u.s. patent 2,148,589, entitled "neck construction of stringed musical instruments", to...
TRANSCRIPT
-
7/25/2019 U.S. Patent 2,148,589, entitled "Neck Construction of Stringed Musical Instruments", to Epiphone-1939.
1/3
2 , 1 4 8 , 5 8 9
e b .
2 8 ,
1939.
E . A . STATHOPOULO
NECK
CONSTRUCTION
O F STRINGED
MUSICAL
INSTRUMENTS
Filed
A u g . 2 ,
1937
\NVENTOR
6 }
1 S i a i l m ? a u l a
Y
ATTORNEY
-
7/25/2019 U.S. Patent 2,148,589, entitled "Neck Construction of Stringed Musical Instruments", to Epiphone-1939.
2/3
P a t e n t e d
F e b .
2 8 ,
1 9 3 9
U N I T E D S T A T E S
2 , 1 4 8 , 5 8 9
P A T E N T
O F F I C E
2 , 1 4 8 , 5 8 9
NECK
CONSTRUCTION OF STRINGED
MUSICAL
INSTRUMENTS
- E _ _ p i
A . S t a t h o p o u l o , New
Y o r k , N .
_ Y . , a s s i g n o r
t o
Epiphone I n c . , New o r k ,
N .
Y . ,
a c o r p o r a
t i o n . o f
ew
York
A p p l i c a t i o n A u g u s t 2 , 1 9 3 7 , S e r i a l N o .
1 5 6 , 9 2 9
4
C l a i m s .
The p r e s e n t
i n v e n t i o n
r e l a t e s t o s t r i n g e d musl
c a l i n s t r u m e n t s
such a s
g u i t a r s ,
b a n j o s ,
v i o l i n s
an d
t h e
l i k e , an d more p a r t i c u l a r l y
t o
t h e
ne ck
c o n s t r u c t i o n
o f
such
i n s t r u m e n t s .
The p r i n c i p a l o b j e c t
o f
t h e p r e s e n t i n v e n t i o n i s
t o
provide an improved neck c o n s t r u c t i o n
o f
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 which w i l l e i f e c t i v e ~
l y r e s i s t t h e s e v e r e s t r a i n
t o
w hi c h i t i s s u b j e c t e d
by
t h e
s t r i n g s , > a n d t h u s
a v o i d t h e
l i a b i l i t y
o f t h e
1 0 n e c k , which i s g e n e r a l l y c o n s t r u c t e d o f wood t o
b e n d
a n d t w i s t o u t o f
i t s
proper shape and a l i g n
m e nt
due t o su c h
s t r a i n . Another o b j e c t o f the
p r e s e n t i n v e n t i o n
i s t o
p r o v i d e such improved
neck
c o n s t r u c t i o n , which
w i l l
a l s o r e s i s t t h e t e n d
v l 5 e n c y o f
the
n e c k t o
warp
a s a r e s u l t o f
c h a ng i ng
c l i m a t i c
and
a t m o s p h e r i c c o n d i t i o n s . A u r t h e r
o b j e c t o f
t h e i n v e n t i o n
i s
t o p r o v i d e
me a n s
f o r
t h e p u r p o s e s
a f o r e s a i d which i s s i m p l e i n s t r u c
t u r e ,
i n e x p e n s i v e
t o
manufacture
and
e f f i c i e n t
i n
2 0
u s e .
Other o b j e c t s an d
advantages o f
the p r e s
e n t i n v e n t i o n w i l l
i n
p a r t
bepointed
o u t h e r e i n
a f t e r a n d w i l l i n p a r t be
o b v i o u s
t o
t h o s e
s k i l l e d
i n t h e a r t
t o whi c h
t h e p r e s e n t i n v e n t i o n
r e l a t e s .
