Patent Publication Number: US-6703545-B2

Title: Violin

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to hollow bodied bowed string instruments such as standing bass, violin/fiddles and cellos. More particularly, the present invention relates to a device to replace the standard tail piece to connect the strings to the sound box. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Hollow body bow stringed instruments are well known and have well established construction techniques. These types of instruments are made up of more than 70 parts, all of which are typically made of wood, except for the strings and tail-piece fastenings. The wood pieces are glued together to form the instrument. 
     Such instruments include a sound box having a finger board connected thereto. The strings are attached to an end of the finger board and to a tail piece, which is in turn attached to the rear of the instrument via fastenings. Nothing is actually attached to the top plate of the sound box. This fastening scheme supports the pressure imparted on the instrument due to the tension of the strings. 
     These instruments produce their sound when the string begins to vibrate. The string vibrations are sent through the bridge, which transmits them to the top of the instrument. A sound post under the bridge transmits the vibrations to the back of the instrument. 
     The beautiful sound produced by the members of the violin family depends on all the parts of the instrument vibrating freely. Instrument makers have experimented over the centuries to create the best shape for the instrument and to find the best wood to maximize the vibrations. The present invention has expanded upon this evolution by improving the sound quality. 
     All US patents and applications all other published documents mentioned anywhere in this application are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. 
     Without limiting the scope of the invention in any way, the invention is briefly summarized in some of its aspects below. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present invention is directed toward hollow bodied bow string instruments. It relates to the method used to attach the instruments strings at the end opposite the adjustment or tuning mechanisms. Instead of using a tail piece used in convention violins, the present invention uses an anchor piece which is attached directly to the top of the instrument. The anchor piece also comprises a secondary bridge for the strings. The present invention places additional energy into the top of the instrument producing acoustical benefits. The extra pressure placed on the top plate makes it more responsive, as well as louder. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ATTACHED DRAWINGS 
     FIGS. 1 a-b  are top and side views of a conventional violin; 
     FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the an embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the an embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the an embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 5 shows a side view of the an embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 6 shows a top view of the an embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view along lines  7 — 7  in FIG. 5; and 
     FIG. 8 is a side view of a fine tuning mechanism. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT 
     A detailed description of illustrative embodiments of the violin according to the invention is given herein below with reference to the attached drawings, and possible modifications are discussed by way of conclusion. 
     The following statement applies to the whole of the description. If, for the purposes of clarity of the drawings, reference numbers are included in a figure but are not mentioned in the directly associated text of the description, then reference is made to their mention in preceding figure descriptions. In the interests of intelligibility, the repeated designation of components in succeeding figures is for the most part omitted, if it is clear from the drawings that the components concerned are “recurring” components. 
     Due to the multiple novel features disclosed herein, it should be understood that individual features of the embodiments may stand alone as improvement or may be combined with each other in multiple configurations where physically possible. The proportional representation illustrated by the figures also represents structural disclosure of various embodiments. 
     Elements not identified in a particular figure are readily identifiably via their identification in other figures. 
     FIGS. 1 a - 1   b  show a conventional violin for purposes of illustrating the general parts of a violin. In FIG. 1 there is shown a top view of a typical violin  11  having a sound body or “box”  13  having, typically, an upper section  15  and a lower section  17 . Sound boxes  13  of “hollow body” violins, as apposed to electric violins, are substantially hollow to produce the violin sound. Conventionally f-shaped sound holes or orifices  19  are provided in the central section of the sound box adjacent to and somewhat downwardly displaced from the wasp waist  21  of the sound box. The f-shaped sound holes  19   a  and  19   b  are conventionally bracketed about the section in which a bridge  23  is normally mounted upon the upper surface  25  of the sound box. The bridge  23 , may take many shapes, but usually has a slightly arcuate shape with an arcuate upper portion with notches in which the strings are mounted and frequently two outboard feet on the bottom which directly contact the upper surface  25  of the violin. There are a number of patents directed to bridges of various shapes and designs, each one having certain advantages and disadvantages with respect to the others. 
     The bridge  23  is conventionally urged against the surface  25  of the upper portion of the sound box  13  by the tension in the strings  31  which are secured in their lower portion to the upper part of the tailpiece  29  which is mounted upon the surface  25  of the violin. The strings  31  of which there are conventionally four (4) including the G-string on the left, closest to sound hole  19   a , the D-string next to the G-string, the A-string next to the D-string, and the E-string on the extreme far right. 
     The tailpiece  29  is attached at one end to the end  40  of the violin via a brace  42 , which are well known. Such braces are typically associated with a chin rest  46 . Correspondingly, the strings  31  are attached to the remaining end of the tailpiece  29  in a tensioning manner. Each string  31  is attached to the tailpiece  29  and has a fine tuning knob  44  communicating therewith for the fine tuning of the strings  31 . Notice that the tailpiece  29  is not attached to the surface  25  of the violin sound box  13 . 
     The G-, D-, A- and E-strings extend from the tailpiece  29  across the bridge  23 , as indicated, and are attached to a series of tuning pegs  33   a ,  33   b ,  33   c , and  33   d  which, by turning, are able to tune the individual strings G-, D-, A- and E-strings by turning the tuning pegs  33 . The tuning pegs  33  are mounted on a finger board  48 , which is attached to the sound box  13  and which terminates at the scroll  39 . The tuning pegs are sufficiently stiff in their rotational movement so that they will not easily give up their tension with respect to the tension in the strings attached to their small diameter winding sections, but can be fairly easily turned by the fingers of the musician because of the relative leverage relationship. 
