US3169437A - Guitar attachment - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 16, 1965 R. E. J. DE LA RONDE ETAL 3,169,437

GUITAR ATTACHMENT Filed July 15, 1963 l/ l l I l I I l I l I I I I I t The device collectively designated United States Patent O 3,169,437 oUirAn ATTACHMENT Roy E. d. De La Ronde, 31 Rose Ave., and Garnet 0.

de Lucia, 153 Furby St., both of Winnipeg, lvianitoha,`

Canada v Filed `luly 1S, 1963, Ser. No. 294,926 j v Claims priority, application -)reat Britain, duly 16, 1962,

j ze s claims. ici. s4-zs7) This invention relates to new and useful improvements to attachments for guitars and has as its principal aim and object a means whereby a rhythm slap is obtained during the normal playing of the guitar by means of a pick.

Another object of this invention is to provide adevicev of the character herewithin described which can be utilized as a rhythm accompaniment, such rhythm normally lUl being applied by a player using brushes on a snare drum.

A yet further object of this invention is to'provide a device of the character herewithin described which is eas' FIGURE 2 is a View substanti illy along the lines'LZ---Z` of FIGURE l. 'l Y FIGURE 3 is a side elevation ofV the device.

ln thedrawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts inthe different figures.

Proceeding therefore tordescribe` this invention in dei tail, reference character l@ represents thetront surface A.of a guitar to one side of the strings (inthe pick' guard area), one string Vll beingy shown.

12 is preferably made ot plastic and comprises a base'llS, sides 14, and a topplate l-S making a substantially rectangular, hollow enclosure.

Situated within the enclosure and secured by the end 16 thereof to the base 13 by adhesive or the like, is an'elon-r gated flexible plastic strip 17, the end 18 of which extends through the open side 19 of the enclosure. and then'extends upwardly as shown at 2t). It will be noted that the end 16.

` The resiliency of they strip 17 normally maintains itin the uppermostposition but the actual position of the tip Zlkwithrelation to the string 1l can be adjusted' within limits byl means' of the adjustor 22; This adjusto'r 22 is mounted for par-tial rotation upon a pivot pin 23 and is substantially circular, in construction when viewed in plan. v However, an off-standing portion 24 engages the upper surface of ythe strip 17 so thatby rotating the portion 24 in the direction'ofithe double headedarrow-ZS, the posik strip is clear of the ybase 13 apart `from the attachingY tion of the tipZl is adjusted. Theportion"2;6`iof the adi y li? Patented Feb. 16, 1965 VICC justory 22 extending beyond the casing, provides for manipulation to rotate the portion 2d as hereinbefore described. A tension spring 27 surrounds the pivot pin 23 and lmaintains the adjuster 22 in the uppermost position as clearly shown in FIGURE 3. A stop 28 extends upwardly from the strip 17 adjacent the end 16 and limits s the rotation'of the adjustor in this direction.

In operation, the device is adhesively secured by the base i3 to the upper surface of the guitar lil so that the tipx 21 is approximately 1/16 of an inch away from the string lll, which string incidentally is the E or first string.

As the guitar is played in open chords, the pick automatically strikes the tip 21 after passing over the strings,

moving the strip i7 downwardly witha slapping action against the base 13 which in turn is transferred to the sound box of the guitar. Y The'sound is identical to a man playing brushes on a snare drum and is, of particularadvantage to singers who accompany themselves with open chords on a guitar. The

device'can be used for various types Vof picking, such asy IohnnyCash, Doc Williams 'and Carter Family styleetc. Whether playing fox trots, waltzes, rock and roll tempo etc. the device automatically adjusts itself to the tempo providing the hand movement is constantly steady.

. The'adjustor22 increases or decreases the volume of the rhythmic'sound which is particularly' useful when n doing radioand TV broadcasts.

Since various modiiications kcan be made in our invention as hereinabove described, and many apparentlyV i widely dierent embodiments of same made within .the spiritand scope of the claims without departing from.V

such spirit and scope, it is intended that all matter contained'in the accompanying specification shall be inter-k pretedr as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.

What we claim as our invention is: 1.'.An attachment for guitars adapted to be secured to `the pick guard area of the front surface ofthey guitar adjacent the strings thereof; said vattachment comprising in combination a hollow enclosure, and a ilexible stripk se-V c ured by one endwithin said enclosure, the Vother end of said strip extending through an apertured side of said euclosure adjacentthey strings of said guitar, an upturned pick engagingportionfformed on said other end, and pos"- tioned with respect to said strings so'that the conventional i pick strikesthe said other end of said strip after said *pick` @has passed oversaidstrings f f2. Thek device `according to claim 1 which includesr means within said enclosure to adjustV the limits of move-- *ment of said strip.

3L The device according to claim 2 in which said means includes an adjuster pivotally mounted for partial rotation within said casing, a portion'ofsaid Yadjustorextendi'ngk beyond said'casing, `an ott-standing portion extending from said adjustorand contacting the upper surface of said strip.V

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES lATENTS 186,169 Rofwbotham;; s -Jan. 9, 1877Y 398,176 -oeriein Feb. 19, `1889

Claims (1)

1. AN ATTACHMENT FOR GUITARS ADAPTED TO BE SECURED TO THE PICK GUARD AREA OF THE FRONT SURFACE OF THE GUITAR ADJACENT THE STRIKING THEREOF; SAID ATTACHMENT COMPRISING IN COMBINATION A HOLLOW ENCLOSURE, AND A FLEXIBLE STRIP SECURED BY ONE END WITHIN SAID ENCLOSURE, THE OTHER END OF SAID STRIP EXTENDING THROUGH AN APERTURED SIDE OF SAID ENCLOSURE ADJACENT THE STRINGS OF SAID GUITAR, AN UPTURNED PICK ENGAGING PORTION FORMED ON SAID OTHER END, AND POSITIONED WITH RESPECT TO SAID STRINGS SO THAT THE CONVENTIONAL PICK STRIKES THE SAID OTHER END OF SAID STRIP AFTER SAID PICK HAS PASSED OVER SAID STRINGS.

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