BRIDGE LOCKER DEVICE

DISPOSITIF DE BLOCAGE DE CHEVALET

English Abstract

ABSTRACT
The floating guitar bridge is a common mechanical device
attached to a guitars' strings and body which allows the guitar
player to raise or lower the pitch of the guitar strings. This
type of bridge is generally called a floating bridge because it is
not stable. In other words, the floating bridge has a tendency to
move while playing the guitar which can cause many problems. The
BRIDGE LOCKER is a guitar bridge locking mechanism which locks
floating type mechanical string bending guitar bridges thus
disabling the floating bridges' ability to move forwards or
backwards, thus making the bridge stable or locked in position.
the object of the BRIDGE LOCKER device is to allow the guitar
player to lock and un-lock the floating function of the floating
guitar bridge without hindering the guitarist's playing style.
the novelty of the BRIDGE LOCKER is that it locks the bridge to
the body of the guitar. Prior art relative to this subject matter
teaches a guitar having a bridge with locking mechanisms which
lock the strings to the bridge or the position of the tremolo arm.

Claims

Claim 1:
A bridge locking device,
for use with a stringed musical instrument comprising an instrument body and a
floating bridge with tremolo arm,
said bridge locking device comprising:
(a) a grooved member and grooved member holder adapted to be securely fastened
to the instrument body, and
(b) a tongue secured to said tremolo arm, said tongue configured to slide in
and out of said groove as the tremolo arm is rotated, so that a player
can, by changing the rotational position of the tremolo arm, select
whether to operate the instrument in a locked-bridge or in a floating-
bridge mode of operation, characterized in that the grooved member is
adapted to be mounted to the instrument body in such a way that the tongue
can enter and depart from the groove at either side of the groove.
Claim 2:
The bridge locking device of claim 1 further characterized in that the grooved
member is adjustably secured to the grooved member holder, so that the
orientation of the groove, with respect to the instrument body, may be adjusted
to suit the player.

Claim 3:
The bridge locking device of claim 1 or 2 further characterized in that the
outside arc of the tongue has a ridge of increased thickness, so as to reduce
the amount of contact area between tongue and groove.


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Description

BAC~G~QUND OF THE INv~NElQ~
Vibrato systems (or tremolo 6ystems) are well known a6 shown
for example in U.S. patont #4681010, or 4171661, or 4608g06.
These system~ are generally sold as an attachment to existing
guitars and c~n be operated by way of a tremolo arm (or actuating
lev~r) to simultaneou~ly relax or increase the tension oS all the
strings of the guitar, thereby de-tuning it.
Existing vlbrato eystems have the disadvantage of constantly
belng in an unstablo state due to the f~ct that they are on a
pivot ~yste~ which gives the vibrato device the ability to move
forward and bnckward whic~ is not always desirable in ~any
playing conditions where a fixed or stable bridge i~ required.
Many guitari~ts would consider it d~sirablo to have a vibrato
system that offerad both a moving vibr~to type action and a fixed
action where the bridqe does not move.

SUN~U~L QF THE INv~E~ IQN
The pre~ent invention ~THE BRIDGE LOCKER" overcomes the
probleus of the prlor art by providing a ~y~tem which effectively
lock~ the vibrato ~y~te~ to the body of the guitar thus addressing
the need ~or a fixed or non-moving bridge and can be unlocked to
roturn the vibrato ~ystea to its original state without altering
the players ~tyle. This i~ acco~pli~hed by having a tongue
attached to the arm which engaqe~ it self with a groove whlch is
attached to the body of the guitar thus for~ing a tongu~ and
groovo typ~ ~olnt whioh can be made or undone by ~oving the arm.
The novelty of thq bridge locker iB that it lock6 the bridge to
the body of the guitar. Prior ~rt teaches a guitar having a bridge
with locking ~echanis~s which lock the string~ to the bridge or
the position of the tremolo ar~.




