US2622467A - Musical instrument - Google Patents

Description

Dec; 23, 1952 J. T. KUNZ 2,622,467

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed Nov. 17, 1948 2 SHEETS-SHEET l INVENTOR.

a/A 006 7. Aim/Z BY HWyZW Dec. 23, 1952 J. I. KUNZ 2,622,467

MUSICAL. INSTRUMENT Filed Nov. 17, 1948 2 SI-lEETS-Sl-1EET z INVENTOR. Jae-0B 7. Au/vz MQLZZZZZ/ Patented Dec. 23, 1952 UNITED PATENT" OFFICE MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Jacob T. Kunz, North Hills Pa assignor to Schulmerich Electronics, Incorporated, :Sellersville,- Paa a corporation 'ofxPennsylvania- Application November 17, 1 948',1S,e1ia;l"N0; 60,469

(CI. B l-r404) 14; Claims.

1 This'invention relates to music instruments and particularlyto vibrator dampingarrangementsfor electricmusic instruments, the vibratorinvolved especially being-adapted for-use in the productionof true bell -or-chimetones and the like. 1

Various vibrators' have been usedin music instruments for producing bell or chime tones.

The vibrating elements of said instruments have comprised bars or rods, both solid and -hol1ow, as well as innumerable other shapes of elements. The mechanical vibrations'produced thereby have been translated or picked up electrically, "amplified, and then translated into sound 'by'an electro-acoustic transducer or loud speakerto produce bell tones. The location ofthe electric vibrator has one end-thereoffi-xed-and the other "end free to vibrate; Free-free vibrators also have been used wherein both ends of the-vibrator are-unrestrained and therefore free-to move,- the vibrator being suitably "supported; I

In the: case of an instrument employed to reproduce-bell tones, particular--care:must be-used in the arrangement Of-the-"Vib-rators-to obtain the d'esireclcharacteristic tone; the correct relationship of partials, and the,,gcorrect relationship ofdamping' or decay of'the partials "rela tive to each other. This requires that the? vibrators function in such a way'as. to permit the ielectricalpickl-up and electrical circuits and arrangements to finally produce a correct'bell tone v electric music instrument which will produce a bell tone or other desired tone having the correct relationship between the partials and tones therein during the period, of vibration of 9. vi-

brator thereof.

Whena fixed weightjis placed ,on, a rod or bar vibrator. for purposes of .alteringjthe partial structure of a tone produced by the rod, the

the desired damping relationship for v the partialsin'the rod to'produce correctly a bell tone.

A-nothen'of the objects of the invention is to provide 'a damping arrangement for a vibrating rod which is only-intermittently efiective during vibration of'the rodyandwhich will" retain-the desired "partial structure.

The invention 'contemplates a dampingmeans placed on a rod or vibrator in such a manner thatthe damping means will be activated upon energization ofthe rod and will not substantially affect the partial structure relationship during vibration of the rod.

Theenergyat the endof a rod will-be made up of the-total energy of all ofthe partials in the'rod, especially in'a rod-having a free end.

"The damping can be accomplished by the use of a damping device which is effective intermittently during the Vibration period of the red, the damping device'being activated or rendered intermittentlyefiective upon energizationof the vibrating bararrangement.

In-one aspect of theinvention, reference being madeespeciallyto a fixed-free rod arrangement, a receptacle or holding meanscan be fastened to the free'end of the rod and." a ball'or other shaped solid element placed therein, said *ball' normally resting on top of the rod; When the rodis set"-into-vibration, the ball will bounce or move relative to thetop of the rod and away from contact with the top thereof and thus will intermittently serve to damp all of'the vibrations. The damping device thus will'not substantially affiect' the partial structure so that the electrical vibrations produced in the amplifiercircuitwill havetheproper relationship between the'svarious partials from "the time the rod isastruck until the rod comes to rest.- This is nottrue ofa weight'permanentlyfastened at some point along the rod becausesuch a weight will only affect one orsome of the partials and will affect "these duringthe entire "vibration and not intermittently;

.In another aspect of'the invention, a finely divided solid material-can be placed in the receptacle. or holder located on the end of the rod. The finely divided-material will be eifective intermittently'to absorb" energy from all of the partials. Also, some typeof loosely mounted element can be placed on the end of the rod. In the case of a loosely mounted element, such asa wire or collar; the wire 'or'collar' will jump free'from the rod intermittently as the rod is vibrated, and thus serve to intermittently damp the various partials. A plurality of spheres may be used at the end" of the rod instead of one sphere. Also, a pieceof pl'asticor otheren'ergy i must be located at a point where there are no other than those described herein. other objects, features and advantages of the absorbing solid material may be loosely threaded through an aperture adjacent the end of the rod so as to intermittently contact the rod upon vibration thereof. The rod may be in the horizontal position as well as vertical, the damping arrangement being suitably positioned on the rod or vibrator. The aforementioned divided material, wire, collar, sphere, or plastic are to be considered solid materials.

