US552612A - Warren h - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

W. H. FROST. RESONANT M No. 552,612.

USIGAL INSTRUMENT OR TQY.

Patnted Jan. 7

E d J 4 g Imam/c0900 a? $41? UN TED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WARREN H. FROST, 0F "CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

RESONANT M u s c L srucrrrcnrrroiv forming part of Letters Application filed April 13 9 5.

Toys, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention embraces a tube or tubular passage having a loose flexible inelastic dia-.

- and the vibratory tone or musical sound is phragm, such as gold-heaters skin, arranged across the opening or passage at a point intermediate the ends of the tube or'passage,

produced by applyingthe mouth of the operator to one end of the tube. The resonator thus-reproduces, in its characteristic manner, the tones or notes uttered into it by. the operator. Y

distinguished from a reed or similar .-instrument which responds to a current of air from A current of air would produce I the lungs. no result whatever in my apparatus. Airvibratibns, however, accompanied or not with a current of air, are reproduced and amplified and have a characteristic mechanical tone added to them which permits of mimickingor producing the sounds of wind and other musical instruments, and this is done by the operation of the lungs and vocal organs.

I prefer to employ a tube divided trans versely into two relatively unequal sections,f and the mouth of the operator is applied to the free end of the short r section. Iconnect the two sections by a; etal screw-coupling or other suitable means, and the dia-' phragm is placedacross the opening in. the

tube at the junction of the two sections. It can thus be easily replacedj repaired, or examined, as may be required. I prefer to form the diaphragm of gold-heaters skin or any I may use Rubber will not perform the necessary functions because it is elastic. A metal plate or diaphragm is excluded fromthe scope of my improvement because it is not flexible.

characteristic features of the diaphragm must include a uniform flexibility, soft, loose, like the skin .or paper as distinguished from metal, and the" inelasticity of skin orpaper as distin guished from the elasticity of thin sheet,-

The Y Patent No. ssaeiadateu January 7, 1896.

serial No. 544,712. ma a.)

rubber. I The diaphragm must be held inposition firmly while it is loose or capable of I assuming the condition of a filled sail. It results from this arrangementthat a vibratory tone accompanied with an air-current of varying strengthwill be reproduced by myresonator with wider variations and greater fidelity to the initiating cause than in any instrument heretoforeknown; I find it of great benefit to arrange a vent, outlet, or aperture in the wall of the tube between the diaphragm and the end of the tube to which the mouth is applied. Thisis to allowfor the escape of the air coming from the lungs of the operator.

movable wooden ring or frame, and I supply I 1 these mounted diaphragms as a separate ar- This instrument or device must be clearly I ticle of manufacture whichfare supplied in or-applied to cific forms.

for the diaphragm isprovided with means, such as acircumferential groove, over and 'm'entary contact-surface, which rim registers with the groove in the frame of the diaphragm, so. that hen the diaphragm is in position between the two sections of tube. this cording to the space separating the two sections, this being of turns given to the coupling device employed, I prefer toperforate the longer tubesection through the side wall at a point near the diaphragm, so as. to permit of the free distribution of the tones. [The hole or aperpassage.

' Theaccompanymg invention.

Figure Ibodying drawings illustrate my myIim'provements; Fig. 2-.is a long'itudinal, section, thereof." Fig. 3 is a modi-I fled instrument formed of metal. Fig;- 4 shows the separable diaphragm with a section of tube attached. Figs. 5 and 6 are detail views showing the separable diaphragm as various patterns.

provide a rim or projection upon thecompledependent upon the number I prefer .to cement the diaphragm to a requantities and may bequickly substituted resonating devices of other spe I The ring or frame or support I across which the diaphragm is-placed, and I So if rim or projection may be caused to tighten the diaphragrn' to a greater or; less extent, a'cturelshould be about the size of the main ICO mounted for application to instruments of 1 95 1 is a view of an instrument 8111 I eter as the main passage. d isa diaphragm I A and B, Figs. 1 and 2, are sections of tub ing, and may be. of wood or rubber, while in.

