WO1996036038A1

WO1996036038A1 - Fully wrapped core wire for strings

Info

Publication number: WO1996036038A1
Application number: PCT/US1996/006585
Authority: WO
Inventors: Antonio Kalosdian
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1995-05-10
Filing date: 1996-05-09
Publication date: 1996-11-14
Anticipated expiration: 1997-11-10

Abstract

A fully wrapped circular or non-circular core wire musical instrument string (10) comprising a core wire (12) and a plurality of inner wrap wires (14, 16 and 18) and an outer wrap wire (20) are helically wound concentrically about said core wire (12) all of the first inner wire (14) contacting and self-adhering to said core wire (12) and a portion of said second inner wire (16), third inner wire (18) and outer wrap wire (20) extending over opposite ends of inner wire (14, 16, and 18) respectively for contacting and self-adhering to said core wire (12) to eliminate any necessity for swaging, crimping or any other securing means.

Description

FULLY WRAPPED CORE WIRE FOR STRINGS Technical Field

The invention generally relates to strings for musical instruments and specifically to an improvement in fully wrapped wire strings comprising a core wire, and a plurality of wrapping wires helically wound concentrically and successively around the core wire, all or a portion of each of said predecessor wire completely contacting and self-adhering to the core wire and successor wrapping wires extending slightly over opposite ends of a predecessor wire for self adherence on said core wire without additional securing means resulting in more life and better vibrations of the string. Background Art

Strings for musical instruments comprised of bound material can be traced back to antiquity since large harps having large and small length of strings were depicted in drawings in the Egyptian tomb of Ramses III, and were known in Europe before the Middle Ages. Improvements were made as shown by the following U.S Patents: U.S. Patent 2,746,335 to Robert E. Johnson teaches a Piano string that comprises a core wire and a covering wire wound thereon in a plurality of contiguous turns; the turns adjacent to at least one end of the covering wire is flattened to form a tapered end on the covering wire in tight engagement with the core wire. U.S. Patent 4,184,405 to James C. How teaches a metal string for a fingerboard type stringed musical instrument having loaded and unloaded lengths of the core wire positioned so that the vibrating portion is constituted substantially of the loaded lengths. U.S. Patent 4,326,444 to Donald D. Markley teaches a musical instrument having a central core and one or more lengths of wire forming helically wound layers along the length producing a smooth outer surface.

U.S. Patent 4,365,534 to Stanley E. Rendell teaches a modified musical instrument string having a central core covered by wire having a substantial round cross-section over a major portion of its surface with compressed flats at the crown of the wire at the outer surface of the string and without flats at the inner surface of the covering wire.

U.S. Patent 4,581,976 to Sterling C. Ball teaches a musical instrument string including a core wire having a round cross- section, a segment of which is bent a short distance from one end and then is twisted together with another segment of the core wire to form a loop which is then wrapped around with a cover wire. U.S. Patent 4,854,213 to Peter Infeld teaches a musical instrument string having a core composed of fibers and a sheath wound on the core.

Disclosure of Invention

Reference is made to the drawings wherein similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the different views. Figures 1 and 2 illustrate a fully wrapped round or non-round core wire musical instrument string 10 is used in combination with a string instrument 28 having the following nomenclature; namely: a body 30, a neck 32 extending from said body 30, a head 34 on a remote end of the neck 32 is in spaced relationship to the body 30, a tailpiece 36 having slotted ends 38 is on the body 30, a bridge 40 is on the body 30, a nut bar 42 is positioned between the remote end of the neck 32 and the head 34 , a plurality of tuning machines 44 are carried in the head 34, and a structure 46 anchors the first end 22 of the core wire 12 to the tailpiece 36. The lower end portion of the core wire 12 with the outer wrap 20 can sit on the bridge 40. A portion of the core wire 12 with the inner wrap wires 14, 16,18 and the outer wrap wire 20 adjacent an upper end portion can sit upon the nut bar 42. The second end 24 of the core wire 12 in combination with a portion of the outer wrap 20 as indicated by numeral 47, is in engagement with one tuning machine 44, so as to be pulled taut. This allows the portion of the core wire 12 with the inner wrap wires 14,16, 18, and the outer wrap wire 20, to vibrate more between the bridge 40 and the nut bar 42, while having a more distinct and better response, with more sustain and less muddy bottoms. Each tuning machine 44 includes a tuning machine post 48 in the head 34 to engage with the second end 24 of the core wire 12 in combination with the portion of the outer wrap wire 20, as indicated by numeral 47. A tuning key 50 ex^pends from one side of the head 34 and is in rotative contact with the tuning machine post 48. When the tuning key 50 is manually operated, it will turn the tuning machine post 48 to pull the core wire taut in combination with the portion of the outer wrap wire 20, as indicated by numeral 47. The anchoring structure 46 essentially consists of a ball 52 and a facility 54 for connecting the ball 52 to the first end 22 of the core wire 12. The ball 52 can fit into and be held within one of the slotted ends 38 of the tailpiece 36 on the body 30. The ball 52, as best seen in Figure 3, is a spool shaped member 56 having an annular groove 58. The connecting facility 54 includes the first end 22 of the core wire 12 bent and doubled back onto itself with several twists to form a closed loop 60. The loop 60 can extend about the annular groove 58 in the spool shaped member.