With t h e above and o t h e r o b j e c t s i n v i e w , t h e
2 5
p r e s e n t
i n v e n t i o n c o n s i s t s o f t h e n o v e l f e a t u r e s
o f
c o n s t r u c t i o n , combination o f
e l e m e n t s ,
and
a r
rangement-of p a r t s h e r e i n a f t e r d e s c r i b e d and i l
l u s t r a t e d
i n
t h e accompanying d r a w i n g , w h e r e i n
t h e r e
i s
s h o w n t h e p r e f e r r e d e mb o d i me nt
o f my
30 invention
In t h e accompanying
drawing
which forms an
i n t e g r a l p a r t o f
t h i s
s p e c i ? c a t i o n ,
F i g .
1 i s a top plan view
o f
a
n e c k
portion
o f
a
g u i t a r ,
t h e
? n g e r b o a r d
b e i n g
p a r t l y
b r o k e n
away
3 5 to s h o w
t h e u n d e r l y i n g c o n s t r u c t i o n
which
i s
i n
a c c o r d a n c e with
t h e
p r e s e n t i n v e n t i o n ;
F i g . 2 i s a l o n g i t u d i n a l s e c t i o n a l
v i e w
o f t h e
neck p o r t i o n o f s a i d g u i t a r ;
a nd
F i g . 3 i s a
c r o s s - s e c t i o n a l
view taken o n
the
40
l i n e
0 f
1 .
R e f e r r i n g n o w t o t h e drawing wherein
l i k e
r e f
e r e n c e c h a r a c t e r s i n d i c a t e c o r r e s p o n d i n g
p a r t s
throughout
t h e s e v e r a l v i e w s , I
0
r e p r e s e n t s
t h e
b o d y
o f
t h e instrument a nd
r e p r e s e n t s
t h e neck
4 5
t h e r e o f whichis
connected t o
t h e b o d y i n t h e
con
v e n t i o n a l
manner. The neck
l l
t e r m i n a t e s a t i t s
o u t e r end i n
a
head p o r t i o n
I 2 which c a r r i e s t h e
p e g s
[ 3
f o r t e n s i o n i n g o f t h e s t r i n g s 1 4 .
In
my
improved neck
c o n s t r u c t i o n
the
ne ck
l l
5 0 i s p r o v i d e d w i t h a l o n g i t u d i n a l c h a n n e l
I 5
formed
a l o n g
t h e ?ngerboard
s i d e t h e r e o f ,
which
c h a n n e l
e x t e n d s s u b s t a n t i a l l y
p a r a l l e l
t o and near t h e
?ngerboard
s i d e o f
the
n e c k
an d i s arranged c e n
t r a l l y o f
t h e
neck
and
extends fr o m
a
p o i n t
near
5 5 t h e
o u t e r end o f t h e n e c k , p r e f e r a b l y
s l i g h t l y r e
( C l .
8 4 - 2 9 3 )
m o v e d
from t h e head p o r t i o n , [ 2 ,
t o
t h e o p p o s i t e
o r inner e n d
o f
the n e c k . At the outer e n d o f
the
c h a n n e l
i i there
i s
provided a
t r a n s v e r s e
r e
c e s s
l 6 w hi c h i s adapted t o r e c e i v e
t h e r e i n
a n a p
e r t u r e d bearing b l o c k
l 1
a n d a s i m i l a r t r a n s v e r s ee c e s s
I 8 i s
provided i n t e r m e d i a t e t h e
ends o f
the
channel l 5 ,
p r e f e r a b l y
near
t h e
i n n e r end
t h e r e
o f , w hi c h r e c e s s
i s
adapted t o r e c e i v e t h e r e i n
an
o t h e r
bearing
b l o c k
l 9
w hi c h has
a
threaded
ap
e r t u r e t h e r e i n . The channel
I 5
i s designed t o r e - ' 1 0
c e i v e t h e r e i n
a
r i g i d
metal rod
2 0 wh i c h
s thread
e d through
t h e
threaded a p e r t u r e
i n
t h e b l o c k l 9
a n d s p r o v i d e d
a t
o n e e n d
with
a reduced
portion
2 |
w hi c h
i s journaled i n
the
b l o c k
I
an d
a t the
other
e n d
with a wrench-faced
portion 2 2 wh i c h l :
m l
i s
adapted t o b e engaged by a s u i t a b l e
key
f o r r o
t a t i n g t h e rod 2 0 . At t h e l o w e r end o f t h e cha n
n e l
i s
a
r e c e s s
2 3 t o permit
a c c e s s
o f
the
key
t o
the
r o d .
