Patent Grant
11373629
The present development is a Special Euphonium Extension Rest Device. This invention relates to a Special Euphonium Extension Rest Device for supporting a musical instrument. The device or system relates to a stand or rack for holding and supporting musical instruments. This device relates to a support improvement in horn stands and more particularly to a portable stand for a baritone horn, a euphonium, a small tuba, or a similar instrument which would be difficult for a musician to handle for lengthy sessions. The present invention relates to the field of musical instrument stands, and to musical instrument stands having retracting rest or support that cradle or extends from the musical instrument.
None.
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As far as known, there are no Special Euphonium Extension Rest devices or the like. It is believed that this product is unique in its design and technologies.
This background as to Special Euphonium Extension Rest Devices should be useful. Supports for musical instruments are known in the art. However, some of the prior devices mount the musical instruments to the musician. In such devices, such as neck straps, the instruments still may bear on the body of the musician. This may cause an unnatural force to be placed on the musician's body, thus possibly affecting breath control. In certain other prior support devices, specifically with respect to bassoons, seat straps are utilized to mount the instrument to the seat. However, the bassoon extends below the player's chair, making use of a strap at the bottom possible.
It is well known by musicians of the discomfort of the strap around the neck to support the instrument playing on the job or sustained during private practice. Numerous inventions have attempted to provide a means to support the heavy weight of the music instrument, especially horns. However, these inventions limited either the portability of the instrument in that it is not easily detached from the stand or in that the instrument is not supported while playing. Some typical supports are not free to be detached easily from the stand. Others provide for several complicated features that fail to solve the problem in an efficient and economical way. None of these patents suggest the novel features of the present invention.
Other prior devices provide support stands mounted to a chair in which the musician sits. However, such stands are inherently part of the seat and not portable. This restricts the musician to the utilization of a seat when playing the instrument, thus causing some general inconvenience. Some prior support devices include adjustable instrument supports. However, such devices bear against the floor and not on a seat upon which the musician is sitting. The extended length of such support stands provides added structural insecurity as well as not permitting accurate positioning of the instrument with respect to the musician's body. Furthermore, such instruments suitable for use with floor-supported stands are those which come much closer to the floor through their normal construction, as base clarinets, cellos etc.
A concert style tuba is designed to be played with the lower end of the tuba resting on the musician's thighs, while the upper end is balanced upright by the musician's arms and hands. Many musicians can successfully balance the instrument in the proper manner upon their lap, but this can be tiring task since it is generally a constant struggle. The instrument has the tendency to slide down the musician's thigh as the instrument is being played and, therefore, it may need nearly continuous readjustment. The instrument can also be heavy and, therefore, create uncomfortable pressure on the musician's thighs.
In an effort to make playing the tuba more comfortable, many musicians will slide back in their chairs and rest the tuba on the front corner of their seat between their legs. This is especially true when the musician spends a long time playing the instrument. While this makeshift solution does relieve the pressure on the musician's lap, it results in an awkward sitting position for the musician. A chair-borne device is needed which can act as a musical instrument support for a tuba or other musical instrument. The musical instrument support should be portable and adjustable. The musical instrument support should provide the musician with the sense that the instrument is being balanced on a musician's lap, yet at the same time allow the musician to be more comfortable and to manage the instrument more easily. The musical instrument support should not compromise the acoustic characteristics of the instrument, nor should it scratch the instrument. The musical instrument support should accommodate use by a range of musicians of varying body size, as well as accommodate a variety of different musical instruments.
The improvements and problems solved as to Euphonium Extension Rest Devices and other musical instrument support mechanisms are as follows: The Euphonium Extension Rest Device is a fast, secure, and precise way to quickly extend the device from the euphonium and assist the musician in supporting the instrument. By doing so, it reduces fatigue, permits the musician to focus on playing the musical piece rather than supporting the weight of the instrument. All the listed advantages and benefits come to being with the assist of the Euphonium Extension Rest Device.
As far as known, there are no Euphonium Extension Rest Devices or the like. It is believed that this product is unique in its design and technologies. A novelty search revealed:
As can be observed, none of the prior art has anticipated or caused one skilled in the art of musical rests or supports for a euphonium or baritone horn to see this invention by McFarland as obvious to a person skilled in the ordinary art of the industry. The support device for a Euphonium provides an answer to the need musicians face when playing the euphonium for extended sessions such as a concert or extended practice. The grasping and support of the euphonium distracts the musician and prevents optimum performance with the euphonium instrument or similar horns. This invention helps to prevent fatigue and possibly other injuries as well as providing a better support for the euphonium.
This invention is a Special Euphonium Extension device for various applications. The preferred embodiment of a Special Euphonium Extension is comprised of: (a) an extendable wrap made of durable and lightweight material comprising a left-hand and right-hand curved side rail and a bottom half of a hemisphere; (b) a protection cushion contiguous to the left-hand and right-hand curved side rails; (c) a means to secure the protection cushion to each of the left-hand and right-hand curved side rails; and (d) a pair of quick release band clamps encircling a set of euphonium side tubing to the left-hand and right-hand curved side rails of the extension rest device wherein the pair of quick release clamps releasably secure the extension rest device to the side tubing of the euphonium and permit the extension rest device to slidably extend to support and slidably retract to store the device along the side tubing of the euphonium. The newly invented Special Euphonium Extension device for various applications may be manufactured at low volumes by very simple means and in high volume production by more complex and controlled systems.
