US1774436A - Musical toy - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 26, 1930. M, GOUBERT 1,774,436

MSICAL TOY Filed June 17, 1929 INVENTOR BYMzjaeZ ouei Ml ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 26, 1930 PATENT OFFICE MIGUEL GOUBEBT, F BOGOTA, COLOMBIA MUSICAL 'rox Application led June 17,

This invention relates to a musical instrument or toy designed and adapted to produce musical sounds by the bodily rotation thereof.

One of the objects of the invention is the provision of an instrument or toy of the indicated character which is playable by wind or air pressure derived from surrounding air, as the instrument or toy is being rotated therein.

Another object of the invention is to make provision in an instrument or toy of the indicated character for changing the tunes.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an instrument or toy of the indicated character which will be simple of construction, reliable in operation, and inexpensive of manufacture.

The nature of the invention and its distinguishing features and advantages will appear when the following specification is read in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a view illustrating the manner in which the instrument or to is played.

Fig. 2 is a side view of t e instrument, portions thereof being broken away to show certain features.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 41s a sectional view taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, it will be apparent that the instrument or toy includes a hollow body or rectangular frame or casing 10 which may be made of sheet metal or any other suitable material, and consisting of parts which are detaehably connected together. A spindle or arbor 11 is positioned on one end of the casing 10 and has a handle 12. Arranged within the casing 10, at the end thereof 0pposite that having the arbor 11 is a sound producing device in the form of a harmonica 13. The harmonica 13 includes a sound box 14, which may have one or two sound chambers, there being two sound chambers 15 in the present instance, together with slotted plates 16, each of which has vibratory members or reeds 17 of gradually increasing 1929. Serial No. 371,618.

lengths according to the musical tones or sounds to be produced. The musical tones are produced by pairs of the reeds 17, consisting of reeds on both of the plates 16. The reed of each pair need not be of the same tonal quality, but will be such as to produce harmony. If desired one sound chamber and one set of reeds may be employed. The sound box 14 is provided with a series of air or wind passages 18 which admit air 60 or wind into the sound box 14 for thepurpose of vibrating the reeds 17. A funnel 19 is secured to one wall of the casing l0 exteriorly thereof in registry with the passages 18 in order to direct air or Wind into 65 said passages. The funnel 19 serves to catch a certain amount of air, as the casing 10 r0- tates about the arbor 11, when the latter has imparted thereto orbital movement when the handle thereof is grasped. The funnel 19 materially aids in directing air or wind into the passages 18 under pressure, although the use thereof is not absolutely necessary, and may be omitted, in which case a slot will be provided in the casing wall adjacent the passages 18. The opposite ends of the sound box 14 are in contact with the opposite side walls ofthe casing 10, and the opposite ends of the chambers l5 are opened to holes in said side walls. The air outlets 20 are attached to the side walls of the casing 10, and communicate with the opposite ends of the chambers 15. These outlets 20 serve to produce a suction action during the rotation of the casing 10 and thereby im- 85 prove the playing effect. It is to be understood, however, that the outlets 20l may be omitted,y in which case the chambers 15 will open directly through the sides of the casing 10 by providingcorresponding holes therein. 90 In accordance with another feature of the invention there is provided an' endless perforated or record music sheet or band 21 which encircles a feed roll 22 and guide rolls 23 supported for rotation by the opposite side walls ofl the casing 10. The roll 22 has a series of teeth or projections 24 at each end which engage in equally spaced holes 25 in the band 21, for the purpose of imparting l movement to the hand 21 in response to the 100 rotation of the roll 22. T he band 21 has rows oi' pertorations QG spaced to correspond to the arrangement ot' passages 18. The band 21 is disposed to travel between the funnel 19 and the portion ot the sound box l having passages 18, to control the admis sion ot air or vrind from the tunnel 1Q into the passages 18, to produce the musical notes, as will be understood. A small indented roll 2i" supported by the side Walls ot the casing 10 cooperates with the projections Qi o the roll Q2, for the purpose of preventing the dis placement ot' the band 21.

1n order to effect the rotation ot' the roll 22 to cause movement ot the band 21, in response to the rotation ot' the casing 10, there is provided motion transmission means, which may advantageously consist ot a pinion Q8 tast on the arbor 11 and a gear train 2) Which meshes with the pinion QS, and a gear 8O tast on the shaft of the roll The `Q'ear train Q9 is supported by a plate 32 secured to the casing From the foregoing it will be apparent that by grasping the handle 12 with one hand, the casing 10 may be caused to rotate about the arbor 11 which will be moved in an orbital path. This rotation ot the casing 10 about. the arbor 11 Will cause movement ot' the band 21 through the intervention ot the pinion 28, gear train 29, gear 30 and roll 22. At the same time the tunnel 19 Will catch air which will be directed into the passages 18 as they are uncovered by virtue ot' the regisation therewith of pertorations 26 in the c Q1, causirN the reeds 17 to vibrate, the escapinfr from the chambers 15 through the outlets 20, thus producing the musical sounds.

It is to be understood that the invention is not restricted to the precise arrangement of parts shown and described, as details of construction may he modified and rearranged Without departinol from the spirit of the invention, the scope ot which is limited only by the terms ot the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A musical instrument having the combination ot an arbor, a frame freely rotatable on said arbor by the orbital movement of said arbor, a harmonica having the usual Wind passages carried by said trame, a funnel on said trame in registry with said Wind pas` sages tor the purpose ot directing Wind into said passages in the rotation of the frame, a perforated music sheet mounted on said trame for movement between said tunnel and Wind passages to control the admission of Wind from the tunnel into said Wind passages for the purpose ot playing the harmonica, and means on said trame operated by the rotatory movement of the latter to eiiect the movement of said music sheet.

A musical instrument having the combination of a casing, an arbor having a handle band.

MIGUEL GUBERT.

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