face of which is a staff with notes cut out. These are also the keys, and on the back of the board is the electrical part of the filton: the electromagnets. The anchors of the electromagnets are set back 8 mm from the strings. The magnets are powered by a pair of 4.5V batteries placed on the floor next to the filton stand, with one battery pole connected to the electromagnets and the other to the corresponding key. When a key is pressed, the circuit is closed - the peg hits the corresponding string, producing the desired sound. According to its inventor, the sound of the filton is similar to that of a mandolin, but deeper and purer.

A publication about Lyuben Istatkov and his invention the

Anton discovered the information about the instrument by chance when a local expert from the Montana region contacted him and gave him a letter that the teacher had sent to the editor of a newspaper. In it, he described the construction and operation of the instrument, hoping to draw attention to his invention. But this never happened. Nor did anyone in Sofia pay any serious attention, as the Second World War had already begun.

In the 1960s, Bulgaria saw the emergence of a number of new electrical appliances and equipment designed to facilitate work in various spheres of life. Among them, of course, was agriculture, where an "innovative" electric tractor appeared to help farmers:

"Its dimensions were small - 60 cm wide, 135 cm long and it weighed about 400 kg. The tractor ploughs the soil in the greenhouse before planting. Before, the soil was dug with a horse plough or a straight spade, which is less productive. The tractor is not powered by rechargeable batteries but is connected to the grid via a cable. Depending on the layout of the farm, the cable can either be dragged over the ground or raised under the roof and carried by a wire rope. To prevent the cable from twisting in bends, a special swivel socket has been designed. Part of the socket rotates with the cable to maintain the electrical connection. This mechanism is activated by levers and pedals located in front of the tractor driver's seat.

In 1978 there was a programme for the introduction of electric transport in our country and the first Bulgarian prototype of an electric bus - "Elmobus 78" was created at the Bulgarian bus manufacturer Chavdar. The vehicle used the body of a Chavdar minibus, its engine had a power of 15 KW and a simplified drive without a gearbox. Its top speed could be set at 35, 40 or 45 km/h, explains Orush.

The Bulgarian innovative spirit also extends to building. In recent years, prefabricated houses have become increasingly popular in the country, as they are much quicker and cheaper to build than a new turnkey solid building. It is a little known fact, however, that they were available before 1989. According to the researcher of Bulgarian inventions, the "Balkanstroy" construction department was established in 1977 in Pazardjik for the experimental construction and assembly of single-storey residential buildings, campsites and garages. And among the curious constructions there is even a model of a kindergarten with a capacity of 30 children.

His passion for collecting technical gadgets began as a teenager when he started collecting all kinds of old machines, fascinated by their appearance. This initial interest soon evolved into a curiosity about how they worked, which led him to delve into various technical literature. Gradually he realised that while there was a demand for a systematic history of national technology in every country, there was no such record for Bulgaria.

This realisation clarified his concept, and Anton Orush began to collect only Bulgarian devices, documenting information about them and their inventors - both in the country and abroad.

Photos: personal archive, Facebook / Anton Orush, sandacite.bg

Translated and posted by Elizabeth Radkova

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