US1356706A - Testing and tuning apparatus - Google Patents

Description

J. GALLEAZZI.

TESTING AND TUNING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED D5015, I919.

Patented Oct. 26, 1920.

IN VE/VTDP EAZLEAZZ/ @dwag described in which UNITED STATES JOSEPH GALLEAZZI, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

TESTING AND TUNING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 26, 1920.

Application filed December 15, 1919. Serial No. 345,023.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, JOSEPH GALLEAzzI, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Francisco, in the county of San F rancisco and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Testing and Tuning Ap aratus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a device for testing and tuning mouth organs, organ valves, accordions and like musical instruments wherein vibrating tongues or reed like vibrating or resonant members for producing given or definite musical notes, are used.

An object of the invention is to provide a tuning device of the character described by means of which certain musical instruments may be tuned and tested as to tone in a simple, practical, efficient expeditious and comparatively inexpensive manner.

Another object of the invention is to provide a small compact device of the character a true tone or note producing device is cooperatively associated with a testing device, in a novel, convenient, and effective manner.

The invention possesses other advantages and features, some of which, with the foregoing will be set forth at length in the following description where I shall outline in full, that form of the invention which I have selected for illustration in the drawings accompanying and forming a part of the present specification. In said drawings I have shown one form of the construction of my invention but it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to such form, since the invention as expressed in the claims may be embodied in a plurality of forms.

Referring to the drawings 2-- Figure 1 is a top plan view of a tuning device constructed in accordance with my invention showing a mouth organ key or note board in posltion to be tuned or tested, said board being broken away. 7

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of a modified form of the testing device such device being adapted for tunlng accordion note valves or tone producing members.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig; 5 is a fragmentary top plan View of .the testing device as used for tuning or testlng organ valves.

In carrying out my invention I provide a true tone or note producing device capable of producing any of the notes in any order of the instrument to be tuned and this devlce comprlses in the main a movable frame carrylng true tone producing tongues or vlbratlng resonant members. eans to cause these members to produce their notes individually is associated with this device and by moving the frame, the resonant member which produces the note desired, said members being suitably marked to show their respective notes, is brought into position to cooperate with the means to cause the note or tone to be produced. Located on the same base with the true note or tone device is the note testing means which supports the note producing elements of the instrument to be tuned or tested. This device is arranged directly adjacent the true note device and may operate simultaneously therewith in causing the note producing element to be tested to produce its note so that a comparison between the true note and the note of the element being tested may be accurately and quickly made. Accordingly the testing device is adapted to hold one or more note producing elements to be tested and means is provided whereby this device may be operated to cause these elements to sound individually, either simultaneously with the true tone sounding, or before or after such sounding. Thus it will be seen that with my tuning device, organ valves, mouth organs, and accordions may be tested and tuned more accurately and expeditiously than heretofore.

In the present embodiment of my invention, I provide a base 1 having an air chamber 2 on the under side thereof, said chamber being shown with its lower side open. In practice this lower side of the chamber may be closed in any suitable manner.

Mounted on this base is means for produc:

ing the true notes or tones and said means comprises a preferably circular frame or disk 3 which supports the note producing members 4 preferabl radially thereon. These members 4 are at or tongue or reed like and are resonant so that when vibrated they will produce a musical note. Each member is supported at its end upon block 5 and is secured to the block by fastening 11o element 6. Each member is designed to produce a true musical note and is marked by the character representing such note. Qpenings 9 are formed in the frame or disk 3 under the members a to permit the operating fluid to have access to and vibrate said members a. The frame or disk is adjustable so that each note producing member 4 may be brought into position to be sounded and preferably the frame is rotatably mounted upon an axle 10 located centrally thereof. A washer 11 between the framt or disk and base 1 spaces the disk above the frame. The means for sounding the members a includes the chamber 2 and an air supply source which supplies air under pressure to said chamber. It is thought not necessary to illustrate this sup ply source. A port 12 formed through the base communicates with the air chamber 2. This port is arranged so that any of the openings 9 may be brought to register therewith one at a time, and an apertured plate 13 is secured upon the base beneath the disk 3 so that the space between the disk and base will be partially filled around the port 12 and little or no escape of air will result.

