Abstract:
A positioning aid for a stringed musical instrument of the lute family that includes a pair of arms frictionally attached to the instrument and adapted to fit diagonally across the front of a player&#39;s body, in such a way so as to maintain the attitude of the instrument with respect to the body without the instrument being held.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention is intended as an accessory for certain stringed musical instruments of the lute family. In particular, it is intended as an attachment for a lute of the type wherein the player holds the instrument in front of his or her body, and strums or plucks the strings. The invention is described in connection with a bass cello, but it will be appreciated that it is applicable to many other instruments as well, for example, basses, guitars, etc. 
   Stringed instruments of the type described can, of course, be played either right or left handed, but in the discussion that follows only right handed operation is mentioned. Left handed operation would generally be opposite, as will be understood. 
   Conventionally, stringed musical instruments of the type mentioned are positioned with the instrument body approximately adjacent to the player&#39;s right hip, and are supported by a strap passing over the player&#39;s left shoulder, the strap ends being fastened to the tail and the neck of the instrument. Instrument support in this manner is relatively unstable. Accordingly, some portion of the player&#39;s attention and physical attributes must be devoted to simply holding the instrument in the desired position to be played. The present invention reduces that burden on the player. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   In the invented positioning aid, a pair of curved arms are rotationally coupled to a hub attached to the instrument body, such that after suitable adjustment, the arms are positioned to approximately fit the curvature of the player&#39;s body while the instrument is in position to be played. The arms preferably extend diagonally across and in front of the player&#39;s body from about his or her waist to below his or her breast. The arms are held against the body by a conventional strap over the shoulder, and maintain the instrument position relative to the player&#39;s body without its having to be held. The attitude of the instrument may easily be changed by the player while being played (by simply pushing on the neck), and the instrument will automatically maintain its new position. 
   Typically, instruments such as a bass cello, are played while being held by the player at an angle to the floor, with the junction of the neck and the instrument body located at or slightly above hip level on the right side of the player&#39;s body. The hub of the present invention is preferably attached to the body of the instrument near the intersection of the instrument body and neck. A pair of curved arms (called, for convenience, a short arm and a long arm) are rotationally attached to the hub. In use, the short arm curves partially around the player&#39;s waist, while the long arm extends partially across the player&#39;s body upward toward the player&#39;s left shoulder, preferably terminating below the breast. A conventional guitar strap passes over the left shoulder, and is attached to the ends of the arms. 
   The curved arms, held by the strap, maintain a substantially fixed position with respect to the player&#39;s body during a performance, and friction between the hub and the instrument causes the instrument to maintain a fixed position with respect to the hub. The instrument, therefore, will maintain a substantially fixed position with respect to the player&#39;s body during the performance unless the player intentionally overcomes the hub/instrument body friction, thereby changing the instrument attitude. 
   Provision is made for the arms to rotate with respect to the hub so that the arms can be placed in a compact position with respect to the instrument body for convenient storage of the instrument. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a side view of a bass cello with one embodiment of the invented positioning aid attached to the back of the body thereof. The invention is shown in its storage configuration. 
       FIG. 2  is a rear view of the bass cello of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 3  is a side enlarged sectional view of the hub as mounted on an instrument, the arms being removed for clarity and the body of the instrument partially sectioned. 
       FIG. 4  is a plan view of the hub. 
       FIG. 5  is a slightly enlarged view of the invented positioning aid not attached to an instrument, shown in its storage configuration and partially broken away, the top half of the hub being removed. 
       FIG. 6  is a detailed side view of one of the strap hooks on the end of an arm. 
       FIG. 7  is an exemplary view of the end of a typical strap that can be used in connection with the invention. 
       FIG. 8  is a rear view of an instrument (the side of the instrument normally held against the player&#39;s body) with the invention attached, with the instrument and the invention shown in one possible position of use. 
