Musical instrument stand device

Claim 2

A collapsible instrument stand comprising: first and second elongated base members coupled together at intermediate points thereof by swivel means, said base members having means for selectably interlocking said members together in an angular disposition; an elongated inclinable member having first and second ends, said first end pivotally attached to said first base member adjacent one end thereof; a center brace member for supporting said inclinable member in an inclined position, said brace member having first and second ends, said first end pivotally attached to said inclinable member, said second end removably coupled to said first base member; a self-releasing instrument cradle attached to said inclinable member adjacent said second end thereof, comprising: (i) a bracket member; (ii) a pair of arm members, each of said arm members having lower and upper musical instrument contacting surfaces; and (iii) attaching means for pivotally attaching said arm members to said bracket member such that said arm members may pivot away from one another to an open position so that a musical instrument may be placed between said arm members thereby engaging said lower contacting surfaces and causing said arm members to pivot towards one another to a closed position with said lower and upper contacting surfaces contacting the instruments; and wherein said arm members are positioned by said attaching means on said bracket member relative to one another such that when said arm members are in said closed position, the center of an instrument holding area generally defined by said upper and lower contacting surfaces is displaced above a line which connects the axes about which said arm members pivot; whereby said stand may be collapsed from the erected position by decoupling said second end of said brace member from said first base member, pivoting said brace member toward said inclinable member, pivoting said inclinable member toward said base members, and swiveling said base members into alignment.

Claim 3

The instrument stand of claim 1 wherein said arm members are arcuate arm members which encircle a substantial portion of the instrument when said cradle is in said closed position.

Claim 4

The instrument stand of claim 2 wherein said arcuate arm members have lower and upper ends with said upper ends being flared outwardly for guiding an instrument into said cradle.

Claim 5

The instrument stand of claim 1 wherein said lower and upper contacting surfaces of said arm members are made of a resilient material.

Claim 6

The instrument stand of claim 1 wherein said second end of said center support member is removably coupled to said first base member by a threaded bolt which is inserted through openings provided in said first and second base members and which is received by a corresponding threaded bore in said second end of said support member.

Claim 7

The instrument stand of claim 5 wherein said base members are provided with transverse channels in the facing sides of each base member at the intersection thereof with said channels interlocking together when said bolt is tightened in said threaded bore.

Claim 8

The instrument stand of claim 1 further comprising a support bracket attached to said inclinable member below and spaced apart from said instrument cradle for contacting and supporting a portion of an instrument placed on said stand.

Claim 9

The instrument stand of claim 7 wherein that portion of said support bracket which contacts an instrument is made of a resilient material.

Claim 10

The instrument stand of claim 1 wherein said bracket member of said cradle comprises a bracket having first and second ends and wherein said attaching means of said cradle comprises a hinge pin which extends through openings in each of said arm members at a point on said arm members which is generally between said upper and lower contacting surfaces and through an opening in said bracket near each of said ends of said bracket.

Claim 11

The instrument stand of claim 9 wherein said hinge pins are displaced from said ends of said bracket a distance such that outward pivoting of said arm members is limited when said ends of said bracket contact said arm members.

Claim 12

A collapsible instrument stand comprising: first and second elongated base members coupled together at intermediate points thereof by swivel means, said base members having means for selectably interlocking said members together in an angular disposition; an elongated inclinable member having first and second ends, said first end pivotally attached to said first base member adjacent one end thereof; a center brace member for supporting said inclinable member in an inclined position, said brace member having a first end pivotally attached to said inclinable member and a second end having a threaded bore for receiving a threaded bolt which extends through corresponding bores in said first and second elongated base members at said intermediate points thereof, said means for interlocking said base members comprising interlocking transverse channels in the facing sides at said intermediate points of said base members with said channels interlocking together when said bolt is tightened in said threaded bore thereby interlocking said members together in an angular disposition with said second end of said center brace coupled to said first elongated base member; a self releasing instrument cradle attached to said inclinable member adjacent said second end thereof, comprising: (i) a bracket having first and second ends; (ii) a pair of arm members, each of said arm members having lower and upper musical instrument contacting surfaces; and (iii) attaching means for pivotally attaching said arm members at a point on said arm members intermediate said lower and upper contacting surfaces to said bracket adjacent each of said ends thereof such that said arm members may pivot away from one another to an open position so that a musical instrument may be placed between said arm members thereby engaging said lower contacting surfaces and causing said arm members to pivot toward one another to a closed position with said lower and upper contacting surfaces contacting the instrument; and wherein said arm members are positioned by said attaching means on said bracket relative to one another such that when said arm members are in said closed position, the center of an instrument holding area generally defined by said upper and lower contacting surfaces is displaced above a line which connects the axes about which said arm members pivot; whereby said stand may be collapsed from the erected position by loosening said bolt and decoupling said second end of said brace member from said first base member, pivoting said brace member toward said inclinable member, pivoting said inclinable member toward said base members, and swiveling said base members into alignment.

Claim 13

A collapsible instrument stand comprising: first and second elongated base members coupled together at intermediate points thereof by swivel means, said base members having means for selectably interlocking said members together in an angular disposition; an elongated inclinable member having first and second ends, said first end pivotally attached to said first base member adjacent one end thereof; a center brace member for supporting said inclinable member in an inclined position, said brace member having a first end pivotally attached to said inclinable member and a second end having a threaded bore for receiving a threaded bolt which extends through corresponding bores in said first and second elongated base members at said intermediate points thereof, said means for interlocking said base members comprising interlocking transverse channels in the facing sides at said intermediate points of said base members with said channels interlocking together when said bolt is tightened in said threaded bore thereby interlocking said members together in an angular disposition with said second end of said center brace coupled to said first elongated base member; a self releasing instrument cradle attached to said inclinable member adjacent said second end thereof, comprising: (i) a bracket having first and second ends; (ii) a pair of arm members, each of said arm members having lower and upper musical instrument contacting surfaces; and (iii) attaching means for pivotally attaching said arm members at a point on said arm members intermediate said lower and upper contacting surfaces to said bracket adjacent each of said ends thereof such that said arm members may pivot away from one another to an open position so that a musical instrument may be placed between said arm members thereby engaging said lower contacting surfaces and causing said arm members to pivot toward one another to a closed position with said lower and upper contacting surfaces contacting the instrument; and wherein said arm members are positioned by said attaching means on said bracket relative to one another such that when said arm members are in said closed position, the center of an instrument holding area generally defined by said upper and lower contacting surfaces is displaced above a line which connects the axes about which said arm members pivot; whereby said stand may be collapsed from the erected position by loosening said bolt and decoupling said second end of said brace member from said first base member, pivoting said brace member toward said inclinable member, pivoting said inclinable member toward said base members, and swiveling said base members into alignment.

Claim 14

The instrument stand of claim 11 wherein said arm members are arcuate arm members which encircle a substantial portion of the instrument when said cradle is in said closed position.

Claim 15

The instrument stand of claim 12 further comprising a support bracket attached to said inclinable member below and spaced apart from said instrument cable for contacting and supporting a portion of an instrument placed on said stand.

Claim 16

The instrument stand of claim 13 wherein said contacting surfaces of said arm members and that portion of said support bracket which contacts an instrument is made of a resilient material.