US3236140A

US3236140A - Reed for wind instruments

Info

Publication number: US3236140A
Application number: US204992A
Authority: US
Inventors: Montenare Anthony
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1962-06-25
Filing date: 1962-06-25
Publication date: 1966-02-22
Anticipated expiration: 1983-02-22

Description

1966 A. MONTENARE REED FOR WIND INSTRUMENTS Filed June 25, 1962 2 32 32 FIG 2 FIG-l FIGJ! FIG.IO

INVENTOR. ANTHONY MONTENAR E ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,236,140 REED FOR WIND INSTRUMENTS Anthony Montenare, 326 N. 4th St., Reading, Pa. Filed June 25, 1962, Ser. No. 204,992 10 Claims. (Cl. 84375) This invention is addressed to an improved need for wind instruments, such as accordians.

An object of the invention is to reduce the thickness of the reeds without impairing the tone or other qualities inherent in reeds of the prior art.

Another object is to provide a novel valve construction for reeds.

An additional object is to provide a novel means for removing one of the reed plates to provide for tuning individual reeds.

Yet another object is the provision of a multiple valve reed having a valve means of novel construction.

A further object is the provision of a floating valve construction in a reed.

Another object is a reed construction having an improved valve at one end thereof.

An additional object is the provision in a reed for wind instruments of a novel seating means for mounting the same in a reed block.

Other objects will appear hereinafter throughout the specification.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevation of one form of reed mounted in a reed block shown as partly broken away;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical section taken on the line 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective View of one of the reed sections of the reed shown in FIGURES 1-3;

FIGURE 5 is a front elevation of a second form of reed;

FIGURE 6 is a rear elevation of the opposite side of the reed shown in FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a side elevational view of the reed shown in FIGURES 5 and 6;

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged section taken on the line 8-8 of FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 9 is a perspective view of one of the reed sections shown in FIGURES 5-8;

FIGURE 10 is a front elevation of a third form of reed;

FIGURE 11 is a rear elevation of the'reed shown in FIGURE 10;

FIGURE 12 is a side elevation of the structure of FIGURES 10 and 11;

FIGURE 13 is a section taken on the line 1313 of FIGURE 12;

FIGURE 14 is a perspective view of the reed of FIGURES 1012, portions of the valves being shown in dotted lines in partially removed position; and

FIGURE 15 is a perspective view of a valve that may be substituted for the valves of FIGURE 1.

Referring now specifically to the form shown in FIG- URES 1 and 2, the numeral 10 indicates a broken-away portion of a conventional reedblock, or cell block for the reeds, the same having transverse partitions 12. The reeds 14, of which there may be one dozen, twenty-four, or any other suitable number, are secured and supported in the spaces or sound chambers 16 in the cell block on the partitions by suitable attaching means, such as beeswax, glue, natural or artificial resins, as disclosed in my patent No. 2,599,574, granted June 10, 1952.

While the devices of this invention are particularly "ice adapted for use as integral parts of an accordian, it will be understood that they are also adaptable for use as parts of mouth or hand organs, reed organs of the type used in churches, horns of the type entitled Woodwinds and brasses or any other instrument whose vibrating sounding elements are controlled by wind. The reeds of this invention may readily be substituted in conventional cell blocks for reeds of existing types. Each reed comprises

complementary sections

18 and 20 that may be detachably held together by the screws 22 as shown, or by rivets or other securing means.

As shown in FIGURES 1-4, each pair of reed sections when held together by the screws 22 and the screw 22a rigidly supports one end of tongue 24 on one of the sections, namely section 20, whose opposite end 26 is free, in the same manner as shown in my prior patent supra. 'Also, as shown in this patent, there is an opening 28 formed adjacent the free end of the tongue for air passage into the valve chamber 30. The valve means 32 is held in position midway of the chamber 30 by the screws 22. This valve means has a free end or ends 34 and is adapted to close either the outlet opening 36 of section 18 or outlet opening 38 of section 20 of the reed in accordance with wind pressure. Preferably each reed section is provided with longitudinal ledges or flanges 4t) and 42 whereby to permit the reed to sit further into the sound chamber 16 and thus reduce the overall thickness of the reed block. As each section is provided with these ledges the reed may be reversible whereby either the flange 40 or flange 42 may rest on a pair of the partitions 12, as shown in FIGURE 3. Each reed when its sections are attached to each other forms a unit whose longitudinal sides taper from the valve chamber end to the tongue fixed end as shown in FIGURE 2. Additionally, each section adjacent its valve chamber end has

surfaces

44 and 46 which slope in a transverse opposite direction to its

other sloping surfaces

48 and 50. All of these sloping surfaces improve the tonal qualities of the reed, and the

ledges

40 or 42 which are about inch deep, provide a construction of narrower depth that insures a more compact construction of the musical implement. A removable covering, not shown, about the ends of the reed may be provided as in my patent supra. In any event, the small end of the reed is entirely closed. The screws .22 may be readily removed for cleaning and tuning the reed.

In the construction shown the

ledges

40 or 42 prevent tilt-ing of the read on the reed block partitions 12.

The reeds may be composed of suitable material, but preferably are constructed principally of metal as is the tongue, with the sides having the ledges composed of wood. The valve may be made of paper or other suitable plastic flexible material.

Additionally, I prefer to construct the valve means of two parts for greater flexibility and responsiveness, each 'part being of T-shape with the leg of the T of each part glued or otherwise aflixed to the inner underside of its section between a pair of screws 22, and the cross piece of the T located behind the opening 36 or 38 and in ready position for closing either opening by the valve which lies immediately adjacent to its opening.

