US2226094A

US2226094A - Sound device

Info

Publication number: US2226094A
Application number: US325885A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ellsworth Lincoln
Original assignee: MCLOUGHLIN BROS Inc
Current assignee: MCLOUGHLIN BROS Inc
Priority date: 1940-03-25
Filing date: 1940-03-25
Publication date: 1940-12-24
Anticipated expiration: 1957-12-24

Description

Dec. 24, 1940. L. ELLSWORTH 2,226,094

SOUND DEVICE Filed March 25, I940 INVENTOR.

Patented Dec. 24, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SOUND DEVICE Application March 25, 194%), Serial No. 325,885

4 Claims.

The principal object of my invention is directed to the provision of a unique and novel sound device which may be made more quickly and more economically than has ever heretofore been possible in the cases of prior art devices.

It is another object of my invention to provide a unique combination and arrangement of parts, which combination and arrangement are characterized by simplicity when compared with what has come before it in the way of prior art devices, and which are further characterized by their relatively low cost of manufacture.

It is still another object of my invention to provide a device which will serve profitably as an educational means for children, inasmuch as a young child in using the same unsuspectingly is taught to correlate sounds with the objects which ordinarily emit them. That is to say, he eventually learns to recognize the sound of a fog horn, for example, without necessarily actually seeing the means which produces the same, or without actually receiving any suggestion by means of a pictorial representation or otherwise, as to a reason for one, which is something very much to be desired. That is to say, it is educational in the sense that it teaches a child to recognize sounds alone and Without any association whatsoever to the thing or to a representation of the thing to which they refer.

t is a still further object of my invention to provide a bellows-operated reed for the production of musical notes upon the application of pressure or the like by which the sound or sounds emitted may be varied considerably in their range, their tone, and their quality, according to the position of the reed and to the degree of pressure applied to the operating means, both of which are factors which the operator of the de- 40 vice can manually control.

I am aware of certain prior art devices which comprise many different parts, each of which are costly in their manufacture and delicate in their handling. Such parts as channel members, reed 45 members, binding members which secured said channel and reed members together, metal body members, metal cover members, and securing means (such as glue or shellac) between said body and said cover member are herein entirely elimi- 59 nated.

With the foregoing and various other novel features and advantages and other objects of my invention as will become more apparent as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more particularly pointed out in the claims hereunto annexed and more fully described and referred to in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein: 5

Fig. l is a plan View of the device of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the main body member of the device of my invention with the cover member removed;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the reed member of the device of my invention;

Fig 5 is a sectional elevational view showing the device of my invention in combination with a page of a book;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of a modified form of the top member of the device of my invention;

Figs. '7 and 8 are side elevational views showing the parts as shown in Fig. 6 in different relative positions; and

Figs. 9, 10 and 11 are plan views of modified forms of the body member of the device of my invention.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, wherein similar reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several figures of the drawing, and referring more particularly to the preferred 0 form of my invention which has been selected for illustrative purposes, I have shown a body member consisting of an outer wall member ID and provided with a central chamber i2 therein. 1

The central chamber I2 may extend from opposite side faces of the body member, and a cover member 29 is adapted to overlie one of the oppo- The body member may be made of any suit able material such as paper, wood, or the like although for purposes of economy a stiff cardboard material has been found to be most satis--. factory. The advantage of this unique c0nstruction is that it can be stamped out of sheets of board or cardboard and the bothersome metallic fixtures are thereby totally eliminated.

The body member also contains a throat I4 which is in direct communication with the central chamber I2 and which leads through into an elongated end of the body member, at one side thereof, substantially as shown in Fig. 2.

A reed member 40 of the usual construction is positioned in the throat I4 and may be secured thereto by suitable securing means such as glue or the like, so as to seal the central chamber for reasons hereinafter to be more fully explained.

The cover member 30 is in reality a diaphragm member and it serves as a bottom wall for the body member and is provided with an opening 32. When the member 30 is secured toone of the opposite side faces of the outer wall member I0, the opening 32 is disposed over the central chamber, substantially as is shown in Fig. 3.

In association with the cover or diaphragm member 30 is what I call a backing member 34, which is so secured to the member 30 so as to provide an air chamber or pocket 36 therebetween, substantially as is shown in Fig. 3. The parts forming the pocket 36 are held in an open or spaced relation when not in use, by some spring means 38 which holds the members 39 and 34 in a spaced relation as to each other.

