US3190034A

US3190034A - Device for simulating motor sounds

Info

Publication number: US3190034A
Application number: US419270A
Authority: US
Inventors: John W Ryan
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1964-12-09
Filing date: 1964-12-09
Publication date: 1965-06-22
Anticipated expiration: 1982-06-22

Description

June 22, 1965 J. w. RYAN 3,190,034

v Y DEVICE FOR `SIlVIUL/ATUG MOTOR SOUNDS v 4 frpjillg'dfp'.9; .1964A s sheets-sheet 1 INVENTOR JaZm/Wlnyalz EX I v ATTORNEYS June 22, 1965 .1.w. RYAN 3,190,034

DEVICE FOR SIMULATING MOTOR SOUNDS Filed Deo. 9, 1964 45 s sheets-sheet 2 Nl/wrok John W Ryan BY WW ATTORNEYS June 22, 1965 J. w. RYAN nEvIcE Fon swumnne uomon sounns 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 9, 1964 ATTORNEYS United States Patent O 3,190,034 DEVICE FOR SIMULATNG MGTR SOUNDS John W. Ryan, 688 Nimes Road, Bel Air, Calif. Filed Dec. 9, 1964, Ser. No. 419,270 Claims. (Cl. 4ta-111) This application is a continuation-in-part of a copending application led October 2, 1963 under Serial No. 313,285 by the applicant herein. In general, the present invention relates to a device for simulating motor sounds. More specifically, the present invention relates to a device adapted to emit when operated sounds closely corresponding to the sounds of an internal combustion motor.

InA said co-pending application it was noted that, in the e past, there have been many toy vehicles having devices mounted thereon to simulate a motor sound. The conventional device which has been employed involves a reed fixed at one end and extending free at another end but engaged with a rotating gear wheel so that the reed is vibrated to emit sounds. However, such prior art motor sound devices customarily emitted very high-pitched unii form sounds which were far removed from the ordinary internal combustion motor sound of vehicles such as `trucks and cars whose motor sound is customarily lowpitched and usually includes a cyclic variation of sound.

Furthermore, the usual .pri-or art motor sound device involved a substantial period of contact between the portion of the device emitting the sound and the portion of the device actuating the sound emitter. Thus, a considerable portion of the vibrational energy was lost and the resulting sound device was relatively inefficient. Also, prior art motor sound devices usually utilized direct contact between the sound emitter and the actuator for the sound emitter, so that stresses and strains were put on the sound emitter which didnot contribute to the volume of the sound being emitted. Consequently, the usual prior art device had a relatively short life because of the intense strains and stresses being put on the sound emitter apart from the function of emitting sound.

Many of these prior art motor sound devices include resonator means which is coupled to a driving means in 4such a manner that the resonator means is excited for a fixed period.

The spectral analysis of the sound produced by a typical automobile engine indicates that, for optimum reproduction, the maximum energy contained in the spectrum should be below approximately 2500 c.p.s. However, in an automobile engine and in a system for simulating motor sounds, the frequency of the sound alone is insufficient to define a reasonable simulation of a motor sound. The spectrum should be one in which a broad sweep of frequencies is indiscriminately produc-ed without sharply defined and well-separated peaks. Sharply defined and well separated peaks produce a musical sound like a lowpitched horn or bell. When such peaks do not exist, a noise results and, if the noise is in a relatively loW frequency range, it simulates a motor sound.

The devices for simulating motor sounds of the present invention include systems which are shock-excited with a lot of resonance. This shock-exciting is done repetitively, without necessarily having a fixed period. The exciting of the system is done in a free mode. This means ene, or an extremely complex mixture of compounds, such 3,190,034 Patented .lune 22, 1965 ICC as cardboard. The material may be homogeneous, laminate, or randomly discontinuous, such as chipboard. Also, the material may be solid, porous or of varying density and cross section, such as a woven or pressed fiber structure like fiberboard.

Such vibratile systems may also be made with almost any geometry. For example, a cone, a plane disc and a cup with nearly cylindrical side walls may be employed. These changes in geometry have a marked effect on the resonance characteristics of the system. The same mass of the same material reacts differently acoustically if it is shaped as a cone or cup rather than as a flat disc.

Similarly, the same object will react quite differently acoustically if it is mounted differently. A compliant mounting, in which the object is held loosely and flexibly, will cause it to have different resonance characteristics fro ma mounting in which it is held rigidly at some one point.

