US2330379A

US2330379A - Musical instrument

Info

Publication number: US2330379A
Application number: US410553A
Authority: US
Inventors: Edward V Powell
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1941-09-12
Filing date: 1941-09-12
Publication date: 1943-09-28
Anticipated expiration: 1960-09-28

Description

Sept. 28, 1943. E. v. POWELL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed sept. 12, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 lere Sept. 28, 1943.

E. V. POWELL MUscAL INSTRUMENT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 12, 1941 QQQQQ DE mi mf mf .PI www m.

.mw mi 6.52 QmkwSQzH @EQ2 tbl QQQQNQ .0.38% m2@ Patented Sept. 28, 1943 UNITED'v STATES PATENT OFFICE MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Edward V. Powell, Scandale, N. Y.

Application September 12, 1941, Serial No. 410,553

(ci. :i4- 384) 11y Claims.

This invention relates to musical instruments and its object is to provide a simple system of keys and covers for a wind instrument, preferably of the recorder type, to facilitate the playing of a, chromatic scale of a range exceeding an octave, and preferably more than two octaves, employing finger manipulations closely similar to the Boehm system.

The recorder is an instrument of ancient origin sounded by blowing air through a mouthpiece against the edge of an aperture, thereby producing a vibrating air column without the necessity for a reed or special lip technique to produce tones. Tone variations are produced by a series of holes, usually 8 in number, which may be iingered to play the diatonic scale in the key in which the instrument is pitched.

Although the ease with which simple pieces can be played on the recorder in the key of the instrument has commended its use by the amateur, a limitation attending its use has been the diiliculty of playing all of the accidentale in a chromatic scale with such ease and accuracy as is required for playing the instrument readily in all keys. Furthermore, proficiency gained by practice on the ordinary recorder is of little educational value in learning to play the standard orchestral Woodwinds, such as comprise the members of the clarinet, saxophone, flute or oboe families.

It is the object of my invention to obviate these difficulties and I have done so by a simple `system of keys and covers of novel construction. It is a feature of my system that, while it is extremely simple and readily mastered Without arduous practice, yet it involves the use of linger movements which are identified with the more complicated Boehm system of fingering, so that proiiciency on my novel recorder is of educational value in learning to play any of the standard orchestral Woodwinds which employ the Boehm system.

In the drawings- Fig. 1 is an elevation View of the instrument as viewed from the front;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section on the line 2-2 of Fig. l;

Fig, 3 is a view of the main portion of the tube of the instrument as though it were develo-ped laterally, showing the tone holes, keys and covers;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section on line 4 4 of Fig.

in its preferred embodiment is formed of a. tube 50, which has a slight downward taper (Fig. 2), terminating at its lower end in a small bell L52 and `at its upper end in a mouthpiece 54. The instrument is sounded by blowing air through an opening 5B in the mouthpiece and against Jche edge 59 of aperture 60. The mouthpiece 54 and aperture`60 are formed as a unitary section 50a of the tube separable from the main section 50h thereof and secured over reduced end 64 of the main section 50h, as indicated in Fig. 2. The instrument may be tuned by working the section 50a outwardly or inwardly of the reduced end .54. The foregoing construction is typical of the conventional recorder and need not be further described, as it is Well understood and forms no part of my invention except as may hereinafter be indicated.

Extending along the front of the instrument is a. series of seven tone holes designated I2, I4, I6, 20, 22, 24 and 28. Assuming for the moment that these were the only tone holes in the instrument, they are of such size and are so spaced from each other lengthwise of the tube that when the holes, commencing with all closed, are successively opened from the hole 23 upwardly the diatonic scale in the key of the instrument will be played. Thus, closing of all holes I2, I4, I6, 20, 22, 24 and 28 in the series would produce the note do, or the note C, if that is the key of the instrument. If hole 28 only were then opened, the note sounded would be re or D in the key of C; `If

holes

28 and 24 only were opened, the note wouldy be mi or E and so on through the diatonic scale. `The notek do or C an octave above the note do or C above described would be sounded by opening all of the holes in the series. This note may, of course, be considered as either the top note of the lowest octave or the lowest note of the next octave above.

The instrument has an octave key, to be described, operating on the hole I0 (Fig. 3) on the back of the instrument and for the lower notes hole I0is completely closed as later discussed.

Disposed on a line substantially midway between the

tone holes

24 and 28 is a tone hole 26 which when opened with hole 28 only in the said series open and hole I0 completely closed produces the sharp of the note sounded when hole 28 only in the series is open, or the note ri (Dit in the scaleof C).