Th e channel
l 5
an d
t h e
t r a n s v e r s e r e c e s s e s
I 6
1 , 9 0
a n d 1 8 a r e
p r e f e r a b l y
o f suchdepth t h a t t h e r o d
2 0 a n d the b l o c k s l 1 an d
I )
w hi c h a r e arranged
t h e r e i n
l i e s u b s t a n t i a l l y f l u s h
w i t h t h e ?nger
board s i d e o f t h e
n e c k .
The channel an d s a i d
r e c e s s e s
may however be f u r t h e r
d e p r e s s e d
i f
de
s i r e d ,
a n d i n
t h a t
e v e n t a s u i t a b l e ? l l e r - p i e c e may
b e / s e t over the
rod
a nd b l o c k s but
i t i s
e s s e n t i a l
t o the proper o p e r a t i o n
o f
t h e d e v i c e t h a t the rod
Z O - b e s u b s t a n t i a l l y p a r a l l e l t o t h e ? n g e r b o a r d s i d e
o f
the
n e c k an d t h a t the
b l o c k s
I
a n d
I 9 an d rod
: 3 0
2 0
b e
d i s p o s e d
near
s a i d ?ngerboard
s i d e .
Cover
i n g
t h e
upper s i d e o f t h e neck i s t h e ?nger
b o a r d 2 4 .
The
metal
rod
2 0
an d
the b l o c k s
l 1 an d I 8
s e r v e
t o r e s i s t
bending and
t w i s t i n g o f
t h e
neck
from
i t s n o r m a l
p o s i t i o n
and
t o
c o u n t e r a c t t h e
s t r a i n s
t o which
t h e
neck i s
s u b j e c t e d
by t h e s t r i n g s .
Should
t h e
neck have
a
tendency
t o b o w due t o
t h e c o n s t a n t
s t r a i n o f
t h e s t r i n g s , t h e
c o n d i t i o n
m a y
b e
c o n v e n i e n t l y c o r r e c t e d by
a p p l y i n g t h e 1 )
key t o t h e end
p o r t i o n
2 2 o f therod 2 0 a n d r o t a t
i n g the r o d . In
s o
doing the
b l o c k s w i l l
b e
f o r c e d
apart a n d the rod
2 0
w i l l e x e r t a tensioning
o r
s t r e t c h i n g
f o r c e a l o n g t h e ?ngerboard s i d e o f t h e
ne ck w hi c h f o r c e w i l l
r e s t o r e
the ne ck t o
i t s
d e
s i r e d s t r a i g h t c o n d i t i o n .
The
b l o c k s
l 1 a nd I 9
b e i n g t r a n s v e r s e l y
d i s p o s e d
r e l a t i v e t o
t h e n e c k
a nd imbedded t h e r e i n
w i l l
a l s o
t e n d
t o
r e s i s t
f
. t w i s t i n g a n d warning o f
t h e
ne ck
w hi c h may
e
s u l t fr o m e i t h e r
s t r a i n
o r c l i m a t i c an d atmos- ' 5 0
p h e r i c c o n d i t i o n s .
From the
above i t
w i l l be
apparent
t h a t my
improved neck c o n s t r u c t i o n o f 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 a s d e s c r i b e d
and
i l l u s t r a t e d i s s i m p l e
i n s t r u c t u r e and
e f f e c t i v e f o r
t h e
purposes
a f o r e -
5 5
-
7/25/2019 U.S. Patent 2,148,589, entitled "Neck Construction of Stringed Musical Instruments", to Epiphone-1939.
