US2197773A - Toy organ - Google Patents

Description

Apri] 23, 1940. l.. RosENFlELD 2.197.773

ToY oRGAN Filed Dec. ze, 1959 2 sheets-sheet x w /Z 454m/ f-f//IV 55.' l

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Apr. 23, 1940vv e UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 'roy oRGAN Louis Roseneld, Brooklyn, N. o Application December 29, 1939, Serial No. 311,448

` 8 Claims. (Cl. 84-330) This invention relates to improvements in toy box like casing II composed of a base section I2 musical instruments, and more specifically to a and a cover section I3.` The base section I2 com.- toy organ. prises aflat rigid bottom wall I4 from which rises 'I'he primary object of the invention is to proparallel side Walls I5-I5 and a rear wall. I6.

5 vide a musical toy which may be played like an The base section I2 is open at its front and ex- 5 organ to produce musical notes having a sound tending across the bottom wall I4 at the front like that which emanates from an organ. and xedly secured thereto, is a slat I l, the

Another feature of the invention resides in a upper face I8 of which is flat and defines a toy organ on which simple musical tunes may platform for a purpose to be hereinafter exl be played; and which will be helpful to children plained. Fixed to the slat I1 and rising upwardly 1| interestedin musical education. at the ends thereof are bearing blocks I9-I9 Another feature of the invention is the proand mounted in the blocks I9-I9 are the ends vision of a toy organ in which the air pressure of a rod 20. Bridging the space between the to the different wind actuated musical devices,` bearing blOCkS i9 and terminating in Spaeed rela- `l such as metallic reeds, musical pipes, or the like tion with respect tothe slats Il, is a cross rail i5 is controlled by a simple and novel keyboard 2|, Which in conjunction With the bearing blOCkS action, I9 serves to provide three walls about the key- A further feature of the invention is the probeard presently t0 be` eXpleiIled. vision of a toy organ in which the reeds or pipes The cover section I3 comprises a flat top wall zo are blown by air pressure which is built up in 2|', a front Wall 22, the top and front walls being 20 an inflatable bladder, there being a means Where- Cut away eS at 23 t0 eXpOSe the keybOa-Id 21S best by the supply of air pressure may be restored illustrated in Figures 1 and 3 of the drawings. should it drop to a degree incapable of effecting Formed integral With the tOp Wall 2| and dea blowing of the reeds or pipes. pending therefrom is a rear wall 24. The cover "u A still further feature of the invention is to yI3 may be constructed 0f relatively stlf card- 25 provide a toy organin which the parts are in-kk board, and when fitted over the base I2 and expensive, easy to assemb1e, 'and 'which are englued or otherwise secured thereto it provides a closed to prevent tampering thereof by children. bOX like easing Il.

Many other features of the invention` will FiXedly SUDPOI'ted 1113011 the bottom Wall I4 become apparent as the following specification is eppI'OXimately midway between the front and 30 read in conjunction with the accompanying rear ends of the casing is a wind musical instrudrawings, in which ment 25 which may be termed a harmonica, al- Figure 1 is a perspective view of thel toy organ. though it embodies Only thOSe reeds Which func- Figure 2 is an enlarged horizontal sectional tien by eXhaiing, thOSe reeds Of a harmonica view on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, with parts Which are operable by inhaling being eliminated. 35 broken away, The instrument 25 comprises an elongated body Figure 3 is an enlarged detail vertical sectional 25 Supported in' ein elevated pOSitiOn by brackets view on the line 3-3 of Figure?, the key lever 27- Supported by the bOdy 25 iS a TOWy of metal being shown in normal position in full lines and reeds 28, which reeds are capable 0f producing o in depressed position in dotted lines, different musical notes, and I have illustrated in 40 Figure 4 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal the drawings, ten reeds which are capable of pro- 'sectional view taken substantially on the line dllCiIlg tWO HOteS Over the enventonal octave 4 4 of Figure 2. of eight notes. Each metallic reed includes an Figure 5 is a fragmentary horizonta] sectional air inlet 29 which is defined by a forwardly exview illustrating the use of musical pipes instead tending nipple 30. 45 of metal reeds, Pvotally mounted upon the rod 2|] are key Figure 6 is a top plan view with parts in` seclevers 3l, there being one key lever for each of tion of a modiled form of air inflating means. the reeds 28, therefore ten key levers are ar- Figure '7 is a detail side elevational view illusranged side by side upon the rod 2li. Each key trating the manner in which the musical pipes lever 3| includes a. forwardly extending finger 5o may be arranged upstanding in the manner of portion 32 and a rearwardly extending hammer a. conventional pipe organ. or head portion 33. The underside of the head Referring to thedrawings by reference charportion 33 is arched as at 34 in order to clear acters, the numeral I0 designates my toy organ an air supply manifold pipe 35 'which is sup- ,55 in vvitsentiretyy and which 'includes a rectangular 'ported 'upon the platform I8 and which vextends u beyond the end II. One end of the manifold pipe 36 is closed, whereas the other end is provided with a pipe extension 36 which extends rearwardly along one of the side walls I5 and is fixedly attached to the air outlet nipple 31 of an inflatable bladder 38. The bladder 38 is enclosed in a casing 3B which restricts the inflation of the bladder so as to confine it and prevent the bladder from being distended against the Walls of the casing. The bladder is provided with an air inlet 4G in which a check valve 4I is arranged, the outer end of the check valve having a nipple 42 which registers with an opening 43 in one of the side walls I5 of the casing. One end of a rubber blow tube 44 is inserted through the opening 43 and iits onto the nipple 42, whereupon a person may put the free end of the blow tube in his mouth and blow therethrough so as to inflate the bladder 38 to build up compressed air therein. rEhe check valve 4I prevents the escape of air from the bladder through the air inlet. The casing 39 which encloses the bladder 38 is xedly secured to the bottom wall I4 by rivets or the like 44.

