US1947336A

US1947336A - Sound producing mechanism

Info

Publication number: US1947336A
Application number: US609225A
Authority: US
Inventors: Wilfred A Eaton
Original assignee: Bendix Westinghouse Automotive Air Brake Co
Current assignee: Bendix Westinghouse Automotive Air Brake Co
Priority date: 1932-05-04
Filing date: 1932-05-04
Publication date: 1934-02-13
Anticipated expiration: 1951-02-13

Description

Feb. 13, 1934. w, A, EATON 1,947,336

SOUND. JRODUC ING MECHAN I SM Filed May 4, 1932 I N V EN TOR5 Patented Feb. 13, l1934 SOUND PRODUCING MECHANISM Wilfred A. Eaton, Pittsburgh, Pa., assigner to Bendix Westinghouse Automotive All' Brake Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Delaware Application May 4, 1932. Serial No. 609,225

6 Claims.

The present invention relates to sound-producing devices and more particularly to such devices which are adapted to be operated by differences in fluid pressure.

An object of the invention is to provide a soundproducing device, such as a horn, which may be operated by a fluid under pressure, such as compressed air or the exhaustl gases of an internal combustion engine.

A further object of the invention is to pro-l vide a sound-producing device such as a horn, which may be operated by suction which may be provided by connecting parts of the device to the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a sound-producing device operable by differences of fluid pressure and including means whereby the volume of fluid under pressure supplied to the sound-producing device may be varied.

.A still further object of the invention is to provide a sound-producing device which may be so operated, at the will of the operator, as to produce sounds of different tones.

A further object is to provide a sound-producing device which will comprise a minimum number of parts, which parts are of simple design and construction, whereby an inexpensive and rugged structure is produced.

Other objects and features of novelty of the invention will appear more clearly from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, which illustrates one embodiment of the invention. It is to be expressly understood, however. that the drawing is for purposes of illustration only and is not designed as a definition of the limits of the invention, rference being had for this purpose to the appended claims.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a view, partly in section, of a soundproducing device according to the invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of parts of a soundproducing device according to the invention and including certain modifications.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of parts of a soundproducing device according to the invention and including certain further modifications.

Referring to the drawing, and particularly to Fig. 1 thereof, wherein is disclosed a sectional view of a .sound-producing device embodying vthe principles of the present invention, the reference numeral 1 designates the bell o1' a horn, which may be attached at its small end, in the usual manner, to a cylindrical horn body member 2. the same having an internally-threaded end 3, and an externally-threaded central portion 4, which is provided with a suitable internal bore or opening into which the small end of the horn bell 1 may be inserted for attachment in any suitable manner. The central portion 4 is preferably integrally attached to the cylindrical, marginal portion of body member 2 by a web 5. Formed on the internal circumference of the horn body member 2 and extending radially toward the center thereof is an annular ridge 6. the samebeing provided for a purpose which will appear hereinafter.

Disposed within the horn body member 2 is a 70 diaphragm` member 7, the same being formedV with a central opening whereby it is received on the central portion 4 of the horn body members. Washer 8 and nut 9 are provided for maintaining diaphragm 7 in place, said nut 9 being inter- 15 nelly-threaded in order that it may be screwed onto the central portion 4. The construction and arrangement of the parts described above is such that when diaphragm 7 is in normal position, the marginal edge thereof is exactly opposite the 80 center of ridge 6 formed on member 2 and is spaced therefrom by only a very slight air-gap. Such marginal edge is, of course, entirely free, the diaphragm being supported only at its center. A suitable cover member 10 is provided, the 86 same being screw-threaded to the end 3 of the body member 2.

With the construction as described and illustrated it will be seen that two

chambers

11 and 12 are provided within the'hornbody, such cham- 90 bers being separated by the diaphragm 'l and being connected only by the small air-gap between diaphragm 7 and ridge 6. 'As shown in the drawing the horn bell 1 is in open communication with the chamber 12.

' Means are provided for actuating the horn, such means comprising a threaded opening 13 formed in the body member 2 and which may be connected by suitable tubing to an air compressor or to the exhaust manifold or intake manifold of an internal combustion engine. Opening 13 is in open communication with chamber 11 and it is important to note that opening 13 and horn bell 1 are in communication with different chambers, such construction being necessary for proper operation of the device.

4In operation, if a fluid under pressurasuch as compressed air, is employed, the same is admitted to chamber 11 through opening 13, and in such chamber will exert a pressure on diaphragm 5'. Due to the fact that diaphragm 7 is rigidly mounted only at its central portion andthe marginal edge thereof is almost in contact with ridge' 6, the edge of such diaphragm will act, in effect, as a piston and, due t6 the flexibility of the diaphragm, moves downwardly as viewed in the drawing, Such movement, under continued pressure, will continue as long as the edge of the diaphragm is opposite the top of ridge 6, there being at this time insufficient space therebetween to permit any appreciable passage of air. As soon as the edge of diaphragm 7 passes the top of ridge 6 a large, annular space will be opened between diaphragm 7 and the body member 2. Air under pressure will now flow through said enlarged annular fspace from chamber 11 into chamber 12 and cause a momentary build-up of pressure therein and a momentary drop in pressure in chamber 11. Due to the momentary rise in pressure in chamber 12 there will be a rushof air through the horn bell 1. The momentary Areduction in pressure in chamber 11 causes the resilience of the diaphragm to return the same to its normal position, closingthe annular opening at its edge and permitting pressure to build up again in chamber 11. At the same time the rush-of air through the horn bell l is accompaniedby a lowering of pressure in chamber 12 and the cycle is ready to vbe repeated. It will be appreciated thatthe above variations in the pressure of the air column-in the horn bell 1 Will occur at an audible frequency-,. and thus produce a sound. "a,

