US3623391A - Tone hole covering assembly for use in wood-wind musical instruments and a method of assembling the same - Google Patents

Abstract

A TONE HOLE COVERING ASSEMBLY COMPRISES A PAD CUP HAVING A SUPPORTING ROD PROJECTING FROM THE INNER BOTTOM SURFACE THEREOF, A PAD SECURED AROUND A CAPSULE WITH ONE END OPEN, THE SUPPORTING ROD BEING INSERTED IN THE CAPSULE, AND HOT MELT ADHESIVE AGENT CONTAINED IN THE CAPSULE AND CONNECTING THE CAPSULE WITH THE SUPPORTING ROD. THE ADHESIVE AGENT IS INTRODUCED INTO THE CAPSULE IN A POWDERY FORM, FOR EXAMPLE, AND IS HEATED WHILE THE PAD IS KEPT IN AN ENGAGED RELATIONSHIP WITH A TONE HOLE SOCKET FORMED ON A MUSICAL INSTRUMENT, AND IS THEN COOLED TO A NORMAL TEMPERATURE, WHEREBY THE PAD IS SECURED TO THE CUP IN A DESIRED AIRTIGHTNESS WITH RESPECT TO THE TONE HOLE SOCKET.

Description

NOV. 30, 1971 AKlRA NAGAO 3,623,391

TONE HOLE COVERING ASSEMBLY FOR USE IN WOOD-WIND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS AND A METHOD OF ASSEMBLING THE SAME Filed June 18, 1970 United States Patent 3,623,391 TONE HOLE COVERING ASSEMBLY FOR USE IN WOOD-WIND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS AND A METHOD OF ASSEMBLING THE SAME Akira Nagao, Hamamatsu, Japan, assignor to Nippon Gakki Seizo Kabushiki Kaisha, Hamamatsu-shi, Shizuoka-ken, Japan Filed June 18, 1970, Ser. No. 47,336 Claims priority, application Japan, June 20, 1969, 44/413,549 Int. Cl. G10d 7/00 US. Cl. 84-380 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A tone hole covering assembly comprises a pad cup having a supporting rod projecting from the inner bottom surface thereof, a pad secured around a capsule with one end open, the supporting rod being inserted in the capsule, and a hot melt adhesive agent contained in the capsule and connecting the capsule with the supporting rod. The adhesive agent is introduced into the capsule in a powdery form, for example, and is heated while the pad is kept in an engaged relationship with a tone hole socket formed on a musical instrument, and is then cooled to a normal temperature, whereby the pad is secured to the cup in a desired airtightness with respect to the tone hole socket.

This invention relates to a tone hole covering assembly for use in a wood-wind musical instrument such as a flute and a method of assembling the same, and more particularly the method by which the pan can be engaged with a tone hole socket formed in the instrument with sufficient airtightness.

Usually, a tone hole covering assembly for a woodwind musical instrument, such as a flute, engages a tone hole socket formed in the instrument in an open and closed relationship, by rotatably operating a key cup connected to a hinge by means of an arm extending from the cup, which hinge is pivoted to the body of the instrument. It is known that the airtightness of the pad with respect to the tone hole socket which is obtained when the pad engages the tone hole socket greatly influences the stability of the musical tone, especially at the bass tone region. Frequently, the pad does not engage the tone hole socket in a desired condition due to a lack of precision in positioning the cup, the hinge and the socket and in the production of accessory parts. This calls for troublesome and inaccurate adjustments of removing the cup together with the hinge and placing a suitable number of spacer sheets between the bottom surface of the cup and the pad to control the inclination of the contact surface of the pad. Such adjusting operation requires high skill and is time-consuming, thus lowering the productivity.

The object of the invention is to eliminate the drawbacks described above and to provide a tone hole covering assembly and a method of assembling the same ensuring a positive and predetermined airtightness without the need of any later adjusting operation. The object is attained by providing a supporting rod on the inner bottom surface of a cup, securing a capsule with one end open to a pad, introducing a hot melt adhesive agent into the capsule, inserting the supporting rod into the capsule, heating the agent such that it is in a fluidized state while pressing the pad onto the edge of a tone hole socket, and cooling the agent to a normal temperature, permitting the agent to be solidified.