     The remaining figures illustrate the novel features of the present invention. The figures show a hollow body violin  52 . In a preferred embodiment, violin  52  replaces the elongated tailpiece  29  with an anchor piece  54  mounted or disposed on body  52 , as illustrated in FIGS. 2-4. The anchor piece  54  is attached directly to the sound board portion  17  via adhesive, screws, posts or the like. Strings  31  are removably attached to body  52  by being removably attached to anchor piece  54 , which in turn is securely attached to portion  17 . The anchor piece  54  can be formed of any conventional material, but is preferably made of a hard dense wood such as ebony. 
     Anchor piece  54  may comprise a fine-tuning knob  56 , corresponding to the E string. The fine tuning knob  56  functions to permit fine tuning (such as by rotating by hand or other suitable means) of the E string after gross tuning thereof using peg  33   c.    
     The G, D and A strings are secured to the anchor piece  54  via keyhole slots  58 . The keyhole slots  58  have an eye portion  62  and a slot portion  64 . To engage the strings  31 , the strings  31  are fastened to a ringlet or bead  60 , which may be seen in later figures. Ringlet  60  is sized to fit through the eye portion  62  but not the slot portion  64 . 
     The anchor piece  54  also comprises a secondary bridge  66  extending along the top of the anchor piece  54  substantially perpendicular to the strings  31 . The secondary bridge  66  is a raised ridge on the top of the anchor piece  54 . Bridge  66  is sized so as to support the strings  31  such that the strings form an angle facing the bridge  66  of less than 180°. It should be understood that not all of the strings  31  will form this angle. For example, as shown in the figures, the E string, which is in communication with the fine tuning knob  56 . 
     In the embodiment shown, as mentioned above, the E string is connected to a fine tuning mechanism  68 , best illustrated in FIG.  8 . These fine tuning mechanisms may be constructed in various manners. Such mechanisms are well known. It should be understood that the mechanism should be adaptable to fit and work with the anchor piece  54 . It should also be understood that the present invention contemplates not having a fine tuning mechanism or combinations of one or more mechanisms on any of the strings. 
     FIGS. 3-4 show further perspectives of the anchor piece  54 . In FIG. 4, the ringlets  60  and the bottom portion of the fine tuning mechanism  68 . FIG. 3 also illustrates a violin with only one sound hole  70 . The positioning and shape are generally as shown. The shape may vary from the generally oval or kidney shape as shown to the classic f-shape. 
     FIG. 5 shows a side view of the anchor piece  54  illustrating the various portions. As can be seen from this profile perspective, the piece  54  is generally C-shaped. The piece  54  comprising a base  72 , a top base extension  74  and a bottom base extension  76 . As can be seen, the extensions  74  and  76  extend forward from the base  72  forming a gap  78 . 
     FIG. 6 shows a top view of the anchor  54 , illustrating the keyhole slots  58 , the secondary bridge  66  and the fine tuning knob  56 . The device from the top is generally shaped in a form resembling a truncated triangle, however, it should be understood that the shape may vary. 
     FIG. 7 is a cross-section view along lines  7 — 7  in FIG.  6 . In this figure, the securement of a string  31  may be seen. The opening is a crossing section of a keyhole slot  58 . 
     FIG. 8 shows a side view of an example of a fine tuning mechanism  68 . The knob  56  is screwed into a hole or slot of a stabilizing bar  82 , which is secured within or under the top base extension  75 . A hinge arm  84  is pivotably connected to the end of the bar  82 . A hook  86  is connected to the end of the arm  84  at a fixed angle. When the knob  56  is screwed down, the end of the arm  84  is forced down, drawing the hook  86  inward, tightening the string  31 . 
     If not described in detail above, the proportions and relative construction of the embodiments may be interpreted from the figures. Any inconsistencies between the figures and the description should be seen as alternative embodiments. Variations in the relative construction which do not change the inventive concepts presented herein are contemplated as possible embodiments of the invention. 
     The above examples and disclosure are intended to be illustrative and not exhaustive. These examples and description will suggest many variations and alternatives to one of ordinary skill in this art. All these alternatives and variations are intended to be included within the scope of the claims, where the term “comprising” means “including, but not limited to”. Those familiar with the art may recognize other equivalents to the specific embodiments described herein which equivalents are also intended to be encompassed by the claims. Further, the particular features presented in the dependent claims can be combined with each other in other manners within the scope of the invention such that the invention should be recognized as also specifically directed to other embodiments having any other possible combination of the features of the dependent claims. For instance, for purposes of claim publication, any dependent claim which follows should be taken as alternatively written in a multiple dependent form from all prior claims which possess all antecedents referenced in such dependent claim if such multiple dependent format is an accepted format within the jurisdiction (e.g. each claim depending directly from claim  1  should be alternatively taken as depending from all previous claims). In jurisdictions where multiple dependent claim formats are restricted, the following dependent claims should each be also taken as alternatively written in each single dependent claim format which creates a dependency from a prior antecedent-possessing claim other than the specific claim listed in such dependent claim below (e.g. claim  6  may be taken as alternatively dependent from any of claims  2 - 5 , claim  4  may be taken as alternatively dependent from claim  3 ; etc.).