US1437747A

US1437747A - Pitch pipe

Info

Publication number: US1437747A
Application number: US371088A
Authority: US
Inventors: Charles H Congdon
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1920-04-03
Filing date: 1920-04-03
Publication date: 1922-12-05
Anticipated expiration: 1939-12-05

Description

C. H. CONGDON.

FITCH PIPE.

APPLICATION msn APR. a, 1920.

1 ,437,747, v Patented Dec. 5, 1922.

ffy. /Z, cfm/nfs mmm/r. 3mm/cw @Hoving 4 Patented Dec. 5, 1922.

UNITED STATES CHARLES H. CONGDON, F EAST STROUDSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

PITCH PIPE.

Application illed April 3, 1920. Serial No. 371,088.

To @ZZ whom it may concem.'

Be it known that I, CHARLES H. CoNGDoN,

a citizen of the United States, and resident of East Stroudsburg, in the county of Monroe and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pitch Pipes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to pitch pipes and has for its object the production of a device of this class which shall be inexpensive to make, which shall have the twelve notes comprised in a chromatic scale so arranged relatively that the notes of the chords most commonly used shallbe placed in such order that they can be conveniently played in succession; in which inhalations and exhala tions may as far as possible alternate in sounding in sequence the notes of the more commonly used' chords; and in which certain mechanical advantages shall be found, which are pointed out ingreater detail in the following description.

The invention will 'be readily understood from the following description, which is to be ready in connection with the accompanying drawing. In the latter, Figs. 1, 2, and 3 are respectively top, front and end views of my device, some portions being sectioned 30, in F 1g. 2; Fig. 4 is a central, longitudinal,

sectional view of the device, some parts being omitted; Fig. 5 is a top view of Fig. 4; Figs. 6 and 7 are sectional views of Fig. 4 on lines 6-6 and 7 7 respectively, looking 35 in the direction indicated by the arrows; Fig. 8 is a top view 0f the lower reed plate; Fig. 9 is a sectional view on line 9-9 of Fig. 4; Figs. 10 11, and 12 are views similar to Figs. 4, 2, and 3 respectively of a modification; while Fig. 13 is a detail of this modification shown on an enlarged scale.

The base l can be made of an material desired, but is preferably made o some substance such as hard rubber which can be molded and thereafter hardens and becomes kimpervious to moist-ure and which is `not readily subject to deterioration. It is seenl to be generally of theshape of a rectangular block. The two fiat faces of the block are provided with certain chambers, all of a depth a little less than half its thickness. The vchambers on the under side are thus separated from those on the upper'by a central wall or partition 2. There are seven such chambers on each side of the block,

and those of one side lie directly opposite those of the other. The chambers of .what is the upper side in Figs. 2 and 4 are given the reference numerals 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9, While those on the lower side lying directly below them are numbered respectively 3, 4*, 5, 6a, 7a, 8, and 9. The central chambers 6 and 6a are closed on their four sides; the chambers 3, 3, .9, and 9a open to the end by means of the

channels

10, 10, l1, and 11* respectively; the chambers 4, 4, 7, and 7'* open toward one edge of the base; while the chambers 5, 5, 8, and 8a open toward the other edge. 12 and 13 are holes through the base whose purpose will appear later. The ends of the base l are seen to be rounded to the arc of a circle.

Secured by means to be presently described to the bottom and top of the basey 1 are the two reed plates 14 and 15. They conform in outline to the base, so that when they .are assembled with it their edges are alined with its edges. y

The reed plates bear six reeds each, designated in the drawing by the conventional characters of the musical notes they sound,

those of the upper plate being, from left to right, Bb, Ft, C11, C, G and A; and those of the lowervplate Eb, Ab, E, F, B, and D. It will be noted that the reeds are in both cases on the upper side of the reed plate.

The reed plates are pierced by holes 13 in the same relative positions as the holes 13 in base 1.

The two cover plates 16 and 18 (see Figs. 1 and 2) are provided with holes 17, through which air may enter or leave; and at the ends are formed the depressions 19 bringing the metal at these points into the same plane with the edge of the cover plates. The holes 19 register with the holes 13 and 13 of the base and the reed plates. ,A circular depression 20 is made in the center of each cover plate 16 and 18, its bottom being on a level with the depressions 19*.

In Fig. 4 will be noted the fact that the two reed plates are slightly sprung or curved. They are shown in this figure as they appear when placed in their positions relative to the base 1 but not yet secured to it; Both have their convex side toward the base l.

In Fig. 2fthe parts are shown assembled and it will be noted that the reed plates are brought into contact with the base l at their ends by means ot the rivets 21, which pass through the alined openings 19, 18, and 13. Contact at all points between the ends Vot the reed plates with the base 1 is assured by the curvature given to the reed plates.

Each of the reeds is seen to lie above or below one ot the chambers 3 to 9 or 3a to-Qa.

rlhe bottom ot each depression 2O bears on the corresponding reed plate.

At points adjacent to the openings leading to the chambers 3, 1l, etc., and 3, il?, etc., there are marked on the cover plates the characters denoting the notes given by the corresponding` reeds. Figs. 1 and 2. F rom a perusal oi the above description it will be apparent that the parts malring up this pitch pipe are very readily assembled and secured together.

