AU637738B1

AU637738B1 - Shoulder support for violin or viola

Info

Publication number: AU637738B1
Application number: AU10148/92A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Richard Goldner
Original assignee: Goldner Charmian Jane Gadd
Current assignee: Goldner Charmian Jane Gadd
Priority date: 1992-01-10
Filing date: 1992-01-10
Publication date: 1993-06-03
Anticipated expiration: 2012-01-10

Description

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AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990

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Charinian Jane Gadd Goldner COMPLETE SPECIFICATION S. 00 9 0O 0*S* 0.

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9 0000 0 0 Invention Title: Shoulder Support for Violin or Viola The invention is described in the following statement: 2 SHOULDER SUPPORT FOR VIOLIN OR VIOLA The present invention relates to a shoulder support for a violin or viola. Such devices which provide a support between a violin or a viola and a performer's shoulder are well known and are generally of three sorts.

There are firstly plain cushions and foam pads then those consisting of a rigid structure that straddles the back of the instrument and finally those in the form of an inflatable cushion. Devices of the latter kind are the subject of United States patents 3896694 and 4506582 issued to the present applicant and the contents of which are incorporated by reference into the present specification.

It is the principal object of the present invention b g' to provide a novel simple and effective means for 15 attaching the shoulder support to the instrument that is considered to be greatly superior to any of the various 0e55..

forms of attachment used in connection with rigid "structures.

Despite the advantages and the comfort of the inflatable devices referred to above there are still a great many players who prefer a rigid type of support as they are opposed to any support that rests against the be back of the instrument.

O O, c Thus another object of the present invention is to combine the features of construction of the existing kinds of shoulder support referred to above by providing a substantially flat plate secured across the back of an instrument on which, an inflatable cushion similar to or 0059 g soo' identical with those described in the abovementioned 30 patents, is slidably mounted, The present invention consists in a shoulder support for a musical instrument being a violin or viola, consisting of a substantially rigid plate adapted to extend across the width of the back of a violin or viola the plate being in two parts one of which slides in 3 relation to the other to such an extent as to permit the shoulder support to be attached to violins as well as to all sizes of violas anchor means at each outer end of the parts of the plate adapted to engage the ribs of an instrument at opposite sides thereof to hold the plate firmly to the instrument clear of the back of the instrument, resilient means acting between the parts of the plate to apply a clamping pressure to secure the plate to the instrument, resilient cushion means attached to the plate adapted to rest stably and comfortably on the shoulder of a player.

In order that the invention may be better understood and put into practice a preferred form thereof is hereinafter described by way of example with reference to 15 the accompanying drawings in which:o Fig. 1 is a plan view of a shoulder support according to the invention, too* Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof from below, Fig. 3 is a side elevation, Fig. 4 is a sectional view on line IV-IV of Fig. 3, Fig. 5 is a sectional view on line V-V of Fig. 3, Fig 6 is a plan view from below of an alternative fozm of inflatable member, Fig. 6a is a sectional side view of the inflatable $to: 25 member of Fig. 6, eoee• Fig 7 is a plan view from below of a portion of one end of the plate showing an alternative construction of means for engaging the side of the instrument, Fig. 7a is a sectional side view of the inflatable 30 member of Fig. 6, and Fig. 8 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the invention.

In the form of construction shown in Figures 1 to the shoulder support includes a rigid plate 10 which may, for example, be made by moulding from a suitable plastic 4 material.

At one end of the plate 10 is a fixed anchor means 11, this consists of two outer members 12 the function of which is to support the plate 10 on the edges of the belly of the instrument so that the plate extends across it clear of the back and a central member 13 that, in use, engages the ribs of the instrument and acts to hold the support in position on the instrument. The members 12 and 13 are covered with resilient material for reasons explained below. A ramp 14 assists a player in attaching the support to the instrument guiding it automatically to the level of the anchors.

At the other end is a moveable part of the plate in the form of a slide 15 having fixed at its outer end 15 anchor members 16 and 17. The member 16 corresponds in function to the member 13 at the other end and the member 17 to that of the members 12 at the other end.

eoe Members 16 and 17 are also covered with resilient *sees: material. A ramp 18 performs the same function as the ramp 14 at the other end. An elastic member 21 extends from a fixed projection 22 on the plate 10 to a similar S projection 23 on the slide 15. The length and resilience Sof the member 21 which may be a length of elastic Libbon is chosen so that when the support is in position on an 25 instrument, the instrument is securely gripped between the ooo anchor members 13 and 16. The presence of the sliding part 15 permits the support to be attached to violins as well as all sizes of violas despite the different widths eeo of the instruments, The use of resilient material in g: •30 connection with the anchors 12, 13, 16 and 17 ensures that the support has a good frictional grip on the instrument and prevents any buzzing rattles vibrations or damage to the varnish of the instrument.

The elastic member 21 also performs the function of securing slidably a pliable inflatable member in the form 5 of a cushion 24 to the plate 10. The combination of the inflatable cushion 24 with the plate 10 permits a range of adjustments in all directions, transverse, angular and in height, through inflation. In use the cushion 24 rests on a player's shoulder and may be constructed in the manner described in either of the abovementioned United States patent specifications or in any other convenient manner. It must be inflatable to suit a player's requirements as to comfort and also as to height. In the form of construction shown, the cushion 24 is inflated or deflated through the valve 25 (see Fig. The outer surface of the cushion 24 is preferably of a non-slip finish to prevent undesirable movet.ent on the shoulder of a performer.