Tone hole 26 is closed by cover |00 iixed to bar |02 secured to pivot shaft; |04 rotatably mounted between opposite bearing posts I06 and |08 carried by plate IIO secured as by screws II2 to the tube 50. Cover |00 is spring pressed to normally closed position by means of a spring not shown butl which may be of the construction hereinafter described for a cover |30. The bar |02 extends beyond the pivot. shaft |04 to terminate in a linger piece I I4 depressed by the little finger of^ the rightA hand to elevate cover |00 against the action of the spring and open tone hole 26 beneath it. In my description of the operation of the instrument, hole 26 is assumed to be closed unless otherwise indicated.

Disposed on a line substantially midway between holes I6` and 26 is a hole I8 of a size and position to sound the note si (G# in the scale of C) when it and

holes

Its opposite end is formed with a slotted head 363.

Cover |66 is normally spring pressed to closed position and in my description is assumed to be closed unless otherwise indicated. To hold it closed I have shown in Fig. 4 a spring 364 having one end 365 xed ink post |33 and its opposite end bearing against lug 366 fixed on shaft |36 in a position to rotate shaft |36 and cover'l36 from right to left as `viewed in Fig. 3. Bar |32 extends on the opposite side of shaft |36" and terminates in a linger piece |46 which is depressed by the little linger of the leftyhand to raise cover |36 against the action of spring 364 and to open tone hole I8. Y

Extending below and in alignment with shaft |36 is a shaft |66 mounted betweenposts |46 and i62 on bearing shaft 36|. Fixed to shaft E66 at its lower end to rotate therewith is a ring key lll which embraces, without covering, the tone hole 22 and is depressed by the third finger of the right hand in covering the hole 22. Secured to shaft |66 above ring key ll is a cover |12 fitting over hole 26. Cover |'|2 is provided with aperture |74 of a size suicientlysmaller than the tone hole 26 such that when the cover |'|2 is closed on tone hole 26 with aperture |l4 open and holes i2, I4, I6 and 22 in the series and hole |6 closed the note sounded is or F# in the key of C.

Ring key H6 and covers |12 and |84 are normally spring pressed to raised positions. This may be effected in any conventional manner, as my invention is not to be limited to any such details of construction, but I have shown in Fig. 4 a spring S66 effective for that purposese cured at one end in the bearing post |62 and pressing at its other end against a lug 362 fixed to shaft |66 with the tension in the spring exerted to rotate shaft |66 from right tov left, as viewed in Fig. 3. A spring 368 having one end aihxed to post |82 pressesy against lug 3|!) depending from shaft |86 to rotate the shaft in the direction from right to left, as viewed in Fig. 3, to hold cover |84 in elevated position.

The cover |84 is connected by linkage to ring the tube 56 by screws 268.

-to rotate with it. When bar 662 is raised, its

On the'under side of the instrument is the supplemental hole I6 above referred to and assumed to be closed in the foregoing description. The hole i6 is preferably of the same size as hole |2 and is located directly opposite it on the under side of the'instrument. Indeed, it affords an alternate fingering for the note do (commencing the next octave above) which may be sounded either with each of holes |2, i4, i6, 26, 22, 24 and 28'open, as above described (hole Hl being closed) or with hole |13 open, hole l2 closed and the remaining enumerated holes open.

Disposed'over the hole lil is a cover 266 prcvided with an aperture 262 to reduce the size of hole li! in such an amo-unt that closing of cover 266 with aperture 2532 open functions as an octave key.` Thus, with cover 266 closed and aperture 262 open the note re, an octave above the note re heretofore discussed, is sounded by closing all of the holes in the series except hole 23, the iingering above described for the note're.

Cover 262 is formed, as by stamping, on the lower end of a strip 264 of spring metal which terminates in a T-shaped head 266 secured to The strip 244 is normally deflected as indicated in Fig. 2 so as to maintain cover 226 in open position and is formed with a protuberance 2H) which the thumb of the left hand may engage to close the cover while leaving its aperture ZEE open. It will be observed that the thumb motion which this novel key construction employs for reducing the size of hole lil and raising the octave is closely similar to the rocking thumb motion employed to operate the octave keys of standard orchestral woodwinds.

With the system of keys and covers'constructed -as labove described the chromatic scalemay read ily be played employing fingering indicated in the chart (Fig. 6). The left hand column shows the holes of the instrument as above described. Across the to-p of the chart are the various half tones of the sol-fa scale and underneath ther:x

- I have shown the corresponding notes in the scale numbers indicating the fingers employed. As will ,be apparent, the initials LT designate the thumb of the left hand and L2, L3, L4, and L5, the sec'- ond, third, fourth and fifth fingersof the left hand. Similarly, R2, R3, R4, and R5 designate the second, third, fourth and fifth fingers of the right hand. The thumb of the right hand is not used 'for key manipulation but is employed to hold the instrument. It is believed that the chart is self-explanatory, particularly when read with the foregoing description, and that the iingering for any of the notes of the chromatic scale including more than two octaves will be readily apparent to the man skilled in the art.