The rod and damping device of the present invention can be used for various purposes such as for example, the vibrators in the musical instrument described in the copending application, Serial No. 60,470, filed November 17, 1948, now

Patent No. 2,606,474, issued August 12, 1952, or 1 for the type described in copending application, Serial No. 641,243, filed January 15, 1946, now Patent No. 2,463,543, issued March 8, 1949. In each of the aforementioned instruments, a plurality of vibrating rods of the fixed-free variety are mounted on a block or a plurality of blocks, the rods being selected to give the various desired notes of a carillon. Selectively operated strikers are located adjacent said rods so that the various notes of the bell instrument can be sounded. Electric pick-ups or collectors are arranged adjacent the rods and connected to amplifiers for energizing a loud speaker. The amplifier and loud speaker are selected and arranged to modify or eliminate the partials as desired to produce a good bell tone.

In one of the instruments described, a pair of vibrators is used for each note, said vibrators being tuned a predetermined musical interval apart.

In one of said rods, the pick-up is located at a characteristic tone of one rod will bear the proper relationship to the partials or the characteristic tone of the other rod. The partials of the two rods then can be chosen so that they will be those desired in a bell of the Flemish or harmony type. Damping devices made in accordance with the present invention if placed on such rods will cause the partials to persist the correct length of time and relationship in each rod to produce a good bell tone.

In a rod having free ends, each of the partials will have an anti-node at the free end thereof so that energy will be absorbed from all of the partials intermittently. In the case of a vibrator fixed at both ends, the intermittent damping device of the invention must be placed very close to a fixed end so as to only disproportionately affect a few of the partials. The damping means nodes of any of the significant partials to be used in producing the desired tone.

The invention may be employed on various types of vibrators and may take various forms invention will become apparent from the following description and drawings.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a pair of rods with the invention in use thereon.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the top of one of the rods of Figure l in section showing one form of the invention.

Figure 3 is similar to Figure 2 except that it shows a modification of the invention.

These and 6 Figure 4 is similar to Figure 2 with the exception that it shows still another modification.

Figure 5 is similar to Figure 2 except that it shows a further modification.

Figure 6 is a schematic showing of the invention and a wiring diagram therefor.

Figure '7 is a fragmentary view of one form of the invention showing a stabilizer arrangement added thereto.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary view of another form of the invention.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary view of a modification of the form of the invention shown in Figure 8.

In Figure 1 will be found a rod assembly such as described in copending application, Serial No. 60,470, filed November 17, 1948. In this form of the invention, two rods are mounted on a single base, the rods being tuned a predetermined musical interval apart. When only one rod is used per note, all of the rods may be mounted on a single base. Base may be mounted on resilient supports 2|, 2| carried on a bed plate 22. Rods 23, 24 are solidly fixed in groove 25 of base or rod support 20. The rods preferably are grooved at 23A, 24A near their point of emergence from the block or rod support 20. When a groove, or a plurality of grooves of even depths and widths are placed on a rod, the rod when struck will produce partials falling into a Substantially even harmonic pattern.

The collector may take various forms such as seen at 26 and 21 (Fig. 1), said collector plates being mounted on collector plate bar 28, each collector plate having an electrode 29 closely adjacent its rod. When collector plates are used as seen in Figure 1, the vibrations therefrom are collected and fed to a preamplifier 30 (Fig. 6), said preamplifier being connected to amplifier 3| which in turn is connected to an electro-acoustic transducer or loud speaker 32. The collector plates 33 in this form are located at, desired positions so as to pick up the desired partials from the rods and to eliminate others. Referring to Figure 6, strikers 34 can be selectively operated by a suitable keyboard mechanism 35. In the case where two rods are employed for producing a single note, one striker is used to strike both rods simultaneously.- A rod is seen at 36 and a collector plate at 31 for said rod. A second rod (not seen) also may be on base 38 with a col lector plate 39 therefore.

A damping device made-in accordance with the invention is indicated at 40 on the endof each rod 36 of Figure 6 and at MA, MB in Fig ure 1.

As mentioned previously, the clamping device contemplated in the present invention is one which is of solid material and is intermittently effective upon the partial of the rod and which is activated upon energization of the rod. The term solid material includes flexible elements such as thread.

In the preferred form of the invention, collar or receptacle 42 (Fig. 2) is screw-threadedly mounted on the end of rod 43. It is of course obvious that the collar may be fastened on the rod by other means than by threads. A ball 44 is located inside of said collar, said ball normally resting upon the top of rod 43. The ball 44 preferably has a diameter very close to the external diameter of the rod, there being, for examples clearance of about 0.002 to 0.003inch between the ball and the interior wall of the collar or receptacle. It is desirable that the end of the rod be ttudinalcaxis of the-rod so. asto obtain consistent damping action when the rod is vibrated.

