Cassette music box

A cassette music box capable of impressing one as if a cassette tape were operated to play a music recorded on a tape element. The cassette music box includes reels arranged in a casing a manner like in a cassette tape and in a manner to be observed through the casing from its exterior. The reels are rotated in synchronism with rotation of a drum during performance of the music box. The cassette music box may be so constructed so that it may be charged in a cassette operating unit for its performance.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
This invention relates to a cassette orgel or music box, and more 
particularly to cassette music box having a music box body received in a 
casing like that for a cassette tape. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
In general, a conventional music box is so constructed that a music box 
body including a scale plate, a drum provided with projections and a drum 
rotating section is received in a casing of a simple shape such as a 
rectangular shape or a casing having an outer configuration like a piano 
or the like. Such a casing used for the conventional music box has a fixed 
appearance free of any movable portion. This renders the conventional 
music box highly commonplace to a degree that when a music is heard, an 
appearance of the casing causes everyone to readily recognize that the 
music box plays it. Thus, the conventional music box fails to exhibit 
attraction sufficient to excite consumers' interest. 
Also, the conventional music box is operated in such a manner that the 
rotating drum is rotated manually or through a spiral spring wound up 
manually via a winding-up member. This causes a structure for rotating the 
drum to be placed under restriction to a degree sufficient to prevent 
application of any variation to a configuration of the casing and a manner 
of rotating the drum. 
Accordingly, it would be highly desirable to provide a music box which is 
capable of exhibiting quite an original property and unique configuration 
sufficient to increase consumers' interest. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Generally speaking, in accordance with the present invention, a cassette 
music box is provided. The cassette music box includes a casing having an 
inner space defined therein, in which a pair of reels are arranged in a 
manner to be rotatable and spaced from each other. The casing is formed in 
a manner to permit rotation of the reels to be observed from an exterior 
of the casing. The cassette music box also includes a music box body 
arranged in the casing and including a rotating drum and a scale plate 
operatively engaged with the rotating drum, as well as a transmission 
mechanism for transmitting driving force between the reels and the music 
box body. 
In the present invention constructed described above, rotation of the drum 
for performance causes concurrent rotation of the reels, whereas rotation 
of the reels by external force leads to concurrent rotation of the drum 
for performance. Also, rotation of the reels are observed through the 
casing from the exterior. Accordingly, the cassette music box of the 
present invention can permit one to be impressed as if a cassette tape 
were operated to play a music recorded on a tape element. 
The cassette music box of the present invention may further include a drum 
drive mechanism for rotating the drum for performance. 
The cassette music box of the present invention may be so constructed that 
the casing is constructed into a configuration sufficient to permit the 
cassette music box to be charged in a cassette operating unit such as a 
cassette tape reproducing unit and the reels are construction into a 
configuration sufficient to be operatively fitted on drive shafts of the 
cassette operating unit to receive rotational force of the drive shafts 
when the cassette music box is charged therein. Such construction permits 
the cassette music box to play music through the reels when it is charged 
in the cassette operating unit. 
Further, the cassette music box of the present invention may be constructed 
in such a manner that the casing is constructed into a configuration 
sufficient to permit the cassette music box to be charged in a cassette 
operating unit, the reels are constructed into a configuration sufficient 
to be operatively fitted on drive shafts of the cassette operating unit to 
receive rotational force of the drive shafts when the cassette music box 
is charged therein, the music box body includes a drum drive mechanism for 
rotating the drum for performance, and the drum drive mechanism and drum 
are selectively connected to each other through a selective connection 
means for carrying out connection between the drum drive mechanism and the 
drum when the drum drive mechanism is actuated for performance of the 
music box body and interrupting the connection when the reels are actuated 
for the performance. 
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a cassette 
music box which is capable of exhibiting quite an original and unique 
interest. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide a cassette music 
box which is capable of impressing one as if a cassette tape were operated 
to play a music recorded on a tape element. 
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a cassette music 
box which is capable of being operated both manually and automatically. 