The air manifold pipe 35 is provided with rearwardly extending nipples 45 and the nipples are respectively disposed beneath the head portions of the key levers 3 I. Fitting onto the nipples 45 are the front ends of iiexible rubber tubes 46, the other ends of the tubes being respectively connected to the nipples 30 of the respective metallic reeds 28. Thus it will be seen that the air inlets 2S of the reeds are connected to the air manifold pipe 35 whereby air under pressure from the bladder 38 may flow through the pipe 35, manifold 35, rubber tube 4G to the reeds 28, and which air under pressure will cause the reeds to sound musical notes. However, the compressed air to the reeds is normally shut off by reason of the hammer or head portion 33 of the key levers being forced down upon the respective rubber tubes 45 in order to kink or compress the tubes against the platform I8 to shut off the passage of air from the manifold pipes to the metallic reeds. In order to impart the necessary force to the levers to compress or Hatten the tubes 4B, there is an expansion spring 46' disposed beneath the respective key levers and interposed between the linger portions 32 thereof and the slats I7. The lower convolutions of the springs 46 pass around guide posts 4'I and which posts act as stops for limiting the downward movement of the linger portions of the lever, and which movement is sufcient to enable the head or hammer portion 33 to move upwardly a sufficient distance to permit air to freely now from the manifold pipe to the musical reeds.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that by selectively pressing downwardly on the finger portions 32 of the key levers, compressed air may pass to the musical reeds controlled by the actuated key levers and musical notes will be sounded, the musical sounds passing out of the casing II through openings 43 in the side walls I5 of the casing. When the air pressure within the bladder 3S drops to a degree insuiicient to blow the reed 28, the operator reinfiates the bladder 38 by blowing through the blow tube 44. If desired, the free end of the blow tube 44 may have a rubber squeeze bulb 43 attached thereto as illustrated in dot and dash lines in Figure 2 of the drawings.

In Figure 5 of the drawings, I have illustrated a modiiied embodiment of the invention, wherein the rubber tubes 46 leading from the manifold pipe 35 are respectively connected to the air inlet ends of musical pipes 50. The musical pipes 5I) may lie horizontally Within the casing as shown in Figure 5, or they may be placed upright and disposed exteriorly of the casing as illustrated in Figure 7. When the pipes which are of different lengths are arranged upright, it will resemble the front of a conventional organ.

In Figure 6 of the drawings, I have illustrated a modified form of the means for effecting iniiation of the bladder 38. Instead of the blow tube 44, I provide a motor driven fan or pump 5I which is fixedly attached to the bottom wall I4 of the casing. The motor which operates the fan 5I is an electric motor and it receives its energy from the socket of an electric supply system. Air is supplied to the fan or pump 5I through an opening 52 in the rear wall of the casing, the outlet side of the pump being connected to the inlet check valve 4I. Should the bladder 38 be over-inflated by either the actuation of the fan or pump 5I or by blowing through the tube 44, the excess air pressure will be relieved by a safety valve 53 which extends exteriorly of the casing 39, but which is operatively connected to the bladder 38.

