Abstract:
A device for mounting an electronic musical keyboard on a saxophone having a bell key guard mounted on a plurality of vertical posts attached to the saxophone. The device comprises a resilient support attached to the bell key guard area of a saxophone. The resilient support has a bottom, sides, and a top. There is also provided a quick release, two-piece locking latch. The first part of the latch is positioned on the top of the resilient support, while the second part of the latch is located on the bottom of the electronic musical keyboard.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to a saxophone having an electronic musical keyboard attachment. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     The saxophone can be a cumbersome instrument to hold and play, making it difficult for a musician to play the saxophone while simultaneously playing an electronic musical keyboard or other instrument. Accordingly, it would be an advancement in the art if a musician would be able to play a saxophone while at the same time being able to play another instrument, or to obtain the sounds of another instrument, by playing an electronic musical keyboard capable of imitating the sounds of other instruments. The present invention described herein permits a musician to play a saxophone while simultaneously playing an attached electronic musical keyboard capable of producing various sounds. 
     Through the use of a musical instrument digital interface (“MIDI”) connection to an electronic musical keyboard attachment, a musician is able to program a number of sounds that may be played using the keyboard. The advantage of using a MIDI connection is that both instruments can be played in real time, or live, since the use of the MIDI connection permits a musician to play the saxophone while simultaneously playing an electronic musical keyboard attachment, thereby being able to “sample,” or play selected keys from the saxophone, that have been previously recorded. The use of the MIDI connection also allows a musician to play chords in real time. 
     The sounds are often digitally recorded on a computer, which may be connected to the electronic musical keyboard attachment using a MIDI connection. When the programmed keys are played by a musician, the sounds that have been assigned to a play through the depression of a particular key or keys on the electronic musical keyboard attachment can be played using the MIDI connection. Thus, it is possible for a musician playing a saxophone to accompany himself in real time on the saxophone, by playing prerecorded keys or chords on the electronic musical keyboard attachment using a MIDI connection. For a detailed description of MIDI connections, see the article entitled, “How Much For Just The Midi?,” and the references cited therein, in the October 1989 issue of North Texas Computer Center Newsletter, “Benchmarks,” which publication is incorporated herein by reference. 
     The prior art reveals attempts to connect electronic musical keyboards to instruments, but none to a saxophone. In addition, the prior art does not reveal the mounting system found in the present invention. Accordingly, the present invention would be an improvement to this art. 
     To be efficient, the electronic musical keyboard attachment should have keys of standard size, such as the keys often found on pianos or stand-alone keyboards. Also, due to the nature of the saxophone and the importance of balance to the instrument for a musician&#39;s comfort, any attachment must be lightweight and not interfere with the playing of the saxophone itself. In addition, the electronic musical keyboard attachment must be connected to the saxophone without deadening the sound quality of the saxophone. 
     Also, the electronic musical keyboard attachment must be conveniently located on the instrument and be capable of easy attachment and detachment from the instrument. The keys found on the electronic musical keyboard attachment should be readily visible to a musician while a musician is holding the saxophone in a normal playing position. Finally, the invention is designed for the electronic musical keyboard attachment to be played with the right hand. Since the left hand is responsible for the majority of sounds created by a saxophone, use of the right hand to play the electronic musical keyboard attachment affords a musician the greatest opportunity to play a saxophone while simultaneously playing a keyboard. The positioning of the present invention permits a saxophone to be played with the left hand while the right hand may play the electronic musical keyboard attachment. 
     All of these desirable qualities as stated above are provided by the invention and their incorporation into a practical working electronic musical keyboard mounting device for a saxophone represent the objects of the invention. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A device for mounting an electronic musical keyboard attachment on a saxophone having a modified bell key guard mounted on a plurality of vertical posts attached to the saxophone. The device comprises a resilient mounting pad attached to the bell key guard area of a saxophone. The resilient mounting pad has a bottom, sides, and a top. It also has a front and a back. There is also provided a quick release, two-piece locking latch. The first piece of the latch is positioned on the top of the resilient mounting pad, while the second piece of the latch is located on the bottom of an electronic musical keyboard attachment. 
     In a preferred embodiment, the resilient mounting pad has a bottom, sides, and a top containing a plurality of holes that communicate with a sleeve horizontally positioned below the holes in the resilient support. The plurality of holes in the top of the sleeve are aligned with the holes in the top of the resilient mounting pad. A further element is a quick release locking assembly within the sleeve for receiving and locking pins located on the bottom of an electronic musical keyboard attachment. These pins are positioned to mate with and engage the holes in the top of the resilient mounting pad and the top of the sleeve. The pins on the bottom of the electronic musical keyboard attachment are notched so as to permit the device to be easily attached to the resilient mounting pad with one hand, thereby allowing the musician to attach the keyboard quickly between songs. 