There are several objects and advantages of the Special Euphonium Extension Rest device. There are currently no other known support or rest devices that are effective at providing the objects of this invention. The various advantages and benefits are shown in Table A:
Finally, other advantages and additional features of the present Special Euphonium Extension Rest devices will be more apparent from the accompanying drawings and from the full description of the device. For one skilled in the art of slides, extensions, instrument supports and other means for assisting the handling of musical devices, it is readily understood that the features shown in the examples with this product are readily adapted to other types of musical instrument systems and devices.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate an embodiment of the Special Euphonium Extension Rest Devices for various applications device that is preferred. The drawings together with the summary description given above and a detailed description given below explain the principles of the support and rest device. It is understood, however, that the Special Euphonium Extension Rest Device is not limited to only the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.
The following list refers to the drawings:
The present development is a Special Euphonium Extension Rest Device. This invention relates to a Special Euphonium Extension Rest Device for supporting a musical instrument. The device or system relates to a stand or rack for holding and supporting musical instruments. This device relates to a support improvement in horn stands and more particularly to a portable stand for a baritone horn, a euphonium, a small tuba, or a similar instrument which would be difficult for a musician to handle for lengthy sessions. The present invention relates to the field of musical instrument stands, and to musical instrument stands having retracting rest or support that cradle or extends from the musical instrument.
The advantages for the Special Euphonium Extension Rest Device 30 are listed above in the introduction. Succinctly the benefits are that the device:
The preferred embodiment of a Special Euphonium Extension device 30 is comprised of: (a) an extendable wrap 40 made of durable and lightweight material comprising a left-hand and right-hand curved side rails 44 and a bottom half of a hemisphere 45; (b) a protection cushion 60 contiguous to the left-hand and right-hand curved side rails; (c) a means to secure 66 the protection cushion 60 to each of the left-hand and right-hand curved side rails; and (d) a pair of quick release band clamps 50 encircling a set of euphonium 38 side tubing to the left-hand and right-hand curved side rails 44 of the extension rest device wherein the pair of quick release clamps 50 releasably secure the extension rest device to the side tubing of the euphonium and permit the extension rest bottom 45 and optional pad rest 55 device to slidably extend to support and slidably retract to store the device along the side tubing of the euphonium.
There is shown in
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate an embodiment of the Special Euphonium Extension Rest Device 30 that is preferred. The drawings together with the summary description given above and a detailed description given below explain the principles of the special rest device 30. It is understood, however, that the Special Euphonium Extension Rest Device 30 is not limited to only the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown. Other examples of rests and support devices for other types of musical instruments and the like are still understood by one skilled in the art of musical instruments and related mechanisms to be within the scope and spirit shown here.
The details mentioned here are exemplary and not limiting. Other specific components and manners specific to describing a special euphonium extension rest device 30 may be added as a person having ordinary skill in the field of the art of musical instruments, their supports and associated apparatuses and their uses well appreciates.
The special euphonium extension rest device 30 has been described in the above embodiment. The manner of how the device operates is described below. One notes well that the description above and the operation described here must be taken together to fully illustrate the concept of the special euphonium extension rest device 30. The preferred embodiment of a Special Euphonium Extension device 30 is comprised of: (a) an extendable wrap 40 made of durable and lightweight material comprising a left-hand and right-hand curved side rails 44 and a bottom half of a hemisphere 45; (b) a protection cushion 60 contiguous to the left-hand and right-hand curved side rails; (c) a means to secure 66 the protection cushion 60 to each of the left-hand and right-hand curved side rails; and (d) a pair of quick release band clamps 50 encircling a set of euphonium 38 side tubing to the left-hand and right-hand curved side rails 44 of the extension rest device wherein the pair of quick release clamps 50 releasably secure the extension rest device to the side tubing of the euphonium and permit the extension rest bottom 45 and optional pad rest 55 device to slidably extend to support and slidably retract to store the device along the side tubing of the euphonium.
The special euphonium extension rest device 30 operates as follows: PRE-ASSEMBLY: The protection cushion 60 [made of foam, felt, fabric, plastic, natural or synthetic rubber or the like] is secured to the left-hand and right-hand side rails 44 of the wrap 40 [made of durable and lightweight metal, aluminum, cast zinc, brass, molded plastics—reinforced and non-reinforced {polycarbonate, nylon, urethane, Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET or PETE or Polyester), High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE), Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE), Polypropylene (PP), Polystyrene (PS), and Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene}, and composite materials] with the means to secure 66 such as an adhesive tape, glue, contact cement, heat fusion/seal. The bottom hemisphere 45 is secured/connected (releasably or not) between the ends of the left and right-hand side rails 44. This can be a three-piece assembly fastened, welded, fused together (releasably or not) or may be an integrally molded plastic, composite material, etc.), integrally stamped sheet metal, or integrally formed casting.
