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Air horn
The air horn is a device designed to create an extremely loud noise. It is usually composed of a pressurized air source coupled to a horn through a valve which allows the device to be turned on and off. Air horns have been installed on large semi-trailer trucks, fire trucks, and some ambulances for many years. It is also used on trains as a warning device, and on ships as a signalling device.
* 1 Trucks
o 1.1 Emergency vehicles
* 2 Train locomotives
* 3 Sports
* 4 Portable or personal air horns
* 5 Popular culture
* 6 See also
* 7 References
Trucks
A true air horn is piped into a heavy vehicle's compressed air brake system. A cord mounted on the ceiling of the operator's cab is pulled to open the valve, supplying varying amounts of air to the horn. Thus, an outstretched hand reaching upward and pumping is a signal to the driver of an air horn equipped vehicle, requesting a toot. In modern trucks the horn is actuated by a button on the steering wheel (just like a normal car horn). Some trucks have both electric and air horn, selectable by a switch on the dashboard. This is to prevent the use of the powerful air horn in populated areas.
Emergency vehicles
Many fire trucks, ambulances, and other large emergency vehicles operate air horns as a means of warning vehicles to clear the right-of-way. These may include traditional truck-style air horns, or stuttertone air horns, which produce an easily recognizable tone. Many US firetrucks have stuttertone air horns installed.
There are also electronic horns for emergency vehicles, which produce a similar easily-recognizable sound. These are typically integrated into the same system as the vehicle's electronic siren, and sound through the same speakers. In the last several decades, electronic sound systems with more widely varying frequencies have been chosen as common supplemental warning systems.
Train locomotives
Original diesel locomotives were equipped with truck horns. After an accident in which a driver mistook a train for a truck, the need for a unique train horn became clear [1]. Consequently, North American trains now have at least two "horns" forming the airhorn, that sound simultaneously, creating a chord[citation needed]. Three and five-tone configurations are the most common, but two-tone configurations also exist [2]. At a grade crossing, the usual sequence is two longs, one short, and one long, except in locations where airhorns are not allowed to sound because of quiet zone ordinances.
In recent years it has become a fad for car and truck enthusiasts to install large air horns on their vehicles[1]. The use of a train horn in an automobile could cause an accident. Some jurisdictions do not even allow an airhorn to be attached, whether or not it can be activated.
Sports
The air horn is used for signalling in ice hockey (especially in the NHL), as well as in the NLL and indoor soccer. There are normally two horns; a small high one that announces the end of the period, and a much louder, lower horn that is sounded when the home team scores and/or wins the hockey game. Some air horns are used for signaling the end of the period or quarter on scoreboard systems.
Portable or personal air horns
Portable air horns are also readily available packaged with a can of compressed air as the air source. These are often sounded by fans at sporting events such as American football, basketball, hockey and association football, and at other outdoor events. Small versions are sometimes used as bicycle horns or non-lethal weapons for self-defense, mainly as an auditory distraction to get away from an attacker. At close range, they can also be used as freeze sprays (when the container is held upside-down). The reason an air horn can function as an effective refrigerant is that the gases contained within the device are highly pressurized, which means that the object also acts as a pressure vessel. Additionally, air horns (especially those that contain fluorocarbons) have the potential to be used as recreational drugs since many such refrigerants can be inhaled for a quick and dangerous intoxication.[2]
Popular culture
Air horns have been used as jokes, and running gags in cartoons and movies. In the Jackass television series and movies, air horns are occasionally used to frighten people.
A popular web series called "Terror On The Streets" depicts drivers of such vehicles startling unsuspecting pedestrians while driving through urban areas [3]. Many people amuse themselves by driving around blasting air horns at others, or using them in other ways. Youtube has many videos about such events. A common undertaking with the air horn is the accordingly named "golf course air horn", where pranksters blow an airhorn just as an unsuspecting golfer is coming down with their swing.
The airhorn is also a popular sample in reggae music. Jamaican dancehall music was the first musical genre to use the effect, and has been using the airhorn sample for over 26 years, in live shows as well as on mixtape recording[citation needed]. The effect has recently been used by hip hop mixtapes as well as reggaeton, a reggae hybrid genre.
See also
* Homer Hanky
* Terrible Towel
* Vuvuzela
References
1. ^ "WESH.com New Horns Make Cars Sound Like Trains". http://www.wesh.com/newsarchive/6845424/detail.html. Retrieved 2008-05-20.
2. ^ Harris, Catharine. "Anti-inhalant Abuse Campaign Targets Building Codes: ‘Huffing’ of Air Conditioning Refrigerant a Dangerous Risk." The Nation's Health. American Public Health Association, 2010. Web. 05 Dec. 2010. <http://thenationshealth.aphapublications.org/content/39/4/20.extract>.