Arranged above the true note member 4 is a circular plate is which is fixed to the frame 3 by elements 15. Around the periphery of this plate are cut recesses or escalops 16 which are directly over the members 4. At the inner edges of the recesses 16 are imprinted or impressed characters '17 which designate the musical notes of the respective members t. The operator may place a finger in the recess at which the desired note is designated and readily operate the frame 3 to effect the sounding of such note as will be later fully described.

I provide means for holding the disk or frame 3 in such position that one of the openings 9 will register with the port 12 and the selected member a will. be sounded. This means comprises a spring urged detent 18 which engages with stops 19 carried on the frame 3 in line with said members i. 7 The testing device which holds the sound or note producing members of an instrument to be tested comprises a sounding board 20 which supportsthe members to be tested, means to hold the members on said board and valve means which provides for the individual sounding of a plurality of members to be tested. 7 I

The board 20 is mounted on the base 1 and has a series of spaced recesses 21 formed in a row therein. An opening or port 22 is formed through the board in each recess and these openings register with ports 28 formed through the base and communicating with the chamber 2. The board 20 is preferably equal in length and width to that of the sounding plate of the mouth organ; such as the plate 24', shown in Fig. 1; but may be of any desired dimensions as long as it is capable of receiving the sounding plate of an ordinary mouth organ. On the ends of the board 20 are arranged upstanding lugs 25 which serve to hold a mouth organ plate such as the one 2-:l in place.

The means for holding the members to be tested on the board comprises fingers which are pivoted at their rear ends to a rod 27 which rod is supported in ears 28 on the base 1. These fingers extend out over the board 20 in alinement with the recesses and are adapted-to engage the members to be tested and hold them in place as shown in Figs. 1 and 5.

The valve means comprises fiat valve members 29'hinged as at 30 to the" under side of the base in the chamber 2 and arranged to close the ports 23. These valves may be operated independently and each is held closed by a leaf spring 31 secured under and to the base 1 and pressing upon the under face of each valve. The means for opening the valves also operates the fingers 26 and comprises pins 32 vertically slidably mounted in the base between and in engagement with the valves and the under faces of the fingers. These pins hold the fingers in up position. Pivotally mounted on a rod 83 which is supported in brackets 34k and extends over and across the fingers 26 near the outer ends thereof are a plurality of operating levers 35 in line with the recesses and having cam faces 36 at their lower ends which engage fingers when the levers are pushed backwardly and downwardly, and force the fingers down wardly. This, through the pins 32, opens the valves 29 allowing air to have access to the members to be tested on the board 20.

Referring to 2 in the drawing wherein a slightly modified form of the invention is illustrated, the testing board 37 has a series of recesses 38, every other one at which is provided with a port 39 for the air and the fingers T0 are wider and cover two of said recesses. This form is for tuning accordion note producing members such as the ones n shown in Fig. 2. These members have double note producing elements 42 and 43 and may be tuned by placing one side and then the other over the recess having the port therein. TnFig. 2 there is illustrated a small pallet like instrument 44: used to steady the members 4-1.

Tn Fig. 5 organ valves 45 are shown mounted on the board 20 and these valves are tuned and operated upon in the same manner as the mouth organ members.

In the operation of this device intuning amouth organ, organ valves or accordion valves or similar musical note producing members, such members are mounted on the board 20 over the recesses 21.

The operator wishes to test or tune the note 0 for example, and by turningthe frame 3 of the true note device until the designation (l on the plate 14 is in line with the port 12, the detent 18 will engage the stop 19, and hold the frame 3 with the -member 4 in position to be sounded. In this position the opening 9 in the frame 3 under the member 4 which will sound the note C, is in registration with the port 12 and the air will vibrate the member 4 and cause it to sound the true note.

