u.s. patent 2,573,254 entitled "combination bridge and pickup assembly for string instruments", to...
TRANSCRIPT
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7/26/2019 U.S. Patent 2,573,254 entitled "Combination bridge and pickup assembly for string instruments", to Fender, 1951.
1/3
O c t .
3 0 ,
1 9 5 ] c _
| _ _
FENDER
2 , 5 7 3 , 2 5 4
COMBINATION
BRIDGE AND
PICKUP ASSEMBLY
FOR STRING
INSTRUMENTS
Filed
Jan.
15,
1950
Cuzeavce . f Z - W O G Q ,
I N V E N T O R .
Q7 O P / V 6 7 1 6
-
7/26/2019 U.S. Patent 2,573,254 entitled "Combination bridge and pickup assembly for string instruments", to Fender, 1951.
2/3
P a t e n t e d O c t . 3 0 , . 1 9 5 1
UNITED
STATES
lPATENT
2 , 5 7 3 , 2 5 4
OFFICE
25573 54
COMBINATION BRIDGE AND PICKUP S
SEMBLY FOR
STRINGINSTRUMENTS
C l a r e n c e L . F e n d e r , F u l l e r t o n , 0 . a l i f .
A p p l i c a t i o n January 1 3 , 1 9 5 0 , S e r i a l N o .
1 3 8 , 3 0 5
6 . 0 l a i m s .
1
My n v e n t i o n
r e l a t e s
t o c o m b i n a t i o n b r i d g e
and
pickup a s s e m b l i e s f o r
s t r i n g
i n s t r u m e n t s ,
and i n
; c l u d e d
i n
the o b j e c t s
o f
my
nvention a r e :
F i r s t , t o
provide
a
e v i c e
o f t h i s c l a s s which
i s
p a r t i c u l a r l y
s u i t a b l e f o r
e l e c t r i c a l l y
a m p l i ? e d
guitars o r
s i m i l a r
musical instruments
and which
. r i n c o r p o r a t e s
a n o v e l s e c t i o n a l b r i d g e p e r m i t t i n g
i n d i v i d u a l
adjustment o f t h e s t r n g s .
Second, t o p r o v i d e a d e v i c e o f t h i s c l a s s wherein
the p i c k u p
u n i t
m a y
b e a c c u r a t e l y a d j u s t e d r e l a
: t i v e
t o t h e s t r i n g s o f t h e i n s t r u me n t .
T h i r d ,
t o
p r o v i d e o n the w h o l e , a c o mpac t
assembly which , althougheconomical o f
manu
f a c t u r e and i n s t a l l a t i o n i s p a r t i c u l a r l y dependa
b l e
a nd
e f f e c t i v e
i n o p e r a t i o n .
With t h e
ab o ve a n d
o t h e r
o b j e c t s i n view a s
m a y
a p p e a r h e r e i n a f t e r , r e f e r e n c e i s m ad e
t o
t h e
accompanying
d r a w i n g s ,
i n
w h i c h :
Figure
l
i s
a top view o f
a
g u i t a r i n c o r p o r a t i n g
my
invention
~ F i g u r e Z i s an e n l a r g e d top
o r a p l a n
view o f my
combination b r i d g e and p i c k u p a s s e m b l y , t h e a d
; j a c e n t p o r t i o n s , o f t h e g u i t a r :body being shown
f r a g m e n t a r i l y .
F i g u r e 3 i s a
s e c t i o n a l
view
through
33 o f
F i g u r e 2 .
My
n v e n t i o n
i s shown
i n
c o n j u n c t i o n
with a
g u i t a r which i n v o l v e s a body I . The b od y m a y
be
s o l i d except f o r
a
r e c e s s 2 t o r e c e i v e
a
portion
o f t h e pickup
u n i t
a nd v e r t i c a l
h o l e s
3
which
r e c e i v e t h e s t r i n g s 4 o f t h e
i n s t r u m e n t .
The u n .
d e r s i d e o f t h e
body
i s p r o v i d e d with
s u i t a b l e
anchor ? t t i n g s
5 i n
which t h e
ends
o f
t h e
s t r i n g s
a r e s e c u r e d . T h e
s t r i n g s
pass over my bridge
and p i c k u p a s s e m b l y ,
t o
b e d e s c r i b e d
h e r e a f t e r ,
a n d extend in a c o nv entio nal manner over the
neck 6 o f the g u i t a r
and a r e
conventionally s e
cured t o
t h e head 1 t h e r e o f .
My b r i d g e and p i c k u p
assembly i n c l u d e s a
p l a t e
l l , p r e f e r a b l y formed o f s h e e t metal and
provided with a n end
?a n g e l 2
and s i d e ?anges
l 3 . T h e
p l a t e
I
i s p o s i t i o n e d over the
r e c e s s
2
and h o l e s 3 a n d i s secured
i n
p l a c e b y screws i 4 .
