WO2006117564A1

WO2006117564A1 - Shoulder rest

Info

Publication number: WO2006117564A1
Application number: PCT/GB2006/001632
Authority: WO
Inventors: Russell David Stowe; John Frederick Masters
Original assignee: Russell David Stowe; John Frederick Masters
Priority date: 2005-05-04
Filing date: 2006-05-03
Publication date: 2006-11-09
Also published as: GB0509066D0; GB2426117A

Abstract

A shoulder rest for a violin or similar instrument which is supported on a player’s shoulder while being played has a mounting plate (26) which will be clamped to the violin body, a support pad (22) which will rest on the player’s shoulder and a support arm (24) with two ends which connects the mounting plate and the shoulder pad. The mounting plate and the shoulder pad both have a socket (34, 50) for receiving an end of the support arm and the ends of the support arm engage with the sockets on the mounting plate and the shoulder pad through push-in connections secured by spring-loaded detents (40, 42). The support arm ends and the sockets are provided with means (46c, 48c, 58), to prevent angular rotation of the support arm relative to the sockets, once the ends of the arms are engaged in the sockets.

Description

Shoulder Rest

BACKGROUND

a. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to shoulder rests to be used with a violin or similar stringed instrument which, in use, is supported on the player's shoulder. In this specification, references to a violin are to be understood as encompassing other stringed musical instruments which are supported on the player's shoulder.

b. Related Art

Each individual player will wish to adjust the position of the shoulder rest, relative to the instrument, to make it is comfortable as possible for him or her. Adjustable shoulder rests are known, for example from US Patents 4,212,222; 3,727,509 and 5,208,409. In these known rests, the shoulder rest is attached to the violin through a clamp fitted to the body of the violin to secure a chin rest.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention, there is provided a shoulder rest for a violin or the like musical instrument, the shoulder rest comprising a mounting plate, a shoulder pad and a support arm for connecting the mounting plate and the shoulder pad, the mounting plate being adapted to be clamped to the body of the musical instrument and at least one of the mounting plate and the shoulder pad having a socket for receiving one end of the support arm through a push-in connection secured by spring-loaded detents, and wherein the support arm end and the socket are provided with means to prevent angular rotation of the support arm relative to the socket, once engaged. Preferably both the mounting plate and the shoulder pad have sockets for receiving ends of the support arm, and preferably therefore, the invention provides a shoulder rest comprising:

- a mounting plate - a support arm with two ends, and

- a shoulder pad, wherein the mounting plate is adapted to be clamped . to the body of a musical instrument and has a socket for receiving one end of the support arm, the shoulder pad has a socket for receiving the other end of the support arm, and wherein the ends of the support arm engage with the sockets on the mounting plate and the shoulder pad through push-in connections secured by spring-loaded detents, and wherein the support arm ends and the sockets are provided with means to prevent angular rotation of the support arm relative to the sockets, once engaged.

Preferably the support arm ends are set at an angle to the length of the arm; preferably substantially at a right angle. The ends may be provided with an annular groove, and the spring-loaded detents then allow the ends to be pushed into the sockets, past the detent which then springs back into the groove to hold the arm in place, while allowing it to be removed by a firm outward pull.

The push-in connection between the arm and the mounting plate preferably allows the arm to be engaged with the plate in any one of a number of discrete angular positions. The prevention of angular rotation may be provided by a radially extending projection on the arm which locates in a corresponding radial recess at the mouth of the socket.

It is important that the connection between the shoulder pad and the instrument be rigid, and that there should be no movement when the instrument is being played. The ends of the arm should therefore be a close fit in the sockets. The shoulder pad preferably has a pad frame in which the socket is provided, and a cushion mounted on the frame, on the side which, in use, will lie on the player's shoulder. The pad may be shaped to assist in locating the pad on the player's shoulder, and to aid comfort.