     Further, the resilient mounting pad is positioned above the keys of the saxophone to allow for normal playing of the keys of the saxophone. Also, the resilient mounting pad holds the keyboard angled forwardly from the vertical and inwardly tilted towards the saxophone. Preferably, the resilient mounting pad is positioned on and attached to the vertical posts and functions as a bell key guard. The invention as described actually replaces the bell key guard normally found on a saxophone. Desirably, the resilient mounting pad is made from an elastomer. Use of an elastomer helps to lessen the vibrations caused by playing the electronic musical keyboard attachment, thereby minimizing the effect on the sound quality of the saxophone itself. 
     Most preferably, the sleeve has a closed front end containing a spring. Also provided is a rod having front and rear ends and slideably moveable within the sleeve. The front end of the rod engages the spring. 
     There are a series of notches on the rod positioned to align with the holes in the resilient mounting pad and the holes in the sleeve when the spring is compressed. Also, in this embodiment, there are pins located on the bottom of an electronic musical keyboard, which pins are positioned to mate with and engage the holes in the top of the resilient mounting pad and the top of the sleeve and the notches of the sleeve when the spring is compressed. Desirably, the pins are notched where they engage the notches of the rod. The front end of the rod extends beyond the electronic musical keyboard attachment and has a handle. Further, the keyboard contains at least 12 keys and, preferably, 17 keys. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a vertical exploded view of a saxophone showing the electronic musical keyboard support and the musical keyboard. 
     FIG. 2 is a vertical partial view of a saxophone having the electronic musical keyboard support mounted thereon. 
     FIG. 3 is a vertical partial view of a saxophone having the electronic musical keyboard support fitted with the keyboard. 
     FIG. 4 is a vertical bottom view of the electronic musical keyboard. 
     FIG. 5 is a horizontal partial view of the electronic musical keyboard mounted upon the keyboard support that contains a quick release locking latch mechanism. 
     FIG. 6 is a horizontal cutaway view of the electronic musical keyboard support showing contained therein a horizontally disposed sleeve having a closed front end and an uncompressed spring within the front end, mounting holes, and a rod containing notches which is slideably moveable within the sleeve. 
     FIG. 7 is similar to FIG. 6, showing the spring in a compressed state. 
     FIG. 8 is cutaway end view across the lines  8 — 8  of FIG.  6 . 
     In the drawings, like parts have like numbers. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     In a conventional saxophone  10 , shown to best advantage in FIG. 1, there is a mouthpiece  12 , a neck  14 , and a body  16  having three parts, namely, a body tube  18 , a bow  20 , and a bell  22 . The bell  22  has bell keys  24  and  26  that are held in place by a bell key guard  28 . The bell keys are generally responsible for the low “B” and “B flat” keys on saxophones. The bell key guard  28  is mounted upon the bell  22  by means of three vertical mounting posts  30 ,  32 , and  34 . The bell key guard  28  is held in place with screws  36  which extend through the vertical mounting posts  30 ,  32 , and  34 . This is shown to best advantage in FIG.  5 . 
     As shown in FIG. 2, there is provided a resilient mounting pad  38  having a top  40 , a bottom  42 , sides  44  and  46 , a front end  48 , and a back end  50 . In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the resilient mounting pad is made of a dense elastomer, such as natural ribber, neoprene, butadiene, or any other elastomer having similar mechanical properties. The top  40  of the resilient mounting pad  38  contains a series of three holes  52 ,  54 , and  56 . These holes  52 ,  54 , and  56  extend into the resilient mounting pad  38  for a sufficient distance to engage a series of mating holes  52 A,  54 A, and  56 A, located on the top of a sleeve  58  which is horizontally positioned lengthwise within the resilient mounting pad  38  near its top  40  and is the shape of an elongated rectangle. 
     Positioned within the sleeve  58  is a slideable rod  60 . Sleeve  58  has a closed front end  62 , which contains a spring  64 , which is urged against closed front end  62 . The slideable rod  60  has an open back end  66  fitted with a handle  68 . It should be noted in FIGS. 1,  2 , and  5 , the handle  68  extends a substantial distance from the sleeve  58 . 
