US242487A - Mouth-piece for brass musical instruments - Google Patents

Description

(ModeL) P. THOMSEN. Mouth Piece for Brass Musical Instruments.

No. 242,487. Patented June 7,1881.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PETER THOMSEN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

MOUTH-PIECE FOR BRASS MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 242,487, dated June '7, 1881.

Application filed March 28, 1881.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PETER. TI-IOMSEN, of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Mouth-Pieces for Brass Instruments, ot'which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of open reedless mouth-pieces which are used in connection with cornets and other brass musical instruments which are without reeds, whereby they are rendered adjustable to suit the different instruments and the requirements of differ ent performers.

It is well known to the manufacturers of and performers upon brass instruments that great difficulty is experienced in securing mouthpieces which shall be suitable both to the peculiar instruments upon which they are used, and to the size, shape, and other peculiarities of the lips of the player by whom the instrument may be used. By means of my improvement I am able to produce a mouth-piece which may be applied to various instruments, which may be adjusted to the requirements of each instrument, and also to the requirements of different performers thereon.

The essential feature of my invention coir sist-s, as already stated, in so constructing the mouth-piece that the size of its interior space or air-chamber may be increased or diminished.

This may be accomplished in many different ways or by manydifferentforms of construction, which will readily suggest themselves to the skilled mechanic without departing from the limits of my invention.

- It is preferred to construct the mouth-piece of a telescopic character, the outer and end portion, against which the lips are placed, being screwed over and around the body or main portion, in the manner represented in the accompanying drawings. It is also preferred to provide the device, as shown in the drawings, with an index or scale, by which to determine the adjustment; but this is not a necessary feature of the device.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a side elevation of my mouth-piece in its most approved form. 2 represents a longitudinal central section of Fig.

(Model) the same. Fig. 3 represents an end view of the same.

A represents the body or main portion of the mouth-piece, constructed, as usual, with a tn bular stem, a, and an enlarged or bell-shaped end, I), the interior of which is commonly denominated an air-chamber.

B represents the adjustable portion of the mouth-piece, made in an annularor ringshaped form, and screwed upon and around the enlarged portion of the body A. This annular portion B extends forward beyond the body, and is adapted to receive the lips of the player, its interior surface forming a continuation of the air-ehamberin the end I). By turning the portion B around the body A it may be adjusted forward and backward thereon, and in this manner the air-chamber in the end I) may be increased and diminished in capacity, as required.

In order to prevent the portion B from becoming detached, it is provided with shoulders c and d, to engage againstthe threaded portion of the body A, as shown, these shoulders serving to limit the movement of the part B.

To assist and guide the operator in adjusting the mouth-piece, the body A is provided with a series of surrounding marks or lines, c, at the rear end of the part B. The adjustable portionB is provided with a mark or index,f, and the body'A provided with a series of corresponding marks or characters, 9. The lines and characters upon the body, in connection with the character or index upon the portion B, serve as an efficient means of determining and regulating the position of the latter.

If preferred, the screw-thread may be omitted and the portion B retained in place upon the body A by means of friction; or one part may be arranged to slide upon the other and be adjusted thereon by means of a th umb-serew or other device.

A single mouth-piece, constructed as above described, may be suceessfull y applied to a great variety of instruments, and adjusted in such manner as to give a perfect action in each case, and in this manner a musician accustomed to the use of a certain mouthpiece will be enabled to apply the same to various instruments which he may be called upon to use. The adjustability of the mouthpiece also permits any in-- struinent upon which it may be used to be accurately and readily adjusted to suit the peculiarities of any player.

It will, of course, be understood that my mouth-piece may be varied in form and shape, as desired, and that it is applicable to any and all classes or varieties in which moutlrpieces of the class described are employed.

I am aware that in instruments having reeds or equivalent sound producing and controlling devices secured to or within the mouth-piece an outside air-chamber has been screwed permanently or rigidly in place around the exterior, the chamber being designed to remain unchanged in capacity, and being so applied that it in no manner controls the character of the sounds produced; and this I do not claim, my invention relating only to monthpieces the interiorcapacity of which maybe changed, and in which the sounds are produced by the lips of the operator.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. An open mouth-piece for brass musical instruments, the interior air-chamber of which is adjustable in size or capacity, substantially as described and shown.

2. An open bell-shaped mouth-piece for musical instruments, the same consisting of a tubular body with an enlarged open end, and an adjustable portion applied to and forming a continuation of said enlarged end, substantially as described and shown.

3. An open telescopic mouth-piece for cornets and similar musical instruments, constructed substantially as described and shown.

4-. An open-end mouth-piece consisting of the body with the open end and air-passage and the adjustable ring screwed thereon.

5. In combination with the body A, the adjustable portion B, applied thereto and provided with shoulders, substantially as described, to prevent its escape therefrom.

(3. In a mouthpiece, the adjustable portion B and the body A, provided with graduations or indications as a means of determining the position of the adjustable portion.

PETER THOMSEN.

Witnesses:

t. P. GARSED, W M. RtoKEY.

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