Abstract: A counterhoop formed by bonding a conventional flat shaped hoop with a resilient shell component comprised of a convex outer wall and a generally flat inner wall. The resilient begins as a liquid resin, which is poured into an annular mold. The metal counterhoop is inserted into the resin, and the cured resin is allowed to harden, forming a shell which is bonded to the counterhoop to create a unitary component. The inner and outer walls of the shell join at the top edge of the counterhoop, where the hoop abuts the outer surface of the drumshell. The device maintains and provides the requisite strength and shape of a conga drum counterhoop, which is necessary to sustain the proper tensioning of the drumhead while, concurrently providing the resilience to substantially eliminate the soreness and discomfort that usually results when the hands are constantly striking the drumhead in the act of playing the instrument.

Abstract: The present invention provides a unique device for protecting the strings of musical instruments such as guitars and stringed bases in the event they should topple over face down. The device also serves to clean and buff the strings of musical instruments while at the same time providing a pocket 14 and 15 for pick storage. The present invention is a pad 12 of soft cloth or pre-formed soft rubber which when attached to the strings of musical instruments will not scratch and damage the instruments delicate finish. A groove 13 bottom side enables a secure fit over and around string 11a through 11f. It also allows for easy attachment and detachment of pad 12.

Abstract: A percussive instrument comprises two shells, each having open ends. The shells are positioned substantially end to end. Drum heads are positioned at the opposing open ends and between the two shells.

Abstract: A system for adapting a tracker bar operated automatic musical instrument to play electronically stored performances includes, in one embodiment family, a channel plate member having parallel channels in the upper face. First and second spaced apart holes are provided in each channel. An array of solenoid operated valves individually open and close first holes in the channels in response to energizing signals selectively applied to the solenoid coils. The second holes are oriented to interface with the tracker bar holes so that opening a given solenoid operated valves exposes the corresponding tracker bar hole to atmospheric via the corresponding channel. Left and right adjustable bracket assemblies are adapted to respectively engage the left and right pay-off spool mounting members to juxtapose and maintain the channel plate member in the operating position.

Abstract: A musical instrument made in whole or in part of titanium and its alloys. Titanium instruments tend to be lighter than other instruments made of other materials like silver and/or gold. Additionally, titanium proves to be more durable and resistant to marring than other materials used in making instruments. An inherent property of titanium provides the ability to create an infinite number of color hues and patterns of colors on the instrument by the use of known titanium anodization processes. Additionally, it is possible to remove the existing colors created by an anodization process, and to further cause the instrument to be changed into other colors or patterns of colors.

Abstract: This invention relates to the field of electrical technology, and relates particularly to a method for the continuous transformation of electrical energy with its subsequent transmission from an initial source (transformer) to a consuming device, and also to an apparatus for the implementation of this method of transformation and the supplying of power to electrical devices through a transmission line which does not form a closed circuit, ie consists of a single conducting wire.

Abstract: This invention is a display system for measuring and displaying, individually or simultaneously, the frequencies contained in a musical sound. A transducer coupled to the sound source produces an electrical signal representing the musical sound. The system receives the signal and separates and measures the frequencies of the individual tones comprising the sound. The measured frequency values are displayed as the frequencies themselves or as deviations from target frequencies. The system can utilize a local transducer with the display system or a remote transducer coupled to the sound source.

Abstract: A guitar neck is formed with a protruding trapezoidal heel which extends into a pocket formed at the neck end of the body. The tendency of the strings to bend the neck is counteracted by a truss rod assembly which is positioned in a contoured channel formed in the neck beneath the fingerboard. The assembly has a threaded stainless steel rod which extends through an aluminum U-channel, with one end extending beyond the U-channel beneath and adjacent the first fret of the fingerboard, where it is fixed to the U-channel, and the other end extending out of the U-channel adjacent the neck-body joint, where an adjustable hex nut is threaded on the rod which bears on a washer. Two cylindrical spacers are fixed to the rod within the U-channel at positions upward of the neck joint which serve to hold the rod in the center of the U-channel between the U-channel legs, and also spaced outwardly from the base of the U-channel to thereby cause the rod to bow away from the base into the contoured channel in the neck.

Abstract: A sinusoidal wave data stream for correcting a torque ripple of a motor is stored in a torque ripple corrective memory. As the motor rotates, rotational angle information is computed from a rotational pulse signal and a rotor magnetic pole position pulse signal, which are generated accompanying the rotation. A sinusoidal wave data corresponding to the rotational angle information is recalled. Then, the sinusoidal wave data constituting a torque ripple corrective signal is subtracted from a motor control signal. With the use of the motor control signal after the subtraction, the motor is driven and controlled. With this arrangement, the motor torque ripple, which is a main cause of speed fluctuation of a polyphase brushless motor, is suppressed and stable and precise motor speed control is achieved.

Abstract: Passive electronic damping apparatus for a step motor of the type having a number of phase windings, comprising: a respective transconductance amplifier coupled to each phase winding for producing a phase drive current in the winding in response to a position command; each transconductance amplifier exhibiting an output impedance characteristic; and a circuit for changing the amplifier output impedance to effect motor damping.

Abstract: A musical drum that includes a drumhead on each end that is secured to the shell by its own counterhoop. Formed as an integral part and around the perimeter section of each of the counterhoops is a series of slotted openings defined on each side by T-shaped arm members projecting radially from the hoop. A series of cord strands are threaded through each of these openings and drawn vertically across the shell in parallel relation to one another until the drum shell is encircled. By squeezing or depressing one or more of these strands together while striking the drumhead, the drummer is able to manipulate the tones and pitches of the drum sound to enable the drum to sound as if it is "speaking.

