Abstract:
A musical instrument string bending apparatus for a musical instrument having at least a first and second string is disclosed. The bending apparatus includes a bender lever pivotally secured to the musical instrument, a rocker arm pivotally secured to the instrument for varying the tension in the first string in response to movement of the bender lever between the first and second positions. A rocker arm mount secures the rocker arm to the first selected string in a first bending configuration or to the second selected string in a second bending configuration. The rocker arm is movable between the first selected string and the second selected string of the musical instrument.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/751,375, filed Jan. 11, 2013, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     This invention relates to the field of stringed instrument pitch changers. More particularly, this invention relates to a pitch changer capable of being readily swapped from a first pitch changing configuration to a second pitch changing configuration. 
     BACKGROUND 
     In a stringed instrument it is often desirable to change the pitch of sound produced by a vibrating string while the string is vibrating. This effect may be accomplished by sliding fingers or a steel bar down the string by stretching a string along a fret and perpendicular to the neck or by changing the tension on the string while it is vibrating. One method of changing the pitch of sound produced by a vibrating string is by placing a lever mechanism on or in a stringed instrument that is connected to the strings for facilitating the operation of changing the tension in one or more strings. 
     However, typical methods of changing the pitch of sound produced by a vibrating string either require great dexterity by a user or extensive modification to the guitar. Further, a lever mechanism as described above is installed on a stringed instrument, modification to the mechanism to change the desired change in pitch in a different string requires the replacement of multiple components of the mechanism and stringed instrument. Additional modifications may be required to compensate for a different type of string being adjusted. A thicker or thinner gauge string may require a different amount of adjustment to produce a desired change in the pitch of the string. 
     What is needed, therefore, is a pitch changer capable of being readily moved between one or more strings of the stringed instrument without requiring the replacement of multiple components of the stringed instrument. Additionally, a pitch changer is needed that is capable of being adjusted to compensate for different strings on which the pitch is desired to be adjusted. 
     SUMMARY 
     The aforementioned and other needs are fulfilled by one or more aspects of the invention disclosed herein. The present disclosure relates to a stringed instrument pitch changing apparatus for a changing the pitch in either a first string or a second string of the stringed instrument. 
     In a first aspect, the present disclosure provides a musical instrument pitch changing apparatus for a musical instrument having at least first and second musical strings. The pitch changing apparatus includes a bender lever pivotally secured to the musical instrument for moving between first and second positions, a bender saddle secured to the musical instrument for varying the tension in the first string in response to movement of the bender lever between the first and second positions, and a modified string mount for securing the bender saddle to the first selected string in a first bending configuration or to the second selected string in a second bending configuration. The bender saddle is movable between the first selected string and the second selected string of the musical instrument. 
     In one embodiment, the musical instrument string bending apparatus further includes a rocker arm secured to the bender saddle and a push block. The push block includes a first collector arm secured to and extending from the push block, and a second collector arm secured to and extending from the push block substantially opposite the first collector arm. The first collector arm engages the bender saddle in the first bending configuration, and the second collector arm engages the bender saddle in the second bending configuration. 
     In another embodiment, the first collector arm secured to the push block is vertically offset from the second collector arm secured to the push block. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Further advantages of the invention are apparent by reference to the detailed description in conjunction with the figures, wherein elements are not to scale so as to more clearly show the details, wherein like reference numbers indicate like elements throughout the several views, and wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a front view of a guitar according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a pitch changing apparatus according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a pitch changing apparatus according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a pitch changing apparatus according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a push block according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 6  is plan view of a guitar and mechanical drive according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a strap button and adjustment knob according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 8  is an illustration of a pitch changing apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 9  is an illustration of a pitch changing apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 10  is an illustration of a bender saddle according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 11  is a side view of a bender saddle according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 12  is an illustration of a mechanical drive according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 13  is an illustration of a mechanical drive according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure; and 
         FIG. 14  is an illustration of an adjustable vertical collector according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  depicts one embodiment of a guitar  10  including a body  12 , a neck  14 , one or more strings  16 , and a saddle plate  18  secured to the body  12  of the guitar  10 . A bender saddle  20  is pivotally mounted to the saddle plate  18  and secured to one of the one or more strings  16 . The remainder of the one or more strings  16  are secured to fixed saddles  22 . A bender lever  24  mounted on the guitar  10  actuates the bender saddle  20 . A strap  26  is connected to the bender lever  24  and extends over a shoulder of a user of the guitar  10  before being re-connected to the guitar at a strap button  28 . The user may vary the tension of the string secured to the bender saddle  20 , or “bend” the string, by moving the guitar  10  in a downward direction relative to the user of the guitar. Further, the guitar  10  may be readily reconfigured such that the bender saddle  20  actuated by the bender lever  24  is attached to a second string for varying the tension in the second string. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates one embodiment of a pitch changer  30  including the bender saddle  20  and a rocker arm  32 . The one or more fixed saddles  22  and the bender saddle  20  are secured to the saddle plate  18 . The bender saddle  20  is hinged on a modified string mount  34  that supports the bender saddle  20  and string  16  secured thereto while allowing the bender saddle  20  to pivot about the hinged connection to the modified string mount  34 . Each of the fixed saddles  22  and the modified string mount  34  are secured to the saddle plate  18  by adjustment screws  36  so that the position of the fixed saddles  22  and modified string mount  34  may be adjusted to adjust the length of the strings  16 , a process called intonation. In some embodiments, the position of the fixed saddles  22  may also be adjusted using one or more height adjustment screws  37 . 