The arm is preferably a one-piece, rigid component. The absence of any joints or linkages in the arm ensures that there will be no play, in the link between the mounting plate and the shoulder pad, and the push-in connections, which have freedom of movement only in one (axial) direction - subject to the retaining action of the spring-loaded detent - ensures that the connection between the violin body and the shoulder pad is as rigid as possible.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, In which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of part of a violin, to which a shoulder rest in accordance with the invention has been attached;

Figure 2 is a view of the reverse side of the shoulder rest, showing a support arm in a stowed position;

Figure 3 is an exploded view of the components of the shoulder rest of Figures 1 and 2; and

Figure 4 is a section on the line IV-IV from Figure 3, with the support arm and bracket engaged with each other.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Figure 1 shows the end of a violin body at 10. A conventional chin rest 12 is - A -

clamped to the violin by two tension arms 14, 16 which are tightened between the chin rest itself and a chin rest bottom plate 18. As is conventional, the tension , arms 14, 16 consist of oppositely threaded limbs 14a, 14b and 16a, 16b connected by internally threaded sleeves 14c, 16c, such that rotation of the sleeves about their axes shortens the length of the arms, to draw the chin rest into contact with a top face of the violin body and the bottom plate into contact with an under face 20 of the body 10. The limbs 14a and 16a are integral with the bottom plate 18 arid tightening of the sleeves produces a clamping effect clamping the chin rest to the top face of the violin body. .

The shoulder rest has three main parts; a shoulder pad 22, a support arm 24 and a mounting plate 26.

The mounting plate 26 has a flange 28 (Figure 3) which is designed to be clamped between the under face 20 of the violin body and the chin rest mounting plate 18.

A pad 29, for example of cork, is provided on the upper side of the flange 28, to prevent the flange damaging the surface finish of the violin. The plate 26 also has a socket portion 30 which, in use, extends generally parallel to and lies against the end face 32 of the violin body. As can be seen in Figure 4, the socket portion has a main bore forming a socket 34 and a transverse bore 36. In the transverse bore, secured by a grub screw 38 or the like, is a detent ball 40 biased by a spring 42.

Holes 44 are formed in the flange 28 to reduce the weight of the plate 26. These holes also assist in gripping and fixing the flange in place.

The support arm 24 is a one-piece component with cranked ends 46 and 48. Each of the ends has a cylindrical portion 46a, 48a with an annular groove 46b, 48b and a radially extending pin 46c, 48c. The ends 46 and 48 plug into the socket 34 of the mounting plate 26, and into a similar socket 50 in the shoulder pad 22 (Figure 2).

The support pad 22 consists of a metal frame 52 with cut away areas 54, to which is secured a foam pad 56. The mouth of the socket 50 is flush with the frame 52, and the socket itself is recessed into the foam pad 56. A variety of styles for the pad can be used, in accordance with stylistic/aesthetic and comfort considerations.

Both the sockets 34 and 50 have elongate . recesses 58 extending in a radial direction from the mouth of the sockets. These recesses are to receive the pins 46c, 48c. The number of recesses can vary from that shown, to increase the possible positions at which the support pad can be set, relative to the mounting plate.

To attach the shoulder rest to the violin body, the mounting plate 26 first has to be clamped to the body using the chin rest mounting, as described above. Once this has been done once, the mounting plate 26 will usually be left in position when the violin is put away.

The support arm will normally be first connected to the shoulder pad 22. To do this, he support arm end 48 is pressed into the socket 50 until (a) the ball 40 pops into the groove 48b, and (b) the pin 48c enters one of the two alternative recesses 58 adjacent the socket 50. The engagement between the ball 40 and the groove 48b holds the arm 24 in the socket, while allowing it to be pulled out when necessary by exerting a sharp pull to move the ball 40 aside against the force of the spring 42. The engagement between the pin 48c and the respective recess holds the arm in a chosen angular position relative to the mounting plate 28. It will be seen that there are two recess 58a, 58b in the shoulder pad. When the pin 48c lies in the recess 58b (as shown in Figure 2) the arm 24 lies along the length of the shoulder pad 22, and this position is convenient for when the pad and arm are to be stored. When the rest is to be used, the arm will be partially pulled out of the socket 50 until the pin 48c leaves the recess 58b, and the arm can be rotated through approximately 90° and then pressed back into the socket 50 with the pin 48c then entering the recess 58a. This is the position shown in Figure 1.

The support arm end 46 is then pressed into the socket 34 until (a) the ball 40 pops into the groove 46b, and (b) the pin 46c enters one of the three alternative, recesses 58 in the socket portion 30. The engagement between the ball 40 and the groove 46b holds the arm 24 in the socket, while allowing it to be pulled out by exerting a sharp pull to move the ball 40 aside against the force of the spring 42. The engagement between the pin 46c and the respective recess. holds the arm in a chosen angular position relative to the mounting plate 28. The user can choose which position provides the most comfortable position of the rest for him or her.

