US2932232A - Accordion operating upon an electrical musical instrument - Google Patents

Description

April 1960 T. u. MINERVINI 2,932,232

ACCORDION OPERATING UPON AN ELECTRICAL WSICAL INSIRUMENT Filed Aug. 17. 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTOINEV April 1960 1'. u. MINERVINI 2,932,232

ACCORDION OPERATING UPON AN ELECTRICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed Aug. 17. 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

ATTM/VEV P 12, 1960 'r. u. MINERVINI 2,932,232

ACCORDION OPERATING UPON AN ELECTRICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed Aug. 17. 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 mmvroa. 70W Ax/NM 4770l/VEV April 12, 1960 T; u. MINERVINI ACCORDION OPERATING UPON AN ELECTRICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed Aug. 17. 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN V EN TOR. 704 U- M/NfRV/IV/ A TT'ORW April 12, 1960 T. u. MINERVINI 2,932,232

ACCORDION OPERATING u on AN ELECTRICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Aug. 17. 1953 ATTORNEY United States Patent ACCORDION OPERATING UPON AN ELECTRICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Tony U. Minervini, Detroit, Mich. Application August 17, 1953, Serial No. 374,526 3 Claims. (Cl. 84-171) This invention relates to accordions and more particularly to an accordion for producing sound elfects different from and more strikingly beautiful than the music attained by other accordions.

It is generally conceded that accordions are one of the most popular of musical instruments. They are able to provide a wide variety of sound effects which make them desirable both as a solo and as an ensemble instrument. This invention provides an electro-mechanical accordion which makes the accordion an even more desirable instrument by producing tonal effects different from those previously attained by the accordions now in use. The accordion produces amplified tonal effects upon the actuation of first keys, unamplified tonal effects upon the actuation of second keys and a combination of amplified and unamplified tonal effects upon the actuation of third keys. The amplified tonal effects for certain keys are produced by an electronic amplifier.

An object of this invention is to provide an electromechanical accordion for producing tonal effects difierent from and more beautiful than those produced by accordions now in use.

Another object is to provide an accordion of the above character which utilizes an electronic amplifier to produce an amplification of the tonal signals representative of first keys upon an actuation of the keys.

A further object is to provide an accordion of the above character for producing amplified tonal signals representative of second keys upon an actuation of the keys and for simultaneously producing unamplified tonal signals in harmony with the amplified tonal signals.

Still another object is to provide an accordion of the above character for producing unamplified tonal signals representative of third keys upon an actuation of the keys.

A still further object is to provide an accordion of the above character which operates reliably and simply to produce such new tonal efiects.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from a detailed description of the invention and from the appended drawings and claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the components associated with first and second pluralities of keys and also shows electrical circuits, partly in block form, for producing amplified tonal signals upon the actuation of the keys;

Figure 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the first plurality of keys and the components associated with the keys, such components also being shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the keys shown in Figure 2 and the components associated with the keys;

Figure 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the key and components shown in Figure 3 as seen from a different angle than that shown in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a keyboard which includes the second plurality of keys as well as a third plurality of keys diiferent from the keys in the first and second pluralities;

Figure 6 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the keys in the second plurality and of the components associated with the key;

Figure 7 is an enlarged plan view of the key and components shown in Figure 6 and components associated with the key for simultaneously and automatically actuating certain keys in the third plurality upon the actuation of the key shown in the figure; and

Figure 8 is an enlarged perspective view of the key and certain of the components shown in Figure 7.

In one embodiment of the invention, a plurality of rectangular keys 10 are illustrated in Figure 2. Each of the keys 10 is connected to one end of a flexible coupling 12, (Figure 3), the other end of which is connected to a support member 14. An actuating rod 16 extends from each coupling 12 through a horizontal channel 18 defined by a pair of spaced support beams 20 and 22. Each actuating rod 16 has a vertical slot 24 which supports the free end of a leaf spring 26.

The leaf spring 26 is suitably secured at its upper end to a cross beam 28 and is disposed at an intermediate position within a slot 30 (Figure 4) in the support beam 20. The leaf spring 26 is suitably maintained within the slot 30 as by a bracket 32 which is fastened to the beam 20 on each side of the slot 30. At its lower end, the leaf spring 26 is slightly separated from an electrical contact 34 in the relaxed position of the spring and is adapted to touch the contact 34 upon a fiexure of the spring.

A plurality of wires 38 (Figure 1) are provided, each in association with a difierent one of the contacts 34. The wires 38 extend from the contacts 34 to different terminals of an Organo indicatedin block form in Figure l at 40. The output terminals from the Organo 40 are in turn connected to an amplifier 42 and the output from the amplifier 42 is applied to a loudspeaker 43. The Organo 40 including the amplifier 42 and the loudspeaker 43 are conventional components which may be purchased from the Lowry Corporation of Chicago, Illinois.