While I have illustrated a toy organ which has a keyboard consisting of two notes in excess of an octave it will be understood that the key board may be extended to take in another octave more or less, and I therefore do not Wish to limit myself to the range of musical notes which might be produced by this musical device. Furthermore, such changes in construction as come within the scope of the appended claims may be resorted to if desired, without in any way departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

l. A toy organ comprising in combination, a plurality of wind actuated musical devices each of the musical devices being capable of sounding different notes of the musical scale and having an air inlet, an air reservoir in which air under pressure is stored, means for conveying air from said air reservoir to the air inlets of the respective musical devices, said means including flexible air tube sections, one air tube section for each musical device, a series of key levers, there being one lever associated with each air tube, and spring means acting upon the key levers to cause the same to pressingly engage the respective air tubes to shut off the passage therethrough, whereby manual actuation of the key levers against the action of the springs will permit air under pressure to flow through the air tubes to effect actuation of the wind actuated musical devices.

2. A toy organ as set forth in claim l, including in the combination, means for recharging the air reservoir with air when the pressure therein drops below a predetermined operating pressure.

3. A toy organ comprising in combination a box like casing having sound emitting openings therein, a row of key-levers mounted within said casing at the front thereof, each of said levers having a front nger portion and a rear head portion, the front of said casing being cut away to expose the finger portions of the key levers for ringer manipulation, an air supply reservoir within said casing in which air under pressure is stored, a manifold air supply pipe connected to said air supply reservoir and extending beneath but clear of the head portions of the row of key-levers, a plurality of wind actuated musical devices within said casing, there being one musical device for each key lever and the musical devices being capable of producing different notes of the musical scale, each musical device having an air inlet, flexible tubes connecting the respective air inlets with the manifold, a portion of said tubes underlying the respective head portions of saidkey-levers, and spring means acting upon said key-levers to press the head ends against said tubes and effect a klnking thereof to normally shut off the flow of air therethrough, whereby selective manual depression of the nger portions of said key-levers will effect a lifting of the head end of the key levers and permit of the passage of air to the musical devices.

4. A toy organ as set forth in'claim 3, including means for replenishing the air pressure in the air supply` reservoir, and automatic valve means for releasing air from the reservoir should the air pressure therein reach a predetermined excessive amount.

5. A toy organ including a wind actuated musical instrument having a row of reeds for producing different musical notes, each reed having an air inlet, a key-board including a key-lever for each reed, an air pressure supply manifold underlying the key-board, flexible rubber tubes connecting the air inlets of the reeds to said manifold pipe and having portions thereof disposed in the path of downward movement of the inner ends of said key-levers, and spring means acting to normally cause the inner ends of the levers to pressingly engage and kink said flexible rubber tubes to shut off the passage of air from said manifold to said reeds, whereby manual actuation of said key-levers against the action` of said spring means will cause the same to release said tubes and permit the free flow of air from said manifold to said reeds.

6. A toy organ including a base, a row of key-levers pivoted intermediate their ends and above said base, anair pressure supply manifold fixedly mounted upon said base and extending beneath the inner ends of said key-levers and out of the path thereof, a plurality of wind actuated musical devices productive of the notes of a musical scale, each musical device having an air inlet, rubber tubes connecting the air inlets of the musical devices to the manifold, portions of the tubes resting upon said base and underlying the inner ends of the respective key-levers, expansion springs interposed between said base and the outer ends of said key-levers for causing the inner ends of the key-levers to depress said tubes against said base to shut-off the passage therethrough, whereby manual depression of the outer ends of said key-levers against the action of said springs will cause the inner ends of said key-levers to release the tubes and permit of the free passage of air from said manifold to the reeds.

7. Ay toy organ comprising in combination a box-like casing havingan exposed key-boardfat the front thereof, said key-board consisting of a row of pivoted key levers, a plurality of Wind actuated musical devices mounted Within said casing productive of the different notes of a musical scale, each of said musical devices having an air inlet, rubber tubes extending from front to rear and contained within said casing having their rear ends respectively connected to the air inlets of the musical devices and their front ends respectively disposed beneath the inner ends of the key-levers, an air inflatable member contained within said casing, means connecting the front ends of said tubes to said air inflatable member, means for facilitating the inflation of said inflatable member, and spring means acting upon the individual key-levers for causing the inner ends thereof to normally kink the tubes to close the passage therethrough,

8. A toy organ including a plurality of Wind actuated musical pipes productive of different notes of a musical scale, each musical pipe having an air inlet, a key-board composed of a row of key-levers equal to the number of musical pipes, an air pressure supply manifold underlying the inner ends of the key-levers and dis- .posed out of the path thereof, flexible rubber tubes connecting the air inlets of said musical pipes with said manifold and having portions thereof disposed in the path of downward movement of the inner ends of the key levers, the last mentioned portions of said tubes being seated on a rigid rest, and spring means acting upon said key levers to forcibly press and flatten portions of the tubes against the rigid rest to shut off the passage therethrough, whereby manual depression of the outer ends of said key-levers will release said tubes and permit of the free flow of air from said manifold to said musical pipes.

LOUIS ROSENFIEID.

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