If it is desired to use suction'or operating thei horn, the opening 13 may be connected to the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine. In this case the operation willbe reversed, the suction causing evacuation of chamber 11, whereby diaphragm '7 will move toward or into that chamber until the edge of the diaphragm passes ridge 6, at which time air in chamber 12 will flow into chamber 11 causing a build-up of pressure vtherein and causing diaphragm 'l'. to return to its central position, when the same operation will be repeated.

Means are provided for varying the tone of the sound produced by the device described hereinbefore, and one form which such means may take is disclosed in Fig. 2 of the drawing. Referring particularly to this iigure it willbe seen that a sound-producing device similar to that disclosed in Fig. 1 has been provided, the same having the horn bell l, horn body member 5, cover 10, diaphragm 7 and pressure-fluid hose attachment means 13, all as described hereinbefore in connection with Fig. 1. According to the present modification, however, a. plug 14 is provided, the same being disposed in the pressure-fluid hose attachment meana, which, as disclosed, is preferably formed as a threaded opening 13 in the horn body member 5. Plug 14 is provided with a plurality of openings 15 extending therethrough and may be threaded on its external periphery to facilitate securing the same in position in the threaded opening 13.

A second means for varying the tone of the sound produced by the sound-producing device is disclosed in Fig. 3, the same comprising 'a cylindrical plug 16 rotatably disposed in the horn body member 5 and having its axis extending at right angles lto that of the threaded opening 13. The plug 16 is provided with a passage 17, the axis of the same extending at right angles to the axis of the plug. Any suitable means, exterior to the horn body member, may be provided for rotating plug 16. Obviously plug 16 may, at the will of the operator, be so disposed as to allow free passage of fluid under pressure from opning 13 to chamber 1li or may be so adjusted as to allow the passage of any desired volume 4of pressure fluid, or, if desired, be so adjusted as to completely shut of the passage of uid.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that if it is desired to Vary the tone of the sound produced by the device hereinbefore described, the plug 14 as disclosed in Fig. 2 maybe screwed into the opening l after first removing the hose connected therein. The placing of the plug in the opening will obviously decrease the volume of fluid under pressure admitted into chamber'll 90 and will therefore give a different tone to the sound produced by the horn'. VThe device disclosed in Fig. 3 provides a means whereby an innitevariety of tones may be produced at the will of the operator. Obviously the adjustment of plug 16 will vary the volume of fluid under pressure which may pass from opening 13 to chamber 11 therebyallowing the operator to vary' the tone of the horn at will.` y

While different embodiments ofthe present invention have been illustrated and described, it is to be understood that the same may be embodied in various other forms, and that changes in the design or construction may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. Reference will therefore be had to the appended claims for a denition of the limits of the invention.

What 1s claimed is:

1. A sound-producing device adapted tp be operated by diierences in fluid pressure, compris- -ing a body member, means dividing said body member into two chambers, a li'orn device extending through said dividing means and opening into one of said chambers, means connecting the other of said chambers to a source of fluid pressure, said dividing means being so formed as to provide an annular passage between said chambers.

o 2. A sound-producing device adapted to be operated by diierences of fluid pressure, comprising a body member having a central portion vfor receiving a horn bell, a diaphragm mounted at its center on said central portion and having its marginal edge free, a ridge formed on said body member, said ridge cooperating with said diaphragm and defining therewith two chambers, said chambers being connected by an nannular passage between said diaphragm and said ridge, and means in said body member for; admitting fluid pressure to one of said chambers.

3. A sound producing device adapted to be operated by differences of duid -pressure, comprising a body member having a central projecting portion, a diaphragm secured to said projecting portion and dividing said body member into two chambers, a horn bell carried by said projecting portion and communicating with one of said chambers and means for creating a pressure in the other of said chambers diierent from that in said rst named chamber.

4. A sound producing device adapted to be operated by diierences in iiuid pressure, comprising a body member, a diaphragm secured at its central portion to said body member and dividing said body member into two chambers, the periphery of said diaphragm being spaced from said body member to provide restricted communication between said chambers, and two conduits formed in the same side of said body mem- 150 ber and communicating with said` chambers respectively, one of said conduits extending through said diaphragm.

5. A sound producing device adapted to be operated by diiierences in iluid pressure, comprising a body member, a diaphragm secured at its central portion to said body member and dividing said body member into two chambers, the periphery of said diaphragm being spaced from said body member to provide restricted communication between said chambers, a conduit communicating with one of said chambers and with a horn bell and a second conduit communicating with the other of said chambers and with a source of different pressure than that in said nrst mentioned chamber.

r6. A sound producing device adapted to be operated by differences in fluid pressure, comprising a body member having a hollow central portion, a horn bell secured in saidhollow portion, a diaphragm in said body member surrounding said hollow portion and rigidly secured there- WILFRED A. EA'roN.