US2459184A

US2459184A - Harmonica

Info

Publication number: US2459184A
Application number: US573053A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ruffion Gabriel
Original assignee: ALFREDO MAGALLON
Current assignee: ALFREDO MAGALLON
Priority date: 1945-01-16
Filing date: 1945-01-16
Publication date: 1949-01-18
Anticipated expiration: 1966-01-18

Description

G. RUFFINO Janv 18, 1949.

HARMONICA Filed Jan. 16, 1945 INVENTOR.

Patented Jan. 18, 1949 UNITED HARMONICA Gabriel Rufiino, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor of one-half to Alfredo Magallon, Los Angeles,

Calif.

Application J anuary 16, 1945, Serial No. 573,053

8 Claims. 1

My invention relates to multiple reed musical instruments, and is directed particularly to harmonicas. Among the objects of my invention are: First, to provide a harmonica wherein the leather valve elements associated With the reeds of the conventional harmonica, are entirely eliminated, thereby eliminating a serious source of trouble for such leather valve elements deteri orate quickly and both reduce the tonal quality of the harmonica and the efiiciency thereoi, that is, the volume of air required to produce et note of given intensity is increased when the leather valve elements leak.

Second, to provide a harmonica Which incorporates a novel easily manipulated valve means for insuring uni-directional air flow through the various reeds.

Third, to provide a harmonica wherein a pair of cooperating gang valves which are manually actuated, are employed to select one of a group of air passages and close the others, the harmonica being so arranged that four air passages may share a common mouth opening.

Fourth, to provide a harmonica which particularly designed for manufacture from molded plastic parts, with the exception of the reeds and the reed plates.

With the above and other objects in view as may appear hereinafter, reference is directed to the accompanying draWing in Which:

Fig. 1 is a rear view of the harmonica.

Fig. 2 is a top or plan view thereoi with portions et the harmonica broken away and in section.

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of the harmonica.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged transverse sectional view through the harmonica taken through 44 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is another enlarged transverse sectional view taken through 55 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the pivoted gang valve.

A reed block l is provided. The reed block may be conventional in form, although preferably formed of plastic instead of wood. The block is rectangular in shape and provided in its upper and lower sides with a series of channels 2 which open toward the forward side of the block as well as the upper and lower faces thereof. The upper and lower faces of the reed block are covered with reed plates 3. These are preferably sheet hrass but may be iormed of plastic. The reed plates may be conventional in form and provided with reed slots 4. A vibrating reed 5 is secured by a rivet or other conventional securing device in coacting relation with each reed slot. The reeds may be so arranged that those on the upper reed plate are positioned for operation when the air flow is directed into the forward ends of the upper row of channels 2 and fiows upw-ardly and outwardly through the reed slots. The reeds on the lower reed plate are disposed so that they function when the air fiow is upward through the reed slots and into the lower row cf channels. If desired, the arrangement of the reeds may be reversed, but in any case it is preferred that one set function when the air is flowing in one direction, and that the other set function when the air is fiowing in the opposite direction.

The forward end of the reed block fits into a valve body 6 in the form of a rectangular tube which embraces the forward end. of the reed block. The valve body is provided With a grid 7 which forms a series of rectangular openings registering with the forward ends of the channels 2.. A mating grid member 8 fits slidably into the forward side of the valve body to define with the grid l a slot Which extends laterally across the forvvard end of the reed block and out 0ne side of the valve body. A slide valve 9 in the form of a perforated plate is mounted in said slot and extends from an end of the valve floody. The openings in the grid member 8 register With the openings in the grid 1; however, each opening in the grid 8 embraces four of the openings in the grid I and corresponding channels .2. While the grid member 8 is shown as a separate piece, it is possible to mold it integrally, the slot for the slide valve in such case being formed by a suitable ocre strip.

The forward end of the valve body is covered by a mouthpece [0 which is provided with a plurality of mouth openings il. Each mouth opening communicates with a chamber l2. Which embraces and registers With a grid opening in grid 8, that is, each mouth opening communicates through its chamber l2 with four channels 2 which may be Variously divided into an upper pair and a lower pair, or into two vertical pairs.

The chambers [2 are separated by partitions i'3 which align with and abut With the vertical partitions which separate the compartments of the grid member 8, and these partitions coact to form bearings for a valve shait M which extends from end to end of the mouthpiece. The valve shaft 14 is provided with a series of flap valve elements 15 which move in the chambers l2 be tween seats 16 to close off either the lower row or the upper row of channels 2.

In one end, the mouthpiece and the grid member 8 are provided With a common cavity il into which the valve shaft l4 extends. Here the valve shaft is provided with a lever arm I8. A leaf spring l9 is suitably positioned in the cavity to urge the lever arm into one extreme position. A pin 2!) is slidably mounted in the upper Wall of valve body for engagement With the lever arm !8. The pin 20 is connected to a control bar 21 Which extends along the upper side of the harmonica.

The slide valve 9 is provided with a series of slots 22, one corresponding to each chamber l2 and movable to close either of the vertical pairs of channels communicating With each chamber. The protruding end of the slide valve 9 is provided with a knob 23 for moving the slide valve in one direction while a spring 24 suitably positioned at the remote end of the reed blocl: urges the slide valve to its other position.

