US1272583A - Mandolin-support. - Google Patents

Description

J. F. VRUBEL. MANDOLIN SUPPORT. APPLICATION man 0:20.31. 1911.

A [rive/7 far W 74 W 4 Affarheg Patented July 16, 1918.

JOSEPH F. VBUBEL, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

MANDOLIN-SUPPORT.

Application filed December 31, 1917.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH F. VRUBEL, a citizen of Russia, residing at Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Mandolin- Supports, of which the following is a specification.

When playing a mandolin or similar musical instrument, the strings of which are picked, it is customary to rest the bowl of the instrument in a pocket formed by the limbs and lower portion of the body of the player and to force it tightly against the abdomen with the left hand which grasps the neck, so that the sounding board will not turn, but will remain in the desired plane as the strings are picked by the player with the right hand. This not only causes a tiresome strain on the muscles of the body of the player, but it restricts the movements of the left hand along the neck and puts the muscles of the fingers of that hand under tension and thus interferes with the desired free fingering of the strings when playing.

The object of this invention is to provide a device which will support an instrument of this character in such manner as to relieve the player from the necessity of tightly gripping the neck and holding the bowl closely against the body, and thus relieve the player from discomfort and leave the fingering hand free, the said device being simple, compact and convenient; adjustable for various sizes and shapes of instruments; and capable of holding the instrument rigid with the sounding board in the most convenient plane, and yet allowing the instrument to at any time be lifted free from the support and manipulated for performing any desired fancy playing movements.

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings shows a side elevation of the device illustrating its use. Fig. 2 shows an end view looking at the clamp post. Fig. 3 shows on larger scale a side elevation, with parts in section, of the post that is provided with a pad which is used to support the bowl of the instrument underneath the neck. Fig. 4 is a similar View of the post which is provided with a clamp that is fastened to the tail piece of the instrument.

The support has a base 1 that is hollowed out on its underside so as to fit over the thighs of the player. This base may be formed of wood or metal and it is preferably covered on the bottom and sides with soft Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 16, 1918.

Serial No. 209,748.

fabric, such as plush or leather. Fastened on top of the base is a plate 2 and secured to this plate are lugs 3 and 4.. Pivoted to the lugs 3 is the lower end of a tubular post 5, the upper end of which has a set screw 6. Fitted so it may rotate and slide in the tubular post and be clamped in desired location by the set screw is a rod 7. Articulated to the upper end of the post is a pad 8 that is desirably overed with plush, leather or other soft fabric. The post which carries the pad is so pivoted to the attachmg lug that the post with the pad may be folded down against the top of the base, and when fully opened up it will incline slightly toward the other end of the base and so hold the pad that it will assume the correct position to fit itself to the bowl of the instrument under the neck, as illustrated in Fig. 1.

Jointed to the lugs a is a tubular post 9. Loosely fitting in the upper end of this post is a stem 10 jointed to which is a block 11. Pivoted to the upper end of this block is a sheet metal clamp plate 12, this clamp be ing secured in the desired angular relation to the block by means of a thumb screw 13 which is threaded into the hub 14 of the clamp and turns against the block. The upper and lower edges of the clamp, which is formed of spring sheet metal, are bent so that they will hook onto and grip the tail piece of the instrument. A portion 15 of the clamp is bent into U-form and to one limb of this bent portion a stud 1G is fastened. This stud extends through the other limb of the bent portion of the clamp and on the threaded upper end is a thumb screw 17. A spring 18 may be placed between the links of the bent portion of the clamp to force them apart. V hen the clamp is placed over the tail piece or other part of the instrument this thumb screw 17 may be turned down so as to compress the bent portion and draw the ends of the clamp tightly onto the tail piece.

The pad may be lifted or lowered as is necessary in order to support the neck end of the instrument at the desired height, or to fit instruments of difierent sizes, that is, if the instrument is of small size the pad would be raised, if the instrument is of large size the pad would be lowered. After being adjusted as to height the pad is rotated to the necessary position to properly conform to the underside of the instrument and form a firm support, then the set screw 6 is tightened so as to hold the pad in the desired location. The clamp is attached to the tail piece and secured by turning the thumb screw 17, and after the clamp has been turned to the necessary position for properly supporting-the instrument it is set in that position by tightening the clamp screw 13. As the clamp is free to swing back and forth on the joint which connects it with the stem it will assume the necessary position toward or from the pad end of the support for properly holding the instrument. lVhen the device is not in use the pad and clamp may be folded down close against the top of the base, as indicated by dotted lines on Fig. 1. In this condition the structure is compact and can be packed for transportation in a small case. hen the device is to be used the pad and the clamp are turned up and adjusted so as to properly support the instrument and hold it with the sounding board at the angle which the player considers most desirable. If it is desired while playing to lift the instrument and swing it, or perform other evolutions, it may be simply lifted up for it is free from the pad and the stem which supports the clamp is free to be lifted out of the post which carries it, the clamp itself remaining attached to the instrument.

The invention claimed is; 1. A mandolin support consisting of a base shaped to rest upon the thighs of a player, a post lunged to the base near each end so as to swing up from and down toward the base, a pad attached to the free end of one post, a stem detaehably connected to the other post, and a clamp adjustably attached "to said stem, said clamp having means for securing it to the tailpiece of a mandolin,

2. A mandolin support conslstlng of a base shaped to rest upon the thighs, of a player, a post hinged to the base near each upon the free end of said rod, a stem de-- tachably connected to the other post, and a clamp attached to said stem, said clamp being designed to grip the tail piece of a mandolin.

3. A mandolin support consisting of a base shaped to rest upon the thighs of a player, a post hinged to the base near-each end so as to swing up from and down toward the base, a rod carried by and adjustable longitudinally of one post, means for securing the rod in adjusted position, a pad swiveled upon the free end of said rod, a stem detachably connected to the other post, and a spring clamp pivotally attached to said stem, said clamp having means for Se curing it to the tail piece of a mandolin.

JOSEPH F. VRUBEL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. j

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