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a cassette 
music box which is capable of being charged in a cassette operating unit 
such as a cassette tape recording unit for performance. 
Still other objects and advantages of the invention will in part be obvious 
and will in part be apparent from the specification. 
The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, 
combination of elements, and arrangement of parts which will be 
exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth, and the scope of 
the invention will be indicated in the claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Now, a cassette music box according to the present invention will be 
described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
FIGS. 1 to 3 illustrate an embodiment of a cassete music box according to 
the present invention. A cassette music box of the illustrated embodiment 
generally includes a casing 10, a music box body 12 which is arranged in 
the casing 10 and of which a part is constituted by a rotating drum 14 
provided thereon with projection as described hereinafter, a pair of reels 
16a and 16b rotatably arranged in the casing 10, and a transmission 
mechanism 18 arranged in the casing 10 for carrying out transmission of 
driving force between the music box body 12 and the reels 16a and 16b 
therethrough. In the illustrated embodiment, the music box body 12 may be 
small-sized and the transmission mechanism 18 comprises a first 
transmission section 18a and a second transmission section 18b. 
The casing 10 may be formed into a shape like that used for an audio 
cassette tape, a video cassette tape or the like, as shown in FIGS. 4 to 
7. More particularly, it may be constituted by an upper casing member 20a 
and a lower casing member 20b formed into a flat rectangular shape and in 
a manner to be substantially symmetric with respect to each other. For 
this purpose, the upper and lower casing members 20a and 20b are joined 
together using fastening means 24 such as screws to define an inner space 
therein while being abutted at their peripheral portions against each 
other, resulting in the casing 10. The casing 10 is provided with an 
opening 26 on one side surface thereof or at a portion thereof 
corresponding to a magnetic head inserting opening of a cassette tape or 
the like. The upper casing member 20a is formed with a pair of holes 28a 
and 30a in a manner to be laterally spaced from each other and the lower 
casing member 20b is likewise formed with a pair of holes 28b and 30b in a 
manner to positionally correspond to or be aligned with the holes 28a and 
30a of the upper casing member 20a, respectively. The holes 28a, 28b, 30a 
and 30b are formed on their peripheries thereof with projections 32a, 32b, 
34a and 34b inwardly extending therefrom, which constitute bearings in 
cooperation with the corresponding openings. 
In the so-constructed casing 10, arrangement of the reels 16a and 16b in 
the casing 10 is carried out so that they may be observed from an exterior 
of the casing. For this purpose, at least the upper casing member 20a may 
be formed of a transparent material such as a transparent plastic 
material. Alternatively, they may be viewed through the holes 28a-30b. 
The music box body 12 is positioned or mounted in proximity to the opening 
26 in the casing 10. The music box body 12 is preferably constructed so 
that it may not be viewed from the exterior of the casing. For this 
purpose, a portion 36 of the casing 10 surrounding the music box body 12 
may be opaquely constructed. This may be attained by forming the portion 
36 of the casing from an opaque material or opaquely coloring the portion 
36. 
The music box body 12 is constructed into a small size sufficient to be 
received in the flat casing 10. It includes, in addition to the rotating 
drum 14, a metal sheet 38 and a scale plate 40 of a pectinate-like 
configuration mounted on the metal sheet 38 and provided with a plurality 
of vibration elements 42, as shown in FIG. 2. The rotating drum 14 is 
rotatably positioned in close proximity to a free end of the scale plate 
40 and provided on an outer periphery thereof with a plurality of small 
projections 44 engaged with the vibration elements 42 for operating them. 
In the illustrated embodiment, the music box body 12 further includes a 
drum drive mechanism 46. The drum drive mechanism 46 may be constructed in 
a clock-work manner and include a winding-up shaft 48 arranged so as to 
extend to the exterior of the casing as shown in FIG. 3, a box 50 for 
receiving therein a spiral spring (not shown) having an inner end coupled 
with the winding-up shaft 48 and a crown gear 52 (FIG. 2) fixed on the 
winding-up shaft 48. The spiral spring is wound up by rotating a handle 54 
pivotally mounted on a distal end of the winding-up shaft 48 as shown in 
FIG. 3. When the handle 54 is released after the spiral spring is wound up 
through the handle, energy stored in the spiral spring is discharged to 
rotate the crown gear 52. The crown gear 52 is engaged with a pinion 58 
fixed on one end of a rotating shaft 56 of the drum 14. 
