US1401159A

US1401159A - Mouthpiece for reed instruments

Info

Publication number: US1401159A
Application number: US473819A
Authority: US
Inventors: Lewerenz William
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1921-05-31
Filing date: 1921-05-31
Publication date: 1921-12-27
Anticipated expiration: 1938-12-27

Description

W. LEWERENZ.

MOUIHPIECE FOR REED INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 3!. I921- 1,401,159, Patented Dec. 27, 1921.

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UNITED STATES PATENT creme.

WILLIAM LEWERENZ, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

MOUTHPIECE FOR REED INSTRUMENTS.

Application filed May 31,

T cZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, \VILLIAM LEWERENZ, a citizen of the United States, and resident of the city of St. Louis and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mouthpieces for Reed Instruments, of which the following is a specification containing a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention relates to improvements in mouth pieces for reed instruments and has for its primary object a mouth piece for a reed instrument which is provided with a metallic facing so that the lay for the reed will not change.

A further object is to construct a mouth piece for reed instruments of the clarinet or saxophone type, employing a facing of metal which will prevent the breaking down of the bridge or throat of the mouth piece and consequently change the lay.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a top plan View of a mouth piece with my improvement in position.

Fig. 2 a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 a bottom plan view of the facing.

Fig. 5 a bottom plan view of the mouth piece.

In the construction of my device I employ a mouth piece 6 which is of ordinary construction and preferably made of hard rubber or some similar substance which is not affected to any great extent by atmospheric concitions. This mouth piece is provided with a bore 7 which gradually opens into the chamber 8. The chamber8 receiving the vibrations from the reed which is secured to the mouth piece by means of the ligature in the ordinary manner. The mouth piece is provided on its upper face with the flattened surface 9 and with the opening 10 which communicates with the chamber 8. The opening 10 terminates near he central portion of the mouth piece and what is termed the bridge or throat 11 and with the for ward part in the lip 12. Formed in the fiattened por tion of the mouth piece is a dove tailed groove 13. This groove is made wider at the lip 12 than at the heel 14 and in this dove tailed groove is a facin 15. This facing is also tapered to fit the groove as indi- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 2'7, 1921.

1921. Serial 310. 473,819.

cated in Figs. 1, 3 and 4:, and has its two longitudinal edges as well as the heel, tapered so as to fit snugly within the dove tail. The facing is provider with an opening 16 which corresponds in size and shape with the opening 10. After the facing has been.inserted, a pin 17 is inserted into tne opening 18 formed in the facing and the opening 19 formed in the mouth piece 6. This prevents the facing from slipping fo ward while the same is being prepared, or other words, while the lay is being ground thereon and also when the instrument is in use. The forward edge 12 of the facing 15 is provided with downward projecting lip 20. This lip has its inner edge inclined at 21. This is for the purpose of preventing the splitting or cracking off of the lower edge of the mouth piece which I have found to be the case where this lip is not provided, inasmuch as the inclined face 22 of the mouth piece tapers up to a very sharp edge when the lip is not in use and the slightest cracking or splitting off of the material will cause an air leak underneath the facing and consequently defect the tone and plan of the instrument. I have also found in the ordinary mouth piece, that is, a mouth piece constructed of hard rubber or similar material, the constant tightening of the ligature which will cause a sagging or breaking down of the bridge or throat 11. This occurs gradually, but in time ruins the mouth piece as it causes a variation in the lay for the reed and this variation in the lay seriously affects the tone quality or intonation and the performer usually blames the trouble on the reed or on his lip, whereas, the whole cause is in the mouth piece.

By the use of my facing this breaking down of the bridge is entirely eliminated as is also the change in the lay due to the warping of the mouth piece, or even due to the vibration of the reed on the lay since the facing is suiiiciently harc. to withstand this vibration without any perceptible wear, whereas in hard rubber the wear takes place to a perceptible degree Within a relatively short time as far as mouth pieces for reed instruments, are concerned.

In the construction of my device I may either mold the facing in while the mouth piece is being formed or cut the dove tailed groove after the formation of the mouth piece. The latter way of assembling the mouth piece and facing is preferable, as agreater degree of accuracy can be obtained in this manner. However, for cheapness, the former is preferable.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A mouth piece for reed instruments comprising a mouth piece, a bore formed in said mouth piece formed of hard rubber, a chamber opening into said bore, an opening formed in the mouth piece and communicating with said chamber, and a metallic facing embedded in said mouth piece, said metallic facing having an opening communicating with the chamber, a lip formed integral with said metallic facing, said lip adapted to prevent the splitting of the mouth piece at its forward end, and means for securing said metallic facing to the mouth piece. 7

2. A mouth piece for reed instruments comprising a mouth piece formed of hard rubber, said mouth piece provided with a bore, a chamber formed in said mouth piece and communicating with said bore, an openingformed in the upper face of said mouth piece and communicating with the chamber, a metallic facing having dove tailed edges seated in the upper face of said mouth piece, said metallic facing having an opening registering with the opening formed in said mouth piece, a downwardly projecting lip formed integral with said facing and a pin for securing said facing within said mouth piece.

8. A mouth piece for reed instruments comprising a body portion formed of hard rubber, said body portion having a tapered dove tailed groove formed in its upper face, a bore formed in said mouth piece, a chamber formed in said mouth piece and communicating with said bore, an opening formed in said mouth piece and communieating with said chamber, a metallic facing adapted to be inserted in said dove tailed groove, an opening formed in said facing and adapted to register with said chamber, and a downwardly projecting lip formed in tegral withsaid facing. a

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

WILLIAM LEWERENZ.