M o u n t e d o n
the
p l a t e
l
a r e three bridge mem
b e r s
l 5 ,
which form t h e p a r t s
o f
a s e c t i o n a l
b r i d g e .
Each
b r i d g e m e m b e r [ 5 i s i n t h e form
o f
a
s h o r t
c y l i n d e r
adapted t o u n d e r l i e two
s t r i n g s
4 . .
Each b r i d g e
m e m b e r i s
p r o v i d e d
near
i t s
e x t r e m i t i e s w i t h
d i a m e t r i c a l l y
e x t e n d i n g e l e
vation
s e t
screws
I S
the lower ends
o f which
pro
t r u d e
t h r o u g h
t h e
b r i d g e
m e m b e r
and
b e a r
a g a i n s t t h e p l a t e H.
E a c h
b r i d g e m e m b e r I 5 i s
a l s o
p r o v i d e d
with one t e n s i o n s e t screw H,
which
e x t e n d s
h o r i z o n t a l l y t h e r e t h r o u g h
and i s
j o u r
n a l e d
i n
t h e
end
?ange Q 2 . The s t r i n g s 4 p a s s
1 5
2 0 ;
25
3 0
3 5
4 0
45
5 0
55
( C l .
84-416
12
o v e r t h e i r - r e s p e c t i v e b r i d g e m e m b e r s a nd
e n t e r
v t h e
holest throug h-mating
p e r f o r a t i o n s
I 8 .
The l a t e
l l ispro vided with
a
c l e a r a n c e
s l o t
v l S i n r e g i s t r y with
the r e c e s s 2 . M o u n t e d
i n the
c l e a r a n c e
s l o t ISandextending
p a r t i c u l a r l y l n
t he recessaswell a s : p r o j e c t i n g i n the p l a t e l l , i s
~ a pickup unit 2 0 . T h e
pickup
unit i n c l u d e s a base
p l a t e 2 l
oinonmagnetic m a t e r i a l mountedwithin
: t h e
recess
2 , a n d
a d ju s t a bl y
s u s p e n d e d fromthe
p l a t e H
b y screws 2 2 . Surrounding the screws
' 2 2 ,
between
t h e
p l a t e
I l and t h e b a s e p l a t e
2
l , a r e
c o i l
s p r i n g s 1 2 4 . The b a s e
p l a t e , 2 ]
s u p p o r t s u p
standingpermanentmagnet a r m a t u r e s > 2 5 adapt
. [ e d r t o
b e - l o c a t e d i n alignment-with
t h e
s t r i n g s
m 4
o f v
theguitar. T he ar m atu re s a r e surrounded
b y p a o l e n o i d c o i l v 2 6 .
S u i t a b l e l e a d s
( n o t shown
- > e l e c t r i c a l l y ' c o n n e c t t h e
s o l e n o i d c o i l
, t o
: a c o n
- - v e n t i o n a l
a m p l i ? e r .
:The
u p p e r e x t r e m i t i e s - p f
f t h e armatures
- 2 5 ~ , a r e r e t a i n e d
i n
a
headplate
z ' i p a l s o p i v n o n m a g n e t i c m a t e r i a l .
The
p i c k u p l - u n i t j i s p r e f e r a b l y s u s p e n d e d ~ b y
. t h r e e s c r e w s , so p o s i t i o n e d thatthepickup . u n i t
: r n a y
b e
: t i l t e d s l i g h t l y e i t h e r about _an
: a x i s
t r a v e r s i n g r the s t r i n g s o r about a n a x i s p a r a l l e l
with the
s t r i n g s , s o
that
each a rm a t u re
may e
brought i n t o
t h e
p r o p e r
r e l a t i o n s h i p
with i t s
c o r
r e s p o n d i n g s t r i n g . F u r t h e r m o r e , i t has been
found d e s i r a b l e t o s e t t h e
pickup
u n i t
i n
a c u t e
a n g u l a r
r e l a t i o n
w i t h
t h e
s t r i n g s
r a t h e r
than a t
r i g h t a n g l e s
t h e r e t o .
I t has been found advantageous t o p l a c e
the
e l e v a t i o n s e t
screws 1 6 i n t o the
b r i d g e m e m b e r s
l 5
a t
a n
angle
t o
the v e r t i c a l ,
a s s h o w n best
i n
F i g u r e 3 . A l s o , t h e b r i d g e
m e m b e r s
a r e
d i s p o s e d ,
a t
s u ? i c i e n t d i s t a n c e
f ro m t h e end ?ange
l 2 , a n d
the tension s e t screws H are journaled s u f f i
c i e n t l y l o o s e l y i n t h e end f l a n g e t o a l l o w t h e nec
e s s a r y e l e v a t i o n adjustment o f t h e bridge mem
b e r s .
