US2241750A - Foot-operable attachment for trombones - Google Patents

Description

y 1941- w. H. STRANE 2,241,750

FOOT-OPERABLE ATTACHMENT FOR TROMBONES- Filed Aug. 20, 1940 IIIW ulllllll [/7 men 7 0/- Patented May 13, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FOOT-OPERABLE ATTACHMENT FOR TROMBONES 12 Claims.

This invention, a foot-operable attachment for trombones, is designed for novelty acts and particularly for persons who have lost the use of their hands or who have one or both hands missing.

There are many persons who are thus alilicted and who have a desire to play musical instruments but who are unable to manipulate the controls, and this invention provides a means whereby they will be enabled to play the trombone with a high degree of skill; in fact, it is possible through the medium of this invention for a person who has neither of his arms and. only one foot, to play the trombone.

As to novelty acts in theatres, a person having both feet and both hands can learn to play several instruments simultaneously, such as piano and trombone; trombone and trap drums; trombone, violin and base drum, and various other combinations: To illustrate; for the trombone,

violin and base drum combination, the mall for the base drum is operated by one foot, the slide of the trombone is operated by the other foot, and the violin is played by the use of both hands.

The objects of the invention are as follows:

First; to provide a foot-operable device for trombones in which specific movements of the foot of the player moves the slide of the trombone to its various positions.

Second; to provide a device of the type outlined with which a person who is devoid of the use of their hands can operate the slide of the trombone by the use of one of their feet.

Third; to provide a device as outlined in which a trombone can be operated by one foot so as to leave the other foot and the hands free to play other instruments simultaneously.

Fourth; to provide a device as outlined which can be mounted in cooperative relation to a person playing a piano so as to permit simultaneous playing of both instruments.

In describing the invention reference will be made to the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a side sectional elevation through the invention and applied to a grand piano which is indicated in dotted lines.

Fig. 2 is a section taken on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the trombone support and corresponds to a view taken on line 33 of i Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary section taken on line 4'4 of Fig. 1 and illustrates the slide-operating foot treadle.

" Fig; 5'diagrammatically illustrates fragmentarily a modification of the operating connection between the slide and treadle when the device is not intended for operation in connection with a piano.

The invention consists of a trombone supporting frame H), a support I l for the trombone supporting frame; a slide-operating foot treadle l2, and an operative connection l3 between the treadle I2 and slide [4 of the trombone l5.

The drawing illustrates an attachment which is specifically designed for use in connection with a grand piano I6 in which the treadle frame I! is located under the piano, and the main supporting pedestal is offset to clear the center le or pedal drop of the piano. This type of attachment is arranged for simultaneous playing of the piano and the trombone.

The trombone I5 is secured onto the trombonesupporting frame by suitable means such as the clamps indicated at l9 with the mouthpiece of the trombone suitably positioned for convenience in playing while the piano keyboard is being fingered, indicated at 2 I.

The trombone supporting frame consists of side members 22 and a head member 23. A sheave 24 is rotatably mounted in the frame near the head end 23, and the toe end 25 of the frame is detachably secured to the pedestal arm 26 as indicated at 21.

The foot treadle supporting frame I! is detachably secured to the-pedestal I8 as indicated at 28 and the treadle I2 is pivotally supported in this frame at 29.

The head end of the trombone supporting frame is supported by a pedestal 30 which is suitably attached to the piano.

The operative connection between the slide of the trombone and the treadle consists of a flexible element such as a cord or cable 3| one end of which is attached to the cross-bar 32 of the slide I4 as indicated at 33 and which then passes about the sheave 24 and thence under and about the sheave 34, thence about the sheaves 35 and 36, thence about the sheaves 31 and 38, with the other end of the element attached to the toe end 39 of the treadle; a suitable key 40 such as is used on some types of string instruments being provided for adjusting the tension of the cable and the relative adjustment of slide and treadle.

A second cord or cable 4| is attached to the return bend of the slide as indicated at 42 and passes over a twin sheave 24 and thence under the sheave 43, thence over sheave 44 and sheave 45 to the free end 39 of the treadle where it is adjustable by means of the key 46.

A heel cup 41 and a toe cup 48 are mounted on the treadle in the region of the pivotal mounting for the treadle. The heel cup positions the .foot of the musician and the toe cup forms a clasp so that the musician can freely control the operation of the treadle for both, up and down movements for opposite movements of the slide of the trombone.

It will be noted that when the treadle is depressed by the toe the slide will be drawn out, and when the treadle is raised by the toe the slide will be retracted, and that the degree of movement of the treadle governs the relative position of the slide, so that the slide is operated by the foot of the musician in the same manner as is customarily done by hand.

The design of the supporting frame can be modified to suit any combination of instruments as well as for armless musicians. For armless players the arm 26 can be omitted and the support 30 can be extended to the floor. With such an arrangement the operative connection is simplified in that the cords 3! and 4| both pass over the tail sheave 24 and thence about the sheave 31, and respectively about sheaves 38 and 45, thus eliminating the sheaves 35, 23, and it, since the right-angle runs of the cord are eliminated.

It will be understood that the operative connection is not limited to a flexible element, since a linkage could be substituted, however the cords have proven the most satisfactory and are therefore preferred in view of their egligible weight.

