Apparatus and method for producing chordal music

A musical sound-producing apparatus comprising a plurality of tone-producing elements for producing notes in a chromatic scale:

• chordal pattern means for selecting one of a plurality of predetermined chordal patterns;
• keynote selection means for manually selecting one note from said chromatic scale for the keynote of said chordal pattern;
• cross-indexing means including said keynote selection means and said chordal pattern means for selecting a plurality of said elements to be actuated corresponding to said selected chordal pattern and said keynote, and for activating said selected elements;
• said elements comprise a plurality of air-actuated tone chambers each producing one of said notes in said chromatic scale;
• said chordal pattern means comprises a chord key mechanism, a plurality of passages, a plurality of air valves each being interposed into one of said passages for controlling air flow therethrough, and a cam mechanism operatively interconnecting said chord key mechanism and preselected pluralities of said air valves corresponding to said predetermined chordal patterns;
• said chord key mechanism comprises a plurality of chord keys and said cam mechanism comprises:
• a plurality of parallel-disposed and elongated slide bars each being slidably guided for longitudinal movement with respect to one elongated surface thereof, each including cam means on the opposite surface thereof, and each being operatively connected to one of said chord keys;
• and
• a plurality of parallel-disposed and elongated chord bars each including cam means on one elongated edge surface thereof, each having a plurality of fingers depending from the other elongated edge surface thereof in predetermined positions corresponding to one of said predetermined chordal patterns and the corresponding plurality of said air valves, each being mounted parallel to one of said slide bars with said cam means abutting and interacting, each being restrained against longitudinal movement, and each being slidably guided for movement orthogonal to said elongated surfaces.

A musical sound-producing apparatus comprising a plurality of tone-producing elements for producing notes in a chromatic scale:

• chordal pattern means for selecting one of a plurality of predetermined chordal patterns;
• keynote selection means for manually selecting one note from said chromatic scale for the keynote of said chordal pattern;
• cross-indexing means including said keynote selection means and said chordal pattern means for selecting a plurality of said elements to be actuated corresponding to said selected chordal pattern and said keynote, and for activating said selected elements;
• said elements comprise a plurality of air-actuated tone chambers each producing one of said notes in said chromatic scale;
• said chordal pattern means comprises a chord key mechanism, a plurality of passages, a plurality of air valves each being interposed into one of said passages for controlling air flow therethrough, and a cam mechanism operatively interconnecting said chord key mechanism and preselected pluralities of said air valves corresponding to said predetermined chordal patterns;
• an elongated valve block having an elongated indexing surface longitudinally disposed thereon:
• said passages are orthogonally disposed to said indexing surface and are arranged in an elongated row;
• said valve block includes a plurality of parallel-disposed valve cavities each intercepting one of said passages orthogonally to said indexing surface and to the longitudinal axis of said valve block;
• and
• said air valves comprise a plurality of slide valves each being slidably fitted into one of said valve cavities, each having both a position wherein said passage is occluded and a position wherein said passage is open to the flow of air, and spring means for urging said slide valves toward one of said positions.

A musical sound-producing apparatus comprising a plurality of tone-producing elements for producing notes in a chromatic scale:

• chordal pattern means for selecting one of a plurality of predetermined chordal patterns;
• keynote selection means for manually selecting one note from said chromatic scale for the keynote of said chordal pattern;
• cross-indexing means including said keynote selection means and said chordal pattern means for selecting a plurality of said elements to be actuated corresponding to said selected chordal pattern and said keynote, and for activating said selected elements;
• said elements comprise a plurality of air-actuated tone chambers each producing one of said notes in said chromatic scale;
• an elongated and generally rectangular tone chamber body having one elongated surface thereof that comprises an indexing surface, and having said tone chambers disposed thereon:
• said tone chambers each include a port opening orthogonally through said indexing surface in a row intermediate of the elongated sides of said one elongated surface;
• said chordal pattern means includes an elongated valve block having a second elongated indexing surface on one side thereof, a plurality of spaced parallel passages opening orthogonally through said second indexing surface in a row intermediate of the elongated sides of said second indexing surface, a plurality of air valves each being interposed into one of said passages and each controlling the flow of air therethrough, and means for opening said air valves according to said predetermined chordal patterns;
• and
• said keynote selection means being operable to provide for the relative positioning of one of said indexing surfaces with the other of said indexing surfaces and the registry of one of said ports with one of said passages.

