US3421401A - Microphone attachments for musical instruments - Google Patents

Description

1969 J. E. LICHTENSTEIN 3,421,401

MICROPHONE ATTACHMENTS FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Filed Dec. 23, 1965 Sheet of 2 Joseph Edgar L/chfensfe/h v INVENTOR.

Jan. 14, 5 J. E. LICHTENSTEIN 3,421,401

MICROPHONE ATTACHMENTS FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Filed Dec. 23, 1965 Sheet 2, of 2 INVENTOR.

M IW United States Patent Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An attachment for musical instruments that attaches directly to a musical instrument and holds a microphone allowing the microphone to be placed in an optimum position in relation to the sound producing section of the musical instrument.

The present invention generally relates to a microphone attachment for musical instruments and more specifically involves the use of several structural variations of the microphone attachment to enable a microphone to be adjustably positioned in relation to the instrument so that optimum amplification may be obtained both as to flexibility, volume and quality.

Heretofore, microphones have been associated with various musical instruments so that the sound produced by such instruments may be amplified. In certain types of musical instruments, especially woodwind instruments, a stand-type microphone is placed so that one or more instruments more or less directs the sound or music towards the microphone of the house public address system. While this procedure does provide some degree of amplification, this procedure does not produce the amplification in a natural manner nor of a consistent uniform quality of that produced by a microphone being attached directly to the musical instrument.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a microphone attachment for woodwind musical instruments including a clamping assembly for attaching a supporting arm or rod in an adjusted position in relation to the instrument so that a pickup microphone mounted on the rod may be orientated adjustably in the optimum position in relation to the instrument thereby allowing personal amplifiers to be placed among orchestra members, allowing additional effects through the use of reverberation, allowing volume and tone to be controlled by the performer. Normally, microphones supplied by the individual performer would not readily be adaptable to conventional public address installations.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a microphone attachment for musical instruments having a novel clamping assembly to enable the microphone to be readily attached to the musical instrument without alteration of the instrument, damage thereto or marring of the surface thereof with the clamp assembly being differently constructed for association with different types of musical instruments.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a microphone attachment in accordance with the preceding objects which includes a tubular supporting standard or rod through which the lead wire from the microphone may pass, emerging close to the performers hand which acts as a fulcrum thus reducing the imbalancing weight of the microphone and enabling the microphone holder to be associated adjustably in relation to a particular area of the musical instrument for etficiently picking up the desired sounds for amplification.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a microphone attachment for a flute having a clamp structure attached to the body of the flute which is ade- 3,421,461 Patented Jan. 14, 1969 "ice quately clamped to reduce key noises and a standard extending alongside the head joint with a microphone holder supporting the microphone in optimum relation to the embouchure plate for providing ample volume while at the same time eliminating or reducing breath noise.

A further important object of the present invention is to provide a microphone attachment for a saxophone or the like having a clamping arrangement for clamping the attachment to the bell of the saxophone thereby allowing accurate placement of the microphone to obtain optimum balance between tones emitting from the keys and from the bell of the saxophone.

Still another feature of the present invention is the provision of a microphone attachment having a generally triangular shaped clamp assembly which is universal for clampingly engaging tubular portions of musical instruments of various sizes, shapes and configurations and provided with resilient knobs for damping key vibration.

Another significant object of the invention is to provide a microphone attachment for woodwind musical instruments which is simple in construction, easy to attach, effective for adjustably holding a microphone in optimum relation to the musical instrument, light weight in construction and relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the microphone attachment of the present invention associated with a flute;

FIGURE 2 is a transverse, sectional view taken substantially upon a plane passing along section line 22 of FIGURE 1 illustrating the clamp structure for supporting the microphone attachment from the barrel of the flute;

FIGURE 3 is a detail sectional view taken substantially upon a plane passing along section line 3-3 of FIGURE 2 illustrating further structural details of the clamp mechanism including the tubular standard and the manner in which the lead wire extends therethrough;

FIGURE 4 is a detail sectional view taken substantially upon a plane passing along section line 44 of FIGURE 2 illustrating further structural details of the clamp mechanism;

FIGURE 5 is a detail sectional view taken substantially upon a plane passing along section line 55 of FIGURE 1 illustrating the manner in which the microphone cartridge holder is mounted on the standard;

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of the elongated tubular standard for supporting the microphone holder from the clamp;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmental elevational view illustrating a modified form of the invention clamped to the bell end of a saxophone;

FIGURE 8 is a front elevational view, with portions shown in section taken generally along reference line 8-8 of FIGURE 7 illustrating the structural details of the adjustable hollow standard;

FIGURE 9 is a fragmental front view similar to FIG- URE 8 but illustrating a holder for a circular or cylindrical microphone cartridge;

FIGURE 10 is an end view of a modified form of clamp structure with portions thereof broken away for clampingly engaging a tubular component of a musical instrument;

FIGURE 11 is an edge elevational view of the construction of FIGURE 10;

FIGURE 12 is an end view of another form of the invention, with portions thereof broken away illustrating a triangular clamp arrangement in which the two legs of the triangle are attached to the base by pivot pins; and

FIGURE 13 is a detail sectional view taken substantially upon a plane passing along section line 13-13 of FIGURE 12 illustrating further structural details of this form of the invention.

