Patent Application
20150245561
The present invention describes methods and apparatus for making acoustic musical instruments, including, but not limited to, ukulele, guitar, violins, and banjos, from gourds. More particularly, this invention teaches methods and molds for molding gourds to be used as sound boxes in acoustic musical instruments and the musical instruments that are made therefrom.
1. Prior Art
Gourds, also known as hard shell gourds [Cucurbitaceae of the genera Lagenaria and Cucurbita], have been traditionally used in many cultures in the world. Immature gourds are used as an ingredient of many cultural dishes. In addition, various uses for the mature gourds also exist. Uses for cleaned, dried, and hollowed gourds include making bird feeders, decorative hats, bowls, or for food and water storage, known as calabash or water gourds.
In the Hawaiian culture, the gourd is used, among other ways, to make percussion instruments known as the ipu-heke and the uli-uli. These instruments are often used for chanting and dancing in festivals and celebrations. Both of these musical instruments are made by cutting at least one mature gourd off at the neck and hollowing the gourd out.
The ipu-heke is a double-chambered percussion instrument made with two of these hollowed gourds attached by the necks with a hole cut in the top gourd which allows the sound to escape. The uli-uli is a traditional Hawaiian rattle, made by inserting seeds or beads into hollowed-out gourd, which is then covered with a feather cap that prohibits the seeds from escaping. While gourds are used to make these musical instruments, the shapes of the instruments are dictated by the shape of the mature gourd.
The ukulele is a small guitar-like stringed musical instrument that is associated with the Hawaiian culture. Ukuleles are commonly made of hard-woods such as koa, maple, mango, or pine. An example of a ukulele created using Hawaiian-hardwood and coconut shells is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,596,931 to Baker.
One disadvantage of manufacturing ukuleles from hard-woods is that hard-woods are difficult to shape, texture, and form. Because mature gourds do not naturally take the shape of a ukulele, much less a violin or guitar, ukuleles are not made out of gourds. Ukuleles can also be made from plastic materials, but the use of plastics is attached with a stigma of using an unnatural material made from petroleum. The sound quality of the instruments may also suffer by using plastic materials. The present invention teaches a method for making stringed musical instruments out of gourds, a renewable material which is easy to shape, texture, and form.
French Patent No. 2625361 to Beltan details methods for manufacturing stringed musical instruments from gourds. However, similar to the ipu-heke and uli-uli, Beltan illustrates that when the resonating box is made from the gourd material, the shape of the instrument is dictated by the shape of the gourd used. Hence, musical instruments made using this method have a rounded gourd shape, making the instrument difficult to hold against the user's body. The gourd shape, which varies from plant to plant, determines the quality of the sound emanating from the instrument so made, rendering it impossible to achieve instruments offering consistent tonal qualities.
Methods and apparatus for molding gourds during growth have been described for purposes other than the fabrication of musical instruments. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,096,507 to Czeszczicski, U.S. Pat. No. 4,187,639 to Ono, and Japan Pat. No. 1252230 to Aoyama, disclose methods and apparatuses for shaping immature gourds or fruits during growth for decorative purposes, and to facilitate fruit storage. The apparatus disclosed include two-part removable molds that rigidly enclose the growing fruit to produce decorative details on the fruit surface. Because these methods rigidly enclose the growing fruit, they do not allow overgrowth, requiring that the methods and apparatus be carefully watched as the fruit grows and fills the mold. Otherwise, compression damage to the fruit surface will result, or the fruit will rot if allowed to grow in the mold after the fruit fills the mold and begins to press the mold surface outwardly.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,827,666 to Tweddell attempts to address the overgrowth problem by teaching molds made from flexible materials that allow the mold to expand outwardly by bulging if the fruit is left in the mold after it has filled the mold cavity. Because the entire mold expands as the fruit grows, the size of resulting molded fruit will vary depending on how long the fruit is allowed to grow after it begins to press against the mold surface.
The prior art fails to offer a method of making acoustic instruments from gourds shaped in a manner conducive to sound boxes or resonating cavities, and that all for the fabrication of musical instruments that are comfortable to hold, easy to play, and produce tones that are of high quality and reproducible.
