Vibrato device for guitar
OwnerMartine TOBIASinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An improved Bigsby vibrato device for a guitar. The improved device includes a mechanical stop which ensures that the device returns to its original neutral position after being used, thereby preventing mistuning of the guitar. The mechanical stop may be a hard stop which prevents the device from increasing tension on the guitar strings (thereby raising the pitch) beyond the neutral position, or it may be a spring stop which allows the user to increase the tension on the strings beyond the neutral position by pulling upward on the device arm with a force sufficient to overcome the spring stop.
Claims15
A vibrato device for a guitar comprising:
- a frame configured for attachment to a guitar body;
- a rod supported by the frame and rotatable about its longitudinal axis relative to the frame;
- an arm attached to the rod such that movement of the arm causes rotation of the rod about its longitudinal axis;
- and a stop associated with the rod and configured to make a contact at a neutral position, wherein the stop comprises a spring stop further comprising:
- a stop plate attached for rotation with the rod;
- a pivot plate urged against the stop plate by a spring attachment wherein the pivot plate makes contact against the frame to establish the contact at the neutral position;
- and wherein the pivot plate is urged away from the stop plate by compression of the spring attachment when the arm is moved past the neutral position to a raised-pitch position.
(canceled)
13-18. (canceled)
A kit comprising:
- a mechanical stop;
- a bolt;
- a nut for securing the bolt to an arm of the Bigsby vibrato device;
- a thimble comprising an opening for receiving the bolt;
- a spring configured to be disposed about the bolt and within the thimble;
- a nut for securing the spring on the bolt such that the spring makes contact against an underside of a top of the thimble at a neutral position of the arm of the Bigsby vibrator device and is compressed when the arm is pulled upward by a user of the Bigsby vibrato device;
- and a means for attaching the mechanical stop to a Bigsby vibrato device.
(canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.