The natural or resonant frequency of a vibratile systeni is the basic frequency at which it resonates in `response to a shock excitation. Although it is difficult to measure this with great precision, it is a characteristic of the system and usually can be discerned on a spectral analysis of the sound produced by the system at the lowest-frequency substantial peak produced by the System. For example, the spectral analyses of certain toy motor unit cones show a number of peaks, with the last major peak in the vicinity of 2,500 c.p.s. Thus the bulk of the acoustic energy produced in simulation of a motor sound should be below 2,50) c.p.s. The natural or resonant frequency of that same cone, however, is about 25() or 350 cycles. Repeated shock excitation of a vibra- Y tile system thus may produce ,the bulk ofthe energy at frequencies well above the natural or resonant frequency of the particular resonator employed.

The characteristics of vibratile systems which are capable of producing motor sounds may be defined in terms of the stiffness of the system. The natural or resonant frequency of the system is defined by the equation f nl stiffness 7 *2r mass Stiifness is measured in dynes per centimeter.

This equation reflects the obvious fact that the same material with the same geometry produces different resonances, as its mass is varied. A small brass bell has a high pitch; a heavy brass bell may have an extremely low pitch. This formula makes it possible to define a physical characteristic of the vibratile systems-their stiffnesswhich is a necessary condition for any system within `a. range of weights that is practical for toy use (e.g., 1/10 gram to grams) which is capable of producing a reasonable simulation of a motor sound. However, this necessary condition is not in and of itself a sufficient condition; it still must be qualified-i.e., the system must be of a size and nature normal and practical for a toy. With such a limitation, the more extreme combinations of characteristics are eliminated (e.g., an extremely tiny disc of very small mass and very high stiffness, which will produce sounds within the proper frequencies, but which will be inaudible or nearly inaudible and may have a more nearly musical distribution of peaks rather than the noiselike distribution which is necessary to simulate a motor' sound).

A second limiting factor is that the impedance of the vibratile system is defined by the equation:

Z0=\/ (mass) (stiffness) The impedance is a measure of the efficiency of the system; i.e., the effort required to produce `sound from it. It the impedance is very high, -the system is impractically inefficient. This equation supports the fact that the `use ot an extremely stiff system (eg, an ordinary metal bell) which is so heavy Vthat its natural frequency is within the desired range, is impractical for a toy because of the great .weight required to attain this and the energy required to excite the system. It is, also eliminated because of the necessary condition that the spectrum produced by such a system be one in which there are not clearly detined and well-separated peaks, producing a musical sound rather thana noise.

Investigation of these matters has resulted in the conclusion that a stiffness between 104 and 108 dynes per centimeter is the range within which a practical toy device to simulate motor sounds can be made. These limits of stiffness, applied to systems weighing between 1/10 gram and 100 grams, produce natural frequencies (within the limits of practicality discussed above) which are in the range necessary to produce a motor sound. The more extreme combinations ot high mass and low stillness, and

low mass with high stiiness, have to be omitted. For example, a 100 gram system with a stiffness of 101 (which would be something like a very heavy, oppy, loose piece ot rubber) is quite impractical, producing a natural fre- -quency of about 11/2 cycles per second. The extreme combination ot a stillness of 108 and a weight ot /l@ gram, which would be something like a very tiny disc of hard plastic or soft metal, produces a frequency which is far too high-Well above 5,000 cycles per second. Taking the moreV reasonable combinations, even at the outer limits of the ranges, such as a stiffness oi 104 and a weight of 1/10 gram (producing a natural resonance of 50 cycles yper second), or a stiffness of 108 and a weight et 100 grams (producing a natural frequency of 155 cycles) the range of 104 to 10 stiitness demonstrates that by using the more stii systems with greater masses or the less stiit systems with lesser masses within the ranges of mass and stitness, that 104 to 10B dynes per centimeter are the outer limits of stiiiness which may be utilized effectively in toys to simulate motor sounds.

The following chart is a listing of 21 different sorts of vibratile systems, ranging from bicycle bells to toy motor sound cones and iiat plates ot polyethylene, paper, cardboard, styrene, brass, steel and rubber:

Type of resonator Dia., Material Fr. Mass Stiii'ness in. (cps.) (gm.) (dyues/em.)

1, 8.50 47 6 4X10 2, 050 55 9 1X109 1, 700 23 2 GX10 l, L100 G4 5 CX10g Y Engine cone 250 1.6 4 0X1()0 Racer cone 555 1.1 1 4)(107 Voice unit cone. 230 0.9 l. 9X1@ .5 gnil ilat plate, 3 25 0.1 2. 5)(10a Jee. .5 mil hat plate, 3 200 1 1. GX10a tight. 9 rfnil at plate, 3 Paper 145 1.0 8. 3 105 ree. 24fmil flat plate, 3 Cardb0ard 360 2. S 1. 4X107 ree. 6 milhiat plate, 3 RE 150 0.8 7.1 1O5 tig t. 6 milhlat plate, 8 RE 41 4. 2 2. 8X10n g 24fmil ilat plate, 8 Cardboard 60 13. 8 1. 9 100 ree. 15mil at plate, 3 Styrene 180 2. 5 3 2)(100 ree.