I t
w i l l be noted
that
each
b r i d g e
m e m b e r
[ 5 may b e t i l t e d ab o ut the
a x i s
o f the tension
screw
l 1 , s o that one
o f
the
s t r i n g s
supported b y
the b r i d g e
m e m b e r 1 5
may
e
a d j u s t e d
d i f f e r e n t l y
than
the
o t h e r .
I t
w i l l be o b s e r v e d t h a t b y
re ason o f
the adjustment
o f
the
s e t
screws [ 1 ,
t h e
d i s t a n c e
between t h e l e n g t h
o f
t h e
s t r i n g
may
e
adjusted f o r
proper noting o f
the
f r e t s .
H aving
f u l l y
d e s c r i b e d
my n v e n t i o n ,
i t
i s
t o
be understood
that I
do
not
wish
t o
be l i m i t e d
t o t h e
d e t a i l s h e r e i n s e t
f o r t h ,
but
my
n v e n t i o n
i s o f
the f u l l scope
o f the appended c l a i m s .
I
claim:
1 . A r i d g e assembly f o r
s t r i n g e d
m u s i c a l i n
s t r u m e n t s , i n v o l v i n g : a p l a t e m e m b e r a d a p t e d
t o be secured
t o
t h e b o d y o f a
s t r i n g e d
musical
instrument
a n d
apertured t o r e c e i v e
t h e
ends o f
-
7/26/2019 U.S. Patent 2,573,254 entitled "Combination bridge and pickup assembly for string instruments", to Fender, 1951.
3/3
2 , 5 7 3 , 2 5 4 ;
t h e s t r i n g s t h e r e o f ; a p l u r a l i t y
o f
b r i d g e b a r s
u n d e r l y i n g
s a i d
s t r i n g s ; m e a n s
f o r i n d i v i d u a l l y
r a i s i n g
and l o w e r i n g
s a i d
b r i d g e b a r s
r e l a t i v e t o
s a i d p l a t e ; a nd
m e a n s
f o r i n d i v i d u a l l y a d j u s t i n g
s a i d
b r i d g e
b a r s
a x i a l l y
w i t h
r e s p e c t
t o s a i d
s t r i n g s .
2 .
A o m b i n a t i o n b r i d g e and
p i c k u p
a s s e m b l y
f o r
s t e e l
s t r i n g e d
m u s i c a l
i n s t r u m e n t s ,
i n v o l v i n g :
a
p l a t e
m e m b e r adapted
t o
be secured t o the
b od y
o f
a
s t r i n g e d musical instru ment a n d aper
tured
t o
r e c e i v e the
ends
o f the
s t r i n g s
t h e r e o f ;
a l u r a l i t y o f b r i d g e bars underlying s a i d s t r i n g s ;
i i i e a n s f o r
i n d i v i d u a l l y r a i s i n g
and l o w e r i n g s a i d
b r i d g e b a r s r e l a t i v e t o s a i d p l a t e ;
m e a n s
f o r i n
d i v i d u a l l y a d j u s t i n g s a i d b r i d g e b a r s a x i a l l y w i t h
r e s p e c t t o s a i d s t r i n g s ; and
a
magnetic pickup
u n i t d i s p o s e d under s a i d
s t r i n g s
a d j a c e n t s a i d
b r i d g e b a r s .
3 .
A
o m b i n a t i o n
b r i d g e and
p i c k u p a s s e m b l y
f o r s t e e l s t r i n g e d m u s i c a l i n s t r u m e n t s , i n v o l v i n g :
, a p l a t e
m e m b e r adapted t o b e
s e c u r e d
t o a b o dy
o f a s t r i n g e d musical instrument a n d apertured
" t o "
r e c e i v e
t h e
e n d s
o f
t h e
s t r i n g s t h e r e o f ; a
p l u r a l i t y
o f b r i d g e b a r s u n d e r l y i n g
s a i d
s t r i n g s ;
i n e a n s r f o r i n d i v i d u a l l y
r a i s i n g and l o w e r i n g s a i d
b r i d g e b a r s r e l a t i v e t o s a i d p l a t e ; m e a n s
f o r
i n
d i v i d u a l l y a d j u s t i n g s a i d b r i d g e
b a r s
a x i a l l y w i t h
r e s p e c t t o s a i d s t r i n g s ;
a
magnetic pickup u n i t
s u p p o r t e d b y s a i d p l a t e a d j a c e n t s a i d b r i d g e b a r s ;
a n d m e a n s
f o r a d j u s t i n g
t h e spacing
o f s a i d
u n i t
r e l a t i v e t o s a i d s t r i n g s .
