NL2002831C2

NL2002831C2 - A wind instrument with an adjustable receiver.

Info

Publication number: NL2002831C2
Application number: NL2002831A
Authority: NL
Inventors: Franciscus Johannes Marie Swinkels
Original assignee: Adams Paukenfabriek B V
Priority date: 2009-05-04
Filing date: 2009-05-04
Publication date: 2010-11-08

Description

P86149NL00

Title: A wind instrument with an adjustable receiver

The invention relates to receivers for wind instruments. More particularly the invention relates to receivers for brass wind instruments.

Generally in the art, brass wind instruments comprise a mouth piece with a conical section that fit into a conical section of a receiver of the 5 instrument. Generally, this receiver is mounted fixedly on the instrument and the mouth piece can be exchanged and/or removed.

With music instruments in general the length of the instrument is decisive for the tone height of the instrument. So the receiver needs to be precisely positioned and attached on the instrument. This makes the 10 production of these instruments cumbersome and this might lead to rejection of some instruments that have false tones due to the incorrect placement of the receiver.

With wind instruments in the art, the user has little freedom in adapting the colour or the timbre of the sound being generated with the 15 instrument in question.

Accordingly an object of the current invention is to provide an alternative construction that alleviates at least one of these and/or other drawbacks of these instruments while maintaining the advantages thereof.

At least one of these and/or other objects can be reached by a 20 receiver and a mouth piece according to the invention.

In a first aspect the invention provides a receiver suitable for placement on a resonator of a wind instrument and suitable for receiving a mouth piece, the receiver comprising a resonator end, wherein the resonator end is able to be adjustably connected to the resonator of the instrument.

25 The resonator end of the receiver may comprise a screw thread. The receiver may comprise a mouth piece end, wherein the mouth piece end could comprise a conically shaped mouth piece receiving section.

2

The screw thread of the receiver may be formed on an inside wall or an outside wall of the resonator end of the receiver. Alternatively the receiver may comprise at last one helical recess.

In another aspect of the invention provides a resonator of a wind 5 instrument suitable for connection with the receiver, wherein the resonator is able to be adjustably connected to the receiver. In an embodiment the resonator may comprise a screw thread that is complementary to the screw thread of the receiver. In an alternative embodiment the resonator may comprise at least one catch fitting into the at least one helical recess of the 10 receiver.

In a further aspect the invention provides a wind instrument, comprising a resonator as described above and/or a receiver as described above.

Still a further embodiment is the use of a receiver as described 15 above, a resonator as described above or a wind instrument as described above.

For a better understanding, embodiments of the adapter will be further elucidated by the following Figures, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an instrument with a receiver as known in the art; 20 Fig. 2 is a schematic perspective view of a first embodiment;

Fig. 3 is a partly exploded schematic perspective view of the first embodiment;

Fig. 4 is a schematic longitudinal cross section view of the relevant parts of first embodiment of figure 3; 25 Fig. 5 is a schematic longitudinal cross section view of the relevant parts of a second embodiment;

Fig. 6 is a schematic longitudinal cross section view of the relevant parts of a third embodiment;

Fig. 7 is a schematic longitudinal cross section view of the relevant 30 parts of a fourth embodiment.

3

In the figures and the description the same or corresponding parts will have identical or similar reference signs. The embodiments shown should not be understood as limiting the invention in any way or form.

In general a wind instrument comprises one or more enclosed air 5 columns inside one or more resonators of different lengths. These resonators typically form elongated containments of air. They comprise on a first end of the containment a first open end portion, being a bell and on a second end of the containment a second open end portion, being a mouth piece end.

At the mouth piece end, a mouth piece is attached to the resonator 10 in which air may be blown, such that the air inside the resonator may be caused to vibrate. In brass wind instruments, in general the vibrations are generated by forcing air through tightly closed lips which are pressed against the mouth piece, a reason why this class of instruments is referred to as labrosones. In order to allow the user to vibrate his lips, a specially designed 15 mouth piece is inserted in the at the mouth piece end in the instrument. To that end, the mouth piece is provided with a cup shaped ending, against which the user of the instrument can press his lips such that they can be allowed to vibrate. On the opposite end, on the instrument side of the mouth piece, it typically comprises a slightly conical section, which can be inserted in a 20 receiver of the instrument.

This receiver is on the mouth piece end provided with a case having an inner wall being conically shaped adapted to snuggly fit around the conical end of the mouth piece. In general the adapter is soldered onto the resonator.

Due to the specific length of the resonator, the enclosed air column 25 therein is allowed to resonate. This resonance of air happens at specific frequencies that are related to the specific length of the individual resonators. Thus the sound can be changed if the length of the resonator containment is changed. The length of the resonator can for instance be changed by the application of several valves, allowing the effective insertion of additional 30 lengths of resonating volume by for instance shunting additional lengths of 4 tubes. Another way of changing the length of the resonator is by a tube in tube slide, such as is typically applied with trombones.

