US3671011A - Valve assembly for cornets, trumpets and like instruments - Google Patents

Abstract

A valve assembly comprises a valve cylinder and a piston valve slidable in the cylinder. The cylinder is formed of a one-piece tubular body and has a cylindrical bore formed therein, the bore being divided into two sections one of which is larger in diameter than the other so as to form an annular step therebetween. A tubular collar is tightly fitted in the bore so as to seat on the step and has a pair of cut-out portions formed at an annular edge thereof. The cut-out portions receive both ends of a guide member permitting the lengthwise movement of the valve and holding the valve against turning in the cylinder.

Description

United States Patent Oguma 51 June 20, 1972 VALVE ASSEMBLY FOR CORNETS, TRUMPETS AND LIKE INSTRUMENTS Yuklhiro Ogurna, Hamamatsu', Japan Nippon Gakki Seizo Kabushiki Kaisha, Harnamatsu-shi, Japan Dec. 4, 1970 Inventor:

Assignee:

Filed:

Appl. No.:

Foreign Application Priority Data Dec. 5, 1969 Japan ..44/l 15354 US. Cl ..25l/323, 137/625.29, 84/392 Int. Cl. ..'...G10d 9/04, F161: 3/26 Field of Search ..251/323, 322; 137/625.29;

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS I 3/1913 Conrad .i.'....84/392 2,260,723 10/1941 Olds ..137/625.29 X 2,612,811 10/1952 Meyers ..84/392 1,534,862 4/1925 Meyers 251/323 X Primary Examiner-Arnold Rosenthal Attomey-Kemon, Palmer & Estabrook ABSTRACT to seat on the step and has a pair of cut-out portions fomied at an annular edge thereof. The cut-out portions receiveboth ends of a guide member permitting the lengthwise movement of the valve and holding the valve against turning in the cylinder.

3 Claim, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTEllJuuzo m2 3.671 All 1 SHEET 10F 2 "FIG.1

3839 F s. 4 h 37 INVENTOR.

PATENTEDJUNZO I972 I 3,671 ;O1 1

sum 2 or 2 INVENTOR. y k/An a 0G 0 m n BY .VALVE ASSEMBLY ron CORNETSQI'RUMPETS AND LIKE INSTRUMENTS SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to wind musical instruments and more particularly to an improved valve assembly for comets, trumpets and like instruments. v

I In general, in such a valve assembly, a piston valve is so constructed as to move in a valve cylinder in a reciprocal manner. The piston valve is formed into a cylindrical shape and has a pair of elongated slots extending lengthwise thereof at the upper portions of the valve. Into the slots is inserted a guide member both ends of which "project outwardly out of the slots. 7 A coiled spring is disposed inside the cylindrical valve and interposed between the inner end surfaceof the valve and the guide member so as to urge the guide member toward one end of each slot. The guide member is received, as explained below, by the inner wall of the valve cylinder so that it holds the piston valve against turning in the cylinder and permits the lengthwise movement of the piston valve.

In a prior art valve assembly, such a valve cylinder is composed of two tubes, one being larger in inner diameter than the other. The tubes are connected together by inserting the first tube having a smaller innerdiameter into the second tube having a larger inner diameter and by soldering or brazing the connected portion. A pair of cut-out portions are formed in the end of the first tube inserted in the second tube, and the aforesaid guide member is fitted in the cut-out portions formed in the inner wall of the valve cylinder.

According to such prior art construction, however, there are some apparent drawbacks. First, it is very difficult to obtain the completev alignment of the both tubes connected together by soldering or brazing. Unsatisfactory alignment thereof hinders the smooth reciprocating movement of the piston valve and badly affects the playing of the wind instrument. This alsomeans that corresponding openings formed respectively in the cylinder and the piston valve for the passageof sound therethrough do not correctly register with each other thus seriously affecting the quality of tones produced. Further, solder or wax unavoidably adheres to the cut-out portions of the first tube during the soldering or brazing operation, and it requires the subsequent troublesome work of eliminating such unnecessary solder or wax. Heating of the piston valve at the time of soldering or brazing also lowers the precision of the valve itself.

The present'invention is intended to eliminate such drawbacks and provide a valve assembly of the class described comprising, in combination, a valve cylinder, formed of a one- .piece tube and having a cylindrical bore extending therethrough, the cylindrical bore being divided into two sections one of which is larger in diameter than the other so as to form an annular step therebetween, the two sections of the bore being aligned with each other, a tubular collar tightly fitted in the bore so as to seat on the annular step, the collar having a cylindrical opening aligned with the bore and also having a pair of cut-out portions at an annular edge thereof, a cylindrical piston valve movable in the bore and having a pair -of elongated slots extending lengthwise thereof, a. guide member inserted in the elongated slots with the ends thereof fitted in the cut-out portions respectively, and a spring means disposed between the piston valve and the guide member and urging the guide member toward the collar. 7

The invention will be fully understood from the following detailed description and the appended drawings, in which:

BRIEF EXPLANATION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a perspective view of a comet employing the improvedvalves of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a guide member fitted in the collar; and 1 FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 6-6 of FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION ventional cup-shaped mouth piece 12 and, at its opposite end,

an outlet 13 of bell'fonn. The effective length of the tube is varied, as is well known in the art, by the operation of valves 14, 15 and 16 which are connected into the tube 11 through crooked or bent tubes l7, l8, and 19. Each of these valves employs the improved valve assembly of the present invention, and therefore the detailed showing and following description of the valve 14 will suffice.

or passages 23 to introduce the sound from the mouth piece 12 to the bell 13.

