US2930274A - Piano accordion wrist rest - Google Patents

Description

A. A. T. RENNA PIANO ACCORDION WRIST REST March 29, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 1, 1957 Ado/f A. 7T Renna IN V EN TOR.

BY 155W 5M@ March 29, 1960 A. A. T. RENNA PIANO AocoRnIoN wars'r REST 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 1, 1957 Ado/f A. 7T Renna INVENTOR. @aan UidSr-w Pats-nf O PIANO ACCORDION WRIST REST Adolf A. T. Renna, Scranton, Pa.

Application March 1, 1957, Serial No. 643,399

3 Claims. (Cl. 84376) The present invention relates to a readily applicable and removable piano accordion attachment which is expressly and aptly constructed to function as a wrist rest and retaining device and therefore obviates the necessity of using the currently employed wrist strap.

More specifically, the invention has to do with a manually actuatable slidably mounted rest which has a loop-like wrist strap attached thereto. The idea of a sliding wrist strap and rest combination is not new. The fact is that one Albert S. Barty uncovered the same general concept. Therefore, reference may be had, if desired, to Patent No. 2,191,747 issued to Barty on February 27, 1940. It is self-evident, therefore, that it is an object in the instant presentation to structurally, functionally and otherwise improve on the stated patent and any other, if any, similarly constructed and performing wrist supporting and shifting means.

To this end, and briefly summarized the instant invention comprises a track-equipped unit carried by and means for detachably and adjustably mounting said unit on said accordion in readily usable relation to the customary depressible bass buttons, a manually -shiftable slide unit slidably keyed in tracks provided therefor on said rst named unit, said slide unit being a single entity and having the additional function of a wrist rest, and a wrist embracing strap attached to and carried by `said slide unit.

It is to be noted in connection with the foregoing that the track-'equipped unit is adjustably mounted on the body of the accordion. Although other means may be appropriated for the purpose it has been found expedient and practical to utilize so-called adapter brackets. These brackets will vary according to available accommodation and mounting surfaces on the accordion. portant is the fact that brackets or equivalent devices are mechanically connected to the respective end portions of the track-equipped unit making it possible to shift the parts bodily and laterally closer to or farther from the bank of bass buttons. This improved construction and arrangement of parts achieves the important results of pemitting not only a comfortable rest for the wrist but freedom of movement of the fingers, hand and wrist with all of the buttons in the over-all bank available and making it possible for the accordionist to vigorously shake the accordion and rendering otherwise diilicult passages easy to handle and play.

The invention also features a exible wrist strap having its end portions bent and turned in toward each other, but spaced apart, one end portion having an adjusting nut aixed thereto, the other end portion having a clip fixed thereon, a slack take-up and strap-size adjusting bolt spanning the space existing between said end portions with one end swivelly connected to said clip, an intermediate portion threaded through said nut, and the other end portion passing through a slot provided therefor in the strap and provided with an accessible finger-grip, a slide unit with which said strap is operatively connected in cooperating relationship, and means whereby said slide unit may be operatively mounted on said accordon.

What is imy AWithout particular reference to the variably usable attaching bracket, novelty is predicated, in a more general manner, on the three principal components or units which are employed; namely, a precision made freely movable slide unit the plate portion of which provides the wrist rest proper and which also serves to accommodate adjustable end portions of a loop-like or an equivalent wrist strap, said slide unit having marginal anges which interlock with open ended channel-like tracks along the marginal edges of the track-equipped unit, whereby an arrangement is thus provided which allows the user to shift the left arm and hand with the greatest of ease while at the same time, having command of any and all predetermined bass buttons. This quick orientation of hand and fingers enables the accordionist to reliably achieve performance results beyond expectations and not susceptible of attainment by way of other constructions which may have been proposed with similar ends in view.

Objects, features and advantages not specifically mentioned will become self-evident after having considered the specification in conjunction with the drawings.

In the drawings, wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the views:

Fig. 1 is an end elevation of the left-hand or bass side of the accordion showing the bass buttons but particularizing the attachment, its construction and seemingly obvious mode of use.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged section taken on the central or vertical line 2 2 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows, parts being shown in elevation.

Pig. 3 is an exploded perspective view in which the essential components or parts are individually shown in their companionate relationship. v

Fig. 4 is an enlarged section taken on the plane of the line 4-4 of Fig. l looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary as well as an enlarged sectional and elevational view detailing the adjusting means for the coordinate ends of the wrist strap.

The end portion of the accordion on which the attachment is mounted is denoted generally by the numeral 6. The particular make of accordion on which the attachment is shown is a type which is provided with upper and lower recesses 8 which provide shoulders. All' accordions are, of course, not so recessed. Accordingly, the yanchoring and adapter brackets 12 will vary in construction to meet varying needs. In the instant situation each bracket has a body portion 14 with a laterally directed end 16 (Fig. 3) and an angularly bent terminal 18, the portions 16 and 18 fitting into the recess and permitting ready attachment by way of the screw 20.

