GB2541029A

GB2541029A - A musical instrument accessory

Info

Publication number: GB2541029A
Application number: GB1514025.4A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Eric Bigwood Michael
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2015-08-07
Filing date: 2015-08-07
Publication date: 2017-02-08
Also published as: GB201514025D0

Abstract

A musical instrument accessory comprises attachment means sized and shaped to attach to and accompany any displacement of an instrument member of the kind which dependent upon its position influences the level of tuning of said instrument. The accessory further includes an arm 9 which extends from said attachment means and abuts against said instrument in order to substantially prevent the displacement of said instrument member whilst the instrument is in use. The accessory further comprises one or more troughs 13, 15 extending at least across the top face of the accessory, which may be used to receive elastic bands to additionally secure the device. The accessory may also include side troughs and the attachment means may include an eight pointed star shaped and tapered recess 5 for accepting an instrument member such as a tension rod of a percussive drum. The accessory may be transparent and may include a light emitting device. A solid inner bubble 24 may be located in the accessory.

Description

A MUSICAL INSTRUMENT ACCESSORY Field of the Inversion

The invention relates to musical instrument accessories asl particularly to those used in preventing tuned instruments going out of tune during use.

The invention will have particular applications in the Held of drums all in particular snare drums.

Background to the Invention

Snare drums are currently in common usage and sold hf a variety of cornpanids. The tuning of the drums may be adjusted by tightening or loosening a bolt. Multiple bolts are employed to tighten and/or loosen the top or bottom half of the drum. Conventionally, in use, these bolts progressively loosen, which is usually not desirable.

The prior art consist of the applicants own original design, however, this prior design has various limitations in its use.

The current invention ahempts to irnpove upon these limitations with added improvement··,.

Summary of the Invention

In its broadest independent aspect, the invention provides a musical instrument accessory comprising; attachment means sized and shaped to attach to and accompany any displacement of an instrument member of the kind which dependent upon its position influences the level of tuning of said instrument, and an arm which extends from said attachment means and abuts against said ihstrumep in order |o substantially prevent the displacement of said instrument member whilst the instrument is in use, further comprising one or more troughs extending a| least across tie top face of die accessory.

This solves the problem associated with conventional snare drams lor example, because it would prevent the snare drum bolts from loosening during use. The one or more troughs allows a user to employ an elastic band to securely wrap the band around the accessor}' and a portion of the snare drum in order to secure the accessory if necessary, particularly whememployed on the lower half of the drum.

In a further subsidiary aspect, the attachment means is so sized and shaped to form a trie bon grip onto; said instrument member. This would allow a secure attachment to be achieved whilst also allowing a user to release the accessory if needed. This corllgutation also avoids having to use mechanisms to secure the accessory to the bolt.

In a further subsidiary aspect, fee attachment means is a recess with a star-shaped contour. This world have the advantage,, popularly when used with a square bolt head to allow the accessory to adopt a large variety of positions so that the accessory may be fitted snugly against t|e instrument to prevent the bolt’s displacement las a further: subsidiary aspect, said star-shaped contour incorporates § plurality of triangular sections culminating in at least 6 outer most points.

In a further subsidiary aspect, said plurality of triangular sections culminate in 8 outer most points. This allows sufficiently numerous ]|g|pons to be adopted by the accessory against the instrument without requiring complex line adjustment mechanisms.

In a further subsidiary means incorporate a recess which is tapered from an innermost portion to an outermost portion. This would further improve the fitting ofthe attachment means.

In a further subsidiary aspect, the accessory further incorppraps one or more side troughs, flis would allow a us®· to employ m elastic band to securely wrap the band around the accessory and a portion of the snare dm® it order to secure the accessory if necessary particularly when employed on the lower half of the drum.

In a further subsidiary aspect, the side troughs join the troughs provided in said top surface and the junction between said troughs is radiused. This allows an elastic band to be maintained in close contact within the troughs without damaging the elastic band.

In a further subsidiary aspect, t|© attachment is light emitting. This would allow a user to immediately identify where the accessory is located, which would have particular benefits, bearing in mind that the lighting is often reduced when such instruments arc used. in a further subsidiary aspect, the arm has an abutting surface which is bowed. This would allow: a tight abutment to be achieved, particularly when considering that, fie surfaces of the instruments are ofitm curved.

In a further subsidiary' aspect, the accessory incorporates an inner solid bubble connected to the star shaped contour. This has the added benefit of helping the user to orientate the accessory.

In a further subsidiary aspect, the accessory is transparent. This allows the clastic band attachments to be seen clearly and further helps the us® to orientate die accessory onto the snare drum bolt. Furthermore it may be used to diffract light. hi a further subsidiary aspect, the side troughs are part efreti® 1® cross section will an : opening lor securing an elastic band; the opening being sized to allow die passage of said elastic band and its retention once in place. This would alloi/ the elastic band to be held in place more securely and would present the toomuch moveuierit or siding, la a further subsidiary aspect, the troughs located in the top of the #ce|soiy are; Substantial])' part rectangular in cross-section. This would allow the elastic band to be place flat along the. surface and increase the secureness.

Brief Description of the Figures

Figure 1 shows a top perspective view of the accessory.

Figure 2 shows a view from underneath the accessory.

Figure 3 shows a plan view from above of the accessory.

Figure;! shows a side view of the accessory

Figure 5 shows a. side view' of a light emitting musical instrument accessory.