Referring now specifically to FIGURES 1-6, the microphone attachment of the present invention is generally designated by numeral and includes a clamp assembly generally designated by numeral 22, a standard generally designated by numeral 24 and a support housing 26 for a microphone cartridge. The attachment 20 is illustrated attached to a standard flute generally designated by numeral 27 which includes a tubular body 28 and head joint 30 and the usual embouchure 32 having the usual embouchure hole 34 therein. The flute 27 is of completely conventional construction and as is well known, the head joint 30 having the embouchure 32 thereon is longitudinally adjustable for tuning. The clamp assembly 22 is disposed between two peripheral ribs 36 formed normally integrally on the flute body 28 which allows the locating of clamp assembly 22.

The clamp assembly 22 includes a generally cylindrical member 38 having a tangentially extending plate portion 40 and a laterally extending portion 42 which is rigid with the cylindrical member 38 and has a substantial thickness as compared with the thickness of the plate 40. The plate 40 is spaced from the laterally extending arm 42 and is spaced therefrom by a slot-like opening 44 which extends throughout the length of the arm 42 and forms an interrupted space 46 to enable the cylindrical member 38 to be expanded to be moved longitudinally over the end of the head joint 30 and rib 36 on body 28 and in order to enable eifective increase in the diameter of the cylindrical member 38. On the interior of the cylindrical member 38 is a covering of cushioning material 48 or the like which may be felt, rubber, plastic or the like phone attachment of the present invention is generally coinciding with the space 46 to allow for variation in size of cushion 48, to cushion the clamp where it engages the body 28, preventing the clamp from marring the body 28 in an obvious manner and damping vibrations caused by key action.

The outer ends of the arm 42 and plate 40 are rounded or arcuately curved as at 50 and a slot 52 paralleling the slot 44 extends inwardly from the central end portion of the arm 42 and terminates in a cylindrical socket 54 which pivotally receives a rod portion 56 of a latch member 58. Attached to the rod member 56 is a radially extending rod member 60 having a rod member 62 on the end thereof parallel to the rod member 56 as illustrated in FIGURE 4. A slot 64 intersects the slot 52 and also the slot 44 to enable the fastener or catch 58 to swing about an axis defined by the rod 56 to the position illustrated in FIGURE 2 which is permitted by curve 50 at least on plate 40. To lock the bar or rod 62 in locked position, the arm or plate 40 is provided with a pair of detents 66 over which the rod 62 is snapped for securing the clamp assembly 22 on the head joint 30 of the flute 27 in the manner illustrated in FIGURES 1-4.

Inwardly of the rounded inner end 54 of the slot 52, the arm 42 is provided with a bore 68 extending therethrough which receives a tubular projection 70 on an elongated hollow standard 72. The end of the projection 70 is deformed outwardly as at 74 to lock the standard 72 to the arm 42. A microphone lead wire 76 extends through the projection 70 and the tubular rod or standard 72 which is oval-shaped in configuration and has the inner end thereof received within a correspondingly shaped recess 78 in the arm 42 to prevent rotation of the standard or hollow rod 72 about its longitudinal axis. Other nonsymmetrical or polygonal shapes may be used for the standard and recess 78.

The other end of the standard 72 is provided with a laterally extending terminal end portion 80 provided with an integral axially extending reduced end or pin 82 which receives a bushing 84 of a compressible material such as soft rubber in order to provide a friction fit and provide damping to further reduce vibration noises. The bushing 84 has an integral washer 86 engaging the shoulder defined by the juncture between the pin 82 and the end portion 80. A washer 88 of compressible material is engaged with the pin 82 in opposed relation to the washer 86 and the end of the pin 82 is riveted or deformed outwardly as at 90 to secure the bushing 84, washers 86 and 88 in place and pivotally support the microphone cartridge housing 26 which includes a plate-like structure 92 having a reduced end portion received on and pivotally carried by the pin 82 and bushing 84. The plate 92 is provided with a projecting flange 98 and a cap 96 having a projecting flange 94 telescoped over the flange 98 is provided for retaining the microphone cartridge 100 in place. The cap 96 is provided with openings 102 for the passage of sound and a cushioning member 104 is disposed between the cartridge 100 and the flange 98 for cushioning the microphone cartridge 100 in an obvious manner. The microphone lead wire 76 extends out through the tubular standard at the end thereof where the laterally extending end portion 80 is joined and is connected to the microphone cartridge 100 in an obvious manner. The flanges 94 and 98 are frictionally retained in place which enables the microphone cartridge 100 to be removed and replaced as may become necessary.