.Also arsoit'material or paint may be placed on ntheni-nside of the. collar 42 orcup so that the ball will not. set the'xrod into vibration due toambient vibrations; Theball may be made of any suitable material such as brass, stainless steel, or other material having the desired resilient and hardness properties:

Whentherodis at rest, the. ball, will be in place ont oprof :rod. 43. Upon vibration of the rod, the

ball: Will 1 jump upwardly and return into contact with the end. of the rod intermittently so'that; the rod willgbe vibrating free of the ball at intervals andi-thus the. ball will not be damping the vibrations; continuously-as is the case withv a weight solidly mounted on a vibrator. The-ener y from all .ofthe partials in. the rod is thus absorbed in .tpulsesrascompared toa weight which is perma- "nentlyilocated 'on-the rod.

Merely'by'way of example,v in a rod which is 15? ozs: :in :weight, and tuned to middlev C, the

,undamped' period will be about 15 seconds as compared: to a damped period of about seconds when-.2 steel balls of about diameter are used:

In another form of the invention, the ballmay ;be replaced by a'finely divided material 45 -(Fig. 3:) ilocated'i-nithe collar or cup 45,- said bushing or .-'cup.r-being-firmly .fastened to the end of rod 41.

itris apparent that as the rod .is vibrated, the 'sand-or otherlfinely divided material will change "positiorr rel-ative to the end of the rod so that the :mass of material will vary and willbe eifective toadamp; thevibrations intermittently, similar to theruse of the-ball.

In still another form of the invention, the

holder or collar 48 (Fig. 4) located onrod so: may shavena wire or rod, "49- of suitable weight connectedz'over the endthereof, said wire being held in. place in] some suitable manner. The wire 43 iswfre'ea'to vibrate upwardly and clear of the collar-'48 "dsth' rod is struokand thus the mass of the wire -49 will :serve intermittently to damp "the'vibrations in the-rod.

In still another form of the invention, a collar 5| (Fig. 5), which may be split, may be placed in the; groove .5'2ficut in the end of rod 53. It is apparent in this form that as the rod is vibrated, the collar will intermittently jump clear ,from contact with the rod and thus. .intermittently damp the vibrations in the rod in.a manner similar to the previously'described arrangement.

In Figure '7 will be seen the use of theinyention of the form shown in detailin Figure 2 in conjunction with another arrangement for modityingthe vibrations. The stabilizer illustrated will serve .tolaterally restrictfree motion of the rod and thus tend to restrict the fundamental .orlowest. tone of the rod, ,This. is desirable in a bell instrument wherein the lowest partial tones interfere with any of the desired partials in .the

point. along the rods such as near the centers thereof.

' A striker; mechanism 5| can be carried on a resiliently supported channel, '62. In the form shown in Figure 7,, two rods for each tonecan be carried on a single base, or there, may bexa single rod- 'for each tone as, desired. Preferably, the base :56nis resiliently mounted (notshown) and the weightof the base properly related to the other elements of the vibrating system.

Suitable weights 55 (Figs. 1, 7) may be placed along the rod or rods as desired so as to control thepartials in the rods as necessary.

In Figure 3 is seen another form of intermittently acting damping device wherein-rod. scan thread, or other suitable material for intermittentlyabsorbing the energy of the partials. The element 68 may be round or fiat, or any suitable cross sectional shape. Figure 9 is similar :to Figure 8, rod 69 having an aperture 10 ."loosely holding loop 1!. Loop H can have a cross section similar to element 68. of Figure 8- and bexof similar material.

The forms shown in Figure 8 and.9 are especially suitable for rods mounted in a horizontal position. The other types of damping devices also "can be used on horizontal rods .by'suitably mounted said devices on the ends of the rods.

In. accordance with the present invention, the

partial tones in a vibrator or vibrators, useful in anelectric instrument producing bell tones, can be damped .so "that the proper relationship. between the various :partial tones will be present throughout the time of vibration of eachyibrator in producing the bell tone, the: damping means parting from the spirit of the invention except asde'lined in the appendedclaims.

What is claimed:

1'. In. a vibrator damping :device adapted for use in an electric music instrument or the like, a vibrator element, a solid intermittentlyacting inertia damping means loosely mounted on'and operatively connected with said vibrator, :and means normally loosely holding said damping means on" said vibrator when said vibrator is at rest, said damping means being activated by vibration of the vibrator to move into andout-of damping relationship therewith and thus intermittently damp the partial tones generated in said vibrator.

2. In a vibrator damping device adapted for use in an electric music instrument or the'like,

a vibrator element, a solid intermittently acting inertia damping device loosely mounted oniand operatively connected with said vibrator adjacent one end thereof, and means normally loosely holding said device on said vibrator when said vibrator is at rest, said damping device being activated by vibration of the vibrator to move into and out of damping relationship therewith and thus intermittently damp the partial tones generated in said vibrator.