The operator knowing the member of the instrument to be tested which is intended to sound the note C of the same tone as the true tone being sounded, by pressing back lever 35 which corresponds to said member will cause the corresponding finger 2G to press down and to hold the corresponding member to be tested, firmly in position. This down pressing of the finger 26 forces the pin 32 engaged therewith to open the corresponding valve 29. This permits operating fluid from the chamber 2 to have access to the member to be tested through the port 23 and opening 22 and the member to be tested will sound. The operator may sound this member simultaneously with the sounding of the true notes or before or after as desired and with all may by comparing the sounds or notes readily determine whether the instrument member is correct in its tone, etc. After one note member is tested another may be tested in the same manner as hereinbefore described and so on until all the members of the instrument are tested. Other details of the operation will be apparent from the foregoing and it is to be understood that various methods of tuning may be carried out with my device.

After one of the levers 35 has been operated to sound the instrument member, it is not necessary for the operator to hold said lever in position, as it will of its own accord remain in position to sound the instrument member until moved back to normal position by the operator.

I claim 1. In a device of the character disclosed, a base having a plurality of air ports therein, means for supporting a plurality of note producing elements of an instrument to be turned over said ports in position to be sounded, a plurality of valves closing said ports, spring means for holding the valves closed, pins slidable in the base and engaging upon said valves so as to open them when moved downwardly, a plurality of fingers hinged at a certain end to said base, and extending over the note producing members, said pins engaging the under faces of the fingers, and cam levers pivoted upon the base and engaging the fingers.

base, and a 2. In a device of the character disclosed, a base, a disk rotatably mounted upon the base, and a plurality of musical note producing elements on said disk, said disk having openings therethrough located under said members, said base having an air port therein with which the openings in the disk are adapted to register one at a time.

3. Ina device of the character disclosed, a base, a disk rotatably mounted upon the plurality of musical note producing elements on said disk, said disk having openings therethrough located under said members, said base having a port for an under pressure therein with which the openings in the disk are adapted to register one at a time, stop pins on the disk and a spring urged detent for engaging the stop to releasingly hold the disk in position to have the members sounded.

4. In a device of the character disclosed, a base having an air chamber on the under side thereof and ports extending from the chamber through the base, a frame rotatably mounted on the base, a plurality of musical note producing members on said frame adapted to sound when brought into registration with one of said ports one at a time, valves controlling the other ports, means for supporting upon the base over the other ports a plurality of sound producing members of a musical instrument to be tuned, and means for selectively opening the valves.

5. In a device of the character disclosed, a base having an air chamber on the under side thereof and ports extending from the chamber through the base, a frame rotatably mounted on the base, a plurality of musical note producing members on said frame adapted to sound when brought into registration with one of said ports one at a time, valves controlling the other ports, means for supporting upon the base over the other ports a plurality of sound producing members of a musical instrument to be tuned, means for selectively opening the valves, and means operated by the valve operating means for clamping the last named sound producing members upon the supporting means therefor.

6. In a device of the character disclosed, a base having an air chamber on the under side thereof, a frame having openings therein mounted for rotation on the base, a plurality of musical note producing members mounted radially on the frame over the openings therein, said base having a port therein leading from the chamber and with which the openings register one at a time and a plate above said members on the frame having characters thereon designating the notes which the respective members produce.

7. In a device of the character described,

a base having an air chamber on the under side thereof and ports extending from the chamber through the base, a frame rotatably mounted upon the base, a plurality of musical note producing members upon said frame adapted to sound When brought into registration with one of said ports, valves controlling the other ports, means for supporting upon the base over the other ports a plurality of sound producing members of a musical instrument to be tuned and means for selectively opening said valves including elements Which when moved to open the valve remain of their own accord in a position to maintain said valves open.

8. In a device or" the character described, a base having a plurality of ports, valves accord hold controlling the ports, means for supporting a plurality of note producing elements of an instrument to be tuned over said ports, and means for selectively opening the valves including valves adapted to engage and hold the note producing members on said supporting means.

9. In a device of the character described, a base having a plurality of ports, valves controlling the ports, means for supporting a plurality of note producing elements of an instrument to be tuned over said ports, and means for selectively opening said valves incltiding elements Which When operated to open the valves Will of their own said valves open.

JOSEPH GALLEAZZI.

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