As illustrated in FIGURES 1-6, the microphone holding flange 94 and the cap 96 are of rectangular configuration to receive a generally rectangular microphone cartridge. However, the shape and configuration of the microphone housing may vary depending upon the shape and configuration of the microphone. For example, the cy1indrical housing such as that illustrated in FIGURE 9 may be employed rather than the generally rectangular microphone cartridge housing 26 as employed in FIGURES 1-6. Also, the particular orientation of the apertures 102 may vary depending upon the particular individual requirements.

In this form of the invention, the microphone cartridge is oriented closely adjacent the emission of tone or sound and in an optimum position to provide ample volume while eliminating as much breath noise as possible by virtue of the longitudinal position of the microphone holder 26 being adjustable by loosening the clamp assembly 22, the angular position of the microphone holder about the longitudinal axis of the flute being adjustable by loosening the clamp assembly 22 and with the angular position of the microphone holder 26 being adjustable about the pivot pin 82 by overcoming the frictional resistance to movement exerted by the head 90 on the pin 82 with friction developed by bushing 84 being used to retain the microphone holder in position. This will enable tuning of the flute in the usual manner, that is, by sliding the head joint 30 longitudinally in relation to the body 28 of the flute 27.

The effective over-all length of the holder may be varied and the components thereof may be constructed of plastic material such as nylon, polycarbonate (Lexan, manufactured by General Electric) or other suitable plastics thus rendering the device extremely light weight in construction so that it will not disturb the balance or fulcrum point of the flute which is important since it is necessary to be able to hold the flute in the usual manner. The particular configuration of the grid which overlies the microphone cartridge may vary and be either in the form of a straight gridwork, a baffle-type of gridwork or any conventional form to satisfy acoustical requirements.

FIGURES 7 and 8 illustrate another embodiment of microphone attachment for mounting on the bell 112 of a saxophone. This structure also includes a clamping assembly 114, a supporting standard 116 and a microphone holder 118.

The clamp assembly 114 includes an arcuately curved plate 120 having a plurality of knobs or projections 122 of resilient or soft material for conforming with and engaging the convexly curved interior surface of the saxophone bell and causing damping of mechanical vibrations in the saxophone. One end of the plate 120 is provided with a U-shaped portion 124 and a mounting portion 126 which generally extends parallel to the arcuate member 120 but with it slightly diverging therefrom. The end of the mounting portion 126 is bifurcated as at 128 and pivotally supports a 'cam 130 on a pivot pin 132 which is, of course, eccentric to the cam 130. The cam 130 has a handle 134 connected thereto to enable movement of the cam 130 about the pivot pin 132 thus clamping and releasing the clamp assembly 114 from the saxophone bell 112 by moving the handle 134 in an obvious manner. For further damping, the surface of cam 130 may be soft or resilient where it engages the saxophone bell.

At the U-shaped portion of the clamp assembly 114, there is provided a laterally extending projection or stud 136 having a spherical ball 138 on the outer end thereof. The stud 136 is generally perpendicular to the plate 120 as illustrated in FIGURES 7 and 8.

The standard assemby 116 includes an outer tubular portion 140 and an inner tubular portion 142 which telescopically receives the outer tubular member 140 and is mounted on the spherical ball 138 as illustrated in FIG- URE 8 thus enabling longitudinal adjustment of the standard 116 and also universal angular adjustment thereof in relation to the clamp assembly 114.

The outer end of the inner tubular member is longitudinally slit as at 144 and is externally threaded as at 146 for receiving an internally threaded and slightly tapering clamp sleeve or nut 148 which is externally knurled so that as the nut or sleeve 148 is threaded inwardly on the tubular member 142, the tubular member 142 will compress inwardly thus gripping the tubular member 140.

