USOO8609965B2 (12) United States Patent (10) Patent No.: US 8,609,965 B2 Hendricks (45) Date of Patent: *Dec. 17, 2013 (54) HAND ACTUATED TREMOLOSYSTEM FOR (52) U.S. Cl. GUITARS USPC ............................................................ 84/313 (58) Field of Classification Search (71) Applicant: Predice D. Hendricks, Little River, SC USPC ........ 84/307, 315, 308,309, 297 R, 298, 299 (US) See application file for complete search history. (72) Inventor: Predice D. Hendricks, Little River, SC (56) References Cited US (US) U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS (*) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this ck patent is extended or adjusted under 35 7,838,751 B2 * 1 1/2010 Hendricks ....................... 84/313 U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days. * cited by examiner This patent is subject to a terminal dis- Primary Examiner — Kimberly Y Lockett claimer. (74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm — Carlos R. Villamar; The (21) Appl. No.: 13/680,039 V111881 Firm PLLC (57) ABSTRACT (22) Filed: Nov. 17, 2012 A tremolo device with a movable bridge, an adjustment (65) Prior Publication Data device, and a Support frame is implemented on an acoustic guitar, with features that can also be employed on an electric US 2013 FOOT4675A1 Mar. 28, 2013 guitar or other stringed instruments. The movable bridge holds Strings of the musical instrument intension. The adjust O O ment device. Such as a tremolo bar, moves the bridge to Related U.S. Application Data change the tension of the strings. The Support frame engages (60) Continuation of application No. 12/950,547, filed on the bridge at a first area and engages the musical instrument at Nov. 19, 2010, now Pat. No. 8,314,317, which is a a larger second area. When the tremolo device is used, the division of application No. 1 1/671,527, filed on Feb. 6 Support frame receives a force over the first area and transmits 2007, now Pat No. 7,838,751. a corresponding force to the musical instrument over the s • L vs - sy--- Y-s a- - - larger second area, reducing the pressure that would be expe (60) Provisional application No. 60/765,174, filed on Feb. rienced by the musical instrument. The Support frame also 6, 2006. transmits string vibration received through the bridge to the instrument body to produce proper acoustic tones. (51) Int. Cl. GOD 3/00 (2006.01) 14 Claims, 25 Drawing Sheets 28 25 26 26 U.S. Patent Dec. 17, 2013 Sheet 1 of 25 US 8,609,965 B2 FIG. IA FIG. IB U.S. Patent Dec. 17, 2013 Sheet 2 of 25 US 8,609,965 B2 s U.S. Patent Dec. 17, 2013 Sheet 3 of 25 US 8,609,965 B2 FIG. 2 U.S. Patent Dec. 17, 2013 Sheet 4 of 25 US 8,609,965 B2 - 20 o O O o O OO 146) O) (G) to 15A 17 15A FIG. 3B 17A 19A 2) 21A 3 16A FIG. 3E U.S. Patent Dec. 17, 2013 Sheet 5 Of 25 US 8,609,965 B2 U.S. Patent Dec. 17, 2013 Sheet 6 of 25 US 8,609,965 B2 FIG. 5 U.S. Patent Dec. 17, 2013 Sheet 7 Of 25 US 8,609,965 B2 300 34 34 300 35 o 600 goof 600 6 35 ego U.S. Patent Dec. 17, 2013 Sheet 8 of 25 US 8,609,965 B2 U.S. Patent Dec. 17, 2013 Sheet 10 of 25 US 8,609,965 B2 FIG. I2 U.S. Patent Dec. 17, 2013 Sheet 11 of 25 US 8,609,965 B2 FIG. I.3 U.S. Patent Dec. 17, 2013 Sheet 12 of 25 US 8,609,965 B2 FIG. I.4 U.S. Patent Dec. 17, 2013 Sheet 13 Of 25 US 8,609,965 B2 FIG. I.5 U.S. Patent Dec. 17, 2013 Sheet 14 of 25 US 8,609,965 B2 U.S. Patent Dec. 17, 2013 Sheet 15 Of 25 US 8,609,965 B2 U.S. Patent Dec. 17, 2013 Sheet 16 of 25 FIG. I.3 U.S. Patent Dec. 17, 2013 Sheet 17 Of 25 FIG. 19 U.S. Patent Dec. 17, 2013 Sheet 19 Of 25 US 8,609,965 B2 FIG 21 U.S. Patent Dec. 17, 2013 Sheet 20 of 25 US 8,609,965 B2 FIG. 22 U.S. Patent Dec. 17, 2013 Sheet 21 of 25 US 8,609,965 B2 FIG. 23 U.S. Patent Dec. 17, 2013 Sheet 22 of 25 US 8,609,965 B2 U.S. Patent Dec. 17, 2013 Sheet 23 Of 25 US 8,609,965 B2 FIG. 25 US 8,609,965 B2 1. 