Abstract: A capo-holding apparatus for a stringed musical instrument having a fingerboard along which the strings of the instrument extend and a peg head disposed at one end of the fingerboard includes a body which is securable against the peg head or some other part of the stringed instrument in a fixed position relative thereto. The body is, in turn, adapted to releasably hold a capo in fixed relationship relative to the body so that when the capo is held in a fixed relationship relative to the body and the body is secured in a fixed position relative to the stringed instrument, the capo is held in a fixed position relative to the stringed instrument.

Abstract: A clamp device having a main body and a pivotable, pipe clamping holder. A first bolt and nut connect the main body and the pivotable holder and allow them to pivot with reference to the first bolt. Another bolt is pivotally connected to the main body and can be swung in a groove in the second holder and the other nut is held in the groove by a respective nut. The two bolts cooperate to clamp a pipe. An arm to one side of the second holder and the main body is operable for pivoting the second holder around the second bolt to selectively open or close the clamping against the main body. A spring on the first bolt biases the second holder contrary to the force applied to the arm. The main body extends to a further clamping hole. An additional pipe holding, adjustable angle member may be installed in the further hole.

Abstract: A system for balancing upright piano key mechanisms consists in weighting the key (1) in its front portion (at 11), opposite to the portion (5) where the key downweight is usually placed, and consequently in weighting (at 15), by means of a weight simulating the weight of the hammer, also the portion where the hammer (7) rests, the hammer in turn resting, through the wippen (9), on the rear portion of the key, so as to create a balance between the front portion and the rear portion of the key itself.

Abstract: A window-type air conditioner housing includes a backboard and two parietal sideboards of polystyrene. Each sideboard has a steel plate implant and a coaxial bracing hole for supporting a motor and an associated air conditioner fan bearing components, respectively, to thereby maintain vibration and noise at reduced levels. Preferably each steel plate implant is dimpled in the area surrounding each coaxial bracing hole to strengthen and stiffen the sideboard in that area for supporting the motor and fan assembly.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for supporting a musical instrument, in particular a percussion instrument such as a xylophone, marimba or drum. The device includes a frame and a carrier body connected to the frame and the musical instrument. The frame has an adjuster for positioning the musical instrument at a desired height and a damper for suppressing vibrations at least during playing of the instrument. The adjuster has at least one resilient mechanism adjustable in the length corresponding with the height of the musical instrument, wherein the adjuster and the damper form a unit.

Abstract: A method practiced in connection with a computer game, video game or the like constantly evolves the game's music by permutting several basic themes and rhythms used. A harmonic pointer and rhythm pointer start the music so as to conform to a musical style desired in connection with a displayed scene or other event. Once the pointers have been set to a current musical style, the permutation process evolves the basic themes and rhythms and regenerates new music whose form is a stream of variations of the original themes thoughout the history of an individual game play experience, thus providing a large amount of musical content without having to store a large, complex, prerecorded musical score defined for each scene of the game. The amount of memory needed for musical passages is limited because a complex musical output is created from only a limited set of basic themes and rhythms. Initial musical themes are set during the game installation and musical themes evolve during the game.

Abstract: A transmission mechanism mounted on a rack and driven by a foot pedal to move a movable center rod and a superior cymbal at said movable center rod relative to a fixed inferior cymbal, the transmission mechanism including an oscillating member, which has a horizontal block connected to the foot pedal by a chain and a vertical block, a first universal joint connected between the vertical block of the oscillating member and the movable center rod, a second universal joint securely mounted on the rack at a bottom side, and a coupling bolt turned about a pivot pin at the vertical block of the oscillating member and securely connected to the second universal joint.

Abstract: The common contact 5a of a power source circuit side relay 2a is connected to the common contact 15a of a motor circuit side relay 12a. The common contact 5b of a power source circuit side relay 2b is connected to the common contact 15b of a motor circuit side relay 12b. And, the switching contacts 6a and 6b, and 16a and 16b of the power source circuit sides relays 2a and 2b and the motor circuit side relays 12a and 12b are tripped in response to relay switching signals provided by an ECU. The power source circuit side relays 2a and 2b are selectively switched, so that the directions of flow of currents in the motor circuits 21 through 24 are changed.

Abstract: A dynamic braking system for a motorized lifting mechanism such as a crane, hoist or the like allows the load to be lowered at a controlled rate during a power failure. An auxiliary power source is activated to apply an excitation current to the stator windings, creating a static magnetic field. When the brake is released the rotor rotates in the static magnetic field, generating an A.C. voltage that is rectified and applied to the stator, thereby increasing the strength of the static magnetic field. An equilibrium is reached, and the load is lowered at a controlled rate. In the preferred embodiment the A.C. voltage is supplied through an adjustable resistor, allowing the lowering rate to be selectively controlled.

Abstract: In a motor drive apparatus, a motor drive circuit includes an H bridge circuit composed of four field effect transistors or FETs, and resistors each having electrical resistance sufficiently higher than that of each of the FETs which would be presented when the FET has an ON-state trouble. These resistors are connected in parallel to the respective FETs. To perform a ON-state trouble detecting test on the individual FETs, an OFF signal is fed to all the FETs. If all the EFTS are free of the ON-state trouble, electric potential, representing a result of higher potential of a battery being divided by the resistors, appears at two input terminals of an electric motor connected to the motor drive circuit. If two of the FETs, having their drains connected to a higher-potential electrode of the battery, have the ON-state trouble, the higher potential of the battery appears at the two terminals of the electric motor.

