US2517896A - Stand attachment for musical instruments - Google Patents

Description

g 1950 v. J. LAWRENCE V 2,517,896

STAND ATTACHMENT FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Filed Jan. 7, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet l ii? I as 1- Y $4, 4.2 I I 24- I '1 ji -TI All. ATTORNEY Aug. 8, 1950 v. J. LAWRENCE STAND ATTACHMENT FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 7, 1949 Patented 8, 1950 UNITED OFFICE STAND ATTACHMENT FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Victor Joseph Lawrence, Pittsburgh, Pa.

Application January 7, 1949, Serial No. 69,715

8 Claims.

My invention relates to stands for musical instruments such as guitars and the like for sup-- porting them on a substantially horizontal surface at a predetermined angle to the erect posi tion. It is an improvement in stand attachments disclosed in my co-pending application Serial No. 41,764, filed on July 31, 194.8.

The improvement of my present invention over the previously disclosed one is generally that the bracket mounted on the musical instrumentis shaped to form a pair of" supporting legs represented by two protruding. and sufiiciently spaced apart heels to serve as astand support and. also carrying hingedly a fol'dable plate with two spreadable legs mounted thereon, together with positioning means for making these legs establish additional support areas spaced apart still further than those of the heels of the bracket and at suitable distance from them for establishing adequate support for, and insuring stable equilibrium of the instrument.

My present invention also obviates the clawbacks existing with conventional stands requiring. slow and careful handling of the instrument when placing it on a separate conventional stand, the retention of the instrument on the conventional stand by gravity only, which is inadequate, the relative ease by which the instrument may be dislodged and toppled ove from such a stand and the necessity of carrying the conventional stand separately and outside of'the case of the instrument.

These and other drawbacks I discussed in more detail in my above mentioned pending application, hence it will not be necessary to elaborate on them here again. It should be suificient to say that my present invention obviates these and other drawbacks by-providing a stand attachment which is firmly securable to the instrument to be supported and in the folded position is protruding relatively little therefrom so that the instrument can be played conveniently while the stand attachment is fixed thereto, it can be folded and unfolded with ease by the player and placed, mounted on the instrument, with it in its case so that it need not be carried separately.

Hence one object of my invention is to provide a stand attachment for musical instruments such as guitars and the like which is firml but releasably mounted on the instrument, has a mounting bracket of laterally suihciently extending base portion constituting a pair of supporting legs of suitable stability and which carries hingedly mounted thereon a plate having spreadable legs and positioning means for operating them.

Another object is to provide a device of the character described in which a bracket, adapted to be secured to the instrument, hingedly carries a plate provided with two spreadable legs, guide means for directing them into the desired positions, positioning means to operate them manually and stop means for limiting the end positions of the plate as well as those of the spreadable legs.

Another object is to provide an apparatus of the type set forth which is securely attachable to the instrument and foldable into the space in close proximity thereto sov that the instrument may be played and/or stored in its case with the device mounted thereon.

Another object is to provide a stand attachment for musical instruments which has supporting legs equipped with resilient caps giving elastic and safe support to the instrument and.

guard against injury of the user.

Another object is to provide a stand attachment of simple construction, reliable operation which is inexpensive to manufacture.

The accomplishment of these and other objects will become clear when reading the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is the vertical side view of the first embodiment of my invention chiefly in section, the stand attachment being shown in folded position fastened to a guitar broken away;

Fig. 2 is the elevational view of this first embodiment in folded position, as seen from the rear side that is toward the musician playing the instrument; the spreadable legs are also shown in dot and dash lines in spreaded position;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the device attached to the instrument shown set up upon a substantially horizontal surface;

Fig. 4 is the plan view of the bracket alone as viewed from below.

Fig. 5 is the rear view partiall in section, of the hinged plate and the spreadable legs mounted thereon as cut away from the bracket on broken line 5--5 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is the partial side view, partly in section, of a modified form of the device in which. the threaded fulcrum pin carrying the spreadable legs is lockable by a coacting nut;

Fig. '7 is the side view, partly in section, of another embodlment of the invention in which the device is attached. to a musical instrument by means such as wood screws and i shown in erected position on a substantially horizontal surface; in dot and dash line is indicated the contracted position of the spreadable legs as well in erect as in the folded positions;

Fig. 8 is a fragmental view, partly in section, of the detached bracket taken on line 8-8 in Fig. '7;

Fig. 9 is the front elevational view of this other embodiment in which the bracket is partially broken away and partiall cut away on the broken line 9--9 in Fig. 7

Fig. 10 is the rear elevational view of this device bracket 20.

in folded position the spreadable legs being shown in their spreaded position by clot and dash lines; Fig. 11 is a partial sectional View of a modified spreadable leg having a circumferential groove and carrying a resilient cap shown to be made from rubber;

' Fig. 12 is a partial-sectional view of the modified spreadable leg and its resilient cap taken on line l2--I2 inFig. 11;

Fig. 13 is a partial sectional view of a bracket having a base portion with modified heel carrying a circumferential groove to retainthe bead of a resilient cap shown to be made from rubber;

Fig. 14 is a sectional view taken on broken line I 4-l4 in Fig. 13.

