U.S. patent application number 10/369864 was filed with the patent office on 2003-12-04 for diamond abrasive tonehole file for woodwind musical instruments.
Invention is credited to Schmidt, James E..
Application Number | 20030224705 10/369864 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 29584286 |
Filed Date | 2003-12-04 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030224705 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Schmidt, James E. |
December 4, 2003 |
Diamond abrasive tonehole file for woodwind musical instruments
Abstract
A diamond abrasive tonehole file for leveling the tonehole rims
of a musical instrument.
Inventors: |
Schmidt, James E.; (Sanger,
CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
James Schmidt
4480 N. Academy Ave.
Sanger
CA
93657
US
|
Family ID: |
29584286 |
Appl. No.: |
10/369864 |
Filed: |
February 21, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
451/278 ;
451/557; 451/558 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G10D 9/047 20200201;
B24B 15/00 20130101; B24D 7/18 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
451/278 ;
451/557; 451/558 |
International
Class: |
B24B 009/00; B24B
007/00 |
Claims
I claim:
1. A tool for abrading the tonehole rim of a musical wind
instrument comprising: a first disk; a diamond abrasive on at least
one surface of said disc.
2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the diamonds of said diamond
abrasive are partially embedded into the surface of said disc.
3. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said diamond abrasive is a
separate layer attached to said first disc.
4. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said first disc has a curved
outer edge.
5. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said first disc has an angled
outer edge.
6. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said first disc has a second
disc attached to it; said second disc being a locating disc for
generally centering the first disc on said tonehole when the second
disc is inserted into the tonehole.
7. A tool for abrading the tonehole rim of a musical wind
instrument comprising: a first disk and a second disc; a diamond
abrasive on said surface of said first disc; said second disc being
attachable to the first disc.
8. The assembly of claim 7 wherein said second disc is a locating
disc for generally centering the first disc on said tonehole when
the second disc is inserted into the tonehole.
9. The assembly of claim 7 wherein said second disc has a diamond
abrasive on at least one surface and is a locating disc for
generally centering the first disc on said tonehole when the second
disc is inserted into the tonehole.
10. The assembly of claim 7 wherein said second disc has a diamond
abrasive on at least one surface and is a locating disc for
generally centering the first disc on said tonehole when the second
disc is inserted into the tonehole; said diamond abrasive being a
separate layer attached to said first and second discs.
11. The assembly of claim 7 wherein said second disc has a diamond
abrasive on at least one surface and is a locating disc for
generally centering the first disc on said tonehole when the second
disc is inserted into the tonehole; said diamond abrasive being
bonded directly to said first and second discs.
12. The assembly of claim 7 wherein said second disc has a diamond
abrasive on at least one surface and is a locating disc for
generally centering the first disc on said tonehole when the second
disc is inserted into the tonehole; the diamonds of said diamond
abrasive being partially embeded into the surface of said metal
discs.
13. The assembly of claim 7 wherein said second disc has a diamond
abrasive on at least one surface and is a locating disc for
generally centering the first disc on said tonehole when the second
disc is inserted into the tonehole; said first and second discs
being metallic; said diamond abrasive being a separate layer
attached to said metal discs.
14. The assembly of claim 7 wherein said second disc has a diamond
abrasive on at least one surface and is a locating disc for
generally centering the first disc on said tonehole when the second
disc is inserted into the tonehole; said first and second discs
being metallic; said diamond abrasive being bonded directly to said
metal discs.
15. The assembly of claim 7 wherein said second disc has a diamond
abrasive on at least one surface and is a locating disc for
generally centering the first disc on said tonehole when the second
disc is inserted into the tonehole; said first and second discs
being metallic; the diamonds of said diamond abrasive being
partially embeded into the surface of said metal discs.
16. An abrasive disc for abrading the tonehole rim of a musical
wind instrument comprising: a flexible sheet with a first and
second surface: said first surface having a diamond abrasive; said
second surface having an adhesive for adhering to a disc.
17. A tool for abrading the tonehole rim of a musical wind
instrument comprising: a first disk; a cubic boron nitride abrasive
on said surface.
Description
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OF DEVELOPMENT
[0001] Not Applicable
REFERENCE TO MICROFICHE APPENDIX
[0002] Not Applicable
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Steel files, stone lapping tools and abrasives attached to
cloth or paper have been used to abrade and level the rims of
musical wind instrument toneholes.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] The present invention uses diamonds as an abrasive to cut
down and level the uneven rims of musical instrument toneholes so
that the rims present a flat planar surface to the corresponding
pads.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0005] FIG. 1 is a bottom view of a tonehole file and pilot.
[0006] FIG. 2 is a cross sectional side view of a tonehole file,
pilot and tonehole.
[0007] FIG. 3 is a cross sectional side view of a tonehole file,
pilot and tonehole showing diamond abrasive on the front and back
side of the disc.
[0008] FIG. 4 is a cross sectional side view of a tonehole file,
pilot and tonehole showing a layer of diamond abrasive that has
been bonded to a disc with an adhesive.
