US1821811A - Chin rest for violins and similar musical instruments - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 1, 1931. K. MA! 1,821,811

CHIN BEST FOR VIOLINS AND SIMILAR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Filed Dec. 20, 1928 Patented Sept. 1, 1931 UNITED STATE-51S KURT MAI, OF STUTTGAR'I, GERMANY CHIN BEST FOR VIOLIEIS AND SIMELAB MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Application filed December 20, 1528, Serial No. 327,410, and in Germany December 24', 1927;.

The present invention relates to a chin rest for violins and similar musical instruments.

Stringed instruments and similar instruments are usually equipped with a chin rest, whereby the instrument can be held with greater ease than without such device. The more exact the form of such chin rest correspends with the form of the jaw-bone of the musician, the better the purpose of the device will be fulfilled. Now, the jaws of the different human races and also the jaws of the different individuals belonging to the same race are very differently formed and it is clear that the usual chin rests, which are pro- 5 duced on .a larger scale from wood, celluloid or similar materials do not fit the chin of the musician. Even in case a chin rest is specially manufactured and formed after the chin of the violinist, it will only fit correctly at a certain position of the head and the instrument. During the play however the relative positions of the head and the instrument will change frequently, so that even such individually formed chin rest will not fulfill its purpose. On the contrary, chin rests of the last mentioned kind, will be uncommodious in use and may create red irritated spots on the chin, inflammation of the skin, grown in hairs et cetera.

According to the present invention the above named inco veniences are remedied by equipping a chin rest with an elastic jaw supporting edge, which will accommodate itself .after all possible aw forms at any position of the head relatively to the instrument.

A constructional form of the invention is shown by Way of an example in the accom-, panying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a top View of the chin rest.

Fig. 2 is an end view.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view after the line 33 in Fig. 2, whereby one end has been broken away and the valve device has been turned 90 to the side.

Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 show a detail seen from above resp. from the side.

The base plate a (Figs. L8) consists of wood, celluloid or a similar suitable material and is like the usual chin rests. The base 50 plate is equipped with grooves, by means of which an elastic jaw supporting edge may be connected to the base. This supporting edge may for instance consist of a; rubber bladder b (Fig. 3-)f, which by means-of avalve 0 may be inflated in the same manner as cycle. tires. Anair tight connection between the valve and the rubber bladder is provided by means of the connecting piece cl (Figs. 2 and 3), which isequipped with a threaded opening, which cooperates with a correspondingly threaded part on the valve body proper. he connecting or support piece (Z isfurther equipped with abore, which serves as an inlet for the valve 0 and which may be closed by .ieans of a. screw 6. When the screw is. removed air may be blown into the bladder 6 through the valve 0. Below the rubber bladder a metal frame 7 (Figs. 4 and 5-) is located, which is resting in grooves in slots in the base a. At the front end of the-base a groove is provided, which as shown in the Figures 1 and 3 is adaptedtota-keup the elliptical edge of the frame. The rear end of the base is formed with. slots adapted to receive lugs f on the frame. The lugs are formedwith apertures, through which screws arepassed by means of which the framema-y besecurely fastened to the base plate.

The rubber bladder b is held on the. said metal framef by means ofa cover. 9. (Fig. 3), which consists of leather, fabric or the like and which on all sides caught below the said frame. The cover 9 may also be connected to the frame before the different parts of the device are assembled, in which casethe rubber bladder is inserted from below through the open space in the frame, whereby: the connecting piece (Z will slide into the slot like opening in the frame Each chin: rest is furnished with a spare jaw support of wood or another hard suitable material, which may be substituted for the elastic chin rest or part of the same. In this way each chin rest possesses one aw support of the usual kind and another elastic aw sup port. If the frame with the bladder and the cover together have been inserted to replace the hard jaw support and the bladder has been inflated, then the chin rest will pos sees an elastic jaw supporting edge.

Instead of an inflated bag or bladder other suitable means may of course be used for producing an elastic jaw supporting rest.

It is also possible to dispense with the base plate a and to build up the chin rest by means of a metal or celluloid frame and an elastic body alone.

Instead of air, water or an other suitable substance may be used for filling the bladder.

The frame as well as the base plate may be composed from aluminium, a metallic alloy, hard rubber, artificial resins or any other suitable material.

The free ends of the frame 7 shown in Fig. 4 may also be joined by a small bridge as shown in striated lines in Fig. 4.

I claim:

1. A chin rest for stringed musical instruments, comprising a rigid member adapted to be contacted by the chin and an elastic j aw supporting edge, covering part of said rigid member.

2. A chin rest for stringed musical instruments, comprising in combination, a rigid base member, an elastic jaw supporting edge covering part of said base member and means for connecting the said parts to an instrument.

3. A chin rest for stringed musical instruments, comprising in combination, a rigid base member, a frame detachably connected to the same, an elastic jaw supporting edge covering part of said base member and resting on said frame and means for connecting the said parts to an instrument.

4. A chin rest for stringed musical instruments, comprising in combination, a rigid base member, a frame connected to the same, an inflated bag covering part of said base member and resting on said frame, an inlet and outlet valve in the said bag and means for connecting the said parts to an instrument.

5. A chin rest for stringed musical instruments, comprising in combination, a rigid base member, a frame connected to the same, an inflated bag covering part of said base member and resting on said frame, an inlet and outlet valve in the said bag, a connecting member connecting the said bag air tight to said valve, a cover for the said bag and means for connecting the said parts to an instrument.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

KURT MAI.

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