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Topic: PSG Changer Patents |
Roy Ayres
From:
Riverview, Florida, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 11 Dec 2005 8:36 am |
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Just an interesting bit of pedal steel guitar trivia.
This has probably been researched and reported on the Forum before, but it was new to me.
I started wondering this morning if any patents had been applied for or granted for PSG changers. (I figured that if no one had patented a changer, I would quickly get a patent then sue all of the PSG manufacturers for my share of royalties over the past 50 or so years -- but, alas, that idea didn't work out.) Rather, in checking the U.S. Patent Office site, I found an overwhelming number of such patents. Tracking through them is similar to doing genealogical research; each one refers to others ad absurdum. With about 15 minutes of scanning through the site, I did, however, find some interesting information. The earliest one I could find was to "Maffel et al" in 1941. The second oldest one I could find was to "Harlin" in 1949. (I think we all know who he was.) I also found patent applications for PSG changers by "Clarence L. Fender", David L. Jackson" and "Marvin E. Carter". Lots of fun looking through the old drawings, claims etc.
U. S. Patent Office
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Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 11 Dec 2005 9:21 am
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| Roy, Paul Franklin (Sr) has a patent for his "Ped-A-Bro" Pedal "dobro" guitar. |
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Bobby Lee
From:
Cloverdale, California, USA
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Posted 11 Dec 2005 11:25 am
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| Right. Here's the [url=http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=/netahtml/search-bool.html&r=2&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=ptxt&s1='resonator+guitar'&s2=pedal]Peda-Bro patent[/url] [This message was edited by Bobby Lee on 11 December 2005 at 11:32 AM.] |
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Jon Zimmerman
From:
California, USA
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Posted 11 Dec 2005 12:52 pm
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Wow. b0b, did PF draw out the illustrations or does some specialist do that for the patent doc's? --seems to me you'd need an artist/engineer AND a lawyer to get through the process. Interesting items.
...and thanks, Roy!  [This message was edited by Jon Zimmerman on 11 December 2005 at 01:25 PM.] |
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Roy Ayres
From:
Riverview, Florida, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 11 Dec 2005 1:52 pm
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Jon,
You are right: It takes both a lawyer and an engineer or draftsman.
While I was working for CBS Fender Musical Instruments as Director of String Instrument Development in the 60's, I came up with several ideas for improvements on bridges, pickups, etc. The ones that upper management felt to be worthy of patents were written up by an attorney Fender used that specialized in patents. He, in turn, had engineering types (draftsmen, etc.) who made the drawings. All I had to do was wave my hands around and explain the ideas -- and I always had a prototype of the device for their use. I recall that one of the more important parts of the patent application process was the patent search, where anything similar to the idea had to be reviewed and the written part (claims, etc) had to be carefully drafted so as not to infringe on someone else's patent, and had to show that there was somethng new and unique about the device. It's quite an involved and expensive process. As I recall, I received a dollar for each patent for which Fender applied -- to make it legal for the patent to be assigned 100% to the company.
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[This message was edited by Roy Ayres on 11 December 2005 at 01:53 PM.] |
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Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 11 Dec 2005 3:47 pm
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| Roy, Don Sulesky was a mechanical engineer for Polaroid Camera and got the "$1.00" for Camera parts he designed that Polaroid patented. |
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Roy Ayres
From:
Riverview, Florida, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 11 Dec 2005 5:29 pm
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Yeah, I know, Jack. We steel guitarists are accustomed to working cheap! (I'll bet if we were jazz guys, it would have been 50 cents.)
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Edited to spell JAZZ correctly -- after looking it up.
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Visit my Web Site at RoysFootprints.com
Browse my Photo Album and be sure to sign my Guest Book.
[This message was edited by Roy Ayres on 11 December 2005 at 05:31 PM.] |
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Michael Barone
From:
Downingtown, Pennsylvania
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Posted 11 Dec 2005 5:50 pm
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On patent number 6,002,075, I think it is Carter's BCT (but I could be wrong). While it is not directly referenced here by title (in the patent section), it can probably also be found as a registered trademark.
Notice that in all patents, the "claim" itself is one long sentence, that can be pages long, just by using semi-colons.
Anyway, it's certainly impressive.
Did BCT come out in 1999?
Mike |
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Jim Bob Sedgwick
From:
Clinton, Missouri USA
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Posted 11 Dec 2005 5:58 pm
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| Bill Rudolph (Williams Steel Company) has patented his 400 changer. See his web site if you are unfamiliar with this changer. Rarely if ever breaks a string. |
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Larry Bell
From:
Englewood, Florida
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Posted 11 Dec 2005 6:15 pm
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No, Roy
If we were jazz guys, WE'D BE PAYING THEM.
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Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
2003 Fessenden S/D-12 8x8, 1969 Emmons S/D-12 6x6, 1984 Sho-Bud S/D-12 7x6, 1971 Dobro, Standel and Peavey Amps
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David L. Donald
From:
Koh Samui Island, Thailand
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Posted 11 Dec 2005 8:08 pm
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I think it is very interesting that one of
the anticedent patents is by the legendary
Lloyd Loar of Gibson F5 mandolin fame!
He set out a resonator system,
and this clearly had a connection with so many other instruments.
But few if any mandolinists would know he ALSO did this patent.[This message was edited by David L. Donald on 12 December 2005 at 06:13 AM.] |
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