What Gives an Instrument Its Shape? Yamaha's Patent Drawings

What is it?

Arms extend to either side of a slim body, carrying pads that the player holds between their knees. For storage, the arms turn along the body and the pads change angle to nest closer to it.

The arm pivots are tilted relative to the back of the body, setting the path along which the supports fold. Clamps and locks secure the playing position. The chest support is a separate component.

What is it?

Two frames provide the outline around a central string-bearing body. One frame pivots about the body's lengthwise direction, passing around the rear until it approaches the frame on the other side.

The dashed and solid positions in FIG. 3 show how the frame moves without crossing the strings. FIG. 4 shows the connecting screw passing through the frame end and serving as its pivot axis.

What is it?

Arms carry seven playing surfaces in front of, behind and above a central board. For storage, the arms and pads turn toward the board, bringing the pads within its outer outline.

The large rectangle remains visible in the deployed view shown here. It provides a common support; the publication's storage view shows the circular pads packed against that same area.

What is it?

A movable retainer sits just below the part that strikes the bass drum. Pulling it down against a spring opens a gap for a weight, which is then held between the retainer and the beater head.

A slot in the weight admits the rod from the side. The weight can be inserted near the striking head without taking the head off or threading the weight along the entire rod.

What is it?

A short auxiliary tube joins the main pipe near the blowing section. Choosing its length and cross-sectional area is intended to approximate the resonance of a tapered pipe while retaining constant-width main and branch tubes.

In FIG. 6B the junction sits outside the mouthpiece. The description separates the branch from the mouthpiece attachment so that a conventional saxophone mouthpiece can be fitted and removed.

What is it?

The proposed bell-mounted mute contains a main pipe and a narrower auxiliary pipe. The auxiliary passage branches from the main pipe, bends back to run alongside it and opens at its far end.

The publication describes choosing tube dimensions and junction position to approximate the bell's resonance while reducing sound through a less flared outlet. The drawing shows the passage layout, not measured attenuation or playing feel.

What is it?

In silent mode, a stopper enters the path of the hammer shanks and catches them before the hammers strike the strings. At the same time, the jack that pushes the hammer is made to escape earlier.

The stopper is split between the bass and the middle-to-high registers. One motor drives two transmission paths that switch both stopper sections and the timing changer together.

What is it?

Current in a coil produces motion that a shaft carries into the soundboard. FIG. 3 shows the installation within the piano; FIG. 4 shows the actuator and its projecting connection.

A threaded shaft adjusts the distance to the soundboard during mounting. The connection can reach the board while the voice coil remains in its intended position within the magnetic circuit.