Bearing and shaft assemblies, including tuning keys and tuner assemblies for stringed instruments, methods of using bearing and shaft assemblies, and methods of making bearing and shaft assemblies

• Main Author: STEVENS LOWELL
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 31.12.2013
• Subjects: ACCORDIONS OR CONCERTINAS; ACOUSTICS; BLASTING; BRAKES; CLUTCHES; COUPLINGS FOR TRANSMITTING ROTATION; ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVEFUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; HEATING; LIGHTING; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PERCUSSION MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; PHYSICS; STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL; WEAPONS; WIND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS

Bearing and shaft assemblies include a shaft with at least one depressed region. A first one-way bearing can be positioned on the shaft in a manner such that the first one-way bearing facilitates clockwise rotation and resists counterclockwise rotation. A second one-way bearing can be positioned on the shaft in a manner such that the second one-way bearing facilitates rotation in the second direction and resists rotation in the first direction. The first one-way bearing and the second one-way bearing can be displaced axially along the shaft so the first one-way bearing, the second one-way bearing, or both one-way bearings is/are positioned around the one or more depressed regions of the shaft to facilitate rotation in one direction, both directions or neither direction, as described herein. Other aspects, embodiments, and features are also included.