US2938419A - Binaural audio wave pick-up for musical instruments - Google Patents

Description

May 31, 1960 J. GENTUL 2,933,419

BINAURAL AUDIO WAVE PICK-UP FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 27, 1956 45' mcaawuouss 46 43 57 +3 [X IA I2; B '4' 5 1 T JACK GE l l L l L r: BYEM J. GENTUL May 31, 1960 BINAURAL AUDIO WAVE PICK-UP FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 27, 1956 HG. IO 2 BAS S O A B I BASS OSC.

TREBLE osc FIG. 8 JACK 'E'VLHRP BY M United States Patent BINAURAL AUDIO WAVE PICK-UP FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Jack Gentul, Hillside, NJ., assignor to Sano Corporation, Irvington, NJ., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Dec. 27, 1956, Ser. No. 630,798

8 Claims. (Cl. 84 1.04)

This invention relates generally to musical instruments and more particularly to a Binaural audio wave pick-up for -an accordion adapted to collect and deliver treble frequency and bass frequency musical tones simultaneously, distinctly and independently to an amplification means whereby an undistorted amplified reproduction of the full range of frequencies of the treble section of the instrument and a limited range of frequencies from the bass section of the instrument will be obtained.

The term Binaural when used in this specification shall; mean that the treble frequencies and the bass frequencies can be picked up and delivered to the amplification means simultaneously and independently of each other. i

It is known that a pick-up can be attached to a musical instrument and particularly to an accordion. This pickup acts to collect and relay the audio or sound waves from the musical instrument to some suitable type of amplifier. I V a It has been found by reason of the radio frequency transmission characteristics of the various known pickups and amplifiers that after amplification a portion of the full: range of treble frequencies is delivered very poorly or so distorted that the musical composition being rendered is affected.

The present invention overcomes this problem by providing a Binaural pick-up for a musical instrument having'independent circuits, for the treble and bass section of the. instrument which when combined with suitable amplification means will produce a minimum amount of distortion of the full rangeof frequencies available from the treble section of the instrument and also will act to limit the range of frequencies delivered by the bass section of the instrument on which it is attached, thus permitting maximum clarity and quality of tone combinations in the amplified reproduction of these musical tones.

In addition, an important musical effect, the tremolo, canbe included in this circuit and its operation controlled as desired by the musician without affecting the basic Binauralfunction of the pick-up.

Accordingly, it is an object of the presentinvention to provide a pick-up for a musical instrument with a" circuit adapted to deliver treble and bass frequencies independently of each other, and to permit tremolo op eration when desired.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become evident from the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of an accordion partly broken away showing a preferred form of internal pickup circuit applied thereto. f I

.Figure 2 is an exploded view of an accordion taken from the bottom end thereof and showing the invention.

Figure 3 is' a partial section through several folds of the bellows" showing the electrical current coniductingwire alid means for holding it to the folds of the bellows.

2,938,419 Patented May 31, 1960 Figure 4 is a side elevation of one of the connecting means disposed on the accordion head.

Figure 5 is an end view of the connecting means.

Figure 6 is a side view of the male element of the connecting means.

Figure 7 is a diagrammatic sketch of the pick-up circuit.

Figure 8 is a diagrammatic sketch of another type switch for the pick-up.

Figure 9 shows an accordion with an external picloup applied thereto.

Figure. 10 is a cross-section taken through a portion of the accordion having the external pick-up shown. in Figure 9. V

The accordion 1. shown in Figures land 2 of the drawings is conventional, such accordions being easily purchasable on the open market. It includes a treble section generally designated 2 housing the treble reed blocks 3, a bass section 4 housing the bass reed blocks 5, and a bellows element 6 all detachably connected to each other in any suitable manner as is well known in the art.

The treble section 2 has a tone collecting head 7 having striking keys 8 which are connected to-the elements of the treble reed blocks 3. Similarly the bass section has button elements 9 connected to the elements of the bass reed blocks 5. When the musician pumps the treble and bass sections towards each other by striking the keys 8 and buttons 9, reeds will be actuated to vibrate and produce the desired tones of the musical composition.

The arrangement for picking these tones up can be connected internally as is shown in Figures 1 and 2, or externally as is shown in Figures 8 and 9 of the drawing. In either arrangement, however, the circuit will be identical.

Thus, referring to Figure '1, the pick-up includes a plurality of spaced treble microphones 10, 11 and 12 connected in the tone-collecting head 7'; A'bass microphone 13 is mounted in the bass section adjacent the bass reed blocks 5.

