Combination music rack and case

A combination rack and carrying case for carrying and displaying sheets of paper such as sheets of music. As one of its sidewalls, the rack includes a swingable generally Z-shaped rack with outer and inner ledges for supporting the sheets of music. The outer ledge is operable when the rack is in a retracted position. The inner ledge becomes operational when the rack is swung to an elevated, extended position.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to a combination musical score rack and case 
and, more particularly, to such a combination with the rack swingably 
affixed to and forming a portion of the case. 
Both amateur and professional performing musicians often spend intensive, 
extraordinary amounts of time practicing their instruments. For such 
musicians, repetition is the mother of study. Accordingly, these artisans 
may take their musical scores and instruments to and from work and school, 
to weekend retreats, along on vacations, or to a great many other places 
where they may have time for practicing their chosen art. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
An object of the present invention is to provide means for displaying 
musical scores on a case for transporting the musical scores. 
A feature of the present invention is the combination of a case for 
carrying musical scores and a rack on the case and having at least one 
ledge for displaying the musical scores. 
Another feature is the provision in such a combination, of the rack portion 
being swingable relative to the case portion to provide a second ledge 
disposed at a different position relative to the first ledge. 
Another feature is the provision in such a combination, of the different 
position of the second ledge being an elevated position. 
Another feature is the provision in such a combination, of the rack portion 
forming one of the sidewalls of the case portion such that access to the 
interior of the case portion is obtained when the rack portion is swung to 
an extended position. 
Another feature is the provision in such a combination, of attachment means 
on the case portion for attaching the combination rack and case to an 
object such as a wall. 
Another feature is the provision in such a combination, of the attachment 
means including swingable means for swinging the combination rack and case 
away from the object so that the musician may play her instrument away 
from the object. 
An advantage of the present invention is convenience. A musician may have 
at her ready disposal both a case for carrying musical scores and a rack 
for displaying the musical scores. 
Another advantage is that a music rack and musical score case are 
consolidated so that the musician has one less piece of luggage to carry. 
Another advantage is that musical scores may be located at different 
elevations relative to the case portion. Accordingly, after the case 
portion has been placed on a surface or mounted on a wall, the musician 
may orient her score at the desired elevation. 
Another advantage is that, when the case is mounted on a wall, the rack may 
be positioned at a 90.degree. angle relative to the wall so that 
musicians, especially horn players, may direct their instruments away from 
the wall to minimize the amount of sound waves bouncing immediately off 
the wall. Moreover, such an orientation permits trombone players to stand 
or sit closer to wall-mounted racks. 
Another advantage is that the present invention is simple and inexpensive 
to manufacture. 
Another advantage is that the present invention is simple to use.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
The present music rack and case combination is indicated in general by the 
reference numeral 10. It includes as its principal components a case 
portion 11 and a generally Z-shaped, transparent, panel-like rack portion 
12 which includes a pair of integral, right-angled ledges 13, 14 extending 
from opposing edges of the rack portion 12 for supporting musical scores 
15. The rack portion 12 is swingable between retracted and extended or 
elevated positions in which one of the ledges 13, 14 is operable and the 
other of the ledges 13, 14 is disposed out-of-the way. In the retracted 
position, the musical scores 15 rest upon the ledge 13 and a first, outer 
face 16 of the rack portion 12. In the elevated position, the musical 
scores 15 rest upon the ledge 14 and a second, inner face 17 of the rack 
portion 12. 
With more specificity, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, the case portion 11 
is preferably formed in the shape of a rectangular briefcase and includes 
a pair of parallel, elongate, top and bottom walls 20, 21 and a pair of 
parallel elongate end walls 22, 23 which are fixed to and between the top 
and bottom walls 20, 21. The case portion 11 further includes a 
rectangular sidewall 24 fixed to and between walls 20-23. The walls 20-24 
are formed of wood, although other materials, including more flexible 
materials such as leather, may be used. 
A handle 30 is affixed to the top wall 20 via end connectors 31. Each of 
the end connectors 31 includes a pin connector 32 engaging the top wall 
20. Each of the pin connectors 32 also engages a respective slot formed in 
each of the ends of the handle 30 such that the handle 30 may be flattened 
onto the upper surface of the top wall 20 to be partially retracted into 
the end connectors 32 and such that the handle 30 may be partially 
extended away from the upper surface of the top wall 20 to be readily 
grasped. 
