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