US3766683A - Musical amusement device - Google Patents

Abstract

A musical toy or amusement device that includes an elongated wooden dowel adapted to be compressed circumferentially. A plurality of cylindrical wooden members are provided, each of the members having a first borehole near one of its ends. The first borehole is oriented radially in each member and is proportioned to receive and compress the dowel. Each member also has a second axial borehole in its other end forming a cavity of different size in each member. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the cylindrical members are of different lengths, the gradation of lengths corresponding to the gradation of cavity sizes of the members.

Description

United States Patent [1 1 Vennola MUSICAL AMUSEMENT DEVICE [75] inventor: Jorma Vennola, Princeton, NJ.

[73] Assignee: Columbia Broadcasting System, Inc.,

New York, NY.

[22] Filed: Feb. 22, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 227,820

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 11/1910 Batholomae 46/191 8/1907 Gibbs 1/1940 Prince 46/191 Oct. 23, 1973 Primary ExaminerLouis G. Mancene Assistant Examiner-Robert F. Cutting Att0rneyMartin Novack [57] ABSTRACT A musical toy or amusement device that includes an elongated wooden dowel adapted to be compressed circumferentially. A plurality of cylindrical wooden members are provided, each of the members having a first borehole near one of its ends. The first borehole is oriented radially in each member and is proportioned to receive and compress the dowel. Each member also has a second axial borehole in its other end forming a cavity of different size in each member. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the cylindrical members are of different lengths, the gradation of lengths corresponding to the gradation of cavity sizes of the members.

15 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures MUSICAL AMUSEMENT DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to amusement devices and, more particularly, to an amusement device of a musical nature that is especially suitable for use by a young child.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide an amusement device for a young child that has a musical appeal, can be easily assembled and disassembled so that the child can construct his own instrument, and is of a sturdy and non-breakable construction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to a musical toy or amusement device that includes an elongated dowel adapted to be compressed circumferentially. A plurality of cylindrical members are provided, each of the members having a first borehole near one of its ends. The first borehole in each member is oriented substantially radially in the member and proportioned to receive and compress the dowel. Each of the members has a second axial borehole in its other end forming a cavity of different size in each member. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the cylindrical members are of different lengths, the gradation of lengths corresponding to the gradation of cavity sizes of the members.

Further features and advantages of the invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an elevational perspective view of a member which comprises part of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective cross-sectional view of the member of FIG. 1 as taken through the arrows designated 22;

FIG. 3 is an elevational perspective view of another part of the invention; and

FIG. 4 is an elevational perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention when assembled in a preferred form.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED v EMBODIMENT Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is illustrated acylindrical member 20 that is preferably constructed of wood. Themember 20 has a substantiallyradial borehole 21 near one of its ends, referred to as its lower end. In the upper end of themember 20 anaxial borehole 22 forms a cylindrical cavity. Communicating with theborehole 22 are a pair oflongitudinal slots 23 that effectively divide the cavity into separate halves.

Referring to FIG. 3, there is shown an elongatedcylindrical dowel 25 that is also preferably formed of wood. Thedowel 25 has a firstlongitudinal slot 26 that extends from one end of the dowel to about two-thirds of the way to the other end of the dowel. Anotherlongitudinal slot 27 starts at the other end of the dowel and extends about two-thirds of the way towards the first mentioned end of the dowel. Theslots 26 and 27 effectively render thedowel 25 circumferentially compressible over its length. Thedowel 25 has a normal uncompressed circumference that is minutely larger than the circumference of theradial borehole 21 of member 20 (FIG. 1). Accordingly, when thedowel 25 slidingly engages theborehole 21, a slight circumferential compression results in a frictional fit between these parts.

Referring to FIG. 4 there is shown a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention when assembled in a preferred form. Threecylindrical members 20, of varying length, are adjacently positioned on thedowel 25. Typically, a toy set in accordance with the invention is packaged with thedowel 25 and the three members in unassembled form. Astriking member 28, shown resting in the cavity of thelongest member 20, is the fifth piece of the'preferred set. A young child presented with the toy musical instrument in unassembled form has the challenging enjoyment of constructing his own simple instrument by sliding themembers 20 over thedowel 25 in any desired order. The sizes of the cavities associated with the threemembers 20 of FIG. 4 are graded in accordance with the lengths of the members. Thus, for example, in FIG. 2, the length of the base portion of each member, designated B, is the same so that the cavity gradations are proportional to the gradation in length of themembers 20.

When the toy instrument has been assembled as in FIG. 4, there are various ways in which it can be played. For example, the base portions of themembers 23 along withdowel 25 can be gripped in one hand while thestriker 26 is held in the other hand and used for tapping theindividual members 20. Alternatively, the toy can rest in an upright position as shown in FIG.4 with an effective base being formed by the flat bottoms of the threemembers 20.