     The rocker arm  32  is secured to the bender saddle  20  and extends into the body  12  of the guitar  10  through a first slot  38  formed in the saddle plate  18 . A second slot  40  is also formed in the saddle plate  18  for receiving the rocker arm  32  in a second configuration as described in more detail below. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , the rocker arm  32  extends through the saddle plate  18  and is positioned adjacent a push block  42  within the body  12  of the guitar  10 . The push block  42  includes a first collector arm  44  and a second collector arm  46  ( FIG. 4 ) extending substantially opposite the first collector arm  44  for contacting the rocker arm  32  in the second configuration. The first collector arm  44  is horizontally off-set from the second collector arm  46  as illustrated in  FIG. 5 . Alternatively, the first collector arm  44  and second collector arm  46  may be vertically offset from one another. By offsetting collectors  44  and  46 , the pitch changer may compensate for the throw length of different strings for bending. For example, a B-string and G-string of the guitar may require different amounts of variation in their tension to produce a desired pitch change. When the pitch changer is in a first configuration such that the bender saddle  20  and rocker arm  32  are secured to the B-string, the rocker arm  32  engages the first collector arm  44  to bend the B-string to produce a desired pitch change in response to movement of the bender lever  24 . When the pitch changer is in a second configuration such that the bender saddle  20  and rocker arm  32  extend through the second slot  40  of the saddle plate  18  for bending the G-string, the rocker arm  32  engages the second collector arm  46  that is substantially offset from the first collector arm  44  such that the same movement of the bender lever  22  produces the same desired pitch change in the G-string. 
     A mechanical drive provides a mechanical connection between the bender lever  24  and rocker arm  32  and is comprised of a rod  48 , a lever arm  50  ( FIG. 6 ), and the push block  42  ( FIGS. 4 and 5 ). The rod  48  is connected to the push block  42  and extends from the push block  42  in a direction that is perpendicular to the first collector arm  44  and second collector arm  46 . The rod  48  extends through the body  12  of the guitar  10  and is secured to the lever arm  50  located within the body  12  of the guitar  10  as shown in  FIG. 6 . The pitch changer  30  further includes a spring  54  ( FIG. 3 ) connected to the rod  48  for providing resistance to the bender lever  24  as it moves from a first position to a second position. The lever arm  50  is pivotally secured to the guitar  10  and is further secured to the bender lever  24  extending from the body  12  of the guitar  10 . As shown in  FIG. 7 , the bender lever may include a strap button  52  configured for receiving an end of the guitar strap  26 . 
     A bender lever stop  56  is positioned adjacent the bender lever  24  to limit the travel of the bender lever  24 . The bender lever stop  56  is connected to an adjustment knob  58  that allows the lateral position of the bender lever stop  56  to be adjusted, thereby limiting the distance that the bender lever  24  is allowed to travel in opening  53 . The bender lever  24  is held in the first position, illustrated in  FIG. 7 , by the spring  54 . The bender lever reaches the second position when it contacts the bender lever stop  56  as the user moves the guitar in a downward direction. 