ASSEMBLY to EUPHONIUM: A pair of band clamps 50 encircle the side tubing of the euphonium 39 and the side rails 44 of the device 30. The threaded wings 51 are finger-tightened t0 the euphonium 39. The bottom rail 45 is extended or retracted to a desired position. The threaded wings 51 are further tightened to secure the device 40 as a rigid assembly. To remove or retract the bottom 45, the process is performed in reverse order. The alternative quick release double headed threaded locking fastener 52 with the optional non-marring, friction tip 52A works in a similar manner with the flanges 52B on boss 52C to slidably contain wrap side 44 aperture 57; threaded boss 52C for fastener 52D; fastener 52D; internal band 53 at horn band 54 with quick release double headed threaded locking fastener 52 to the horn band 54 integral to horn design; and aperture/slot 57 in extendable wrap 40 that allows quick release double headed threaded locking fastener to releasably secure wrap 40 to Euphonium instrument 38 or Baritone horn 39.
Many musical instruments are anticipated for the special euphonium extension rest device 30 or a very close facsimile thereof. Some examples, and not limitations, are shown in the following Table C.
With this description it is to be understood that the special euphonium extension rest device 30 is not to be limited to only the disclosed embodiment of product. The features of the special euphonium extension rest device 30 are intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the description.
While certain novel features of this invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claims, it is not intended to be limited to the details above, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and, in its operation, can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention. Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention.
Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which these inventions belong. Although any methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can also be used in the practice or testing of the present inventions, the preferred methods and materials are now described above in the foregoing paragraphs.
Other embodiments of the invention are possible. Although the description above contains much specificity, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention, but as merely providing illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodiments of this invention. It is also contemplated those various combinations or sub-combinations of the specific features and aspects of the embodiments may be made and still fall within the scope of the inventions. Various features and aspects of the disclosed embodiments can be combined with or substituted for one another to form varying modes of the disclosed inventions. Thus, it is intended that the scope of at least some of the present inventions herein disclosed should not be limited by the disclosed embodiments described above.
The terms recited in the claims should be given their ordinary and customary meaning as determined by reference to relevant entries (e.g., definition of “plane” as a carpenter's tool would not be relevant to the use of the term “plane” when used to refer to an airplane, etc.) in dictionaries (e.g., widely used general reference dictionaries and/or relevant technical dictionaries), commonly understood meanings by those in the art, etc., with the understanding that the broadest meaning imparted by any one or combination of these sources should be given to the claim terms (e.g., two or more relevant dictionary entries should be combined to provide the broadest meaning of the combination of entries, etc.) subject only to the following exceptions: (a) if a term is used herein in a manner more expansive than its ordinary and customary meaning, the term should be given its ordinary and customary meaning plus the additional expansive meaning, or (b) if a term has been explicitly defined to have a different meaning by reciting the term followed by the phrase “as used herein shall mean” or similar language (e.g., “herein this term means,” “as defined herein,” “for the purposes of this disclosure [the term] shall mean,” etc.). References to specific examples, use of “i.e.,” use of the word “invention,” etc., are not meant to invoke exception (b) or otherwise restrict the scope of the recited claim terms. Other than situations where exception (b) applies, nothing contained herein should be considered a disclaimer or disavowal of claim scope. Accordingly, the subject matter recited in the claims is not coextensive with and should not be interpreted to be coextensive with any embodiment, feature, or combination of features shown herein. This is true even if only a single embodiment of the feature or combination of features is illustrated and described herein. Thus, the appended claims should be read to be given their broadest interpretation in view of the prior art and the ordinary meaning of the claim terms.
Unless otherwise indicated, all numbers or expressions, such as those expressing dimensions, physical characteristics, etc. used in the specification (other than the claims) are understood as modified in all instances by the term “approximately.” At the very least, and not as an attempt to limit the application of the doctrine of equivalents to the claims, each numerical parameter recited in the specification or claims which is modified by the term “approximately” should at least be construed considering the number of recited significant digits and by applying ordinary rounding techniques.
The present invention contemplates modifications as would occur to those skilled in the art. While the disclosure has been illustrated and described in detail in the figures and the foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only selected embodiments have been shown and described and that all changes, modifications and equivalents that come within the spirit of the disclosures described heretofore and or/defined by the following claims are desired to be protected.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application with Ser. No. 63/052,510 filed Jul. 16, 2020, by Dr. Bruce E. McFarland. The application is entitled “Special Euphonium Extension Rest Device”.
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1570168 | Mortensen | Jan 1926 | A |
| 1612148 | Oettinger | Dec 1926 | A |
| 2575795 | Chenava | Nov 1951 | A |
| 3811357 | Stewart | May 1974 | A |
| 4067527 | Streit | Jan 1978 | A |
| 4572050 | Werner | Feb 1986 | A |
| 5789687 | Johnson | Aug 1998 | A |
| 20120024127 | Rashleigh | Feb 2012 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20220020346 A1 | Jan 2022 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63052510 | Jul 2020 | US |