2. Objects and Advantages
The present invention teaches a method of manufacturing stringed musical instruments made from gourds that are molded during growth to a desired shape and size. Being able to mold gourds to any desired shape has several advantages. These advantages include having more flexibility to select and specify gourd shapes that, when used as a sound box in an acoustic instrument, produce better and more reproducible sound, tone, or quality, are aesthetically pleasing, and facilitate easier handling in a user's arms while the musical instrument is played.
The present invention also describes apparatus that provide a solution to the overgrowth problem when molding gourds during growth while still allowing those portions of the gourd within the mold to maintain a uniform size and shape.
Accordingly, among the several objects and advantages of the present invention are: to provide a novel method for creating musical instruments from hard shell gourds; to provide new apparatus for shaping and molding immature gourds to be suitable for use as sound boxes in acoustic musical instruments; to provide a new acoustic musical instrument made of gourd having a molded flat back; to provide a new acoustic musical instrument with a superior tone and quality; to provide a new acoustic musical instrument that is aesthetically pleasing. Still other objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the ensuing description and drawings.
This invention describes apparatus and methods for making acoustic musical instruments from gourds that have been molded during growth.
One aspect of the present invention is a method of molding gourds during growth in order to shape the gourds to be suitable for use as resonant cavities or sound boxes in acoustic musical instruments.
A second aspect of the present invention is apparatus, molds or forms, useful for molding gourds during growth such that the mature gourds are correctly shaped for use as resonant cavities or sound boxes in acoustic musical instruments.
A third aspect of the subject invention is acoustic musical instruments wherein the resonant cavity or sound box of the instrument is made in whole or in part from gourds that exhibit specialized shapes due to molding during growth.
In the drawings, closely related figures have the same number but different alphabetic suffixes.
The present invention is described below referring to the accompanying drawings, wherein like numerals refer to like or corresponding elements throughout. It should be understood, however, that the drawings and detailed description relating thereto are not intended to limit the claimed subject matter to the particular form or embodiment disclosed. Rather, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the claimed subject matter.
One aspect of the present invention is a method for molding gourds during growth in order to make the gourd suitable for use as a resonant cavity of an acoustic musical instrument. Referring to
The first step of the present invention is growing step 10. Growing step 10 begins with selecting the appropriate variety of a gourd plant 18, which will produce a mature gourd 12. In general, plants in the gourd family produce mature gourds that have a woody exterior 14 and a fleshy pulp interior 16. Mature gourd 12 can be cut open, hollowed of fleshy pulp interior 16, and dried to leave woody exterior 14 measuring from about ⅛ inch to about ½ inch in thickness. When mature, the gourds of the different gourd varieties are available in a variety of sizes and shapes.
When selecting the appropriate variety of gourd plant 18, the anticipated mature gourd's size and shape must be matched with the intended use. For example, when making a tenor ukulele, a gourd variety that produces round mature gourd 12 with a volume and surface area larger than the expected body or the resonant cavity 74 of the ukulele should be selected.
Once the variety of gourd plant 18 is selected, gourd plant 18 is grown until an immature gourd 20 is produced.
As illustrated in
After immature gourd 20 is inserted into mold cavity 22, immature gourd 20 is allowed to continue to grow in mold cavity 22. As immature gourd 20 grows, immature gourd 20 fills and conforms to the shape of mold cavity 22.
After immature gourd 20 fills and conforms to the shape of mold cavity 22, molded gourd 36 can be harvested immediately using harvesting step 40. Alternatively, molded gourd 36 can remain in mold 24 and be allowed to continue to grow on gourd plant 18 before harvesting. As shown in
At any time after immature gourd 20 is placed in mold 24 and prior to harvesting step 40, one or more optional molding panels can be arranged to cover mold cavity 22 such that the molding panels will further mold and conform the portions of immature gourd 20 that comes into contact with the molding panel. A first molding panel 32 and a second molding panel 34 are shown in
During harvesting step 40, molded gourd 36 is cut from gourd plant 18, removed from mold 24. Next, molded gourd 36, or a section thereof, is hollowed of its fleshy pulp interior 16. In harvesting step 40, a hole 42 can be cut in molded gourd 36 and fleshy pulp interior 16 is removed from the inside of molded gourd 36 through hole 42. Alternatively, molded gourd 36 can be cut into one or more pieces and fleshy pulp interior 16 is removed from each of the pieces.
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
During Finishing step 50, molded gourd 36 or one or more of the molded gourd pieces is further dried and shaped.