5 ifnil iiat plate, 3 Brass 500 6.7 6. GX10l ree. 2 rfnil flat plate, 3 Steel 130 2. 5 1. 7 1tl i ree. 1 1fnilflat plate, 3 dO 160 1 2 1.2X106 ree.

8 niillttlat plate, 3 Rubber 120 1. 5 8 5 105 tig i Gufmil iiat plate, 3 Styrene. 480 10. 2 9. 3 1O7 ree. 60 miliiat plate, 8 do 120 53.8 3 1 107 free.

*Polyethylena For each of the above systems, some of which were mounted freely and others of which were mounted rather f tightly, the mass was determined and the natural frequency was determined. The stiinesses were then computed and, as can be seen, all the practical simulations of a motor sound fell within the stifnesses between approximately 10L and 108. The measurements ofthe frequencies recorded in the table are approximations which are accurate to the rst digit. The list shows that practical weights ot very stift metals (such as bicycle bells with Vstiftnesses in the range of 109), produced natural resonances above 1,000 cycles per second. In order to obtain a system where repetitive shock-excitation produces a noise vherein the bulk of .the noise is below 2500 c.p.s., the

natural frequency of the resonator should be below 1,000

vclosely corresponding to sounds ot an internal combustion engine.

' Another object ot the present invention is toy motor sound device having a vibratile systernwhich is shockexcited with a lot ot resonance.

Still another object of the present invention is a motor sound device wherein the sound emitter may be protected Vfrom direct contact with the actuator for the sound emit- 'ter and thus relieved of unusual stresses and strains.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a resonator for a toy motor sound device having (1) a low resonant frequency, (2) a body which is sutliciently stift to reproduce high frequencies, and (3) amplitude capa- Y bilities within the material stress limits which will permit production or" a high level of low frequency energy.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a striker meanc for a toy motor sound device which will excite a resonator with a long impulse and which will produce an output from the resonator having a spectrum containing a maximum of energyin frequencies below about 2500 c.p.s.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a toy motor sound device which simulates an internal combustion engine in both appearance and sound.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a vibratile system for a motor sound device which has a stiness within the range of approximately 104 to 108 dynes per centimeter.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a striker means for a motor sound device having an impeller on which individual strikers are loosely mounted at random angles which are-no less than 60 degrees apart.

Other ob'iects andv advanages of the present 'invention will oe readily apparent from the following description and drawings, which illustrate a preferred exemplary embodiment ot the present invention as well as alternative ernbodirnents of the presen-t invention.

In general, the present invention involves a motor sound device having a vibratile system including a resonator adapted to emit an internal combustion motor sound when struck. Rotatably mounted'adjacent said resonator is an impeller having at least one lug mounted on its periphery adapted to strike said resonator during the rotation of the impeller. Also, the motor sound device has drive means for rotating said impeller. Preferably, mounted between the impeller and resonator is a bridge which is adapted to move solely substantially perpendicular to the resonator and to translate blows thereon to said resonator. Also,`prefcrably, the impeller includes a plurality of lugs spaced around its periphery with each of said lugs being retractably mounted on the impeller and adapted to be extended to strike the resonator or bridge by the centrifugal force exerted thereon Vby the rotation of the'impeller and to be retracted by its impact with the bridge or resonator. The lugs may be spaced vehicle such as an automobile. `vice includes a resonator 31 adapted to emit an internal at random angles of no less than 60 degrees apart and may be made of materials such as wood, plastic and metal having sufcient mass and velocity to shock-excite the resonator with a lot of resonance.

The resonator may have a conical shape and may have a stiffness between approximately 104 to 1()8 dynes per centimeter for a mass of from 'lAO to 100 grams. The cone is suspended in such a manner as to produce its desired low frequency resonance with the mass of the cone used. The cone has an amplitude capability within the Stress limits of the material used, thereby permitting production of a high level of low frequency energy.

The mass of and the types of material employed in both the lugs and the resonator is such that undamped resonances are minimized, and so that the output from the resonator has a spectrum containing .a maximum of energy in frequencies below approximately 2500 c.p.s.

In order to facilitate understanding of the present invention, reference will now be made to the appended drawings of a preferred specific embodiment of the present invention as well as alternative embodiments of the present invention..` `Such drawings should not be construed as limiting the invention which is properly set forth in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a toy auto containing the motor sound device of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of FIGURE l, taken along the lines 2 2 of `FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view of FIGURE 2, taken along the lines 3-3 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view of FIGURE 2,. taken along the lines 4 4 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 5 is a partially broken-away perspective view of a portion of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is a plan view corresponding to FIGURE 4 illustrating an alternate embodiment of the present invention.

