Abstract: An improved capo for use with various stringed instruments, such as for example a guitar, for fastening over the fingerboard or fret board to shorten the strings uniformly and facilitate a change of key. The capo includes a pair of normally closed spring biased jaw members and integral lever members operative to open the jaw members for movement along the length of fret board for selectively retaining all of the strings in abutting relation to the fret board. The improved capo is formed of spring stock to facilitate the attachment and positioning of the capo along the fret board.

Abstract: An end block for the structural integrity of a body of the stringed instrument is a substantially hollow block having an open face on a body side of the end block, a receiving member projecting inwards from an end wall of the end block, and a plurality of bracing members reinforcing the receiving member to the end wall. The end block provides a larger hollow, a stronger attachment, a lighter instrument and improved sound quality. The end block is a single piece of rigid molded material. Various features on the end block key with corresponding features located in the body of the stringed instrument.

Abstract: An acoustic door assembly generally comprises a door, a frame and a hinge. The door of the assembly is an insulated, acoustic door having a predetermined length. The frame of the assembly is positioned proximate the door and is joined thereto by the hinge. The hinge is a continuous, cam hinge having a length that is substantially equivalent to the predetermined length of the door and is secured along the length of the door.

Abstract: A tonal adjusting device for selectively changing the pitch of one or more strings of a guitar. The tonal adjusting device includes a lever assembly with upper and lower arms that are designed for being positioned around the neck of a stringed instrument. The upper arm has dampening members for selectively engaging the strings when the upper arm engages the face of the neck of the instrument.

Abstract: An improved comb for a harmonica including one or more check valves mounted within the comb for improving performance and tonality and simplifying construction. The use of check valves mounted over valve slots has been previously disclosed as a method of increasing the musical range and volume of the instrument. This invention incorporates check valves but locates them within the comb of the harmonica. By placing all the check valves within the comb, construction of the harmonica is greatly simplified, air loss between various components is greatly decreased, and check valves are removed from close proximity with reeds thereby decreasing interference with the reeds, increasing volume and performance, and increasing the resonance of overtones.

Abstract: A sound attenuating drum head that has a support ring, a synthetic membrane carried by the ring, a localized thin coating on the membrane, and acting to attenuate vibration of the head, when struck, that coating confined on a mid-region of the head.

Abstract: An adjustable string tree provides selectable adjustment for tension on a stringed musical instrument. A back plate is fixed to a base plate, which in turn is fixed to the musical instrument. A top plate adjustably and slidably engages the back plate in order to exert tension on a string. Adjustment may be provided by an adjustment bolt in opposition to a compression spring. In a preferred embodiment, an indentation is provided in the top plate in alignment with the string to better hold the string in association with the top plate.

Abstract: A vehicular vehicle exhaust system and method for manufacturing same using hydroforming and magnetic impulse welding techniques is disclosed. An exhaust system of the invention includes a flange adapted for connection to an exhaust manifold of an engine of a vehicle, a first exhaust tube having a first end connected to the flange and a second end expanded to form a first portion of a chamber, and a second exhaust tube having a first end expanded to form a second portion of a chamber closure and a second end open to atmosphere. The end portions of the first and second tubes may be formed to desired shapes using a hydroforming process. The second portion of the chamber is sized to fit inside the first portion of the chamber and can be secured thereto by magnetic pulse welding techniques. The exhaust system can further include a retainer tube that is connected to the first and second tubes by magnetic pulse welding techniques.

Abstract: A hand-held, gourd based percussion instrument, has a modified guiro gourd with two maraca gourds extended outwardly therefrom. A hollow, elongate guiro gourd is modified by having its ends removed and replaced with light-bulb shaped maracas with the spherical portions extending outwardly, the maracas attached by means of an extended member within the cylindrical center of the guiro. With sounding furrows on the outer surface of the cylindrical center and sounding pebbles within, the furrows are stroked with a rasper and the instrument is shaken to produce rhythmic sounds.

Abstract: A fingerboard for stringed musical instrument having a series of predetermined grooves located at every position in which a series of consecutive frets would have otherwise occurred, in accordance with a predetermined tonal scale, providing the facilities of a fretted fingerboard and maintaining the characteristics of a fretless fingerboard.

Abstract: An improvement for a conventional grand piano action to position a piano hammer at varying at rest positions to evoke varying intensities of sound with an unvarying strength of piano key touch.