In order to have instruments with reasonably low voices, considerable length of resonators is needed. For the instrument to remain 5 practical in dimensions, brass wind instrument have a curled or rolled up shape, allowing the resonators of the instrument to be of a length up to several meters, whereas the instrument itself is of manageable size. Besides the specific frequencies thus being generated, other factors may influence the sound as well. For instance the shape of the containment and the materials of 10 construction of the containment can greatly influence the color of the sound.

In figure 1 a part of an instrument representing the state of the art is depicted. In this figure a cut out section of a tuba T is shown. Although the figures represent a Tuba, any other wind instrument can similarly be equipped with the receiver according to the invention.

15 The cut out section of the tuba T comprises a bell side B of a resonator 7, with a receiver 3 at the mouth piece end 1 of the resonator 7 as above described. In the prior art, the connection between the receiver 3 and the mouth piece end 1 of the resonator 7 is a fixed connection, for example a soldered connection. The receiver 3 is provided with a conical inner wall 9 in 20 which a conical section 10 of the mouth piece 6 can be placed with a snuggle fit. The mouth piece 6 is further equipped with a cup shaped mouth end 11 to which the user can place his lips.

The receiver 3 may be attached to the bell end B of het resonator by means of a bracket 4. This bracket 4 is on a first end 4A soldered to the 25 resonator 7 and the bracket 4 is on the second end 4B soldered to the receiver 3. The bracket 4 provides a connection between the bell end B of the resonator 7 and the more fragile mouth end 1 of the resonator 7. By virtue of this bracket connection, the mouth piece end 1 of the resonator 7 is less likely to bend unintentionally.

5

In figures 2 and 3 schematic perspective views of a first embodiment are shown. In figure 2 the arrangement of the receiver 3 and the mouth piece 6 are put together onto the instrument, whereas in figure 3, a more detailed exploded view of the embodiment shown in figure 2 is depicted. In this 5 embodiment the receiver 3 is no longer fixedly attached to the mouth piece end 1 of the resonator 7. Instead, the receiver 3 can be adjustably connected to the mouth piece end 1 of the resonator 7. In this embodiment, the adjustable connection is obtained by a screw thread 2B, being provided on the inner wall of the receiver 3 as is illustrated in the longitudinal cross section view of figure 10 4. This screw thread 2B can fit snugly on a complementary screw thread 2A

affixed to the resonator 7. This screw thread on the resonator 7 can be made directly into the material of the resonator 7 or can be a piece of threaded tube being soldered onto the resonator 7. To fixate the position of the receiver 3 relative to the mouth piece end 1 of the resonator 7, fixation means may be 15 present. In an embodiment, the fixation means may include a lock screw or a lock bolt (not shown). In an alternative embodiment the fixation means may include a relatively high friction between screw thread 2B of the receiver 3 and the screw thread 2A of the mouth piece end 1 of the resonator 7. In another embodiment a clamp ring 5 may be provided. The clamp ring 5 may include a 20 ring that is not completely closed in itself but that has a slit that is bounded by two ring ends 5A and 5B. The ring ends 5A and 5B may each be connected to a clamp eye 5C, 5D of which one may be provided with internal screw thread. A clamp bolt 5E may be provided that is provided with screw thread 5F that is configured for co-operation with the internal screw thread of the clamp eye 5D. 25 The clamp bolt 5E may include a gripping portion 5G that may be gripped by the hand of a user for fastening and loosening the clamp bolt 5E by hand. The clamp ring 5 may be connected to one end of a bracket 4 that may be connected with its other end to the resonator 7. Such a bracket 4 has the additional function of stabilizing the relative position of the mouth piece end 1 and the 30 bell end B of the resonator 7.

6

Although not depicted in the figures, the mouth piece end 1 of the resonator 7 is in fact connected to the bell end B of the resonator in such a way that one length of tube with one enclosed volume of air 14,15 is formed. Possibly, the resonator is provided with one or more valves in between the 5 mouth piece end 1 and the bell end B, which are able upon operation, to shunt several lengths of additional air containments within the resonator so as to adapt its length and thus to adapt the tone of the sound being generated. As mentioned before the resonator and its additional lengths of air containments can be curled or rolled up in order to provide the instrument with manageable 10 dimensions.

After arranging the receiver 3 in direction D on the mouth piece end 1 of the resonator 7, the receiver can be screwed on to the mouth piece end 1 of the resonator 7 in direction R up to a user preferred position. After the receiver 3 has reached the user preferred position, the user may fix the receiver 3 by 15 means of the clamp ring 5, by fastening the clamp bolt 5E. Thus the receiver 3 is fixed relative to the mouth piece end 1 and simultaneously the mouth piece end 1 of the resonator 7 is fixed relative to the bell end B of the resonator 7.

By changing the position of the receiver 3, the length and the shape of the resonator 7 can be adapted. By adapting these properties of the 20 resonator 7, the tone height, but more importantly the tone colour and the timbre can be adjusted or adapted. For adjusting the tone height, generally, other means are provided on the resonator 7. Thus the user can be given a further dimension in varying the instrumental and sonic performance of the instrument in question.

25 A further advantage of the variable receiver 3 is that, during manufacture, the precision of the placement of the receiver 3 is no longer an issue since the receiver can readily and easily be adjusted.