Identical parts are designated by the same numerals throughout the several figures of the drawing.

Referring closer to Figures 1 to illustrating the first embodiment of my invention, the bracket generally designated by 20 has an upright portion 22, sidewardly extending base portion 24 having two heels 26 protruding therefrom downwardly,

and bottom portion 28 which is substantially perpendicular to base portion24, and upright portion 22. As best seen in Fig. 4 bottom portion 28 carries a centrally disposed preferably open end slot 30. Bracket 20 is shown to be made from sheet material which may be metal, plastic, etc. It may be conveniently punched out of a sheet in form of a suitable blank the bottom portion 28 being formed by bending a corresponding extension of' upright portion 22 at 90 in forward direction which is that toward the instrument to which it will be attached. The heels 26 are sufficiently spaced apart to define a baseline of suitable length for safe support. The heels serve also the purpose to bridge over possible unevenness of the supporting surface. As best shown in Fig. 1 slot 30 accommodates attachment means such as screw 32 which is inserted in hole 34 conventionally provided in base beam, 36 and bottom wall 38 of guitar 4!] to be supported. Washers 42 of suitable resilient and relatively soft material such as fibre plastic, etc., serve to distribute the gripping pressure upon the instrument without crushing or injuring the affected portions thereof. Nut 44, shown to be a wing nut to dispense with the necessity of a wrench at the assembly, coacting with washer 46, fixes with sufficient frictional force the instrument 4!] to bottom portion 28 of bracket 20 preferably in a position in which rear wall 4| of instrument 40 abuts liner 48. Liner 48, made from rubber, felt, leather, and the like elastic and relatively soft material, is fastened by any approved means such as rivets 50, shown, to bracket 20 and serves as padding to prevent any damage to the instru ment which may result from fastening it to' Bottom portion 28 and slot 3!]: are suitably dimensioned to acommodate a variety of instruments of different dimensions. Instead of rivets 50, liner 48 may be fastened to bracket 20 with screws, staples, suitable cement, adhesive layer, etc. Screw 32 is shown to be solid but it may be tubular to accommodate conductors (not shown) of an electric pickup device employed in so called electric guitars. Instead of screw 32 a. stud with a suitable nut may also be employed.

Fixed to, or integral with, the upper region of upright portion 22 and protruding therefrom rearwardly are lugs 52 carrying fulcrum pin 54 retained by conventional means such as cotter pin 56 for oscillatably mounting plate 58 that has fixed thereto, or integral therewith, cam 66 on its upper central portion. At its lower region plate 58 carries two stirrups substantially symmetrically disposed to its center line and suitably spaced apart. I V I As best seen in Fig. 1 cam 60 haskoperative surfaces 64, '65" and 68 suitable angular and dimensional relationship. Flat spring if! fixed to upright portion 22 by any approved means such as rivets 72, shown, has suitable shape to coact with surface 64 of cam 60 in folded position of plate 58 tending to retain it in this position in which it is substantially parallel to upright portion 22.

As shown in Fig. 3 spring ill also coacts with surface 66 and retains it resiliently after plate 58 (and with it cam 60 is turned by a predetermined angle rearwardly at which angle surface 68 contacts upright portion 22 of bracket 20 positively stopping its further rearward oscillation.

Plate 58 is provided with central slot l2 extending from the upper region of plate 58 to its lower region in which slot pin 16 is slidingly reciprocably accommodated. Pin l8 oscillatably carries two spreadable legs 18 and has at both ends suitable heads all and 82 having appropriate shoulders 84 and 86 for retaining pin it and with it legs 18 at all times in sliding contact with plate 58. The head at the rear end of pin 16 is preferably shaped as a knob shown to be riveted to pin 16 and having shoulder 84 reaching over the width of slot 74 slidingly contacting plate 58. The head 82 at the front end of pin 16 is preferably disk-shaped forming shoulder 86 slidingly contacting one of the spreadable legs l8. Fixed to the head 82 and protruding toward the front therefrom is a stop member shown to be spherically ended dog 88 made of relatively resilient, compressible, vibration and sound absorbing material, such as rubber, impregnated fabric, felt, fibre, plastic, etc. Each of the spreadable legs i8 is milled to half thickness adjacent to fulcrum pin 16 so that they may be oscillated on each other when both are insliding contact with plate 58.

