Air Horns

   / Air Horns #1  
blackrams

blackrams

Gold Member
Joined
Nov 20, 2017
Messages
263
Location
Frankfort, KY
Tractor
Ford 1210
Hello,
Fairly new to this forum. I have a question for all you innovative gents.

I'm adding an air horn to my Ford 1210. Mounting and powering it aren't an issue but, the question is, how does one go about altering the pitch or tone of the horn? I already have the horn but would like a lower pitch/tone of the sound it makes. I assume it's got some kind of flapper valve that reverberates internally or, the compressed air is forced through an orifice but don't know squat about compressor driven air horns. I know I could just put an electric version on it but, I like the air horn.

Seeking a way to lower the note and retain the decibel level.

This request is just a shot in the dark, but you never know if you don't ask.

Rams
Frankfort, KY
 
   / Air Horns
  • Thread Starter
#2  
Just found the answer.

Air horn - Wikipedia

How it works


An air horn consists of a flaring metal or plastic horn or trumpet (called the "bell") attached to a small air chamber containing a metal reed or diaphragm in the throat of the horn. Compressed air flows from an inlet line through a narrow opening past the reed or diaphragm, causing it to vibrate, which creates sound waves. The flaring horn serves as an acoustic "transformer" to improve the transfer of sound energy from the diaphragm to the open air, making the sound louder. In most horns it also determines the pitch of the sound. When vibrated by the diaphragm, the column of air in the horn vibrates in standing waves. The length of the horn determines the wavelength of the sound waves generated, and thus the fundamental frequency (pitch) of the note produced by the horn. The longer the horn, the lower the pitch.

Larger air horns used on ships and foghorns function similarly to a whistle; instead of a diaphragm the air escapes from a closed cylindrical resonator chamber through a precisely shaped slit directed against a knife edge (fipple). The air blowing past the knife edge oscillates, creating sound waves. The oscillations excite standing waves in the resonator chamber, so the length of the chamber determines the pitch of the note produced.

Well, that answers that.* *Obviously, I didn't know that.* *Never took band in school.* *Makes me have a better idea of how a trombone works.* Was hoping it would be more like a trumpet.*
It's a chrome horn (bell) and I'm not about to screw that up. Oh well. :(

Rams
 
   / Air Horns #3  
I've looked at a few different air horns. Do not remember seeing a model with adjustable pitch/tone. However, that has little bearing because I've only seen four or five and there are probably dozens more.
 
   / Air Horns
  • Thread Starter
#4  
Yeah, apparently, like other things in life, satisfaction is based on the shape and length.
Guess I'm stuck with what I've got.
 
   / Air Horns #5  
A friend installed a BIG air horn on his new RAM one ton pickup. It was MAGNIFICENT - combined the sounds of a diesel-electric RR locomotive and the QE ll. About a month later I noticed the "big chrome pair" were no longer mounted on the roof of his pickup. He had come to an intersection and pulled up in line directly behind an unmarked police car. Apparently the officers were busy tracking info on their in-car computers and didn't notice the exact second the light turned green. Well, as you can guess - 'ol Bob gave them a healthy blast of the air horn and that's all she wrote. They wrote a warning - he had to check in at the police station within a week - hornless. I'll bet the two officers had to change their shorts that day - the horn was truly loud.
 
   / Air Horns
  • Thread Starter
#6  
oosik said:
A friend installed a BIG air horn on his new RAM one ton pickup. It was MAGNIFICENT - combined the sounds of a diesel-electric RR locomotive and the QE ll. About a month later I noticed the "big chrome pair" were no longer mounted on the roof of his pickup. He had come to an intersection and pulled up in line directly behind an unmarked police car. Apparently the officers were busy tracking info on their in-car computers and didn't notice the exact second the light turned green. Well, as you can guess - 'ol Bob gave them a healthy blast of the air horn and that's all she wrote. They wrote a warning - he had to check in at the police station within a week - hornless. I'll bet the two officers had to change their shorts that day - the horn was truly loud.
Click to expand...

That there is funny, I don't care who you are.............:laughing:
 
   / Air Horns #7  
oosik said:
A friend installed a BIG air horn on his new RAM one ton pickup. It was MAGNIFICENT - combined the sounds of a diesel-electric RR locomotive and the QE ll. About a month later I noticed the "big chrome pair" were no longer mounted on the roof of his pickup. He had come to an intersection and pulled up in line directly behind an unmarked police car. Apparently the officers were busy tracking info on their in-car computers and didn't notice the exact second the light turned green. Well, as you can guess - 'ol Bob gave them a healthy blast of the air horn and that's all she wrote. They wrote a warning - he had to check in at the police station within a week - hornless. I'll bet the two officers had to change their shorts that day - the horn was truly loud.
Click to expand...

Isn't that the purpose of a horn....to get someones attention/wake them up?
 
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