FIGURE 7 is a partially broken-away perspective view of a portion of FIGURE 6.

`nal combustion engine and motor sound device of .the

present invention.

FIGURE 13 is a cross-sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken along line 13-13 of FIGURE 12.

FIGURE 14 is a plan view of the impeller portion of FIGURE 5 showing an alternate embodiment thereof.

As illustrated in FIGURES 1-5, the motor sound device of the present invention may be mounted in a The motor sound decombustion motor sound when struck. Mounted adjacent the resonator 31 is a bridge 4t) adapted to move solely substantially perpendicular to the resonator and to` translate blows thereon to said resonator. Also, the motor sound device 30 includes a rotatably mounted impeller 50 having at least one lug di) mounted on its periphery adapted Ito strike said bridge during the rotation of said impeller and drive means 70 for rotating said impeller.

The vehicle 2li includes a body 21 with the motor sound device mounted therein. The body 21 is carried by the front axle (not shown) having wheels 22 mounted on its ends and a rear axle 23 having wheels 24 mounted on its Cil ends. The body 21 is preferably made of a synthetic resin or plastic, as indicated by the cross-hatching employed in the drawings. Such materials have a compara-tively low resonance frequency so that the body 21 serves as a resonance chamber when employed in conjunction with a motor sound device of the present invention to enhance the sound produced thereby.

Mounted within the body 20 is the motor sound device 3i) having a resonator 31 adapted to emit an internal combustion motor sound when struck. The resonator 31 includes a iiexible cone 32 mounted on a frame 33 which is attached to the vehicle body 21. The cone 32 has a somewhat thinner cross-section 34 adjacent to the frame 33 to increase its flexibility and has an apex plug 35 adjacent to the remaining portion of the motor sound device 30. i

Although a number of different types and sizes of cones 32 will manifest themselves, a cone approximately 21A inches in diameter and 1/2 inch deep, which has a sidewall thickness of approximately l5 millimeters and which is made from a cellulose acetate butyral having a mass of 1.6 grams and a stiffness of 40x10s dynes has been found to be satisfactory. Such a cone has a natural frequency of approximately 250 c.p.s. which is low enough to permit it to respond with a lot of resonance to shockexcitation. The edge support of the cone 32 in frame33 is such that low frequency resonance is. obtainable with the mass of the cone used. In addi-tion, the cone V32 has satisfactory amplitude capabilities with material stress limits which permit production of a high level of low frequency energy. When struck with a striker means of the present invention, the output from the cone 32 has an acoustical spectrum containing a maximum of energy in the lower frequencies i.e., below approximately 2500 c.p.s. The thinner cross-section 34 of the cone 32 not only serves as a damper for the cone, but also extends the life of the cone by permitting it to roll on the reduced cross-section thereby reducing fatigue.

Mounted adjacent to the resonator 31 and perpendicularly to the apex plug 3S is a bridge 40 which is adapted to move solely substantially perpendicular to the resonator 31 and to translate blows thereon to the resonator 31. The bridge 49 includes a rigid strip 41 of tough material such as plastic which is slidably mounted in grooves 42 in the frame 33 of the resonator 31 with the ends 43 of the strip 21 near the bottoms 44 of the grooves 42. Thus, strip 41 is adapted to slide perpendicular to the resonator 31 and is substantially restrained from sliding parallel to the resonator 31 so that the strip 41 will minimize side loads exerted on the cone 32, by the lugs 6i). When the vehicle 2d is pushed along a iioor or the like, by a child, the drive means 7i) rotates the impeller Si) with sufiicient force so that the lugs dit would rapidly erode the plug 35 away if the lugs dit Were to Contact it directly.

The impeller 5d is rotatably mounted adjacent to the bridge itl and has a plurality of lugs dil spaced around its periphery adapted to strike the bridge ttl during the rotation of the impeller Sil. The impeller 5d includes a spindle 51 having an upper reduced end 52 which is rotatably received in a socket 25 of the body 21. Similarly, the spindle 51 has a lowerreduced end 53 which is rotatably received in a socket Sd of a case 55 which is mounted on a bridge 25 of the body 21. Mounted around the spindle 51 is a disc 56.

The lugs 6i? are retractably mounted. on the impeller E@ and adapted to be extended to strike the bridge 40 by the centrifugal force exerted thereon by the rotation of the impeller Sii and to be retracted by their impact with said bridge. The lugs di) include rings 61 loosely mounted on pivot pins 62 attached to the disc 56 of the impeller 50.