The fingering for lower C# requires apartial closing of hole 28. with the fifth finger of the right hand. For the purposes of the present invention, the chromatic scale may be considered as beginning at the note re, or D.

Although I have shown only a little more than two octaves inthe chart, it is to be understood that the instrument will play higher notes utilizing cross lingering common to the flute, clarinet, conventional recorder and the like, depending upon the dimensions of the bore of the tube 50.

It will be apparent from the chart that the fingering, for which my novel system of keys and covers is adapted, is closely analogous to the Boehm system of iingering used on professional woodwind instruments. The similarity in the operation of the octave key has been discussed above. The fingering for playing notes ri, si and te, as well as the alternate lingering for the upper note do in the lower octave, is also sub stantially like that of the Boehm system, al-

though the keys and covers which I have provided to accommodate that type of fingering yare remarkably simple in construction and operation. The remaining accidental, di or C# in the second octave is fingered in a manner similar to that of Boehm ute fingering for that note. invention is not, however, to bey limited to the use of such lingering, as it can readily be varied to suit individual tastes. As one example of such variation, the iingering for the note te can employ depression of ring key |10 with the third iingerof the right hand rather than depression of key |12 with the secondnger of the right hand-or both fingers may be depressed if desired. v

My invention is not limited to any of the details above described except 'as required by the appended claims, and where I have disclosed a spring pressed or kmanually operable key or cover of specific form, it is, of course, within the spirit of my invention to substitute another kfrom if desired. If desired, the instrument could be constructed for mechanically playing the lower note C# by the provision of an apertured cover for partially closing the tone hole 28.

I claim: n

l. A tubular wind instrument having a series 'of seven tone holes so sized and spaced from each other lengthwise of the tube of the instrument as to sound a diatonic scale in a predetermined octave comprising the note do sounded when all the holes in said series are closed and re, mi, fa, 501,712., ti and do sounded in progression by opening the lowest one to seven holes in said series respectively, two additional tone holes, one of such size and'so positioned as to sound the note ri when it and the lowest hole only in said series are opened, and the other of such size and so positioned as t0 sound the note si when it and the lowest four holes only in said series are opened, a spring pressed, manually openable cover for each. of said additional tone holesadapted to maintain the same normally closed, a cover for the Iourthlowest hole in said series having an aperture of a size to sound the note fi when, with said aperture open, said cover, all of the holes in said series above said fourth lowest hole and one of the lowest three holes in said series are closed, mechanism for automatically closing the cover for said fourth lowest holel leaving its said aperture open, when said one rof said lowest three holes is manually closed comprising a member depressed by the linger in closing said one of said lowest three holes and linkage con.- necting said member and said cover for said fourth lowest hole to close it when said member is depressed, a cover for the sixth lowest hole in said series having an aperture of a size to sound the note te when, with said aperture open, said cover, the uppermost hole in said series and a hole in said series below said sixth lowest hole are closed, mechanism for automatically closing the cover for said sixth lowest hole, leaving its said aperture open, when said hole in said series below said sixth lowest hole is manually closed comprising a member depressed by the finger in closing said hole in said series below said sixth lowest holeand linkage connecting said member and said cover for said sixth lowest hole for closing said cover when said member is depressed.

2. A tubular wind instrument having a series of seven tone holes so sized and spaced from each other lengthwise of the tube of the instrument as to sound a diatonic scale in a predetermined octave comprising the note do sounded when all the holes in said series are closed and re, mi, fa, sol, la, ti and do sounded in progression by opening the lowest one to seven holes in said series respectively, and a supplemental tone hole disposed on theopposite side of the tube from the holes constituting said series and of a size and position to sound the upper `note do of said diatonic scale in said predetermined octave when said supplemental hole is open and the uppermost hole only in said series is closed and to sound the note di in the octave above said predetermined octave when said supplemental hole and all of the holes in said series are open.

3. A tubular wind instrument having a series of seven tone holes so sized and spaced from each other lengthwise of the tube of the instrument as to sound a diatonic scale in a predetermined octave comprising the note do sounded when all the holes in said series are closed and re, mi, fa, sol, la, ti and do sounded in progression by opening the lowest one 'to seven holes in said series respectively, a supplemental tone hole disposed on the opposite side of the tube from the holes constituting said series and of a size and position to sound the upper note do of said diatonic scale in said predetermined octave when said supplemental hole is open and the uppermost hole only in said series is closed and to sound the note di in the octave above said predetermined octave when said supplemental hole and all of the holes in said series are open, and a. cover for said supplemental hole having an aperture of a size such that when employing the fingering for the notes re, ri, mi, fa, fi, sol, si, laandvte in said predetermined octave, those notes are raised an octave above said predetermined octave by closing said cover leaving said aperture open during such fingering.