It will be understood that variations in construction and arrangement of parts, which variations are consistent with the appended claims, may be resorted to without detracting from the spirit or scope of the invention, or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

I claim:

1. A trombone slide operating device comprising a support for supporting a trombone in playing position relative to the keyboard of a piano; a foot treadle carried by said support, and operative connections between the treadle and said slide for operation of the slide in conformity with opposite movements of the treadle.

2. A structure as defined in claim 1 in which said treadle has a heel positioning element and a toe clasp for maintaining an exact position of the foot of a player on the treadle for precise and complete control of the slide with varying movements of the treadle.

3. A structure as defined in claim 1 in which said operative connections comprises cords having each one end respectively attached to the trombone slide and the other of their ends respectively attached to the free end of the treadle with the respective cords operating over sheaves located in opposite relations to said free end.

4. A foot-operable attachment for controlling and operating the slide of a trombone comprising; a supporting frame and means for attaching a trombone to the top thereof and in operative relation for playing the instrument; a foot treadle having a toe clasp and a heel-positioning element and pivotally supported by said frame in a plane below said top, and having a free end beyond said toe clasp; and an operative connection between said free end of said treadle and the slide for operating the slide in conformity with varying operations of said treadle.

5. A foot-operable attachment for controlling and operating the slide of a trombone comprising; a frame including a support and means for securing a trombone th reto in playing position; a foot treadle pivotally mounted in said frame below said support and having a free end, a heel positioning element, and a toe clasp, for positive control of the treadle; a flexible element for attachment to the slide of a trombone and extend ing in opposite directions and operating over a system of sheaves and fixed to the free end of said treadle and approaching said free end from opposite directions for opposite movements of the slide created by opposite movements of the treadle.

6. A foot-operable attachment for control and operation of the slide of a trombone comprising; a frame including a support and securing means for securing a trombone, and first and second sheaves mounted respectively at the respective ends of the support and consisting of a head end and a toe end; a foot treadle pivotally mounted adjacent one of its ends in said frame in a plane below said support and having its other end free, and a toe clasp and a heel positioning cup mounted on said treadle in the vicinity of the pivotal mounting; a third sheave mounted in said frame in a plane below said free end, and a fourth sheave mounted in said frame and located in a plane above said free end; and two flexible bands having their respective ends attached to said free end and attachable to the slide of a trombone and operating respectively about said first, second and third sheaves, and, about said second, third and fourth sheaves, for operations of the slide in conformity with up and down operations of said foot treadle.

'7. An attachment for controlling and operating th slide of a slide instrument comprising; a sup port and means for securing the instrument in playing position; a frame for said support; a foot treadle having .a free end and mounted in said frame below said support and having a heel-positioning element and a toe clasp for positive control of the treadle for vertical reciprocatory movement; said treadle being pivoted to said frame with the pivot located in close relation below said heel-positioning element and toe clasp; sheaves mounted at each end of said support and lower and upper sheaves mounted in said frame respectively in a plane below and above said treadle; and two flexible bands op erating respectively over the sheaves at the respective ends of said support and over the respective lower and upper sheaves and connected at one end to the free end of said treadle and with the other end attachable to the slide, whereby opposite movements of the treadle creates opposite movements of the slide.

8. A structure as defined in claim 7 in which said support is attached at its rear to said frame; a supporting member for the forward end supportable on the front portion of a grand piano; said frame including a standard extending to a plane greater than the height of the piano and to which said support is attached, and a base having a height less than the plane of the underside of the piano, to provide for locating the instrument and the treadle in operative relation and in suitable relation to the keyboard of the piano for simultaneous playing of the instrument and the piano.

9. An attachment for operating the slide of a slide instrument comprising; a support having a front end and a rear end and securing means for securing an instrument to the support in playing position; a standard having said rear end attached to and supported adjacent the lipper end thereof; a base spaced below said support and having said standard extending upwardly from the rear end thereof; a foot treadle having a free end, and having its non-free end pivoted at the front end of said base and having a heel-positioning element and a toe clasp for positive positioning of the foot of a player and positive actuation of said treadle for vertical reciprocation; and operable connections between said free end and the slide for substantially horizontal reciprocation of the slide.

10. A structure as defined in claim 9; said base being ofiset from the vertical relative to said support to clear the pedal drop of a grand piano when the support is supported on the top of the piano and in substantially mid-position of the keyboard and the base extends under the piano.

11. A structure as defined in claim 9; said operative connections comprising; flexible elements each having one end attached to said free end and the other end attachable to a slide; sheaves mounted at each end of said support and an upper sheave mounted in a plane above, and a lower sheave mounted in a plane below the pivotal end of said treadle; said flexible elements respectively passing about the sheaves at the respective ends of said support and continuing thence to said free end, whereby reverse operations of said treadle creates reverse operations of said flexible elements for reciprocation of the slide.

12. A structure as defined in claim 9; said operative connections comprising; a front sheave mounted at the front end and .a rear sheave and a secondary sheave mounted at the rear end of said support; an upper sheave mounted in a plane above and a lower sheave mounted in a plane below the pivotal plane of said treadle; two cables each having one end attached to the free end of said treadle and respectively passing about said lower and upper sheaves and about said secondary and front sheave, and about said rear sheave; the other end of cable having attaching means for attachment to a slide; the attachment for the said one end of each cable comprising an adjusting device mounted adjacent the end of said free end and manually adjustable for ad usting the tension of each cable individually.

WILEY H. STRANE.

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