US3845685A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Musical instruments
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1973-09-07
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Granted: 1974-11-05
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Expires: 1993-09-07
Abstract
Abstract The musical instrument has a keyboard with five lower digitals and not more than five upper digitals per octave span; there being not more than one upper digital between each pair of adjacent lower digitals. In the preferred embodiment, the five lower digitals in each octave span of the keyboard play the tonal pentatonic scale in the key of C; five other tones of the twelve tones of the chromatic scale are played on upper digitals. All twelve tones of the chromatic scale may be obtained by operating a transposing mechanism contained in the musical instrument, which uniformly shifts upward or downward the pitches controlled by the keyboard. Other embodiments of my invention play other pentatonic scales on the lower digitals.
Inventors
- 👤 D Coles
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 02:18
CPC Classifications
G; G10; G10C; G10C3/00; G10C3/12
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
135 words
A musical instrument having a plurality of tone generators which produce a sequence of pitches proceeding from low to high in an approximately equitempered scale, wherein the improvement comprises: a keyboard having five lower digitals per octave span and not more than five upper digitals per octave span, each of said upper digitals being disposed between two adjacent ones of said lower digitals, said lower digitals being consecutively numbered from left to right, starting with lower digital number one on the left of said keyboard, said lower digital number one controlling a predetermined lowest pitch generated by one of said tone generators, each of said lower digitals with a number N greater than five controlling a pitch one octave higher than the pitch controlled by that lower digital which hAs a number equal to N-5.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
135 words
A musical instrument having a plurality of tone generators which produce a sequence of pitches proceeding from low to high in an approximately equitempered scale, wherein the improvement comprises: a keyboard having five lower digitals per octave span and not more than five upper digitals per octave span, each of said upper digitals being disposed between two adjacent ones of said lower digitals, said lower digitals being consecutively numbered from left to right, starting with lower digital number one on the left of said keyboard, said lower digital number one controlling a predetermined lowest pitch generated by one of said tone generators, each of said lower digitals with a number N greater than five controlling a pitch one octave higher than the pitch controlled by that lower digital which hAs a number equal to N-5.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
The musical instrument of claim 1 in which lower digitals number two, three, four and five control pitches respectively two, four, seven, and nine semitones above said lowest pitch.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
The musical instrument of claim 2 including: a transporting mechanism having at least five operating positions, which makes all 12 tones per octave span accessible through the keyboard.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
29 words
The musical instrument of claim 1 in which: lower digitals number two, three, four and five control pitches respectively four, five, seven and 10 semitones above said lowest pitch.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
The musical instrument of claim 4 including: a transposing mechanism having at least five operating positions, which makes all twelve tones per octave span accessible through the keyboard.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
The musical instrument of claim 1 in which: lower digitals number two, three, four and five control pitches respectively, four, five, seven, and 11 semitones above said lowest pitch.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
The musical instrument of claim 6 including: a transposing mechanism having at least five operating positions, which makes all 12 tones per octave span accessible through the keyboard.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
29 words
The musical instrument of claim 1 in which: lower digitals number two, three, four and five control pitches respectively four, five, nine and 11 semitones above said lowest pitch.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
28 words
The musical instrument of claim 8 including: a transposing mechanism having at least five operating positions, which makes all 12 tones per octave span accessible through the keyboard.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
29 words
The musical instrument of claim 1 in which: lower digitals number two, three, four and five control pitches respectively four, five, seven and eight semitones above said lowest pitch.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
28 words
The musical instrument of claim 10 including: a transposing mechanism having at least five operating positions, which makes all 12 tones per octave span accessible through the keyboard.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-11-04 | 1978-05-06 | 1978-11-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-11-04 | 1982-05-06 | 1982-11-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-11-04 | 1986-05-06 | 1986-11-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |