US2386561A - Rattle - Google Patents

Description

Patented Oct. 9, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BATTLE Oscar E. Magnuson, Davenport, Iowa Application February 24, 1945, Serial No. 579,666

3 Claims.

My present invention relates to an article of manufacture sometimes regarded as a toy and sometimes used in connection with musical instruments for beating time. These are sometimes spoken of as castanets and sometimes as rattles.

Among the objects of this invention are the provision of an instrument. of the nature stated which is efficient for the purpose intended; the provision of an instrument of the nature indicated which is inexpensive to manufacture, both from the standpoint of material cost and labor cost; the provision of an instrument of the character indicated which is capable of being assembled in different ways whereby to produce different results; and such further objects, advantages, and capabilities as will hereafter appear and as are inherent in the structure disclosed herein.

In the drawing annexed hereto and forming a part hereof,

Fig. 1 represents an elevation of one form of this invention;

Fig. 2 represents a face view of one of the clappers;

Fig. 3 represents a face view of the main body; and

Fig. 4 represents an edge view of the unit which ties the other three parts together.

Referring now in greater detail to the annexed drawing, the main body is denoted by the numeral I. This body is shown as having an approximately central opening 2 therein for the reception of a crossbar 3 on which clapper members 4 are freely movable and may be caused to swing back and forth to clap against the sides of the body member i. The clapper members 4 are preferably approximately the same width and thickness as the body member I and are provided with openings 5 for the reception of the crossbar 3. It is clear from the drawing that the crossbar 3 passes through the openings 2 and 5 and secures the clappers to the body member I so that they are free to move between certain limits. The wooden pins 6 fit tightly but removably in holes I in the crossbar 3.

In use, the operator grasps the upper end 8 of the body I. The crossbar 3 and clappers 4 will drop until the crossbar rests on the lower end of the opening 2 and the upper ends of the 5 openings 5 rest on the bar 3. Then by manipulating the structure in a well known manner, a certain sound will be produced. If, on the contrary, the end 8 is held downwardly and then the instrument is manipulated in the customary manner, a different sound will be produced because of the new relationship which the parts assume with reference to each other.

I have modified the parts of this toy in various ways, all of which are within the scope of the present invention which is defined in the appended claims.

Having now described my invention, I claim:

1. An instrument of the type indicated comprising an elongated flat body having a longitudinal slot therein spaced from the ends of the body, a short, flat crossbar mounted in said slot, and a medium length fiat bar having a slot therein mounted on the short crossbar, said short cross-bar having transversely extending pins spaced from each other a distance greater than the combined thicknesses of the body and medium length bar and of a length sufficient to prevent disconnection of the parts during use, the parts being free of connection other than by the passage of the short cross-bar therethrough and being so constructed and arranged as to have great freedom of movement when sharply moved transversely to the plane of the body member, thus allowing the long and medium length bars to engage each other fiatwise.

2. A toy of the character described comprising three elongated flat wooden members provided with elongated slots for the reception of a flat tie member to secure them together in a movable relation, and a flat tie member passed through the slots and securing the said three members together for movement toward and away from each other, said tie member being free from connection with the middle one of the said flat wooden members other than by being passed therethrough and having means for preventing said flat wooden members from inadvertent disconnection from the tie member, said construction, as defined, being such as to allow the outside members to strike flatwise against the middle member.

3. A structure as defined by claim 2 in which the tie member has transverse openings through its end portions with wooden pins passed therethrough outside of the said wooden members to 0 permit them to vibrate relatively to each other and to prevent disconnection thereof.

OSCAR E. MAGNUSON.

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