4 . T h e combination with a
s t r i n g e d
musical
instrument wherein a p l u r a l i t y o f s t r i n g s are
anc ho red
i n a b o d y s t r u c t u r e o f a bridge a s s em
b l y ,
i n v o l v i n g : a
b r i d g e
bar
d i s p o s e d
between
the
body
s t r u c t u r e a n d
each p a i r o f
s t r i n g s a d
j a c e n t t h e a n c h o r e d ,
e n d s t h e r e o f ; me an s a d j a
c e n t
t h e e x t r e m i t i e s o f s a i d
b r i d g e b a r s
t o
l t e r
t h e
e l e v a t i o n o f
each e x t r e m i t y t h e r e o f inde
p e n d e n t l y r e l a t i v e t o
s a i d
body
s t r u c t u r e ; and
me an s f o r i n d i v i d u a l l y a d j u s t i n g s a i d b r i d g e b a r s
l o n g i t u d i n a l l y r e l a t i v e t o
s a i d
s t r i n g s .
i
5. The
c o m b i n a t i o n
with
a
stringed mu si c al
instrument
wherein
a p l u r a l i t y
o f
s t r i n g s
a r e
1 0
1 5
20
25
30
3 5
40
4
anchored
i n a b od y s t r u c t u r e ,
o f
a b r i d g e a n d
p i c k u p a s s e m b l y , i n v o l v i n g : a b r i d g e
b a r d i s p o s e d
between
t h e
b o dy s t r u c t u r e
and
each
p a i r o f
s t r i n g s a d j a c e n t t h e
anchored
e n d s
t h e r e o f ;
m e a n s adjacent t h e e x t r e m i t i e s
o f s a i d b r i d g e
b a r s t o
a l t e r
t h e e l e v a t i o n o f each e x t r e m i t y
t h e r e o f i n d e p e n d e n t l y
r e l a t i v e t o s a i d body s t r u c
t u r e ;
m e a n s
f o r
i n d i v i d u a l l y a d j u s t i n g s a i d b r i d g e
bars
l o n g i t u d i n a l l y r e l a t i v e
t o
s a i d s t r i n g s ; a n d a
p i c k u p u n i t i n c l u d i n g e l e m e n t s
s e n s i t i v e t o v i b r a
t i o n
o f
s a i d s t r i n g s , a n d m e a n s f o r adjusting the
p o s i t i o n o f s a i d
s e n s i t i v e
elements r e l a t i v e t o
s a i d s t r i n g s .
6 . The combination with a s t r i n g e d musical
instrument
wherein
a
p l u r a l i t y o f s t r i n g s are
a n c h o re d
in a
b o d y
structure o f a
bridge
a s s e m
b l y , i n v o l v i n g : a p l a t e m e m b e r secured t o
s a i d
body s t r u c t u r e and a p e r t u r e d t o
r e c e i v e
s a i d
s t r i n g s , s a i d
p l a t e
having
a n
u p r i g h t
?ange and
de?ning a
clearance opening;
a
pickup unit
m o u n t e d
i n s a i d
c l e a r a n c e opening and i n c l u d i n g
s e n s i t i v e
e l e m e n t s d i s p o s e d i n p r o x i m i t y t o
s a i d
s t r i n g s ,
and m e a n s f o r a d j u s t i n g
s a i d
p i c k u p u n i t
about two axes t o p l a c e s a i d
s e n s i t i v e
elements
i n
predetermined
r e l a t i o n with
s a i d
s t r i n g s ;
a b r i d g e
bar d i s p o s e d between
s a i d
p l a t e and each p a i r o f
s t r i n g s
a d j a c e n t t h e
s t r i n g
a p e r t u r e s o f s a i d p l a t e ;
m e a n s adjacent
t h e e x t r e m i t i e s o f s a i d b r i d g e
b a r s t o a l t e r the e l e v a t i o n s t h e r e o f r e l a t i v e t o
s a i d b od y s t r u c t u r e ; a n d m e a n s anchored i n
t h e
?ange
o f s a i d p l a t e f o r
i n d i v i d u a l l y a d j u s t i n g
s a i d b r i d g e
b a r s
l o n g i t u d i n a l l y r e l a t i v e t o
s a i d
s t r i n g s .
CLARENCE . FENDER.
REFERENCES CITEDv
The following references are o f
record
i n the
f i l e
o f t h i s p a t e n t :
UNITED
STATES
PATENTS
Number Name Date
2, 0 25 , 87 5 Loar _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
De c . 31,
1 9 35
2 , 0 8 7 , 1 0 6
H a r t
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ ' _ _
July
1 3 ,
1937
2 , 1 52 ,783 Beauchamp
_______ _ Apr 4,
939