The external diameter of the cylindrical portion 46a, 48a should be as close as possible to the internal diameter of the sockets 34, 50, to allow the components to be engaged and disengaged, while avoiding any unnecessary play between these parts. Also, the dimensions of the radial pins 46c, 48c and the recesses 58 should be such that when those parts are engaged, there is no play between them.

Because of the one-piece nature of the support arm, and the play-free connection between the arm and the mounting plate on the one hand and the support pad on the other hand, an extremely rigid connection is achieved between the violin and the shoulder pad, which avoids any disturbance when playing resulting from the violin moving relative to the shoulder rest during play. .

It is advantageous for the rest to be light in weight. Consequently, the metal parts are preferably of aluminium, and where possible, material is cut away to avoid excess weight.

The number and position of the recesses 58 can be chosen in accordance with the range of positions likely to be necessary for the support to be effective and comfortable to use. The "plug-in" nature of the attachment makes the rest easy to attach to or detach from the instrument, whilst providing a lightweight, easy to set up and practical support.

To attach the rest to the violin, starting from the stowed position as shown in Figure 2, just requires the arm 24 to be pulled out from the socket 50 far enough to swing the arm through approximately 90° so that the pin ,48c cab .be engaged in the recess 58a. The arm is then pushed back in until the detent locks the arm. The other end of the arm is then pushed into the socket 34 until it clicks home, whilst selecting the appropriate on of the recesses 58 on the socket portion 30. The Mounting portion .28. will normally already be fitted semi-permanently on the violin, where it will protrude only a negligible amount from the violin body and will not obstruct the instrument being placed in its case.

Claims

1. A shoulder rest for a violin or the. like musical instrument, the shoulder rest comprising a mounting plate, a shoulder pad and a support arm for connecting the. mounting plate and the shoulder pad, the . mounting plate being adapted to be clamped to the body of the musical instrument and at least one of the mounting plate and the shoulder pad having a socket for receiving one end of the support arm through a push-in connection secured by spring-loaded detents, and wherein the support arm end and the socket are provided with means to prevent angular rotation of the support arm relative to the socket, once engaged.

2. A shoulder rest for a violin or the like, comprising:

- a mounting plate

- a support arm with two ends, and - a shoulder pad, wherein the mounting plate is adapted to be clamped to the body of a musical instrument and has a socket for receiving one end of the support arm, the shoulder pad has a socket for receiving the other end of the support arm, and wherein the ends of the support arm engage with the sockets on the mounting plate and the shoulder pad through push-in connections secured by spring-loaded detents, and wherein the support arm ends and the sockets are provided with means to prevent angular rotation of the support arm relative to the sockets, once engaged.

3. A shoulder rest as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the support arm ends are set at an angle to the length of the arm.

4. A shoulder rest as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the support arm ends are set substantially at a right angle to the length of the arm.

5. A shoulder rest as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the support arm end or ends are provided with an annular groove, and the spring-loaded detents allow the ends to.be pushed into the sockets, past the detents which then spring back into the groove to hold the arm in place, while allowing it to be removed. by a firm outward pull.; . ^{• ■} • .

6. A shoulder rest as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the push-in connection between the arm and the mounting plate or the shoulder pad allows the arm to be engaged with the plate or pad in any one of a number of discrete angular positions. .

7. A shoulder rest as claimed in Claim 6, wherein the prevention of angular rotation is provided by a radially extending projection on the arm which locates in a corresponding radial recess at the mouth of the socket.

8. A shoulder rest as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the ends of the arm are a close fit in the socket or sockets such that there is substantially no movement between the mounting plate and the shoulder pad when the instrument is being played.

9. A shoulder rest as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the shoulder pad has a pad frame in which the socket is provided, and a cushion mounted on the frame, on the side which, in use, will lie on the player's shoulder.

10. A shoulder rest as claimed in Claim 8, wherein the pad is shaped to assist in locating the pad on the player's shoulder.

11. A shoulder rest as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the arm is a one-piece, rigid component.