Abstract: A snare strainer for a drum. The snare strainer includes a tube having a noncylindrical transverse cross section with a first axis and a second axis with oppositely located curved bearing surfaces positioned on the first axis. A piston is positioned in the tube for slidable movement between a first position in which the snares are located against the drumhead and a second position in which the snares are located away from the drumhead. The piston has a transverse cross section similar in shape to the transverse cross section of the tube. A quick release mechanism is provided to move the piston between the first and second positions. A handle forming part of the quick release mechanism is mounted on the tube and has a linkage connecting the piston, the handle and axis of the two during movement of the piston between the first and second positions. An axial passage is formed in one of the fasteners connecting the tube to the drum to allow air flow into and out of the drum.

Abstract: A clamp for rods which has a high degree of freedom of reorientation of angular position. A clamp main body has a first groove holder and a second rod holder. Connecting bolts each having an eye at one end, and a screw thread at the other end secure respective supporting rods in grooves formed on the clamp. An angle adjustment member has an annular engaging ring on one side that cooperates with a similar annular engaging ring on the clamp main body.

Abstract: An attack transient detector determines the moment of note onset; e.g. the time at which a guitar string is plucked; from a signal generated by a musical instrument. Detection of the attack transient causes the generation of a trigger signal which can be used to control processing of the musical instrument signal.

Abstract: A multiple musical instrument holder with a mounting plate attached to a stand. Each musical instrument is connected to a mounting member. The mounting member frictionally engages the mounting plate. Optionally, a support bracket can be attached to the stand. The support bracket contacts each instrument mounted to the stand, thus, providing stability to the mounted instruments and to the holder.

Abstract: To obtain a control apparatus for a Diesel-electric locomotive that harmonizes an engine power with a torque command of an induction motor, which is a load of an engine, in the Diesel-electric locomotive and avoids an overload of the engine.A cooperative controller 15 is provided, the controller 15 which receives a notch signal N, an engine speed command value n* corresponding to the notch signal N, an engine speed n, and rotating speed fr of an induction motor 17, calculates a torque command value Tp corresponding to the engine speed n from torque command values before and after the notch signal changing during response time for control of the engine speed if the notch signal N changes, and calculates the torque command value Tp corresponding to the notch signal N after a notch is changed, except the case thereof. Furthermore, the torque command value Tp is outputted to an inverter controller 20.

Abstract: The connector assembly includes a housing that carries a flexible circuit member and two slide members with slide cam surfaces. A daughter board is secured to one surface on the housing and is electrically connected to the flexible circuit member. The cam surfaces on the two slide members engage cams on a mother board. Movement of the slide member cam surfaces relative to the cams on the mother board moves the housing relative to the mother board and forms an electrical connection between the flexible circuit member and the mother board. A linkage system moves both slide members to form and maintain the electrical connection between the flexible circuit member and the mother board.

Abstract: An initial note series is collected from a real-time source of musical input material such as a keyboard or a sequencer playing back musical data, or extracted from musical data stored in memory. The initial note series may be altered to create variations of the initial note series using various mathematical operations. The resulting altered note series, or other data stored in memory is read out according to one or more patterns. The patterns may have steps containing pools of independently selectable items from which random selections are made. A pseudo-random number generator is employed to perform the random selections during processing, where the random sequences thereby generated have the ability to be repeated at specific musical intervals. The resulting musical effect may additionally incorporate a repeated effect, or a repeated effect can be independently performed from input notes in the musical input material.

Abstract: A keyboard device for a keyboard-based musical instrument comprises a plurality of chassis arranged in a left-to-right direction, and a plurality of keys attached to the plurality of chassis for pivotal movements and arranged in the left-to-right direction. The overall chassis for the keyboard device is divided into a plurality of chassis which can be separately manufactured, so that the size of each chassis can be reduced as compared with a conventional keyboard device for which a single chassis is manufactured. Since this results in a reduction in scale of manufacturing facilities including a mold and a press machine used for manufacturing the chassis, and easier adjustments to the mold in a trial manufacturing stage, a manufacturing cost of the chassis, i.e., a manufacturing cost of the keyboard device can be reduced.

Abstract: An automatic music composing method automatically composes background music matching an atmosphere and a reproduction time of an input moving or changing image. A moving or changing image is inputted and divided into scenes, a feature of each scene is extracted, an automatic music composing parameter is obtained from the feature, background music is automatically composed using the parameter and scene reproduction time, and the composed background music is output along with the moving or changing image.

Abstract: An electrical connection device for electrically connecting an electronic component of the type having electrical connection points. The electrical connection device includes electrical connection members that each have a tip that can retract against an elastic means, a support carrying the electrical connection members, and a movable receptacle. The movable receptacle can house an electronic component and can bring the electronic component into a connection position in which the tips of the electrical connection members bear on the electrical connection points of the electronic component. In a preferred embodiment, the electrical connection members are removable from the device. Additionally, a testing apparatus that includes such an electrical connection device is provided.