US2330166A - Xylophone - Google Patents

Description

sept. 21, 1942;. A

H. ZIMMERMAN XYLOPHONE Filed Sept. 26, 1942 /60' II/IIIIII HARRY z/MMseM/q N mvv( ATTOF/VEY nvm Patented Sept. 21, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE XYLOPHONE Harry Zimmerman, New York, N. Y.

Application September 26, 1942, Serial No. 459,753

j 4 Claims. (Cl. 84-403) This invention relates to Xylophones and more particularly to the manner of mounting and maintaining the musical soundingy members in place on they supporting frame at all times.

One object of the inventionis the provision of a musical instrument of this nature in which the musical sounding members are supported and maintained in place by means of obstructions on the said sounding members in cooperation with the side wallsy of the supporting framework.

Another object of the invention is the provision of such a musical instrument in which the musical sounding members are so supported on the instrument framework as to avoid the use of metallic pins or nails thus eliminating the danger of the sounding members of contacting the said pins or nails and the consequent discordant note caused by such contact.

A further object of the invention is the provision of such sounding member mounting means which are equally adaptable for flat, circular or semi-circular sounding members whether metallic f or otherwise.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of such Xylophone sound member mounting means which will greatly reduce the cost of assembling the instrument.

Another object is to produce a device of the character described in which the maximum simplicity of construction and operation is secured.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the nature of the improvements is better understood, the invention consisting substantially in the noval arrangement and co-relation of parts herein fully describedand illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein similar reference characters are used to describe corresponding parts throughout the several views, and then finally pointed out and specifically dened and indicated in the appended claims.

The disclosure made the basis of exemplify- Ving the present inventive concept suggests a practical embodiment thereof, but the invention is not to be restricted to the exact details of this disclosure, and the latter, therefore, is to be understood from an illustrative, rather than a restrictive standpoint.

The inventive idea involved is capable of receiving a variety of mechanical expressions, one

of which, for the purpose of illustration, is shown in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a top plan view of one form of Xylophone embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmental side view thereof;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 3-3 Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a fragmental cross-sectional view of a somewhat modified form of my invention;

Figure 5 is a perspective View partly broken away of the sounding member used in the Figure 4 form of the invention;

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 4 of aistll further modified form of the invention and Figu 7 is a. perspective view partly broken away o a non-metallic sounding member adapted for use in the Figure 6 form of the invention.

At the present time there are two general types of xylophones, namely those in which the musical bars are suspended from or by means of cords and secondly those in which the musical bars are held in place by means of pins or nails. In the first case the Stringing of the musical bars is a comparatively long tedious and expensive operation. In the second case, the bars often come in contact with the pins when struck causing the said bars to emit distorted and discordant notes. It is to obviate these undesirable features that I have perfected my present invention.

Referring now to Figures 1 to 3 of the drawing I0 indicates the frame of my improved Xylophone, the said frame comprises an end wall II at one end and a somewhat narrower wall I2 at the opposite end, the said end walls being connected by lower rails or side walls I3 and upper rails or side walls I4.

The upper rails I4 are each provided with semi-circular cutouts I5 through which pass musical bars or sounding members I6. The bars I6 rest upon felt or other insulating strips Il interposed between the upper and lower rails or wall sections. In order to prevent displacement of the musical bars I6, they are each provided with lugs I8. These lugs which are struck up from the body of the bars are in close proximity to the upper side Walls and act as obstructions against undue lateral movement and displacement of the bars.

While I have shown the bars I6 as being semicircular in cross section, I desire it understood that they may just as readily be fiat or circular or of any other suitable shape and may be made of any resonant material adapted for this purpose.

In Figs. 4 and 5, I have shown a modified form of the invention wherein the musical bars IEa are provided with depending lips, projections or extensions I9 whose functions are the same as those of the lugs I8 in the form of my invention described above, however the distance between `the bottom edge 20 of the lips I9 and the bottom edges A2l -of any bar Ita is greater than the distance between the top of the said bar and the top 22 of the cutouts I5 thus insuring against displacement of the bars I'na from their normal position. v

In Figure 6 I have shown the musical members Ibas provided with cuts or kerfs 23 the depth of which are greater than the clearances between the tops ofl the cutouts Ia and the tops of the said musical members i612, thus pro.-

viding againstv displacement of the said members.

In Figure 7 I have shown a solid semicircular musical member IBC having kerfs or slots 23a,

i formed withrecesses extending upwardly from of spaced .apart lugs on each bar extending latthe said member may be substituted'for the mem t 'ber |6b in as much as with the exceptionv of it being solid instead of semi-tubular` it isiri; f

all other respects the same as the member Ib. From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided! a xvlophoneqorl otherl similar musical instrument wherein no bar locating pins haveto. be: driven, nor do the said. bars haveito-be strung on cords or 'the like, thus greatly simplifying the'` assembling operation` ofthe instrument,` reducing the cost thereof and preventing: or avoiding` any discordant sound or tone. due to Contact between the musicalbars and; their locating'pins when. being struck. 1

Having, described' my invention: what L claim as new; andr desireto secure by Letters Patent is: 1'. For use in a framehaving apertured side walls, a musical bar adapted tol extend through, opposite apertures in the side walls, and obstructions on the said musical bar extending laterally thereof beyond, margins of Vthev perfo,- rations in the side walls in position 'to engagev confronting faces of the said sidewalls yto prevent displacement of thej musical barsA trans versely of the frame. s

2`. For usey in' a frame having aperturedy side walls, a musical bar adapted torv extend through-F opposite apertures in theY side walls, and ob.-v

their lower edges so as to provide opposed apertures in the two side walls, a plurality of musical bars extending between the side walls and projecting through opposed apertures and a pair erally therefrom in close proximity to the respective side walls, said lugs forming means for engaging side faces of the said side walls and maintaining the bars in place on the frame.

4. Axylophone or the like comprising asupporting: frame. having a pair of longitudinalside walls, each side wall being formed of a pair of*l ysuperfimposed strips, having a strip of sound insulating material interposed therebetween and clamped by thestrips, and the upper strip being formed with recesses extending upwardly fromv the lower edge so as to provide opposed'apertures in the two side walls, the said recesses having arcuate Walls, a plurality of semi-tubular musical bars extending between the side walls and projecting through the apertures, the said bars having their convex sides facing upwardly so that the side edges thereof rest uponthestrips. of sound insulating material and tongues cut longitudinally from endportions of each bar and bent to` extend radially upwards from the barV in close proximity to the Irespective side wall,I

HARRY ZIMMERMAN. 'i

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