Sound post system

Abstract

In order to produce a sound post system that is easy to deploy, is position-variable and can be adjusted with little technical outlay even by less technically skilled operators, the disclosure proposes a sound post system that comprises a sound post and an adjustment tool, wherein the sound post comprises a tube that has a contact element hinged to one end of the tube and, at the other end of the tube, a screw mechanism with a support element, said screw mechanism being formed by a mating thread on the tube and a threaded component connected to said support element, wherein a further hinged contact element is disposed on the side of the support element that faces away from the tube and, by actuating the screw mechanism, the distance between said two contact elements can be varied, both the support element and the tube comprising radial holes for the introduction of torque forces, and the adjustment tool comprising a rod for inserting into a radial hole, and a handle that is connected to said rod.

Claims

1. A sound post system, comprising a sound post and an adjustment tool, wherein the sound post comprises a tube that has a contact element hinged to one end of the tube and, at the other end of the tube, a screw mechanism with a support element, said screw mechanism being formed by a mating thread on the tube and a threaded component connected to said support element, wherein a further hinged contact element is disposed on the side of the support element that faces away from the tube and wherein, by actuating the screw mechanism, the distance between said two contact elements can be varied, wherein both the support element and the tube comprise radial holes for the introduction of torque forces, and the adjustment tool comprises a rod for inserting into a radial hole, and a handle that is connected to said rod.

2. The sound post system according to claim 1, wherein the tube is made of carbon fiber.

3. The sound post system according to claim 1, wherein the mating thread on the tube is an internal thread.

4. The sound post system according to claim 3, wherein the internal thread is formed in a threaded sleeve inserted in and fixed to said tube.

5. The sound post system according to claim 1, wherein the mating thread on the tube is an external thread.

6. The sound post system according to claim 1, wherein the threaded component connected to the support element is a threaded rod.

7. The sound post system according to claim 1, wherein the threaded component connected to the support element is a threaded bolt.

8. The sound post system according to claim 1, wherein the threaded component connected to the support element is a threaded sleeve.

9. The sound post system according to claim 1, wherein the support element is disc-shaped.

10. The sound post system according to claim 1, wherein the support element is a nut.

11. The sound post system according to claim 1, wherein the screw mechanism comprises a locking unit.

12. The sound post system according to claim 11, wherein the locking unit is a lock nut.

13. The sound post system according to claim 12, wherein the lock nut has radial holes.

14. The sound post system according to claim 1, wherein the radial holes on the tube comprise at least a pair of mutually aligned holes.

15. The sound post system according to claim 1, wherein the contact elements are supported by ball bearings with respect to the tube.

16. The sound post system according to claim 1, wherein the contact elements are arranged such that they can be exchanged.

17. The sound post system according to claim 1, wherein the handle of the adjustment tool comprises a handle and a guide rod at whose end facing away from said handle the rod is arranged.

Description

DRAWINGS

(1) The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only of selected embodiments and not all possible implementations, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

(2) The disclosure provides a very practice-oriented, easily made and easy-to-use sound post system. Further advantages and features will become apparent from the following description with reference to the attached drawings in which

(3) FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of one embodiment of a sound post and an adjustment tool.

(4) Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(5) Example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawing.

(6) The embodiment of a sound post 1 shown in FIG. 1 comprises a tube 3 at the end 4 of which a plug 8 is inserted. This carries the attached ball 7. The plug 8 is dimensioned in such a way that it cannot be pushed into the tube, e.g. by a mounting flange. The contact element 5 is attached to the ball 6 by the ball socket 7 being clipped onto the ball 6. The contact element 5 can thus be pivoted and adapted to almost any surface position. It is also exchangeable to vary shape, size, material and the like.

(7) At the other end 9 of the tube 3, a threaded sleeve 10 is inserted in the design example shown, which also cannot be moved relative to the tube 3 due to a mounting flange. A threaded rod 11 is screwed into the internal thread of the threaded sleeve 10 and firmly connected at its free end to a support disc 12. This support disc in turn supports a ball 17 to which the contact element 18 with its ball socket 19 is attached. The contact element 18 is designed in the same way as the contact element 5. It goes without saying that the shapes, materials and sizes of the two contact elements 5 and 18 vary and can also be different from one another.