Abstract: A dynamic force transducer for generating vertically oriented compressional forces and motions at the surface of a solid medium. A frame is rigidly coupled in direct contact with the solid medium surface. At least one pair of identical driver units are mounted to the frame to impart vertically oriented forces to the medium. Compliant springs support the drivers and introduce mechanical resonances. The driver units are excited to produce the vertically oriented pushing and pulling forces along a common collinear vertical direction. The driver units also impart either continuous or pulsed oscillatory forces to produce prescribed seismic compressional waves in the medium.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for tensioning or relaxing a membrane of a musical instrument, such as a traditional frame drum. A pressurized fluid is guided into at least one variable pressure chamber formed by an expandable hollow body. The hollow body is positioned around the resonator of the instrument. The membrane is subjected to pressure between a membrane support and a membrane fixing device by means of the pressurized fluid in the chamber. Pressure is exerted evenly all around the circumference of the membrane. The membrane is fixed only by a band so that it can be tensed or relaxed very rapidly. The band is arranged to vibrate freely in relation to the resonance body while the membrane is subjected to pressure from the variably pressurized chamber.

Abstract: A laminated composite panel-form loudspeaker consists of a peripherally stiffened laminated composite radiating panel on which a preselected number of transducers are mounted and a rectangular frame carrying a flexible suspension device which supports the panel radiator. The laminated composite radiating panel comprises a predetermined number of orthotropic laminae with predetermined specific moduli and stacking sequence. The peripheral edge of the laminated composite radiating panel is reinforced with strips of which the rigidities are determined in such a way that beneficial natural normal modes of the radiating panel are excited and satisfactory operation of the panel radiator over a desired acoustic frequency range achieved. The standing waves at the peripheral edge of the stiffened radiating panel are damped out via the use of the flexible suspension device.

Abstract: For a selective sound propagation pattern that has an especially high directivity, including in the bass frequency region, there is inventively provided a loudspeaker box (1) with a housing (2) and at least one loudspeaker (4) with chassis (6) which is surrounded by a housing wall (8) in such a way that in the low frequency region the rear side and front side sound of the loudspeaker (4) overlay themselves with a sound increase in a preferred direction.

Abstract: A drone is disclosed for use in a set of bagpipes for indoor play, the bagpipes having the drone fitted are substantially smaller and more quiet than conventional bagpipes. Advantageously the drone can be produced in the main from brass tubing which is cheaper than the products used to make conventional bagpipes.

Abstract: A musical instrument stand such as a hi-hat stand equipped with hi-hat cymbals is basically constructed a stand member, a pedal device containing a pedal frame and a pedal, and a stand leg unit corresponding to a foldable tripod containing three legs. The stand leg unit vertically supports the stand member together with the pedal frame of the pedal device, which is placed on a floor. Herein, first, second and third legs of the stand leg unit are spread on the floor and are subjected to nonuniform arrangement such that a first angle is set between the first and second legs and between the second and third legs, while a second angle is set between the first and third legs. Preferably, the first angle ranges between 100° and 110°, and the second angle ranges between 140° and 160°. The pedal is arranged in an area that lies between the first and third legs, which are widely spread with the second angle in plan view.

Abstract: A muffler has an outer tube and an inner tube sealingly received in the outer tube. The inner tube has multiple shrink throats securely arranged therein and multiple through holes peripherally defined therein. Multiple baffles are formed between the outer tube and the inner tube and each of which has multiple openings. Every time when the exhaust air passes through the shrink throat in the inner tube, the speed of the exhaust air increases. Eventually, the efficiency of discharging the exhaust function increases. Due to the shrink throats, the backpressure from the exhaust air increasing, therefore hinders the power loss due to the early opening of the exhaust valve in the power (expansion) stroke.

Abstract: Disclosed is an ornamental display assembly which includes a base, first and second coaxially arranged support members, a common drive mechanism mounted on the base and coupled to the first and second coaxially arranged support members, wherein the drive mechanism includes a music box mechanism and a rotating device, a first ornament supported and driven by the first support member, and a second ornament coupled with the second support member. When the common drive mechanism is actuated, the first support member is rotated by the rotating device while the second support member is rotated by the drive mechanism, thereby respectively causing the first and second ornaments to rotate in different manners.

Abstract: Rhythm, beat, choreography, and body movement are taught, and a coordination system for rehabilitation provided, using an apparatus having a base, vertical time-indicators, and beat marks. Students or patients clap, or perform similar functions when the teacher notes that a beat marker has been passed. This method and apparatus are general for all time signatures.