Wind instrument fabricated from metallic tubular parts with inwardly rounded ends

Abstract: A plurality of tubular members are incorporated in a wind instrument for forming an air passage, and each of the tubular members (14) has a tubular portion (14a) and a guide portion (14b) larger in diameter than the tubular portion and rounding therefrom for forming a hollow space (14c) open to the inner space (14d) of the tubular portion, thereby preventing the external appearance of the wind instrument from residual electrolyte confined during a plating bath.

Description: FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a wind instrument and, more particularly, to metallic tube members of the wind instrument rounded for smooth coupling. DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART A wind instrument such as, for example, a trumpet, a French horn, a trombone or a tuba is fabricated from a lot of metallic tubular parts, and the metallic tubular parts are shaped into various configurations. For example, one of the metallic tubular parts is funnel-shaped, and serves as a mouthpiece for buzzing. Another metallic tubular part is straight, and couples the mouthpiece with a bell. A U-shaped metallic tubular part slides into and out of another metallic tubular part for changing the length of vibratory air column, and a coil-shaped metallic tubular part makes a wind instrument compact. Thus, various metallic tubular parts are necessary for the wind instruments, and manufacturers design the ends of the metallic tubular parts for easy coupling. Figs. 1 and 2 illustrate a typical example of the metallic tubular member forming a part of a prior art wind instrument, and the metallic tubular member 1 has a outwardly rounded end portion 1a. The metallic tubular member 1 initially has a straight edge, and the straight edge is outwardly rounded so as to form a smaller circle rather than the metallic tubular member 1 per se . The rounded end 1a not only reinforces the metallic tubular member 1 but also allows a player to smoothly insert another metallic tubular member 2 into the metallic tubular member 1, because a gap G takes place between a funnel shape of the end portion 1a and the straight end of the other metallic tubular member 2. The prior art metallic tubular member 1 thus outwardly rounded is coated through a plating bath, and the electrolyte tends to remain in a space 1b enclosed in the rounded end portion 1a. The electrolyte thus left in the space 1b is liable to flow out, and the residual electrolyte tarnishes the plated tubular member 1. In the worst case, the coating film peels from the metallic tubular member 1, and deteriorates the external appearance of the coated tubular member 1. In order to prevent the coated tubular member 1 from the residual electrolyte, each end of the rounded end portion 1a is soldered before the coating, and the electrolyte is confined by the solder pieces 1c in the space 1a, if any, as shown in Fig. 3. However, the soldering is manually carried out, and is hardly automized because of the wide variety of configurations. This means that an operator repeats the soldering as many as the couplings between the metallic tubular members. For example, a double horn has a sixteen couplings, and an operator repeats the solderings for the sixteen rounded end portions. This is time consuming, and the soldering stage increases the production cost of the wind instrument. Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate another prior art metallic tubular member 3, and a straight tube 3a and a mouth ring 3b are assembled into the metallic tubular member 3. As will be better seen from Fig. 6, the inner surface of the straight tube 3a is chamfered, and the mouth ring 3b is loosely inserted into the end portion of the straight tube 3a. The mouth ring 3b is soldered to the end portion of the straight tube 3a, and the solder film 3c fixes the mouth ring 3b to the end portion. After the soldering, the metallic tubular member 3 is coated through a plating bath. However, any electrolyte is confined in the metallic tubular member 3, because the mouth ring 3b and the end portion of the straight tube 3a does not form any space. When another metallic tubular member 4 is coupled with the metallic tubular member 3, the chamfer guides the straight end of the metallic tubular member 4, and the metallic tubular member 4 is easily inserted into the end portion of the metallic tubular member 3. Thus, the second prior art metallic tubular members 3 and 4 are easily assembled into a wind instrument, and is free from the residual electrolyte. However, the second prior art metallic tubular member 3 needs two additional stages. Namely, the straight tube 3a is chamfered by grinding the inner surface of the end portion, and the mouth ring 3b is soldered to the outer surface of the end portion. These additional works are also time consuming, and increase the production cost. DE-A-26 32 687 discloses a horn wherein a valve has sleeves for connecting with outer tubular parts of the horn. At the end of each sleeve, an annular pocket is formed for accommodating an elastomeric O-ring seal. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an important object of the present invention to provide a wind instrument which is improved in productivity without sacrifice of mechanical strength and smooth assembling. It is also an important object of the present invention to provide a process of forming a tubular member incorporated in the wind instrument which enhances the productivity of the wind instrument without sacrifice of mechanical strength and smooth assembling. To accomplish the object, the present invention proposes to form a coupling portion of a tubular member in such a manner as to form a hollow space open to an inner space of the tubular member. In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a wind instrument having a wind passage for producing a sound as set forth in claim 1. In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a process of forming a tubular member incorporated in a wind instrument, as set forth in claim 6. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The feature and advantages of the wind instrument according to the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a front view showing the prior art metallic tubular part of the prior art wind instrument; Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view taken along line A-A of Fig. 1: Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspectively view of the prior art metallic tubular member; Fig. 4 is a front view showing the second prior art metallic tubular member; Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view taken along line B-B of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a cross sectional view showing, in an enlarged scale, the end portion of the second prior art metallic tubular member; Fig. 7 is a front view showing the structure of an ideal double French horn according to the present invention; Fig. 8 is a front view showing a front end portion of a rear tubular member incorporated in the ideal double French born; Fig. 9 is a cross sectional view taken line C-C of Fig. 8; Fig. 10 is a fragmentary perspective view showing, in an enlarged scale; the front end portion of the rear tubular member; and Figs. 11A and 11B are fragmentary perspective views showing a forming process of the front end portion of the rear tubular member. