US2643039A - Guitar and sling combination - Google Patents

Description

June 23, 1953 s. R. SOTTILE GUITAR AND SLING COMBINATION Filed Aug. 17. 1949 INVENTOR SAMUEL ROBERT SOTTILE ATTORNEY Patented June 23, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE P 2,643,039 I GUITAR AND SLING COMBINATION Samuel Robert Sottile, Patton, Pa.

Application August 17, 1949, Serial No. 110,786

5 Claims. (01. 224 5) This invention relates to means for-carrying guitars while playing and more particular to a sling which may be readily attached or detached to a guitar.

It is an object of my invention to provide a sling for a guitar which will attach in such a manner as not to distort the tones thereof.

It is another object of my invention to provide a sling for a guitar which will be completely safe and accident proof. It is a further object of my invention to provide a guitar sling having features of optional use in that it comprises components for being secured to one end or the other of the neck of a guitar.

In general my invention comprises a shoulder strap having a hole or slit at one end for engaging the stud at the end of a conventional guitar, wherein the strap is provided with a buckle or fitting at its other end for detachably securing either of two addiitonal straps having means of attachment to the neck of the guitar. A unique feature of the combination is the fact that it is virtually impossible to disassemble the sling from the neck of the guitar without detaching the additional strap from the shoulder strap thus assuring against loss of the sling.

A detailed description of my invention now follows with reference to the appended drawings in which: Figures 1, b and show the shoulder strap and the additional straps, respectively; Figure 2 illustrates the mode of use of one combination afforded by one of the additional straps; Figure 3 shows the manner in which the additional strap is secured intermediate the lower neck and the guitar body; Figure 4 shows a mode of putting a knot in the end of the strap; Figure 5 is a view of the knot thus formed; Figure 6 illlustrates another form a protuberance at the end of the strap; Figure "I shows an alternative mode of use of the strap shown in Figure 1b; Figure 8 shows an optional form of the sling; and Figure 9 is a view of the front of the upper neck of Figure 8.

With reference to Figures lw-c my invention comprises a shoulder strap Hi passing through slits 12 in a slidable padding strap l3 and terminating in a buckle or fitting l5 of conventional form at one end, and in a plurality of holes 20 having respective slits to permit expansion, at the other end. An additional strap 24 usable with strap 53 is detachably securable at end 21 by means of fitting E9. The other end of strap 24 carries a deformable protuberance 30 in the form of a knot made of the 2 material of the strap by passing end 2! through a slit 33, as shown in Figure 4, and pulling end 2.! through the slit the full length of the strap to effect the knot formation shown in Fig: ure 5.

In use, strap 24 is separated from strap 10, end 21 being passed between the lower neck 35 of guitar to and the guitar body until knot .39 is wedged between the lower neck and the body of the guitar as shown in Figure 2 and de tailed in Figure 3. Attachment to fitting i6 is then made. ihe other end of strap I9 is then secured to the usual stud 45 at the end of the guitarIFigure 8).

I have found that this yields a secure attachment for conventional guitars having the general construction illustrated, it being noted that member 43 (Figure 3) is a structural element. of conventional guitars which prevents substantial, transverse sliding of strap 24.

From the foregoing it will be appreciated that linear adjustment of strap It maybe had either at buckle I6 or holes 28, while padding strap 53 is slidable to a desired position on the players shoulder to distribute the stress thereon.

Referring now to Figure 6, another form of deformable protuberance is disclosed comprising a loop 59 formed at the end of strap 24 by stitching 53 through a folded over portion, and securing a wedge shaped element 55 of suitable resilient material within the loop.

Alternatively, although a deformable protuberances could be utilized for catching against lieved limited thereto and other types of protuberances could be utilized for catching against lower neck 36.

In Figure '7 is shown a variation in which strap 24 is passed in the opposite direction under lower neck 35 and brought around below the neck before passing upwardly to the juncture with strap Hi. This variation is preferred by some guitar players and is shown herein for completeness of disclosure.

Instead of the additional strap of Figure 1b, the strap 58 shown in Figure 10 may be utilized in conjunction with strap I0. Strap 58 carries a loop fitting 62 at one end through which the upper end may be passed to form a loop 61. In use, loop 61 is formed about the upper neck iii, passing below the strings and intermediate the tuning pegs, as shown in Figure 9, the end 65 being first slid below the strings before entering fitting t2 and the loop 6'! thus formed about the upper neck with fitting 62 at the rear so that strap 58 extends at the rear of the neck as shown in Figure 8 and being then attached at buckle Hi to strap 10. This is an optional form of the invention, although not preferred to the form utilizing strap 24 for the reason that I believe attachment at the upper neck has a detuning effect on the guitar tone, although the mode of attachment as well as the muting effect may be desired by some players.

From the above description itwill be apparent that I have desclosed a device of considerable versatility and affording a high degree of safety, and I believe my invention may be modified without departing from the spirit thereof. For example, the buckle It could be eliminated, in which case the sling would consist of strap suitably elongated and formed at one end with either a protuberance or a loop fitting, substantially as described, it which case it would be necessary to remove the padding strap 13 while securing strap at the neck of the guitar, as will be understood from consideration of the drawing. Strap l3 may then be replaced on strap [0 and the outer end of strap Ill secured to stud 46 as hereinbefore described.

Accordingly I do not seek to limit myself to the precise disclosure except as set forth in the appended claims.

1 I claim:

1. A sling for a guitar comprising a shoulder strap adapted to be disposed across the shoulder of a player, and having at one end means for attachment to the body of a guitar, and a compressible wedgelike securing means carried at the other end of said strap for wedging between the lower neck and the guitar body. 2. A sling for a guitar as set forth in claim 1, including an additional strap, wherein said securing means is at one end of said additional strap, and means for detachably securing the other end of said additional strap to said shoulder strap, said means being carried by said shoulder strap.

3. A sling for a guitar comprising the combination of a shoulder strap having means at one end for attachment to the end of a guitar and carrying a strap attachment fitting at its other end,- including an additional strap having a deformable protuberance at one end thereof and securable at its other end to said fitting, wherein said protuberance comprises a slit in said strap through which the body of said strap has been drawn.

4, The combination of a guitar and a sling, said sling comprising a shoulder strap having an end secured to the end of said guitar and having another end carrying a fitting, an additional strap having an end secured by said fitting and having another end comprising a securing means disposed intermediate the lower neck of said guitar and the body of said guitar.

5. The combination of a guitar having an opening intermediate the body and lower neck thereof, and a sling therefore, said sling having-an end comprising means for securement to the end of said guitar and a securing element at the opposite end of said sling disposed in said opening and secured therein to said guitar to support the forward portion thereof.

SAMUEL ROBERT SOTTILE.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 314,856 La Point et a1. Mar. 31, 1885 1,215,251 Clauser Feb. 6, 1917 1,546,067 Goldschmidt July 14, 1925 1,571,823 Weaver Feb. 2, 1926 1,639,383 Moretti et a1. Aug, 16, 1927 1,981,076 Sells Nov. 20, 1934 1,994,171 Denison Mar. 12, 1935 2,431,780 Theal Dec. 2, 1947 2,494,632 Rodin Jan. 17, 1950 2,510,799 Carley June 6, 1950

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