GB2582550A

GB2582550A - Head joint for a western concert flute

Info

Publication number: GB2582550A
Application number: GB1903724.1A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Rhys Ward Samuel; Rhys Hutton Louise; Findon Andy
Original assignee: Red Kite Flutes Ltd
Current assignee: Red Kite Flutes Ltd
Priority date: 2019-03-19
Filing date: 2019-03-19
Publication date: 2020-09-30
Anticipated expiration: 2039-03-19
Also published as: GB2582550B; GB201903724D0

Abstract

A head joint 12 is adapted to connect with the barrel 11 and thereby the mid-joint 10 and foot joint 9 of a western concert flute. The head joint includes a fipple assembly (19, 20, 23). A mouthpiece (27) is assembled to the head joint and includes a blow hole (30) communicating with an air passage (29) which extends radially from the circumferential surface of the mouthpiece body. This allows the flute to be played by blowing air directly into the blow hole whilst still allowing the user to reach all of the keys of the flute. Preferably, the mouthpiece has an axial bore communicating with the air passage and head joint bore. The axial bore may have a larger cross section than the air passage but a smaller cross section than the head joint bore. The air passage may be inclined to the radial and axial directions. The external surface of the mouthpiece may be conical. The mouthpiece is joined to the barrel via a spigot (3) which creates an airtight joint.

Description

HEAD JOINT FOR A WESTERN CONCERT FLUTE

Technical Field

[001] The invention concerns a head joint for a flute, especially a side blown flute, more particularly the instrument sometimes known as the western concert flute. A Western concert flute has a head joint, sleeved onto a middle joint which is in turn sleeved onto a foot joint. The head joint supports a lip plate disposed approximately tangential to the circumference of the cylindrical head joint. The lip plate provides an embouchure hole extending substantially radially into a bore in the axis of the head joint. The instrument is held laterally by the player and air blown across the hole to generate sound. The western concert flute has an arrangement of pads supported by keys disposed on sprung levers to close, or open a plurality of holes in response to the finger action of the flautist. The keys facilitate transitions from one note to another and greatly extend the range of the instrument relative to a simple open hole flute. The keys thus allow the flautist to more readily play music which is difficult or in some cases impossible on an open hole flute.

1002) An open hole flute is one where the note produced is altered by applying the pad of a finger to cover an otherwise open hole through the body of the flute.

10031 Flutes may be side blown, rim blown or end blown.

[4] In an edge blown flute a hole is formed in the end or crown of the head joint instead of the circumferential surface. Air is blown across the hole to generate a vibrating column of air in the bore of the flute. A Peruvian quena flute is one of many examples.

[5] Certain kinds of end blown flute include a fipple, i.e. a mouthpiece including a ducted flue or windway. The flautist blows air directly into the hole instead of across it. The windway directs the flow of air directly down a segment of the periphery of the bore of the instrument, exclusively parallel to the axis and across an opening through the head joint formed with a wedge shaped labium lip. Such flutes include the English flute or recorder and the Native American flute which in both cases are typically open hole flutes. A benefit of the end blown fipple flute is that it is relatively simple to generate sound, by comparison with a side blown embouchure flute and even persons with disabilities which make the use of a side blown flute impossible may be able to play such instruments.

[6] For many musicians, whether disabled or not, instruments like the north American native flute produce a characteristic sound which at least makes an attractive alternative to the sound of a modern, side blown flute. However the traditional open hole fingering arrangement of a native American flute or instruments such as the recorder is limiting, for example the range of notes available, and the performance of fingering transitions with such instruments is limited. There is therefore perceived to be a demand for a flute which alleviates at least some of the recited advantages and disadvantages of the native American flute and the western concert flute.

Prior Art

[7] McKenna Flutes website shows one example of an experimental native head joint illustrated in sectional figures 1.1 and 1.2.

[8] The McKenna website (http://www.mckennaflutes.com/mat&exp.htm) shows a head joint having a mouth piece 1 inserted into the crown end of the head joint to communicate with an axial bore 2 extending through the head joint to communicate with a spigot 3. A radially extending hole 4 is cut into the body 5 of the head joint to receive a fipple plug 6. The edge of the hole 4 remote from the mouthpiece is cut inclined to the radial and axial directions to form a labium lip 7. Air blown into mouthpiece 1 is entrained through a windway 8 formed through the fipple plug.

[9] The McKenna head joint described above cannot readily be used with the foot joint 9, middle joint 10 and barrel 11 of a western concert flute which has keys designed to be played when using a side blown head joint. For the most common western concert flute, that is the C flute, the distance of at least some of the keys from the flautist's mouth is unreachable.

Summary of Invention

[10] Accordingly the present invention provides a head joint for use with a barrel, middle joint and foot joint of a western concert flute comprising: a tubular body having an axial head joint bore open through a spigot disposed at a foot end; said spigot adapted to sleeve sealingly into a corresponding socket formed in the barrel of a western concert flute; a fipple; and a mouthpiece whereby air can be blown into the bore and across the fipple; wherein the mouthpiece comprises a blow hole communicating with an air passage extending radially from the circumferential surface of the body into the bore whereby air can be blown directly into the air hole.

1011/ The head joint according to the invention is intended to be assembled with a foot joint, mid joint and barrel of an otherwise conventional western concert flute, which may be a "C" flute. The conventional barrel will preferably be retained to facilitate tuning the flute, however, this may not be essential. The head joint may be adapted for use with flutes other than the "C" flute in the family of concert flutes, including the piccolo. Such adaptation will be by appropriate resizing of the head joint and particularly the spigot whereby the head joint is socketed into a corresponding socket in the barrel.

