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US 5,390,579 AGranted
Tuning of musical instruments
AssigneeTorque Talk Limited
InventorHarold S. Burgon
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatus (1) for varying the pitch of the strings (12) of a guitar (15) comprises a respective adjusting mechanism (10) for each string. This mechanism includes an externally threaded tubular member (20) within which one end of the string (12) is secured. Tension is applied to the string by a coil spring (124) which has one end fixed to the tubular member (20). A drive motor (34) is arranged to rotate a gear (26) whereby longitudinal movement of the tubular member (20) is effected to vary the tension in the string (12). The rotation of the drive motor (34) is effected by an electronic circuit arranged to tune the pitch of the string a reference.
Claims19
Apparatus arranged to automatically vary the pitch of a string, said apparatus comprising:
- a string having first and second spaced ends;
- an adjusting mechanism coupled to said first end of said string;
- and
- anchoring means for anchoring said second end of said string:
- said string being stretched and tensioned between said adjusting mechanism and said anchoring means;
- said adjusting mechanism comprising a movable adjustment member to which said first end of the string is anchored;
- a drive motor;
- means for coupling said drive motor to said adjustment member such that rotation of said drive motor moves said adjustment member and thereby adjusts the tension of the string;
- detecting means arranged to produce a signal representative of the pitch produced by vibration of the string;
- comparing means arranged to compare said representative signal with a predetermined reference and to produce an output dependent upon said comparison;
- and
- means for applying the output of said comparing means to said drive motor to rotate the drive motor thereby adjusting the tension applied to said string in response to said output of said comparing means;
- wherein said adjusting mechanism further comprises resilient biasing means coupled to said movable adjustment member to bias said adjustment member in a direction opposing the tension of the;
- wherein said detecting means comprises pulse generating means for generating periodic pulses having a frequency representative of the pitch of the vibration of the string, and a counter receiving said periodic pulses and producing an output count representative of said pitch;
- and
- wherein said adjustment member comprises a screw-threaded member attached to said end of said string, and said means for coupling said drive motor to said adjustment member comprises one or more gears.
13 more elements
Apparatus arranged to automatically vary the pitch of a plurality of strings, said apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of strings, each said string having first and second spaced ends;
- a plurality of adjusting mechanisms, each said adjusting mechanism being coupled to the first end of a respective one of said strings;
- anchoring means anchoring the second ends of the strings;
- each said string being stretched and tensioned between a respective one of said adjusting mechanisms and said anchoring means;
- each said adjusting mechanism comprising a moveable adjustment member to which said first end of said respective one of said strings is anchored;
- a drive motor;
- and
- means for coupling said drive motor to one of said adjustment members such that rotation of said drive motor moves said one of said adjustment members and thereby adjusts the tension of the respective one of the strings;
- wherein each said adjusting mechanism further comprises resilient biasing means coupled to each said movable adjustment member to bias each said adjustment member in a direction opposing the tension of the respective one of the strings, and each said adjustment member comprises a screw-threaded tubular member within which each said string extends, one of said screw-threaded tubular members being coupled to said drive motor by said coupling means.
6 more elements
Apparatus arranged to automatically vary the pitch of a plurality of strings, said apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of strings, each said string having first and second spaced ends;
- a plurality of adjusting mechanisms, each said adjusting mechanism being coupled to the first end of a respective one of said strings;
- anchoring means anchoring the second ends of the strings;
- each said string being stretched and tensioned between a respective one of said adjusting mechanisms and said anchoring means;
- each said adjusting mechanism comprising a moveable adjustment member to which said first end of said respective one of said strings is anchored;
- a drive motor;
- and
- means for coupling said drive motor to one of said adjustment members such that rotation of said drive motor moves said one of said adjustment members and thereby adjusts the tension of the respective one of the strings;
- wherein each said adjusting mechanism further comprises first resilient biasing means coupled to each said movable adjustment member to bias each said adjustment member in a direction opposing the tension of the respective one of the strings;
- and
- wherein said apparatus further comprises a movable carriage on which each said adjusting mechanism is supported, second resilient biasing means for biasing said carriage to an initial position;
- and a tremolo arm coupled to said carriage to move said carriage against the action of said second biasing means.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.