Detailed Description of the Figures

Figure 1 shows a musical msteanent accessory generally referenced 3 with a single piece body 4. The body may he made out of polycarbonate plastic material The body may also be made out of a rigid metal or any other appropriate material selected by the person skilled in the aft; It is envisaged that the accessory may advantageously be transparent. Body 4 incorporates an arm 9 extending from the recess region of the body with a 90° bend 10 timaihating by a bowed abutting surface 11. A further recessed portion 12 or dimple 12 opposite bend 10 is provided, which has the advantage of allowing an operator to remove the accessory when necessary from, the drum bolt with greater case1 than would be the case without this recessed portion. iip accessory licorporaies a recess: 5 within base 6 shown in Figure 2. Recess: 5 has a contour 7 formed in the shape of a star with 8 outer most points such as point 8, A recess may fee sized and shaped to correspond with the size of a bolt head. The 8 points of the star-sl taped recess 5 allows the accessory to be fitted onto a bolt head at 8 different angular positions. The recess 5 acts as an attachment means because when it la placed over a bo If head any movement of the holt would result in a movement of the accessory. Recess § is slightly tapered from the base § ipwirds. In other words, the width of recess 5 reduces somewhat along its length in order to provide a tight fit with a plurality slightly different bolt sizes.

Figure 2 further shows additional circular recesses 2.1, 22 and 23 which provide farther connecting means, lire solid inner bubble or cavity 24 located in the centre of the accessory can also he seen. The bubble may be connected to one of the recesses mentioned above. M this embodiment, bubble 24 is adjacent to recess 5 and may be connected th ere to through a passage way.

Figuressisshswssthesaccessory from above and clearly shows the upper surface 18 of body 4. The upper surface 18 is rounded about its edges such as edge 19 and shows the troughs 13,15 extending across the accessory. Troughs 13, 15 are located in outer most regions of the body 4 and along the body 4. These troughs have, when viewed in cross section, a substantially circular shape with an opening 14. These troughs may be sized and shaped so: that the opening is slightly less than the conventional dimensions of an elastic band so that the elastic hand may be forced elastically through the opening 14 to be retained In the trough. In this embodiment there are 2 troughs 13 and 15, which extend entirely over the top face of the accessory and down along the sides. When the top portions of the troughs are viewed in cross-section their sides are substantially perpendicular to their lower surfaces 16.

In the side view: in Figure 4 it can bs seen that the junction 36 between the side trough and the Upjpr trough is radiused at lie mterseetion between the top portions and the side portions of the troughs, figure 5 shows an embodiment of the instrument, accessory which is light emitting, in the centre of the body 4, there is pro vided a light emitting diode 23 acting as a light emitter lowered by appropriate supply means 26, It is envisaged that the diode may be embedded into a translucent plastic material.

In a further subsidiary aspect, a musical instrument accessory may take the form of a body having an arm of sufficient length to engage the instrument and an attachment means in He form of a clamp which may be formed of a jaw of resilient material.

The attachment means may, instead of being a recess, be a projeclpn if the: bolt incorporates a recess for attachment. The attachment means may also incorporate a mechanical adjustable mechanism such as a jaw which may |e tightened by the use of a threaded member.

The scope of the invention is defined in the claims that now follow.

Claims

1, A musical instrument accessory comprising: attachment means sized and shaped to attach to and accompany any displacement of an Instrument member of the kind which dependent upon its position influences the level of tuning of said instrument; and an atm which extends from said attachment means and abuts against said instrument in order to substantially prevent the displacement of said instrument member whilst the: instrument is in use* said accessory further comprising one or more troughs extending at least across the top face of the accessory·

2. A musical instrument accessory according ίο claim 1, wherein said accessory incorporates a bottom surface with a recess corresponding to the contour of a bolt; and said recess is inwardly tapered.

3, A musical instrument accessory according to either claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the attachment means is so sized an! shaped to form a friction grip onto said instrument member,

4. A musical instrument accessory according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the attachment means is a recess with a star-shaped contour. ό, A musical instrument accessory according to claim 4, wherein said star-shaped contour incorporates a plurality of triangular sections culminating; in at least six outermost points.

6. A musical instrument accessory according to claim 5, wherein said plurality of triangular sections culminate in eight outermost points.

7. A musical instrument accessory according to any of the preceding Claims, further incorporating one or more side troughs.

8. A musical instrument accessory according to Claim 7 wherein said side troughs join the troughs provided in said top surface and the junction between said troughs is radiused.

9. A musical instrument accessory aeearding to any of the preceding claims, wherein the attachment i| light emitting.

10. A musical instrument acce|s#y: according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the ann has an abutting surface which is bowed.

11. A musical instrument accessory according to any of the preceding claims further incorporating an inner solid bubble.

12. A musical instrument accessory according to any of the preceding claims wherein th| accessory' is transparent,

13. A musical instrument accessory according to any one of claims 7 to 12, wherein said side troughs are part circular ih crosssseetion with an opening for receitang an elastic band; said opening being sized to allow the passage of said elastic band and its retention once in pla.ee. 1|, A musical instrument, accessory according to any of the preceding Claims wherein said troughs located in the top face of the accessory ire substantially part, rectangular in cross-section.

15. A musical instrument accessory substantially # iereinbefeti described with; reference to and/or as illustrated in any appropriate combination of the accompanying text and/or drawing.