15 The cushion 24 is held in position by means of the elastic member 21 passing through slots 26 and 27 (see .OD. Fig. Where the slots 26 and 27 pass through the 40 cushion 24, the sheets of material constituting the upper Oo.o..

and lower surfaces of the cushion 24 are welded together, the effect of which is to provide a more or less concave surface to rest on a player's shoulder conforming to the shape of the shoulder. The presence of the slots however has been found to restrict the degree of inflation possible with the member 4 and for this reason an alternative form of construction has been devised which is illustrated in Figures 6 and 6a.

In the alternative construction the elastic member 21 passes through sleeves 28 adhered to the underside of the GOOD cushion 24. In this construction as in that depicted in 6:6: 30 Figures 1 to 5 the cushion 20 is slidable along the length of the elastic member 21 so that its position can be adjusted in relation to the instrument to which the support is attached. In the construction shown in Figure 6, the sheets of material forming the member 24 are welded together in the area indicated at 29. This has the -6same effect as that described above in connection with the slots illustrated in Figure 2, It however has less constraint on the degree of inflation of the member 24 and thus provides for a greater degree of height adjustment in that the effective thickness of the member 24 can be increased to a greater extent.

Figures 7 and 7a illustrate an alternative form of anchor means to that shown in Figures 1 to 5. In this construction the anchor means 30 consists of a small plate 31 that is pivotably mounted on the plate 10 by the pivot 32. It carries two upstanding anchor members 33 that function in the same way as the member 13 of Figures 1 to 5 and two members 34 that function in the *d same way as the members 12. There are thus in this 0*Be 15 construction two anchor members 33 engaging the edges of **oboe the belly of the instrument in place of the single .of member 13. As the support is adjusted angularly in sees relation to the instrument, so the plate 31 pivots about Sthe pivot 32 and the members 33 take up a position in which they closely embrace the edges of the belly of the instrument.

s es: In use the support is attached to an instrument by "•engaging the anchor members 13 or 33 with the edge of the instrument. The slide 15 is then extended so that the obe: 25 anchor 16 can be engaged at the other side of the instrument and the support is then angularly adjusted in relation to the instrument to suit the player. The ,*escombination of the plate straddling the back of the *00*instrument, the attachment method described and the S 30 inflatable member slidably mounted in relation to the plate provide an extensive range of adjustments in all directions transverse, angular and in height, the latter by adjusting the inflation of the inflatable member.

Figure 8 shows a simple embodiment of the invention in which the inflatable cushion 24 is replaced by 7 resilient pads 35 that in use rest on the shoulder of the player. While use of inflatable cushions is to be preferred the embodiment shown in Figure 8 could be sold at a lower price, it is however constructed in such a way that, should the user so wish, an inflatable cushion may be attached.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the described construction but covers various possible modifications e.g. the inflatable cushion could be slidably affixed with a pliable or rigid strip that could be combined with a resilient member attached to the slide or the resilient member could be placed separately on the side of the plate that faces the belly of the instrument.

15 Also the slide could be provided with identical anchors as on the other end of the plate.

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Claims

2. A shoulder support as claimed in claim 1 wherein said 0* anchor means consists of one or more members acting to 000000 Sengage the ribs of the instrument and one or more members acting to support the plate on the edges of the belly of the instrument clear of the back thereof, 0 3. A shoulder support as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said anchor means are covered with resilient Z material to provide a good frictional grip on the 25 instrument and prevent buzzing, rattles, vibration or damage to the varnish of the instrument.
4. A shoulder support as claimed in claim i, claim 2 or claim 3 wherein one of said anchor means consists of a $ago pair of anchor members mounted on a common mounting which 30 is pivotable in relation to the plate facilitating adjustment of the position of the anchor means on the instrument. A shoulder support as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the resilient cushion means consists of a pliable inflatable member having an inlet 9 and exhaust that is attached to the plate so as to be slidable laterally in relation to the instrument.
6. A shoulder support as claimed in claim 5 wherein the resilient cushion means is attached to the plate by means of a length of elastic ribbon that also constitutes said resilient means and which passes beneath sleeves of material secured to the underside of the resilient cushion means.
7. A shoulder support for a musical instrument being a violin or viola substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 1 to 5 of the accompanying drawings with or without the Smodifications illustrated and described with reference to *Figures 6 and 6a or Figures 7 and 7a or Figure 8. 0 066 DATED this 9th day of January 1992 sees CHARMIAN JANE GADD GOLDNER Patent Attorneys for the Applicant: F.B. RICE CO. e Se I ABSTRACT A shoulder support for a violin or viola consisting of a rigid plate (10) made in two relatively slidable parts which in use extends across the width of the back of a violin or viola and each part of which is provided at its outer end with anchoring members (12, 13, 16, 17) which engage the edge of the instrument and hold the plate clear of it, the parts of the plate being interconnected by a resilient connection (21) acting to cause the anchoring members to grip the instrument there being attached to the plate (10) a cushion that may be in the form of a pliable inflatable member (24) having an inlet and exhaust means (25) or of a resilient pad (35) that in use rests stably and comfortably on the shoulder of a player. S SO>