.The pivot pins 62 are preferably spaced about the disc Si? at random angles which are no less than degrees apart, as shown for the pins 162m in FIGURE 14.

The rings 61 have a carefully developed radial compliance designed to excite the cone 32 with a long impulse so that the output from the cone will have a spectrum containing a maximum amount of energy in the lower fre- 'quencies The mass and stiffness of the rings 61 are such that they will shock-excite the cone 32 with a lot oi resonance and with sufficient higher frequencies to maintain acoustical balance simultaneously with a high acoustical level. It has been found that rings having a V1@ OD. by 7/16 LD. by 1A: inch thickness and which are made of an Vacetal resin possesses a satisfactory mass and stiffness for Vthe velocity imparted to them by the impellcr 50.

The impeller 50 is rotated by a drive means 70 which includes a iirst gear means 71 mounted on the rear axle of the vehicle 20 and a second gear means 77 mounted on the spindle 51 of the impeller 50. The second gear means 77 is engaged with the first gear means '71. The first gear means 71 includes a cup gear 72 which is mounted on the rear axle by engaging its central sleeve 73 with a knurled portion 74 of the rear axle 23. The second gear means 77 is produced by forming a gear 78 out of the lower portion of the spindle 51 adjacent its lower end The gear 78 is engaged with the teeth 75 of the cup gear 72. rEhe drive means 70 also includes a ily wheel 79 which is co v'axially mounted on the disc 56 of the impeller 50 and forms the connection between the disc 56 and the spindle 51 of the impeller Sli.

The operation of the motor sound device 30 of the toy Y vehicle 20 of FGURES l-5 is verysimple but yet achieves sounds closely corresponding to the sounds of an internal combustion motor. When the toy vehicle Ztl 1s 'moved along a surface with its wheels 22 and 2li engaged .bridge d so that the impact of contact therewith is essen.-

tially instantaneous. Also, since the bridge is substantially restrained from sliding parallel to the resonator 31 because the ends 43 of a strip il are near the bottoms dd of the grooves 42, the bridge 40 is moved by the impact of the lugs 60 solely substantially perpendicular to the resonator and thereby strikes the apex plug 35 of the cone 32. VVThe cone 32 in turn emits when struck by the bridge i0 a low-pitched sound in a regular cycle depending on the placement and coniiguration of the lugs 60 on the impeller 50 so that the sounds produced closely correspond to the sounds of an internal combustion motor. Alternatively, the strip 41 can be bowed inwardly against plug 35 so that it is in permanent engagement therewith. ln either event, the sound produced is substantially the same since the cone 32 is excited with a long pulse by virtue of the radial compliance ofthe rings 61.

Many other specic embodiments of the present invention will be obvious to one skilled in the art in view of this disclosure. For example, as illustrated in FlGURES v 6, V7, 12 and 13, the motor sound device 13d may include resonator 131 may include a cone 132 mounted on a frame 133 with the portion 134- of the cone 132 adjacent the frame 133 being corrugated. ln addition, the impeller 150 may include lugs 163 wherein rings are loosely mounted on pivot pins 162 attached to the impeller 160. However, the rings 161 may have a U-shaped cross-section 163 with an outwardly extending iiange 164 adapted to lstrike the resonator 131.

Alternatively, the rings 161 can be mounted on an impeller 1506i having pins 162e mounted thereon at random angles of at least 60 degrees with respect to each other. With this arrangement, the

rings 3.6i' strike the cone 13.2 on an irregular cycle producing a rumble to enhance the motor sound produced thereby.

The cone 132 may advantageously correspond in size and shape with, and may be made from the same material as, the cone 32 previously described. The bridge 40 described in connection with the FIGURES l-4 embodiment may be eliminated from the resonator 131 so that the rings 161 strike the apex plug 135 directly. This is feasible because the motor 170 drives the impeller 150 with les; acceleration than is imparted to the impeller 50 of the previous embodiment when the vehicle 20 is pushed along a suitable surface. rl`hus, the problem of fn'ctional wear on the plug is not as great as it is in connection with the FIGURES 1-4 embodiment. Also, the rings 161 may advantageously have a different radial compliance than the rings 61 and are preferably made of a softer material than the rings 60. For example, the rings 161 may be advantageously made of polyethylene having a modulus of elasticity of approximately 100,000 p.s.i. in Vlieu of the rings used in the previous embodiment. The FIG- URE '7 configuration of the rings 161 is an important feature of the device 130. It has been found in actual practice that such a configuration in combination with an electrically driven rotor or impeller and the particular cone 132 disclosed herein produces a sound corresponding more nearly to the sound produced by a typical automobile engine than is produced when other shaped rings are employed in the same system.