' Each bracket also has a pair of spaced parallel outstanding ears 22 having bolt holes 24 to accommodate the bolt 26. This bolt is retained in place at one end by a nut 28 and passes transversely through bolt holes 28 provided therefor in the walls of the spaced parallel lengthwise channels 30 on the tlat plate portion 32 of the aforementioned track-equipped unit 34. The construction of this unit is shown clearly in Fig. 3. The bolts at the respective ends are thus held in place by the nuts 28 and the ears 22 are arranged so that the bolt passes therethrough permitting the unit 34 to shift back and forth on the bolt and thus making it possible to bodily adjust said unit either closer to or farther from the bass buttons, depending on the needs of a particular user. Stated otherwise, the nut 36 is welded and therefore fixed to the bracket 12. Therefore, by turning the bolt 26 the bracket may be conveniently adjusted and fastened in a desired position. The inner smooth surfaced walls 38 of channel tracks define a slideway and guide means for the freely shiftable slide unit 40. This comprises a tlat faced plate geene-*2a 42 which constitutes the wrist rest, said plate being provided at its transverse ends with rib-like wear resisting members 4d. The plate is provided along its edges with lateral anges 4-6Yhaving spaced parallel hooked anges 48 and these flanges 46' and 48 are interlocked with the wall portions of the open-ended tracks 28, thus providingl a precision iit between the two units 34 and 40.

`The loop-like wrist strap or unit is denoted generally by the numeral 50 and comprises a exible leather or `efquiva'lent strap 52 having it's lower end portion bent upon itself at 54 and turned in to underlie the body portion as at 56. It terminates in a U-shaped or equivalent metal clip 58 with which the headed end 60 of the strap adjusting screw 62 is swivelly connected Yas at 64. The upper end portion of the strap 66 is also bent at 68 and turned in toward the end portion 56 with the two end portions spaced apart and bridged or spanned by the screw as shown in Fig. 3. A cleat or plate 70 is riveted or otherwise secured to the free end portion of 66 and has a laterally'bent portion 72 provided with a xed feed nut 74 through which the adjusting screw is threaded in an obvious manner. The upper end of the screw is provided with a suitable finger-grip 76 and this end portion passes through an accommodation slot 78 provided therefor in theV upper portion of the strap 52. The bent portions 54 and 68 are bent over and contact the wear-resisting members 44. Therefore, the turnedin ends 56 and 66 are underneath the plate 42 where they are out of the way in the manner shown in Fig. 2.

' Consequently, the slide unit 40 and strap unit Sti provide an entity or assembly which acommodates the wrist, is adjustable Ato lit the wrist, and may be slid up and down in' the tracks 39 in an obvious and effective manner.

The construction of the parts is clear from Fig. 3. The manner of attachment and use is clear from Figs. l, 2 and "4. Y

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

What is claimed asgnew is as follows:

1. For use on the lefthand bass side of a piano accordion; a slide accommodating unit having spaced paralll'tracks, means fordetachably and adjustablymounting said unit on a surface of said accordion in a readily usable position relativeY to the customary depressible bass buttons o n said accordion, a manually shiftable slide unit slidably .keyed in said tracks, said slide unit being of onepiece construction functioning as a wrist rest, and a wrist embracing strap attached to and Vcarried by said slide unit, means comprising adapter brackets with which portions of said irst named unit have manually regulable adjustable connection in order that said unit may be bodily and laterally shifted relative to said accordionY and thus positioned closer to or farther from said bass buttons, whereby the users hand and ngers may be comfortably oriented for ease of reach and reliably positioned during use of said accordion, each end portion of said iirst named unit having a -bracket attaching and adjusting bolt, a cooperating end of the bracket having spaced parallel ears, said ears having bolt holes through and beyond which the bolt extends, and an adjusting and retaining nut `Lxed on said bracket, said bolt being threaded through said nut in a manner to retain said bracket in a given as well as a set position. Y

2. For use in shiftably positioning and adequately retaining the left bass-playing hand on a piano accordion, a

llexible wrist strap having end portions bent and turnedV in toward each other, but spaced apart, one end portion having an adjusting nut aixed thereto, the other end portion having a clip fixed thereon, a slack take-up and strap-size adjusting bolt spanning the space existing between said end portions and having one end swivelly-connected to said clip, an intermediate portion threaded through said nut, and the other end portion passing through a slot provided therefor in the strap and being provided with ringer-grip, a slide unit with which said wrist strap is operatively associated in cooperating relationship, and means whereby said slide unit'may be operativley mounted on said accordion, said means comprising an elongated unit embodying a iiat plate having spaced parallel channel-like members along its vlengthwise edges, said members providing assembling and retaining tracks, said slide unit being opposed to said plate and spaced therefrom in generally parallel relation and having lengthwise marginal anges interlocked and slidably connected with said tracks. v

3. The structure deiined in claim 2 and in combination, at least one attaching and retaining bracket for said elongated unit, said bracket being adapted toV be fastened at an end thereof to a predetermined portion of the accerdion, the other end of said bracket being provided with a pair of spaced parallel apertured ears with the apertures in alignment with each other, a nut fixed on a surface of the bracket in a position between said ears and having a threaded hole in alignment with the apertures in4 said ears, a bolt operatively mounted across the. tracks at that end of the plate of said elongated unit with FOREIGN PATENTS Y 366,586 Germany Jan. 1923 Bally Feb.

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