Connecting device

Claim 2

A connecting device for securing a supporting strap to a musical instrument, said connecting device comprising a flexible, elongated strip means including a first end for fixed attachment to the musical instrument and including a second end for removable attachment to the supporting strap, said second end being located remote from said first end, at least one end of the supporting strap including a buttonhole-like aperture; retaining means for fixed attachment to said second end of said strip means, said retaining means including a button-like member for coacting with the buttonhole-like aperture in the supporting strp to removably attach the supporting strap to said second end of said strip means; and cover means for coacting with said retaining means to securely attach the supporting strap to said retaining means, said cover means including first and second ends, said first end of said cover means being attached to said first end of said strip means, said second end of said cover means including a buttonhole-like aperture for fitting over said button-like member of said retaining means after the buttonhole-like aperture of the supporting strap has been fitted thereover to prevent the supporting strap from being inadvertently removed from said retaining means without the removal of said cover means therefrom; said retaining means including a stud-like member having a first end and a second end, said first end of said stud-like member being attached to said second end of said strip means, said second end of said stud-like member being attached to said button-like member of said retaining means, said stud-like member including a flange portion intermediate said first and second ends thereof for providing a barrier between said second end of said cover means and the supporting strap when both are fitted over said button-like member of said retaining means.

Claim 3

The connecting device of claim 1 in which said strip means includes a back portion for covering said first end of said stud-like member of said retaining means to protect the musical instrument from said first end of said stud-like member of said retaining means.

Claim 4

A connecting device for securing a supporting strap having at least a first end with a buttonhole-like aperture therethrough to a musical instrument, said connecting device comprising: flexible, elongated strip means, said strip means being folded in thirds to form a first outer layer, an inner layer and a second layer, said inner layer having a first end for fixed attachment to the musical instrument and having a second end for removable attachment to the supporting strap, said second end being located remote from said first end; retaining means for fixed attachment to said second end of said inner layer of said strip means, said retaining means including a stud-like member having a first end and a second end, said retaining means including a base member having a plurality of prong portions for fixedly attaching said base member to said second end of said inner layer of said strip means, said first end of said stud-like member being fixedly attached to said base member, said retaining means including a button-like member fixedly attached to said second end of said stud-like member for coacting with the buttonhole-like aperture in the supporting strap to removably attach the supporting strap to said strip means, said retainer means including a flange portion fixedly attached to said stud-like member intermediate said first and second ends thereof; said first outer layer of said strip means being positioned between said base member of said retaining means and the musical instrument when said strip means is attached to the musical instrument and said retaining means is attached to said strip means for protecting the musical instrument from said base member of said retaining means, said second outer layer of said strip means having a buttonhole-like aperture therethrough for fitting over said button-like member of said retaining means after the buttonhole-like aperture of the supporting strap has been fitted thereover to prevent the supporting strap from being inadvertently removed from said retaining means without the removal of said second outer layer of said strip means therefrom, said flange portion of said retainer means providing a barrier between said second outer layer of said strip means and the supporting strap when both are fitted over said button-like member of said retaining means; and attachment means for coacting with the musical instrument to fixedly attach said first end of said inner layer of said strip member to the musical instrument, said attachment means including a screw member having a body portion for extending through said first end of said inner portion of said strip means and into the musical instrument and having a head portion for holding said first end of said inner layer of said strip means against the musical instrument when said body portion of said screw member extends into the musical instrument.

Claim 5

A connecting device for securing a supporting strap having at least a first end with a buttonhole-like aperture therethrough to a musical instrument, said connecting device comprising: flexible, elongated strip means, said strip means being folded in thirds to form a first outer layer, an inner layer and a second layer, said inner layer having a first end for fixed attachment to the musical instrument and having a second end for removable attachment to the supporting strap, said second end being located remote from said first end; retaining means for fixed attachment to said second end of said inner layer of said strip means, said retaining means including a stud-like member having a first end and a second end, said retaining means including a base member having a plurality of prong portions for fixedly attaching said base member to said second end of said inner layer of said strip means, said first end of said stud-like member being fixedly attached to said base member, said retaining means including a button-like member fixedly attached to said second end of said stud-like member for coacting with the buttonhole-like aperture in the supporting strap to removably attach the supporting strap to said strip means, said retainer means including a flange portion fixedly attached to said stud-like member intermediate said first and second ends thereof; said first outer layer of said strip means being positioned between said base member of said retaining means and the musical instrument when said strip means is attached to the musical instrument and said retaining means is attached to said strip means for protecting the musical instrument from said base member of said retaining means, said second outer layer of said strip means having a buttonhole-like aperture therethrough for fitting over said button-like member of said retaining means after the buttonhole-like aperture of the supporting strap has been fitted thereover to prevent the supporting strap from being inadvertently removed from said retaining means without the removal of said second outer layer of said strip means therefrom, said flange portion of said retainer means providing a barrier between said second outer layer of said strip means and the supporting strap when both are fitted over said button-like member of said retaining means; and attachment means for coacting with the musical instrument to fixedly attach said first end of said inner layer of said strip member to the musical instrument, said attachment means including a screw member having a body portion for extending through said first end of said inner portion of said strip means and into the musical instrument and having a head portion for holding said first end of said inner layer of said strip means against the musical instrument when said body portion of said screw member extends into the musical instrument.