A musical sound-producing apparatus comprising a plurality of tone-producing elements for producing notes in a chromatic scale:

• chordal pattern means for selecting one of a plurality of predetermined chordal patterns;
• keynote selection means for manually selecting one note from said chromatic scale for the keynote of said chordal pattern;
• cross-indexing means including said keynote selection means and said chordal pattern means for selecting a plurality of said elements to be actuated corresponding to said selected chordal pattern and said keynote, and for activating said selected elements;
• said elements comprise a plurality of air-actuated tone chambers each producing one of said notes in said chromatic scale;
• an elongated and generally rectangular box-shaped housing having one end thereof open and having one elongated side thereof that comprises an elongated valve block which carries an elongated indexing surface on the inner surface of said housing, and an elongated and generally rectangular tone-chamber body being slidably fitted into said housing and having an elongated second indexing surface proximal to and in air-sealing engagement with said first indexing surface:
• said tone-producing elements comprise a plurality of reed-type tone chambers being disposed in an elongated row in said tone chamber body and including a plurality of ports opening orthogonally through said second indexing surface in an elongated row;
• said chordal pattern means comprises a chord key mechanism, a plurality of passages being parallel-disposed in an elongated row orthogonal to and opening through said first indexing surface, a plurality of air valves being interposed into said valve block in an elongated row and each intercepting one of said passages to control the flow of air therethrough, and a cam mechanism operatively interconnecting said chord key mechanism and preselected pluralities of said air valves corresponding to said predetermined chordal patterns;
• said keynote selection means being operable to provide for the relative positioning of one of said indexing surfaces with the other of said indexing surfaces and the registry of one of said ports with one of said passages;
• and
• said cross-indexing means comprises the spacing of said passages in first said indexing surface, the spacing of said ports in second said indexing surface, said relative positioning of said indexing surfaces and said registry of said one port with said one passage, the resultant registry of other of said ports with other of said passages, and said opening of said air valves according to said predetermined chordal pattern.

A player controlled musical sound producing apparatus comprising

• a plurality of selectable tone-producing elements for producing notes in a musical scale;
• a plurality of separate, player manipulable chordal members;
• a plurality of player manipulable key members;
• first means for setting a predetermined chordal combination of said tone-producing elements upon actuation of each of said chordal members, said predetermined chordal combinations being different one from the other;
• second means for setting a predetermined key combination of said tone-producing elements upon actuation of each of said key members, said predetermined key combinations being different one from the other;
• and
• third means for superimposing said chordal combination on said key combination before or during actuation of said tone-producing elements and superimposing said key combination on said chordal combination before or during actuation of said tone-producing elements for obtaining a corresponding resultant combination of operable tone-producing elements whereby upon operation of said tone-producing elements, a sound corresponding to said resultant combination will be produced.

A player controlled sound producing musical apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of selectable tone-producing elements for producing notes in a musical scale;
• means for receiving tone-producing actuation to sound tones in said tone-producing elements;
• a slide member slidably related to said means and having a plurality of positions to move predetermined combinations of said tone-producing elements relative said means for sounding tones in different predetermined keys when actuated;
• a plurality of player accessible key steps for positioning said slide member, each key step when player actuated moving said slide member to a single predetermined position for setting said tone-producing elements for a predetermined key;
• whereby upon actuation of said tone-producing elments a sound corresponding to the setting of said elements by said slide member will be produced.

A method of producing musical chord sounds from tone-producing elements comprising the steps of:

• manually actuating one of a plurality of independently actuable chordal members to obtain a predetermined chordal setting of tone-producing elements corresponding to the member actuated, said predetermined settings being different one from the other;
• manually actuating one of a plurality of key members to obtain a predetermined key setting of the tone-producing elements corresponding to the key member actuated;
• said manual actuations and settings of said chordal and key members being superimposable on one another and
• selectively actuating said tone-producing elements that have previously been set by said key members and said chordal members to produce a tone pattern corresponding thereto.