US2827732A

US2827732A - Music lyre and harness therefor

Info

Publication number: US2827732A
Application number: US617031A
Authority: US
Inventors: Isaac D Shumaker
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1956-10-19
Filing date: 1956-10-19
Publication date: 1958-03-25
Anticipated expiration: 1975-03-25

Description

March 25, 1958 1. D. SHUMAKER 2,827,732

MUSIC LYRE AND HARNESS THEREFOR Filed 0015. 19, 1956 Jim/l4.- K

3 [$00 0 0. Shuma/rer INVENTOR.

5mm E BY United States Patent 2,827,732 MUSIC LYRE AND HARNESS THEREFOR Isaac D. Shumaker, Fort Wayne, Ind. Application October 19, 1956, Serial No. 617,031 2 Claims. (11. 45-59) The present invention relates to a music lyre and novel means for adjustably supporting the same and suspending it in an effectually usable position on the body of the user, usually a musician while marching and performing on a piccolo, flute, oboe, bassoon or the like.

As the preceding general statement of the subject matter of the invention implies it is common practice for musicians while on parade to rely upon a book rack, commonly called a lyre, and which is characterized by a spring pressed clamp, backing member and attaching stem or standard. For the musicians who play a flute,

iccolo or the like it is usually necessary to provide a special support arm and harnessing means of one type or another to hold the arm in its most useful and adaptable position. Briefly, therefore, the present concept has to do with a suspended horizontally disposed approximately J-shaped arm which is adjustably and detachably mounted on harnessing means and which serves to accommodate a slide carried by the stem of the book holding lyre whereby the latter may be adjusted toward and from the user to accommodate his range of vision and so that the music sheets may be easily seen and read. a

More specifically novelty is predicated on the harness which makes it possible to satisfactorily employ the lyre supporting and adjusting arm or, as it is sometimes called, rack.

Other objects, features and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description and the accompanying sheet of illustrative drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a music lyre, support arm and harnessing means for the arm constructed in accordance with the principles of the invention and showing the general construction and arrangement;

Figs. 2, 3, 4, and are sections taken on the lines 22, 3-3, 4-4, and 55, respectively, of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of an anchoring clip for one end of the elastic body embracing or encircling strap.

Referring now to the drawings the book clamp, usually called the lyre is denoted generally by the numeral 6 and comprises a backing plate 8 and spring pressed pivotally mounted clamping jaw 10 and a stem or standard 12. The latter is here provided with an open ended socket member 14 having a setscrew 16. The socket member is preferably at right angles to the stem 12 and is noncircular in form and is removably and adjustably mounted on the long limb or arm 18 of the generally J-shaped arm or rack 20. The shorter arm 22 at the left thereof is provided with a reduced shank 24 having a screw threaded lower end 26 with a thumb nut 28 thereon. The means just described is detachably and adjustably mounted on a harness. The harness is characterized by body encircling means which in turn is made up of an arcuate substantially rigid bar or bow member 30 and an elastic strap 32 with adjustment means 34 and

end clips

36 and 38 having attaching

hooks

40 and 42. At the center of this bar member there is a socket 44 which opens through the top and bottom edges and serves to accommodate the reduced shank 34 as brought out in Fig. 3. At the right hand end of the member 30 as seen in Fig. 1 (detailed in Fig. 4) the bar member is provided with a screw threaded socket 46 to accomice modate the screw threaded lower end 48 of a vertical leg 50 embodied in the neck yoke or suspension member 52. The latter is preferably a substantially rigid wire or equivalent rod which is bent upon itself between its ends to form a U-shaped portion 54 which goes around the neck and over the shoulders and the aforementioned leg 50 with a similar opposed companion leg 56 which also has a screw threaded lower end 58 fitting removably in a kerf or groove 60 which is provided therefor in the left hand end portion of the bar member 30. it is held in place by a thumb nut 62 and a complemental nut 64 which nuts engage the upper and lower edge portions or" the bar member in an obvious manner. With the legs 53 and 56 in the position shown at their respective ends of the bar member they provide anchoring posts for the hooks 4i and 42 as is brought out in Fig. 1. Thus, the body encircling means comprising the bar member 30 and strap 32 is satisfactorily maintained in place with the aid of the detachable suspension yoke 52. Thus constructed and positioned the over-all harness provides an ideal device to accommodatingly support the J-shaped arm 20 in its useful position. This arm, in turn, provides a satisfactory mount for the adapter socket 14 on the lyre 6.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all'suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. For use by a flute or piccolo player while performing on parade or elsewhere, a harness comprising a U- shaped suspension yoke having a neck embracing portion, a body encircling member having a bar member and an elastic strap, said yoke having arms connected to cooperating end portions of said bar member, said bar member being provided with a socket, an arm having a portion detachably and adjustably mounted in said socket, said arm projecting at right angles from said bar member, and a lyre having a socket member detachably and adjustably mounted on said arm, said socket member being non-circular in cross section and said arm having a corresponding cross sectional shape.

2. A harness for supporting a lyre racking arm comprising a longitudinally curved rigid bow member, a flexible adjustable body encircling strap having end portions operatively cooperable with the end portions of said bow member, a complemental substantially U-shaped yoke having a neck embracing portion and depending legs, said neck embracing portion being oblique angled to said legs and said legs being vertical and at right angles to and operatively connected with adjacent end portions of said bow member, said bow member being provided intermediate its ends with a socket, and an arm having an inner end portion provided with a shank detachably and adjustably mounted in said socket, said arm being adapted to support a book holding lyre.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 332,123 Walton Dec. 8, 1885 372,496 Small Nov. 1, 1887 439,001 Greenwood Oct. 21, 1890 648,742 Hassellund et al. May 1, 1900 869,918 Lipscond Nov. 5, 1907 1,179,063 Aldrete Apr. 11, 1916 1,198,202 Drinkard Sept. 12, 1916 1,772,478 Carrie Aug. 12, 1930