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US3674907A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Keyboard transposition of electrical musical instruments
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1969-12-31
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Granted: 1972-07-04
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Expires: 1989-12-31
Abstract
Abstract The keyboard of musical instruments, such as electronic organs, is connected through frequency divider circuits to basic tone generators such that corresponding keys of adjacent octaves produce notes which are separated by an octave and adjacent keys produce the tonal scale. This invention discloses electronic switching which allows all keys to be moved up or down the tonal scale in unison by connecting different tone generators to the frequency divider networks according to the key in which the music is to be provided while the music may be played on the keyboard from sheet music written in a different key.
Inventors
- 👤 Wendell A Derry
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 03:35
CPC Classifications
G; G10; G10H; G10H1/00; G10H1/18; G10H1/20; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S84/00; Y10S84/07
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
278 words
Apparatus for transposing notes of a keyboard musical instrument comprising, a plurality of basic tone generators arranged in sequence in the tonal scale, said plurality of tone generators being greater than a selEcted number N, a number of electronic switching networks, said number of networks being equal to the number of tone generators in excess of the selected number N, each switching network having input and output terminals equal in number to said selected number N, each input terminal being connected to a different output terminal through an electronic switching means, each input terminal of a switching network being connected to a different tone generator in a group of sequential tone generators, a plurality of frequency divider networks equal in number to said outputs of a said switching network, corresponding output terminals of each switching network being connected to a different divider network, a source of electrical energy, a selector switch whose input is connected to said source of energy, said selector switch having a plurality of output terminals equal in number to the number of switching networks, only one terminal being selectively energized by a selected switch position, each switching network having an energizing terminal connected to a different output terminal of said selector switch, each said electronic switching means forms a low impedance connection between each input terminal and the corresponding output terminal when the energizing terminal of the network is energized by said source of energy and a high impedance when not energized, whereby the selection of a switch position causes a specific group of the selected number of basic tone generators to be connected to the frequency dividing networks through an energized switching network.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
278 words
Apparatus for transposing notes of a keyboard musical instrument comprising, a plurality of basic tone generators arranged in sequence in the tonal scale, said plurality of tone generators being greater than a selEcted number N, a number of electronic switching networks, said number of networks being equal to the number of tone generators in excess of the selected number N, each switching network having input and output terminals equal in number to said selected number N, each input terminal being connected to a different output terminal through an electronic switching means, each input terminal of a switching network being connected to a different tone generator in a group of sequential tone generators, a plurality of frequency divider networks equal in number to said outputs of a said switching network, corresponding output terminals of each switching network being connected to a different divider network, a source of electrical energy, a selector switch whose input is connected to said source of energy, said selector switch having a plurality of output terminals equal in number to the number of switching networks, only one terminal being selectively energized by a selected switch position, each switching network having an energizing terminal connected to a different output terminal of said selector switch, each said electronic switching means forms a low impedance connection between each input terminal and the corresponding output terminal when the energizing terminal of the network is energized by said source of energy and a high impedance when not energized, whereby the selection of a switch position causes a specific group of the selected number of basic tone generators to be connected to the frequency dividing networks through an energized switching network.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
48 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said switching network comprises, a plurality of the said electronic switching means, each switching means connected between an input and a corresponding output of the network, each switching means having a control terminal connected to the input terminal of the switching network.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus of claim 2 comprising in addition an electrical impedance inserted between each switching means control terminal and the input terminal of the switching network.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
53 words
The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said switching means comprises, two serially connected diodes having their point of connection at the control terminal of the switching means, the other ends of said diodes each being connected to ground by a resistor and each being the input and output terminal of said switching network.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus of claim 3 comprising in addition a low electrical impedance connected between said selector switch input and ground.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
20 words
The apparatus of claim wherein, said selected number N is 12, corresponding to the number of notes in an octave.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus of claim 6 wherein, said number of electronic switching networks is 11, thereby allowing key transposition over an entire octave.
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) | 1975-07-04 | 1976-01-03 | 1976-07-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-07-04 | 1980-01-03 | 1980-07-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-07-04 | 1984-01-03 | 1984-07-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |