Capo

US4143576A · kind A · utility

Inventors

• Joseph Nichols · Windom, US
• John M. Berner · Minneapolis, US
• Mario F. Fernandez · Los Olivos, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Apr 11, 1977
• Grant date: Mar 13, 1979
• Expiry date: Apr 11, 1997

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G10D3/053
• WIPO field: Other consumer goods
• WIPO sector: Other fields

Abstract

A fretted neck of a guitar having a plurality of strings spaced above the fretboard and a capo selectively movable along the length of the neck for retaining all of the strings in abutting relationship to the fretboard. The capo includes a clamp frame having a generally horizontally extending portion that mounts a retainer bar and a generally vertically extending portion, a finger operated clamp member, and a torsion spring mounting the clamp member on the clamp frame and resiliently urging it to a clamping position, and the torsion spring being mounted on the clamp frame. In one embodiment the retainer bar mounts a roller for each string while in a second embodiment the retainer bar mounts rollers with one of the rollers being of a length to extend across two strings. In a third embodiment the retainer bar mounts two plastic inserts that have downwardly extending rectangular teeth for holding the guitar strings against the fretboard.