The air horn is a device designed to create an extremely loud noise. It is usually composed of a pressurized air source coupled to a horn through a valve which allows the device to be turned on and off. Air horns have been installed on large semi-trailer trucks, fire trucks, and some ambulances for many years. It is also used on trains as a warning device, and on ships as a signalling device.
* 1 Trucks
o 1.1 Emergency vehicles
* 2 Train locomotives
* 3 Sports
* 4 Portable or personal air horns
* 5 Popular culture
* 6 See also
* 7 References
Trucks
A true air horn is piped into a heavy vehicle's compressed air brake system. A cord mounted on the ceiling of the operator's cab is pulled to open the valve, supplying varying amounts of air to the horn. Thus, an outstretched hand reaching upward and pumping is a signal to the driver of an air horn equipped vehicle, requesting a toot. In modern trucks the horn is actuated by a button on the steering wheel (just like a normal car horn). Some trucks have both electric and air horn, selectable by a switch on the dashboard. This is to prevent the use of the powerful air horn in populated areas.
Emergency vehicles
Many fire trucks, ambulances, and other large emergency vehicles operate air horns as a means of warning vehicles to clear the right-of-way. These may include traditional truck-style air horns, or stuttertone air horns, which produce an easily recognizable tone. Many US firetrucks have stuttertone air horns installed.
There are also electronic horns for emergency vehicles, which produce a similar easily-recognizable sound. These are typically integrated into the same system as the vehicle's electronic siren, and sound through the same speakers. In the last several decades, electronic sound systems with more widely varying frequencies have been chosen as common supplemental warning systems.
Train locomotives
Original diesel locomotives were equipped with truck horns. After an accident in which a driver mistook a train for a truck, the need for a unique train horn became clear [1]. Consequently, North American trains now have at least two "horns" forming the airhorn, that sound simultaneously, creating a chord[citation needed]. Three and five-tone configurations are the most common, but two-tone configurations also exist [2]. At a grade crossing, the usual sequence is two longs, one short, and one long, except in locations where airhorns are not allowed to sound because of quiet zone ordinances.
In recent years it has become a fad for car and truck enthusiasts to install large air horns on their vehicles[1]. The use of a train horn in an automobile could cause an accident. Some jurisdictions do not even allow an airhorn to be attached, whether or not it can be activated.
Sports
The air horn is used for signalling in ice hockey (especially in the NHL), as well as in the NLL and indoor soccer. There are normally two horns; a small high one that announces the end of the period, and a much louder, lower horn that is sounded when the home team scores and/or wins the hockey game. Some air horns are used for signaling the end of the period or quarter on scoreboard systems.
Portable or personal air horns
Portable air horns are also readily available packaged with a can of compressed air as the air source. These are often sounded by fans at sporting events such as American football, basketball, hockey and association football, and at other outdoor events. Small versions are sometimes used as bicycle horns or non-lethal weapons for self-defense, mainly as an auditory distraction to get away from an attacker. At close range, they can also be used as freeze sprays (when the container is held upside-down). The reason an air horn can function as an effective refrigerant is that the gases contained within the device are highly pressurized, which means that the object also acts as a pressure vessel. Additionally, air horns (especially those that contain fluorocarbons) have the potential to be used as recreational drugs since many such refrigerants can be inhaled for a quick and dangerous intoxication.[2]
Popular culture
Air horns have been used as jokes, and running gags in cartoons and movies. In the Jackass television series and movies, air horns are occasionally used to frighten people.
A popular web series called "Terror On The Streets" depicts drivers of such vehicles startling unsuspecting pedestrians while driving through urban areas [3]. Many people amuse themselves by driving around blasting air horns at others, or using them in other ways. Youtube has many videos about such events. A common undertaking with the air horn is the accordingly named "golf course air horn", where pranksters blow an airhorn just as an unsuspecting golfer is coming down with their swing.
The airhorn is also a popular sample in reggae music. Jamaican dancehall music was the first musical genre to use the effect, and has been using the airhorn sample for over 26 years, in live shows as well as on mixtape recording[citation needed]. The effect has recently been used by hip hop mixtapes as well as reggaeton, a reggae hybrid genre.
See also
* Homer Hanky
* Terrible Towel
* Vuvuzela
References
1. ^ "WESH.com New Horns Make Cars Sound Like Trains". http://www.wesh.com/newsarchive/6845424/detail.html. Retrieved 2008-05-20.
2. ^ Harris, Catharine. "Anti-inhalant Abuse Campaign Targets Building Codes: ‘Huffing’ of Air Conditioning Refrigerant a Dangerous Risk." The Nation's Health. American Public Health Association, 2010. Web. 05 Dec. 2010. <http://thenationshealth.aphapublications.org/content/39/4/20.extract>.
