Abstract: This invention is a display system for an automatically tuned stringed instrument displaying, individually or simultaneously, the frequency of each string of the instrument. The system provides for using the display to manually tune the instrument or to initially tune the instrument to within the operating range of the automatic tuning system.

Abstract: The instrument includes a support structure formed of telescoping legs enabling height adjustment of the bed supporting the bars. The bars are strung on lines supported on bar mounts having resilient material in engagement with the lines preventing transmission of vibration from the bars to adjacent bars and to the support structure. A dampening rail including a fluid-filled bladder extends the length of the instrument in underlying relation to the adjacent inner ends of the two rows of bars and is spring-biased into engagement with the bars. A pedal, selectively displaceable along a longitudinal support bar, is used to engage and disengage the bladder relative to the bars. The pedal includes a fulcrum assembly for adjustment of the feel of the pedal.

Abstract: A mute attached to a brass instrument has an inner surface shaped in such a manner that standing waves of representative harmonic tones have respective final nodes therein close to final nodes of the standing waves generated without the mute, and the pitch of the sound is hardly changed between a performance with the mute and a performance without a mute.

Abstract: A system for fixing the neck onto the body of a stringed instrument in which the truss-rod (9) of the neck is seated in a corresponding milled portion (8) formed in the body (3) in the region of the foot, the bushes (4) are seated in suitable countersinks (6) formed in the upper side of the neck (2) underneath the fingerboard (1) and are connected to corresponding bushes (11) seated in suitable countersinks (10) formed in the underside of the body of the instrument (3).

Abstract: A portable steel drum assembly for use in a marching band includes a first steel drum having a defined playing surface including a first set of predefined indentations defining a first set of notes and a second steel drum having a defined playing surface including a second set of predefined indentations defining a second set of notes. The first and second steel drums each have a diameter less than twenty-two inches providing the steel drum assembly with sufficient lightweightness and compactness enabling a musician to perform the steel drum assembly while carrying the steel drum assembly. A steel drum carrier including a harness and a steel drum mount enables a musician to carry the first and second steel drums.

Abstract: A bongos holder includes a U-shaped holder base having a mounting rod fastened to a tripod, a packing plate coupled to one vertical side wall of the holder base, a holding down device driven to force the packing plate in holding down the block between the two drums of a bongos in the holder base, a clamping plate fixed to the holder base at the desired elevation by a wing nut to top the block of the bongos from upward movement, and a supporting member fixed to the mounting rod at the desired elevation by a tightening up wing screw to support the drums of the bongos.

Abstract: An electric induction motor can be given a kick start without excessive current drain on the supply by first connecting a unidirectional supply to a winding of the motor to build up a stationary rotor flux and then applying a starting current to another winding of the motor to produce a stator flux at an appropriate angle (between 0.degree. and 180.degree.) with the stationary rotor flux. Once the motor has begun accelerating the normal running supply can be connected. This starting current may be derived from a capacitance which is charged up during the period of establishing the stationary rotor flux.

Abstract: A brass-wind musical instrument mouthpiece. A plurality of nodal enhancers is provided externally about the portion of the mouthpiece between its rim and shank. In an exemplary embodiment for a trumpet, a total of six rings and seven interspersed grooves in the outer wall of the cup barrel region of the mouthpiece are integrally provided. Better intonation is also achieved with the present invention.

Abstract: A control system for a vehicle-mounted battery which, in accordance with the state of a battery, can make a polyphase alternating current rotating machine in a hybrid car assist the driving gear (the internal combustion engine) or charge the battery. The current and voltage during discharge and charging of a battery mounted on a vehicle are measured, and on the basis of this measured current and voltage information, a program control circuit controls the discharge current when an auxiliary driving force is given to the driving gear. This control is performed via an inverter which performs AC-to-DC or DC-to-AC conversion between the battery and the polyphase alternating current rotating machine coupled to the driving gear of the vehicle. Because the charging and discharging currents are limited in accordance with the state of charging of the battery, it is possible to avoid charging and discharging uniformly irrespective of the amount of charging of the battery.

Abstract: A guitar neck incorporating a mechanism for adjusting the degree of straightness of the neck's elongated body is provided herein. The mechanism incorporates a lever and tension-compression system to perform the neck adjustment. The lever and tension-compression system includes a platform and a driver connected pivotally to each other in end-to-end relationship. The platform acts as a lever, and the driver creates tension and actuates the lever. The platform and driver are mounted longitudinally of the neck in a groove (slot or passage), the upper and lower wall of which are adjacent to the platform. Pivot points are provided, preferably on the upper and lower walls of the groove, and cooperate with the platform in achieving the proper lever action.