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This invention relates to a manually operated device for
locking and unlocking floating guitar bridqe6 to the body or the
guitar. From here on in thi~ device shall be know~ as a ~'BRIDGE
LOCKERn .
Part #1 (re: Diagrams for Di~closure Page #1 & #3) i6 the
~tonguen. The tongue is manufactured on a machinist lathe from 1
inch round aluminum stock. The hole on the tongue (re: diagram~
for dlsclosure Page #4 top view) i8 done with a drill pre6s. The
two threaded hole6 ~re: diagrams for disclosure Page #4 top view
and page 7)are done wit~ a drill press and then threaded with a
tap.
P~rt #2 (re: Diagram~ for disclosure pate #1,3~ is the
"groove". The groove i8 made from 3/8 ~quare aluminum stock.
First the aluminum i6 cut in 5/8" lengths with a band ~aw. The
810t i~ cut with a horizontal milling machine. Tne two thread
holes (re: ~iagram~ for di6closure pag #4) are done with a drill
press and then threaded with a tap.
Part #3 (re: Diagrams for di6clo~ure Page #1,3) iB the
~groove holdern. The groove holder iB m~de from 1/2" X 3/4"
aluminum angle iron. Flr~t th~ alu~inu~ angle iron is cut on
band 5aw to a length of 5/8~. Two slots are cut into the 5/~"
piece of alu~inum angle iron with a drill mill.
Part #4 (re: Diaqra~s for dis¢losure Paqe #2,3,4) i8 the
~plate washern. The plate washer 18 m~de from 1~32" sheet
aluminum. The sheot aluminum i~ cut with a ~hear to a dimension
of 3/8~ X 5/8" and then two holes are drilled through the 3/8" X
5/8" piece of sheet aluminum with a drill pr~s.
Part #5 (re: Diagr~m~ for disclosure Page t2,3) is the wood
~crews. Wood screws are a commonly available part which is
purcha~ed at a hardware store ~nd is not manufactured by the
inventors.
Part t6 (re: Diaqrams for di~closure Page #2,3) i~ the allen
~et ~Grews. Allen ~et scr~ws are a commonly available part which
i~ purcha~ed at a hardware store and i8 not manufactured by the
invontors. Two are to fasten the tongue to the ~r~ and two are
used to raise, lower, and orfset the groove.
Part t7 (re: Diagram~ or di~closure P~ge #2,3) i8 the socket
head machino ~crew~. Socket head machlne screws are a com~only
available part wnich 18 purcha~ed at a hardware ~tore and lo not
manufactured by the lnventors.
Wben all of the afSormentioned component~ are a~sembled one
has ~ ~brldgo lockern. The steps involved in assembling the
~bridge lockor~ are cle~rly and consicely explained in the
documont entitled ~How to in6tall and operate the "Bridge Locker".
Thi8 docu~ent fully describes the op~ration and use of thi~
invention as contemplated by the invontors. The ex~miner can use
this document to aid in vi6ualizing the overall scopo of the
invention and should be consldered a8 part of the disclo6ure.
RE: Description of the preferred e~bodiment)



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HOW ~O INS$AL$ AN~ Q~ERATE THE BR~ LOCK~
STEP 1: Attach the tongue to the arm. This ls done by pushing the
arm through the hole in the tongue a~ best ~hown in Fig. 1
and lA.
STEP 2: Secure the tongue to the arm by tigntening the Allen set
screws as best snown in Fig. 2 and 3. The tongue should
be in line with the arm~ Tnl8 i8 just a re~erence point
and can be a~justed as best shown in Fig. 2. The Allen
screws should be ~ust snug. This will allow you to mak~
a final adjustment later as best ~hown in Fig. 3.
STEP 3: Put the arm with tongue into the arm receptacle on the
guitar's bridge as best shown in Fig. 4 and 5.
STEP 4: Loo~en the Allen ~et screws on the tongue 80 that it can
be moved up and down on the arm. Adjust the height of the
tongue ~o that the tongue does not touch the bridge as best
shown in Fig. 6.
STEP 5: With the tongue facing the groove holder the groo~e holder
should be paralell to the bridge and 7/32" to 1/4" away from
the end of the tongue. Fasten the groove holder to the body
of the guitar with the two wood screws a6 best shown in
Fig. 7.
STEP 6: Fasten the groove to the groove holder with the two
machine screws between the groove holder an the ~achine
screws as be~t ~ho~n in Fig. 8 and 9. The m~chine ~crews
should be p~rtially loose 80 the ~roove can move up and
down on the groove holder. This is required to allow
ad~ustment~ to be ~ade.
STEP 7: Nove the tongue throuqh the groove. Use the two off6et
and height ~d~u6ting allen ~et ~crews to raise and or lower
and of f ~et the groove. Move the tongue throught the groove
and if they don't ~esh smoothly, ad~ust the orf~et and height
ad~uting allen set screws accordingly. If your bridge
locker does not h~ve thi~ option, ad~ust the groove manually.
After they are aligned gently tighten the two ~achine screws
a8 be6t shown if ~ig. 10 and 11.
STE~ 8: TNE BRIDGE LOCKER is now installed a~ be~t shown by Fig.
12 and 13 and sould require only periodlo adiustments, due
to the gultar strlngs fluctuating tonsion. ~he fluctuating
tension of the guitar strings is caused by temperature change
and wear. With the arm in it~ nor~al restlng po~ition as
best shown if Fig. 1~ the bridge i8 locked~ Since the tongue
which is attaahed to the arm ha~ engaqea with the groove
which is attached to the body via the groove holder, the
bridge locker doo~ not ahanqe the way one normally plays th~
guitar. Sinc~ it i8 only engaqed when the arm is not in u~e
in its nor~al ro~ting position a8 best ahown in Fig. 12, tne
~08t common po~i~ions Yor the arm when it i8 in use ~re best
~hown in Flg. 13~ IP th~ players style diatates that the
locked an unlocked position~ be different than the ones
illustrated in Fig. 12 and 13, the tongue attached to the
arm can ~o~o 360 deqrees thus allow~ng the locked and unlocked
position Or the bridge loaker to be determinod by the us~r.




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Representative Drawing