Upright portion 22 is provided with an aperture 90 of suitable shape and location for snugly receiving and by friction retaining therein dog 88 when plate 58 is in folded position and knob 89 is in, respectively close to its top position. The spreadable legs 78 are retained at all times in sliding contact with plate 58 by pin 76 and by stirrups B2.

The first embodiment operates as follows:

For fastening the stand attachment to a musical instrument, such as a guitar 4D, screw 32 carrying washer 42 is'inserted into hOle 34 of the guitar 40 and bracket 2!! with its upright portion 22 and liner 48 is placed adjacent to the central lower portion of the rear wall 4! of the instrument so that the threaded end of screw 32 with loosened wing nut v44 protrudes through washer 42, line 48, slot 30 and washer46 from bottom portion 28 of bracket 20. Subsequently wing nut 44 is tightened developing suitable friction between the instrument, the Washers, the liner and bottom portion 28 to fix the bracket 28 securely to the instrument during use as well as storage thereof inits case.

To place the attachment in folded position, the operator, holding with one hand the instrument, pushes with his other hand knob Bil close to its top position shifting spreadable legs upwardly substantially within the projection of plate 58 and simultaneously swinging plate 58 into parallel alignment with upright portion 22 of bracket 20. Dog 88,. due; to. the. guiding effect of, its

rounded endportion, .is pressed into aperture 90 in .whiclrit is retainedby friction and also by the urge of spring 10 contacting flat surface 64 of cam 6i); and resiliently; opposingoscillation of plate 58.

To place the device. inunfoldedposition, ready to support the. instrument on a .substantially horizontal surface suchas the floor, podium, stage, shelve, etc., the. operator getshold of: knob 80 pulls it.rearwardlyoscillatin thev plate 58 against the resilientretaining force of. spring I out of theparallel and-into an.-angular positionrelative to" upright portion 22. as determined by surface 68 of cam 8-8 that contactsthe rear surface of upright ZZ-limiting the rearward swing ofplate.

vertical projection of the centerrof gravity of the combined instrument and stand. The weightof the instrument urgingthe legs lainto their outermost spreaded-position as determined by their contact points with stirrups 62 and the end of central slot id forming a downward stop for pin it will retainlegs 78 in their'spreaded position.

Fig, 6 shows a modification of the first embodiment of my invention consisting in employing screv 92 to fulcrum spreadable-legs. l8. Screw 92 has a threaded end portion and prismatic or flattened portion 94 that slidingly fits into slot 2 3 preventingturning and head 96 towhich dog 88 is rigidly fastened. Wing. nut $38 coacts. with threaded portion of screw 82- and. serves to tighten spreadable legs 38 to plate 58 by, friction selectively in their folded, respectively spreaded positions constituting an added means for locking legs "I8. Washer 99 (shown in dot and dash lines), preferably of material having highfrictional coefficienu may be inserted between wingnut Q8 and plate 58 for added security.

The operation of this modified form is substantially the same asthat of the first embodiment except that wing nut QBis-released and tightened before, respectively after, setting spreadable legs I8.

Figures '7 to 10 show another embodiment of my invention.

As best shown in Figures 7. and 8, the bracket, generally designated by I05, has upright portion I02, base portion I94 sidewardly protruding therefrom carrying downwardly extending spaced apart heels I06, and bottom portion I08 whichis substantially perpendicular to upright portion I92 abutting forwardly therefrom. and is pro.- vided with suitable attachment meanssuch as holes I09 andscrews Ill) to fasten'itto the instrumentI I2.

Lugs 52, rigidly fixedto,orintegralwith, and.

region cam IIS. This cam is fixed to, or integral with, plate He and has threeoperative surfaces H8, I26 and; I22 in suitable angular and.dimen-- sional. relationship. for coaction with resilient means. such as fiat spring I24 and with a rear ward surface of; upright portion 0235 119118111- after described in detail.

Spring I213 is rigidly attached to upright portion Ie2,.by any approved means such as rivets. I23, shown. Aperture I25 in upright I02 admitspart of spring I24 to. reduce the space needed for the device. A central slot M extends fromthe upperto the lower region of'plate I I4 and reciprocably mounts pin I26 that oscillatably carries two spreadable legs I28 and has a preferably flat.

head. I 3il at one end and knob I32 at its otherencl limiting'spreadable legs I23 into sliding contact: with plate H4. One of legs I28'is suitablybent.

