US2060666A - Loudspeaker mounting - Google Patents

Description

Nov.r10, 1936.l w. A. ELLMQRE 2,060,666

LOUDSPEAKER MOUNT ING Filed Ap'ril 4, 1935 Patented Nov. l0, 1936 uNiTED 'sTATss Pa'riazN'r oFFiCE n nonnsrnritsonnmd I Appluon 4, 1935, serial Nq. 14,6651 s claim. l(ci. zes-1) The invention relates generally toloud speaker mountings and more particularly -to the mounting of such devices in motor vehicles.

A general object of the invention is to provide a new and improved mounting for loud speakers whereby the device is located for most eillcient audibility as far as every passenger of the vehicle is concerned, is entirely concealed from view, and in which the structure of the associated vehicle part may be utilized in a novel manner to enhance the performance of the device."

Another object is to provide a speaker mount-Il ing which utilizes a part of a concealed space pro,

vided by the vehicle construction as a .receiving chamber, andby a predetermined arrangement of means concealed within said space materlalIy enhances speaker performance. l

A further objectis to provide amounting for a loud speaker on the header of a motor vehicle and within the space partially defined thereby.

Still another object resides in the provision of a speaker mounted in the space between the outer wall of the vehicle top and the inner wall or header and having associated means in said g5 space for utilizing it as an air column to increase the effectiveness of speakerperformance in certain desired respects. c

Other objects and advantages will become ap.- parent in the following description and from the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view through the front portion of a representative vehicle top construction embodying the features of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section on a reduced scale taken along the line 2-2 of Fig.1.

rig. s is av view similar toria. 2 winmut the loud speaker and illustrates a modined form of structure. 4o While the invention is susceptible of various modifications and alternativel constructions, I` have shown in the drawing andwill herein dev scribe in `detail the preferred embodiment, but it is to be understood that I do not thereby intend to limit the invention to the specific form disclosed, but intend to cover all modifications and alternative constructions 'fallingwithin the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims. l f

Theobiects of the invention are preferably attained by locating the 4loud speaker of a radio receivins' awmtus'of the type especially adapted for motor vehicle installation in the space formed lbetween the outer and inner walls of the top construction and particularly in the space at the front end of the vehicle top at which point the inner'wall comprises a plate member, known as the header or header bar, which is firmly secured in place and has an angular position facing generally rearwardly and downwardly of the vehicle "f body. This header-'serves admirably as a vsupport for the speaker, may be apertured to permit the sound vibrations to pass freely from the speaker, and is usually covered with rabricor other suitable body lining material so that the 10 speaker is entirely concealed. The angular p0- sition of4 the header, ,and consequently of the speaker, directs the sound vibrations in the proper manner to be most effectively received by every occupant of the vehicle. The space in which the 15 speaker is mounted is muchllistrger than the speaker itself and baille or partition means may be provided for closing of! a partof the space in such manner as to desirably enhance the performance of the speaker. 20 I,

`Referring more particularly to thedrawin'g, the numeral I0 designates a section of the top of a motor vehicle of present day construction which embodies, in general, an outer top wall Il and an inner top `wall I2. For convenience in illustrating the invention, the top structure herein v Y shown is substantially that of a Ford automobile but it is to bel understood that the invention is net limited to this make of vehicle. The outerl top wall, as shownin Fig. 1, slopes downwardly .3'0 at the front and thence is turned rearwardly to .meet the upper edge of the windshield assembly Il. The front of the inner top wall is defined I by a plate or header Il which is fashioned to join the rearward turn oithe outer top wall, and is 35 suitably secured in an angular plane which faces generally rearwardly and' downwardly.- Thus, a space Il is provided between the two walls which extends across the top of the body. The header is normally detachably secured in place by screws .40

or Athe like (not shown). spaced braces i6 extend 'in a front to rear direction within the space Il, two such braces being located near the longitudinal center line of the body, and an elongated-- tacking strip l1 (Fig. 2) lextends across and is' 4K5 secured to said braces. Normally this strip is continuous but in this'instance it is cut awaybetween the center-braces to provide clearance for the speaker. Traversing the top structure rear- 50 wardly of the upper edge of-'the header is a top bow Il (Fig. 1). The top interior is usually finished with a liningzfabric orthe like, 'a piece of which Il'is suitably secured as by adhesive to the exposed face of the header. .Another strip 2l 55 mensions which will permit of its insertion bey tween the outer wall Il and the header Il is suitably secured in place preferably between the center braces.

