US3048073A - Musical string tuning device - Google Patents

Description

g- 1962 w. H. FARR MUSICAL STRING TUNING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 16, 1959 Y 16 F|G.3

INVENTOR.

WARREN H. FARR BY qm swr' FIG.5

ATTO R NE Y Aug. 7, 1962 w. H. FARR MUSICAL STRING TUNING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 16 1959 F l G. 7

FIG. 4

FIG. a

INVENTOR. WARR E N H. FARR BY zw ATTORNEY United States. Patent 3,048,073 MUSICAL STRING TUNING DEVICE Warren Herman Farr, Grosse Pointe Farms, Mich., assignor to Winter & Company, Inc., Bronx, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Oct. 16, 1959, Ser. No. 846,979 2 Claims. (Cl. 84205) This invention relates to a device for tuning the strings .of a musical instrument; and more particularly, concerns a device for tuning the strings of a piano or the like.

conventionally, the strings of a piano are secured at their ends to pegs which are turnably mounted in recesses in the string plate; thereby permitting the strings to be tuned by turning the pegs to regulate the string tension. This arrangement does not readily lend itself to precision tuning and as the recesses in the plate tend to become somewhat enlarged due to friction between the peg and the recess wall, tuning adjustments become even more difficult.

Accordingly, one object of this invention is to provide improved means for securing terminal portions of the strings of a piano or the like whereby the tension on said strings may be adjusted with a high degree of precision.

A further object of this invention is to provide improved means for tuning piano strings where a group of such strings may be tensioned simultaneously, or individual strings in the group may be separately tensioned, thereby facilitating the tuning operation.

Another object of this invention is to provide tuning means of the character described which includes improved means for clamping the terminal ends of the piano strings.

A further object of this invention isto provide an improved device for tuning the strings or wires of a piano, wherein said device includes a plurality of elements for anchoring the ends of a group of piano strings, the several elements being arranged for movement as a group or for independent movement; said device being adapted to be used with groups including one or more piano strings or wires.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

In the drawing, FIG. 1 is a top plan view showing means for tensioning musical strings, in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a rear end view of the primary slide member;

FIG. 4 is'a top plan view thereof;

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 2;

showinga modified form of the invention; and

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view thereof.

Essentially, the device of the instant invention comprises a primary slide member adapted to be precisely moved over a base member; the primary slide member carrying a plurality of secondary slide members arranged for movement, independent of each other and independently of the primary slide member; each of the slide members including means for tightly anchoring the end portion of a musical string to be tensioned. The devices in side by side arrangement on the base member are adapted to precisely tension musical strings in groups of 1, 2 or 3 strings, by simple manipulative means.

Thus, as shown in FIG. 1, I0 designates a string tensioning device embodying the invention. A plurality of such devices 10 are adapted to be movably mounted on a base member 1 which may take the form of metal bar having a fiat surface 2, a longitudinally extending upstand- 3,648,073 Patented Aug. 7, 1962 ing rib 3 adjacent one edge of bar 1 and an elongated head 4 at the other edge of said bar, forming bridge means for the piano strings, as indicated in a group of three including A, B and C.

It is understood that base member 1 is suitably mounted in a piano casing above the sounding board thereof, whereby the several strings thereof may be anchored in tensioning devices 10 carried by member 1; a single device 10 being shown in FIG. 1. Each device 10 comprises an elongated primary slide member 11 which carries a pair of secondary slide members 12 arranged for movement independently of each other and independently of slide member 11.

Primary slide member 11 comprises a body portion 13 of generally rectangular shape, with a stem portion 14 ex tending rearwardly from one end of body portion 13. Stem portion 14 is formed with a threaded bore 15 for receiving a screw S which is arranged to pass through an opening in rib 3 of base member 1, to move member 11 with its bottom surface 16 in contact with surface 2 of base member 1.

Slide member 11 further includes an inclined top surface portion 17 extending between a rearwardly disposed upstanding portion 18 formed with a through opening 19 extending parallel to surface 17, and an upstanding portion 29 located at the forward edge thereof. Portion 20 is formed with a string receiving passage 21 at the lower end thereof and centrally thereof and is further formed with a threaded bore 22 which communicates at its lower end with string passage 21. A screw L in bore 22 is adapted to lock string A which is received in passage 21, in place.

