US2849818A - Indicia means for accordions - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 2, 1958 R. STRoLoGo 2,849,818'

INDI'czA MEANS FoR AccoRDzoNs 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledV Aug. 2, 1955 Sept. 2, 1958 R. sTRoLoGo 2,849,818-

INDICIA MEANS FOR ACCORDIONS `Filed Aug. 2, 1955 n 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 2;

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ACCRDINS lill., a corporation The invention relates generally to accordions and more particularly to means for applying indicia thereto.

The general object of the invention is to provide a novel means for attaching indicia to an accordion, the indicia, for example, being lettering.

Another object is to provide an accordion having a novel grill construction arranged to receive a series of plaques carrying indicia such as letters so that the owner of the instrument may readily place his name or other indicia on the instrument.

Still another object is to provide a novel grill constraction of the foregoing character, in which the plaques detachably mounted on the grill so that the indicia be changed when desired.

@ther objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view of an accordion provided with indicia means embodying the features of the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view of one end of the accordion;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on thel line 4 4 of Fig. 5 means;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing the manner in which the indicia means may be removed from the accordion;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 6; and

Fig. 8 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 7 but showing the indicia means as it is being applied to the accordion.

An accordion is usually provided with artistic decora tion on its exterior, including a name plate or insignia of the manufacturer or the instrument. An owner of such instrument tzfeuld also like to apply his name to the instrument in a decorative manner but heretofore there has been no convenient way to do so except in a make-shift manner by permanently applying an additional name plate. This involves substantial expense and in many instancesvthe additional name plate would not conform to the decoration on the instrument.

The present invention provides a means for applying indicia to an accordion, which indicia maybe in the form a series of letters spelling the oir/'ners name. Of course, designs or indicia other than letters may he placed thereon. The letters or other indicia are provided on plaques which il.. detachabby connected to a portion of the accor'- dion so that they ni be readily changed if it is desired to change the indicia. In the case where the plaques carry letters to spell a name, the plaques are of uniform size and the dealer then can carry a supply of plaques having al1 the required letters so that any name may be applied to the instrument.

is a perspective view of one of the indicia Patented ept. 2, 1958 In the preferred embodiment of the invention, a decorative grill structure is provided on one end of the instrument and forms a plurality of open areas into which the plaques may be inserted. The grill structure in certain portions thereof is provided with notches 1ocated inwardly from the outer face of the grill, and the plaques are provided with inwardly extending clip means engageable in such notches. The clip means are resilient so that as the plaque is pushed into place, the clip means will snap into engagement with lthe notches. To remove the plaques, a small tool in the nature of a screwdriver is provided to pry upwardly on the plaques thereby bending them and eecting release of the clip means from the notches.

In Fig. l of the drawings I have shown an accordion having at one end a piano type keyboard indicated generally at l@ for manipulation by the right hand of the player. Adjacent the keyboard l@ is an end wall l1, in this instance, provided with a plate l2 which for decorative purposes has longitudinal corrugaticns 13. In the valleys between the corrugations are a series of small holes le to permit sound to emerge from the interior of the accordion.

To provide further decoration, a grill, indicated generally at l5, is mounted on the end wall Il. The grill 15 overlies a portion of the corrugated plate 12 and comprises a plurality of intersecting bars forming rows of open areas I6. The grill l5 may embrace the usual switch keys 17 (see Fig. l) along one side of the grill, and at the opposite side of the grill a plate Ztl carrying the makers insignia and a name plate 21 for the manufacturers name may be permanently secured. The major portion of the grill comprises the rows of open areas I6. In the present instance, the grill l5 is made of plastic material and comprises intersecting `bars which are of inverted V-shape in cross section, thus providing two sides ZZ; for each bar. With the bars formed in this manner, the oper. lareas )i6 are provided with tapering sides. ln the present instance, the bars extending longitudinally adjacent the keyboard l0 are thicker than the bars at the opposite side of the grill, and the transverse bars intersecting these longitudinal bars are correspondingly tapered in thickness as illustrated in Fig. 4. Thus, the open areas ladjacent the keyboard lil are deeper than those at the opposite side of the grill and each area correspondingly varies in depth transversely of the grill.

To provide for the application of lettering or other indicia to the grill, as for example applying the owners name thereto, at least one of the longitudinally extending rows of open areas is adapted to receive small plaques carrying the desired letters or other indicia. In the present instance, the grill l5 is shown in Fig. l as having ve longitudinally extending rows of open areas, and the center row is arranged to receive such plaques. While the intersecting bars forming the grill may be placed `at any desired angle relative to each other, in the present instance the grill comprises rows of rectangular areas formed by longitudinally and transversely extend ing bars at right angles to each other. Preferably the plaques are so dimensioned as to within these areas and consequently the plaques tare given a corresponding rectangular shape.

