FR2682514A1 - Saxophone mouthpiece - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a novel geometrical form, a novel use of material and a novel method of manufacture for saxophone mouthpieces, its object being to optimise their acoustic qualities. This novel saxophone mouthpiece, entirely machined from a solid piece of work-hardened aluminium alloy, comprises a chamber (1) of trapezoidal cross section of which the two cheeks [ends] (2) form an angle of between 10@ and 20@. The roof (3), which is low at the tip of the mouthpiece and higher at the bore end (5), terminates, at the transition between the chamber (1) and the bore (5), in a flat crescent-shaped surface (4) inclined from 0@ to 5@ (angle beta ) relative to the longitudinal axis of the mouthpiece. As regards novel industrial products, the invention consequently relates to mouthpieces for the entire family of the saxophones through the application of similar arrangements.

Description

 The invention relates to a new geometric design, use of material and manufacturing for the mouthpieces of the whole family of saxophones in order to optimize their acoustic qualities.

 We traditionally find either large or medium chamber mouthpieces producing a round and muffled but dull sound; either mouthpieces with small chamber, formed of two parallel cheeks and a low ceiling, producing a sharp and timid but narrow sound.

 The molding, currently used as the first phase of manufacturing plastic (ebonite) or metal (brass, steel) spouts, limits the choice of material (production cost) and the possibilities of geometric chamber shapes (negative draft problems of molds in series granaes) and causes, in large production, variability and irregularities in dimensions, shapes and surface conditions of the chambers.

To remedy these drawbacks and notably improve the acoustic qualities both on the purity and the fluidity of the sound and on the cutting edge of the attack, the timbre and the power, the mouthpiece, object of the present invention is characterized in that
- It has a trapezoidal section chamber, the two cheeks of which form an angle between 100 and 20, making it possible to combine a large volume and a low ceiling to produce a sound that is both round and timbre.

 - there is, at the transition from chamber to bore, a flat, crescent-shaped surface, inclined from 0 to 5 with respect to the longitudinal edge of the spout, making the sound obtained more compact and more powerful.

ro LlgulEl
- It is made of a 90% alloy / work-hardened aluminum, fully machined in the mass using conventional numerical control machines which give it very precise and constant shapes in manufacturing with very good surface conditions. Such a material, chosen for its exceptional acoustic qualities, preserves them during machining without undergoing the modifications of molecular structure and inclusions of air microbubbles, harmful to the purity and the fluidity of the sound but inherent in molding.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention by way of indication.
- Figure 3 shows the spout from below.

 - Figure 1 is a longitudinal section along the axis A.A.

 - Figure 2 is a cross section along B.3.

The invention encompasses all variants of the embodiment stated above.
First of all, the external profile and the bore 5 of the spout are machined in the round bar, hardened in aluminum alloy on a lathe with numerical controls.

 The table 6, the chamber 1 and the chin rest 7 are then machined on a milling machine with hard controls.

The chamber 1 of trapezoidal section, originates on the convex of the table 6 and ends in the bore 5 by the only precise movement of a cutter whose conicity determines the angle oC of the two cheeks 2 (between 100 and 200) . This longitudinal movement of the conical cutter (visible in the axis and at the end of the movement in Fig. 1) generates the profile of the ceiling 3, low at the end of the spout and high at the pierced side 5, and fcre at the end of the movement (at the transition chamber 1 / pierces 5) the flat surface in the form of a crescent inclined at an angle ss between oe and 5.

 A finish by colored anodization or plating of precious metal (eg: gold) will finally be carried out.

 The invention therefore aims, and this as new industrial products, entirely resulting from successive machining operations without any other manual intervention, the mouthpieces of the whole family of saxophones comprising application of similar provisions.

Claims (2)

R E V E N D I C A T I O N S  1. Saxophone mouthpiece characterized in that it comprises a chamber (1) of trapezoidal section, the two cheeks (2) of which form an angle (OC) of between 10 and 200 and in that the bottom stop (3) spout and high side pierced (5), ends at the transition chamber (1) / pierced (5) by a flat crescent-shaped surface (4) inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis of the spout, by an angle (ss) between 0 and 5.  2. Saxophone mouthpiece according to claim 1 characterized in that it is entirely machined in the mass of an alloy to 90% 'minimum of aluminum Dcroui.