Portion 20 of slide member 11 is further formed with parallel string passages 23 located on either side of passage 21, to freely pass strings B and C, for engagement by secondary slide members 12. The top surface 17 of slide member 11 is formed with a pair of parallel grooves 24 extending between upstanding portions 18, 20, for the purpose hereinafter appearing.

Each of the secondary slide members 12 comprises a flat body of generally triangular outline, with a bottom surface 26 slidably engaging top surface 17 of member 11. A rib 27 projects from bottom surface 26 and is received in a groove 24 to precisely guide the slidable movement of slide 12 relative to slide 11.

Slide member 12 is formed with a threaded bore 28 adjacent the bottom surface 26 thereof and extending rearwardly in alignment with opening 19' in upstanding portion 18 of slide member 1.1. A screw S passing through opening 19 and threaded into bore 28 allows for precise movement of slide members 12 relative to slide member 11.

Slide member 12 is further formed with a string receiv ing passage 29 extending upwardly and rearwardly from front edge 30 of the member. A threaded recess 31 formed in a rear portion of slide 12 intersects passage 29 and a lock screw M received in recess 21 secures strings B and C which pass through passages 23 in upstanding porti'on 20 of slide member 11 and thence through passages 29 in slide members 12.

As indicated in FIG. 6, the string locking screws L, M may be formed with a centrally disposed recess 32 at the lower end thereof, thus providing an annular edge 33 to effectively lock the engaged string against the bottom portion'of the recesses 22 or 31.

Screws S and S may have hex heads to facilitate their manipulation with an appropriate wrench. Thus, on turning screw S, tension is simultaneously adjusted in respect to each of strings A, B, and C. However, on turning screws S, the tension on strings B and C may be independently adjusted.

A modified form of the invention is shown in FIGS. 7

3 and 8, wherein the anchoring of wires A, B, and C is facilitated. The device shown in FIGS. 7, 8 is similar to device 10 of FIGS. 1-6, except as hereinafter indicated.

In device 10', the forward upstanding portion 20' of primary slide 11 is formed with a centrally located, lower wire receiving passage 21a and an upper wire receiving passage 21 in vertical alignment with passage 21a. The threaded bore 22 intersects passage 21 to receive locking screw L. It will be apparent that wire A now passes first through passage 21a in a forward direction and then passes rearwardly through passage 21'. The bight arrangement of the wire A at its anchor point facilitates the installation and tuning operations, and further provides a more positive anchorage for the same.

Similarly, each of the secondary slide members 12' is provided with a lower wire passage 29a and an upper wire passage 29 which is intersected by threaded bore 31', whereby Wires B, C are anchored at their bight portions.

It will be apparent that precision movement of the primary slide 11 or 11 relative to base member 1; as well as the precision movement of secondary slides 12, or 12 relative to primary slides 11 or 11, insure accurate tensioning of the strings or wires, at all times. Furthermore, tuning is facilitated and accomplished in a rapid manner by reason of tension adjustments of either of a plurality of strings simultaneously or of individual strings.

As various changes might be made in the embodiments of the invention herein shown, without departing from the spirit'thereof, it is understood that all matter herein shown or described is illustrative and not limiting except as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus disclosed my invention, I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent:

1. Piano string adjusting means comprising a primary 3 slide members slidably arranged on said primary slide member, said primary slide member including a fiat surface for slidably receiving said secondary slide members, cooperating means on said primary slide member and each of said secondary slide members for guiding the independent movement of said secondary slide members relative to said primary slide member, an upstanding forward portion and an upstanding rear portion, said forward portion being formed with a string passage and a threaded recess intersecting said passage for receiving a lock screw, each of said secondary slide members being, formed with a threaded recess extending rearwardly thereof, a string passage and a second threaded recess intersecting said last mentioned string passage for receiving a lock screw, the

upstanding rear portion of said primary'slide member being formed with a through opening in alignment with the first threaded recess in said secondary slide member,

a screw passing through said through opening and threaded into the first threaded recess of said secondary slide member for advancing and retracting said secondary slide member relative to said primary slide member.

2. Piano string adjusting means as in claim 1 wherein the upstanding forward portion on said primary slide member is formed with a second string passage below the first mentioned string passage therein to receive the doubled back end portions of a string in said first and.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 237,528 Hebard Feb. 8, 1881 267,150 Chard et a1. Nov. 7, 1882 484,403 Brackett Oct. 18, 1892

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