This invention can be more fully understood from the following detailed description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

3,623,391 Patented Nov. 30, 1971 FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a tone hole covering assembly embodying this invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of a cup;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view of a pad; and

FIG. 4 is a vertical cross section of the tone hole covering assembly in its assembled state.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, there is shown a tone hole covering assembly for a woodwind musical insrtument such as a flute, the assembly comprising a pad cup 11 and a pad 13 housed therein. The cup 11 made of a suitable metal is provided with a supporting rod 12 which extends downwardly from the central portion of the inner bottom surface thereof. The supporting rod 12 is preferably provided with an externally threaded portion, which firmly secures the engagement of the rod 12 and an adhesive agent. The pad 13 is made of a soft flexible material, such as felt, and shaped into a doughnut to define a central opening which receives a metal capsule 16 having an open end. The capsule 16 may be formed of a hollow cylinder 17 and a cover 18 for sealing one end of the cylinder 17. When the cover 18 is secured to the cylinder 17, a washer 19 is placed in such a manner that it is held between one surface of the pad 13 and the edge of the cover 18. To the opposite surface of the pad is deposited a sheet backing 14. A unit comprising the pad 13 and the sheet backing 14 is entirely coated with a fish skin 15 except for the central opening into which the capsule is inserted. In the central opening of said unit is introduced a hot melt adhesive agent 20 in a powdery or particulate form. The pad 13 is then placed in the cup 11 by inserting the supporting rod 12 into said capsule 16. The tone hole covering assembly thus arranged is set to the body 21 of a musical instrument through a hinge 11b secured to an arm 11a extending from the cup 11, and the hinge 11b is rotatably supported on the body 21 of the instrument. The pad 13 is then allowed to cover or seal a tone hole socket 22 formed on the body 21 of the instrument by applying pressure onto the cup 11 and by permitting the outer surface of the pad 13 to be in contact with the edge 22a of the tone hole socket 22. While the pad 13 is kept in engaged relationship with the socket, the adhesive agent 20 is heated by a heating iron 23 or the like through the wall of the cup 11, as shown in FIG. 4 with the result that the adhesive agent 20 is fluidized or molten within the capsule 16 so as to permit the pad to move freely and adjustably, whereby the pad 13 can be hermetically adapted to the tone hole socket 22.

The heating iron 23 is then removed from the cup 11 and the agent 20 is cooled to a normal temperature through its heat radiation and solidified, whereby the pad 13 is positively secured to the cup 11 relative to the tone hole socket with the pad 13 hermetically engaged with the edge of the tone hole socket.

According to this invention, the pad can be fitted to the tone hole socket with positive and required airtightness without the need of repeatedly adjusting the position of the pad at the time of the assembling operation, so that the assembling operation can be greatly simplified and productivity can be greatly improved.

What is claimed is:

1. A method of assembling a tone hole covering assembly for a wood-wind musical instrument having a cup with an inner bottom surface and a pad member housed in the cup and so operative as to open or close a tone hole socket formed on the body of the instrument, comprising:

providing a supporting rod on the inner bottom surface of the cup;

securing a capsule having one end open through the pad member to retain the pad components together;

introducing a hot melt adhesive agent into the capsule;

thereafter inserting the supporting rod into the cap sule;

heating the agent such that it is in a fluidized state while pressing the pad onto the edge of the tone hole socket; and

then cooling the agent to a normal temperature, permitting the agent to be solidified, whereby the pad member is secured to the cup in an airtight relationship with respect to the tone hole socket.

2. A tone hole covering assembly for a woodwind musical instrument comprising:

a cup operatively mounted on the body of the instrument and having an inner bottom surface;

a supporting rod provided on and extending from the inner bottom surface of the cup;

a pad member;

a capsule having one end open for receiving the supporting rod through the open end of the capsule, the capsule being secured through the pad member and retaining the pad components together; and

a hot melt adhesive agent contained in the capsule 4 for connecting the rod and the capsule such that the pad can be engaged with a tone hole socket formed on the body of the instrument in a close airtight relationship. 3. The tone hole covering assembly as claimed in claim 2 wherein said pad has an opening at its center, and said capsule is securely inserted in said central opening.

4. The tone hole covering assembly as claimed in claim 2 further comprising a sheet backing reinforcing said pad, said capsule passing through said backing to retain said backing to said pad.

5. The tone hole covering assembly as claimed in claim 2 wherein said rod pivots on the closed end of said capsule.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,421,399 1/1969 Greenleaf et a1. 84-380 1,786,833 12/1930 Dytch 84385 UX 1,702,962 2/1929 Buescher 84380 RICHARD B. WILKINSON, Primary Examiner I. F. GONZALES, Assistant Examiner

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