In the second form of the invention, as shown in FIG- URES 5-9, the reed is indicated by the numeral 54. This reed differs from the reed of the other figures in that it consists of

sections

56 and 58. Each section has a pair of sloping

sides

60 and 62, and

sloping ends

64 and 66. Additionally, the longitudinal top sides taper from the

sloping ends

64, 66 to the opposite or lower ends as shown in FIGURE 7. The tongue 70 is held to section 56 only by screw 72a, while the sections are held to each other by screws 72 at the opposite ends of the sections.

Each section is preferably provided with a pair of longitudinally extending grooves, forming valve chambers 74 as seen in FIGURE 8. Each valve chamber has a plurality of valve openings 76, there being four of these openings in the reed as shown in this figure. Each opening is provided with a valve 78 which consists of a strip of paper or other flexible light plastic or rubberlike material, the valve being pasted at 80 or otherwise affixed to the outer side edge of the section, so that its free side extends in close proximity to but slightly spaced from its opening. Of course, when wind pressure is applied to this side against the valve, it moves into contact with and closes the opening over which it extends, as indicated in FIGURES 8 and 9. The numeral 72a indicates a single screw adjacent the

sloping ends

64, 66 for connecting the sections to each other, and the screws 72 secure the sections at their opposite ends.

In this second form of the invention air moves, during the operation of the reed, in a direction parallel with the longitudinal axis of the reed.

In the third form shown in FIGURES 10-14, the reed as a whole is indicated by reference numeral 82.

The structure shown in these figures is similar to that described and shown with reference to FIGURES -9, but is distinguished therefrom in the following features, particularly in the elongated slots, floating valves and the structure used therewith.

The reed consists of reed sections 84 and 86. Each section is provided with a pair of

inclined sides

90 and 92 extending longitudinally of the section. Extending the entire length of the reed are passages 94 and 96, as seen in FIGURE 14. As will be seen by reference to FIGURE 14 the passages at the right end of the reed are closed by tape 98. It will be understood, however, that the left end of the reed is similarly closed, but the tape at this end has been omitted to better illustrate the floating valves in the passages 94 and 96.

It will be understood that tape similar to that shown at 98 may be used to seal both ends of the reeds shown in the other forms, such as the forms of FIGURES 1-9. Such tape prevents the leakage of air at both ends so as to direct the same toward the valve chamber openings.

As in FIGURES 5-9, pairs of valve openings 100 and 102 are provided in each reed section, but in the structure of FIGURES -14 these openings are longer than those shown in the second form of the invention. The openings are closed by wind pressure against the floating

valves

102 and 104. These may be of paper, plastic or other light pliable material and extend for the length of the passages 94 and 96.

Each section is provided with an open longitudinal central slot noted as

number

106 and 108 as are the other forms of the invention, and as is disclosed by the prior art, such as shown in my patent supra. These slots admit air from both sides of the reed to the tongue, which is illustrated at 110. The fixed end of the tongue has an aperture 113 for the screw 112 or other attaching means, such as a rivet, for connecting one end of each of the reed sections to each other, the other end of each reed section being attached to each other by the screw 114 or other well known attaching means.

Screws are preferable as the sections may readily be removed from each other for cleaning the interiors thereof, or for tuning purposes.

The free end of the tongue 110 is shown at 116.

Referring again to the structure shown in FIGURE 4,

in place of the T-shaped valves I may use the valve shown in FIGURE 15. This can consist of a single sheet of paper 116 folded upon itself to form an M. The two

free ends

118 and 120 serve as the valves proper, to close the openings, such as 36 and 38 respectively, of the structure of FIGURES 1-4, see especially FIGURE 2. All four folds of the valve are provided with aligned apertures 122, whereby the valve is held between the

sections

18 and 20 by screws 22. It will be understood, however, that only a central screw may be used in place of the pair of screws 22 shown at the valve end of the reed.

The reeds of the several forms may be composed entirely of metal, as aluminum, or of metal and wood, or other material suitable for the purpose.

I claim:

1. A reed for wind instrument comprising a plurality of elongated sections, said sections having elongated sides that taper down to longitudinal ledges for seating said reed on a reed block, means for connecting said sections to each other, a tongue having one end fixed in said reed and a free end, at least one valve chamber in said reed adjacent the free end thereof having outlets, valve means in said chamber and openings in said chamber adapted to be closed by said valve means.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein said valve means comprises a flexible sheet.

3. The structure of claim 2 wherein said valve means comprises a single sheet of material having folds and free ends, each end adapted to close one of said outlets.

4. The structure of claim 1 wherein said valve means comprises at least one flat piece of flexible material of T shape adapted to close said outlets.

5. The structure of claim 1 wherein said valve chambers extend longitudinally of said reed and valve chamber outlets extend longitudinally adjacent the opposite side ends of said reed.

'6. The structure of claim 5 wherein said valve means comprises flat sheets of material having side edges attached to said reed adjacent said outlets.

7. The structure of claim 1 wherein said valve chambers extend longitudinally of the reed and on opposite sides of said tongue, said outlets also extending longitudinally of said reed, said valve means comprising unattached fioating valve members located within and extending for substantially the length of said valve chambers.

8. The structure of claim 7 wherein said valve members are composed of fiat flexible material freely movable in said chambers whereby to close one of said outlets in accordance with wind pressure in said valve chamber.

9. The structure of claim 1 wherein each reed section is provided with longitudinally inclined sides and each section is provided with an inclined end located above said valve chamber.

10. The structure of claim 7 wherein said valve chambers have open ends at at least one of their ends, and

closure means for said open ends.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,274,375 2/ 1942 Montenare 84--375 2,599,574 6/ 1952 Montenare 84-375 2,787,928 4/1957 Magalik et al. 84363 2,864,274 12/1958 Jacomini 84363 2,915,933 12/1959 Mariano 84363 LEO SMILOW, Primary Examiner.