2 HAND ACTUATED TREMIOLOSYSTEM FOR which the fixed bridge is made. Prior art tremolo systems are GUITARS not capable of transferring the vibration of the acoustic guitar strings through the bridge plate in a manner consistent with CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED the production of acceptable guitar tone. Thus, the prior art APPLICATION metal device used with acoustic guitars would alter the Sound of an acoustic guitar in an undesirable manner. The present invention is a continuation application of U.S. Moreover, the prior art method for attaching tremolo patent application Ser. No. 12/950,547 of Predice D. HEN devices to an electric guitar makes them inappropriate for DRICKS, entitled “HAND ACTUATED TREMOLOSYS acoustic guitars. Threaded screws at least /2 inch in length go TEM FOR GUITARS filed on Nov. 19, 2010, now allowed, 10 into the top Surface of a Solid body guitar as anchors for the which is a divisional application of U.S. patent application standard tremolo device base plate. The String saddles are Ser. No. 1 1/671,527 of Predice D. HENDRICKS, entitled held against the top surface of the metal bridge plate by String HAND ACTUATED TREMOLO SYSTEM FOR GUI tension and by a screw through each saddle. The screws, TARS, filed on Feb. 6, 2007, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,838,751, which are perpendicular to the top of the guitar body, must which claims benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Patent 15 resist the full tension of the strings as well as remain upright Application Ser. No. 60/765,174 of Predice D. HEN against the rocking motion of the tremolo bridge when the DRICKS, entitled “HAND ACTUATED TREMOLOSYS device is in use. In a solid body guitar, enough wood Sur TEM FOR GUITARS. filed on Feb. 6, 2006, the entire dis rounds the screws to allow mounting and use of the tremolo closures of all of which are hereby incorporated by reference device without damage to the body of the instrument. Attach herein. ing a tremolo device to an acoustic guitar in the manner disclosed in the prior art with respect to electric guitar would BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION place excessive stress on the top sound board. As referenced in Machinery's Handbook, 21 Edition, under “Permissible 1. Field of the Invention Working Stresses for Structural Timbers (U.S. Government The present invention generally relates to musical instru 25 Tests), spruce (the type of material widely used for acoustic ments, and more particularly to hand actuated tremolo sys guitars) has the ability to withstand compression of 250 PSI tems for use with acoustic guitars, with features that can also perpendicular to the grain of the timber. With the thickness be used with electric guitars. required for acoustic guitars, /8 inch or less, spruce, with this 2. Discussion of the Background compression rating, is unable to Support the screws necessary Tremolo units are devices used to alter the pitch of a 30 for mounting a tremolo device of an electric guitar without stringed musical instrument, such as a guitar, by changing the severe damage to the top Sound board of an acoustic guitar. tension of the strings. Most embodiments of tremolo devices Further, the spruce top cannot resist the combined stress of generally increase or decrease the tension of the Strings when 400 lbs. oftension placed against the mounting screws by the a lever, also known as a tremolo bar, moves a bridge that holds strings. It is unable to Support the screws necessary for mount the Strings in tension. In general, tremolo units have been 35 ing Such a tremolo device without severe damage to the top exclusively designed for electric and semi-hollow body gui Sound board of an acoustic guitar. tars. Though a useful and expressive tool for the electric Another problem with tremolo devices, such as the Strato guitarist, prior art tremolo devices designed for use with caster style tremolo device, is an inability to return to the same electric guitars are generally not compatible with acoustic tension and remain in tune after the tremolo device has been guitars. 40 used. There are many factors in how a guitar returns to tune One type of tremolo has its roots in the Bigsby style of the after use of a tremolo device. For instance, the strings must 50's and 60’s. The unit is fastened to the face of the guitar, and not grab in the nut slots or on the bridge Saddles, or the a large arm mounted on a tensioning spring governs an axle breaking angle of the string over the nut must be correct. with six holes through which the strings pass. As the arm is Guitarists may work around this retuning problem by using depressed and the axle is turned, the tension and pitch of the 45 the tremolo lightly, using it only for the last song of a set, or strings is lowered.