Volume and tone controls for these microphones and for an auxiliary singing microphone 14 are also located in the treble tone collecting head 7 and are diagrammatically illustrated along with the microphones for clarity. They are conventional rheostats, well known in the communication art. Volume control 15 and tone control 16 are for the treble microphones; volume control 17 and tone control 18 are for the bass microphone, and volume control 19 is for the singing microphone. These controls are connected into the'circuit of the pickup as is hereinafter described.

A three-pole, three-position switch 20 is also diagrammatically illustrated and will be more fully described with reference to thepick-up circuit and its operation. The switch 20 communicates between the pick-up circuit and the three-wire input receptacle 21 which in turn communicates'with the jack element 22 of the three-line amplifier'conduit 23. i

Since the bass microphone 13 is disposed'in 'thebass section 4, while the volume and tone controls 17 and '18 are in the treble section 2, it is necessary to connect the bass microphone 13 into the pick-up circuit by means 0 a current conducting line 25.

Figures 1 and 2 show that this current conductingiline 25 extends through the bellows 6 being connected at:

extend and retract with. the pumping of the bellows dur f mg the operation of the accordion. .It is placed-"at the :2

bottom because it will be under minimum movement during theusualoperationof.this instrument. To facilitatethe separation of the treble section, the bass section and the bellows, male connector elements 28 and 29 are provided at the respective ends of the electric current conductingwire 25 and. these elements are adapted to engage female connectonelements30 and-31 and .their. respective brackets. 32 and33- locatedon the'- treble section 2 and bass.scction.4,. as is. clearly'shown in Figures 1, 4, and 6 of the drawings.

A line 34 connects-the bass-.microphone 13'to the female connector 31 and a line 35 connects the female connector 30 tothe volumez control .15 in the main pick up circuit to complete the connecting'circuit for the bass microphone 13.

Pick-up circuit Correlating. Figures 1, and' 2,with. the .circuit diagrammatically illustrated in Figure 7, the bass microphone 13.picks up. the tones fromthe. actuated elements of. the bassreed blocks Sand they are passed by the connecting lines above described to the bass volume control 17.

The. bass tone is controlled by the bass tone controlt18- tones' received from the elements of. the" treble reed.

blocks 3 through line 44 to the treble: volume control 1.5.

resistor 45. As in the bass tone control, the treble tone control is connected to ground through condenser 46 to obtain the desired operation. led. through conduit 47 to a second pole 48 of the threepole three-position switch 20.

The externally disposed singing microphone 14 is con: nected through the singing microphone jack. 49 and connccting line 50 to its volume control 19. This circuit. is connected by line 51 to line 47 and tones; from. this microphone are delivered. with the treble frequency tones to the switch 20.

This :circuit as now described: clearly connects :the bass tone: circuit and the treble: tone; circuit. to-independentr poleswof'fthe switch 20. This switch 20 acts to maintain these circuits" independent, as the output contacts which communicate withthepoles 43 and 48 respectively have independent lines. 52 and 53 in turn connected to the three-way receptacle 21. As indicated above, this receptacle: communicates with thethree-prong jack 22 of the three-circuit amplifier. line 23.

By aligning the lines and the respective connections, it is believed clear that the treble and bass frequency tones'can be delivered through the respective treble and bass circuits to the amplifier diagrammatically shown at 5.4 and inturn from the amplifier to the speaker assembly also: diagrammatically shown at 55. The" amplifier and speekerzelements are not more fully described as they are I wellknownin the artand relate to'the present invention only insofar as they are known elements'in the combina= tion for: producing the results of the present invention.

The amplifier'54 will be of the type which'includ'es-apix-amplifying circuit for each. of the respective treble and hassrcircuits and an oscillating circuit forproducing' the tremolo effect on reproduction as hereinafter described. The-speaker assembly 55 consists of the usually adinstable-= two speaker combinations for high and-low frequency tones.

The oscillator circuit from the amplifier is connected" iasoue ofithe circuit lines in the main amplifierconduit 23;-,j ack;22,- receptacle 21' and-line 56 to thethird pole SI ofi-thessWitchI 20.

The treble tone. control. 16 is decoupled'from the: treble volume control 15 only by means. of .the connecting This entire. circuit. is now.'

. tremolo: effect will. occur.

Since the switch 20 is a three-position switch, in the positions. of the. respective output connections marked A, the treble and bass circuits are open and the oscillating circuit is grounded. This is the off position of the switch. In the positions marked B, both the treble and bass circuits are closed and the oscillating circuit is grounded. Thus, only trebleand bass frequency tones will be transmitted independently to the amplifier and no In; the position marked C the treble and basszcircuitsare. closed: and the oscillating circuit is opened. In this. position the treble andbass frequency tones-are transmittedl independently and the tremolo effect is produced on these respective tones as they are reproducedby theamplifier.

