Pedal board for musical instruments

A pedal board for a musical instrument, comprising:

• (a) a base for supporting one or more pedals, said base having a front and a back;
• (b) at least one pedal, said pedal being an elongate member having a front end adjacent said front of said base and a back end adjacent said back of said base;
• (c) detector means associated with said pedal for closing an electric circuit in response to movement of said pedal;
• (d) a mounting pin attached to said pedal adjacent said back end thereof and to said base adjacent said back thereof for supporting said pedal on said base such that downward movement of said pedal bends said mounting pin;
• and
• (e) a guide pin attached to said pedal so as to extend downwardly, said guide pin being disposed in an aperture in said base for preventing excessive lateral movement of said pedal.

A pedal board for a musical instrument, comprising:

• (a) a base for supporting one or more pedals, said base having a front and a back;
• (b) at least one pedal, said pedal being an elongate member having a front end adjacent said front of said base and a back end adjacent said back of said base;
• (c) an elastomeric electric switch and a guide pin attached to said pedal so that when said pedal moves downwardly, said guide pin actuates said elastomeric electric switch to close an electric circuit in response to movement of said pedal, said guide pin comprising a cylindrical element made of fiberglass and attached by an interference fit to said pedal;
• and
• (d) a mounting pin attached to said pedal adjacent said back end thereof and to said base adjacent said back thereof for supporting said pedal on said base such that downward movement of said pedal bends said mounting pin.

A pedal board for a musical instrument, comprising:

• (a) a base for supporting one or more pedals, said base having a front and a back;
• (b) at least one pedal, said pedal being an elongate member having a front end adjacent said front of said base and a back end adjacent said back of said base;
• (c) an elastomeric electric switch for closing an electric circuit in response to movement of said pedal, said elastomeric electric switch comprising a pair of contacts that conduct an electric current when shorted, an elastomeric diaphragm disposed adjacent said contracts for shorting said contacts when said diaphragm touches said contacts, and an elastomeric wall forming a chamber over said diaphragm such that when said elastomeric wall is compressed, said diaphragm is forced against said touches said contacts;
• (d) a guide pin attached to said pedal so that when said pedal moves downwardly, said guide pin actuates said elastomeric electric switch;
• and
• (e) a mounting pin attached to said pedal adjacent said back end thereof and to said base adjacent said back thereof for supporting said pedal on said base such that downward movement of said pedal bends said mounting pin.

An elastomeric electric switch, comprising:

• (a) a pair of contacts that conduct an electric current when shorted, said contacts being substantially disposed on a base plane;
• (b) shorting means disposed adjacent, but ordinarily separated from, said pair of contacts for shorting said contacts in response to downward pressure on said shorting means;
• and
• (c) an elastomeric wall forming a chamber over said shorting means such that when downward force is exerted on said chamber, said shorting means is forced against and touches said contacts, said wall having a principal portion, a top portion, a mounting portion and a flange portion disposed between said principal portion and said mounting portion, said flange portion being weaker than said principal portion and said principal portion forming an angle with said base plane greater than 45 degrees.

An elastomeric electric switch, comprising:

• (a) a pair of contacts that conduct an electric current when shorted;
• (b) an elastomeric diaphragm disposed adjacent said contacts for shorting said contacts when said diaphragm touches said contacts;
• and
• (c) an elastomeric wall forming a chamber over said diaphragm such that when said elastomeric wall is compressed, said diaphragm is forced against and touches said contacts, said wall having a principal portion, a top portion, a mounting portion, a flange portion disposed between said principal portion and said mounting portion, said flange portion being weaker than said principal portion, and an abutment disposed on the top of said chamber and extending upwardly therefrom for receiving compressive force, said abutment including fins thereon separated from one another for allowing air between said fins to escape when force is applied to said abutment.

An elastomeric electric switch, comprising:

• (a) a pair of contacts that conduct an electric current when shorted;
• (b) shorting means disposed adjacent, but ordinarily separated from, said pair of contacts in response to downward force on said shorting means;
• (c) an elastomeric electric wall forming a first chamber over said shorting means such that when downward force is exerted on said wall, said shorting means is caused to short said pair of contacts;
• and
• (d) a second chamber connected to space beneath said first chamber for permitting air to escape from beneath said first chamber into said second chamber.

An elastomeric electric switch, comprising:

• (a) a pair of contacts that conduct an electric current when shorted, said contacts being substantially disposed on a base plane;
• (b) shorting means disposed adjacent, but ordinarily separated from, said pair of contacts for shorting said contacts in response to downward pressure on said shorting means;
• and
• (c) an elastomeric wall forming a chamber over said shorting means such that when downward force is exerted on said chamber, said shorting means is forced against and touches said contacts, said wall having a principal portion and a top portion, said principal portion being substantially straight and forming an angle with said base plane greater than 45 degrees, and said top portion having a radical portion connected to said principal portion so as to form a smooth bend inward toward the center of said chamber from said principal portion, said radial portion having a wall thickness substantially the same as the wall thickness of said principal portion.