3/3
1 0
1 5
20
25
3 0
45
50
5 5
60
6 5
7 0
2
mentioned.
I t
i s
however
t o be
understood
that
I
do
not d e s i r e t o l i m i t myself t o the s p e c i ? c em
bodiment o f my n v e n t i o n hereinabove d e s c r i b e d
a n d i l l u s t r a t e d
i n
t h e
accompanying d r a w i n g , f o r
I am aware that variation may b e made in the
d e t a i l s o f c o n s t r u c t i o n whi c h
w i l l
n e v e r t h e l e s s
f a l l
within the
scope
o f
my nvention
a s
d e ? n e d in
th e appended
claims.
Having
t h u s
i l l u s t r a t e d a n d d e s c r i b e d my
i n
vention
what I claim
as
new and desire to secure
by
Letters Patent
i s :
1 . In
a
stringed
musical
instrument a n elon
gated neck h aving
a
?ngerboard s i d e ; a
? r s t
bear
ing block
secured
t o
s a i d
s i d e
n e a r o n e e n d
thereof
and h e l d
a g a i n s t
outward a x i a l m o v e m e nt with
r e s p e c t
t o
s a i d n e c k , s a i d b l o c k
b e i n g
d i s p o s e d
near s a i d ?ngerboard s i d e ;
a
second bearing b l o c k
secured t o s a i d
s i d e
near the o p p o s i t e e nd thereof
and h e l d
a g a i n s t
outward a x i a l m o v e m e nt with
r e s p e c t
t o
s a i d
n e c k ,
s a i d
b l o c k b e i n g d i s p o s e d
near
s a i d ? n ge rb o ard s i d e a n d having a
threaded
aperture therein;
a r i g i d
r od o f
a
length
greater
than
the
distance
between
the
? r s t
a n d
second
b e a r i n g b l o c k s ,
d i s p o s e d near a nd
s u b s t a n t i a l l y
p a r a l l e l t o the ?ngerboard s i d e o f s a i d n e c k , one
end
o f
s a i d
rod
b e i n g j o u r n a l e d f o r r o t a t i o n
i n
t h e ? r s t
b e a r i n g b l o c k a nd
h e l d a g a i n s t a x i a l
m o v e m e n t
with r e s p e c t t o s a i d b l o c k , a nd
the
o p
p o s i t e e n d o f s a i d
rod
being threaded f o r
a
sub
s t a n t i a l
p o r t i o n
o f
i t s
length a n d
threadedly
en
gaging
t h e
threaded
a p e r t u r e i n
t h e
second hear
i n g b l o c k ;
a n d m e a n s
f o r
r o t a t i n g
s a i d rod i n
the
event t h a t
the
o u t e r e n d
o f the ne ck
should
b o w
u p w a r d l y , r o t a t i o n o f s a i d rod f o r c i n g t h e b e a r i n g
b l o c k s apart t o thus e x e r t an outward a x i a l t e n
s i o n a l o n g t h e ?ngerboard s i d e o f t h e n e c k , which
t e n s i o n
w i l l
r e s t o r e t h e
neck
t o i t s d e s i r e d s t r a i g h t
c o n d i t i o n .
2 .
