Patent ID: 7385124

Claim:
A rigid clamp member for use in a shoulder rest for a violin or the like instrument, said clamp member being adapted to clamping engage a rim of a bottom of a body of an associated instrument, said clamp member comprising: (a) a first arm and a second arm fixedly connected to each other and adjoining each other for pivotal movement in common at a pivot section disposed between said arms and defined by a pivot axis generally perpendicular to elongation of said arms; (b) a first clamping finger at a free end of said first arm and a second clamping finger at a free end of said second arm, for engaging a predetermined side portion of a rim of a bottom of an associated instrument, said first and second clamping fingers projecting each in a direction generally parallel with said pivot axis, from the respective arm such that the arms and the clamping fingers define a rigid, generally U-shaped configuration, in which said arms define the base of the U and said fingers define the upright of the U; (c) said arms being of uneven length, whereby said pivot axis is offset to a location relatively distal from the clamping finger of said first arm and relatively proximal to the clamping finger of said second arm.