Through the adjustment of the reed member 40, in the course of an air-expelling or an airintaking stroke of the air pocket, I am able to effect the production of different musical sounds from a single reed. With the application of pressure, manually or otherwise, upon the air pocket so as to close together its component parts and thereby to force the passage of air through the only possible means of escape (and that is through the opening provided between the reed and channel member and through the opening in the central chamber to the outside) the pressure of the air will produce musical sounds. The return or expanding stroke of the component parts of the air pocket (which is mechanically aided by the action of the spring member) results in an inward flow of air through the opening in the central chamber from the outside and through the opening between the reed and channel member directly to the air pocket.

Depending, of course, upon whether the air is going inwardly or outwardly of the air chamber or pocket, determines whether the sound results upon the retraction or the expansion of the air pocket.

I have found that the operation of my device and the sounds resulting therefrom may be varied within a wide range of limits by the mere adjustability of parts. In the first place, I have found that the positioning of the reed member relative to the body and central chamber is one determining factor in the type of sound emitted. That is to say, the sounds may be varied according to the degree to which the sound means extends into the central chamber.

By varying the length of the throat I4, the position of the reed member relative to the body member and the central chamber thereof is also varied inasmuch as the reed member may then overlie the outer wall I 0 on either side of the throat I4 either more or less depending upon the particular tone which it is desired to produce.

In the second place, I have found that the positioning of the cover member relative to the reed member is another determining factor in the type of sound emitted. That is to say, the sounds may be varied according to the degree to which the cover member extends over the reed member.

In Figs. 6, '7 and 8, I have shown a modification of the device of my invention but which does not depart from the essential characteristics thereof. It is to be considered as illustrative only for it is not desired to be limited to this particular form or to any particular form since other changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. I have shown a cover member I20 which has a portion I22 foldable relative thereto at one side thereof, and for purposes of rigidity, it is preferred that a hinge means I24 be used to give the cover member added strength so that the foldable portion I22 may move freely relative to the cover member I20 as shown in Figs. 6, '7 and 3.

By regulating the position of the foldable portion I22, the degree of pressure which is exerted upon the reed 40, which lies directly under the foldable portion, is obviously varied, which is a result very much to be desired inasmuch as I have found that the addition of pressure upon the reed increases the pitch of the note produced thereby.

In Figs. 9, 10, and 11, I have shown further modifications of the body member of my invention.

In Fig. 9, the outer wall member 2H] and the central chamber 2I2 are shown to be similar to what is disclosed in Fig. 2, but the course of the throat 2 extending from the central chamber 2I2 which leads into an elongated end of the body member at one side thereof takes a zig-zag course whereby the throat is elongated.

In Fig. 10, the outer wall member 3H! is substantially increased so as to form a smaller central chamber 3I2 whereby the throat 3M is likewise elongated although in the form shown the throat 3I4 does not have a zig-zag course such as is shown in Fig. 9.

In Fig. 11, the outer wall member 4H] is of the same size as is disclosed in Fig. 9, as is also the central chamber 4I2 of a similar size. The throat 4, however, is substantially shortened in its length so as to effect considerably the range of the tones produced.

While I have described the invention in great detail and with respect to the present preferred form thereof, it is not desired to be limited thereto since changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What it is desired to claim and secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A sound device of the class described comprising in combination, a body member having a central opening therein and a throat leading from the opening into a side of said body member, a cover member secured to one side of said body member and over the opening therein having a foldable portion hinged thereto and adapted to overlie the throat in various degrees, and a reed member having a part in the throat of said body member and secured between said body member and said cover member and the foldable portion thereof.

2. A sound device of the class described comprising in combination, a body member having a central opening therein and an elongated throat leading along an irregular course from the opening into a. side of said body member, a cover member secured to one side of said body member and over the opening therein having a foldable portion hinged thereto and adapted to overlie the throat in various degrees and a reed memher having a part in the throat of said body member and secured between said body member and said cover member and the foldable portion thereof.

3. A sound device of the class described comprising in combination, a body member having a central opening therein and a throat leading from the opening into a side of said body member, a cover member secured to one side of said body member and over the opening therein and adapted to overlie the throat in various degrees, and a reed member having a part in the throat of said body member and secured between said body member and said cover member.

4. A sound device of the class described comprising in combination, a body member having a central opening therein and an elongated throat leading along an irregular course from the opening into a side of said body member, a cover member secured to one side of said body member and over the opening therein and adapted to overlie the throat in various degrees and a reed member having a part in the throat of said body member and secured between said body member and said cover member.

LINCOLN ELLSWORTH.