(8) For the purpose of adjustment, radial holes 16 are made in the support disc 12. If the support disc 12 is now turned, the threaded rod 11 is screwed into or out of the threaded sleeve 10, depending on the direction of rotation, provided the tube 3 is held against it.

(9) For the purpose of operation, the adjustment tool 2 is formed with a handle 20, preferably of wood, arranged at one end of the guide rod 21. At the free end of the guide rod 21 the rod 22 is formed, which is suitably angled in the illustrated embodiment. The rod 22 has a diameter enabling its insertion into the radial holes 13 of the tube and/or 16 of the support disc. If the adjustment tool 2 is now applied in such a way that its rod 22 passes through the radial holes 13 of the tube 3 and if a second adjustment tool 2 is applied at the radial holes 16 of the support disc 12 and if corresponding torques are applied, the threaded rod 11 is rotated relative to the threaded sleeve 10 that is arranged fixed against rotation in the tube 3. In this way, the distance of the contact elements 5 and 18 relative to each other can be adjusted.

(10) For the purpose of fixation, a lock nut 14 is provided which also has radial holes 15 and can be rotated in a corresponding manner after adjustment in order to caulk the threaded rod 11 relative to the free edge at the end of the tube 3 or the mounting flange of the threaded sleeve 10.

(11) Mounting:

(12) The mounting of a sound post of the above-described design is very easy: 1) The length of the sound post is determined using an inside calliper (common tool for instrument making). Alternatively, the wooden sound post can be used for approximate length determination. The length is the distance of the outer surfaces of the contact elements 5 and 18 to each other. 2) If necessary, the tube 3 is cut length. 3) The plug 8 is inserted at one end. 4) The threaded sleeve 10 is inserted at the other end. 5) The threaded rod 11 as well as the contact elements 5 and 18 are attached. 6) The length is roughly preset. 7) The mounting tool 2 (1.5 mm for a violin, viola and cello, 3 m for a double bass)—angled rod 22 with a handle 20—is inserted into the radial hole 13 of the tube 3. 8) The heavy lower part holds the sound post 1 in the mounting position by ceasing swinging, is inserted into the f-hole of the instrument, positioned on the floor and pulled against the arch of the belly.

(13) The mounting of the component is thus completed.

(14) Adjustment:

(15) The adjustment of the sound post described above is very easy and allows a precision never seen before.

(16) The mounting tool 2 described above is used and is inserted through the f-hole of the bowed instrument into one of the holes 15 of the lock nut 14. Using a second adjustment tool 2 of the same design, the lock nut 14 is separated from the tube 3 by turning it counterclockwise.

(17) This makes the threaded rod 11 freely rotatable so that the threaded rod 11 can be turned in the desired direction (left for thread extension, right for thread shortening) by inserting the tool 2 into the existing radial holes 16 of the support disc 12.

(18) At the same time, the tube 3 is held by a rod 22 which is inserted and held in the radial holes 13 of the tube 3.

(19) The change in length of the component can be read from the number of holes by which further rotation has taken place: there are 6 radial holes, the thread pitch is 0.75 mm/U for the double bass variant consequently, the change in length of the component is 0.125 mm for each hole that has been moved.

(20) In case of doubt, it is possible to make a measurement before and after each change in length using the inside calliper.

(21) Of course, this before and after measurement is also possible from outside using a corresponding slide gauge.

(22) In practice, the adjustment width is mainly set by ear as regards sound, for example when a musician is travelling with his instrument.

(23) Thereafter, the lock nut 14 is again tightened and the adjustment process thus completed.

(24) The above-described embodiment merely serves the purpose of explanation and is no way limiting.

(25) The foregoing description of the embodiments has been provided for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure. Individual elements or features of a particular embodiment are generally not limited to that particular embodiment, but, where applicable, are inter-changeable and can be used in a selected embodiment, even if not specifically shown or described. The same may also be varied in many ways. Such variations are to be regarded as a departure from the disclosure, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the disclosure.