US2730919A

US2730919A - Resonance augmenting means for accordions

Info

Publication number: US2730919A
Application number: US365913A
Authority: US
Inventors: Iorio Amedeo
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1953-07-03
Filing date: 1953-07-03
Publication date: 1956-01-17
Anticipated expiration: 1973-01-17

Description

Jan. 3.7, 1956 A. loRlo RESONANCE AUGMENTING MEANS FOR AccoRDoNs Filed July 5, 1955 '.5 Sheets-Sheet l INI/ENTOR.

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Jan. 17, 1956 A. loRlo 2,730,919

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Jan. 17, 1956 A. loRlo 2,730,919

RESONANCE AUGMENTING MEANS FOR ACCORDIONS Filed July 3, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 j IN VEN TOR.

ff/WEEK@ JUE/ United States Patent() "ice RESONANCE AUGMENTING lVIEANS FOR ACCORDIONS Amedeo Iorio, Flushing, N. Y.

Application July 3, 1953, Serial No. 365,913

1 Claim. (Cl. 84-376) This invention relates to accordions.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved accordion construction wherein the musical notes will be characterized by a richer, more resonant quality.

lt is another object of the present invention to provide an accordion of the above type wherein resonant chambers are provided intermediate the panel openings controlled by the keyboard of the accordion and the chambers containing the blow and draw reeds.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an accordion of the above type wherein the air causing the musical sounds will be forced to assume a substantially S-shaped direction when passing through these resonant chambers.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide an improved accordion construction of the above type wherein the air causing the sounds will be forced to pass through these resonant chambers in a substantially vertical direction.

it is still another object of the present invention to provide an improved accordion construction of the above type wherein only four rows of openings are provided in the panel controlled by the accordion keyboard, the two innermost rows being in direct communication with the chambers containing the blow and draw reeds.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide an improved accordion construction bearing the above objects in mind which is of simple construction, inexpensive to manufacture, is easy to use and efficient in operation.

The above as well as additional objects will become apparent in the following description, wherein characters of reference refer to like-numbered parts in the accompanying drawing. It is to be noted that the drawing is intended to serve the purpose of illustration only, and that it is neither desired nor intended to limit the invention necessarily to any or all of the eXact details of construction shown except insofar as they may be deemed essential to the invention.

Referring brieily to the drawing,

Figure l is a fragmentary perspective view of an accordion embodying the features of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view of the improved accordion construction, the upper portion thereof being shown partly broken away to illustrate the resonant chambers.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view similar to Fig. 2 but illustrating a modied form of the invention.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view similar to Fig. 2 but illustrating a still further modiiied form of the invention. y

Referring now to the iigures, V represents one-half ofthe accordion connected to the other half 11 by means of the bellows 12 in the usual manner of accordion constructions.

2,730,919 Pdtented Jan. 17, 1956 A hinged locking device 13 serves to retain the bellows 12 in the compressed position when the accordion is not in use.

The half 10 is open at the bottom where it is connected to the bellows 12 and is provided on its upwardly sloping top wall 14 with a plurality of elongated, longitudinally spaced air and sound openings 1S. The top wall 14 terminates short of the side wall 16 (Fig. 2), the latter being integrally formed with the upwardly eX- tending, keyboard base portion 17 which terminates in the bevelled wall 18.

A panel 19 is secured across the top of the portion 10 below the top wall 14 by means of the strips 20, a panel 19 being provided with laterally aligned, longitudinally extending rows of rectangular openings 21.

A longitudinal member 22. is suitably secured to the keyboard base 17 at the inner end thereof and serves to iiXedly mount a plurality of angle brackets 23 which rotatably mount the connector members 24. Alternate connector elements 24 are iixedly connected to the arms 25 which terminate in the feet 26 provided with felt pads on their undersurface 27. lt will be noted that the aligned openings 21, when in the position of Figs. l and 2, are adapted to be closed by the feet 26. The other connector elements Z4 are connected to arms 28, longer than arms 25, which terminate in feet 29 provided on their undersurface with felt 30. lt will be noted that each of the feet 29 is adapted to close three transversely aligned openings 21 remote from the keyboard base 17.

