US2651960A - Educational musical instrument - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 15, 1953 P. P. PATTYN EDUCATIONAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 7, 1952 0 000 000 000 000 000 m OOONMIT OOO GOO OOGOOOOOOO 0000099600 INVENT/OR 'Pie 7' re fiPaZZyn ATTORNEY5 P. P. PATTYN EDUCATIONAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Sept. 15, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 7, 1952 0 e9 GOO 1 @QQ eco w QOQ m 000 Y o0@ oco fioove o NWU QQQ MR ow QQQ oow oa 00 0 ooe 000 00@ 090 QQQ 090 QQQTR 000 n 00@ 000 M 009 000 M 009 ooo m moe 4W5 0 thmgifi b N INVENTOR Pie r re PPaZZyn BY 0699M ATTORNEYS Sept. 15, 1953 P. P. PATTYN EDUCATIONAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 7, 1952 INVENTOA Pierre EPai'Zyn ATTORNEYS P. P. PATTYN EDUCATIONAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Sept. 15, 1-953 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April 7, 1952 INVENTOR Pier? e BPaZZyn ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 15, 1953 OFFICE EDUCATIONAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Pierre P. Pattyn, Detroit, Mich. A plication April '1, 1952', Serial No. 280.913

- 3 Claims. (01. 84- 02) 1 This invention relates to an educational musical instrument. 1 1

An object of this invention is to provide a musical instrument; which is designed to educate children or others in the art of music. Another object of this invention is to provide a musical instrument embodying tone elements,

and a movable web carrying interchangeable operators for the elements whereby the latter will be rendered active upon movement of said web.

j A further object of thi invention is to provide a musical instrument having a plurality of tone elements which may be selectively activated by a movable web or by manually operated keys. A further object of this invention is to provide a musical instrument which can be made in great part outof plastic material. I

With the above and other objects in'view, my invention consists in the arrangement, combination and details of construction disclosed in the drawings andspecification, and then more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

, Figure 1 is a detailed side elevationof'a musical instrument constructed according to an em bodiment of this invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the instrument.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 2. C

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 44 of Figure 2. I

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Figure2.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 1-1 of Figure 1. A

Figure 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 1.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 9.-9 of Figure 3. I

Figure 10 is a plan view partly broken away of an instruction sheet for use in positioning the operating pins embodied with the flexible web.

Figure 11 is a fragmentary sectional view through a portion of the web showing one of the removable pins. r

Referring to the drawings, the numeral l5 designates generally a housing embodying oppositely disposed upright walls l6 and ill which are secured to a base '18. A front covering, l 9 of relatively flexible material, such as plastic sheet ma terial, is secured as by fastening devices 20 to the v 2 I front and upper edges of the side walls I6 and I1, respectively. I

The side walls l6 and I! are provided at their lower-forward portions with extensions 2| which are adapted to be disposed at the opposite ends of the row of keys, as will be hereinafter described.

A rear covering '22 is secured by fastening means 23 to the rear of the housing l5 and includes anupper top wall member 24. There is a space 25 between the ends of the top wall members 24 and 26, the latter being an extension of the covering IS, the purpose for which will be hereinafter described.

Apluralityof tubular tone elements?! are suspendingly disposed within the housing l5, being suspended from cords 28 carried by a supporting bar 29 which is fixed between the side walls 16 and i1. These tubular tone elements 21 hang between horizontal and spaced apart parallel bars 30, which, at the opposite ends thereof, are secured to end bars 3! and end bars 3| are horizontally adjustable in horizontal openings 32, which are formed in the side walls It and I1.

Washer 33 is secured to each end-of the rectangular frame which is formed by the parallel bars so that the frame cannot shift crosswise of the housing [5. A plurality of transversely disposed cords 3,4 are threaded between the bars 30., asshownin Figure 5, and extend between the tubular tone elements 21 so as to keep these elements separated'but, at the same time, permit these tone elements to be disposed relatively close to each other in order that these tone elements may'vibrate in sympathy with each other when adjacent tone elements have been struck by the hammers, as willbe hereinafter described.

- There is a hammer 35 for each tone member 21 which is carried by an elongated resilient bar 36. The bar 35 is secured to a substantially triangular block '31, which is pivotally mounted on a horizontally disposed stationary shaft 38 whichis fixed between the side walls 16 and IT. A horizontally disposed bumper bar 39 is secured between the side walls I6 and I1 above the block 3], and block 31 is provided with a felt cushion member 40 adapted to contact with thebumper bar 39. A second felt member is secured in the lower side 42 of block 31 and confronts the upper end of a lift bar 43, which is slidable through a horizontally disposed guide 44 fixed between the side walls I6 and I1.