[0121 Preferably the head joint comprises a mouthpiece part into which the blow hole is formed. The mouthpiece part may have an axial blind bore part for communication with the axial bore of the head joint and an air passage part communicating between the blind bore and a blow hole into which the flautist can blow air directly. The air hole is not an embouchure. The air passage may be inclined to the axis and radius. By arranging that the inclined air passage meets the blind axial mouthpiece bore at an angle exceeding 90° air resistance is minimised in the passage. The mouthpiece part seals the mouthpiece bore so that no air can enter from the axial direction.

10131 The mouthpiece part is preferably cone shaped. More preferably the conic surface may be arcuate in axial cross section. Functionally this provides a surface with which the lips of the flautist can readily conform while holding the flute at a comfortable angle lateral to the flautist's body.

10141 The mouthpiece part may connect to the head joint body by means of a spigot socketed into the head joint bore remote from the head joint spigot. The mouthpiece part may be separable from the head joint body to facilitate maintenance.

[015] The fipple may comprise an assembly of a plug secured into the bore and a block. The plug is secured axially proximate to a sound hole extending through the body and presents an inclined surface upstream to provide a ramp. The ramp directs the airflow towards a windway or flue. The flue is formed by a flue member cut from the body of the head joint and a block which is secured to cover part of the sound hole.

10161 The head joint is preferably made from wood, but may be fabricated in plastics, ceramic, glass or metal.

Brief Description of the Drawings

10171 An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying illustrative figures, in which: Figure 2.1 is an isometric SW view of a head joint coupled to the barrel, mid joint and foot joint of a conventional western concert flute; Figure 2.2 is an enlarged isometric SW view of the head joint in figure 2.1; Figure 2.3 is a plan view of the head joint in figure 2.1; Figure 2.4 is a sectional side elevation on the line 2.4-2.4 in figure 2.3; Figure 2.5 is a side elevation and; Figure 2.6 is a sectional plan view on the line 2.6-2.6 in figure 2.5.

Detailed Description

(0181 Figures 2.1-2.6 show a head joint 12 attached to the barrel 11 of a conventional western concert flute having a mid-joint 10 and foot joint 9. The head joint comprises a tubular body 13 formed from an upper body portion 14 and lower body portion 15, permanently bonded together around an equatorial seam. A cylindrical head joint bore 16 extends axially through the body portion. A tubular spigot 3 is secured into a downstream end of the bore 16 and can be socketed into a corresponding socket formed in the barrel 11.

[19] A nest 17 is formed on the upper body portion. A fipple assembly is provided by a rectangular profile sound hole 18 formed radially into the nest 17. A splitting edge 19 is formed on the downstream edge of the sound hole. A plug 20 is secured into the bore to obstruct the passage of air from upstream to downstream ends of the bore. The plug 20 has an upstream surface inclined to form a ramp 21 at an angle to the axis and radius to direct air out of the bore 16 and towards the sound hole 18. The upstream edge of the sound hole is shaped to reflect the angle of the ramp and to encourage progressive changes of direction of airflow. A flue bridge 18.1 is carved out of the upper part during the formation of the sound hole 18 to leave a channel between the radially outer surface of the flue bridge and the outer surface of the nest 17. The downstream end 22 of the plug 20 extends radially and is axially spaced upstream of the splitting edge 19. A block 23 is secured to the nest, usually by a strap of cord (not shown) so that it overlies the flue bridge and plug 20. leaving a flue 24 in the channel between the underside of the block and the flue bridge 18.1.

[20] Upstream of the body the bore terminates at a mouthpiece socket 25 which receives a mouthpiece spigot 26. The mouthpiece spigot 26 projects integrally from a mouthpiece body 27 to form an airtight seal in the mouthpiece socket 25. The external surface of the mouthpiece is generally conical and symmetric about the long axis of the head joint. The external conical surfaces of the mouthpiece are rounded to improve the ergonomics of the mouthpiece. A blind bore 28 extends axially from the downstream end of the mouthpiece spigot 26 for a third of the length of the mouthpiece. An air passage 29 is drilled to extend radially and inclined to the radial and axial directions from a blow hole 30 midway around the longitudinal arc of the external surface to communicate with the upstream end of the blind bore 28.

[02/] Sound is generated by blowing directly into the blow hole 30 so that air moves down the air passage into bore 28 and then axially of the bore until it is diverted through the flue, by the ramp and across the splitting edge. This generates a vibrating column of air in the barrel, mid-joint and foot joint, the frequency of which can be altered using the keys.

Claims

Claims 1. A head joint for use with a barrel, middle joint and foot joint of a western concert flute comprising: a tubular body having an axial head joint bore with a tubular spigot disposed at a foot end; said spigot adapted to form an airtight joint with the barrel or head end of a middle joint of a western concert flute; a fipple; and a mouthpiece whereby air can be blown into the bore and through the fipple; wherein the mouthpiece comprises a blow hole communicating with an air passage extending radially from the circumferential surface of the body to communicate with the head joint bore.
A head joint according to claim 1 wherein the air passage is inclined to the radial and axial directions.
3. A head joint according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the mouthpiece has an axial bore communicating with the air passage and the head joint bore.
4. A head joint according to claim 3 wherein the air passage as a smaller cross section than the mouthpiece bore.
A head joint according to claim 4 wherein the mouthpiece bore has a smaller cross section than the head joint bore.
6. A head joint according to claim 1 wherein the bore is closed at the crown end of the mouthpiece.
7. A head joint according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the external surface of the mouthpiece is conical.
8. A head joint according to claim 7 wherein the external surface of the head joint has an arcuate profile in the axial plane.
A head joint according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the mouthpiece is joined to a body of the head joint by means of a spigot through which the mouthpiece bore passes.
10. A head joint according to claim 5 wherein the mouthpiece is separably joined to the head joint body by means of the spigot.