The motor sound device 130 may be advantageously mounted in a simulated combustion engine, generally indicated at 174, which is adapted to be mounted on a frame, such as a bicycle or tricycle frame. The simulated engine 174 includes a casing 176 having a rounded lower wall 173, a removable cap 180, a top wall 182, a cylinder wall ld and a cylinder-head wall 186. A simulated discasing 176 by a pair of end walls 189, a pair of side walls 190 and a bottom wall 192.

The curved lower wall 178 is joined to a pair of spacedapart side walls 194 in such a manner that a simulated crankcase or chamber 196 is provided within the casing 176 for accommodation of the motor sound device 130.

The motor for the sound device 130 is preferably a DC. motor so that the rate of rotation of its associated spindle 198 is proportional to the input voltage to the motor 170. Consequently, the intensity and rapidity of repetition of the sounds produced by the motor sound device 130 is proportional to the input voltage to the electric motor 170. The electric motor 170 is connected to a battery 200 directly by a iirst lead wire 202 and indirectly by a second lead wire 203 which may be connected to a suitable regulator means which is shown schematically at 205 and which may comprise the regula-` tor means shown and described in applicants co-pending application, Serial No. 361,653, filed April 22, 1964, now Patent No. 3,160,984 entitled Toy Motor Sound Control Means. A third lead wire 204 may be employed to connect the regulator means described in said co-pending application Serial No. 361,65 3 to the battery 200. The battery 200 contacts a metal lug 206 which is attached to the lead wire 202. The battery 200 also contacts a metal clip 203 which is attached to the third lead wire 204. The battery 200 can be replaced periodically as required by removing the cap which is secured to the wall 189 by a `latching means 210.

A simulated electrical distributor 212 is mounted on the cap 180 and is connected by a simulated spark plug wire 214 to a simulated spark plug 216 which, in turn, is mounted on the cylinder-head wall 186.

A plurality of ears or bosses 213 are mounted on the casing 17d and each boss 21d is provided with an aperture 219 provided therein which is adapted to mount the casing 176 on a frame (not shown).

A cover plate 220 retains the lugs 161 in position on their associated pins 162.

Still other specific embodiments of the present invention are illustrated in FIGURES 8-11. In FIGURE 8, the impeller 250 includes a plurality of lugs 260 spaced around its periphery. Each lug includes a ring 261 having a variety of shapes such as substantially ellipsoidal 261a, circular 261b, triangular 261e, and irregular 261d. Similarly, the pivot pins 262 on which the rings 261 are mounted may be spaced varying distances from the center of the impeller 250.

The impeller 250 may be used in place of the impeller 50 in the sound device 30 or alternatively, it may be used in place of the impeller 150 in the motor sound device 130. When used in the sound device 30 the rings 261g, and 261b, 261e and 261:1 are preferably made from a material having a modulus of elasticity of approximately 400,000 p.s.i. On the other hand, when employed in conjunction with the sound device 130, these rings are preferably made from a polyethylene material having a modulus of elasticity of approximately 100,000 p.s.i. Also, when used in the motor sound device 30, the rings 261a-261d preferably have a mass equivalent to the mass of the rings 61 and when used in the motor sound device 130, the rings preferably have a mass comparable to that of the rings 161. The random shape of the rings Zola- 261d enhances the motor sound produced by the device in which the rings are employed by imparting a rumble to the sound produced by the motor sound device.

In FIGURE 9, the impeller 350 includes a spindle 351 having a bracket 352 mounted thereon with arms 353 extending outwardly. Dependent from the arms 353 are flexible struts 354 supported at the bottom by a flexible brace ring 355. Mounted on the struts 354 are knobs 356 which are adapted to strike the bridge or resonator.

The impeller 350 may be mounted in the body 21 of the vehicle 20 by

pivot pins

252 and 253 provided on the upper and lower ends thereof, respectively. A gear 27S may be provided on the lower end of the impeller 350 for actuation by the gear 72 in vehicle 20 so that the impeller 350 will be driven thereby.

which are mounted a plurality of outwardly extending arms 452 with each of said arms having a knob 453 mounted on the end thereof.

The impeller 450 may be mounted in the vehicle 20 in such a manner that a gear 478 provided on the impeller 450 engages the driving gear 72 provided in the vehicle 20. The arms 452 and their associated knobs 453 are preferably made from a non-metallic material having a modulus of elasticity within the range of about 100,000 psi-400,000 p.s.i.

In FIGURE 11, the resonator 531 includes a cone 532 with an apex plug 533 having a chamber 534 therein. Contained within the chamber 534 are a plurality of freely movable weights 535. The chamber 534 of the plug 533 may be simply formed by capping the chamber 534 in the cone 532 with a cover 536 mounted on the interior surface of the cone 532.

