Abstract: A keyboard instrument for the natural tone system with at least one keyboard whose keys are assigned to the overtones in a predetermined sequence. According to the invention, the keyboard is optimally adapted to the conditions of the natural tone system by the fact that 16 keys are provided per octave which are arranged and constructed in such a way that the natural tones can be played in sequence on three playing levels. One peculiarity of the invention consists of the boxed arrangement of the keys on the three playing levels, whereby only the "harmonic keys" are arranged on the frontal playing level, the "melodic keys" and the tapered "harmonic keys" are arranged on the central playing level, and that the tapered section of the "melodic keys," a further tapered section of the "harmonic keys" and the "chromatic keys" are arranged on the rear playing level. The adjacent key sections on each playing level are equally wide.

Abstract: The guitar scale calculator device of the present invention has a longitudinal housing with a longitudinal open window. A scroll is disposed within the housing and is visible through the open window of the housing. The scroll contains a first indicia indicating a finger placement pattern for playing at least one preselected musical scale in selected tonics and indicating a key note location of the finger placement pattern for each of the preselected musical scales. A clear overlay is positioned and attached within the open window of the longitudinal housing and is constructed of a material which permits seeing the scroll through the overlay. The overlay contains a second indicia indicating a simulated fret board with scale tone letters for the finger placement pattern for each of the preselected musical scales.

Abstract: A stringed instrument having a neck coupled to a hollow body portion, the hollow body portion being constructed primarily utilizing synthetic resin laminate sheets.

Abstract: A fully adjustable acoustic guitar bridge is claimed that allows the strings (nylon or steel) of an acoustic guitar to be separately and continuously intonated accurately and easily whenever necessary. The bridge system employs a minimum of alterations to the traditional non-adjustable acoustic guitar bridge to retain the acoustic qualities of the instrument. Recessed, rear-loaded cap screws utilize the forward pull of the guitar strings to stabilize the adjustable saddles. A threaded saddle capture on each saddle provides stability, continuous threading capability, and the freedom to use acoustically resonant materials (bone, phenolic, composites, etc.) for saddles. These features eliminate the need for springs or other fasteners, which would have a negative effect on the acoustic guitar's tone and sustain. A rosewood shim is employed on acoustic/electric guitars over the internal bridge pickup.

Abstract: A hip-activated tremolo bar for a guitar which extends from the back of the guitar is illustrated. A curved stop and a securing pin provides a limit for the forward movement of the bridge when the hip-activated tremolo bar is used.

Abstract: A page turning device placed on a music stand by a clip, a preformed set of a flat spring mechanism is fixed in an opening which is located in the center of the device. Each spring has a predetermined length; the first spring resting on the page turning device is the shortest. The second spring is longer by a predetermined length. The last spring is the longest. A narrow pocket is located at the bottom of each transparency. Each spring is connected to a transparency. To operate, each transparency is placed behind a page which is to be turned, and with the aid of a clip the transparency and the page are held together. All the springs and the transparencies, including the pages found in between, are pressed to the right. All the springs are placed together into the indentation of the movable unit in an aperture, at the right side of the device. All the springs are arranged in the unit in the following way: The shortest spring turns the first page; The longest spring turns the last page.

Abstract: A charging device for charging a moving member to be charged includes a charging member for contact with the member to be charged to which a voltage is applied; wherein the charging member has a volume resistivity of not more than 1.times.10.sup.9 ohm.cm, and a surface resistivity at a surface contactable to the member to be charged not less than 5.times.10 ohm/.quadrature..

Abstract: A heating apparatus includes a heating apparatus including a heating member having a structure in which a combination of a pressure-sensitive conductive switching layer a region of which can be conducted upon being pressed and a heat-generating resistor layer are sandwiched between first and second conductors. Alternatively, a recording apparatus includes a power supply member having a first electrode and a second electrode aligned with the first electrode, and a conductive member which is in slidable contact with the power supply member, wherein a voltage is applied across the first and second electrodes, so that a current flows in the heat-generating resistor layer or the conductive toner image to generate Joule heat, thereby fixing the toner image by using the Joule heat.

Abstract: A musical instrument having plucked strings includes a sound board resting freely on the body of the instrument and which is put into vibration in a plane normal to its surface by a bridge of asymmetrical structure that supports the strings of the instruments and that rests on said sound board. The sound board is clamped at a projecting one of its ends between the body and the tailpiece of the instrument, and at its other end it rests on supports secured to the body. The bridge is supported at its treble string end directly by means of a fixed finger secured to the rigid body, and at its bass string end by the freely mounted sound board to which pressure and vibration are transmitted by a thrust piece which defines an asymmetrical configuration relative to the fixed finger.

Abstract: A musical drum mount including a rigid but flexible band which is independent and disconnected from the drum, and which extends circumferentially therearound to support the drum from a conventional supporting structure. The rigid band carries a plurality of circumferentially adjustable insulating supports which extend radially inward from the band so as to engage the drum and support the same within the band without being physically connected thereto. Each of the moveable insulating supports have a drum bearing surface which insulates the drum from the grounding effect of the floor stand or other supporting structure therefor, and engages the drum to support the same above ground level. The circumferential movement of the insulating supports provides versatility of use with a variety of different conventional drum structures having various placement of head tightening lugs therearound. The rigid band is diametrically adjustable so as to accommodate a number of differently sized drums.