Abstract: An electronic percussion instrument includes a pad section and a rim section provided about the pad section. A pad sensor is provided in the pad section to output a signal in response to a force applied to the pad section. A rim sensor is provided in the rim section to detect a signal corresponding to a force applied to the rim section, for example, to detect the presence or the absence of a pressure force applied to the rim section. The electronic percussion instrument includes a tone generation control device that provides unique control over the generation of tones. When a tone is generated based on a signal representative of a beat force applied to the pad sensor, the tone color of the tone is selected based on the presence or the absence of a pressure force applied to the rim sensor.

Abstract: Presented is an elongated tubular drumstick incorporating an adjustable weight system mounted within the hollow interior of the drumstick and incorporating an elongated threaded spindle that extends nearly the entire length of the drumstick. Adjustably mounted on the threaded spindle are one or more weights. The weight or weights are locked in position between a pair of nuts threaded onto the spindle. A damper member is provided mounted on the distal end of the spindle at the tip-end of the hollow drumstick, and a plurality of annular ring absorbers or silencers are spaced along the length of the threaded spindle to retain the threaded spindle axially aligned within the hollow drumstick. A retainer plug and cushion member is mounted on the proximal end of the threaded spindle and is press-fitted into the open butt end of the drumstick to removably retain the adjustable weight assembly or system within the drumstick.

Abstract: A computerized music apparatus is installed with a program which is executed to perform reproduction of a musical tone by reading out a corresponding waveform. A storage is provided for storing a plurality of waveforms corresponding to different musical tones, each waveform being stored in the form of a sequence of amplitude value data arranged at a given sampling period. Tapping pads are provided for designating at least one of the stored waveforms to command reproduction of a corresponding one of the musical tones. A panel switch is operable by a user for switching the reproduction of the musical tone between a normal mode and an optional mode. A CPU is allotted with relatively high performance under the normal mode for concurrently reading out a number of the designated waveforms from the storage according to the program so as to concurrently reproduce the number of the corresponding musical tones.

Abstract: A portable music performance device combines an external audio input, such as a singer's voice singing the lyrics of a song into a microphone, and stored musical accompaniment data for the song, preferably data stored in a ROM package, and produces an RF signal for transmission to a receiver.

Abstract: A circuit for controlling the slew rate in the stator coils of a polyphase, dc motor is provided. The circuit includes a first steady state control circuitry (12), a low side commutation circuitry (60), a second steady state control circuitry (62), and a high side commutation circuitry (64). The first steady state control circuitry (12) regulates the current through an A-coil (14) and a C-coil (18) after a high side commutation. The A-coil (14) couples to a voltage source through an HSDA (22) at one end and couples to the C-coil (18) through a center tap at the other end. The C-coil (18) couples to an LSDC (24) at its other end during this state. The low side commutation circuitry (60) performs a low side commutation by controlling the current slew rate of the C-coil (18) and a B-coil (16) as the current in the C-coil (18) is reduced to zero and the current in the B-coil (16) is increased from zero to a steady state level.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an electronic switch system for controlling AC power to a load. The switch has ON, OFF and RAMP down modes that can be selected by means of momentary touch switches. When put into the RAMP down mode, the power to the load decreases slowly at a gradual continuous uninterrupted predetermined rate. This switch system has particular utility in brightness control of lamps. It has been found that the use of a lamp controlled by an electronic switch of the present invention often will induce sleep for people that have difficulty going to sleep, particularly young children and older persons. Thus the electronic switch system and devices embodying this system are particularly useful in a method to induce sleep.

Abstract: A power actuated door opener is disclosed with a beam break system for detecting obstructions in a door opening. A transmitter includes a beam emitter and emitter drive circuit for transmitting a train of emitter pulses to a receiver. The receiver includes a pulse detector circuit with a beam detector for producing detector pulses in response to emitter pulses impinging on the detector. The emitter drive circuit and the pulse detector circuit are synchronously coupled with each other and the pulse detector circuit produces a normal output signal only if the detector receives a pulse which is in synchronism with an emitter pulse. The receiver includes an annunciator which produces an audible and a visible warning signal when the pulse detector circuit produces a fault output signal. The audible annunicator is a piezoelectric crystal mounted in the receiver housing with a cover plate operating as a sounding board.

Abstract: The three dimensional probe device of the present invention is mountable on a working end of a fully automated and articulated robotic arm movable through at least five degrees of axial freedom in a global dimensional reference. The three dimensional probe device comprises a base, a carriage, a probe, a Z axis measuring apparatus and a tilt measuring apparatus. The probe tip contacts the work piece surface to be traced with deflections in the workpiece seam or path resulting in movement of the carriage and probe. The probe includes a plate and a ball which is pivotable in a ball socket portion of the carriage. Movement of the carriage in relation to the base provides measurement data for rotational change in the direction of the workpiece path or seam. Tilting of the probe provides measurement data for translational change in the direction of the workpiece path or seam.

Abstract: A position control apparatus for synchronously controlling the movement of fine stages in a high-precision scanning positioning instrument. The position control apparatus uses actuators to adjust the fine stages with six degrees of freedom. By adjusting the fine stages, any synchronous errors between the fine stages during scanning may be dynamically corrected. Further, the fine stages may be adjusted during periods of acceleration and deceleration to reduce the settling time and consequently increasing throughput. Encoders directly attached to the actuators produce signals that are used in a velocity feedback loop. The locations of the fine stages are measured by interferometers. The position control apparatus uses a position control circuit to control the actuators to compensate for synchronous error.