In
a stringed
musical
instrument a n e l o n
g a t e d
neck having an e l o n g a t e d a x i a l l y
e x t e n d i n g
channel
along t h e
?ngerboard s i d e t h e r e o f ; a
? r s t
bearing block
secured
in said
n e c k
n e a r o n e e n d
o f
s a i d
channel and h e l d againstcoutward a x i a l
m o v e m e n t with r e s p e c t
t o s a i d c h a n n e l , s a i d b l o c k
being
disposed near s a i d ? n ge rb o ard
s i d e ; a
s e c
o n d bearing block secured in said n e c k
near
the
o p p o s i t e end o f
s a i d channel and h e l d a g a i n s t o u t
ward a x i a l m o v e m e n t
with
r e s p e c t t o
s a i d
c h a n
n e l , s a i d
b l o c k
being
d i s p o s e d
near s a i d ?nger
board s i d e
a n d
having
a
threaded
aperture
t h e r e
i n ; a
r i g i d
rod
o f
a length g r e a t e r tha n the d i s
tance between
t h e
? r s t
and
second
bearing
b l o c k s ,
d i s p o s e d within s a i d
channel
a n d
p o s i t i o n e d
near
a nd s u b s t a n t i a l l y
p a r a l l e l
t o t h e
?ngerboard s i d e
o f
s a i d n e c k ,
one
e n d
o f
s a i d rod b eing journaled
f o r r o t a t i o n i n the ? r s t
bearing block
a n d
held
a g a i n s t a x i a l movement w i t h r e s p e c t t o s a i d b l o c k ,
a nd t h e
o p p o s i t e end o f s a i d
rod b e i n g
t h r e a d e d
for a
s u b s t a n t i a l portion
o f i t s length a n d
thread
e d l y engaging the threaded aperture i n the s e c
o n d bearing b l o c k ; a n d m e a n s
f o r
r o t a t i n g s a i d
rod within s a i d channel
i n
the event that the out
e r
e n d o f
the
n e c k
should b o w upwardly r o t a
t i o n o f
s a i d
rod f o r c i n g t h e b e a r i n g blocksapart
t o thus e x e r t a n a x i a l outward tension along
the
?ngerboard s i d e
o f the
n e c k ,
whi c h
t e n s i o n w i l l
r e s t o r e
the
neck t o i t s d e s i r e d s t r a i g h t
c o n d i t i o n .
3 . In a stringed musical instrument an elon
g a t e d
neck
having
an e l o n g a t e d
a x i a l l y
e x t e n d i n g
c h a n n e l a l o n g t h e
?ngerboard
s i d e
t h e r e o f , s a i d
channel being c l o s e d a t o n e
e n d
a n d o p e n a t i t s
2 , 1 4 8 , 5 8 9
o p p o s i t e e n d ,
s a i d neck having
a r e c e s s
near
t h e
o p e n e n d o f
the
channel extending
t r a n s v e r s e l y
across
and
communicating with said
c h a n n e l ; a .
? r s t
b e a r i n g
b l o c k having
i t s
o u t e r f a c e d i s p o s e d
a g a i n s t t h e
w a l l
de?ning t h e c l o s e d end o f
s a i d
c h a n n e l , s a i d b l o c k
b e i n g
d i s p o s e d
near
s a i d
? n
gerboard s i d e ; a second bearing
b l o c k
r i g i d l y r e
t a i n e d
within s a i d
r e c e s s an d having i t s
o u t e r f a c e
d i s p o s e d a g a i n s t
t h e
w a l l de?ning t h e o u t e r end
o f s a i d
r e c e s s ,
s a i d
block being
disposed
near
s a i d
?ngerboard s i d e a n d having
a threaded aperture
i n
alignment with s a i d channel; a r i g i d rod
o f
a
l e n g t h g r e a t e r than
t h e d i s t a n c e between
t h e
? r s t
a nd
s e c o n d b e a r i n g b l o c k s , d i s p o s e d w i t h i n s a i d
channel
a n d p o s i t i o n e d
near an d s u b s t a n t i a l l y
p a r a l l e l
t o
t h e ?ngerboard s i d e
o f s a i d
n e c k , one
end
o f
s a i d
rod
b e i n g j o u r n a l e d
f o r
r o t a t i o n i n
t h e
? r s t
b e a r i n g b l o c k a nd h e l d a g a i n s t a x i a l
m o v e m e n t with
r e s p e c t t o s a i d b l o c k , a n d
the
o p
p o s i t e e nd o f s a i d
rod
being threaded f o r a sub
s t a n t i a l
p o r t i o n o f i t s length a n d threadedly
en
gaging
t h e
threaded
a p e r t u r e i n t h e
second bear
1 0
1 5
20
ing block; and means
for
rotating said rod within 7
s a i d channel i n
the event that the
o u t e r e nd
o f
t h e neck should
b o w
upwardly r o t a t i o n o f s a i d
rod
f o r c i n g t h e b e a r i n g
b l o c k s
a p a r t t o t h u s e x e r t
an
outward a x i a l
t e n s i o n along
t h e
?ngerboard
s i d e o f
the
n e c k ,
which
t e n s i o n w i l l r e s t o r e
t h e
n e c k t o
i t s
desired straight condition.