sound vibrations produced by the speaker are directed downwardly and rearwardlywithin the body resulting in substantially perfect audibility to every occupant of the vehicle. For securing the speaker to the header, such holding means as a plurality of detachable clamps 22 on the inner side of the header for engaging the rim of-the cone support are most suitable. clamps are supplied on the header a speaker may be quickly installedby merely removing the' header holding screws, lowering the upper edge of the header, clamping the speaker in place,

and restoring the parts to their originaPposition. The wiring connections 23 to the set may be built in the body and terminate in one section of a detachable connector- 24, the other section of which is attached to the leads 25-from the speaker. In fashioning the header, suitable apertures, formed on the order of` grille work 28 (Fig. 3) are provided opposite the predetermined location of the speaker cone to provide for substantially unimpaired transmission of sound vibrations. Thelining material I9 on the header covers these apertures and completely conceals them as well as the speaker when it is installed.

The speaker occupies only a relatively small portion of the substantially closed space dened by the outer wall, header,'1ining material, top bow and sides of the top, and it has been found advantageous to provide means for utilizing a portion of this space and the parts dening it materially to improve speaker performance. This means generally comprises partitions or the like for blocking of! the space in a predetermined manner to effect the desired result.

As shown in Figs. '1 and 2, a panel 2T which may be formed, among other things, of Wood. cardboard, fibre or `similar composition material, is mounted in the space to extend rearwardly and upwardly from the upper edge of the header to the top bow i8. 'I'he panel extends only through the central portion of the space so stops short of either side of the top and may be conveniently secured in place 'to bear iirmly against the header by taoklng or otherwise fastening it to the top bow I8 at the rear edge and by extending at least-parts of the front edge across the upper edge of the headerinto .engagement with thev centerbraces I6. The panel thus mounted servers f as a bafde and enhances speaker performance in'`l that it .prevents sound vibrations produced by the It is also preferred that the j speaker be secured to the header so that the tion 'ofthe speaker.

rear side of the cone from cancelling those created by the front side.

Referring to the structure shown in Fig. 3, the space is suitably partitioned oil! along the upperI edge of the header and at each end thereof by such means as strips of sponge rubber 28 whereby to provide a closed air column extending transversely of the top from opposite sides of the speaker. Near one or both ends of the closed column, apertures 28 of predetermined dimensions, number and/location may be provided in the header to form partially open air columns. These columns will have double frequency characteristics, selected to bring out or increase the intensity of desired audio frequencies, particularly those ofthe low notes, which might otherwise be lost due to the failure oi' a speaker with a normal bame to reproduce them or` not produce them with suitable intensity. Ii such From the foregoing. it will be evident that a novel arrangement has been provided wherein a space provided as a part of a vehicle construction is combined with a loud speaker to enhance the reproduction thereof. Moreover, the present in- (vention provides a speaker mounting in which the device may be quickly and easily installed, and is entirely concealed from View. As a further feature, the position of the speaker near the top and front avoids to a considerable extent interference with reproduction by the audio vibrations incident to vehicle operation and its generally downward and rearward direction results in most eiilcient transmission of the sound vibrations to each occu pant of the vehicle. f

I claim as my invention:

1. A loud speaker Imounting comprising the combination with the outer wall of the top of a vehicle and a spaced inner wall including a header, a loud speaker mounted behind said header in the space between said header and said outer wall,-

the space between said wall and header, and baille' means extending beyond opposite sides of the speaker and from the rearward edge of the header to said fixed part.

3. A loud speaker mounting inmotor vehicle comprising the combination with the outer top -vehicle wall and the header spaced therefrom, of

ar speaker mounted in the space between said wall and header, and baille means secured to extend beyond opposite sides of the speaker and rearwardly from the rearward edge of the header to close oil! a part of the air space ailected by opera- WIM'AB A. MORE.

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