The cone 532 is preferably made from the same material as the

cones

32 and 132 and the weights 535 preferably comprise spherical balls made of a suitable plastic or the like. The weights 535 not only enhance the random nature of the sound produced by the cone 532 when it is struck by any of the impellers previously shown and described herein, but also serves as a damper for the cone 532.

In addition to the foregoing alternate embodiments of the present invention, it should be noted that there are many other specific embodiments possible. Thus, the motor sound device 30 may be driven by an electric motor powered by batteries, rather than the mechanical energy stored in a fly wheel 79 or merely a gear drive connected to the Wheels of a car being rolled along a surface. Also, the motor sound device may be mounted in a suitable vehicle, such as the vehicle 20, instead of in the simulated engine 174.

It should also be noted that resonators having various geometric shapes, masses and stiffnesses may be employed, as listed hereinbefore.

There are many features of the present invention which clearly show the significant advance the present invention represents over the prior art. Consequently, only a few of the more outstanding features will be pointed out to illustrate the unexpected and unusual results obtained by the present invention. One feature of the present invention is the utilization of a cone for a resonator with the cone being freely exible around its periphery. For example, as illustrated, the cone may be thinned out in cross-section adjacent its support means, or have a plurality of corrugations. In any event, such cone is adapted to emit low-pitched sounds similar to the sounds of an internal combustion motor. Another feature of the present invention is the utilization of a retractable lug which is extended by centrifugal force and then retracted by the force of the impact with the resonator device. With such arrangement, a sudden, sharp impact on the resonator is achieved and deadening of the resonator due to prolonged contact is substantially prevented. Still another feature of the present invention is the utilization of a bridge to translate the blows from the impeller to the resonator which is adapted to move substantially solely perpendicular to the resonator. At low impeller speeds and with specially designed resonator constructions, it is possible to achieve reasonable periods of use before the resonator is Worn out by the impeller without the protection of the bridge. However, with high speed impellers or a simply designed resonator, the resonator is rapidly destroyed by the impeller without the protection of the bridge. Not only does the bridge protect the resonator from the direct impact of the impeller, but also removes the distorting forces imposed on the resonator by the impeller so that the resonator is actuated only in the direction to achieve maximum sound emission. Still another feature of the present invention is the utilization of vvarious sizes and shapes of lugs as well as positions of lugs to achieve a desired cycle of sound. Also, suitable variation of sound may be achieved by loading the resonator with movable weights.

It will be understood that the foregoing description and examples are only illustrative of the present invention and it is not intended that the invention be limited thereto. All substitutions, alterations and modifications of the present invention which come within the scope of the following claims or to which the present invention is readily susceptible vvithout departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure are considered part of the present invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A toy vehicle comprising: a substantially hollow body member forming a resonance chamber; a resonator in the form of a cellulose-acetate-butyral cone having an apex plug mounted in said body member, said resonator having a low-pitched natural frequency below approximately 1,000 c.p.s.; wheel means rotatably mounted on said body member for facilitating travel of said vehicle along a surface; striker means rotatably mounted in said body member adjacent said resonator for cyclically impacting said resonator at its apex plug causing it to vibrate and produce a low-pitched sound simulating the sound of an internal combustion enigne; and gear means connecting said striker means to said wheel means for rotating said striker means when said vehicle is pushed along said surface, whereby said striker means will cyclically impact said resonator, `said striker means comprising an impeller connected to said gear means; and a plurality of rings loosely mounted on pins attached to said impeller and positioned around the periphery of said impeller, said lugs each being retractably mounted on said iinpeller for 'extension into engagement with said apex plug by the centrifugal force exerted thereon by the rotation of said impeller, said rings being made from an acetal resin having a modulus of elasticity of approximately 400,000 p.s.1.

2. A toy vehicle as defined in claim 1 wherein said rings are mounted on said impeller at random angles of at least 60 degrees with respect to each other.

3. A toy vehicle as defined in claim 2 wherein said rings each has approximately a Syl@ inch outside diameter, a 7/16 inch inside diameter and a '1A inch thickness.

