Autoharp keyboard mechanism
OwnerKenneth K. Ellisinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The Autoharp Keyboard Mechanism is engaged with an autoharp having strings. Octave bars having piano-like keys are slidingly engaged with pins extending from the top surface of the autoharp and are located above the strings. Damping brackets are also slidingly engaged with the pins and are located beneath the octave bars and beneath the strings. Coil springs are arranged around each of pins and are located beneath the octave bars and the damping brackets. Adjustable length spacers are engaged with the octave bars and with the damping brackets, one at each end of the octave bars and damping brackets. The adjustable length spacers are located between the octave bars and the damping brackets, and are engaged with the octave bars using threads. Holders are configured to retain the octave bars on the pins.
Claims20
An Autoharp Keyboard Mechanism of an autoharp having strings, comprising:
- at least one octave bar having at least one piano-like key;
- at least two pins extending from a top surface of the autoharp, the at least one octave bar being slidingly engaged with the at least two pins and being located above the strings;
- at least one damping bracket being slidingly engaged with the at least two pins and being located beneath the at least one octave bar and beneath the strings;
- at least one coil spring arranged around each of the at least two pins and being located beneath at least one of the octave bar and the damping bracket;
- and
- at least two adjustable length spacers engaged with the at least one octave bar and with the at least one damping bracket, at least one adjustable length spacer being located at each end of the at least one octave bar and the at least one damping bracket, the at least two adjustable length spacers further being located between the at least one octave bar and the at least one damping bracket.
A conversion kit for converting Autoharp Keyboard Mechanisms, comprising:
- at least one octave bar having at least one piano-like key;
- at least two pins configured to extend from a top surface of the autoharp, the at least one octave bar being slidingly engageable with the at least two pins and configured to be located above the strings;
- at least one damping bracket being configured to slidingly engage with the at least two pins and configured to be located beneath the at least one octave bar and beneath the strings;
- at least one coil spring being configured to be arranged around each of the at least two pins and to be located beneath at least one of the octave bar and the damping bracket;
- and
- at least two adjustable length spacers configured to be engaged with the at least one octave bar and with the at least one damping bracket, at least one adjustable length spacer being configured to be located at each end of the at least one octave bar and the at least one damping bracket, the at least two adjustable length spacers further being configured to be located between the at least one octave bar and the at least one damping bracket.
A method of manufacturing Autoharp Keyboard Mechanisms, comprising the steps of:
- providing at least one octave bar having at least one piano-like key;
- providing at least two pins extending from a top surface of the autoharp;
- slidingly engaging the at least one octave bar with the at least two pins above the strings;
- slidingly engaging at least one damping bracket with the at least two pins beneath the at least one octave bar and beneath the strings;
- arranging at least one coil spring around each of the at least two pins beneath at least one of the octave bar and the damping bracket;
- and
- engaging at least two adjustable length spacers with the at least one octave bar and with the at least one damping bracket between the at least one octave bar and the at least one damping bracket, at least one adjustable length spacer being located at each end of the at least one octave bar and the at least one damping bracket.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.