Modifiedcircuit for independent tremolo It may be desirable to produce tremolo effect on either the treble frequencies or the bass frequencies only. This can be accomplished by modifying the switch as indicated in Figure 8 of the drawings and providing two oscillator circuits in the amplifier; The'treble and bass circuits are identical withthat above described for the three-pole, three-position switch.

Thus, Figure-8 shows a 4-pole, 5-position switch generally designated 60. In this-switch 60, the treble line 47 would connect to pole 61 and the bass line 42 to pole; 62. The-outlet connections of these respective circuits willbe'connected by lines 63 and 64 to their respective connections on a 4-way receptacle-65'which communi cates with the 4-prong jack and 4-line amplifier conduit (not' shown). Two of the amplifier lines will carry the treble and bass signals; the other two lines will be from the oscillator circuit and these lines. will connect to poles.

66 and 67 of theswitch, through their respective connecting conduits 68 and 69L In the positions marked A ofthe respective output connections of the switch 60, the treble and bass circuits are" open and the oscillating circuits are grounded. This is the off position of the switch; hence, no amplification or tremolo effect results; In the positions B',"'thetreble circuit is closed, the bass circuit is open, the treble oscillating circuit is'open and the bass oscillating, circuit closed. Treble frequency tones are amplified with a tremolo effect and bass frequency tones are not reproduced. In the positions C the treble circuit is 0pm,.v

could be utilized with the Binaural circuit for producing other modified arrangements without departingvfrom the scopeof the present invention.

External pick-up Figures 9 and 10 show the form oftheinventionwh'err appliedto the-external portionof a musical instrument.

In: this. formof the inventionthe same isv shownasnappliedi. to an accordion in which the treble. microphonestcoact' withasoundescape opening generally designated 70'and the bass microphone in direct communication with the elements of the bass reed blockS.

The pick-up circuit is disposed in anelongated housing which may be made of any suitable material, althoughit'has been found that plastic with a metallic coating. on its inner surface is. highly desirablev for suchp irpose: by

reason of the cosmetic. appearance. that it gives whenattached to the head 2 of the accordion. in addition, this type material is less costly than a metallic housing.

The housing is provided with one open side which is closed by a removable perforated closure sheet 81 having sufiicient perforations therein especially in the central portion to permit the passageof audio waves therethrough. The pick-up circuit in the housing is not more fully de scribed because it is identical with the'circuit above described when the pick-up is to be mounted inside the housing. Hence, all that appears in Figure 9 are the external knobs 82, 83, 84, 85, and 86 for the respective variable rheostats 115, 16, 17, 18 and 19 shown in Figure l of the drawings.

Figure 9 further shows the knob 87 of the switch element 20 connecting jack 22 and line 23 from the amplifier 54.

Figure shows a jack element 90 and a connecting jack 91 which is on one end of the line 35 which leads to the female connector 30 as above described for the accordion structure where the pick-up element is inside of the tone collecting chamber. This jack element 90 and 91 provides means for collecting and conducting the audio waves received by the bass microphone into the pick-up circuit as above described.

The removable perforated closure sheet 81 will be sufficiently strong to aflix the housing to the exterior of the head 2 of the accordion. Thus, aflixed to the underside of the perforated closure sheet 81 by any suitable manner such as gluing, is a vibration and shock-resistant material such as sponge rubber 82 which covers all but an opening 83 therein. The sponge rubber is in turn affixed similarly by gluing or other suitable manner to the exterior of the accordion at the treble reed end thereof or on the exterior of the head 2. The head will be modified so that it will have a suitable escape opening 70 also formed therein, which opening will be in substantial alignment and coincident with the opening in the sponge rubber element 82. Thus the sound escape opening 70 and the oval-shaped opening 83' in the sponge rubber 82 creates a passage which allows the collected tones in the tone collecting head 7 to pass freely into the elongated housing 80 through the perforated closure 81 where it can be picked up by the microphones 10, 11. and 12 to be transmitted through the pick-up circuit to the amplifier in the manner described for the internal form of the present invention.

To reduce distortion and excess unnecessary noises a piece of felt 92. is afiixed also by gluing or in any other suitable manner to the inner sunface of the treble collecting chamber 7 about the oval-shaped sound escape opening 70 formed therein when the external pick-up is attached to the head 2 in the manner above described. This mutes or controls the vibrations so that when the audio waves are amplified only the clear and, undistorted tones will be heard.