By manipulation of the slide valve 9 and the oscillating valve formed by the valve shait H! and valve elements l5, it is possible to select any one of the four channels 2 communicating with each chamber l2, that is, each valve has two positions and by the combination of these tvvo positions, any one of four channels may be selected. The air is blown through the harmonica when the oscillating valve is in one position, such as the solid line position shown in Fig. 4, and the air is drawn through the harmonica when the oscillating valve is in its other or dotted line position shown in Fig. 4.

The reed block 1 is enclosed in a casing 25, the forward end of Which is provided With an opening adapted to receive the valve body 6. The casing 25 defines a series of internal channels 26 which extend over and under the reed plates in registry With the reed slots l. Upper and lower pairs of the channels 25 preferably communicate with a common opening 21 located in the rear end of the casing. These series of openings 27 may be closed or regulated in effective area by the fingers of the player, to produce muted eiects or tremolos. In addition, it is preferred to provide a common slot traversing the openings 21 in Which is mounted a slide valve 28. The slide valve is provided with a series of ports 29 Which register with the openings 2?. These ports may be graded in size, the smaller port being at the high pitch end of the harmonica, and the larger port at the lower pitch end thereof. The slide valve 28 may be oscillated for a tremol eiect, one end thereof protruding from the end of the harmonica and provided with a knob 3l).

Many other embodiments of the invention may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. A harmonica comprising: a reed block and reed assembly; a mouthpiece means definng air passages communicating betvveen said menthpiece and said assembly, said air passages divided into consecutively arranged groups, there being four passages in each group forming tvvo vertical columns and two horizontal rows; a iirst selector valve movable to open either of said columns of each group of air passages; a second selector valve movable to open either of said rows of each group of air passages; said valves being located betvveen said mouthpiece and said assembly and cooperatlng to select any one of said air passages in said group and close the remainder.

2. A harmonica comprising: a reed block and reed assembly defining air passages having ends disposed in an upper and a lowei r0w; a mouthpiece mounted over said ends of the air passages and having openings, each communicating with at least an upper and a corresponding lower passage and incorporating valve seats on their upper and lower walls; a gang valve eXtending along said mouthpiece and including a select0r valve element pivotally mounted in each opening to engage either one or the other of said seats thereby to close one row of passages and open the other row thereof; and an exposed handle for operating said gang valve.

3. A harmonica comprising: a pair of reed plates, each having a plurality of slots and reeds cooperating with said slots to produce musical notes; a reed block separating said plates and defining therewith air passages communicating with said slots and With an end of said reed block, at said end the passages being arranged in an upper and a lower row; a housing for said reed block and reed plates having upper and 10. er continuation passages, corresponding pairs of said passages sharing a common port, said ports being adapted for individual manual control by the players fingers; a multiple ported sleeve valve for said ports t0 regulate said ports in unison; a mouthpiece mounted over the for- Ward ends of said passages and having openings communicating with at least a corresponding pair of upper and lower passages; a gang valve extending along said mouthpiece and including a selector valve clament pivotally mounted in each opening to close one row of passages and open the other row thereof; and an exposed handle for operating said gang valve.

4. A harmonica comprising: a pair of reed plates, each having a plurality of slots and reeds cooperating With said slots to produce musical notes; a reed block separatlng said plates and defining therewlth air passages cornmuncating with said slots and With an end of said reed block, at said end the passages being arranged in an upper and a lower row; a mouthpiece covering the forward end of said reed block and having mouth openings communicating with groups of said passages; a rst selector valve having a port for each mouth opening and movable laterally to select vertically corresponding pairs of passages; and a second selector valve including pivotally mounted valve elements in each of said mouth openings for closng the upper or lower rovvs of passages; both of said valves being located between said mouthpiece and said passages and said valves coacting to select a predetermined air passage in each group and close the remainder.

5. A harmonica comprising: means defining a plurality of mouth openings and at least a pair of air passages common to each mouth opening and arranged in upper and lower rovvs; an oscillatable gang valve including a shaft extending across said passages between said rows thereof and individual vans elements secured to said shaft and tiltable to close ol the upper or lower row of passages by engagement with the upper or lower sides of said mouth openings; and reeds mounted in said air passages.

6. A harmonica comprising: means defining a plurality of mouth openings and a group of air passages leading from each of said mouth openings, arranged in upper and lower roWs; a slide valve interposed between said mouth openings and said passages and having a valve port for each mouth opening movable laterally to select corresponding upper and lower pairs of said air passages; a tiltable gang valve including a tiltable valve element in each mouth opening pivotable about an axis 1ocated between said upper and lower rows of air passages, the extended ends of said valve elements engageable with the upper and and lower walls of said mouth openings to close off alternatively the upper or lower rows of said air passages; and reeds in said air passages.

7. A harmonica, comprising: a reed block having an upper and a lower row of passages separated by a partition; a mouth piece having a series of ports each port communicating with at least one upper and lower passage; a control valve including a shaft extending along said partition and a tiltable vane element in each port engageable with the upper or lower wal1 thereof to deflect air into the lower or upper air passage.

8. A harmonica, comprising: a reed block having an upper and a lower row of passages separated by a partition; a mouth piece having a series of ports each communicating With a pair of upper and a pair of lower passages; a slide RFRENCES CITED The following referenees are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 435,163 Weissenborn Aug. 26, 1890 552,242 Essbach Dec. 31, 1895 882,575 Murphy Mar. 24, 1908 1,735,645 Hostetter Nov. 12, 1929 20 2,192,983 Moore Mar. 12, 1940 2,384,758 Magnus Sept. 11, 1945