In this position, thestriker 26 is preferably used to tap the tops of thedifferent members 20 to produce clicking tones of different pitch. Theslots 23 enhance the sound available from eachmember 20 by allowing independent vibrations of the opposite sides of eachcavity 22. This concept is also disclosed in my copending. U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 227,803 entitled Noisemaking Amusement Device, filed of even date herewith and assigned to the same assignee as the present application. An experimenting child soon finds that the longer members with larger cavities produce higher pitched tones when tapped with a firm object.

I claim:

I. A sounding amusement device comprising:-

an elongated dowel adapted to be compressed circumferentially; a plurality of resonating cylindrical members mounted on said dowel and axially orthogonal thereto, each of said members having a first borehole near one of its ends, said first borehole being oriented substantially radially in said member and proportioned to receive and compress said dowel;

each of said members having a second axial borehole in its other end forming a cavity of different size in each member.

2. An amusement device as defined by claim I wherein said dowel and said resonating cylindrical members are constructed of wood.

3. An amusement device as defined byclaim 2 wherein said dowel and said first boreholes are cylindrical in shape.

4. An amusement device as defined by claim 3 wherein said resonating cylindrical members are of different lengths, the gradation of lengths corresponding to the gradation of cavity sizes of said members.

5. An amusement device as defined by claim 4 wherein said plurality of members equals three members.

6. An amusement device as defined by claim 5 further comprising wooden striking means proportioned to fit within one of said cavities.

7. An amusement device as defined by claim 3 wherein each of said members has a pair of longitudinal slots communicating with said borehole.

8. An amusement device as defined by claim 7 wherein said slots effectively divide each of said cavities into two equal halves.

9. An amusement device as defined by claim 3 wherein said .dowel contains two longitudinal slots which run perpendicularly from opposite ends of said dowel.

10. A sounding amusement device comprising:

an elongated wooden cylindrical dowel adapted to be compressed circumferentially;

a plurality of resonating cylindrical members of varying lengths mounted on said dowel and axially orthogonal thereto, each of said members having a first radial borehole near one of its ends which receives and compresses said dowel;

each of said members having a second axial borehole in its other end forming a cavity of different size in each member.

11. An amusement device as defined by claim 10 wherein said resonating cylindrical members are of different lengths, the gradation of lengths corresponding to the gradation of cavity sizes of said members.

12. An amusement device as defined by claim 11 wherein said plurality of members equals three members.

13. An amusement device as defined byclaim 12 further comprising wooden striking means proportioned to fit within one of said cavities.

14. An amusement device as defined by claim 10 wherein each of said members has a pair of longitudinal slots communicating with said borehole.

15. An amusement device as defined by claim 14 wherein said slots effectively divide each of said cavities into two equal halves.

Claims (15)

1. A sounding amusement device comprising: an elongated dowel adapted to be compressed circumferentially; a plurality of resonating cylindrical members mounted on said dowel and axially orthogonal thereto, each of said members having a first borehole near one of its ends, said first borehole being oriented substantially radially in said member and proportioned to receive and compress said dowel; each of said members having a second axial borehole in its other end forming a cavity of different size in each member.

2. An amusement device as defined by claim 1 wherein said dowel and said resonating cylindrical members are constructed of wood.

3. An amusement device as defined by claim 2 wherein said dowel and said first boreholes are cylindrical in shape.

4. An amusement device as defined by claim 3 wherein said resonating cylindrical members are of different lengths, the gradation of lengths corresponding to the gradation of cavity sizes of said members.

5. An amusement device as defined by claim 4 wherein said plurality of members equals three members.

6. An amusement device as defined by claim 5 further comprising wooden striking means proportioned to fit within one of said cavities.

7. An amusement device as defined by claim 3 wherein each of said members has a pair of longitudinal slots communicating with said borehole.

8. An amusement device as defined by claim 7 wherein said slots effectively divide each of said cavities into two equaL halves.

9. An amusement device as defined by claim 3 wherein said dowel contains two longitudinal slots which run perpendicularly from opposite ends of said dowel.

10. A sounding amusement device comprising: an elongated wooden cylindrical dowel adapted to be compressed circumferentially; a plurality of resonating cylindrical members of varying lengths mounted on said dowel and axially orthogonal thereto, each of said members having a first radial borehole near one of its ends which receives and compresses said dowel; each of said members having a second axial borehole in its other end forming a cavity of different size in each member.

11. An amusement device as defined by claim 10 wherein said resonating cylindrical members are of different lengths, the gradation of lengths corresponding to the gradation of cavity sizes of said members.

12. An amusement device as defined by claim 11 wherein said plurality of members equals three members.

13. An amusement device as defined by claim 12 further comprising wooden striking means proportioned to fit within one of said cavities.

14. An amusement device as defined by claim 10 wherein each of said members has a pair of longitudinal slots communicating with said borehole.

15. An amusement device as defined by claim 14 wherein said slots effectively divide each of said cavities into two equal halves.

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