Abstract: An improvement to the tone and responsiveness of brass instruments is achieved by holding preshaped pieces of damping material, preferably a waxy, hot-melt adhesive, pressed against surfaces of the instrument tubing sections such as valve casings and tubing sections at particular locations, to reduce sympathetic vibrations of the instrument structure.

Abstract: A stringed musical instrument is provided wherein each string has two critical points, A fulcrum tremolo is mounted on the instrument for varying the tension of the strings and the distance between the two critical points. The strings are attached to a plurality of intonation modules mounted on the fulcrum tremolo. Each intonation module is adjustable so that the strings can be adjusted from an untensioned state to a proper playing pitch. A bearing assembly is also included to facilitate pivoting of the fulcrum tremolo.

Abstract: A disc music box for playing a melody comprises a base (21); a music box disc (1) having a plurality of engaging drive parts (3) and a drive hole (4); a plurality of music box petals (27a) provided on the base; a plurality of star wheels (26) each guided and revolved by one of the engaging drive parts, a turn plate (23) provided coaxially with the music box disc and having a detecting member (42) thereon; a motor (M) provided on the base; a transmission mechanism (24) disposed between the turn plate and the motor to transmit the drive force of the motor to the turn plate; a drive projection (23d) provided on the turn plate for engagement with the drive hole of the music box disc for positioning the music box disc; and a switch (43) provided on the base for engagement with the detecting member of the turn plate when the music box disc makes one rotation.

Abstract: A circuit for initiating the setting of a series brake upon detecting a loss of armature current in an overhauling DC crane motor. The circuit includes an ammeter shunt, a meter relay and associated contact, a meter relay power supply, a control relay and associated contact, a low current relay and associated contact and two static timers which can be added to an existing crane operating circuit. The ammeter shunt is located electrically in series with motor armature for monitoring current flow in the armature. The meter relay is connected to the ammeter shunt such that it will operate in response to a signal from the ammeter shunt indicating that current in the motor armature has dropped below a predetermined level. The meter relay requires power for operation, this power being provided by the 24 VDC power supply.

Abstract: A robot has a surface over which the robot moves, the surface being tiled with electrodes and having a power supply connected to the electrodes so that the electrodes form an alternating pattern of positive and negative electrodes, the robot having a plurality of contacts resting on the surface, each of the contacts being connected to oppositely biased diodes, the robot having a motor connected between leads connecting all the diodes of each bias, the contacts being positioned so that at least two of said contacts always rest on a negative and a positive electrode to power the motor.A control signal generator connected to the electrodes may send a control signal to a control signal receiver through the power circuitry to control the motor of the moving robot. In a like manner, a data signal generator on the robot may send data signals to a data signal receiver connected to the electrodes of the surface.

Abstract: The wheel brakes of each vehicle axle or side or diagonal are supplied with current by a separate voltage source. To reduce the load on the vehicle's electrical system, the wheel brakes of a front axle are supplied with current first, and then the wheel brakes of a rear axle are supplied with current.

Abstract: A musical notation system which displays the seven notes of any chosen scale on a staff of eight lines and seven spaces, which are typically arranged in a vertical fashion, and which is a graphical representation of a keyboard. No sharps or flats are used to designate a key, but rather only the valid notes of any particular diatonic scale are provided with positions on the staff. Notations which indicate octaves, beats per measure, the selected Key and the mode are all provided. Symbols for timbre, loudness, duration of notes and rests are the same as conventional music notations.

Abstract: A device which can securely locate and easily adjust an angle of a drumstick of a drum is disclosed The device comprises a pedestal mounted on a pivot of the drum and a rotator engaged with the pedestal. The pedestal has a protrusion formed on a surface thereof. The rotator defines a plurality of recesses at a bottom thereof to respectively receive the protrusion of the pedestal according to requirements. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the rotator isometrically defines three recesses respectively corresponding to a rubber part, a wood part and a blanketing part of the drumstick.

Abstract: A page turner useful for turning the pages of sheet music and other materials. The preferred page turner has a plurality of page disks located within a housing. Separator disks are sandwiched between page disks. Each page disk has associated with it a page index that is intended to be attached to a page to be turned. Page disks are rotated and pages turned by rotating a cable which has a roller that rotates a page disk. The cable is powered by a foot operated gear drive or an electric motor.

Abstract: In a percussion instrument, for example in the form of a tambourine, of bongos, congas or the like, with a resonance body open in particular on top, a skin being stretched over the upper opening and comprising a plastic film which is fixed at a constant tension by means of a clamping hoop, the skin being stretched directly over the resonance body, and the resonance body having an annular groove in the vicinity of the upper opening, and the clamping hoop being elastically widened and forced over the upper side of the resonance body into the annular groove, thus stretching the skin, it is provided that at least one nonwoven fabric is disposed in parallel to the at least one plastic film, the nonwoven also being stretched by the clamping hoop and not being joined to the plastic film by gluing.