US2903935A

US2903935A - Capo tasto

Info

Publication number: US2903935A
Application number: US661780A
Authority: US
Inventors: Douglas D Raze
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1957-05-27
Filing date: 1957-05-27
Publication date: 1959-09-15
Anticipated expiration: 1976-09-15

Description

D. D. RAZE Sept. 15, 1959 CAPO TASTO Filed May 27, 1957 FIE: 45

INVENTOR, D 0064.45 0 R425 BY @QM a n FIE. 5'

Jrro RNE vs n d States Patent CAPO TASTO Douglas D. Raze, Minneapolis, Minn.

Application May 27, 1957, Serial No. 661,780

2 Claims. (Cl. 84-318) The invention herein has relation to a capo tasto, commonly known as a capo, a device for clamping off all of the strings of a ukulele, guitar, banjo, or other stringed instrument, selectively between different frets thereof to raise or lower the'pitch and thus change the key in which the instrument plays.

Capos now on the market are not satisfactory for various reasons. Some are clumsy and hinder finger movement, others are not as readily and easily appliable as would be desirable, and others are unsatisfactory for a variety of different reasons. The object of this. invention is to provide a capo of novel, simple, inexpensive and improved construction which can be quickly applied and removed, offer no interference to finger movement and perform its intended service or function in satisfactory and efficient manner.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification,

Fig. l is a perspective view of a ukulele disclosing a capo made according to the invention as when applied to use;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view, taken on line 2-2 in Fig. 1, disclosing the capo in transverse section;

Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view, taken as on line 3-3 in Fig. 2, disclosing the capo in end elevation;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged side elevational View of the key board and parts of the neck and finger board of the ukulele of Fig. 1 disclosing the capo as when supported out of use on said key board;

Fig. 5 is a view corresponding generally with the disclosure of Fig. 2 but showing parts of the neck and finger board of a ukulele of modified construction and a capo incorporating the features and characteristics of the invention as when applied to use; and

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the capo as when removed from a ukulele or other stringed instrument.

In Figs. 1 to 4 of the drawing there is disclosed a ukulele of what may be termed the better grade. It includes a sound box It) with waist 11 and sound hole 12, key board 13 with keys 14, neck plate 15, neck 16, bridge 17 with tail piece 18 and strings 19 extending over a nut 20 and along the neck between the keys and tail piece. An elongated finger board 21 is constituted as an ivory slab or facing upon and extending longitudinally of the neck, and 22 denotes the usual frets upon and extending across the finger board beneath and in spaced relation to the strings. An elongated steel bar 23, rectangular in cross section, extends longitudinally of the neck centrally of and immediately below the finger board, and, as disclosed, said steel bar includes a longitudinally extending slot in the center of its upper surface bounded at the bottom thereof by a surface 24 of the steel bar in parallel, facing relation to the lower surface of said finger board, at the opposite sides thereof by parallel, interiorly facing surfaces, each indicated 25, perpendicular to the finger board and at the top thereof by said finger board lower surface. Longitudinally spaced, straight apertures, each represented 26, through the finger board at the ice transverse center thereof slant diagonally toward the sound box end of the ukulele. The upper end of each of the apertures 26 is contiguous with the upper surface of said finger board at a location above a next adjacent lower fret 22, and the lower end of each aperture is contiguous with the slot in the elongated bar 23 at a location beneath said next adjacent lower fret. As disclosed, each aperture 26 is bounded or defined by an internal cylindrical surface of the finger board.

The capo of the present invention is constituted as a T-unit of metal, desirably spring steel, including a transversely extending head portion 27 and an upright foot portion 28 in the plane of and perpendicular to said head portion and integrally secured to the longitudinal center thereof. As disclosed both the head portion and foot portion are cylindrical, and said head portion is encased in a plastic sleeve 29.

The manner of use of the capo will be apparent. The foot portion, such as 28, thereof will be removably inserted in different apertures 26, as these may be selected, and pushed downwardly to position, as in Figs. 2 and 3, where the lower end of said foot portion is pressingly engaged against the surface 24 bounding the bottom of the elongated slot in the steel bar, such as 23, extending along the neck of the musical instrument to cause a part of the foot portion below the finger board to become flexed toward the sound box end of said musical instrument and said foot portion to be frictionally retained in the aperture in said finger board, and the head portion, such as 27, or a sleeve thereon, to become engaged against the strings to cause these to be clamped down upon the ret. The head portion of the T-unit will be of length to engage all of the strings when the capo is applied, and said head portion will remain in clamping relation to the strings of the musical instrument by reason of friction applied to the foot portion of said T-unit. The capo or T-unit can be quickly and easily inserted in and removed from any of the diagonal apertures in the finger board. The head portion of the T-unit, or a sleeve thereon, will exert equal pressure on each of the strings, and the force of the strings exerted against said head portion will be exerted transversely of the foot portion, and not in direction tending to withdraw the T-unit from the finger board. In Fig. 4 the capo is disclosed as when out of use and mounted or stored for safe keeping in a diagonal aperture in the key board 13.

Fig. 5 discloses parts of the neck and finger board of a ukulele of inexpensive construction. Frets 30', of usual construction, extend across the finger board. Longitudinally spaced, straight apertures, each represented 31, extending downwardly through the finger board and into the neck, slant diagonally toward the sound box end of the musical instrument. The upper end of each of the apertures 31 is contiguous with the upper surface of the finger board at a location above a next adjacent lower fret 3t), and the lower ends of the apertures terminate at the sound box side of the frets. Each of the apertures 31 is bounded or defined by an internal cylindrical surface.

The capo of Fig. 5 may be of the same construction as, or equivalent to, the capo of Fig. 6. The foot portion thereof will be removably inserted selectively in the different apertures 31 and the head portion will be pushed down against the strings to position where they are clamped upon the fret. The head portion will remain in clamping relation to the strings by reason of friction applied to the foot portion. The force exerted by the strings will be applied upwardly transversely of the T-unit and not in direction tending to withdraw said T-unit from the apertures.

It will be apparent that the elongated steel bar 23 of the ukulele of Figs. 1 to 4 need not be longitudinally slotted. Instead, the apertures 26 could extend down into apertures in the steel bar which were continuations of said apertures 26. In such an event, the capo employed would perform its service or function in the same manner as set forth in connection with the disclosure of Fig. 5.

vWhat is claimed is:

1. The combination with a musical instrument consisting of a sound box having a bridge and a tail piece thereon, a key board with keys, a neck extending between and connecting said sound box and key board providing an external surface, longitudinally spaced frets supported on said external surface and disposed transversely of said neck in spaced, adjacent relation to each other, said neck having an aperture therein contiguous with its external surface at a location between said spaced frets and disposed diagonally of said external surface of said neck and strings extending along said neck and over said bridge in spaced, adjacent relation to the external surface of said neck and said spaced frets and connected between said tail piece and keys, of a device for clamping off said strings constituted as a unit consisting of a foot portion snugly slidable into and removable from said aperture longitudinally thereof and a head portion secured to and extending transversely of said foot portion pressingly engageable against surfaces of said strings in clamped down relation thereto at sides of the strings opposite the external surface of said neck and the spaced frets between said spaced frets in response to slidable insertion of the foot portion into said aperture, said foot portion when in said aperture being situated in oblique relation to said strings and the external surface of said neck, and force of the strings exerted against said head portion when in clamped down relation to said strings being exerted against said foot portion transversely thereof.

2. The combination as specified in claim 1 wherein said foot portion of the clamping device is flexible.

References Cited in the file of this patent