Novel pitch adjustment means for stringed instruments

Claim 2

A tuning device for reversably and predictably changing the pitch of one string of a stringed instrumenT which comprises: a. a cylinder having a plurality of excisions cut therein, said excisions having a direction of cut substantially perpendicular to the principal axis of said cylinder; and b. a pulley wheel, mounted in the first of said excisions having an axis of rotation parallel to but a location eccentric in relation to the principal axis of said cylinder, wherein, when the device is placed on the scroll of the stringed instrument, the string whose pitch is to be adjusted passes over said pulley when the device is in the ''''contact'''' position; c. means for placing said device into the ''''contact'''' and ''''noncontact'''' positions.

Claim 3

A device according to claim 1 additionally comprising plugs located within the remaining excisions, said plugs being in contact with the remaining strings of the device, when said device is installed and in the ''''contact'''' position.

Claim 4

A device according to claim 2 wherein at least one of said plugs is adjustable in a direction perpendicular to the principal axis of said cylinder.

Claim 5

A device according to claim 1 additionally comprising a rotation prevention means, whereby the degree of rotation of the device when in position is controlled.

Claim 6

A device according to claim 4 wherein said rotation prevention means comprises adjustable means for presetting the desired degree of rotation.

Claim 7

A device according to claim 1 wherein the means for placing the device in the ''''contact'''' and ''''noncontact'''' positions comprises a pair of levers, each having at least one right angle bend therein, wherein one leg of each of said levers is inserted into the opposite bases of said cylinder and said inserted legs having an axis parallel to but located eccentrically in relation to the principal axis of said cylinder, and wherein the axis of said inserted legs lie in diagonally opposite quadrants of the cross section of the cylinder taken in a plane perpendicular to the principal axis of said cylinder.

Claim 8

A device according to claim 6 wherein the legs of said levers are threaded into said cylinder and secured therein by removable securing means, whereby said legs are prevented from rotation.

Claim 9

A device according to claim 7 having three excisions therein wherein: a. the pulley in the first excision is rotatably mounted on the leg of a first lever inserted into the cylinder, said pulley having a circumferential groove therein. b. said leg at said first lever, passing across a second excision adjacent to said first excision and being exposed thereby; and having c. a first adjustable plug, having a groove in the top thereof, set into said second excision, said adjustable plug having an axis substantially perpendicular to a plane passing through the axis of said leg of said first lever and of said cylinder; d. a second adjustable plug set in a third excision adjacent to said second excision; e. third adjustable plug set in said third excision, the axes of said second and said third adjustable plugs having an axis of adjustment line substantially on a common plane, said plane passing through the axis of said cylinder; f. a rotation prevention means comprising an upper exposed portion and a lower embedded portion, said exposed portion comprising at least two holes therethrough and said embedded portion being embedded in said cylinder and lying substantially on a common plane with said second and said third adjustable plugs; and g. a leg of a second lever inserted into said cylinder wherein the embedded portion of the rotation prevention device is engageable with said leg to prevent the rotation thereof.

Claim 10

A device according to claim 8 wherein the adjustable plugs are adjustable screws.

Claim 11

A device according to claim 8 additionally comprising: a. said securing means embedded in said cylinder engageable with the leg of said first lever inserted therein; and b. adjustable protrusions passing through the holes of the exposed portion of said rotation prevention Means, the axes said protrusions being substantially perpendicular to the substantially common plane of the axes of said second and third adjustable plugs and the rotation prevention means.

Claim 12

A device according to claim 8 wherein the totally exposed portion of said first lever comprises three sections defined as follows: a. a first section substantially perpendicular to the axis of said cylinder, b. a second section adjoining said first section substantially parallel to the axis of said cylinder, c. a third section adjoining said second section substantially perpendicular to the axis of the cylinder, and wherein the totally exposed portion of said second lever comprises two sections defined as follows: d. a first section substantially perpendicular to the axis of said cylinder and e. a second section adjoining said first section substantially parallel to the axis of the cylinder.

Claim 13

A device according to claim 8 which further comprises a separator located between said second and said third adjustable plugs.

Claim 14

A device of claim 1 wherein the excisions are grooves, said grooves having a depth of between about 0.1 to about 1.0 times the diameter of the string of said stringed instrument passing over each of said grooves.

Claim 15

A device comprising in combination: a. a device of claim 13; and b. a cylindrical bar, said bar being parallel to the cylinder of the device of claim 13 and resting on the scroll of the stringed instrument rearwardly of said cylinder.

Claim 16

A device which comprises in combination: a. the device of claim 13; b. a cylindrical bar; c. means for holding said cylindrical bar parallel to and at a preset distance from the cylinder of device of claim 13; and d. means for permitting the cylinder of the device of claim 13 to rotate about its axis while the cylindrical bar remains substantially at rest.

Claim 17

A device of claim 15 wherein: a. the holding means are at least two rigid parallel bars located with their axes perpendicular to the axes of the cylindrical bar and rigidly attached to said bar at a short distance from each of the ends thereof; and b. the means for permitting rotation of the cylinder bearing the pulley wheel comprises at least two annular rings said annular rings being located near the ends of said cylinder and having the second end of one of said rigid parallel bars rigidly affixed thereto.

Claim 18

A device of claim 15 wherein said holding means comprises: a. at least two rigid parallel bars located with their axes perpendicular to the axis of the cylindrical bar; and b. a pair of saddles, each of said saddles having a vertical groove therein wherein one end of said rigid parallel bars are attached to said saddles and the axes of said bars are perpendicular to the axis of the grooves in said saddles wherein the cylindrical bar of the device of claim 15 rests in the grooves of said saddles.

Claim 19

A device of claim 17 wherein each of said saddles further comprises an adjusting screw whereby the height of the cylindrical bar may be adjusted.

Claim 20

A device according to claim 1 additionally comprising a plurality of adjustable screws located within the excisions other than the excision containing the pulley wheel, in combination with string guide means resting in each of said excision, wherein the screws in the device of claim 1 contact the underside of said guide means whereby the strings passing over said string guide means are caused to be in the proper state of tension when the principal device is in the contact or noncontact position.

Claim 21

A combination comprising: a. a device of claim 1 additionally comprising a plurality of adjustable screws located within the excisions other than the excision containing the pulley wheel; b. a plurality of guide means having a channel in the upper surface thereof; and c. the nut of the scroll of a stringed instrument, wherein the device of claim 1 rests against the nut of the scrolL its axis being perpendicular to the strings of said instrument said guide means being pivotally mounted on said nut and resting in the excisions in the device of claim 1.

Claim 22

A combination according to claim 20 wherein said guide means are substantially J-shaped and wherein the said guide means are pivotally mounted on the nut of the scroll substantially close to the end of the straight portion of the J-shaped guide means.