Ligature for reed instrument
OwnerGustav J. Rieckhoffinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A split ring pliant ligature for the mouthpiece of a reed instrument displays a pair of longitudinally spaced straps including lateral arms attached to a medial bottom span. A thumbscrew mechanism attached to the joined ends of the arms draws the straps compressively about the mouthpiece and a reed shank. Transversly spaced members bridge the bottom spans and carry pads which project radially inwardly therefrom to contact the mouthpiece on both sides of the reed's shank. The pliant bottom spans provide the sole compressive contact between the ligature and the reed shank. The configuration of the ligature and its resilience causes the tensile force generated by the thumbscrew to be distributed generally evenly between the two bottom spans bearing upon the reed shank.
Claims8
A split ring ligature for a woodwind instrument comprising:
- a pair of pliable straps each of which comprises a medial span and arm portions which are attached to said span and which extend therefrom;
- tightening means operable to draw said straps radially inwardly to embrace compressively the underlying surfaces of a mouthpiece and a reed;
- a pair of transversly spaced apart bridge members extending longitudinally between and joining said medial spans of said straps;
- pad means projecting radially inwardly from the surface of each bridge member;
- and
- said pad means extending in spaced relation to the opposite sides of said reed into compressive engagement with said mouthpiece.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.