US2085363A - Percussion musical instrument - Google Patents

Description

June 29, 1937 H H 2,085,363

PERCUSSION MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed Sept. 6, 1954 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented June 29, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Charles Hultsch, Elkhart, Ind., assignor to C. G. Conn, Ltd, Elkhart, 11161., a corporation of Indiana Application September 6, 1934, Serial No. 742,894

6 Claims.

My invention relates to percussion musical instruments of the Xylophone type, commonly referred to as marimba-xylophones, i. e. instruments having rigid-bar vibrators arranged generally in the manner of a piano keyboard.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a percussion musical instrument in which each tone bar is a dual tone bar unit composed of a pair of tone bars, one of which is an octave lower than the other, and each of which units is preferably of substantially the same horizontal dimensions as the single bar as heretofore used, so that the instrument can be played the same as a standard instrument but with each tone doubled an octave higher, thus giving a greatly enriched tone.

Another object of the invention is to provide a percussion musical instrument in which each tone bar is a dual unit with a resonator for each bar of the two bars of the dual unit, and in which one of the bars of the dual unit is pitched an octave lower than the second bar.

A third object is to provide a percussion musical instrument having two rows of tone bars to effect the chromatic scale, and wherein each tone bar is a dual unit composed of two spaced tone bars, one of which is an octave lower than the other.

Another object of the invention is to provide a percussion musical instrument having two rows of dual tone bars to effect the chromatic scale, each dual tone bar being composed of two bars pitched in different octaves, and wherein each dual tone bar has a pair of different sized resonators associated therewith. Preferably the larger resonator is mounted to cooperate with both bars, and the smaller one cooperates only with the bar of higher pitch.

And yet another object of the invention is to provide a percussion musical instrument in which each tone bar is a dual unit composed of two separate spaced bars which are pitched an octave apart, and wherein two resonators of different sizes are associated with each dual tone bar unit, the smaller of said resonators being substantially the same size, or area, as the larger of the two resonators for the dual tone bar unit positioned in the instrument one octave higher up on the scale.

In attaining the foregoing objects the two parts of each bar or unit are preferably made of the same size and shape in their horizontal dimensions, the octave difference in pitch being secured by making one bar of each pair thicker than the other. This permits the playing of the instrument by anyone skilled on a standard instrument, for example by double-headed mallets for striking the two parts independently and simultaneously.

This construction, and other structural features and novel arrangements useful in securing the desired effects, will be apparent from the following description of the illustrative embodiment shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 illustrates a perspective view of a percussion musical instrument in which my invention is incorporated;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the instrument showing some of the tone bar units broken away to disclose the resonator;

Figure 3 is a section taken on line 33 of Fig. 2; and

Figure 4 illustrates a fragment of a mallet for playing the instrument illustrated in Figures 1 and 2.

Similar numerals of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views on the drawmg.

L Referring now to the details of the drawing the letter A indicates generally a supporting frame which may include the end bars I and 2 suitably secured to the frame side bars 3 and 4 to provide a rigid structure, and which may include also the g two intermediate longitudinal frame bars 5 and 6 rigidly secured at their opposite ends to the frame end bars I and 2, the whole to support the tone bars and resonators of this musical instrument, as herein described.

The frame A, thus generally described, may be carried on a sub-structure B which may be provided with suitable legs. The frame A may include also the two end bars 1 and 8 rigidly connected with the end bars I and 2 in any suitable manner and which may be pivotally mounted at 9 in the sub-frame B, said mount forming no part of this invention.

My improved percussion musical instrument may comprise two rows of dual tone bar units, of which the front row is indicated generally by the letter C and the rear row by the letter D, the latter of which may be elevated somewhat above the former, the two rows thus arranged being adapted to produce the chromatic scale. Each of the rows C and D comprises a plurality of dual tone bar units, or sets, each unit, or set, comprising a left hand tone bar l0 and a right hand tone bar ll mounted adjacent and parallel with each other upon suitable brackets I2, I 2, the latter being carried by the frame side bars 3, 4, 5 and 6. Inasmuch as all of the several sets of dual tone bar units are of similar construction it is believed that a description of one set thereof will sufiice.

Accordingly, the two bars l0 and II may be made of any suitable material, preferably wood, and may be made one half the width usually employed for a similar musical instrument of the same size, each left hand bar l9 being cut away at it on the underside thereof to pitch the tone thereof one octave lower than the tone produced by the bar i l of said unit. Each dual tone unit, or set, which is composed of the two spaced parallel tone bars l8 and H, as described, has associated therewith a pair of tubular depending resonators Id and i5, respectively, which resonators are arranged in series beneath and longitudinally of each dual unit intermediate the extremities thereof, and in which arrangement and combination the resonator Hi is associated with the bar EB, and resonator 55 with tone bar I l, the resonat r E i being larger or of greater area than the resonator if. The larger resonator [4 is ar ranged below both bars it and i i, and responds to both of them, whereas the smaller resonator I5 is arranged below and responds mainly to the higher pitched bar M.