The lower end of the inner tubular member 142 is provided with a partially spherical socket 150 formed by a plurality of independent fingers 152 which are separated by longitudinal slits 154. The fingers 152 are externally threaded for threadedly receiving an internally threaded sleeve 156 which is knurled on the exterior surface thereof so that as the sleeve or nut 156 is threaded inwardly onto the fingers 152, the shape of the socket 150 will be reduced thus clampingly engaging the fingers 152 with the spherical ball 138 thereby adjusting and locking the standard 116 in fixed angular orientation in relation to the plate 120. 3

The outer end of the outer member 140 is provided with a laterally extending end portion 158 which supports the microphone cartridge holder 118 in exactly the same manner as the laterally extending end portion 80 in FIG- URES 1-6 supports the microphone holder 26 in FIG- URES 1-6. In this construction, the lead wire 160 may extend laterally outwardly of the inner tubular member 142.

As illustrated in FIGURE 9, the microphone cartridge holder is generally designated by numeral 162 and includes a plate 164 and a cylindrical cap 166 and corresponding structure thus indicating that the microphone cartridge holder may be in the configuration illustrated in FIGURES 18 or it may be circular or cylindrical as illustrated in FIGURE 9.

FIGURES and 11 illustrate a universal type of clamping assembly 170 for clamping engagement with a tubular component 172 of a musical instrument which may vary in size as indicated by the dotted line illustration in FIGURE 10 thus providing a universal type of clamp that includes three plates or bars including a base member 174 and a pair of legs 176 and 178 which are substantially equal in length and which combine with the base member 174 to form generally a triangular shaped member when the free ends of the legs 176 and 178 are disposed in adjacent relation. The base member 174 and each of legs 176 and 178 is provided with a plurality of generally semi-spherical knobs 180 of soft or resilient material which form effective means for clampingly en gaging the tubular component 172 at a plurality of circumferentially spaced points even though the size of the tubular component 172 may vary and causing damping of mechanical vibrations in the musical instrument.

The base member 174 is provided with a projecting arm 186 which has a standard 188 attached thereto in the same manner as the standard 72 is attached to the arm 42 in FIGURES 1-6. The lead-in wire 190 is also orientated in the same manner as in FIGURES 1-6.

The end of the leg 176 is bifurcated and receives a block 192 therein and pivotally attached thereto by pivot pin 194. The end of the leg 178 is provided with a similar block 196 pivoted thereto by a pivot pin 198 to enable relative angular movement of the legs 176 and 178 when an elongated clamp screw 200 is employed for urging the legs 176 and 178 together or permitting them to expand. The elongated clamp screw 200 has a knurled head 202 for operation thereof and an elongated threaded portion 204 which extends through an internally threaded bore 206 in the block 196. The shank of the threaded member 200 is received closely in a bore 208 through the block 192 thus retaining the blocks 192 and 196 generally in parallel relation to each other with the angular movement between the block 192 and leg 176 being permitted by the pivot pin 194 thereby enabling the clamp screw to effectively clamp the clamp assembly 70 to a tubular component 172 illustrated in FIGURE 10 and also a tubular component as large as the dotted line illustration in FIGURE 10. This form of the invention is constructed of polypropylene the only presently known plastic with self-hinging qualities.

The juncture between the leg 176 and the base member 174 and between the leg 178 and the base member 174 is defined by a hinge area 210 which is actually of unitary construction with the base member 174 and corresponding leg 176 or 178. The hinge area 210 actually is a part of the leg and base member structure and is defined by a generally semi-cyclindrical notch or the like which hinge area is formed before the plastic is finally cured or set. After the plastic is set, the hinge area 210 will remain flexible while the base member 174, leg 176 and leg 178 will be substantially rigid.

FIGURES 12 and 13 disclose another embodiment of the clamp structure 212 which includes a base member 214, legs 216 and 218 having blocks 220 and 222 pivotally connected thereto and interconnected by a screw-threaded clamp member 224. This form of the invention is exactly the same as the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGURES 10 and 11 except for the hinge connection between the base member 214 and the legs 216 and 218. In this construction, overlapping hinge barrels 226 are provided and interconnected by hinge pins 228. Other than the mechanical hinge construction formed by the hinge barrels 226 and binge pin 228, the clamp structure 212 is the same as the clamp assembly 170 illustrated in FIGURES 10 and 11 except that it could be made of many practical, durable, and moderately light materials suoh as nylon, aluminum or the like.