The'lift rod or bar 43 is pivotallyrsecured at it's-lower end; as indicated at 45. totheinn'er end of a key '46 which is rockable on a horizontal manner Of piano keys.

shaft 41 fixed between the lower portions of the side walls l6 and H. The keys 46, as shown in Figure 2, are arranged and formed after the It will, of course, be understood that there may be as many keys 46 as may be desired, and in the present instance, the number of keys is slightly greater than a full octave.

A felt cushion block 48 is mounted on the upper side of the bottom wall |8 below the forward end portions of the keys 46, and an inner cushion felt 49 is mounted on a horizontal supporting bar 56 disposed on the upper side of the bottom wallv l8.

rest on the felt 49. The inner ends of each key 46 also have secured to the lower sides thereof.

a relatively thin felt the purpose forwhich will be hereinafter described.

The structure hereinbefore described provides for the manual sounding or playing of the instrument by depressing of the keys 46 which actuates the action embodied in the pivoted blocks 31 which are rocked by the lift rods 43.

p In order to provide a means whereby the instrument may be played from an endless web, I have provided a web 52 .which is formed of a plurality of edge-abutting bars 53 secured togeth er at their ends by flexible straps 54. The bars 53 as shown in Figure 11, are provided with a plurality of spaced apart threaded openings '55 within which pegs 56 are adapted to'be threadably mounted; The pegs or pins 56 are arranged in such a manner, as will be hereinafter described, so that selected ones of the keys 46 will be raised and the hammers 35 will be swung inwardly to strike the tone or note members 21.

The endless web 52 is formed adjacent each end thereof with openings 51, as shown in Figure 6, withinwhich the teeth of sprockets 5B are adaptedto engage. The sprockets 56 are secured to a drive shaft 59 rotatably mounted between the side walls of the housing. A lower forward idler roll 66is-journa1led across. the housing. |5 so that the Web will have a vertical inner run, as indicated at 6|. The web 52 extends upwardly and rearwardly from the idler roll 60 to an intermediate idler roll 62 journalled between the side walls of the housing, and the web 52 then extends. downwardly, as indicated at 63, to a lower rear idler roll 64. A web tensioning roll 65 engages the run 63 adjacentthe lower end thereof seas to maintain, the web substantially taut. I n n The webf52' extends upwardly from the "rear lower roller 64, as indicated at 66, to an upper rear idle-r roll 61. journalled rearwardly from the drive shaft. 59. The drive shaft 59 is disposed below the window opening 25 so that the pegs or pins carried by the web 52 will be exposed at the, upper portion of' the housing in order that these pegs or pins may be shifted about to provide for different musical selections to be played by movement of theweb. 52. n

Drive shaft 59 has a knob 68 disposed on one end thereof, and it will be understood that if desired, afcrank may be substituted for the knob 68 or apower member, such as a motor, may be op'erativel'y connected through a speed reduction means or conventional construction to the outer end of drive shaft 59.

Ak'ey lifting lever 69" is rockably mounted on a horizontally disposed'fixed shaft 16 positioned at the lower portion of ,the housing |5, and the forward e'nd'o'f each lever 69 is provided with an upwardly offset extension "1| engaging'be Normally, the inner ends of the keysv 46. will.

neath the felt 5| of a key 46 so that upward rocking of the forward end of lever 66-wil1 effect raising of the inner end of key 46 and operation of the hammer 35. The rear end of lever 66 is pivotally secured to the lower end of an elongated lever operating rod 12, which is slidable adjacent the upper end thereof through a. guide bar 13 fixed between the side walls l6 and I1.

A spring 14 is disposed about the upper portion of the rod 12, bearing at its upper end against the lower side of guide 13 and constantly urging bar 12 downwardly. A horizontally disposed lift -member is secured to the upper end of the lift rod 12 above the guide bar 13, and lift member 15 projects rearwardly in a position whereby lift member 15 will be contacted by a pin 56 as the web. 52 rises onthe forward run 6| thereof. Lift member 15 is provided with a forward projection Which is adapted to be engaged by a horizontally disposed rod 11, and the latter is adjustable in an. inverted L.-shaped slot 16 which is formed in each side wall l6 and I1, adjacent the, upper portion thereof.

When rod 11- is in the upper horizontal portion of slot 18,. the lift member 15 will be raised to an inoperative position, which is the position shown in Figure, 3. When rod 11 is lowered to.

the bottom of slot18, as shown in Figure 4, the

lift members 15 will be disposed in a position to be contacted by the pins 56-and to be raisedby upward movement ofthe pins so that rod 12 will be raised. and. spring 14v will be tension'ed.

After a pin, 56 passes and is released from lift member 15, spring 14 will move rod 12 down-- wardly so that lever 69. will be raised at its. forward end and the key associated with the pin 56 will be raised upwardly at its'rear end so. that the corresponding note. 'or tone element 2.4 will.

be sounded. V 1

Rod 11, as shown in Figure 7, projects outwardly through the sidewalls, of the housing, so that this rod canlbe shifted to the upper portion of slot 18 or may be dropped to the, bottom of this slot.

