US2248352A - Mute for trumpets or like instruments - Google Patents

Description

July 8, 1941. G. B. HUMES v MUTE FOR TRUMPETS OR LIKE INSTRUMENTS Filed Dec .v 14, 1939 Patented July 8, 1941 UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE MUTE FOR TRUMPETS OR LEKE INSTRUMENTS 9 Claims.

This invention relates to mutes for wind instruments, such as trumpets, cornets and trombones, and one object of the invention is to provide a construction designed to produce a relatively mellow and pleasing muted tone. Another object is to provide an improved construction for producing certain special effects, and a further object is to secure the desired contour of the mute by a special construction adapted for convenient and economical manufacture. Other objects will appear as the description proceeds. The invention consists in the various features and elements of construction in combination, as herein shown and described and as indicated by the claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a mute embodying this invention, with a bell of a trumpet shown in dotted outline in its operative relation to the mute.

Fig. 2 is an axial section showing internal details of construction.

Fig. 3 is a transaxial section taken as indi cated at line 3-3 on Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a transaxial section taken as indicated at line 44 on Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a perspective View partly in section, showing the adjustable supporting plug for the mute.

Fig. 6 is a rear elevation showing a modified construction.

Fig. 7 is a rear elevation showing another modification.

The mute which is the subject of this invention is shown as a composite device, capable of various uses, but it may be understood that some of the features may be employed separately and not necessarily in the complete combination shown. As illustrated, the body portion I is of tapering or conical form, and is preferably composed of the fiber board or similarly flexible sheet material, bent into shape and glued at the necessary joints. At the small end of the cone, which is open, I provide a metallic reinforcing ring 2, and at the larger end the body I deviates from a strictly conical form in that the terminal portion 3 is of slightly enlarged diameter, and is connected with the remainder of the body by a shoulder 4, as seen in Fig. 2. This form may be secured by dipping the larger end of the conical body I in liquid and allowing it to swell, then inserting a metallic reinforcing ring 5, and permitting the material of the cone to shrink as it dries, with the result that the terminal portion fits tightly around the ring 5, while the adjacent connecting portion forms the sloping shoulder 4, joining the enlargement 3 with the conical body. A convex header or end wallfi is inserted in the enlarged portion 3 and seated against the edge of the ring 5 which forms a stop shoulder for this purpose.

Within the hollow conical body I, I provide a plurality of release tubes, preferably of metal and wrapped with rubber or fabric tape or other vibration-absorbing material 8. As shown, there are three of these tubes, I l and 'I arranged in a cluster near the smaller end of the conical body I and diverging toward the end wall 6 through which they extend. Preferably, the three tubes l 1 and I are of different lengths; apparently, in this way, they serve to release a wider range of vibrations. At the smaller end of the body I, they do not occupy the full diameter of the space, but they are rigidly positioned by the engagement of their opposite ends in the wall 6. These end portions may be slightly swelled or swaged to anchor them firmly, the wrappings 8 forming shoulders abutting the inner face of the wall to cooperate in providing a rigid housing for the tubes.

The mute is designed to be held frictionally in the tapering portion of the instrument adjacent the bell substantially as indicated by the dotted outline of the instrument at A in Fig. 1. It is required that the conical body I be spaced away from the tapering portion A of the instrument to provide a limited outlet for sound around the mute, and the body is therefore supported in position by radially extending blocks of cork or like material, secured to the outer surface of the conical part I and contacting the inner surface of the tapered part A If desired, these radially extending blocks 9 may be made integral with annular portions it, which thus connect them in spaced relation so that the spaces between the blocks 9 afford a limited outlet for the sound waves produced in the instrument. For a purpose about to be described I may provide two rings Ill with projecting blocks 9, spaced apart longitudinally on the conical body I with a third ring H disposed between them, and similarly formed with projecting blocks I2, which extend for contact with the tapering tube A of the instrument. The rings I!) and blocks 9 are rigidly secured as by gluing or cementing them to the surface of the mute body I, but the ring II is left free for rotative adjustment between the two rings In so that the passageways for air may be varied, or even closed completely by shifting the block portions I2 into registration or partial registration with the spaces between the blocks 9, as seen in Fig. 5.

For improving and mellowing the muted tone of the instrument I prefer to mount on the enlarged end portion 3 of the conical body a reversely disposed bell or cup I3, which opens toward the bell of the instrument A, as seen in Fig. l. The bell I3 is formed with a shoulder I4, intermediate its ends, and a ring I seated against the shoulder I4 partially closes the annular space between the bell I3 and the body I of the mute. This forms a resonance chamber I5, which noticeably affects the quality of the tone produced by the instrument when a mute of this type is employed. As will be noted from Fig. 1, the eX- treme mouth I! of the bell I3 is of smaller diameter than the adjacent portion of the bell of the instrument so as to leave an annular space, indicated at I8, for the escape of the sound as modified by the mute. In order to secure the full effect of the resonance chamber I6, the ad-- justable blocks I2 will be shifted to provide the maximum passage by way of the spaces between the blocks 9.

Figs. 2 and 3 show the ring or annular partition I5 mounted in contact with the bell I3, leaving an annular clearance space at I9 between the ring and the body I. However, if desired, the ring I5 may be proportioned to fit snugly onto the conical body I, as shown in Fig. 6, leaving a clearance gap between the outer edge of the ring I5 and the inner surface of the bell I3. And, as a further modification, Fig. 7 shows a ring 2!, which is fitted snugly between the body I and the bell I3, so as to contact with both of said parts, and the clearance space for transmission of the vibration is then afforded by a series of apertures 22 in the ring 2|, spaced at intervals around it.