4. A tubular wind instrument having a series of seven tone holes so sized and spaced from each other lengthwise of the tube of the instrument as to sound a diatonic scale in a predetermined octave comprising-the note do sounded when all the holes in said series are closed and re, mi, fa, sol, la, ti and do sounded in progression by opening the lowest one to seven holes in said series respectively, apertures for sounding theintervening chromatics ri, fi, si and te, a supplemental tone hole disposed on the opposite side of the tube from the holes constituting saidseries and of a size and position to sound the upper note do of said diatonic'scale in saidv predetermined octave when said supplemental hole is open and the uppermost note only in said series is closed and to sound the note di in the octave above said predetermined octave when said supplemental hole and all of the holes in said series are open, and a cover for said supplemental hole having an aperture of a size such that when employing the iingering for the notesre, ri, mi, fa, fi, sol, si, la and te in said predetermined octave, those notes are raised an octave above said predetermined octave by closing said cover leaving said aperture open during such fingering, the said cover beingcarried at one end of a strip of metal secured to the tube above said supplemental hole and being normally retracted to open position, said strip having a portion engageable by the thumbof the left hand to close the cover when the thumb is rocked upwardly on said protuberance.

5. A tubular wind instrument having a series of at least seven tone holes so sized and spaced from each other lengthwise of the instrument as to sound a diatonic scale comprising the notes do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, ti and do when the holes are fingered, a cover for the fourth lowest hole in said series having an aperture of a size to sound the note fi when,rwith said aperture open, said cover and all of the holes in said series above said fourth lowest hole are closed, and mechaof at least seven tone holes so sized and spaced from each other lengthwise of the instrument as to sound a diatonic scale comprising the notes do, re, mi, a, sol, la, ti and do when theholes are nngered, a cover for the fourth lowest hole in said series having an aperture of a size to sound the note fi when, with said aperture yopen,

said cover, all of the holes in said series above said fourth lowest hole and one of the lowest three holes in said series are closed, and mechanism for automatically closing said cover leaving its said aperture open when said one of said lowest three holes is manually closed, comprising a `member depressed by the iinger in closing said one of said lowest three holes and linkage connecting said member and said cover for said fourth lowest hole to close said cover when said member is depressed.

7. A tubular wind instrument having a series of at least seven tone holes so sized and spaced from each other lengthwise of the instrument as to sound a diatonic scale comprising the notes do, re, mi, ra, sol, la, ti and do when the holes are fingered, a cover for the sixth lowest hole in said series having an aperture of a size to sound the note te when, with said aperture open, said cover, the uppermost hole in said series and a hole in said series below said sixth lowest hole are closed, and mechanism for automaticalliT closing the cover for said sixth lowest hole, leaving its Vsaid aperture open, ,when said hole in said series below said sixth lowest hole is manually.closedcomprising a member depressed by the ringer in Yclosing'said hole in said series below said sixth lowest hole and linkage connecting said member'and saidV cover for closing said cover when said member is depressed.

8. A tubular windinstrument having a series of tone holeswhich are opened to play different notes, a cover for one `of said tone holes, means holding said cover normally open, manually operated means Yfor closing said cover, and `an-aperture in said cover or a size such that the closing of said cover .tdth said aperture open Sharps the note sounded by completely closing the tone hole under said cover.

9. A tubular wind Vinstrument having a series of at least seven tone holes so sized and spaced from each other lengthwise of the instrument as to sound a diatonic scale comprising the notes do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, ti and do including a predetermined note sounded when one of said tone holes in said series and all those above it in the series are closed, a cover for said tone hole having an aperture of a size to sound a note a fraction of a tone higher than said predetermined note when, with said aperture open, said cover and all of the holes insaid series above said hole are closed, and operating mechanism for closing said cover comprising means connected to said cover and extending to the vicinity of a tone hole lower in said series.

l0. A tubular wind instrument having a series of at least seven tone holes so sized and spaced from each other lengthwise of the instrument as to sound a diatonic scale comprising the notes do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, t and do when the holes are nngered, a cover for the sixth lowest hole in said series having an aperture of a size to sound the note te when, with said aperture open, said cover and the uppermost hole in said series are closed, and mechanism for automatically closing the cover for said sixth lowest hole, leaving its said aperture open, comprising a member depressed by the finger and linkage connecting said member and said cover for closing said cover when said member is depressed.

ll. A tubular wind instrument having a series of tone holes which are opened to play diiierent notes, a cover for one of said tone holes, means holding said cover normally open, manually operated means for closing said cover automatically when another tone hole below said first tone hole is closed, said means comprising a member depressed by the ringer in closing said other hole and linkage connecting said member andy said cover for closing said cover when said member is depressed, and an aperture in said cover of a size such that theclosing of .said cover with said aperture open and -the closing of said other hole sharps the note sounded by completely closing the tone hole under said cover.

EDWARD V. POWELL.