US2256260A - Accordion - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 16, 1941-.

V.GALANW ACCORDION Filed April 17, 1939 umnumnmn DUUDDDDUMr Gutmann-wy DDDDDUDD muunmnmn UDDDQDDD DUDDEUDDM Patented Sept. 16, 1941 OFFICE ACCORDION Valentino Galanti, Mondaino, Forli, Italy Application April 17, 1939, Serial No. 268,372 In Italy June 4, 1938 (Cl. S11-376) 1 Claim.

The present invention relates tol air instruments such as accordions, harmonia and the like which present an apertured plate for the different notes on one side of which the Vibrating-tongue carriers are applied with the interposition of movable control strips which also are provided with corresponding apertures that may be moved to register with the apertures of the said base plate.

An object of the present invention is to provide a novel mechanical arrangement which, by means of a certain number of keys that may be operated separately, secures as many different combinations of each of the two (opening and closing) positions that each control strip may assume with respect to its vibrating-tongue carrier, so as to obtain the desired combinations oi the different octaves and, if desired, also various intensities of a same octave.

The invention has been carried into eiect by providing, for each octave, a control strip, the various control strips being each actuated by a movable element provided with projections that are so applied to the said element that the operation of one of the keys and of the mechanical members associated therewith will produce the displacement of one or more of the said elements and of the control strips corresponding thereto in such a manner that the control strips may assume one of the positions desired with respect to their Vibrating-tongue carriers.

In a preferred embodiment, which is hereinafter illustrated by way of example, the movable elements have the form of straight bars, movable axially and of considerable length, so that the projections applied to them and which co-operate with the control element, may be suitably distributed along the length of the said bars, which permits of applying the control keys for the said combinations in a convenient and useful manner, that is in such a manner that the said control keys may be suitably distributed along the keyboard of the instrument. The invention also presents a characteristic of great importance in that the various desired combinations are obtained through actions applied upon the small rods so that a tensioning action will be exerted upon the control elements of the control strips, which ensures a constantly equal and reliable opening for the various actuated control strips and a light and smooth motion.

Other features and objects of the invention will be more apparent from a consideration of the accompanying drawing and the following vdescription wherein an exemplary embodiment of the invention is disclosed.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the base plate showing the apertures therein.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view illustrating a portion of the base plate and two groups of the rods.

Fig. 3 is a side view of one of the movable rods showing the mechanism associated therewith for actuating one of the control strips.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the keys and means moved thereby for shifting the rods.

With particular reference to the embodiment illustrated by way of example, I is the base plate provided with the apertures 2 for the passage of the air to the vibrating tongues. One of the movable control strips which move in the directions of the arrows 4 and 5 is illustrated at 3 in Fig. 3. The motion of each of the control strips is obtained by means of a crank 6 mounted upon a shaft 1, which by another crank 8, is operated by means of a small connecting rod 9 that is in turn operated by the crank IU mounted upon a rotatable shaft I I which presents a rocking element I2 to the ends of which the rods I5 and I6 are connected by means of the connecting rods I3 and I4. The rods I5 and I6 are provided, at suitable intervals with projecting pins I'I and I8. In the accompanying drawing the reference numerals are for the sake of simplicity applied only to two groups of rods and for the respective elements.

The rods I5 and I6 present each as many pins I1 and I8 as are the control keys I9 for the device. The keys I9 are each applied to the end of one of the arms 2U (Fig. 4) of an angle lever pivotally mounted at 22 upon a bar 23 which is parallel with the rods I5 and I6. The arm 2| actuates a crank 24 mounted upon a shaft 25 supported by the bearings 26 and to which a projection 21 is applied which, when the shaft 25 revolves in the direction of the arrow 28 does not reach the rods I5 and I6 but engages the projections I'I and I8 applied to the said rods. 'I'he rotary motion of the shaft 25 and of the projection 21 in the direction of the arrow 28 oompels the rods I5 and I6 to shift in the direction of the arrow 29. In the example illustrated in Fig. 4, it will be the rod 30 that will be shifted in such a direction due to the engagement of the projection 2l with the pin 3|. It follows that or those of the rockers I2 which on this occasion will be actuated by one or more of the four rods of the group will accomplish a rotation in a given direction which will cause the rotation of the shaft Il and, through a suitable transmission system such, as for instance the one illustrated, will control the displacement of the corresponding control strips.

As shown in Fig. 2, the arrangement and distribution of the projections Il and I 3 upon the various rods l5 and I6 is so conceived as to realise the various combinations of the possible positions for each of the controlstrips and therefore to obtain the'various combinations of the various octaves.

While the invention has been described with Y reference to specific structural arrangements it will be appreciated that changes may be made therein by those skilled in the art. Such modiiications may be made Without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claim.

I claim:

In a musical air actuated instrument, at least two groups of substantially parallel spaced ten sion rods, spaced projections carried by said rods, supporting means for said rods permitting sliding axial movement thereof, a rocker arm pivotally connecting each rod of one group With a rod of another group, a shaft for each of said rocker arms disposed between the groups of rods, said shafts being rotated by each rocker arm, a base plate having apertures therein for the passage of air to vibrating tongues, movable control strips associated with said apertures, means for transmitting the rotating motion of said shafts to said strips, manually operable keys, and an operating element moved by said keys and arranged transversely of said rods for engaging said projections and moving said rods.

VALENTINO GALANTI.

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