US1285747A - Harmonica. - Google Patents

Description

8. LAUKANDT.

HARMGPHCA. APPLICATWN HLED JULY 3.1915.

' 1,285,747. v Patented Nov. 26, 1918..

BERNARD F. LAUKANDT. OF RED WING, MINNESO'IA.

'HARMON Application filed July 3, 1818.

T 0 all iciwm it may cmzccrn Be it. known that. I, BERNARD F. LAU- KANDT, a citizen of the United States, resid ing at Red iving, in the county of Goodhue and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Harmonicas, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to harmonicas or mouth organs provided with slidable mouthpieces; and it consists in the novel construc' tion of the parts forming the mouthpiece as hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure l is a plan view of a harmonica provided with a mouthpiece according to this invention. Fig. 2 is an end View of the same. Fig. 3 is a front view, and Fig. 4 is a partial rear view, or" the harmonica. Fig. 5 is across-section through the harmonica. taken on the line 5-5 in Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a similar cross-section of the frame, but shows a modification.

The harmonica is of any approved con struction. having a body portion 2 generally formed of wood and provided with wind passages 33, metal reed plates 4. and vibrating reeds Cover plates (3 are provided and are arranged above and below the body portion 2 and the reed plates. These cover plates may be two separate cover plates as shown in Fig. 5, or they may be portions of a continuous cover (it) as shown in Fig. 6. The cover or cover plates have tone outlet holes or notches 7 at their rear parts.

The front edges of the cover plates (3 are provided with guide flanges S which project toward each other. and which are arranged parallel to the frontedges 9 of the reed plates 4. The ends of the cover plates have lugs 10 formed on them which are rigidly secured to the end portions ot'the body 2 of the instrument. The cover plates have also tongues 12 struck up from them and forming tone outlet holes 1-1. These tongues bear on the reed plates and Form distance pieces which accurately position the guide flanges 8 and prevent them from being sprung out of alinement by the pressure of the ha nd upon the cover plates.

Only two tongues are shown. but cover plate may have as n'iany oi them as desirable. Openings 15 are formed at the ends of the cover plates between the ends of the guide flanges S and the lugs 10. The mouthpiece 16 is a block of any suitable material, such as Wood, hard rubber or ahr each Specification of Letters Patent.

llatentcd Nov. 2&5. 119i 8. Serial No. 243,137.

minum. its front edge may bestraight. as shown, or it may be concave. This monthpiece has wind passages 17, and its rear side slides against the -front part of the body portion and the edges 9 of the reed plates. The mouthpiece provided with guide plates is having guide flanges 19 which pro ject in opposite directions and engage with the flanges 8 of the cover plates. The harmonica and its mouthpiece may'have a single row of wind passages, or said wind passages may be arranged one above another in a plurality of rows.

The flanges it) slide through the openings 15, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1. and they have stops 20 which engage with the lugs 10 and limit the travel of the mouthpiece in each direction. and prevent it from being wholly separated from the instrument.

The mouthpiece is held between the lips in the usual way. and the harmonica is slid back and forth upon it in playing the instrument. The rubbing contact between the instrument and the lips is obviated. and the construction of the attachment is such that a very tree and frictionless contact is provided between the mouthpiece and the instrument. and the device is very inexpensive to manntzn-ture. The mouthpiece can also be made of celluloid.

What- I claim is:

1. The combiinition. with a haromica body. of cover plates secured above and below the harmonica body and having guide flanges at their front edges. distance pieces arranged between the cover plates and the harmonica body. and a mouthpiece slidaole against the front of the harmonica-body and proyided with guide flanges which engage with the aforesaid guide flanges.

2. The combination. with a harmonica 'bodyxot corcr plates secured above and below. the harmonica body and having guide flanges at their tron! edges. said cover plates having also tongues struck up from them and forming tone outlet holes. said tongues bearing against the instrument and positioning the said guide flanges. and a mouthpiece slidablc against the front of the harmonica body and provided with guide flanges which engage with the aforesaid guide flanges.

3. The combination, with a harmonica having reed plates above and below its body portion. of cover plates secured above and below the reed plates and having guide flanges atv their front. edges. distance pieces between the said cover plates and reed plates, a mouthpiece slidable against the front part of the inst-rument,-and guide flanges secured to the mouth iece and engaging with the aforesaid gui e flanges.

4. The combination, with a harmonica ..body, of cover plates secured above and below the harmonica body and having guide flanges at their front edges and having also lugs attheir ends for securing them to the harmonica bodv. openings being formed between the said flanges and lugs, distance pieces between the cover plates and the harmonica body, and a slidable mouthpiece provided with guide flanges which slide through the said openings and engage with the aforesaid guide flanges and which have project.-

ing stops which engage the lugs.

In testunony whereof I have aflixed my signature.

BERNARD F. LAUKANDT.

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