In figure 5 an alternative embodiment of an adjustable receiver 3 is illustrated. In this embodiment the mouth piece end 1 of the resonator 7 is 30 provided with a double wall end, where the screw thread section 2A is 7 surrounded by an annular wall element 13. In this embodiment again the receiver 3 can be fixed relative to the mouth piece end 1 by means of a clamping connection. To that end, a small slit may be provided in the annular wall portion 13. On both ends of the annular wall portion bounding the slit 5 clamp eyes 5C, 5D may be provided for co-operation with a clamp bolt 5E as described with reference to Figs 2-4. Such an assembly allows that the annular wall portion 13 is compacted to a certain extend. This annular wall element 13 can for instance be attached to the bracket 4, such that even when the receiver 3 is not fixed by the clamp eye 5C, 5D and the co-operating clamp bolt 5E, the 10 mouth piece end 1 of the resonator 7 still remains fixed relative to the bell end B of the resonator 7. The annular wall element 13 provides an annular space 12 around the screw thread end 2a of the mouth piece end 1 of the resonator 7, such that the receiver 3 fits with its resonator end 3A, provided with screw thread 2B on its inner wall snugly around the complementary screw thread 15 portion 2A of the mouth piece end 1 of the resonator 7. Thus a more air tight arrangement between the receiver 3 and the mouth piece end 1 of the resonator 7 may be provided that is simultaneously sturdy and durable.

Figure 6 represents and alternative embodiment wherein the screw thread 2A on the mouth piece end 1 of the resonator 7 is replaced by catches 16 20 and 17, which fit snugly into helical recesses 18 and 19 respectively, provided on the inner side 8 of the receiver 3. Thus the receiver 3 can have a longitudinal motion in direction D that is more responsive to a turning motion in direction R. In this embodiment, the pitch of the helical recesses 18 and 19 can be chosen to provide a more or less responsive longitudinal motion of the 25 receiver 3 in direction D upon rotation.

Although the embodiments of the figures 5 and 6 are depicted separately, they can similarly be combined to benefit from both their advantages. So both the helical recesses 18 and 19 and the complementary catches 16 and 17 can be applied where simultaneously the annular wall 30 portion 13 is applied as well.

8

In figure 7 an alternative embodiment is depicted, wherein the receiver 3 is provided on an outer wall with screw thread 2B. In this situation, the mouth piece end 1 of the resonator 7 is provided on its inner wall with a complementary screw thread 2A. In this arrangement the bracket 4 can be 5 fixedly attached to the clamp 5, which can be integrated within the end of the mouth piece end 1 of the resonator 7.

Throughout this text and the claims, the term adjustably connected as is to be understood but not limited to a connection that can be adjusted during the normal every day use, without the application of any external 10 tooling such as soldering devices, welding devices, wrenches, an/or other tooling that a user of an instrument such a s a brass wind instrument is not likely to carry along.

In any embodiment of the invention as described before numerous adaptations and modifications are possible. For instance the arrangement of 15 the receiver can be provided on the outside with an additional toothed rack, such that for instance a helical screw adjuster can engage in the this toothed rack and fine tune the position of the receiver. Instead of screw thread connection between the receiver and the mouth piece end an adjustable slide connection may be feasible.

20 Although as an example a tuba is depicted with the adjustable receiver, also other wind instrument can be adapted in a similar way with such an adjustable receiver.

These and other adaptations and modifications are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the claims.

25

Claims

A receiver (3) suitable for placement on a resonator (7) of a wind instrument (T) and suitable for receiving a nozzle 5 (6), wherein the receiver (3) comprises a resonator end (3a), and wherein the resonator end (3a) is adapted to be adjustably connected to the resonator (7) of the instrument (T).

The receiver (3) according to claim 1, wherein the resonator end 10 (3a) comprises a screw thread (2b).

The receiver (3) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a nozzle end (3b), wherein the nozzle end (3b) comprises a conical nozzle receiving part (9). 15

The receiver (3) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the screw thread (2b) is formed on an inner wall of the resonator end (3a) of the receiver (3).

The receiver (3) according to any of claims 1-3, wherein the screw thread (2b) is formed on the outer wall of the receiver (3).

The receiver of claim 1, wherein the receiver comprises at least one helical recess (18, 19). 25

A wind instrument resonator (7) adapted to be connected to the receiver (3) according to claim 1, wherein the resonator (7) is adapted to be adjustably connected to the receiver (3).

The resonator (7) according to claim 7, comprising a thread (2a) that is complementary to the thread (2b) of the receiver (3).

The resonator (7) according to claim 7, comprising at least one guide member (16, 17) that fits into the at least one helical recess (18, 19) of the receiver (3).

A wind instrument comprising a resonator according to any one of claims 7-9.

The wind instrument of claim 10, further comprising a receiver according to claim 1.

12. Use of a receiver according to any of claims 1-6 and a resonator according to any of claims 7-9.

The use according to claim 12, wherein the use comprises adjusting the position of the receiver (3) relative to the nozzle end (1) of the resonator (7).

Use according to claim 13, comprising fixing the position of the receiver (3) with respect to the nozzle end.