3. In an electric music instrument vibrator damping device, an elongated rod, a solid inter- 'mittently acting inertia damping device loosely mounted on said vibrator, and means normally loosely holding said device on said rod when said rod is at rest, said device being movable intermittently out of damping position relative to said rod upon energization of said rod.

4. In an electric music instrument vibrator clamping device, an elongated rod fixed at one end and free at the other, a solid intermittently acting inertia damping device loosely operatively connected to said rod, and means normally loosely holding said device on said rod when said rod is at rest, said device being movable relative thereto intermittently out of damping condition relative thereto, so that the partials in said rod have energy absorbed by said clamping device in pulses.

5. In an electric music instrument vibrator damping device, an elongated rod fixed at one end and free at the other, a solid-intermittently acting inertia clamping device loosely operatively connected to said rod adjacent one end thereof, and means normally loosely holding said device on said rod when said rod is at rest, said device being movable relative thereto intermittently out of damping condition relative thereto, so that the partials in said rod have energy absorbed by said damping device in pulses.

6. In an electric music instrument vibrator damping device, an elongated fixed-free rod vibrator, a solid inertia element, and restraining means loosely connecting said inertia element to said rod, said means normally loosely holding said element on said vibrator when said vibrator is at rest, said inertia member being intermittently contactable with portions of said restraining means as the rod is vibrated so as to intermittently damp the partial tones generated in said rod, and substantially retain the partial structure thereof.

'7. In an electric music instrument vibrator damping device, an elongated rod, a restraining means mounted on said rod, a solid inertia means loosely mounted on and carried by said restraining means, and means normally loosely holding said inertia means on said rod when said rod is at rest, said inertia means intermittently contacting said restraining means upon vibration of said rod so as to intermittently damp the partial tones generated in said rod.

8. In an electric music instrument vibrator damping device, an elongated rod, a receptacle mounted on one end of said rod, and a solid ball inertia member held thereby against the end of said rod when the rod is at rest, and intermittently movable away from damping contact with said rod upon energization of said rod so as to intermittently damp partial tones generated by said rod.

9. In an electric music instrument vibrator damping device, an elongated rod, a receptacle mounted on one end of said rod, and a mass of finely divided solid material loosely held in said receptacle in damping relationship relative to said rod when the rod is at rest, the relative position of the mass of said finely divided material at the end of said rod being intermittently variable upon energization of said rod, so as to intermittently damp the partial tones generated by said rod.

10. In an electric music instrument vibrator damping device, an elongated rod, a holder means mounted on said rod, and a solid inertia rod loosely mounted on said holder means and movable relative thereto in and out of damping contact intermittently in relation to said red when said rod is vibrated, so as to intermittently damp the partial tones generated in said rod.

11. In an electric music instrument vibrator clamping device, an elongated rod having a groove therein, and a solid collar loosely mounted in said groove and intermittently movable in and out of damping contact with said rod upon energization thereof so as to retain the partial structure of said rod as it is vibrated.

12. In an electric music instrument vibrator clamping device, an elongated rod having an aperture therein adjacent one end thereof, and a solid energy absorbing loop member loosely mounted in said aperture for intermittently absorbing energy upon vibration of said rod, said energy absorbing loo being activated by vibration of the rod to move into and out of damping relationship therewith and thus intermittently damp tones generated in said rod.

13. In a vibrator clamping device adapted for use in an electric music instrument and the like, a vibrator element, said vibrator element having an aperture therein, and a solid intermittently acting elongated inertia damping element loosely threaded in said aperture, said element being activated by vibration of the vibrator to move into and out of damping relationship therewith and thus intermittently damp tones generated in said vibrator.

14. In an electric music instrument vibrator clamping device, an elongated rod, a solid inertia rod loosely mounted and held on said rod, and means normally loosely holding said inertia rod on said elongated rod when said elongated rod is at rest, said inertia rod being movable relative thereto in and out of damping contact intermittently in relation to said rod when said rod is vibrated, so 'as to intermittently damp the partial tones generated on said rod.

JACOB T. KUNZ.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 568,816 Treat Oct. 6, 1896 656,603 Harrington Aug. 21, 1900 1,100,671 Deegan June 16, 1914 1,140,932 Young May 25, 1915 1,269,511 Roberge June 11, 1918 2,230,836 Hammond Feb. 4, 1941 2,269,576 Brewer Jan. 13, 1942 2,352,438 Hruby June 27, 1944 2,413,062 Miessner Dec. 24, 1946 2,487,206 Zimmerman Nov. 8, 1949 2,519,306 Zimmerman Aug. 15, 1950 2,559,334 Alexander July 3, 1951

Images