Tapered members 31 are connected to the connector elements 24, the members 31 being pivotally mounted, as at 32. White keys 33 controlling the arms 28 and black keys 34 controlling the arms 25 are mounted on the top of the tapered members 31 in the usual manner of such constructions, the inner face of base portion 17 mounting a substantially T-shaped in cross section member 35 provided along its upper edge with longitudinally spaced slots 36 which serve as guides for the tapered members 31 during movement to and from the base portion 17. Springs 37 are connected to the tapered members 31 at one end and rest on the member 3S at the other, serving to retain the feet 26 and 29 in the closed position on openings 21. An elongated strip 38 is secured to the inner face of base portion 17 adjacent the bevelled end 18, and serves to mount a strip of felt 39 which is adapted to abut the outer bottom edge of the members 31.

A second panel 40 provided on its upper surface with four longitudinally extending, parallel ridges 41, 42 and 43 is secured below the four inner rows of openings 2l, the panel itl being provided with openings 44 aligned with the openings 21. The laterally spaced ridges 41, 4?. and 43 serve to slidably mount a plurality of elongated slides 45 provided with openings 46 adapted to be brought in and out of alignment with the openings ..1 and 44 in a well known manner. The slides 45 are reciprocated by means of push buttons, not shown, in a manner well known to those skilled in the art.

A third panel 47 is secured below the panel 4t?, and is provided with openings aligned with the openings 21 and 44. Elongated

chambers

48 and 49, open at the top, are secured to the undersurface of panel 47 and are provided with vertically extending, longitudinally spaced openings ony the inside and outside of which are positioned the blow and draw reeds 50, in a manner well known to those skilled in the art. See Fig. l and Fig. 2. Thus, during operation of the accordion andthe movement of the bellows 12, air will pass in and out of the openings 15 to pass downwardly through the openings 21 upon movement of the

appropriate keys

33 and 34 and slides 45, to pass downwardly into the

charnbers

48 and 49 and the openings provided with the reeds 50, all in a manner well known to those skilled in the art.

In the practice of my invention, a pair of elongated, resonance chambers are provided below the panel 19 below the outermost rows of openings 2l to impart richer tones and more resonance to the musical sounds. 1Each of these chambers is identical in construction, and therefore only one will be described in detail. Each chamber comprises an elongated side wall Si secured to the inner face of the sides of half 10, the upL edges or" the side walls 51 abutting the undersurfacc of panel ai'. A second side wall 52 is secured to the undersurtace of panel i9, the upper edges of the side walls :32 being substantially aligned vertically with the inner side of the outermost openings 2l (Fig. 2). An elon .t ott-om wall 53 is suitably secured to the lower g side walls 5l and 52, the wal 53 on the an side wall 51 being provided with longitudina openings '5t-.- corresponding to each of the outermost ro e.' of openings 2l. Transverse walls 55 divide the resonance chambers into compartments on cach side of each of the openings 54.

A panel provided on its upper si race with ridges 5'7 and 58 is secured to the undersurface or' bottoni wall 53 below openings and serves to slidably mount a slide 59 having a plurality or openings 65 adapted to be aligned with the openings S4, of wall 53. The panel 56 is provided with openings 6i aligned vertically -with the openings 5d. The end ot slide 59 is integrally formed with a vertically twisted extension having an opening which receives the end of link 63, the link 63 being controlled by push buttons, not shown, in a `(Jell known manner to those skilled in the art. A panel 6ftis secured to the undersurface or panel 56, having openings aligned with the openings 6i and serving to support the chamber provided with the blow reeds and draw reeds, not shown, each pair of adjacent blow and draw reeds corresponding to the same note.

The resonance chambers may, of course, be suitably fabricated of wood, plastic or other suitable material and glued, tacked or otherwise secured in place.

