US1777823A - Means for operating musical mutes - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 7, 1930. H. BERNARD 1,777,323

MEANS FOR QPERATING MUSICAL MUTES Filed Jan. 15, I927 Patented Oct. 7, 1930 I Q I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HARRY BERNARD, F CHAMBERSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA MEANS FOR OPERATING MUSICAL MUTES Application filed January 13, 1927. Serial No. 161,004.

This invention relates to means for ennates a musical mute, which is in the form of ablingamusician or player to operate amute aconical plug, designed to be inserted in of a wind instrument employed in the prothe horn bell of a musical wind instrument duction of musical sounds or tones, from a and have a modifying action upon the sound point distant to the mute itself, so that the waves emitted thereby in normal playing. 65

player can keep the correct time in the pro- This conical mute may be of any standard duction of the musical score being played, construction. with the least effort, uncertainty and short- In the ordinary practice it is necessary est possible movement of his hand or hands that a player grasp this mute with one hand, 16 from the control of the operating parts of the force the same into the horn bell,.and at the instrument itself. same time continue playing in step with the V The invention particularly resides in the music being played by other musical players, provision of a mute for a musical Wind inand by himself. This necessarily involves strument, wherein the mute is supported in a loss of position of one hand at the controls 15 an elevated position at one end thereof, S0 of the instrument, and an interruption of that the player can locate the mute Within operation of the complete movements rethe horn bell while continuing to play, by quired' by such removal'of the hand required simply forcing the horn bell over the mute. to grasp and insert the mute.

With the above and other objects in View To provide for uninterrupted continuity 26 the invention consists in certain new and of playing and increase the efficiency obuseful constructions,combinations and ar- ,tainable from the use of a mute, so that inrangements of parts, clearly described in the sertion and removal may be better timed. following specification and fully illustrated without disturbance of playing, I provide in the accompanying drawings, in which asupport for the mute in the form of a rod 25 Fi 1 is a view in perspective showing the or wire 6. The upper end of this rod or wire preferred form of mute support and control is shaped in the form of a relative large U, therefor. so that an upper horizontal arm 7 is formed Fig. 2 is an end view showing the manner and a lower horizontal arm 8 is also proin which the wire support for the mute is vided, which is extended thence to provide 30 interlocked with the end of the mute. an upright carrier arm 9. The upper arm Fig. 3 is a detail side view of a tapered 7 is formed with a friction producing spring wire end. loop 10, the free terminal leg 10 of which Fig. 4 is a side view of a connecting plate is deflected outwardly to provide an operattherefor. ing handle. i 35 Fig. 5 is an end view thereof. The larger end of the conical mute 5 is Fig. 6 is a side view of another connecting equipped with a metal strap 11, securedplate. thereto by fasteners or otherwise, and this Fig. 7 is an end view thereof. is provided with a central eye through which Fig. 8 is a detail of a strap. the spring loop is forced, thusproviding an 4 Fig. 9-is a side view of another form of easy and simple detachable connection bemusical mute, showing a spring closed valve tween thev supporting rod or wire and the for the axial opening thereof. mute, by means'of which various mutes may Fig. 10 is a side view of a musical wind be employed, by removing one and placing instrument showing the modified musical another in position.

45 mute in muting position within the horn bell The lower end of the rod or support is taof the instrument, and the means carried by peredand is inserted in the elongated eye 12 and detachable from the instrument for opprovided on the clamp 13. This clamp conerating the mute valve from a location dissists of a piece of sheet metal which is folded taut thereof. upon itself to provide companion jaws, and

50 Referring to Figs. 1 to 8 inclusive, 5 desigthese jaws are held in clamped relation to the uprightpost or rod l l of a musical stand by means of the connecting strap15, and a clamping screw or fastener. When the jaws of the clamp 13 are clamped to the post the tapered end of the rod will be frictionally gripped, so that the mute will be supported in the required elevation from the music stand.

It is general practice to locate the music stand an easy ready distance from the player, giving ample room for the necessary movements and den'ionstrative gestures of the instrument being played. By means of my invention the mute is supported in convenient relation to the instrument and by simply forcing the horn bell of the instru ment over the mute it may be located in proper muting position within the horn bell. By a reverseaction the mute may be with- '-drawn, as by moving the instrument away from the mute. This operation is obviously conducted without requiring the player to change the location of either hand upon the controls of the instrument, as the instrument is pushed over the mute by an arm and body movement, and the use of the hands in operating the controls of the instrument is not modifiedin the least. is thus prevented.

In Figs. 9 and 10 I illustrate a modified construction of the means for operating mutes, wherein a mute constructed with a central axial openin is employed. This type of mute 5 is well known. It is the practice of many players to move the hands back and forthover the outer end of the mute, to obtain the rapid changes in tone quality de sired, and with others to manipulate a valve at the end of the mute, which is always a little further from the end of the bell, of course some distance from the Zone of the controls or, keys where the hands of the player must operate, in the production of music in correct time and tone.

In this case distant control is obtained by means of a valve 16, which is connected to the end of the mute 5 by means of a hinge 17. The valve 16 is provided with an arm 16 which projects laterally ot the mute and outwardly of the horn bell itself, so that the end of the operating rod 18 may engage it. This rod is held in working relation to the valve arm 16" by means of a spring closed clip 19, which is of the standard type sold in stationary stores for holding magazines and the like, and consists of a pair of spring closed jaws adapted to grip the small reinforcing flange conventionally provided on the edge of the horn bell. This clip 19 is provided musical wind instrument 21, by means of th e plate 22, which is provided with an eye 22 Distortion of playing v and is shown in detail in Figs. 6 and 7. This plate is also formed with a series of holes 22 which are designed to provide change of adjustment with the screws or fasteners used to hold the plate on the wind tube of theinstrument, and also with the strap 28, which is clamped by the screws to the wind instrument.

The lower end of the rod 18 carries a thumb piece 24 and between this thumb piece and the eye of the plate 22 a coil spring 25 is positioned on the rod.

'By means of the spring pressed rod the player by a simple movement of the thumb in normal playing position, can vibrate the mute valve, by pushing the rod, which will be withdrawn by its own spring, and-by the aid of the spring for operating the mute valve.

The entire device shown in Figs. 9 to 10 may be readily detached from the musical in strument.

' I claim: I

1. The combination with a musical wind instrument having a horn bell, of a. mute insertable in the bell, and means for supporting the mute at one end in an elevated position, whereby the player of the instrument iay bodily push the horn bell over the mute and continue playing without interruption.

2. The combination with a mute for a 11111 sical windinstruinent of a support secured to one end of the mute and connectible in place to hold the mute in extended position whereby the horn bell of a musical instrument may be pushed over the mute without engaging the support thereof.

3. A support for a musical wind instrument mute consisting of a wire having a connecting loop-on its upper end and'a pair of horizontally disposable arms extending from the loop and a vertically disposable arm extending from the arms, a conical mute connectible with the loop, and means for adjustable connecting the wire with a musical instrument stand.

HARRY BERNARD.

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