Apparatus, system and method for attaching gripping members to a mute utilized with musical instruments

A gripping member attachment system, comprising:

• a musical instrument having a bell with an inner surface defining an interior area of said bell;
• a mute sized and configured to be utilized in said interior area of said bell of said musical instrument, said mute having a body with an outer surface;
• and
• an apparatus for removably positioning said mute in said interior area of said bell of said musical instrument to produce a gap allowing sound to exit said bell, said apparatus comprising a rail and a gripping unit, said gripping unit having a tray member and a gripping member, said rail attached to or integral with said outer surface of said mute, said rail having a rail attachment mechanism, said tray member having a tray attachment mechanism, said rail attachment mechanism of said rail and said tray attachment mechanism of said tray member configured in corresponding arrangement to allow said gripping unit to be removably attached to said rail on the outer surface of the mute, said gripping member attached to or integral with said tray member, said gripping member having an outer surface selected to grip the inner surface of the bell of the musical instrument when the mute is positioned in the bell with said gripping unit attached to said rail.

A method for attaching gripping members to a mute that is to be received in and utilized with a bell of a musical instrument to removably hold the mute in position inside the bell, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a plurality of sets of gripping units wherein each gripping unit has a gripping member attached to or integral with a tray member to produce a unit thickness that is common for each set of said plurality of sets of gripping units, with said gripping member having an outer surface that is selected to grip an inner surface of the bell and said tray member structured and arranged to engage one of a plurality of rails that are attached to or integral with an outer surface of the mute;
• (b) selecting a first set from said plurality of sets of gripping units having a first unit thickness to use with the mute so as to position the mute in the bell of the musical instrument to produce a first gap between the mute and an outer edge of the bell;
• (c) positioning one of said gripping units of said first set along one of said rails on the mute until a tray member of said gripping unit engages said rail so as to attach said gripping unit to the rail and secure a gripping member thereof to the mute;
• (d) repeating step (c) for each of said rails on the mute;
• (e) inserting the mute into the bell of the musical instrument to produce said first gap between the mute and an outer edge of the bell;
• (f) removing the mute from the bell of the musical instrument;
• (g) disengaging each of said gripping units of said first set of gripping units from each of said rails;
• (h) selecting a second set from said plurality of gripping units having a second unit thickness that is less than or greater than said first unit thickness of said first set of gripping units to utilize with the mute so as to position the mute in the bell of the musical instrument to produce a second gap between the mute and the outer edge of the bell that is less than or greater than said first gap;
• (i) positioning one of said gripping units of said second set along one of said rails on the mute until a tray member of said gripping unit engages said rail so as to position said gripping unit on said rail and secure a gripping member thereof to the mute;
• (j) repeating step (i) for each of said rails on the mute;
• and
• (k) inserting the mute into the bell of the musical instrument to produce said second gap.

An apparatus for attaching gripping members to a mute that is to be received in and utilized with a bell of a musical instrument to removably hold the mute in position inside the bell, said apparatus comprising:

• a tray member having a body with a top surface and a bottom surface;
• a tray attachment mechanism on said body of said tray member, said tray attachment mechanism of said tray member configured in corresponding arrangement with a rail attachment mechanism of a rail attached to or integral with an outer surface of the mute so as to allow said tray member to be removably attached to the rail and be positioned on the mute;
• and
• a gripping member attached to or integral with said body of said tray member, said gripping member having an outer surface selected to grip the inner surface of the bell of the musical instrument when the mute is positioned inside the bell.