The above-described reels 16a and 16b are rotatably held in the projections 
or bearings 32a and 32b and projections or bearings 34a and 34b, 
respectively. 
The rotating shaft 56 of the drum 14 is arranged so as to extend outwardly 
from both side of the drum in its axial direction. The rotating shaft 56 
is provided at the other end thereof with another pinion 60. The 
above-described first and second transmission sections 18a and 18b of the 
transmission mechanism 18 are arranged between the pinion 60 and the first 
reel 16a and between the first reel 16a and the second reel 16b, 
respectively. The transmission sections 18a and 18b each include a 
plurality of gears engaged with one another in order. A first one 62 of 
the gears constituting the first transmission section 18a is a crown gear 
(not shown) engaged with the pinion 60 of the music box body 12. 
Thus, when the drum 14 is rotated through the drum drive mechanism 46, the 
first and second reels 16a and 16b are likewise rotated through the first 
and second transmission sections 18a and 18b operatively connected to the 
drum 14, respectively. 
More particularly, when rotational energy is stored in the spiral spring 
through operation of the handle 54 and then the handle 54 of the mechanism 
46 is released, the drum 14 is rotated to vibrate the scale plate 40 of 
the music box body 12 through engagement between the small projections 44 
and the vibration elements 42, resulting in playing a music, and 
simultaneously the reels 16a and 16b are rotated. The sounds generated 
from the music box body 12 are amplified by the casing 10. 
Thus, it will be noted that the music box of the illustrated embodiment 
permits one to be impressed as if a music were played by operation of a 
cassette tape, resulting in quite an original player. 
In the illustrated embodiment described above, the drum drive mechanism 
comprises the clock-work drive mechanism. However, it may be modified in 
such a manner as shown in FIG. 8. More particularly, in a cassette music 
box shown in FIG. 8, a drum drive mechanism 46 includes a knurled disc 64 
fixed on a crown gear 52. The knurled disc 64 is rotatably mounted on a 
casing 10 so as to face an opening 26 and the crown gear 52 is engaged 
with a pinion 66 mounted on a rotating shaft 56 of a drum 14. Such 
construction permits the knurled disc 64 to be manually rotated, resulting 
in rotating the drum 14. 
The embodiment described above is so constructed that rotation of the drum 
14 is transmitted through the transmission sections 18a and 18b of the 
transmission means 18 to the reels 16a and 16b, resulting in the reels 
being rotated in synchronism with rotation of the drum. Such construction 
needs to manually operate the handle 54 or knurled disc 64 of the drum 
drive mechanism 46 for performance of the cassette music box. 
The cassette music box of the illustrated embodiment may be modified in a 
manner such that it may be charged in a cassette operating unit such as a 
cassette tape reproducing unit or the like for its automatic performance. 
For this purpose, the reels 16a and 16b each may be formed on an inside 
thereof with a boss 68, as shown in FIG. 2. The boss 68 is provided with a 
plurality of projections and depressions in a manner to be alternately 
arranged as in an audio cassette tape, so that the reels may be 
operatively fitted on drive shafts of the cassette operating unit to cause 
drive force of the rotating force to be transmitted to the reels. When the 
cassette music box constructed in this way is charged in the cassette 
operating unit for operation, the drive shafts of the unit rotatably drive 
the reels 16a and 6b to rotate the drum 14 through the transmission 
sections 18a and 18b, resulting in operating the scale plate 40. 
Thus, the cassette music box carries out automatic performance. 
Accordingly, in the modification, the drum drive mechanism 46 and knurled 
disc 64 are eliminated from the music box body. The remaining part may be 
constructed in substantially the same manner as the embodiment described 
above. 