While this form of the invention has been illustrated and described, it is obvious that those skilled in the art may vary the detail of the construction as well as the precise arrangement of arts without departing from the spirit of the invention and therefore it will be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific construction or arrangement of parts shown but that they may be widely modified within the invention as defined by the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In an accordion having a treble reed block section, a bass reed block section and a detachable bellows connecting said treble section to said bass section the combination therewith of a pick-up means, an independent treble circuit in said pick-up means for receiving and delivering treble tones from said treble reed block section, an independent bass circuit in said pick-up means for receiving and delivering bass tones from said bass reed block section, a multi-position switch means for maintaining separation between said treble and bass tones, said multi-position switch means having a plurality of input connections and a plurality of output connections, said treble and bass circuits connected to input connection independently of each other, an amplifier having a speaker assembly, said output connections connected to said am-' plifier, and said switch means adapted in at least one posia bass reed block section, and a detachable bellows con-- meeting said treble section to said bass section the combination therewith of, a pick-up means, an independent treble circuit in said pick-up means for receiving and delivering treble tones fro msaid treble reed block section, an independent bass circuit in said pick-up means for receiving and delivering bass tones from said has reed block section, a multi-position switch means for maintaining separation between said treble and bass tones, a plurality of input connections and a plurality of output connections on said switch, at least one of said input connections connected to the treble circuit, at least one of said input connections connected to said bass circuit, an amplifier having a speaker assembly, at least one of said out-put connections on said switch for delivering treble tones to saidamplifier, at least one of said output connections on said switch for delivering bass tones to said amplifier, and said switch adapted in at least one position to transmit both treble and bass tones simultaneously and independently of said other from the treble and bass circuit in said pick-up means to said amplifier.

3. In an accordion as claimed in claim 2 wherein said amplifier includes an oscillating circuit, at least one other output connection connected to said oscillating circuit, and said switch means having at least one position to permit the oscillator to produce a tremolo effect on the treble and bass tones delivered to said amplifier.

4. In an accordion as claimed in claim 2 wherein said amplifier includes, a first oscillating circuit for treble tones delivered thereto, and a second oscillating circuit for bass tones delivered thereto, at least two other output connections connecting said first and said second oscillating circuits to said switch means, said switch means having switch positions to permit said first and second oscillating circiut to produce a tremolo effect independently or simultaneously on the treble and bass tones delivered to said amplifier.

5. In an accordion as claimed in claim 2 wherein said bass circuit includes a microphone disposed adjacent the bass reed block section, and a current conducting wire disposed to extend through said bellows to connect said bass microphone to the bass circuit of the pick-up means.

6. In an accordion as claimed in claim 5 wherein said current conducting wire has detachable means adjacent the respective ends of the detachable bellows to permit easy disassembly of the treble and bass reed sections from the bellows.

7. In an accordion having a treble reed block section, a bass reed block section, a detachable bellows, connecting said treble section to said bass section, and a treble tone collecting head formed on said treble section, the combination of a pick-up means disposed to coact with said treble tone collecting chamber, an independent treble circuit in said pick-up means for receiving and delivering treble tones from said treble reed block section, an independent bass circuit in said pick-up means for receiving and delivering bass tones from said bass reed block section, including at least one microphone mounted adjacent the bass reed block section, a multi-position switch means for maintaining separation between said treble and bass tones, said multi-position switch means having a plurality of input connections and a plurality of output connections, said treble and bass circuits connected to input connections independent of each other, an amplifier having a speaker assembly said output connections connected to said amplifier whereby in at least one position said switch will 7 8 deliver. both treble and, bass tones simultanenusly and References Cited in the file of this patent independently from said treble andbass circuitsinflsaid. UNITED. STATES. PATENTS pickrupmeansm said amplifier, and acurrent conducting 2,001,392 Mi 14, 193 5 wire connecting said microphonato the bass circuit-dis-- 2,485,538 Rowe; Oct. 18; 1949 posed to extend through said detachable-bellows. 2,583,566 Hanert Jan. 29, 1952 8. In an accordion as claimed in.c1aim 7'whercinsaid" 2,716,370. Sano Aug.- 30,- 1955 currentwconductingzwire includes, detachable means ad- 2,812,.679' Kunz Nov. 12, 1957 jacent the respectiveends of the-detachable:bellows-to: 2,821,379 Sam) 1958 permit easydisassembly of the treble" and bass reedblock 10 FOREIGN PATENTS P the belbws- 657320 Great Britain Sept. 19, 1951

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