4 .
In
a stringed
musical
instrument
a n
elon
g a t e d
neck having an
e l o n g a t e d a x i a l l y e x t e n d i n g
channel
formed a l o n g
t h e
?ngerboard s i d e t h e r e
o f ,
said
n e c k h a v i n g a
?rst recess
near
o n e e n d
thereof extending
transversely across
a n d c o m
municating with
s a i d
channeLand having a s e c
o n d
r e c e s s
near the
o p p o s i t e e n d
thereof extend
i n g t r a n s v e r s e l y a c r o s s
an d
communicating with
s a i d
channel; a ? r s t bearing b l o c k
r i g i d l y
r e
tained
within the
? r s t
r e c e s s
a n d
held
t h e r e i n
a g a i n s t outward a x i a l
m o v e m e nt w i t h
r e s p e c t t o
t h e l e n g t h o f s a i d neck
by engagement
with t h e
w a l l de?ning the o u t e r e n d
o f
s a i d
r e c e s s ,
s a i d
b l o c k b e i n g d i s p o s e d
near
t h e
?ngerboard s i d e o f
the ne ck an d having an aperture
i n
alignment
with
said
c h a n n e l ;
a
s e c o n d
bearing
b l o c k
r i g i d l y
retained within the sec o nd
r e c e s s
a n d held
there
i n a g a i n s t outward a x i a l
m o v e m e nt w i t h
r e s p e c t
t o t h e l e n g t h o f s a i d neck by
engagement
with t h e
w a l l
de?ning the o u t e r e n d
o f
s a i d r e c e s s , s a i d
bl ock being
disposed
near the ? ng e r b o a r d
s i d e o f
the n e c k a n d h a v i n g
a
threaded aperture
in
a l i g n -
m e nt with
s a i d
channel; a r i g i d rod
o f
a
length
greater
t h a n
the distance
between
the ?rst
a n d
second
b e a r i n g
b l o c k s ,
d i s p o s e d w i t h i n
s a i d
cha n
n e l
a n d
positioned
near andsubstantially p a r a l l e l
t o the ?nger boarddside o f
said
neck
o n e e n d
o f
s a i d rod having a reduced
p o r t i o n
j o u r n a l e d f o r
r o t a t i o n i n t h e a p e r t u r e i n t h e ? r s t b e a r i n g b l o c k
and
held a g a i n s t outward a x i a l m o v e m e n t with
r e s p e c t
t o s a i d b l o c k ,
a n d t h e
o p p o s i t e
end
o f s a i d
rod
b e i n g threaded f o r
a
s u b s t a n t i a l
p o r t i o n o f
i t s l e n g t h and t h r e a d e d l y
e n g a g i n g
t h e t h r e a d e d
aperture
i n
t h e
second
bearing b l o c k ; a n d m e a n s
f o r r o t a t i n g s a i d rod
within
s a i d channel i n the
event that
the
o u t e r e nd
o f s a i d n e c k
should
b o w
upwardly
r o t a t i o n
o f
s a i d
rod
f o r c i n g
t h e b e a r i n g
b l o c k s
a p a r t
t o thus e x e r t an outward a x i a l
t e n
s i o n
a l o n g t h e ?ngerboard s i d e o f t h e n e c k , which
t e n s i o n
w i l l
r e s t o r e
the
neck
t o
i t s
d e s i r e d s t r a i g h t
c o n d i t i o n .
EPI
A . STATI-IOPOULO.
2 5
30
40
65