Pitch-changing tuning device for string instruments

Claim 2

A tuning means for increasing and decreasing by a determined amount the normal tension of one or more of the strings of a stringed instrument of the type having a head end and a tail end, the head end of each string being attached to a conventional tension adjusting means at the head end of the instrument, said tuning means comprising a pivoted tuning member at the tail end of the instrument for each string, said tuning member extending downwardly through an opening at the tail end of said instrument, the tail end of each string being attached to its tuning member adjacent the upper end thereof, each tuning member being pivotable from a normal position to a first position in which the tension of its string is increased and between said normal position and a second position in which the tension of its string is reduced, linkage means at the underside of said instrument for attaching the tail ends of a first and a second pull rod to each of said tuning members in such a way that a pulling force applied to said first pull rod will pivot its tuning member to said first position and a pulling force applied to said second pull rod will pivot its tuning member to said second position, a plurality of rocking assemblies affixed to the underside of said instrument and extending transversely thereof in parallel spaced relationship, each of said rocking assemblies having a first actuator to which the head end of any of said first pull rods may be operatively attached and a second actuator to which the head end of any of said second pull rods may be operatively attached, said rocking assemblies being pivotable between a normal position and a pulling position in which said first and second actuators apply a pulling force respectively to any of said first and second pull rods operatively attached thereto, each of said first pull rods being guided and supported by said first actuator of any of said rocking assemblies located between said linkage means and that rocking assembly having the first actuator to which the head end of said first pull rod is operatively attached, each of said second pull rods being guided and supported by said second actuator of any of said rocking assemblies located between said linkage means and that rocking assembly having the second actuator to which the head end of said second pull rod is operatively attached, means for rocking each of said rocking assemblies from said normal position to said pulling position and means for returning each of said rocking assemblies from said pulling position to said normal position.

Claim 3

The structure claimed in claim 1 wherein said linkage means comprises a link member and first and second pull rod plates for each of said tuning members, the upper end of said link member being pivoted to the lower end of said tuning member, said first pull rod plate extending transversely of said link member and being pivoted thereto at a first pivot point intermediate the ends of said link member, said second pull rod plate being substantially parallel to said first pull rod plate and being pivoted to said link member at a second pivot point at the lower end of said link member, a first stop means limiting the longitudinal movement of said first pull rod plate toward the tail end of said instrument, a second stop means limiting the longitudinal movement of said second pull rod plate toward the tail end of said instrument, means for urging said first and second pull rod plates against said first and second stops, respectively, said tail end of one of said fist pull rods being operatively attached to said first pull rod plate and said tail end of one of said second pull rods being operatively attached to said second pull rod plate.

Claim 4

The structure claimed in claim 1 wherein each of said rocking assemblies comprises a pair of downwardly depending supports pivotally attached to the underside of said instrument in spaced relationship, said first and second actuator comprising elongated members extending transversely of said instrument and between said supports, the ends of said first and second actuators being pivotally affixed to said supports with said first actuator above said second actuator, each of said first and second actuators having a plurality of perforations spaced along the length thereof through which first and second pull rods may extend, respectively, all of said first actuators of said rocking assemblies lying in substantially the same plane with their perforations being substantially coaxial, all of said second actuators lying in substantially the same plane with their perforations being substantially coaxial.

Claim 5

The structure claimed in claim 1 wherein said means for rocking each of said rocking assemblies from said normal position to said pulling position comprises a pedal for each of said rocking assemblies, linkage means for operatively connecting each of said pedals to its rocking assembly.