As shown in the drawings, each plaque is indicated generally at 23 and comprises a substantially flat plate rlhe plaque or plate member is adapted to tit within an open area and to be seated against the tapering sides thereof. Formed or mounted on the upper or outer face of the plate member 24 is indicia such as a letter N' Preferably the plate member 24 is depressed within open and the letter 25 is of raised form, so that the top surface of the letter is flush with the top surface of the grill 15 as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4,

Because of the tapering sides of the open areas, the plaques or plate members 24 have beveled edges so that they will seat rmly against the tapering sides of the open areas.

To hold the plaques in place, the transverse bars of the grill structure in the longitudinally extending row in which the lettering is to be placed, are provided with notches spaced inwardly from the outer surface of the grill, to receive clip means provided on the plaques. ln the present instance, the two sides 22 of the transverse bars are provided with notches 26 at their inner edges to receive the clip means formed on the plaques. To cooperate with the notches 26, the clip means comprises a pair of arms 27 extending inwardly from the inner face of the plaque or plate member 24. Because of the tapering sides of the open areas, the arms 27 are spaced from the ends of the plaque. At their lower or inner ends, the arms 27 are provided with outwardly or laterally extending ledges 30 which are adapted to engage in the notches 26 when the plaque or plate member 24 is forced into position in its associated area in the grill. Because of the variation in depth transversely of each area, the ledges are at a slight angle to the plane of the plate member, as illustrated in Fig. 4, so that the letter carried by the plaque will be level with the top surface of the grill.

The plaques or plate members 24- together with the lettering or other indicia thereon are preferably made of plastic material which is resilient to some extent, and the arms 27 are formed integrally with the plaque or plate member 24. Thus, when a plaque is placed iu one of the open areas and pushed downwardly therein, the tapering sides of the open areas engage the ledges 30 and cause the arms 27 to flex inwardly, as illustrated in Fig. 8. When the plaque is fully seated in the open area, the ledges will have cleared the upper edge of the notch and the arms will then swing the ledges outwardly for engagement in the notches 26 to rmly hold the plaque in place against the tapering sides of the open area.

With this construction, the owner of the instrument may select the plaques carrying the letters spelling his name and insert them in a row in the open areas in thc grill 15. This may be done by merely pressing the plaques downwardly in these areas until the ledges 30 snap into the grooves 26 in the inner edges of the cross bars of the grill structure. The plaques are thus firmly held in place so that the name of the owner appears on a prominent part of the instrument.

Another feature of the invention lies in the fact that the plaques are readily removable so that different letters may be placed on the instrument to spell a different name in case the ownership of the instrument is changed. To remove the plaques, a special to-ol having a blade in the nature of a screwdriver blade is provided. Thus, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, a tool is provided, having a shank 31 which at its end is tlattened to provide a blade portion 32. The blade portion 32 is inserted between a longitudinal edge of the plaque to be removed and the adjacent bar of the grill structure. The grill structure, being made of a resilient plastic material is sutiiciently bendable to permit the insertion of the blade 32. After such insertion, the tool is tilted sidewardly to etlect a prying action on the beveled side edge of the plaque or plate member 24, thus tending to lift the plate member or plaque. With the tool placed intermediate the d end of the plaque and the ends thereof being held by the ledges 30, the plaque will bow upwardly as illustrated in Fig. 7, thus causing the arms 27 to swing inwardly until the ledges 30 are disengaged from the notches 26. The plaque may then be lifted out of the grill structure by continued prying action on the tool. When the plaque is removed in this manner, no damage occurs to it so that it may be used again. However, it may be replaced or plaques carrying other letters may be substituted.

l claim:

1. In an accordion having an end wall, a decorative grill mounted on said end wall and comprising a plurality of intersecting bars forming a plurality of open areas therebetween, said bars having an inverted V form in cross section, each area thus having tapering sides, opposite bars forming certain of said areas having notches in the inner edges of the sides of the V, and a plurality of plaques shaped to fit in said areas with the side edges of the plaques engaging the tapering sides of the areas, each plaque having a pair of arms spaced from opposite edges of the plaque and extending inwardly and provided with laterally projecting ledges at their inner ends engageable in said notches to hold the plaque in engagement with the tapering sides of the area.

2. In an accordion having an end wall, a decorative grill mounted on said end wall and comprising a plurality of intersecting bars forming a plurality of open areas therebetween, said bars having an inverted V form in cross section, each area thus having tapering sides, opposite bars forming certain of said areas having notches in the inner edges of the sides of the V, and a plurality of plaques shaped to lit in said areas with the side edges of the plaques engaging the tapering sides of the areas, each plaque having a pair of arms extending inwardly and having ledges on their inner ends engageable in said notches to hold the plaque in place, and each plaque being resiliently bendable whereby the plaque will bow longitudinally when pried upwardly intermediate its ends to swing the ledges out of the notches for releasing the plaque.

3. In an accordion having an end wall, a decorative grill mounted on said end Wall and comprising a p1urality of intersecting bars forming a plurality of` openl References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 732,245 Weiss June 30, 1903 1,662,704 Herrschaft Mar. 13, 1928 2,005,659 Matteson June 1S, 1935 2,159,254 Christ May 23, 1939 2,531,911 Johnson Nov. 28, 1950 2,533,799 1950 Haydn Dec. 12,

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