4. A toy vehicle as defined in claim 2 wherein at least one of said rings has a non-uniform peripheral surface.

5. A toy vehicle as defined in claim 2 wherein each of said rings'has a different annular shape from the others.

6. A toy Vehicle as defined in claim 1 wherein a portion of said body member comprises said resonator.

7. A device for producing sound simulating an internal combustion engine, comprising:

non-metallic resonator means having a low-pitched natural frequency substantially less than 2500 c.p.s., said resonator means being adapted to produce a noise when subjected to repetitive shock-excitation wherein the bulk of the noise has a frequency below approximately 2500 c.p.s.;

striker means movably mounted adjacent said resonator means for cyclical engagement therewith when said striker means is moved, and

means connected to said striker means for cyclically impinging it against said resonator means, whereby said resonator means produces noise the bulk of which is of indiscriminate frequencies below approximately 2500 c.p.s.,

said resonator means having a mass within a range of approximately .1 to approximately 100 grams and a stiffness within a range of approximately 104 to 10B dynes per centimeter.

8. A device for producing sound simulating an internal combustion engine, comprising:

non-metallic resonator means having a low-pitched natural frequency substantially less than 2500 cps., said resonator means being adapted to produce a noise when subjected to repetitive shock-excitation wherein the bulk of the noise has a frequency below approximately 2500 c.p.s.;

striker means movably mounted adjacent said resonator means for cyclical engagement therewith when y dynes per centimeter, said resonator being provided with means for dampening vibrations thereof.

9. A device for producing sound simulating an internal combustion engine, comprising:

non-metalic resonator means having a lowpitched natural frequency substantially less than 2500 c.p.s., said resonator means being adapted to produce a noise when subjected to repetitive shock-excitation wherein the bulk of the noise has a frequency below approximately 2500 c.p.s.;

said resonator means having a mass within a range of approximately .1 to approximately 100 grams and a stiffness within a range of approximately 104 to 108 dynes per centimeter, said resonator means comprising a cellulose-acetate-butyral Vcone held securely around its circumference and having an apex portion adjacent said striker means to be struck thereby.

10. A device for producing sound simulating an internal combustion engine, comprising:

non-metallic resonator means having a low-pitched natural frequency substantially less than 2500 c.p.s., said resonator means being adapted to produce a noise when subjected to repetitive shock-excitation wherein the bulk of the noise has a frequency below approx"- mately 2500 cps.;

means connectedto said striker means Ifor cyclically impinging it against said resonator means, whereby said resonator means produces noise the bulk of Vwhich is of indiscriminate frequencies below approximately 2500 c.p.s.,

said resonator means having a mass Vwithin a range of approximately .1 to approximately 100 grams and a stiffness within a range of approximately 104 to 10S dynes per centimeter, the natural frequency of said resonator means being in the range of about 250 c.p.s. to 500 c.p.s.

1,498,677 6/24 Bemis et al. 116-143 X 2,223,119 11/40 Muller 46-111 RICHARD C. PNKHAM, Primary Examiner.

Claims

1. A TOY VEHICLE COMPRISING: A SUBSTANTIALLY HOLLOW BODY MEMBER FORMING A RESONANCE CHAMBER; A RESONATOR IN THE FORM OF A CELLULOSE-ACETATE-BUTYRAL CONE HAVING AN APEX PLUG MOUNTED IN SAID BODY MEMBER, SAID RESONATOR HAVING A LOW-PITCH NATURAL FREQUENCY BELOW APPROXIMATELY 1,000 C.P.S.; WHEEL MEANS ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON SAID BODY MEMBER FOR FACILITATING TRAVEL OF SAID VEHICLE ALONG A SURFACE; STRIKER MEANS ROTATABLY MOUNTED IN SAID BODY MEMBER ADJACENT SAID RESONATOR FOR CYCLICALLY IMPACTING SAID RESONATOR AT ITS APEX PLUG CAUSING IT TO VIBRATE AND PRODUCE A LOW-PITCHED SOUND SIMULATING THE SOUND OF AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE; AND GEAR MEANS CONNECTING SAID STRIKER MEANS WHEN SAID VEHICLE IS PUSHED TATING SAID STRIKER MEANS WHEN SAID VEHICLE IS PUSHED ALONG SAID SURFACE, WHEREBY SAID STRIKER MEANS WILL CYCLICALLY IMPACT SAID RESONATOR, SAID STRIKER MEANS COMPRISING AN IMPELLER CONNECTED TO SAID GEAR MEANS; AND A PLURALITY OF RINGS LOOSELY MOUNTED ON PINS ATTACHED TO SAID IMPELLER AND POSITIONED AROUND THE PERIPHERY OF SAID IMPELLER, SAID LUGS EACH BEING RETRACTABLY MOUNTED ON SAID IMPELLER, SAID EXTENSION INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID APEX PLUG BY THE CENTRIFUGAL FORCE EXERTED THEREON BY THE ROTATION OF SAID IMPELLER, SAID RINGS BEING MADE FROM AN ACETAL RESIN HAVING A MODULUS OF ELASTICITY OF APPROAXIMATELY 400,000 P.S.I.