An elastic strap or upper retaining means 40 is fixed to and between the 
end walls 22, 23 and spaced from the sidewall 24 to permit musical scores 
or sheets of paper 15 to be stored between the strap 40 and the sidewall 
24. The strap 40 is resilient to permit the musical scores 15 to extend 
partially from the case portion 11 when the rack portion 12 is swung to an 
elevated position to in turn permit ready access to the musical scores 15, 
as shown in FIG. 2. The strap 40 is fixed to the end walls 22, 23 via pin 
connectors 41. 
As shown in FIG. 3, a swing arm 50 is swingably affixed to the inside 
surface of end wall 22 for holding the rack portion 12 at one of its 
oblique positions relative to the case portion 11 for easy viewing of the 
musical score 15 by the musician. The swing arm 50 includes a proximal end 
51 fixed to the end wall 22 via a pin connector 52. The swing arm 50 
further includes a distal, rounded end 53 for engaging and positioning the 
rack portion 12 at its oblique orientation. The swing arm 50 further 
includes a bottom edge or stop 54 for engaging an end portion of the strap 
70 to prevent a further downward swing of the swing arm 50 when the distal 
end 53 abuts the rack portion 12. 
An eyelet or rack locking means 60 is rotatably fixed in end wall 22 for 
locking the rack portion 12 to the case portion 11 and for preventing the 
rack 12 from swinging or opening inadvertently. When the eyelet 60 is 
turned out of a vertical plane, it engages a vertical edge portion of the 
rack portion -2 to prevent swinging of the rack portion 12. 
A flange or lower retaining means 70 extends from the inner surface of the 
bottom wall 21 and between the end walls 22, 23, and is spaced from the 
sidewall 24 to retain the musical scores or sheets of paper 15 in the case 
portion 11. The flange or lower retaining means 70 acts to retain the 
bottom portions of the musical scores 15 while the strap or upper 
retaining means 70 acts to retain the upper portions of the musical scores 
15 in the case portion 11. 
A set of four feet 80 are affixed adjacent to respective corners of the 
bottom wall 21 for supporting the rack and case combination 10 on a 
horizontal surface such as a floor or table top. The feet 80 may be of a 
rubber or rubberlike or resilient or plastic material to minimize a 
skidding on or a marking of surfaces. 
An attachment means 90 is fixable to a central region of the sidewall 24 
for mounting the rack and case combination 10 to an object such as a wall 
91. The attachment means 90 includes a pair of hinge-like brackets 92, 93 
for attachment to the sidewall 24 and wall 91, respectively, via pin 
connectors. A bent support rod 94 is formed in generally the shape of a 
"Z" for pivotally engaging each of the hinge-like brackets 92, 93. 
Accordingly, the rack and case combination 10 is swingable relative to 
both the wall 91 and the rod 94 such that the rack 12 is positionable at a 
90.degree. angle relative to the wall 91. Hence, a musician such as a 
trombone player 95 may direct both the slide 96 of her trombone 97 and the 
music emanating from the trombone 97 away from or at least parallel to the 
wall 91 while reading the musical score 15. 
As shown in FIG. 4, the rack portion 12 is swingably affixed to the case 
portion 11 via a pair of hinges 100. Each of the hinges 100 includes a 
pair of hinge portions 101, 102. Hinge portion 101 is affixed to a corner 
of the rack portion 12 via a pin connector 103 adjacent to the ledge 14, 
whose ends are spaced from the vertical edges of the rack portion 12. 
Hinge portion 101 includes a pair of plate sections 104, 105 which pinch 
the corner of the rack portion 12. Hinge portion or bracket 102 is fixed 
to the inside surfaces of top wall 20 and end wall 22 via pin connectors 
106. Hinge portions 101, 102 are connected via a pivot pin 107. 
In operation, the rack portion or panel 12 acts as a sidewall of the case 
portion 11 when in its retracted position parallel to the sidewall 24. In 
such a retracted position, the rack portion 12 engages the front edge of 
the bottom wall 21 and extends adjacent to and slightly obliquely of the 
front edges of end walls 22, 23 to retain the musical scores 15 in the 
rack and case combination 10 during transport. 
When musical scores 15 are to be displayed, one of the ledges 13, 14 is 
utilized. When ledge 13 is to be used, the rack portion 12 may be left in 
its retracted position or may be swung to an oblique position where it is 
engaged by the swing arm 50, as shown in FIG. 3. When ledge 14 is to be 
used, the rack portion 12 is swung to an elevated, oblique position, as 
shown in FIG. 2. In such an elevated position, the hinge sections 105 
engage the front edge of the top wall 20 to support the rack 12 in an 
oblique as well as elevated position. 
The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without 
departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and it is 
therefore desired that the present embodiment be considered in all 
respects as illustrative and not restrictive, reference being made to the 
appended claims rather than to the foregoing description to indicate the 
scope of the invention.