Abstract: Methods and devices are disclosed for a gaseous liquid to audibly deform the shape of a closed container. One embodiment includes pushing inward to depress a plurality of deformations integral with an exterior of the plastic container having a bottom, a top, the exterior, and an interior, wherein the top is at least partially opened. Further, the method includes sealing, subsequent to the depressing, the top to close the plastic container. Further still, the method includes pushing outward, subsequent to the sealing, by carbonation from a carbonated liquid contained within the interior, on the plurality of deformations. Yet further, the method includes deforming, by the pushing outward, at least two of the plurality of deformations to displaced positions. The method also includes creating two or more sounds and/or movement by the deforming.

Abstract: A mechanically activated musical instrument mainly for public use is preferably installed in open areas such as parks, plazas, cultural centers and the like. The mechanically activated musical instrument has similarities with a carillon, but having a mechanical activation system handled directly by one or more persons. The mechanically activated musical instrument has a sustentation structure (2), multiple sound tubes (3), multiple support structures (4) and multiple actuation mechanisms (5). The mechanically activated musical instrument (1) has a configuration in which the multiple sound tubes (3), the multiple support structures (4) and the multiple actuation mechanisms (5) are arranged on one face of the sustentation structure with the multiple sound tubes (3) disposed parallel to the face of the sustentation structure (2).

Abstract: An event activated wind chime system and method of use are disclosed. In one form, an event activated wind chime system includes a wind chime assembly including at least one wind chime element proximally located to a striker operable to contact the wind chime element to output a wind chime sound. The system further includes an event detector operably coupled to a striker activation processor provided in association with the striker. The event detector is operable to detect an event and provide an input to the striker activation processor to produce the wind chime sound using the striker in response to the detected event.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to a bass mallet percussion instrument which is physically compact as compared to previous instruments, where percussion bars are removeably fixed above a resonance box that is divided into a plurality of resonance spaces, and the resonance s spaces are delineated from each other by separating walls.

Abstract: A wind chime constructed according to the invention includes a rotating wind bell apparatus having a downwardly opening bell that is adapted to be suspended from a separate support structure. A bell-striking mechanism in the form of a striker is suspended movably from the bell in a position to strike the bell. A striker-moving mechanism in the form of an impeller connected to the striker causes the striker to move in response to a wind moving past the striker-moving mechanism and to strike the bell so that the bell produces a tone. A bell-rotating mechanism in the form of another impeller connected to the bell causes the bell to rotate in response to the wind moving past the bell-rotating mechanism in order to thereby vary the tone and produce tremolo or Doppler-like effects. In one embodiment, the bell-rotating mechanism includes a Savonius type impeller attached to the upwardly facing surface of a circularly shaped impeller base.

Abstract: The present invention offers an adjustable, versatile windless windchime activation device, which can be modified to accept and activate many different varieties of windchime assemblies. The magnetic repulsive force between an electromagnet located within the windchime activation device and a permanent magnet positioned on a sail, which sail attaches to the sound inducing member of a windchime assembly, activates the windchimes in the absence of wind.

Abstract: A powered random chiming mechanism, related to the traditional outdoor wind chime that includes a body (10) by which a pendulum (20) is suspended centrally to a plurality of chimes (11a). A fan (14), integral to the device, generates a vertically rising column of air that emits from a point beneath the center rest position of the pendulum. A concave sail (20c) at the termination of the pendulum is then agitated, pulling the pendulum into random lateral motion. A striker (20a) located along the pendulum axis impacts the surrounding chimes to create tones of random sequence and degree for the purpose of enjoyment.

Abstract: A musical toy in which tappers on the ends of swinging bodies can be swung up and kept upswung without using any springs; space for spring mounting is thereby made unnecessary and the toy can be made small; the manufacturing process can be simplified and resulting mass production benefits and cost reductions can be achieved, and which can operate stably over a long period of time. There are provided a toy body 7, a sound producing body 5 and a control device 54, and the toy body 7 comprises first permanent magnets 23a and 23b and swinging bodies 9a and 9b mounted in the vicinity of the first permanent magnets 23a and 23b.

Abstract: A musical toy has a simple construction and can accurately produce melodies and rhythms without also producing extraneous mechanical noise. A generally doll-shaped body contains two permanent magnets and is fitted with a pair of swinging members each containing an electromagnetic coil disposed so that it faces the permanent magnets. A control device, containing a rhythm signal generator circuit and a control circuit which creates rhythm drive signals based on the signal from the rhythm signal generator circuit, supplies each of the coils with a separate and independent drive signal. A sound producing body is disposed in the swinging path of each swinging member so that when the swinging member is caused by the magnetic interaction between the coil and the permanent magnets to swing in response to the rhythm signal from the control device, the sound producing body is struck by the swinging member and a musical note is sounded.

Abstract: An improved striker mechanism for percussion instruments such as chimes, bells, drums, and the like, is disclosed. A clapper is mounted on an armature for motion between a rest position and an impact position. A solenoid-permanent magnet set is provided to hold the clapper in its rest position. Energization of the solenoid by a short electrical drive pulse produces a magnetic field in the solenoid core which repels the permanent magnet and drives the clapper to impact a percussion instrument sound-producing surface. The drive pulse is sufficiently short that it does not impede rebound of the clapper, so that the rebound force cooperates with the magnetic attraction of the permanent magnet to the solenoid to return the clapper to its rest position, substantially without bounce, thereby producing a highly damped clapper motion.

Abstract: A toy piano has a set of sound-producing elements disposed within a frame, and a set of key-shaped levers pivotably supported on the frame along a normally horizontal axis for movement from a first position to a second position, respectively. A set of hammers is pivotably disposed within the frame for striking the sound-producing elements; the hammer-contacting ends of the levers normally rest on the hammers, respectively, for preventing the release thereof. The sound-producing means are actuated either manually by depressing one of the levers and releasing it thereafter so that a corresponding hammer is then made to impinge on one of the sound-producing elements, or automatically when a cam-shaft is permitted to periodically strike at least one of the released hammers.