[0009] FIG. 5 is a cross sectional side view of a tonehole file,
pilot and tonehole showing a diamond abrasive on the front and/or
back side of a disc that has an upward angled or curved outer
edge.
[0010] FIG. 6 is a cross sectional side view of a tonehole file,
pilot and tonehole showing a diamond abrasive on the front and/or
back side of a disc that has a downward angled or curved outer
edge.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
[0011] The present invention is a disc 1 or combination of discs
that have a diamond abrasive 2 on the surface of the disc. An
additional pilot disc of a smaller diameter 3 may be attached to a
larger disc 1 with the diamond abrasive 2 so that the pilot is
inserted into the tonehole 4 and acts as a guide to keep the
diamond faced/surfaced disc aligned and centrally located with the
tonehole 4 of a musical wind instrument. The tonehole file assembly
is then rotated so that it abraids the tonehole rim, bringing down
the high spots so that it becomes flat. Musical wind instruments
have toneholes that are covered or uncovered with pads. It is
important that the rim of the tonehole be evenly flat or flat in
plane so that the pad can form a good seal on the tonehole rim,
Tonehole rims that are not flat are more likely to have unwanted
leaks and are more difficult to correct when repairmen attempt to
level the pad so that it makes a good closing seal all the way
around the circumference of the tonehole.
[0012] The diamonds can be any reasonable grit or micron size and
can be attached to any surface of the file/disc. For example the
diamonds may be attached to the front and back surfaces so that
either side can be used to abrade the rim of the tonehole as shown
is FIG. 3. The discs can be of any practical thickness. They need
not be round and can have any number of sides on the periphery.
[0013] A bolt or screw 5 is provided in the center of the disc so
that a wrench or other driver can be used to turn the diamond faced
disc and pilot assembly. The bolt can be a common hex head bolt, or
screw driver head, or allen head/cap screw. The rotary file can be
driven by hand, by an automotive type ratchet or an electric drill
or similar motor. One embodiment of the invention is to use an
Allen head/cap screw and turn it with a T handled driver. The Allen
wrench can have a ball end so that the wrench will tilt to some
degree without rocking the rotary file out of plane with the
tonehole rim. The ball end Allen wrench makes it easier to form a
perfectly flat tonehole rim. The bolt or screw 5 is threaded into
the center of the disc/pilot 1 so that various size diamond faced
discs/pilots can be attached to each other to fit various size
toneholes 4. The disc can be made of any metal, plastic or other
stiff material. Diamond faced discs can also serve as pilots when
attached to diamond faced discs of a larger size. Or the pilot can
be a disc without the diamond abrasive. The pilot may be made of
plastic so that the interior of the tonehole is not damaged or
marked when rubbed against by the turning pilot disc.
[0014] A disc with diamond abrasive may have an upward or downward
angled or curved outer edge as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. The angle or
curve makes it possible to chamfer or de-burr the inner and outer
corners of the tonehole rim to remove any sharp edge that might
damage a pad that comes into contact with the tonehole rim.
[0015] Steel files have a tendency to chatter on the tonehole, thus
leaving an undesirable rough finish. Sandpaper abrasives such as
silicone carbide wear out much too quickly and are thus
unsatisfactory. Diamonds are the hardest material know. They
provide the best abrasion because they stay sharp and are extremely
resistant to wear. Diamond abrasives are widely used in the machine
tool industry and diamond/cutting tools are known for their
excellent durability. They cut fast and smooth and do a better job
than any other abrasive. Another super abrasive that could be used
in substitution for diamonds is Cubic Boron Nitride.
[0016] The diamonds may be attached to a thin metal sheet by
adhesive, plating or other bonding process and then the thin metal
sheet can be bonded to the disc by adhesive, solder, brazing,
welding or other method. The preferred method is to first machine
the surface of the disc so that it is flat and then bond or embed
the diamonds directly to the disc surface. One way to attach the
diamonds directly to the disc is to apply diamonds to the disc
surface and then electroplate the surface with nickel or other
metal so that the plating grabs or partially surrounds the diamonds
and holds them fast to the disc surface. This
diamond/electro-plating method is commonly used in the diamond tool
industry.
[0017] The diamonds may be attached to a non-metallic sheet 6 and
the sheet can then be attached to a rigid disc 1 by an adhesive or
bonding process as shown in FIG. 4. Diamond abrasives that are
first attached to a paper, mat or other material before being
attached to a rigid disc will also work well but the abrasive
surface may not be as perfectly dimensioned because of
irregularities in the paper, mat or the adhesive layer that is used
to bond the abrasive to the rigid disc. For the tonehole file to
work well, the abrasive should have an excellent planar flatness so
that the rim of the tonehole is abraded perfectly flat. Using a
mat, paper layer or other non-metallic substrate between the
diamonds and the rigid disc is usually not as durable or desirable
and may be subject to premature failure. There are several methods
of attaching diamond abrasives to rigid discs and some will provide
better service than others. The present invention includes all of
these methods whether or not they are specifically mentioned.
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