     As can be seen to best advantage in FIGS. 6,  7 , and  8 , the holes  52 ,  54 , and  56 , in the top  40  of resilient mounting pad  38 , and their mating counterparts  52 A,  54 A, and  56 A, which extend through the sleeve  58 , are square in cross-section. The slideable rod  60  along the edges of its top  70  contains rectangular notches  52 B,  54 B, and  56 B, positioned to be aligned with holes  52 ,  54 , and  56 , and their mating counterparts  52 A,  54 A, and  56 A when the slideable rod  60  is depressed and spring  64  is compressed. 
     The electronic musical keyboard attachment  72  has standard piano-type keys  74 . The bottom  76  of the electronic musical keyboard attachment  72  contains three pins  78 ,  80 , and  82 , mounted upon a back plate  84 , which is attached to the electronic musical keyboard attachment  72  by mounting screws  86 . The pins  78 ,  80 , and  82  are dimensioned to engage and mate with holes  52 ,  54 , and  56  in the resilient mounting pad  38  and the mating counterparts  52 A,  54 A, and  56 A in sleeve  58 . The pins  78 ,  80 , and  82  are of sufficient length to extend into the sleeve  58  so as they may be engaged by the notches  52 B,  54 B, and  56 B. Additionally, in a preferred mode, the pins  78 ,  80 , and  82  near their end contain notches  88  that act to lock against the notches  52 B,  54 B, and  56 B. 
     To utilize the invention, the resilient mounting pad  38  is attached to the bell  22 . Any number of suitable attachment means may be used provided they do not unduly add to the weight or impair the function or damage the bell key guard  28 . The attachment means should not distort the shape of the bell  22 , or weaken the instrument. Also, the mounting means should not in any way impair the tonal quality of the saxophone  10 . While straps, adhesives, and the like may be used, it is preferred that the resilient mounting pad  38  be dimensioned to fit within the mounting posts  32 ,  34 , and  36  of the bell key guard  28 . To achieve this mounting arrangement, the resilient mounting pad  38  is fitted with mounting straps  90 ,  92 , and  94 , which are shown to best advantage in FIG.  5 . These mounting straps  90 ,  92 , and  94  contain at their ends  96 ,  98 , and  100  holes for engaging the holes in the mounting posts  30 ,  32 , and  34 . This is accomplished by removing screws  36  and removing the existing bell key guard  28  and replacing it with the resilient mounting pad  38  that becomes a substitute bell key guard. 
     As shown to best advantage in FIG. 3, the electronic musical keyboard attachment  72  is positioned so that the keyboard  72  is forwardly angled from the vertical. Typical of this angle would be between 20-30 degrees. In addition to this vertical pitch, the electronic musical keyboard attachment  72  is tilted inwardly towards the saxophone  10 . Typical of this angle would be between 5-10 degrees. To achieve the vertical angle, the mounting holes  52 ,  54 , and  56  are staggered in accordance with the angle desired. To achieve the inward tilt, the mounting straps are positioned so as to achieve the inward tilt at the desired angle. 
     To install and remove the electronic musical keyboard attachment  72  from the saxophone containing the resilient mounting pad  38 , rod  60  is pressed into the sleeve  58 , compressing spring  62 , which makes all of the openings in the unit in alignment. The mounting pins  78 ,  80 , and  82 , are inserted into holes  52 ,  54 , and  56 , and the slideable rod  60  is released, compressing spring  62  and locking the notches  88  against the mounting pins  78 ,  80 , and  82 . To quickly remove the electronic musical keyboard attachment  72  from the resilient mounting pad  38 , a handle  68  of slideable rod  60  is depressed and compresses spring  62 . This disengages the notches  88  from the mounting pins  78 ,  80 , and  82 , thus allowing nearly instant removal. To allow quick access to the operation of the slideable rod  60 , the slideable rod  60  is elongated and extends slightly above the bell  22 , thus making it readily accessible for nearly instant removal or attachment of the electronic musical keyboard attachment  72 . 
     While the above has set forth the best mode of the invention, it is susceptible to obvious modification. The resilient mounting pad  38  may be replaced by a simple metal or rigid plastic rectangular sheet that could be spring mounted or magnetized on to the mounting posts  30 ,  32 , and  34 . It is important to note that the resilient mounting pad  38  is so dimensioned and raised that it allows for easy and convenient playing of the keys. 
     For optimal utilization of the invention, the electronic musical keyboard attachment  72  should contain 12 keys, and preferably 17 keys. Such a keyboard is readily obtainable by trimming a standard electronic musical keyboard and reattaching the necessary wiring. The keyboard is conventional in that it contains a MIDI connection (not shown). 
     Having thus described my invention, I claim as follows.