In use the pitch pipe is heldiby the thumb and toreinger ot one hand, their tips engag` ing the

depressions

19 and 20 of the cover plates 16 and 18. lThis permits the person using the instrument to twirl it so as to bring the required openings into convenient position 'for sounding the notes. The arrangement described maires it possible to use the entire periphery of the pipe 'for openings and thusto reduce the entire instrument to a very convenient length.

The covers cannot be crushed by the pressure exerted by the thumb and toreiinger, as the bottoms ot the depressions 19 and 2O bear against the reed plates.

As an illustration ot the natural and easy sequence in which the notes ol a usual chord occur, the F chord may be selected. The notes composing it-R C, ile-are `found, referring to their positions as illustrated in the drawings, at the right ot the upper edge and at the'right end; and to sound them in their proper sequence the operator will first exhale into the upper right opening, then inhalefrom the right end opening, and then inhale from the upper right opening. Thus it is seen how well these .1. 1e placed, and how easily the transition trom each to the Vnext is eii'ected. By trying other chords it will be found that tor those more commonly used the arrangement ot the reeds andthe sequence ot inhalations and enhalations are very convenient.

ln the variation illustrated in Figs. 10 to 13 the reed plates are sprung in the oppoi site direction, so that their concave sides lace the base plate. yl`he parts are secured together by a single device extending through the

central openings

25, 25", and 26 in the reed plates and the base plate and through corresponding holes in the cover `plates at the bottomsoit the

depressions

19 and 20. See Figul for an enlarged view of this feature. instead of a rivet being employed, the parts are secured. together by means of the screw 27 which engages the special nut 28. Both of these parth have .bevelled heads engaging the cover plates tions are made in the cover plates to extend l into those ot the reed plates as will be clearly seen by an inspection of F ig. 12.

It will be :tound advisable in practice to spring the cover plates also by a slight amount, thus ensuring their becoming properly seated.

l/Vhen my invention is put intopractice by others there will no doubt be made some variations from the precise forms hereinabove described, without adeparture 'trom the spirit ot the appended claims. rihus in the form first described screws similar` to those of the second i'orm or oi" some other preferred form may be used in place ot therivets; or it desired the second form may use a rivet or eyelet in place of the It will in other words be understood" that the description is by way ot illustra-.

tion only and not by way of restriction to the precise details.

What I claim is 1. ln a device of the class described, the combination of a base with a plane tace, a reed plate juxtaposed to it and sprung relatively to it, that side tendingto beconcave being toward the base, and means engaging the reed plate substantially at its center securing the two together.

2. In a device ot the class described, the combination ot a base having two parallel plane faces, tworeed plates juxtaposed respectively to these two faces, each ofthe reed plates being sprung relatively tothe base so that it tends to assume an arched shape con# cave toward the base', and readily detachable means engaging-the reed plates substantially at their centers and holding the plates in en-` gagement withthe base throughout their lengths.

3. In a device ot the class described, the

lcombination ot'y a base having two parallel' plane tacos, two reed plates juxtaposed re-l spectively to these two faces, cachot the reed plates being` sprung relatively to the Aaceso that it tendsto assume an arched shape concave toward the base, and readily detachable means engaging the reed vplates substantially at their centers and holding the plates in engagement with the base throughout their lengths, the base being provided with channels in itsfsurface, and the plates each having an offset portion engaging a channel to lgeep them from turning relatively to the ase.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination of a base having two parallel plane'faces, two reed plates juxtaposed respectively to these faces, each of the reed plates being sprung relatively to the base so that it tends to assume an arched shape concave toward the base, two cover plates engaging the reed plates on the sides away from the base, each cover plate being provided with a circular depresslon at its center whose bottom contacts with the reed plate, and means passing through alined openings in the said depressions of the cover plates, in the reed plates and in the base securing them all together, and means on the reed plates and covers to keep them from turning relatively to the base or to each other.

5. In a device of the class described the combination of a base having a plane face, a reed plate in contact with this face, a cover plate in contact with the free face of the reed plate along a line adjacent to its outer edge and raised from it at other points, said cover plate having an offset portion at its center contacting with the reed plate.

6. A device 0f the class described comprising in combination a base having two parallel plane faces, two reed plates in contact respectively with these two faces, two

cover plates in contact respectively with the two free faces of the reed plates along a line adjacent to their outer edges, and raised from them at other points, said cover plates each having an offset portion at its center contacting with the reed plate.

7 A device of the class described comprising in combination a base, two reed plates, and two cover plates, each of the cover plates having a central circular depres sion, whereby` the device may be held with the thumb and a finger engaging the two depressions and readily turned into any desired position.

8. In a device of the class described the combination of a base with two Hat parallel faces each having six chambers, those of one face lying opposite those of the other, the four end chambers having channels leading out to the ends of the base, the other chambers of both sides opening alternately to the two edges of the base, and two reed plates secured to the parallel faces of the base, each bearing six reeds corresponding to the six chambers on that side of the base, the twelve reeds being tuned to sound the twelve notes of a chromatic scale.

Signed at New York in the county of New York and State of New York this 19th day of March A. D., 1920.

CHARLES H. CONGDON.