Charging of the so-modified cassette music box in the cassette operating 
unit permits one to be impressed as if a cassette tape were subjected to a 
reproducing operation to play a music recorded on a tape element. 
FIG. 9 shows an essential part of another embodiment of a cassette music 
box according to the present invention. A cassette music box of the 
illustrated embodiment is adapted to carry out both manual performance and 
automatic performance. 
More particularly, in the cassette music box, a rotating shaft 56 of a drum 
14 is provided at one end thereof with a pinion 70 engaged with a crown 
gear 62 arranged at an end of a first transmission section (not shown) and 
provided at the other end thereof with a clock-work drum drive mechanism 
46. The mechanism 46 includes a crown gear 52 and a pinion 58 engaged with 
the crown gear 52. The pinion 58 is fixedly mounted on a revolving shaft 
72 of the mechanism 46. 
The cassette music box of the illustrated embodiment also includes 
selective connection means 74 arranged between the revolving shaft 72 of 
the clock-work drum drive mechanism 46 and the rotating shaft 56 of the 
drum 14. The selective connection means 74 is so constructed that when 
rotational energy is to be applied to the drum 14 through the clock-work 
drum drive mechanism 46, the selective connection means 74 operatively 
connects the drum drive mechanism 46 therethrough to the drum 14, so that 
the drum drive mechanism 46 is further connected through first and second 
transmission sections (not shown) to reels (not shown); whereas when the 
reels are to be driven by, for example, drive shafts of a cassette 
operating unit, the selective connection means 74 interrupts connection 
between the drum 14 and the drum drive mechanism 46 to cause driving force 
of the reels 16a and/or 16b to be transmitted to only the drum 14, 
resulting in the mechanism 46 being not actuated. The first and second 
transmission sections and reels may be constructed in substantially the 
same manner as the sections 18a and 18b and reels 16a and 16b in the 
above-described embodiment. 
The selective connection means 74 exhibiting the above-described function, 
as shown in FIG. 9, may comprise a pair of surface gears 74a and 74b which 
are adapted to be engaged with each other when being rotated in one 
direction and separated from each other when being rotated in the other 
direction. It may comprise a one-way clutch. 
Alternatively, the selective connection means 74 may comprise a connection 
element provided at one of the rotating shaft 56 of the drum 14 and the 
revolving shaft 72 of the drum drive mechanism 46 and constructed in a 
manner to be axially movable and engaged with the other shaft when it is 
moved toward the other shaft to rotate both shafts together. 
The remaining part of the embodiment shown in FIG. 9 may be constructed in 
substantially the same manner as the embodiment described above. 
Thus, it will be noted that the embodiment of FIG. 9 constructed as 
described above causes a changing-over operation of the selective 
connection means 74 to not only manually carry out performance of the 
cassette music box through the clock-work drum drive mechanism 46 while 
rotating the reels 16a and 16b but automatically accomplish it through the 
reels 16a and 16b when it is charged in a cassette operating unit. 
In each of the embodiments described above, the transmission means 18 
comprises a series of gears. However, it may comprise another suitable 
transmission element such as a string, a chain, a belt or the like. 
As can be seen from the foregoing, the cassette music box of the present 
invention is so constructed that the rotation of reels is carried out in 
synchronism with that of the drum and the reels are arranged in a manner 
to be observed through the casing from the exterior, accordingly, the 
present invention permits one to be impressed as if a cassette tape were 
operated to play a music recorded on a tape element. Also, the cassette 
music box of the present invention may be so constructed that it is 
charged in a cassette operating unit such as a cassette tape reproducing 
unit for its performance. Thus, it will be noted that the present 
invention provides quite an original cassette music box. 
It will thus be seen from the foregoing, the objects set forth above, among 
those made apparent from the preceding description, are efficiently 
attained and, since certain changes may be made in the above description 
without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, it is 
intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in 
the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in 
a limiting sense. 
It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover 
all the generic and specific features of the invention herein described 
and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of 
language, might be said to fall therebetween.