Plate IM has two pairsof outer and inner apertures in its lower region which are suitably. spaced apart and the developed blanks of which are shown indot and dash lines on the right hand side of Fig. 9. Each pair of the apertures consists of one substantially U-shaped outer aperture I34 surrounding from 3 sides an inner aperture I36 that equals substantially the cross sec-- tional area of" one spreadable leg I28. The two flaps determined by the outer apertures are bent forwardly at at the line between the end. points of the legs of the U-shaped outer" aper tures !34 so that the inner apertures I36 admit.

the spreadable legs when they slidingly contact plate H4 thereby serving as guides for the legs.

The fulcrum pin I26 is shown to be the same type as "Iii-of the first embodiment (but may be in Fig. 10 the upright portion I02 carries stop 139 which is made preferably of resi ient, soundand vibration absorbing material, such as rubber, plastic, felt, impregnated fabric, etc., havingsuitableshape to be wedged with resilient pressure the space between the spreadable legs in their folded or upper position pressing them against the outer sides of inner apertures I36 preventing their vibration and rattling. Stop I38 .is rigidlytfixed to upright portion IE2 by any approved means of attachment, such as by rivets I39, shown. Stop I38 acts as a cushion and I refer to it also as such.

Resilient, relatively soft liner i33, made of rubber, felt, fabric, plastic, etc., is interposed be-- upon resilient stop or cushion I38.

Figures 11 and 12 are cross sectional views of a modified form of spreadable legs designated by M0 each leg carrying at its end portion a circumferential groove I42 mounting bead I44 of resilient cap Hi6 which may be made of rubber, rubberized fabric, etc. for elastically supporting the stand, absorbing sound and vibration, increasing the friction to prevent slipping and for preventing injury to the operator during handling.

Cap I46 has somewhat smaller inner dimensions than the corresponding ones of legs I40 so that the'caps are expanded during mounting and exert resilient compression upon the legs on which thecaps are retained. by friction and also bybead Mlioccupying groove Hi2.

' i igures'ls and Mare cross sectional views of theiheels of a modified base portion, designated by I -8, of a bracket. Heels I50 have each. a circumferential groove 152 for engaging bead 854 of resilient cap I56 which is of similar material and has'the same action and purpose than those of previously described cap I46.

Having described and illustrated preferred embodiments of my invention it will be understood that several changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, hence I do not intend to-be limited by these illustrative embodiments but only by the appended claims.

-'What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

*1; A bracket having liner means to prevent Wearing of the object to which it is attached, attachment means releasably fixing said bracket to said object, a plate oscillatably attached to said bracket, a plurality of spreadable legs on said plate, positioning means thereon, guidemeans on said plate keeping said legs in Sliding contact withi aid plate, and stop means acting upon said legs limiting their motion in folded as .well as in'spreaded position, said bracket having an upright portion, a base portion crosswise extendingtherefrom carrying two spaced apart, downwardly protruding heels, and a slotted bottom portion perpendicularly disposed thereto, and

said positioning means including a central slotv running in up-and down direction in said plate, and a fulcrum pin oscillatably mounting said legs and reciprocably arranged in said slot.

2. A bracket having liner means to prevent wearing of the object to which it is attached, attachment means releasably fixing said bracket to said object, a plate oscillatably attached to said bracket, a plurality of spreadable legs on said plate, positioning means thereon, guide means on said plate keeping said legs in sliding contact with said plate and stop means acting upon said legs, limiting their motion in folded as well as in spreaded position, aid bracket having an.

upright portion, a base portion crosswise extending therefrom carrying two spaced apart, downwardly protruding heels, and a slotted bottom portion perpendicularly disposed thereto, and said positioning means including a central slot running in up-and down direction in said plate, a'fulcrum pin oscillatably mounting said legs and reciprocably arranged in said slot, said guide means including two stirrups rigidly fixed to the bottom region of said plate protruding therefrom sufiiciently' to encircle free fiittingly each one of said legs, and said stop means including a dog fixed to said fulcrum pin and a correspondingly shaped aperture suitably located in said upright portion retaining said dog in the folded position of said plate when said legs are in contracted position.