Claim 6

In a stringed instrument of the type having two necks, a head end, a tail end and a conventional tension adjusting means at the head end of each neck, each string of each neck being attached at its head end to the conventional tension adjusting means of that neck, tuning means for increasing and decreasing by a determined amount the normal tension of one or more of the strings of each neck, said tuning means comprising a pivoted tuning member at the tail end of each neck for each string of that neck, each tuning member extending downwardly through an opening at the tail end of its respective neck, the tail end of each string being attached to its tuning member adjacent the upper end thereof, each tuning member being pivotable from a normal position to a first position in which the tension of the string is increased and between said normal position and a second position in which the tension of its string is reduced, linkage means for each neck at the underside of said instrument for attaching the tail ends of a first and a second pull rod to each of said tuning members for that neck in such a way that a pulling force applied to said first pull rod will pivot its tuning member to said first position and a pulling force applied to said second pull rod will pivot its tuning member to said second position, a plurality of rocking assemblies for each neck affixed to the underside of said instrument, the rocking assemblies for each neck extending transversely thereof and in parallel spaced relationship to each other, each of said rocking assemblies for a given neck having a first actuator to which the head end of any of said first pull rods for that neck may be operatively attached and a second actuator to which the head end of any of said second pull rods for that neck may be operatively attached, said rocking assemblies for both necks being pivotable between a normal position and a pulling position in which said first and second actuators apply a pulling force respectively to any of said first and second pull rods operatively attached thereto, each of said first pull rods of a given neck being guided and supported by said first actuator of any of said rocking assemblies for that neck located between said linkage means for that neck and that rocking assembly having the first actuator to which the head end of said first pull rod is operatively attached, each of said second pull rods for a given neck being guided and supported by said second actuator of any of said rocking assemblies for that neck located between said linkage means for that neck and that rocking assembly having the second actuator to which the head end of said second pull rod is operatively attached, each rocking assembly for one of said necks beIng in longitudinal alignment with a rocking assembly for the other of said necks, a rocking means for each of said aligned pairs of rocking assemblies, for alternatively rocking the rocking assemblies of each pair from said normal position to said pulling position, means for alternatively connecting all of said rocking means simultaneously to their respective rocking assemblies for one neck and simultaneously to their respective rocking assemblies for the other neck, and means for returning each rocking assembly of each neck from its pulling position to its normal position.

Claim 7

In a stringed instrument of the type having two necks, a head end, a tail end and a conventional tension adjusting means at the head end of each neck, each string of each neck being attached at its head end to the conventional tension adjusting means of that neck, tuning means for increasing and decreasing by a determined amount the normal tension of one or more of the strings of each neck, said tuning means comprising a pivoted tuning member at the tail end of each neck for each string of that neck, each tuning member extending downwardly through an opening at the tail end of its respective neck, the tail end of each string being attached to its tuning member adjacent the upper end thereof, each tuning member being pivotable from a normal position to a first position in which the tension of the string is increased and between said normal position and a second position in which the tension of its string is reduced, linkage means for each neck at the underside of said instrument for attaching the tail ends of a first and a second pull rod to each of said tuning members for that neck in such a way that a pulling force applied to said first pull rod will pivot its tuning member to said first position and a pulling force applied to said second pull rod will pivot its tuning member to said second position, a plurality of rocking assemblies for each neck affixed to the underside of said instrument, the rocking assemblies for each neck extending transversely thereof and in parallel spaced relationship to each other, each of said rocking assemblies for a given neck having a first actuator to which the head end of any of said first pull rods for that neck may be operatively attached and a second actuator to which the head end of any of said second pull rods for that neck may be operatively attached, said rocking assemblies for both necks being pivotable between a normal position and a pulling position in which said first and second actuators apply a pulling force respectively to any of said first and second pull rods operatively attached thereto, each of said first pull rods of a given neck being guided and supported by said first actuator of any of said rocking assemblies for that neck located between said linkage means for that neck and that rocking assembly having the first actuator to which the head end of said first pull rod is operatively attached, each of said second pull rods for a given neck being guided and supported by said second actuator of any of said rocking assemblies for that neck located between said linkage means for that neck and that rocking assembly having the second actuator to which the head end of said second pull rod is operatively attached, each rocking assembly for one of said necks beIng in longitudinal alignment with a rocking assembly for the other of said necks, a rocking means for each of said aligned pairs of rocking assemblies, for alternatively rocking the rocking assemblies of each pair from said normal position to said pulling position, means for alternatively connecting all of said rocking means simultaneously to their respective rocking assemblies for one neck and simultaneously to their respective rocking assemblies for the other neck, and means for returning each rocking assembly of each neck from its pulling position to its normal position.