The valve 22 carries, at its upper portion, a hollow cylindrical guide portion 24 having a pair of diametrically opposite I and elongated guide slots 25 extending lengthwise of the valve 22 and provided at its upper end with a top closure 26 secured thereon. From the top closure 26 there extends a stem 27 with a finger key 28. A cap 29 slidably surrounds the stem 27 to be screwed to the upper end of the valve cylinder 21.

In the hollow guide portion 24 there is disposed a coiled spring 30 for returning the valve 22 to normal position after the depression of the valve, one end of the spring 30 abutting on the inner face of the closure 26 and theother end thereof abutting on a guide member 31. The guide member 31 carries a pair of sliding portions 32 diametrically extending in the hollow guide portion 24 through the guide slots 25 so as to slidably engage with the guide slots 25 respectively, and further at the ends of the guide member 31 there is a pair of lugs 33 engaging the later described cut-out engaging portions provided on the inner surface of the cylinder 21.

The valve cylinder 21 is formed of a one-piece tube preferably of brass and has a cylindrical bore 35 extending therethrough which bore is divided into two sections 35a and 7 35b, one 35a being larger in diameter than the other 3517. The

two sections 35a and 35b are formed in alignment with each other. At the border of the two formed an annular step 36. I

Into the section 35a having the larger diameter is tightly fitted a tubular collar 37 which, as best shown'in FIG. 4, has a cylindrical opening 38 extending therethrough and also has at an annular edge thereof a pair of diametrically opposite channel-shaped cut-out engaging portions 39. The collar is thus seated on the annular step 36, with the end having the cut-out portions 39 apart from the step 36. The collar 37 and the smaller-diameter section 35b are thereafter bored with a boring machine so as to produce a complete alignment therebetween.

The above-mentioned lugs 33 of the guide member 31 are fitted into the cut-out portions 39 as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 and are urged toward the collar 37 by the biasing force of the spring 30. In operation, when the finger key 28 is depressed, the valve 22 moves in the cylinder'21 against the reaction force of the spring 30 and when the key 28 is released, the

sections 350 and 35b there is valve 22 returns to its normal position by the aid of the spring force.

What is claimed is:

l. A valve assembly of the class described comprising, in combination, a valve cylinder formed of a one-piece tube and having a cylindrical bore extending therethrough, said cylindrical bore being divided into two sections one of which is larger in diameter than the other so as to form a flat annular step therebetween, said two sections of said bore being aligned with each other, a tubular collar tightly fitted in said bore so as to seat on said annular step, said collar having a cylindrical guide portion and disposed between said piston valve and said guide member and urging said guidemember toward said collar.

2. A valve assembly according to claim 1 wherein said slots are arranged at positions diametrically opposite to each other, and said cut-out portions are also arranged at positions diametrically opposite to each other.

3. A valve assembly according to claim 1 wherein said guide member has a pair of sliding portions slidably engaging with said slots and has a pair of lugs at both ends thereof, said lugs being fitted in said cut-out portions. i

Claims (3)

1. A valve assembly of the class described comprising, in combination, a valve cylinder formed of a one-piece tube and having a cylindrical bore extending therethrough, said cylindrical bore being divided into two sections one of which is larger in diameter than the other so as to form a flat annular step therebetween, said two sections of said bore being aligned with each other, a tubular collar tightly fitted in said bore so as to seat on said annular step, said collar having a cylindrical opening aligned with said bore and also having a pair of annular edges at both ends thereof, one of said annular edges having a pair of cut-out portions and the other of said annular edges being flat and adapted to rest on said flat annular step, a cylindrical piston valve movable in said bore and having hollow guide portion perforated with a pair of elongated slots extending lengthwise thereof, a guide member inserted in said elongated slots with the ends thereof fitted in said cut-out portions respectively, and a spring means housed in said hollow guide portion and disposed between said piston valve and said guide member and urging said guide member toward said collar.

2. A valve assembly according to claim 1 wherein said slots are arranged at positions diametrically opposite to each other, and said cut-out portions are also arranged at positions diametrically opposite to each other.

3. A valve assembly according to claim 1 wherein said guide member has a pair of sliding portions slidably engaging with said slots and has a pair of lugs at both ends thereof, said lugs being fitted in said cut-out portions.

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