From the variations in the clamp structures disclosed, it will be clear that the microphone attachment may be mounted in an adjustable manner on various types of musical instruments and in each instance, the microphone pickup cartridge will be oriented in the optimum position for receiving the sound or music produced by the instrument so that it can be amplified. In addition, the structure of the device is primarly plastic material thus rendering it quite inexpensive to manufacture and at the same time relatively neat in appearance and also light in weight so that it will not disturb the balance of the instrument, mar the finish of the instrument or in any way require permanent alteration, modification or disfigurement of the instrument. Moreover, the attachment of this invention will not interfere with the normal playing operation of the instrument and will enable substantially any woodwind instrument to be connected with its own amplifier so that such instruments will not be overpowered by other instruments in an orchestra or the like. Further, it allows variations in tonal qualities, effects and volume to be controlled by the performer and makes possible the emission of the amplified tone to always be in the proximity of the performer, to acquire a more natural orchestral effect.

In some installations, two or more microphones may fed into one amplifier input or into individual inputs of a multi-channeled amplifier to permit individual tone and volume adjustment and to improve balance of the tonal spectrum of the musical instrument.

With the present invention, the introduction of reverberation is accomplished in order to produce an entirely new group of effects. Also, this invention introduces the possibility of mobile amplification of woodwind instruments acquired without modification of the instruments by using a battery powered portable amplifier.

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 restored to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A microphone attachment for musical instruments comprising a clamp assembly adapted to be mounted directly on the musical instrument, a supporting standard attached to the clamp assembly, and a microphone holder attached to said standard, said microphone holder being pivotally adjustable on said standard, and said clamp assembly being adjustable in relation to a musical instrument whereby a microphone in the microphone holder can be orientated in the optimum position in relation to the sound producing section of a musical instrument.

2. The structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said clamp assembly includes agenerally cylindrical member having a pair of laterally extending spaced arms forming an entrance slit, one of said arms being thicker than the other, a pivotal latch member mounted on said thicker arm, means on the other arm for engagement by said latch member whereby the cylindrical member may be clamped to a musical instrument, said standard being mounted on said thicker arm and extending therethrough in generally parallel relation to the axis of the cylindrical member.

3. The structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said clamp assembly includes an arcuately curved plate adapted to conform with the interior convex surface of a saxophone bell or the like and including a plurality of spaced projections engaging the interior surface of the saxophone bell at spaced points to enable the plate to conform with saxophone bells having various arcs or curvature, a pivotal clamp member mounted in spaced relation to the plate and including a clamping edge adapted to engage the saxophone bell in opposed relation to a point intermediate the projections on said plate, said standard being universally adjustably attached to said plate and including longitudinally telescopic sections.

4. The structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said clamp assembly includes a base member, a leg at each end of said base member, means hingedly interconnecting said legs and said base member at the ends of said base member, means interconnecting the free ends of the legs for moving the free ends of the legs towards each other for grippingly engaging a musical instrument, and spaced projections on the base member and each of the legs for engaging a musical instrument at a plurality of circumferentially spaced points, said base member including an arm projecting outwardly therefrom, said standard being connected to said arm.

5. The structure as defined in claim 4 wherein the means at the free ends of the leg members includes a pair of blocks projecting longitudinally therefrom, pivot pins connecting the blocks to their respective leg members, said means interconnecting the blocks including an elongated clamp screw having an operating knob on one end thereof engaging one of the blocks, the other of the blocks having an internally threaded bore engaging a threaded portion of the clamp screw whereby rotation of the clamp screw will move the leg members towards each other or permit the leg members to spread apart.

6. The structure as defined in claim 4 wherein said hinge means interconnecting the ends of the base member and the leg members includes hinge-forming barrels on the base member and the leg member with the barrels being disposed in aligned relation and having a bore extending therethrough, and a hinge pin extending through said bore thereby pivotally connecting the leg members to the base member.

7. The structure as defined in claim 4 wherein said hinge means between the base member and the leg members includes an area of flexible plastic material unitarily formed with the base member and leg members with the area being more flexible and less thick than the base member and the leg members to enable flexing at the ends of the base member.

8. The structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said standard is in the form of an elongated tubular member extending generally in perpendicular relation to the clamp assembly and being mechanically interlocked with the clamp assembly to prevent relative rotation therebetween.

9. The structure as defined in claim 8 wherein said standard has an offset upper end portion of solid construction the major portion of the standard being hollow for passage of a microphone lead wire, said microphone cartridge holder being pivotally attached to the offset end portion of said standard.

10. The structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said microphone cartridge holder includes a substantially flat plate having a peripheral flange thereon receiving the microphone cartridge, and a cap having openings therein engaged with the flange for retaining the microphone cartridge in place and enabling entrance of sound to the microphone cartridge, said plate being pivotally attached to said standard to swivel about an axis substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the standard.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 995,411 6/1911 Morrill 84453 RICHARD B. WILKINSON, Primary Examiner.

GARY M. POLUMBUS, Assistant Examiner.

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