US2825257A

US2825257A - Tone vibrator

Info

Publication number: US2825257A
Application number: US609179A
Authority: US
Inventors: Witt Schley
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1956-09-11
Filing date: 1956-09-11
Publication date: 1958-03-04
Anticipated expiration: 1975-03-04

Description

March 4, 1958 sw1TT 2,825,257

l TONE VIBRATOR Filed Sept. 11, 1956 I NV EN TOR.

Sci/@y Pfiff Unite States Patent O TUNE VIBRATOR Schley Witt, Rose Hill, Va.

Application September 11, 1956, Serial No. 609,179 s claims. (C1. stt-sla) This invention relates to a musical instrument, and more particularly to a tone vibrator for a musical instrument.

The object of the invention is to provide a tone vibrator for use with a musical instrument of the stringed type whereby the device can be manually operated to set-up vibrations in the instrument.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tone vibrator for a musical instrument of the stringed type, the tone vibrator including a lever which is adapted to be manually moved whereby a clamp which is arranged in engagement with the strings of the instrument will set-up vibrations so as to permit the user of the device to produce the desired tone or sounds.

A further object of the invention is to provide a musical instrument tone vibrator which is extremely simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, and in which like numerals are used to designate like parts throughout the same:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a musical instrument showing the tone vibrator of the present invention mounted thereon, and with parts broken away and in section.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2 2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral designates a portion of a musical instrument such as a guitar, banjo or the like, and the instrument 10 includes a body 11 which has the usual tail piece 12 secured to an end thereof, Figure 1.

The musical instrument 10 further includes a bridge 13 which is spaced from the tail piece 12, and the bridge 13 may be secured to the body 11 in any suitable manner. The bridge 13 is provided with a plurality of cuts or slits 14 through which extend the strings 15, the strings 15 having an end secured to the tail piece 12. The bridge 13 is further provided with a slot or cutout 16 for a purpose to be later described.

The present invention is directed to a manually operable tone vibrator which can be used for setting up vibrations in the strings 15 so as to provide the desired tone or sound as the musical instrument is played. The tone vibrator of the present invention includes a lever 17 which has one end thereof curved as at 18 so as to define a finger grip whereby the lever 17 can be moved so that the vibrations can be set-up. The lever 17 is provided with a plurality of spaced apart openings or apertures 19, the lever 17 extending through the slot 16 in the bridge 13. There is further provided a suitable securing element such as the screw which extends through one of the openings 19 and through the bridge 13 and into engagement with the body 11 as shown in Figure 3.

The tone vibrator of the present invention further includes a clamp which is indicated generally by the numeral 21, and the clamp 21 includes a pair of spaced apart bars or plates 22 which are arranged on opposite sides of the strings 15. The plates 22 are each provided with a plurality of registering openings 23, Figure 4, and suitable securing elements such as the bolts 24 extend through the openings 23 for maintaining the plates 22 connected together. One of the bolts 24 serves to connect the clamp 21 to an end of the lever 17, the clamp 21 being arranged at right angles with Vrespect to the lever 17. Thus, by manually engaging the portion 18 of the lever 17, the lever 17 can be vibrated or moved since the lever 17 will pivot about the bridge 13 and this will cause similar vibrations to be set-up in the clamp 21 so that the vibrating effect can be imparted to the plurality of strings 15 whereby the desired sound or effect can be produced or provided.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that there has been provided a tone vibrator for use with a musical instrument such as the instrument 10. In use the parts are arranged in the drawings so that the clamp 21 is positioned between the bridge 13 and the tail piece 12. The claimp 21 includes the pair of plates 22 which are arranged on opposite sides of the strings 15, and the plates 22 are connected together by means of the bolts 24. The clamp 2l is arranged at right angles with respect to the lever 17, and one of the bolts 24 connects an end of the lever 17 to an end of the clamp. The lever 17 is also secured in the slot 16 in the bridge 13 by means of the screw 20. Then, when the instrument is being played, the user can manually engage the curved portion 18 of the lever 17 so as to set-up vibrations in the lever 17 as shown in Figure 2. These vibrations will be transmitted to the clamp 21 so that the vibrating clamp 21 will cause the strings 15 to have the desired vibrations whereby the necessary or desired tone can be produced. Thus, different types of tones can be provided and will increase the versatility of the musical instrument.

Furthermore, due to the position of the plurality of openings 19, the screw 20 can be extended through different of the openings 19 so that the clamp 21 can be moved or adjusted to different positions between the bridge 13 and the tail piece 12. The plurality of bolts 24 serve to maintain the pair of plates 22 in clamping relation with respect to the strings 15 of the instrument.

Thus, it will be seen that there has been provided a tone vibrator which includes the lever 17 and the clamp 21, the clamp 21 being connected to the strings 15 of the instrument, and wherein the clamp is positioned between the bridge and the tail piece of the instrument. The curved portion 1S of the lever may t in the palm of the hand when the hand is in playing position so that by moving the portion 18 the desired vibrations in the strings are brought out. l`he device of the present invention can be used on various types of stringed instruments such as guitars, banjos and the like, and the device can be made of any suitable material and in any desired shape or size. The clamp 21 is spaced above the body 11 of the instrument as shown in Figure 2 so that the clamp does not touch with body of the instrument. The clamp 21 can be moved or adjusted to different positions between the bridge 13 and tail piece 12 so as to bring out the desired effects.

l claim:

l. In a musical instrument, a body, a tail piece secured to said body, a bridge spaced from said tail piece and secured to said body and said bridge being provided with a plurality of spaced parallel slits, a plurality of spaced parallel strings each having an end secured to said tail piece and said strings extending through said slits, there being a slot in said bridge, a tone vibrator including a Patented Mar.l4, 1958.

lever extending through the slot in said bridge, a securing element extending through said lever and into engagement with said bridge, and a clamp connected to said lever and arranged in engagement with that portion of the strings between the tail piece and the bridge.

2. In a musical instrument, a body, a tail piece secured to said body, a bridge spaced from said tail piece and secured to said body and said bridge being provided With a plurality of spaced parallel slits, a plurality of spaced parallel strings each having an end secured to said tail piece and said strings extending through said slits, there being a slot in said bridge, a tone vibrator including a lever extending through the slot in said bridge, a securing element extending through said lever and into engagement with said bridge, a clamp connected to said llever and arranged in engagement with that portion of the strings between the tail piece and the bridge, said clamp including a pair of spaced parallel plates arranged on opposite sides of said strings, there being registering apertures in said plates, and securing elements extending through said apertures, said plates being arranged at right angles with respect to the longitudinal axis of said lever and secured thereto, an end of said lever being curved to provide a finger engaging portion.

3. In a musical instrument having a body and a tail piece secured thereto, a bridge secured to said body and spaced from said tail piece, said bridge being provided with a plurality of slits, a plurality of strings secured to said tail piece and extending through said slits, said bridge having a slot therein, a tone vibrator extending through the slot in said bridge, a securing element extending through said tone vibrator and into engagement with said bridge, and means connected to said tone vibrator and arranged so that it is in engagement with that portion of the strings between the tail piece and the bridge.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 607,359 Forrest Y 'Ju1y 12, 1898 1,978,583 Kemer oct. 30, 1934 2,073,226 semiekei Mar. 9, 1937