Referringnow to Figure 10, there is disclosed a diagrammatic chart, indicated at 16,. which is a dla'grammaticbhart of the web 52, and chart 19 hasheavy dots 60 disposed thereon which are indicative. of pins 56 so that looking at the chart 19, a person may adjust the ins Won the web 52. The upper end, of the chart 19 has number's. 8| thereon which correspond to numbers 82 which arecarried bya horizontally disposed hart: positioned at one edge of the "opening 25.

, In the .use and operation of this devi'ce,1wh'eh it is desired to play the keyboard formed by the keys 46, bar 11 is raised to the upper horizontal portion of'slot 18170 the position shown in Figure 3. Depression of the keys 46 will rock the ham mer carrying arms or springs 36 rearwardly so that the hammers 35 will strike the upper por done of "the tubes or pipes '21.

It will be understood that the tubes or pipes 21 are -merely representative of one form of a tone. or note assembly and that a soundboard with strings may be mounted'within the housing l5, with the: strings in; a position to be contacted bythe hammers 65. Other formsofnote-or tone elements, such as the sticks of a xylophondmay be suspended within the housing |-.5.

Whenitisdesired to play the. instrument by movement of web 52,. bar His moved rearwardl'y in the [horizontal upper portion of "slot 118 and then droppeddowhwardly to the bottom of this slot so that the lift members 15 will be disposed in a position to be contacted by the pins or pegs 56 carried by the web 52. As the web 52 is moved by rotation of the drive shaft 59, lift members 15 will be raised upwardly thereby raising rods 12 and tensioning springs 14. After the pin 56, which is in contact with a lift member 15, is released from the lift member, the latter, with rod 12, is moved downwardly by tensioned spring 14 so that lever 69 will be rocked upwardly at its forward end, and an associated key 46 will be raised upwardly to operative position in order to swing a hammer 35 into engagement with a tone or note element 21.

The pegs 56 can be shifted about the web 52 according to the diagram indicated on the chart 19, which is initially arranged to indicate the positions of the pins or pegs for playing of a particular musical selection.

This instrument will provide an instructive means for children or others so that the persons using the instrument will be instructed in an instrument of the percussion type.

The instrument hereinbefore described may be produced in large part out of plastic material and may be produced in varying colors of appealing characteristic which may be either transparent or opaque.

I do not mean to confine myself to the exact details of construction herein disclosed, but claim all variations falling within the purview of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A musical instrument comprising a housing, musical tone elements in said housing, rockable percussion means in said housing engageable with said elements, manually operable keys carried bv said housing engaging said percussion means, an endless web, means movably supporting said web in said housing, pins carried by said web, means engageable by said pins and engaging said keys whereby to rock said keys and thereby effect operation of said percussion means, said means comprising a block member, means rockably supporting said member, a lift rod engaging said member, a key pivotally secured to said rod, a stop member limiting the rocking of said member in one direction, a hammer, and a resilient bar secured to said hammer and said member, and means for adjusting said latter named means whereby to dispose said latter named means in 6 either operative or inoperative position relative to said web.

2. A musical instrument of the percussion type comprising a housing, musical tone elements in said housing, key operated hammer means for sounding said elements, an endless web, means movably mounting said web in said housing, vertically disposed spring-pressed lift rods carried by said housing, rod lifting means carried by said web, rock levers pivotally secured to the lower ends of said lift rods and having an end thereof disposed beneath said keys whereby rocking of said levers by downward movement of said rods will rock said keys to thereby activate said first named means, and means selectively engageable with said rods to hold the same against the bias of their springs out of engagement with said hammer means.

3. A musical instrument of the percussion type comprising a housing, musical tone elements in said housing, hammer means rockably carried by said housing, a plurality of keys rockably carried by said housing, upstanding spring-biased headed hammer engaging rods pivotally carried by the inner ends of said keys, an endless web movably carried by said housing, pegs projecting from one face of said web, means in said housing engageable with said pegs to rock said keys and thereby actuate said hammer means, and manually adjustable means for rendering said latter named means inoperative, said means including an L- shaped slot in said housing and a pin projected through said slot selectively engageable with the heads of said rods to hold the same out of engagement with said hammer means.

PIERRE P. PATTYN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 199,203 Hawkins Jan. 15, 1878 434,384 De Vilbiss Aug. 12, 1890 457,343 Edison Aug. 11, 1891 730,098 Davis June 2, 1903 869,230 Clark Oct. 29, 1907 1,547,183 Steele July 28, 1925 1,607,226 Wood Nov. 16, 1926 2,279,637 Owczynikow Apr. 14, 1942 2,512,777 Rest et a1. June 27, 1950

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