     When the user desires to reconfigure the pitch changer  30  such that the tension of a second string is varied, the saddle plate  18  and bender saddle  20  are readily configured for mounting the bender saddle  20  and rocker arm  32  in a second position. For example, if the pitch changer  30  is in a first configuration for bending the B-string of the guitar  10  and the user desires to configure the pitch changer for bending a G-string of the guitar, a first step requires removing the B-string and G-string of the guitar. After removing the B and G-strings, the bender saddle  20  and rocker arm  32  secured thereto are removed from the guitar. The fixed saddle  22  in the G-string position is then removed from the guitar and installed in the B-string position where the bender saddle  20  was previously located. The bender saddle  20  is installed in the G-string position with the rocker arm  32  extending through the second slot  40  of the saddle plate  18  such that the rocker arm  32  is engaged by the offset second collector arm  46  of the push block  42 . 
     In one embodiment, the pitch changer  30  includes an arch block  57  ( FIG. 3 ) placed within the body  12  of the guitar  10  for anchoring the bender saddle  20  to the saddle plate  18 . Because the bender saddle  20  is allowed to pivot with respect to the guitar  10 , and because a string may be secured to the bender saddle  20  through the front of the bender saddle  20  as described below, the bender saddle  20  is anchored to the saddle plate  18  using the arch block  57 . The bender saddle  20  may include a fastener  59  ( FIG. 2 ) for securing the bender saddle  20  to the arch block  57 . The fastener  59  may be secured to the arch block  57  using a keyed sliding block  61  ( FIG. 14 ) such that the bender saddle  20  is allowed to slide forward or backwards using the adjustment screw  36  and then the saddle  20 , bridge plate  18  and sliding block  61  are locked to the arch block  57 . The arch block  57  is further configured to substantially block the second slot  40  when the pitch changer  30  is in the first configuration wherein the bender saddle  20  is installed in the first slot  38 . When the pitch changer  30  is reconfigured into the second configuration, the arch block  57  may be rotated substantially 180 such that the arch block  59  blocks the first slot  38  and provides an anchor for the bender saddle  20  when the bender saddle is positioned in the second slot  40 . 
     A second embodiment of a pitch changer  60  is illustrated in  FIG. 8 . In this embodiment, the pitch changer is “hot swappable,” wherein the pitch changer is capable of being configured in either a first configuration for bending a first string or a second configuration for bending a second string without requiring disassembly or removal of any of the pitch changer components or removal of the guitar strings  16  such that the pitch changer may be reconfigured while the guitar  10  is being played by the user. 
     The pitch changer of  FIG. 8  includes a selector knob or switch  62  secured to the bender lever  24 , a first lever arm  64 , a second lever arm  66  ( FIG. 9 ), a first bender rod  68 , a second bender rod  70 , a first vertical collector  72 , a second vertical collector  74 , a first bender saddle  76 , and a second bender saddle  78 . The strap  26  is connected to the bender lever  24  and extends over a shoulder of a user of the guitar  10  before being re-connected to the guitar at the strap button  28 . The user may vary the tension of a first string secured to the first bender saddle  76  by moving the guitar  10  in a downward direction relative to the user of the guitar. When the user desires to change the configuration of the pitch changer  60 , the selector knob  62  is pulled and rotated substantially 90°, thereby disengaging the first string and first bender saddle and engaging a second string secured to the second bender saddle and allowing the user to vary the tension of the second string by moving the guitar  10  in a downward direction relative to the user of the guitar. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 9 , the first bender saddle  76  and adjacent second bender saddle  78  are pivotally secured to a first bender saddle mount  80  and a second bender saddle mount  82 . The first bender saddle mount  80  and second bender saddle mount  82  are secured to the saddle plate  18 . The first and second bender saddles  76  and  78  include a cam portion  84  and a rocker arm  86  ( FIGS. 10 and 11 ), the rocker arm  86  extending into the body  12  of the guitar  10 . The first and second bender saddles  76  and  78  also include an adjustable vertical collector  88  slidably secured to the rocker arm  86 . A threaded adjustment rod  90  extends along the length of and parallel to the rocker arm  86  and threadably engages the adjustable vertical collector  88 . The cam portion  84  includes an aperture  92  for accessing the adjustment rod  90  with a tool, such as a hex key or a screwdriver, for rotating the adjustment rod  90  in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction. 