During the drying portion of finishing step 50, heat can be applied to molded gourd 36 or the molded gourd pieces to further remove moisture and water content from the gourd material. While drying, molded gourd pieces can be placed into a mold press 52 so that the harvested molded gourd or the harvested molded gourd pieces maintain a desired shape 54. The harvested molded gourd or molded gourd pieces can be removed from mold press 52 once fully dried.
In
Referring
During the shaping portion of the finishing step 50, molded gourd 36 or the molded gourd pieces are further shaped. Molded gourd 36 or the molded gourd pieces can be scraped, sanded, buffed, and polished. Paint, varnish, stain, clear coat, or any desired finish 64 may be applied to the surface of any molded gourd 36 or molded gourd pieces.
Referring to the embodiment shown in
Referring to the embodiment of a molded mature gourd shown in
At any time during finishing step 50 prior to the application of desired finish 64, water may be reapplied to molded gourd 36 or to one or more of the molded gourd pieces to make them more pliable and easier to work with. The wet hollowed molded gourd 36 or molded gourd pieces can then be dried using the drying process described above.
In constructing step 70, an acoustic musical instrument 72, examples of which are illustrated in
The present invention anticipates that resonant cavity 74 can be made using finished molded gourd 67 with hole 42, illustrated in
A further aspect of the present invention are apparatus for molding gourds during growth to render the gourds suitable for use as resonant cavities of an acoustic musical instrument, to with molds or forms. Referring to
Mold cavity 22 can demonstrate various shapes and sizes including, but not limited to the shapes of a peanut, rectangle, heart, tear drop, or even pineapple.
In the preferred embodiment illustrated in
Optional outside molding panels can be placed adjacent to the first and second mold sides 26 and 28.
Referring again to
As illustrated in
As seen in
First molding panel 32 and/or second molding panel 34 can also be fastened to mold 24 with an elastic material 35. However, first and/or second molding panels 32 and 34 should not be tied so tightly to mold 24 that top molding panel 32 is restricted from moving away from mold 24.
To make removal of molded gourd 36 from mold 24 easier, mold 24 may consist of multiple parts that when combined create the desired mold 24 and mold cavity 22.
An open conduit 38 to accommodate stem 39 of gourd 36 can also be added to mold 24 as seen in
The surface of mold cavity 22, first molding panel 32, or second molding panel 34 can be decorated with a desired pattern or texture 84 or with a desired graphic image or logo 86. For example, in the embodiment illustrated in
Another aspect of the present invention is acoustic musical instruments 72, in which some or all portions of the resonant cavity of acoustic musical instrument 72 is made from molded gourd 36. In each embodiment, traditional parts of an acoustic musical instrument, including neck 75, aperture 82, strings 78, bridge 76, and tuning nuts 80 are added to complete acoustic musical instrument 72.
Any portions of resonant cavity 74 that are made from molded gourd 36 can be molded to have a specific texture 84 or to have a graphic image or logo 86.
One preferred embodiment of acoustic musical instrument 72 of the present invention is a ukulele illustrated in
Molded gourd 36 can be formed to have various shapes and sizes using the methods for molding gourds described above. In the case of
A cross sectional view of an alternative embodiment of acoustic musical instrument 72 of
An additional embodiment of acoustic musical instrument 72 of the present invention is a pineapple shaped ukulele illustrated in
Although the examples and embodiments described above take the form of ukuleles, the same examples and embodiments may be given for guitars and other acoustic musical instruments without departing from the scope of the subject invention.
As described above, superior acoustic musical instruments can be constructed from hard shelled gourds that have been shaped during growth to exhibit shapes that are pleasing to the eye, comfortable to hold, easy to play, and that produce reproducible sounds having desired tonal qualities and volumes. The specialized shapes are produced with consistency during growth by following the specific steps and using specialized molds detailed above and in the accompanying drawings. While the above description and accompanying drawings contain much specificity, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention, but rather, as exemplifications of the presently preferred embodiments thereof. Many other ramifications and variations are possible within the teachings of the invention. For example, while the apparatus and methods have been described primarily in terms of stringed acoustic instruments, percussive acoustic instruments may equally be constructed using the methods and apparatus taught herein.
Thus, the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, and not by the specific examples and alternative embodiments given