Abstract: A wind driven music machine for the reproduction of a variety of musical compositions including a vertically positioned frame supported for pivotal movement about a vertical axis. The frame includes a plurality of tuned chime tubes vertically suspended top and bottom therein. A propeller is rotatably mounted on the frame and drives a hollow cylindrical drum about a horizontal axis. As the cylindrical drum rotates, a plurality of interchangeable pegs mounted thereon, engage, depress and release a plurality of corresponding pivotal hammers for striking the correct chime tubes in the correct sequence to produce a desired song. A wind vane is mounted on the frame to direct the propeller continuously into the prevailing wind.

Abstract: This invention relates to the materials, method of construction, and design of a composite acoustic drum shell intended to enhance the sound quality of a drumhead. It involves the process of winding a continuous polisher saturated fiber around a symetrical mandrel to form the shape of the drumshell. The overall shape of the structure, the material selection, and the orientation of the fibers maximize the degree of coupling between the structure and the drumhead resulting in a resonating system. The shape of said mandrel may be advantageously varied to create different vibrational and acoustical properties for different size drumheads.

Abstract: A stringed musical instrument (12) that can be played either in a fretted or a fretless mode includes an interconnected fret assembly (38) including frets (24) and a longitudinal fret interconnecting member (40) that is attached to, and movable with, the frets. A movable linear cam structure (46) has two cams at each fret, one positioned on each side of the fret interconnecting member, and includes rack teeth (52) which mesh with a pinion (62) driven by a lever (66) for causing linear movement of the linear cam structure. The interconnecting member is an elongated slat (40) which is positioned in a slot (50) between the cams. The linear-movable cam includes an elongated guide protrusion (56) and an interior cavity (30) of the fingerboard, in which the cam rides, defines an elongated guide slot (58) for receiving the guide protrusion and thereby limiting lateral movement of the linear cam. The linear cam structure and the interior cavity have tapered lateral sides.

Abstract: A highly ergonomic keyboard system provides a unified fingering system for both right and left hands in which the fingering is the same in all key signatures with more natural and comfortable thumb and finger positioning than with conventional piano keys, while maintaining hand span capability comparable to that of the conventional keyboard, i.e. at least one octave, and maintaining the convention method of "thumb tuck" to play extended scales and arpeggios. Three or more parallel horizontal one-octave rows of monolithic keys in half-tone increments are offset from each other in a uniform parallelogram-shaped tiered array with a note duplication offset which facilitates an octave span. All keys are made to have a uniform optimal complementary shape and are retained in a novel integrated pivot matrix configuration. Note/key association is visually indicated by white, black and (optionally) gray and/or other colors.

Abstract: In a heat roll fixing unit, adapted to be positioned in a printer employing an electrophotographic system for forming an image on a continuous-sheet to be fed in the printer, a pair of rollers is provided that are arranged to be brought into and out of contact with each other for pressurizing the continuous-sheet to fix the image thereon. One of the pair of rollers is a heat roller that is heated by a predetermined heating member. The heat roll fixing unit further comprises a sheet separation mechanism located at the downstream side of the pair of rollers and arranged to be operable when the pair of rollers is brought out of contact with each other for separating the continuous-sheet from the heat roller. Thus, the continuous-sheet can be prevented from remaining in contact with the roller after the fixing operation in the heat roll fixing unit. It thus becomes possible to avoid jamming of the continuous-sheet.

Abstract: A glockenspiel comprises a keyboard implemented by a plurality of keys respectively associated with tuned sound bars, and each of the tuned sound bars is struck by a hammer upon depressing the associated key, wherein a plurality of hammer heads different in hardness are embedded into a hammer body and selectively brought into abutting engagement with the associated tuned sound bar so that tone color is changed during performance of a music.

Abstract: A guitar stand specially adapted to attach to existing stage amplification equipment thereby providing a stable support for an acoustic or electric guitar while maximizing the stage space available to the performer. The guitar stand includes a yoke, a support arm and a base, and a clamping mechanism. In operation, the guitar stand is detachably clamped to amplification equipment and supports the guitar above the floor. The unique structure of the stand balances the weight of the guitar against the weight of the equipment for stability.

Abstract: A power-driven voicing tool simultaneously inserts into and withdraws from the felt of a piano hammer, needles to raise a nap thereon. A row of four needles is driven by two circularly moved cam surfaces on the ends of an assembly rotatable by a variable speed electric motor through a flexible drive cable. One cam surface lies outside the other and drives the external needles of the row of needles; the other drives the internal needles. The slopes of the two cam surfaces are different and one-hundred-and eighty degrees out-of-phase with each other and effect different movements in adjacent needles, one needle moving outward while the other moves inward. A process of inserting a needle while withdrawing an adjacent needle in the felt of the piano hammer, is practiced.

Abstract: A support structure for a musical instrument drum. From each of the top and bottom drum hoops, a respective installation part projects radially. A support plate extends between and is attached to both installation parts. A bracket on the plate receives a support rod from a drum support. This arrangement keeps the weight burden of the drum off the drum body and applies it only to the end hoops.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus in which a process cartridge, including an image carrying member and an operation member with respect to image forming, facing the image carrying member, is movably provided. An opening on the process cartridge in accordance with the operation member is covered by a shielding member in the main body of the apparatus when the process cartridge is moved from the apparatus in response to an opening movement of an external cover which provides access to the interior of the apparatus.