3. A bracket having liner means to prevent wearing of the object to which it is attached, attachment means releasably fixing said bracket to said object, a plate oscillatably attached to said bracket, a plurality of spreadable legs on said plate, positioning means thereon, guide means on said plate keeping said legs in sliding contact with said plate and stop means acting upon said legs limiting their motion in folded as well as in spreaded position, said bracket having an upright portion, a base portion crosswise extending therefrom carrying two spaced apart, downwardly protruding heels, and a slotted bottom portion perpendicularly disposed thereto and said posiin -up-and.down direction in said plate, a fulcrum pin oscillatabl mounting 'said legs and reciprocably arranged in said slot, said guide means including two flaps substantially perpendicularly protruding from the bottom region of said p-late'a'nd each'c'ontaining an aperture free fittingly encircling one of said legs, and said stop means includinga cushion fixed to said upright portionand adapted to be wedged between said legs in their contracted position when said plate is foldedtoward said upright portion.

4. Abracket having linermeans to prevent wearing of the object to which it is attached, attachment means releasably fixing said bracket to said object; a plate oscillatably attached to said bracket, a plurality of spreadable legs on said plate, positioning means thereon, guide means. on said plate keeping said legs in sliding contact with said plate and stop means acting upon said legs limiting their motion in folded as well as in spreaded position, said bracket having an upright portion, a base portion crosswise extending therefrom carrying two spaced apart, downwardly protruding heels, and a bottom portion perpendicularly disposed thereto, and said positioning means including a cam fixed to said plate, a spring fixed to said bracket and coacting with suitable surface portions of said cam for resiliently retaining it in folded and in unfolded positions, respectively, of said plate, a central slot running in up-and down direction in said plate, and 'a fulcrum pin reciprocably arranged in said slot and oscillatably mounting said legs.

5. A bracket having liner means to prevent wearing of the object to which it is attached, attachment means releasably fixing said bracket to said object, a plate oscillatably attached to said bracket,- a plurality of spreadable legs on said plate, positioningmeans thereon, guide means on said plate keeping said legs in sliding contact with said plate and stop means acting upon said legs limiting their motion in folded as 'well as in spreaded position, said bracket having an upright portion, a base portion crosswise extending therefrom carrying two spaced apart, downwardly protruding heels, and a bottom portion perpendicularly disposed thereto, said positioning means including a cam fixed to said plate, a spring fixed to said bracket and coasting with suitable surface portions of said cam for resiliently retaining it in folded and unfolded positions, respectively, of said plate, a central slot running in up-and down direction in said plate, and a fulcrum pin reciprocably arranged in said slot and oscillatably mounting said legs, said guide means including two stirrups rigidly fixed to the bottom region of said plate protruding therefrom sufficiently to encircle free fittingly each one of said legs and said stop means including a dog fixed to said fulcrum pin and a correspondingly shaped aperture suitably located in said upright portion retaining said dog in the folded position of said plate when said legs are in contracted position.

6. A bracket having liner means to prevent wearing of the object to which it is attached, attachment means releasably fixing said bracket to said object, a plate oscillatably attached to said bracket, a plurality of spreadable legs on said plate, positioning means thereon, guide means on said plate keeping said legs in sliding contact with said plate and stop means acting upon said legs limiting their motion in folded as well-as in spreaded position; said bracket having an upright portion, a base portion crosswise extending therefrom carrying two spaced apart, downwardly protruding heels, and a bottom portion perpendicularly disposed thereto, said positioning means including a cam fixed to said plate, a spring fixed to said bracket and coacting with suitable surface portions of said cam for 'resiliently retaining it in folded and unfolded positions, respectively, of said plate, a central slot running in up-and down direction in said plate, and a fulcrum pin reciprocably arranged in said slot and oscillatably mounting said legs, said guide means including two flaps substantially perpendicularly protruding from the bottom region of said plate and each containing an aperture free fittingly encircling one of said legs, said stop means including a cushion fixed to said upright portion and adapted to be wedged between said legs in their contracted position when said plate is folded toward said upright portion.

7. A bracket having liner means to prevent wearing of the object to which it is attached according to claim 2 in which said heels and legs 10 are provided each with a resilient end-cap having relatively high frictional coefiicient for providing elastic support and preventing slipping of the device and injury to the operator.

8. A bracket having liner means to prevent wearing of the object to which it is attached according to claim 3 in which said heels and legs are provided each with a resilient end-cap having relatively high frictional coeflicient for providing elasticsupport and preventing slipping of the device and injury to the operator.

VICTOR JOSEPH LAWRENCE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,472,664 Moon Oct; 30, 1923 1,673,205 Romao June 12, 1928 1,960,099 Donovan May 22, 1934 2,269,903 Cox Jan. 13, 1942

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