In addition to the rectangular keys 10 shown in Figure 2 and disclosed above, a number of annular keys are shown in Figure 5. These include a second plurality of keys 44 and a third plurality of keys 46. The keys 44 and 46 are located in a group separated from the keys 10. Each of the keys 44 is connected to a rod 48 which has a conductive portion at its bottom end. In the unactuated position of the keys 44, each of the rods 48 is separated from an associated contact 50. Wires 52 extend from the contacts 50 to the Organo 40 (Figure 1) to produce amplified signals when one of the keys 44 is actuated.

A plurality of spaced holes 56 (Figure 8) are provided in each of the rods 48. Pins 58 fit into certain of the holes 56 in each rod 48 and project outwardly to contact the free ends of arms 60. Each arm 60 is connected at its free end to a different one of the keys 46 for pivotal movement upon an actuation of the key. At its other end, each arm 60 is connected to a hollow tube 62 which encloses a shaft 64. Opposite ends of a spiral spring 66 are supported by the tube 62 and the enclosed shaft 64 so as to become constrained upon a rotary movement of the tube.

When one of the keys 10 is actuated, its associated coupling 12 moves to the right in Figure 3 and produces a corresponding movement of the actuating rod 16 in the channel 18. Since the leaf spring 26 is disposed within the slot 24 in the rod 16, it follows the movement of the rod by pivoting on its position of support on the beam 28. The leaf spring is able to pivot in a counter assists" clockwise direction in Figure 3 because of its freedom of movement within the slot 3t) in the support beam 20.

UPQI P vo emen of heleaf sp inaze in a. counter clockwise direction, the springestablishes elec tricali continuity with .its associated contact 34, This causes theQrgano 40 to produce tonal signals representative of the actuated key 1.0. The signals produced bythe Organoai) are amplifiedby the amplifier 42 and introduced to theloudspeaker 43 for broadcast.

Uponan actuation of one of the keys 46 the accordion constituting this invention produces tonal eifects in a manner similar to that in conventional organs. tonal effects are unamplified and are dependent upon the particular key that is actuated. When one of th'ekeys 46 is actuated, it causes its associated arm 60 (Figure 7) to he pivoted. The arm 60in turn produces a rotary movement of its associated tube 62 so that the spiral spring 56 within the tube becomes constrained, When.

fied tonal signals representative of the actuated key 44 to be introduced to the loudspeaker 43 for broadcast.

When the rod tfimoves downwardly, the pins 58 in the rodpress downwardly upon certain of the arms 60' and cause certain of the keys 46 to-oe simultaneously actuated. The actuation of the keys 46 cause unamplified signals to he produced by the organ in harmony with the amplified tonal signals. In this way, chords of singular beauty can be easily produced. W i

There is thus provided an accordion which produces amplified tonal signals upon the actuation-of first keys, unamplified tonal signals upon the actuation of second keys, and amplifiedtonal signals inharmony with unamplified tonal signals upon the actuation of third keys.

In this way, the accordion is able to produce. musical effects ofsingular beauty not. previously attained by musical instruments now in use.

These 7 Although this invention has been disclosed and illustrated with reference to particular applications, the principles involved are susceptible of numerous other applications which will be apparent to persons skilled in the art. The invention, is, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new -anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An electromechanicalinstrument comprising a mechanical accordion having two groups of keys connected to normally operate valves to the several reed chambers for mechanically'producing the corresponding accordion tones, anelectrical organ having an amplifier and loudspeaker, and a set of contact switches for operating said organ to electrically produce corresponding organ tones, one group of said accordion keys having means for operating a corresponding group of said contact switches for simultaneously'reproducingthe corresponding organ tones, a portion of said'other. groupof said accordion keys having similar means for reproducingcorresponding organ tones and being mechanically connected to operate other keys for simultaneously also producing selected corresponding harmonious accordion tones, the remaining portion' of said other keys operating only themechanical valves to produce the corresponding accordion tones.

2. :A'n electromechanical instrument as defined in claim ljsaid two' groupsiof' keys comprising the higher clef keys for operation with one hand, and the base keys for operation withthe' other hand.

'3; An electro-mechanical instrument as defined in claim 2, saidone group having means for operating the organ switches "comprisingsaid higher clef group, said other groupcomprising said base group, a portion of which produce solo accordion base tones.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNIIED STATES PATENTS 1,215,813 Irvine Feb. 13, 1917 r 1,347,977 Weber July 27,1920

1,852,066: Schwarz Apr. 5, 1932 1,908,246 Hohner May 9, 1933 7 2,250,065 Koehl July22, 1941 I 2,639,640 Filice May 26, 1953

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