     Referring again to  FIG. 9 , a mechanical drive  94  transfers force caused by the movement of the bender lever  24  from a first position to a second position to the first bender saddle  76  or second bender saddle  78  depending on the position of the selector knob  62 . The mechanical drive  94  includes the bender lever  24 , the first lever arm  64 , the second lever arm  66 , the first bender rod  68 , and the second bender rod  70 . The mechanical drive  94  further includes a central lever arm  96  ( FIG. 12 ) secured to the bender lever  24  and a central bender rod  98  secured to the central lever arm  96  and further secured to a return spring  100  ( FIG. 8 ). The bender lever  24  includes a sleeve  101  slidably positioned around the bender lever  24 , the sleeve  101  including a first pin  102  extending from the sleeve  101  and a second pin  104  extending from the sleeve  101  substantially orthogonal to the first pin  102 . A bender lever spring  106  is positioned around and secured to the sleeve  101  and releasably secures the sleeve  101  to the central lever arm  96  while allowing the sleeve  101  to be pulled from the central lever arm  96  to rotate the sleeve  101  for reconfiguring the pitch changer  60  as described below. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 12 , the sleeve  101  includes a key  108  for engaging a first keyhole  110  or a second keyhole  112  on the central lever arm  96 . The key  108  and first and second keyholes  110  and  112  are offset approximately 90°, thereby enabling the sleeve  101  to engage the central lever arm  96  in either a first configuration wherein the key  108  engages the first keyhole  110  or in a second configuration wherein the key  108  engages the second keyhole  112 . In the first configuration, the first pin  102  of the sleeve  101  engages the first lever arm  64 , first bender rod  68  and first bender saddle  76  secured thereto as shown in  FIG. 13 . When the bender sleeve  101  is in the second configuration, the second pin  104  engages the second lever arm  66 , second bender rod  70  and second bender saddle  78  secured thereto. 
     When in use, the pitch changer  60  enables a user to readily configure the pitch changer for varying the tension in either a first desired string or a second desired string by changing the configuration of the mechanical drive  94 . In the first configuration the first pin  102  of the sleeve  101  engages a first lever arm notch  114 . When the user moves the guitar in a downward direction relative to the user to bend the first desired string, the first lever arm  64  rotates about a lever arm pivot  116  and pulls the first bender rod  68  secured to the first lever arm  64 . When the first bender rod  68  is pulled by the first lever arm  64 , the adjustable vertical collector  88  secured to the first bender rod  68  is pulled, causing the rocker arm  86  secured to the first bender saddle  76  to pivot the first bender saddle  76  and thereby vary the tension in the first desired string secured thereto. When the user desires to bend the second desired string, the selector knob  62 , secured to the sleeve  101 , is pulled thereby disengaging the key  108  from the first keyhole  110 . The bender sleeve  101  is then rotated  90 , disengaging the first pin  102  from the first lever arm  64  and engaging the second pin  104  with a second lever arm notch  118 . The second lever arm  66  pulls the second bender rod  70  and second bender saddle  78  secured thereto. The adjustable vertical collector  88  pulls the rocker arm  86  secured to the second bender saddle  78 , thereby varying the tension of the second desired string. 
     Referring to  FIG. 14 , the adjustable vertical collector  88  enable the pitch changer  60  to account for different changes in tension to produce a desired pitch change in both the first and second desired strings, for example, when the first desired string and second desired string are different gauges of guitar string. The position at which the adjustable vertical collector  88  engages the rocker arm  86  may be adjusted by rotating the threaded adjustment rod  90  clockwise or counterclockwise. The position of adjustable vertical collector  88  is adjusted vertically along the rocker arm  86  until a desired amount of travel of the rocker arm  86  is achieved in response to the bender lever  24  moving from the first position to the second position. 
     In one embodiment, the first and second bender saddles  76  and  78  include a bore  120  in the front of and extending through the bender saddle for receiving a string ( FIG. 10 ). An end of the string is threaded through the bore  120  and wrapped around the top of the bender saddle before being secured to the guitar. By securing the string to the bender saddle through the front of the bender saddle, the bender string, which may break relatively frequently due to varying the tension of the string, is easily replaceable. 
     In another embodiment, the bender lever may include a lockout that substantially prevents the bender lever from bending one or more strings of the guitar while a user plays the guitar. 
     The foregoing description of preferred embodiments for this invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Obvious modifications or variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The embodiments are chosen and described in an effort to provide the best illustrations of the principles of the invention and its practical application, and to thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the invention as determined by the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are fairly, legally, and equitably entitled.