The invention relates to improving musical instrument strings by helically wrapping concentrically a metal core wire 12 with a first wire 14 that self-adheres to said core wire 12. Then helically wrapping concentrically said first wire 14 with a second wire 16 that slightly extends over opposite ends of said first wire 14 so that said second wire 16 self-adheres to said core wire 12. Then helically wrapping concentrically said second wire 16 with a third wire 18 that slightly extends over opposite ends of said second wire 16 so that said third wire 18 self-adheres to said core wires 12. Any number of helically wrapped concentrically wires each extending over previously wrapped wires for self- adherence to said core wire can be used in this invention. Finally helically wrapping concentrically the entire length of all previously wrapped wires 14, 16, and 18 and most of the end portions of the core wire 12 with an outer wrap wire 20 that self- adheres to said core wire 12. Opposite ends 22, and 24 of the core wire 12 extend outwardly from the outer wrap wire 20. The outer wrap wire 20 will retain the inner wrap wires 14, 16 and 18 in place on the core wire 12 preventing them from loosening and resulting in the musical instrument string lasting longer, having better balance, vibrating more for a more distinct and better response, brighter sound, superior intonation without any mechanical securing such as swaging or crimping.

The core wire 12, each of the inner wires 14, 16, 18 and the outer wrap wire 20 are fabricated out of a durable material 26, which can be made out of metallic or non-metallic substances, such as phosphorus, bronze, brass, stainless steel, nickel plated steel, nickel, silver plated copper and other various, suitable material. The wires -14,16,18, and 20, best seen in Figure 4 are illustrated as having an elliptical cross-section while core wire 12 is illustrated as having a hexagonal cross-section. Figure 6 illustrates non round cross-sections, such as triangular, square, pentagonal, hexagonal, and elliptical for core wire 12. Other types of non round as well as circular cross-sections core wire 12, not shown in the drawings, can be utilized.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Various other objects, features and attendant advantages of the present invention will become more fully appreciated as the same becomes better understood when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a musical instrument having a string in accordance with the present invention mounted thereon. Figure 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the musical instrument taken generally along line 2-2 in Figure 1 , showing the present invention in greater detail. Figure 3 is a perspective view of the fully wrapped core wire musical instrument string showing applicant inventive improvement.

Figure 4 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the fully wrapped core wire musical instrument string taken along line 4-4 in Figure 3.

Figure 5a is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the fully wrapped core wire musical instrument string taken in the circular area of Figure 3.

Figure 5b is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the fully wrapped core wire musical instrument string taken in the circular area of Figure 3.

Figure 6 shows diagrammatic cross sections of the musical instrument string indicating different geometric shapes for the core wire.

Figure 7 is a chart describing the position of the various wraps relative to the core wire.

Best Mode for Carrying out the Invention

With reference to Figures 1 through 6 of the drawings the best mode for carrying out the improved musical imstrument string is its use in a portable string instrument such as ilustrated in reference number 28.

Industrial Applicability

It is obvious from the description and nature of the invention that the inventive musical instrument string is capable of exploitation generally in the musical industry and more particularly in the manufacturing of musical instruments employing

strings.

Claims

I CLAIM :

1. A fully wrapped core wire musical instrument string comprising a core wire (12),and a plurality of wires (14,16,18 and 20) helically wrapped concentrically about said core wire wherein the improvement comprises a first wrap wire (14) helically wound concentrically about said core wire (12), a second wrap wire (16)' helically wound concentrically about said first wrap wire (14) and extending over opposite ends of said first wrap wire (14) to self- adhere onto said core wire (12),a third wrap wire (18) helically wound concentrically about said second wrap wire (16) and extending over opposite ends of said second wrap wire (16) to self-adhere onto said core wire (12) and a cover wrap wire (20) helically wound concentrically about said third wrap wire (18) to self-adhere to said core wire (12) whereby said core wire (12) and said plurality of wires (14,16,18, and 20) will not loosen.

2. A fully wrapped core wire musical instrument string as claimed in Claim 1 wherein said core wire (12) and said plurality of wires ( 14 , 16 , 18,and 20) are fabricated out of durable material.

3. A fully wrapped core wire musical instrument string as claimed in Claim 1 wherein said core wire (12) has a circular cross-section.

4. A fully wrapped core wire musical instrument string as claimed in Claim 1 wherein said core wire (12) has a non-circular cross-section.

5. A fully wrapped core wire musical instrument string as claimed in Claim 1 wherein said core wire (12) has a triangular cross-section.

6. A fully wrapped core wire musical instrument string as claimed in Claim 1 wherein said core wire (12) has a square -cross- section.

7. A fully wrapped core wire musical instrument string as claimed in Claim 1 wherein said core wire (12) has a pentagonal cross-section.

8. A fully wrapped core wire musical instrument string as claimed in Claim 1 wherein said core wire (12) has a hexagonal cross-section.

9. A fully wrapped core wire musical instrument string as claimed in Claim 1 wherein -.aid core wire (12) has a elliptical cross-section.

10. A musical instrument comprising a body (30), a neck (32) extending from said body (30), a head (34) on a remote end of said neck in spaced relationship to said body (30),a tailpiece (36) having slotted ends (38) on said body (30), a bridge (40) on said body (30), a nut bar (42) between the remote end of said neck (32) and said head (34) and a plurality of tuning machines (44) within said head (34) and an anchoring structure (46) wherein the improvement comprises anchoring the first end (22) of said core wire (12) in a fully wrapped musical instrument string (10) on said tailpiece (36) so that the lower portion of said core wire (12) with said outer wrap (20) can sit upon said bridge (40) while a portion of said core wire (12) with said inner wrap wires (14,16,18) and said outer wrap wire (20) can sit upon said nut bar (42) and engaging the second end (24) of said core wire (12) in combination with a portion of said outer wrap (20) with one of said tuning machines (44) so as to be pulled taut thereby allowing said core wire (12) with said inner wires (14,16,18) and said outer wrap (20) to vibrate more between said bridge (40) and said nut bar (42) resulting in the musical instrument having a more distinct and better response with more sustain and less muddy bottoms.