Claim 8

The structure claimed in claim 5 wherein said linkage means for each of said necks comprises a link member and first and second pull rod plates for each of said tuning members of said neck, the upper end of said link member being pivoted to the lower end of its respective tuning member, said first pull rod plate extending transversely of said link member and being pivoted thereto at a first pivot point intermediate the ends of said link member said second pull rod plate being substantially parallel to said first pull rod plate and being pivoted to said link member at a second pivot point at the lower end of said link member, a first stop means limiting the longitudinal movement of said first pull rod plate toward the tail end of said instrument, a second stop means limiting the longitudinal movement of said second pull rod plate toward the tail end of said instrument, means for urging said first and second pull rod plates against said first and second stops, respectively, said tail end of one of said pull rods being operatively attached to said first pull rod plate and said tail end of one of said second pull rods being operatively attached to said second pull rod plate.

Claim 9

The structure claimed in claim 5 wherein each of said rocking assemblies for each neck comprises a pair of downwardly depending supports pivotally attached to the underside of said instrument in spaced relationship, said first and second actuators comprising elongated members extending transversely of their respective neck and between said supports, the ends of said first and second actuators being pivotally affixed to said supports with said first actuator above said second actuator, each of said first and second actuators having a plurality of perforations spaced along the length thereof through which first and second pull rods may extend, respectively, all of said first actuators of said rocking assemblies for a given neck lying in substantially the same plane with their perforations being substantially coaxial, all of said second actuators of said rocking assemblies for a given neck lying in substantially the same plane with their perforations being substantially coaxial.

Claim 10

The structure claimed in claim 5 wherein said rocking means comprises a pedal assembly for each of said aligned pairs of rocking assemblies, a rotatable shaft for each of said aligned pairs of rocking assemblies extending transversely of said instrument, each of said shafts having a first and second pin-bearing crank non-rotatively affixed thereto, each of said pedal assemblies being operatively connected to one of said pin-bearing cranks on one of said shafts, each of said rocking assemblies for one neck having a first latch pivotally mounted thereto, said first latches being shiftable between a normal position and a position wherein each of said first latches engages said pin on the adjacent one of said first cranks, each of said rocking assemblies for the other neck having a second latch pivotally mounted thereto, said second latches being shiftable between a normal position and a position wherein each of said second latches engages said pin on the adjacent one of said second cranks, and means for simultaneously shifting all of said first latches into engagement with said pins of said first cranks and all of said second latches to their normal positions, and alternatively, simultaneously shifting all of said first latches to their normal positions and all of Said second latches into engagement with said pins of said second cranks, whereby all of said pedal assemblies will be operatively connected to their respective rocking assemblies of the same one of said necks at any given time.

Claim 11

A musical instrument comprising a first set of strings, a second set of strings, a first tension-control means for varying the tension in strings of said first set of strings, a second tension-control means for varying the tension in strings of said second set of strings, a single operating means for operating said first and said second tension-control means, and shift means for selectively causing said operating means to be connected to either one of said tension-control means and disconnected from the other of said tension-control means.

Claim 12

A musical instrument comprising a first set of strings, a second set of strings, a first tension-control means for varying the tension in strings of said first set of strings, a second tension-control means for varying the tension in strings of said second set of strings, a single operating means for operating said first and said second tension-control means, and shift means for selectively causing said operating means to be connected to either one of said tension-control means and disconnected from the other of said tension-control means.

Claim 13

In combination with a musical instrument having two sets of strings, a string-tensioning arrangement comprising a first tension-control means for varying the tension in strings of one of said sets of strings, a second tension-control means for varying the tension in strings of the other of said sets of strings, and shift means for selectively causing either one of said tension-control means to be operative and the other of said tension-control means to be inoperative.

Claim 14

In combination with a musical instrument having two sets of strings, a string-tensioning arrangement comprising a first tension-control means for varying the tension in strings of one of said sets of strings, a second tension-control means for varying the tension in strings of the other of said sets of strings, and shift means for selectively causing either one of said tension-control means to be operative and the other of said tension-control means to be inoperative.

Claim 15

A musical instrument comprising a body, a first set of strings on said body, a second set of strings on said body, a first means for adjusting the tension in strings of said first set, a second means for adjusting the tension in strings of said second set, movable means for operating said first and second means, and shift means for causing said movable means to selectively disengage one of said first and second means for operating only the other of said first and second means.

Claim 16

A musical instrument comprising a body, a first set of strings on said body, a second set of strings on said body, a first means for adjusting the tension in strings of said first set, a second means for adjusting the tension in strings of said second set, movable means for operating said first and second means, and shift means for causing said movable means to selectively disengage one of said first and second means for operating only the other of said first and second means.