It will be evident from the foregoing that there are two rows of resonators for each row of tone bar units, or sets, the resonators M being arranged in one row and resonators i5 in a separate adjacent row. The two series of resonators i l may be carried by a pair of spaced carrier bars 5 6 and ii mounted in the frame end bars I and 2, and to and between which carrier bars said resonators may be secured in any suitable manner. And the two series of resonators 55 may be carried by a pair of spaced carrier bars l8 and I9 mounted in the frame end bars 5 and 2 in any suitable manner, between which bars said resonators may be secured in any suitable manner.

All of the resonators i i and it may be the convcntional tubular metal type having a closed lower end, and necessarily, both rows of the resonators i l and i5 vary in diameter and length in the extension thereof up the scale of the instrument. And in this arrangement and construction of the resonators, any one of the smaller resonators I5 is substantially the same size, or area, as the larger of the two resonators for the dual tone bar unit which is positioned one octave higher up on the scale.

The mallet used for playing my improved musical instrument is indicated by the numeral 28 at 4 and it is provided with a pair of spaced heads 2! with which both tone bars iii and H, of any of the several dual tone bar units, or sets, are adapted to be simultaneously struck. The combined tones of any two of the bars 26 and H is richly harmonious, especially enriching the tone quality of the lower pitched bar it by thus adding the octave above the note produced thereby.

I am aware that details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principle of my invention, and I therefore do not purpose limiting the patent granted otherwise than necessitated by any prior art.

I claim:

1. In a percussion musical instrument of the Xylophone type, the combination of a plurality of dual tone bar units arranged in sequence and constituting one or more octaves, the two bars of each dual tone bar unit being adapted to be simultaneously struck by a single mallet, one of the bars of each dual tone bar unit being pitched one octave below the other bar thereof, and resonators mounted below said sequence of tone bar units, one of the resonators associated with each unit being larger than the other and being arranged below both bars of the unit and the smaller one being located below the higherpitched bar of the unit.

2. A percussion musical instrument of the Xylophone type comprising tone bar units each having approximately the same horizontal dimensions as the corresponding single tone bar of a standard instrument as heretofore used, and each comprising two bars arranged closely beside each other and which are of different dimensions such that one is pitched an octave above the other, the units being arranged in a series such that the bars on one side of successive units form a scale and the bars on the other side form the same scale an octave higher than the first scale.

3. A percussion musical instrument of the Xylophone type comprising tone bar units each having approximately the same horizontal dimensions as the corresponding single tone bar of a standard instrument as heretofore used, and each unit comprising two bars arranged closely beside each other and which are the same in their horizontal dimensions but which are of different thicknesses such that one is pitched an octave above the other, the units being arranged in a series such that the bars on one side of successive units form a scale and the bars on the other side form the same scale an octave higher than the first scale.

i. A percussion musical instrument of the Xylophone type comprising tone bar units each having approximately the same horizontal dimensions as the corresponding single tone bar of a standard instrument as heretofore used, and each unit comprising two bars arranged closely beside each other and which are the same in their horizontal dimensions but which are of different thicknesses such that one is pitched an octave above the other, the units being arranged in a series such that the bars on one side of successive units form a scale and the bars on the other side form the same scale an octave higher than the first scale, together with resonators for the vari ous bars, the resonator of the higher-pitched bar of each unit being the same as the resonator of the lower-pitched bar of the unit an octave higher on the instrument.

5. A percussion musical instrument of the Xylophone type comprising tone bar units each consisting of two bars arranged closely beside each other and which are the same in their horizontal dimensions but which are of different thicknesses such that one is pitched an octave above the other, the units being arranged in a series such that the bars on one side of successive units form a scale and the bars on the other side form the same scale an octave higher than the first scale, together with resonators for the various bars, the resonators for the lower pitched bars of the units being arranged in one series relative to the lengths of the bars and below the two bars of the respective units and the resonators for the higher pitched bars of the units being arranged in another series differently arranged relative to the lengths of the bars and below the higherpitched bars of the respective units.

6. A unit for a Xylophone or the like comprising a pair of adjacent and parallel tone bars having the same horizontal dimensions and diifering in thickness so that one is pitched an octave above the other, in combination with a large resonator below both bars and a smaller resonator below the higher-pitched bar.

CHARLES HULTSCI-Il

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