       FIG. 9  is a view of the invention in the position shown in  FIG. 8 , taken in the direction  9 - 9  of  FIG. 8 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     FIGS. 1 and 2  depict side and rear views of one embodiment of the invention attached to a bass cello (the instrument). As seen in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the invention is configured for storage. The arms are folded flat against the instrument body and neck so that a minimum volume is presented. Views of the instrument of  FIGS. 1 and 2  with the arms unfolded for use may be seen in  FIGS. 8 and 9 . 
   The invention is comprised of three major elements, a rotatable hub  10 , a long arm  11 , and a short arm  12 . The hub is fastened to the instrument body  13 , preferably near the region where the body joins the neck  14 . Arms  11  and  12  are held in substantially parallel holes,  23  and  24 , that pass through the hub preferably substantially normal to the hub axis of rotation (which axis is preferably approximately normal to the rear face of the body). 
   The arms  11  and  12  are curved (except for the portions thereof that are held in the holes in the hub, i.e., “the straight ends”), each curve preferably lying substantially in a single plane, which plane includes the straight ends. The curvatures of the arms is preferably such that the arms will fit comfortably against and approximately conform to the player&#39;s body shape when in use. 
     FIG. 3  is a fragmentary side view of the instrument partially sectioned to show the installation of the hub  10 . The hub is retained by screw  21  threaded into pressed in bushing  22 . The hub  10  itself is comprised of two halves,  10 A and  10 B and includes two transverse holes  23  and  24 , through which the straight ends of the arms  11  and  12  extend (arms not shown in  FIG. 3 ). A thrust ball bearing  25  is preferably placed under the head of screw  21  so that as the hub  10  is rotated (as will be discussed later), the screw will not loosen or tighten. Tightening screw  21  increases the force of hub  10  against friction thrust washer  26 , increasing the resistance to rotation of the hub with respect to the body  13  of the instrument. 
     FIG. 4  is a plan view of the hub  10 , portion  10 B being visible. The heads of screws  27  and  28  may be seen in this figure. These screws extend between hub portions  10 A and  10 B, allowing the turning friction of the straight ends  11 ′ and  12 ′ of arms  11  and  12  (with respect to the transverse holes  23  and  24 ) to be adjusted. It is preferred that the screws  27  and  28  be positioned closer to straight end  11 ′ than straight end  12 ′ so that in use, the arm  11  will be harder to turn than arm  12 . In any event, screws  21 ,  27  and  28  may be adjusted by the user to make any of the turning joints as stiff as desired. 
     FIG. 5  is a view showing the arms as folded in the storage configuration, with the top half  10 B of the hub removed so that the positions of the straight ends  11 ′ and  12 ′ in the transverse holes  23  and  24  can be seen. The arm  11  is also partially sectioned showing its construction. The arm  11  is preferably comprised of a tube  11 ′ (preferably steel or other stiff material) covered by a soft foam tube (or other soft material)  11 ″. Arm  12  is similarly constructed. 
   The ends of the arms  11  and  12  are each fitted with a hook ( 30  and  31  as seen in  FIG. 6 ) that is capable of hooking through the holes on the ends of a conventional guitar strap. An end of an illustrative guitar strap, with a hole  32  is shown in  FIG. 7 . 
   In use, the arms  11  and  12  are unfolded, as shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9 . Arm  12  fits partially around the player&#39;s waist, while arm  11  extends upward across the player&#39;s body toward the shoulder. The strap, (not shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9 ) extends from the end of arm  11 , over the player&#39;s shoulder, down his or her back, and around the body, attaching to the free end of arm  12 . Friction between hub portion  10 A and friction thrust washer  26  holds the instrument at whatever angle it is set at. The friction between hub portion  10 A and friction thrust washer  26  is preferably set (by adjustment of screw  21 ) such that it can be relatively easily overcome by the player pushing or pulling on neck  14 . 
   The foregoing description is of one embodiment of the invention, which invention is susceptible of such modifications as may occur to those skilled in the art within the scope of the following claims either literally or by equivalence. Such modifications are intended to be covered by the claims.