During operation, the air striking th blow and draw reeds will be forced to pass in a substantially S-shaped direction to the resonance chambers from the openings 54 to the openings Zi, and vice versa. I have found that this occasions a deeper, more resonant quality to the sounds resulting in richer notes.

Referring now particularly to Fig. 4, there is shown a modified form of the present invention wherein the panel .19a is now provided with four transversely spaced rows of openings 21o, the feet 2da and 29a will each be adapted to close two such transversely aligned openings. A panel 49a is now provided on its upper surface with ridges iin and 42a secured to the undersurface of panel 19a and serving to slidably mount the slides 45a, the panel 40a being provided with openings i411 aligned with the openings 21a. The slides i551 are provided with openings 46a adapted to be aligned with the openings 21a and 44a. A felt pad 65 is secured to the undersurface of panel 40a and is provided with openings aligned with the openings 21a and 44a. Felt pads 65 are provided intermediate the bottom of panel 56 and panel 64, the pads 66 being provided with openings 67 aligned with the openings in the two panels. It will be noted in this form that only one pair of chambers 43 and 49 are provided below the innermost rows of openings 21a.

In other respects the form of the invention shown in Fig. 4 is the same as that shown in Figs. 1 through 3 and like reference numerals identify like parts throughout the several views,

Referring now particularly to Fig. 5, there is shown a still further modied form of the present invention, and

differing from the previous forms in the arrangement of the openings in the bottom wall of the resonance chamber.

In this form the bottom wall 53a is now provided with openings 54a aligned vertically with the openings 2in. Thus, the air passing intermediate the panel E9n and the reeds 50 will pass through the resonance chambers in a substantially vertical direction. It will be noted that the chamber 49 mounting the blow and draw reeds is positioned directly below the openings 54a.

ln other respects the form of the invention shown in Fig. 5 is the same as that shown in Fig. 4, and like reference numerals identify like parts throughout the several views.

While various changes may be made in the detail construction, it shall be understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claim.

i claim:

In an accordion having a panel having a plurality of laterally spaced rows of openings adapted to be opened and closed by a keyboard and a draw reed and a blow reed disposed below each of said openings, that improvement which comprises a separate resonance chamber disposed below each of the openings in the two rows closest and farthest from the keyboard and between each such opening in the outer rows and the draw and blow reeds associated with each such opening in the outer rows, a pair of resonance chamber housings extending substantially the length of the rows of panel openings closest and farthest from the keyboard therebelow, each of said resonance chamber housings including a bottom wall having longitudinally spaced openings corresponding to and displaced vertically from the panel openings, and partitions within each of resonance chamber housings on each side ot' each of said bottom wall openings, said resonance chambers comprising the spaces intermediate the partitions, and track means provided on the undersurface of each of the bottom walls below said bottom wall openings, said track means having longitudinally spaced openings aligned vertically with said bottom wall openings, an elongated slide intermediate said bottom wall and said track means, said slide having openings adapted to be aligned vertically with said bottom wall openings and reed means below each of said slides and track means, comprising an elongated chamber secured to the undersurface of each of said resonance chamber bottom walls below said slide and track means, said longitudinally extending chamber having pairs of vertical openmgs longitudinally spaced from each other, each pair of said vertical openings being disposed in lateral alignment with one of said bottom wall openings, and a reed secured to the inside of said chamber over one of said pair or openings and a second reed secured to the outside of said chamber over the other of said pair of vertical openings, four rows of said panel openings being provided, track means below each of the innermost two rows of panel openings, slides within each of said track means, said track means having openings aligned vertically with the panel openings, each of said slides having openings adapted to be aligned with said panel openings, and reed means below each of said slides and track means.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,985,102 Montenare Dec. 18, 1934 2,208,038 Luttbeg July 16, 1940 2,219,598 Manishko Oct. 29, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS 906,170 Germany July 8, 1949 458,165 Italy July 1, 1950