GB663650A - Chromatic mouth organ - Google Patents

Abstract

663,650. Mouth organs. BIBUS, H. Nov. 5, 1948. [Nov. 5, 1947] No. 28830/48. Class 88 (ii). In a chromatic mouth-organ reeds are arranged in sets of 3 or more each set lying in a vertical plane and at least two of the set having a common reed cell, the flow of air through which is individually controlled by manually operated means such as push buttons. Fig. 10 shows an arrangement of reeds in which depression of a button having a particular note marked on it allows that note to be played by exhalation and a note a semi-tone lower by inhalation. Three reeds F, F# and G are arranged vertically above one another, the first being operated by inhalation and the other two by exhalation. Depression of the F# button 26<SP>1</SP> causes the rotation of the F# shaft 29<SP>1</SP> (which extends throughout the length of the instrument). The wire 191 thereby causes the spring loaded valve 13 to recede from the mouthpiece to allow the F# reed to be sounded by exhalation and the F reed by inhalation. Likewise depression of a G button (not shown) causes the rotation of the G shaft to cause the valve 14 to recede whereupon exhalation sounds the G reed. Each shaft 29 is arranged to operate the slide valves in all octaves of the note which it represents. The shafts are duplicated at intervals to enable the buttons to be repeated at various points of the keyboard as shewn in Fig. 8 in which the buttons are arranged so that for a given touch (i.e. combination of relative finger positions) the same chord is played whatever key is chosen. In a modification, Figs. 13, 14 (not shown) reeds are arranged in sets of four, adjacent reeds in a vertical line being separated by a semi-tone, two being played by inhalation and two by exhalation. The intervals between adjacent reeds on the same level is three semi-tones so that the length of the instrument for a given range of notes is reduced, but the instrument has the disadvantage that chords having semitone intervals cannot be played. Figs. 15, 16 (not shown) indicate a four-reed arrangement in which any note can be played either by inhalation or exhalation, the upper pair sounding into one cell and the lower pair into another. Figs. 17, 18 (not shown) indicate a similar four-reed arrangement wherein two reed plates are used each carrying an inhale and an exhale reed. In modified control arrangements Figs. 19 ... 24 (not shown) the air flow is controlled by clack valves which may cover the reed slots, or may cover the entrance to the reed cells. Where four reeds arranged in two pairs are used members of a pair may be accommodated one behind the other on the same reed plate Figs. 25, 26 (not shown) instead of being vertically above one another. The instrument may have chord buttons which are coupled to shafts appropriate to the notes of the chord to be sounded, Fig. 27 (not shown).