To secure an entirely diiferent effect from that produced by the bell I3, the passages around the mute body I may be closed entirely by shifting the ring II to register its blocks I2 with the spaces between the blocks 9. Then the only available passageways for the vibrating air column are afforded by the opening 2, in the end of the body I and the release tubes 1. These tubes, being of relatively small diameter, tend to break up and weaken the force of the tone, but permit the escape of a limited amount of sound of modified quality. To produce a socalled wow efiect, the performer momentarily shuts off the release tubes I entirely, as by placing his hand over the end of the mute, and to facilitate the production of this effect I prefer to secure to the end of the mute an extension ring 23, having an inturned flange 24 which leaves a large central opening 25 in a plane spaced away slightly from the open ends of the tubes I in the wall 5. The performer may easily close the opening 25 with the flat of his hand placed against the flange 24; then, by suddenly removing his hand and replacing it at frequent intervals, he will easily and simply produce the desired wow effect.

When a plurality of release tubes is employed, as in the present structure, the provision of the flanged cap 23 enables the performer to control the open ends of the tubes more easily than if he attempted to cover them all simultaneously with his hand for the purpose of this effect; therefore, the flange 23 is shown permanently attached to the body I of the mute. But the bell l3 may be frictionally secured by engagement of its smaller end portion 25 on the enlargement 3 at the end of the body I, the ring or collar 23 serving as a stop against which the bell is lodged but from which it may be separated for removal over the small end of the mute body I, if desired.

I claim:

1. A mute comprising a hollow body of tapered form open at the smaller end and having a transverse wall at its larger end and a plurality of release tubes of relatively small bore open at both ends, grouped together within the body near the smaller end thereof and extending divergently toward the larger end of the hollow body and through said wall, a collar mounted on the larger end of the mute and having an inturned flange spaced from the open ends of the release tubes and providing a large central opening opposite the said transverse wall of the mute.

2. A mute comprising a hollow body of tapered form adapted for insertion in the bell of a wind instrument, said mute having a reversely directed bell secured to its larger end and opening toward the smaller end of the mute with a transverse annular partition disposed intermediate the ends of the bell and partially closing the space between the hollow body and the bell but providing limited clearance for access of air to the chamber formed by the conical wall of the mute in combination with said bell and partition 3. A mute comprising a hollow body of tapered form adapted for insertion in the bell of a wind instrument, said mute having a reversely directed bell secured to its larger end and opening toward the smaller end of the mute, said bell supporting an annular transverse partition extending toward but not into contact with the corn ical surface of the mute, providing clearance space between the edge of the partition and said conical body and forming a resonance chamber around the mute and within the bell.

4. A mute comprising a hollow body of tapered form adapted for insertion in the bell of a wind instrument, said mute having a reversely directed bell secured to its larger end and opening toward the smaller end of the mute, and an annular partition attached to the conical body at a point intermediate the ends of the bell extending toward but not into contact with the bell, thus affording a clearance space between its edge and the wall of the bell leading to the chamber which is enclosed by the partition, the cone and the bell.

5. A mute comprising a hollow body of tapered form with a bell secured to the larger end of said body and flaring therefrom toward the smaller end, a transverse partition partially closing the space between the bell and said body portion of the mute, and spacing blocks for supporting the smaller end in a trumpet or like instrument, said blocks extending radially from the tapered body of the mute and being spaced apart circumferentially forming passages between the mute and the instrument wall, said blocks bein adjustable in circumferential extent to vary the capacity of said passages.

6. A mute comprising a hollow body of tapered form with a bell secured to the larger end of said body and flaring therefrom toward the smaller end, a transverse partition partially closing the space between the bell and said body portion of the mute, a series of spacing blocks fixed to the body of the mute and extending radially therefrom for contact with the wall of a trumpet or like instrument, said blocks being spaced apart circumferentially afiording passages for sound, and a second series of spacing blocks arranged as a unit for rotation upon the body of the mute adjacent the first series and thus adjustable for overlapping the spaces between the first series of blocks to vary the capacity of said passages.

7. A mute comprising a hollow body of tapered form open at the smaller end and having a transverse wall at its larger end, a plurality of release tubes of relatively small bore open at both ends and extending from within the hollow body through the transverse wall at the larger end, a collar extending from the larger end and supporting a transverse flange in spaced relation to said end wall, a bell secured to the larger end of said hollow body and flaring toward the smaller end, together with a transverse partition partially enclosing a space between the bell and the wall of the tapered body, and supporting blocks on the body arranged to center the mute within the wall of a trumpet or like instrument, said blocks being spaced circumferentially from each other to form passages for sound and being adjustable in circumferential extent to close the passages thus formed between the instrument wall and the mute.

8. A mute comprising a hollow body of tapered form open at the smaller end and having a transverse wall at its larger end, and a plurality of release tubes of relatively small bore and each of a different length open at both ends and extending from within the hollow body through the transverse wall at the larger end.

9. A mute comprising a hollow body of tapered form open at the smaller end and having a transverse wall at its larger end, and a plurality of release tubes of relatively small bore open at both ends extending from said transverse wall and terminating within the body at different distances respectively from the smaller end.

GUY B. HUMES.

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