Fig. 3 the tube is of metal. and-trumpet shaped. In Fig. 2 the hole, passage, or'opening through the tube is of uniform diameter and preferably smooth. I) is an'outlet for the tone or sound, of about the same diamis a shoulder or projection on the end of thetube B, which provides a groove or depressionlike 8, Fig.6, and over this the diaphragm is placed- 'lhe'end of the tube-section A is provided with a rimor projection registering a with the groove sin B; O is a screw-coupling for uniting the parts A and B, and by varying the number of turns the parts A and B may be more or less closely united, so as to vary the degree of slack or looseness in Q the diaphragmd. The diaphragm is always loose, but the degree of slack is thus adjusted or regulated, afemale voice requiring less slack in the diaphragm than in the case of a deep-toned or male voice. There is an aperture or passage 'a. extending from a point betweenthe end of the tube-section A and the diaphragm, so as to allow for the escape of the current-of air coming from the lungs in.

using the-voice. This aperture is necessary to produce uniform successful operation by an unskilled playeigfor while it is possible to part the lips or separate thelips at the point of contact with the mouthpiece, to alto make'the section of tubeA about 0 low' the air from the lungs and the vocal vibrationsto eseape; this-act requiresskill aiid forethought, and by placing the opening a between the end of the mouthpiece and the diaphragm I provide (for such escape and produce-a certain-and successful result in spite of the want of: skill of the player-J the length of the tube-section B, as ave found this. proportion to yield approxima ely the best results in general use. i a

Instead of connecting the diaphragm to' one end of the tube'section B I' may employ a separate ringor frame f, Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6.- The frame has the suitable diameter-4 groove sand the hole h, of he diaphragm of goldbeaters skin (I is. cemented to it loosely and the frame fis included between 'two tube-sections. I prepare diaphragms attached, to frames in this way for use in connection with any pattern or style of tube and they form a separate article'of manufacture and sale.

In Fig. 3, T is a trumpet-shaped tubular section terminating ina screw-thread termishoulder to. receive the frame f, carrying a diaphragm d. The tube-section A screws down upon frame f to a greater or less extent. to vary the adjustment of'diaphragm d as described.- The instrument shown inFig. 3 is capable of wider utility and has a greater capacity but is more expensive to manufact ure:

In Fig. 4 the frame f and diaphragm d are united to a short tube-section A by a screwcoupling 0. This provides an instrument of limited utility but is'least expensive to manufacture. Y

to the end A and the vocal organs are operated sult is a reproduction of the tones, notes or resonance of the instrument,.which affords a striking mimic reproduction of the music or instrument imitated.

' I am aware of the United States patents of J A. Maloney, No. 362,100, dated May 3,' 1'887,:for an auriphone, and T. A. Edison, No. 394, 1,06, dated December 4,1888, for a phonograph-reproducer, and I do not claim any thing therein shown or described. In both said patents a diaphragmis shown and described which is tightly stretched or taut. Such a diaphragm would be absolutely useless in my apparatus and I limit my claims to a combination, one element of which is a loose flexiblefinelastic diaphragm. By this limitation I also entirely exclude rubber and metal diaphragms from the scope of my claims.

f -What I-claim', and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 7 "1-. i-In'amusicalinstrumentthecombination of a tube or tubular passage, and a loose, flexiopening at. a point intermediate the ends thereof,said diaphragmbeing free and disconnected except at its edge or circumference, substantially as described. t

2. In a musicalinstrument the combination of a tube or tubular passage, a loose, flexible, inelastic diaphragm arranged across'the opening at a point intermediate the'ends thereof, andavent, outlet or aperture between the end applied to the mouth and said diaphragm, substantially as described.

3. In a musical instrument the combination of a tube, tubular passageor ring, and a loose, flexible, inelastic diaphragm. arranged across the opening, said diaphragm being free and disconnected except at its edge or circumfei-'--. .ence, substantially as described.

\VARREN l-I. FROST. Witnesses-:..

W. vS. PLACE,

r W. BI'VANSIZE.

In using the apparatus themouth'is appliedv music with an added characteristic due to the ble, inelastic diaphragm arranged across the.

75 to simulate any'iuusic or musical instrument of which the human voice is capable. The re-.

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