Claim 6

The combination with a muscial instrument and a supporting strap including at least a first end having a buttonhole therein, of a connecting device for removably securing the supporting strap to the musical instrument, said connecting device comprising: flexible, elongated strip means, said strip means being folded in thirds to form a first outer layer, an inner layer and a second outer layer, said inner layer having a first end fixedly attached to the musical instrument and having a second end removably attached to the supporting strap, said second end being located remote from said first end; retaining means fixedly attached to said second end of said inner layer of said strip means, said retaining means including a stud-like member having a first end and a second end, said retaining means including a base member having a plurality of prong portions fixedly attaching said base member to said second end of said inner layer of said strip means, said first end of said stud-like member being fixedly attached to said base member, said retaining means including a button-like member fixedly attached to said second end of said stud-like member for coacting with the buttonhole-like aperture in the supporting strap to removably attach the supporting strap to said strip means, said retainer means including a flange portion fixedly attached to said stud-like member intermediate said first and second ends thereof; said first outer layer of said strip means being positioned between said base member of said retaining means and the musical instrument when said strip means is attached to the musical instrument and said retaining means is attached to said strip means for protecting the musical instrument from said base member of said retaining means, said second outer layer of said strip means having a buttonhole-like aperture therethrough for fitting over said button-like member of said retaining means after the buttonhole-like aperture of the supporting strap has been fitted thereover to prevent the supporting strap from being inadvertently removed from said retaining means without the removal of said second outer layer of said strip means therefrom, said flange portion of said retainer means providing a barrier between said second outer layer of said strip means and the supporting strap when both are fitted over said button-like member of said retaining means; and attachment means for coacting with the musical instrument to fixedly attach said first end of said inner layer of said strip member to the musical instrument, said attachment means including a screw member having a body portion extending through said first end of said inner portion of said strip means and into the musical instrument and having a head portion for holding said first end of said inner layer of said strip means against the musical instrument when said body portion of said screw member extends into the musical instrument.

Claim 7

The combination with a muscial instrument and a supporting strap including at least a first end having a buttonhole therein, of a connecting device for removably securing the supporting strap to the musical instrument, said connecting device comprising: flexible, elongated strip means, said strip means being folded in thirds to form a first outer layer, an inner layer and a second outer layer, said inner layer having a first end fixedly attached to the musical instrument and having a second end removably attached to the supporting strap, said second end being located remote from said first end; retaining means fixedly attached to said second end of said inner layer of said strip means, said retaining means including a stud-like member having a first end and a second end, said retaining means including a base member having a plurality of prong portions fixedly attaching said base member to said second end of said inner layer of said strip means, said first end of said stud-like member being fixedly attached to said base member, said retaining means including a button-like member fixedly attached to said second end of said stud-like member for coacting with the buttonhole-like aperture in the supporting strap to removably attach the supporting strap to said strip means, said retainer means including a flange portion fixedly attached to said stud-like member intermediate said first and second ends thereof; said first outer layer of said strip means being positioned between said base member of said retaining means and the musical instrument when said strip means is attached to the musical instrument and said retaining means is attached to said strip means for protecting the musical instrument from said base member of said retaining means, said second outer layer of said strip means having a buttonhole-like aperture therethrough for fitting over said button-like member of said retaining means after the buttonhole-like aperture of the supporting strap has been fitted thereover to prevent the supporting strap from being inadvertently removed from said retaining means without the removal of said second outer layer of said strip means therefrom, said flange portion of said retainer means providing a barrier between said second outer layer of said strip means and the supporting strap when both are fitted over said button-like member of said retaining means; and attachment means for coacting with the musical instrument to fixedly attach said first end of said inner layer of said strip member to the musical instrument, said attachment means including a screw member having a body portion extending through said first end of said inner portion of said strip means and into the musical instrument and having a head portion for holding said first end of said inner layer of said strip means against the musical instrument when said body portion of said screw member extends into the musical instrument.