US3668967A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Chord indicator
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1970-07-27
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Granted: 1972-06-13
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Expires: 1990-07-27
Abstract
Abstract The invention involves an indicator which identifies the various musical chords and displays the location of the notes comprising the various musical chords upon a simulated finger board of a fretted stringed instrument. This is accomplished in the instant invention by providing a sliderule device having a transparent outer member with indicia imprinted thereon, including a replica of a fingerboard and a series of characters which designate the particular tone which is made when a finger is pressed down at that point on the fingerboard. The device further includes first and second slides which carry a plurality of spots along the length thereof. By manipulation of the slides, and thier associated indexing means, the spots are positioned behind predetermined characters on the fingerboard to make such characters stand out and be easily read by the viewer. The characters correspond to the notes in the chord selected by the indexing means. In this manner, all the notes included in a preselected chord are identified and located at their respective positions on the simulated fingerboard.
Inventors
- 👤 Albert Malis
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 19:16
CPC Classifications
G; G09; G09B; G09B15/00; G09B15/001; G09B15/004; G09B15/005; G09B15/006
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
260 words
A device for quick identification of the multiple positions of notes of a musical chord and the corresponding locations thereof on the fingerboard of a musical string instrument comprising: a first elongated sleeve means having a transparent portion overwhich is superimposed a representation of a fingerboard of a musical string instrument, said sleeve means provided with a window means for indexing a chord name; a second elongated sleeve means contained in said first sleeve means and in longitudinal slideable engagement therewith, said second sleeve means having a series of chord name characters positioned in cooperative slideable relationship with said window means carried by first said sleeve means, said second sleeve means being provided with an indexing window means for observing index marking means and having corresponding chord type characters adjacent thereto which are positioned in a predetermined relationship with said chord name characters, said second sleeve means being provided with chord element identifying indicia in a predetermined pattern and a plurality of window means dispersed in a predetermined pattern for selective viewing of additional chord element indicia; and a slide means contained in said second sleeve means, said slide means being in longitudinal slideable engagement with said second sleeve means, said slide means being provided with a plurality of chord element indicia positioned in a predetermined pattern for cooperative observation in said window viewing means carried by said second sleeve means, said slide means having an index means in cooperative slideable relationship with said chord type index characters carried by said second sleeve means for selecting a desired chord type.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
260 words
A device for quick identification of the multiple positions of notes of a musical chord and the corresponding locations thereof on the fingerboard of a musical string instrument comprising: a first elongated sleeve means having a transparent portion overwhich is superimposed a representation of a fingerboard of a musical string instrument, said sleeve means provided with a window means for indexing a chord name; a second elongated sleeve means contained in said first sleeve means and in longitudinal slideable engagement therewith, said second sleeve means having a series of chord name characters positioned in cooperative slideable relationship with said window means carried by first said sleeve means, said second sleeve means being provided with an indexing window means for observing index marking means and having corresponding chord type characters adjacent thereto which are positioned in a predetermined relationship with said chord name characters, said second sleeve means being provided with chord element identifying indicia in a predetermined pattern and a plurality of window means dispersed in a predetermined pattern for selective viewing of additional chord element indicia; and a slide means contained in said second sleeve means, said slide means being in longitudinal slideable engagement with said second sleeve means, said slide means being provided with a plurality of chord element indicia positioned in a predetermined pattern for cooperative observation in said window viewing means carried by said second sleeve means, said slide means having an index means in cooperative slideable relationship with said chord type index characters carried by said second sleeve means for selecting a desired chord type.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
131 words
A device as described in claim 1, wherein said first sleeve means is provided with a plurality of opposite sides each having a transparent portion over which a representation of a fingerboard of a musical instrument is superimposed, said second sleeve means is provided with a plurality of opposite sIdes corresponding in number with the sides of said first sleeve means and each of said sides having positioned thereon the chord name characters, indexing window means and corresponding chord type characters, chord element identifying indicia and window means, and said slide means is provided with a plurality of opposite sides corresponding in number with the sides of said first and second sleeve means and each of said sides having a plurality of the chord element indicia and an index means thereon.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
49 words
A device as described in claim 2, wherein a plurality of musical note characters are positioned on the fingerboard replica provided by the first sleeve means in a predetermined pattern, and the chord element identifying indicia carried by the second sleeve means and the slide means are colored spots.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
84 words
A device as described in claim 3, wherein the chord identifying indicia carried by the second sleeve means are colored so that when the chord identifying indicia carried by the second sleeve means underlie the desired characters of the same note positioned on the fingerboard replica carried by the first sleeve means, the chord element identifying indicia simultaneously underlie the appropriate note characters carried by the first sleeve means to indicate the harmony to said chord identifying indicia and the multiple chord positions thereof.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
63 words
A device as described in claim 4, wherein the chord type characters carried by each side of the second sleeve means are different from the chord type characters of the opposite sides and the chord name characters, the chord type characters and the index means of the slide means are positioned in slideable adjacent relationship and are simultaneously viewable in a single location.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
A device as described in claim 5, wherein the window means provided by said first and second sleeve means are transparent areas in the face of the sides thereof.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-06-13 | 1975-12-13 | 1976-06-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-06-13 | 1979-12-13 | 1980-06-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-06-13 | 1983-12-13 | 1984-06-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |