Abstract:
A tonal adjusting device for selectively changing the pitch of one or more strings of a guitar. The tonal adjusting device includes a lever assembly with upper and lower arms that are designed for being positioned around the neck of a stringed instrument. The upper arm has dampening members for selectively engaging the strings when the upper arm engages the face of the neck of the instrument.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to musical capos and more particularly pertains to a new tonal adjusting device for selectively changing the pitch of one or more strings of a guitar. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     The use of musical capos is known in the prior art. More specifically, musical capos heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements. 
     Known prior art includes U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,334,457; 4,926,732; 3,680,427; 4,183,279; 5,287,788; and U.S. Patent No. Des 365,118. 
     While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new tonal adjusting device. The inventive device includes a lever assembly with upper and lower arms that are designed for being positioned around the neck of a stringed instrument. The upper arm has dampening members for selectively engaging the strings when the upper arm engages the face of the neck of the instrument. 
     In these respects, the tonal adjusting device according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of selectively changing the pitch of one or more strings of a guitar. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of musical capos now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new tonal adjusting device construction wherein the same can be utilized for selectively changing the pitch of one or more strings of a guitar. 
     The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new tonal adjusting device apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the musical capos mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new tonal adjusting device which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art musical capos, either alone or in any combination thereof. 
     To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a lever assembly with upper and lower arms that are designed for being positioned around the neck of a stringed instrument. The upper arm has dampening members for selectively engaging the strings when the upper arm engages the face of the neck of the instrument. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
     As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
     Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way. 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new tonal adjusting device apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the musical capos mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new tonal adjusting device which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art musical capos, either alone or in any combination thereof. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a new tonal adjusting device which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new tonal adjusting device which is of a durable and reliable construction. 
     An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new tonal adjusting device which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such tonal adjusting device economically available to the buying public. 
     Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new tonal adjusting device which provides in the apparatuses and methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith. 
     Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new tonal adjusting device for selectively changing the pitch of one or more strings of a guitar. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new tonal adjusting device which includes a lever assembly with upper and lower arms that are designed for being positioned around the neck of a stringed instrument. The upper arm has dampening members for selectively engaging the strings when the upper arm engages the face of the neck of the instrument. 
     Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new tonal adjusting device that would give the user the option of leaving any desired string or strings open, or unfretted. 
     Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new tonal adjusting device that because of its unique design, would lend itself to be used with ease and versatility. 
     These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a new tonal adjusting device according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a schematic top view of the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of the present invention. 
     FIG. 4 is a schematic end view of the present invention. 
     FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional side view of the present invention. 
     FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view of the present invention in the alternate embodiment. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 6 thereof, a new tonal adjusting device embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the reference numeral  10  will be described. 
     As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 6, the tonal adjusting device  10  generally comprises a lever assembly  12  includes an upper arm member  14  and a lower arm member  16 . 
     The upper arm member  14  is pivotally coupled to the lower arm member  16  and is designed for selectively engaging an upper face  18  of a neck of a stringed instrument. 
     The lower arm member  16  is designed for selectively engaging a lower face  20  of the neck of the stringed instrument. 
     A plurality of engagement members  22  each is coupled to the upper arm member  14  of the lever assembly  12 . Each of the engagement members  22  is designed for compressing an associated one of a plurality of strings  24  of the stringed instrument against the upper face  18  of the neck of the stringed instrument when the upper arm member  14  engages the upper face  18  of the neck of the stringed instrument. Each of the engagement members  22  is designed for dampening vibration of an associated string against the upper face  18  of the neck of the stringed instrument when the upper arm member  14  engages the upper face  18  of the neck of the instrument. 
     The lever assembly  12  includes a biasing member  26  that is positioned between the upper and lower arm members  14 , 16 . The biasing member  26  is for biasing the upper arm member  14  away from the lower arm member  16  when the lever assembly  12  is released by a user such that each of the engagement members  22  are disengaged from the associated string of the stringed instrument. 
     The upper arm member  14  includes a bar portion  28 , a medial portion  30  and a hand portion  32 . The medial portion  30  is positioned between the bar portion  28  and the hand portion  32 . 
     The lower arm member  16  includes a base portion  34 , a central portion  36  and an end portion  38 . The central portion.  36  is positioned between the base portion  34  and the end portion  38 . 
     The medial portion  30  of the upper arm member  14  is pivotally coupled to the central portion  36  of the lower arm member  16  such that a distance between the bar portion  28  of the upper arm member  14  and the base portion  34  of the lower arm member  16  is decreased when a distance between the end portion  38  of the lower arm member  16  and the hand portion  32  of the upper arm member  14  is decreased. 
     The lever assembly  12  includes a plurality of alignment stanchions  40  coupled to the bar portion  28  of the upper arm member  14 . The alignment stanchions  40  is positioned between the base portion  34  of the lower arm member  16  and the bar portion  28  of the upper bar member. Each of the alignment stanchions  40  is for maintaining alignment of the bar portion  28  of the upper arm member  14  and the base portion  34  of the lower arm member  16  when the distance between the bar portion  28  of the upper arm member  14  and the base portion  34  of the lower arm member  16  is decreased. 
     A locking lever  42  is pivotally coupled to one of the alignment stanchions  40 . The locking lever  42  is positioned opposite the bar portion  28  of the upper arm member  14 . The locking lever  42  is for selectively engaging an upper wall  44  of the base portion  34  of the lower arm member  16  through an aperture  46  in the upper wall  44 . Thus the locking lever  42  is designed for securing the upper arm assembly and the lower arm assembly around the neck of the stringed instrument. 
     The upper arm member  14  includes a plurality of posts  48 . Each engagement member  22  is for selectively mounting on one of the posts  48 . The engagement members  22  are designed for dampening the vibrations of the associated string of the stringed instrument when the engagement members  22  are coupled to the posts  48  and the upper arm member  14  is engaging the top face  58  of the neck of the stringed instrument. 
     The plurality of posts  48  comprises an upper set of posts  50  and a lower set of posts  52 . The lower set of posts  52  are aligned with the strings  24  of the stringed instrument such that each of the engagement members  22  are designed for aligning with the associated string of the stringed instrument when the engagement members  22  are mounted on the posts  48  of the lower set of posts  52 . The upper set of posts  50  is positioned opposite the posts  48  of the lower set of posts  52 . The upper set of posts  50  is for storing the engagement members  22  when the engagement members  22  are not coupled to the posts  48  of the lower set of posts  52 . 
     Each of the engagement members  22  comprising a flexible material. The flexible material is designed for dampening vibrations of the strings  24  when strummed by a user. The flexible material is designed for preventing damage to the strings  24  of the stringed instrument when the engagement members  22  are dampening the strings  24 . 
     As an alternate embodiment of the present invention, the upper arm member  14  of the lever assembly  12  includes a plurality of slots  54 . Each of the slots  54  is aligned with an associated one of the engagement members  22 . This permits an associated engagement member to be rotated between a bottom face  56  of the upper arm member  14  and a top face  58  of the upper arm member  14 . Thereby the engagement members  22  are designed for being positioned for selectively engaging any number of the strings  24  on the stringed instrument when the upper arm member  14  engages the upper face  18  of the neck of stringed instrument. 
     As to a further discussion of the manner of usage and operation of the present invention, the same should be apparent from the above description. Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the manner of usage and operation will be provided. 
     With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.