String arrangement for musical instruments
AssigneeUniversity of Cincinnati
InventorsRichard L. Harris, Michael J. Wathen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An improved string arrangement for coupling one or more of strings to a sound radiating member, such as a soundboard, is provided having a bridge structure with a rib with a bridge face and a bearing point edge. Associated with each string and disposed at least tangent to the bearing point edge and substantially perpendicular to the bridge face is a first bridge pin. A second and/or third bridge pin may also be provided axially behind the first bridge pin for retaining each string against the bridge face. This invention provides enhanced tone quality by improving sustain and amplitude of fundamental frequencies in a convenient and simple structural arrangement for pianos and other stringed devices.
Claims21
A string arrangement for musical instruments having at least one string coupled to a sound radiating member, said arrangement comprising:
- a bridge structure having a bridge face and a bearing point edge;
- a first pin located adjacent to said bearing point edge and substantially perpendicular to said bridge face;
- a second pin located at a second pin distance behind said first pin;
- and
- a string contacting said first and second pins, said second pin maintaining said string in down-bearing contacting relation with said bearing point edge.
A string arrangement for musical instruments comprising:
- a string plate;
- a plurality of strings tensioned across said plate;
- a soundboard located adjacent said string plate;
- a bridge structure attached to said soundboard for coupling said strings to said soundboard, said bridge structure having a bridge face and a bearing point edge;
- a first bridge pin associated with each of said strings and located at least tangent to said bearing point edge and substantially perpendicular to said bridge face, each of said strings contacting said bearing point edge and its associated first pin;
- and
- a second bridge pin associated with each of said first bridge pins and located at a second pin distance behind said first bridge, said second bridge pin maintaining its associated string in down-bearing contacting relation with said bearing point edge.
A string arrangement for musical instruments comprising:
- a string plate having a proximal end;
- a plurality of strings tensioned across said plate, each said string having a vibrational length;
- a deflection element associated with each said string disposed adjacent said proximal end, said deflection element providing a first terminus of said vibrational length of each said string;
- a soundboard located adjacent said string plate;
- a bridge structure attached to said soundboard for coupling said strings to said soundboard, said bridge structure having a bridge face and a bearing point edge;
- a first bridge pin associated with each of said strings and located at least tangent to said bearing point edge and substantially perpendicular to said bridge face, each of said strings contacting said bearing point edges said first pin providing a second terminus of said vibrational length of its associated string;
- and
- a second bridge pin associated with each of said first bridge pins and located at a second pin distance behind said first bridge pin, said second bridge pin maintaining its associated string in down-bearing contacting relation with said bearing point edge.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.