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to Fig. 7 of the drawings, an ideal double French horn is embodied in accordance with the present invention, and largely comprises a mouth piece 11, a front tubular member 12, an intermediate tube network 13, a rear tubular member 14 and a bell 15. The mouth piece 11, the front tubular member 12, the intermediate tube network 13, the rear tubular member 14 and the bell 15 are formed of alloy coated or plated with noble metal. Although all the component tubes are straight, curved and/or coiled tubes may incorporate in a practical double French horn. The mouth piece 11 is inserted into a front end of the front tubular member 12 which in turn is coupled with the intermediate tube network 13. The intermediate tube network 13 is fabricated from a front change-over valve 13a, two front straight tubular members 13b and 13c, a set of valve units 13d coupled through interconnecting tubular members 13e, another set of valve units 13f also coupled through interconnecting tubular members 13g connected with the rear end of the front tubular member 12, two rear straight tubular members 13h and 13i and a rear change-over valve 13j. The front change-over valve 13a has an inlet coupled with the rear end of the front tubular member 12, and the front straight tubular members 13b and 13c are coupled with two outlets of the front change-over valve 13a. The set of valve units 13d is coupled between the front straight tubular member 13b and the rear straight tubular member 13h, and the other set of valve units 13f is coupled between the front straight tubular member 13c and the rear straight tubular member 13i. The rear straight tubular members 13h and 13i are respectively coupled with two inlets of the rear change-over valve 13j, and the outlet of the rear change-over valve 13j is coupled with the rear tubular member 14. The front straight tubular member 13b, the set of valve units 13d, the interconnecting tubular members 13e and the rear straight tubular member 13h form a wind sub-passage 13k therein, and the front straight tubular member 13c, the set of valve units 13f, the interconnecting tubular members 13g and the rear straight tubular member 13i form another wind sub-passage 13m therein. The wind sub-passage 13k is assigned to the key note F, and the other wind sub-passage 13m is assigned to the key note B b , and a player manipulates the front and rear change-over valves 13a and 13j so that one of the wind sub-passages 13k and 13m is conducted between the front tubular member 12 and the rear tubular member 14. Though not shown in Fig. 7, the valve units 13d or 13f add air passages to the wind sub-passage 13k or 13m, and a player changes the pitch of a sound through manipulation on the valve units 13d or 13f. The rear end of the rear tubular member 14 is inserted into the front end of the bell 15, and a column of air is defined from the front tubular member 12 through either wind sub-passage 13k or 13m and the rear tubular member 14 to the bell 15. When the player buzzes on the mouth piece 11, the column of air vibrates, and produces the sound. Turning to Figs. 8 and 9 of the drawings, the front end portion of the rear tubular member 14 is illustrated in an enlarged scale. Although the present invention appertains to all of the connections between two component tubular members, description is made on the front end portion of the rear tubular member 14 only for avoiding repetition. The front end portion of the rear tubular member 14 comprises a straight tubular sub-portion 14a substantially constant in diameter and a guide sub-portion 14b merged into the straight tubular sub-portion 14a. The straight tubular sub-portion 14a is smaller in inner diameter than the guide sub-portion 14b, and the guide sub-portion 14b smoothly guides the outlet of the rear change-over valve 13j into the straight tubular sub-portion 14b. The outer diameter of the outlet of the rear change-over valve 13j is not greater than the inner diameter of the straight sub-portion sub-portion 14a. In this instance, the straight tubular 14a and the guide sub-portion 14b serve as a tubular portion and a coupling portion, respectively. As will be better seen from Fig. 10, the guide sub-portion 14b winds from the straight tubular sub-portion 14a in the counter-clockwise direction, and projects from the outer surface of the straight sub-portion 14b. The winding guide sub-portion 14b forms a hollow space 14c, and the hollow space 14c is exposed to the inner space 14d in the straight tubular sub-portion 14a. The maximum inner diameter D3 of the rounded guide sub-portion 14b is less than the inner diameter D1 of the straight tubular sub-portion 14a, and relation between the inner diameters D1, D2 and D3 are expressed as follows. D2 > D1 > D3 The relation between the inner diameters D1 and D2 is desirable for smooth insertion, because the guide sub-portion 14b takes up the mis-alignment between the center of the straight tubular sub-portion 14a and the center of the outlet of the rear change-over valve 13j. Moreover, the guide sub-portion 14b thus shaped is larger in the modulus of section than the straight tubular sub-portion 14a, and, accordingly, reinforces the rear tubular member 14. Even if the manufacturer coats the rear tubular member 14 through a plating bath, residual electrolyte does not deteriorate the external appearance of the double French horn, because the inner space 14c is open at the inner space 14d of the straight tubular sub-portion 14a. The residual electrolyte may tarnish the inner surface of the rear tubular member 14. However, the tarnished inner surface does not shorten the service life of the double French horn, and nor deteriorate the attractive appearance. For this reason, it is not necessary to close the space 14c by means of pieces of solder. This results in reduction of the production cost. Description is hereinbelow made on a process of forming a tubular member incorporated in a wind instrument according to the present invention. The process starts with preparation of a tubular member 24, and the tubular member 24 has an intermediate portion 24a corresponding to the straight tubular sub-portion 14a and an end portion merged into the intermediate portion 24a. First, the end portion 24b is expanded, and is increased in inner diameter as shown in Fig. 11A. A press working may be applied to the end portion by using male and female dies. The end portion 24b thus expanded is rounded as shown in Fig. 11B, and the rounded end portion 24b serves as the guide sub-portion 14b. Therefore, the minimum inner diameter of the rounded end portion 24b is larger than the inner diameter of the intermediate portion 24a, and a hollow space is open to the inner space of the intermediate portion 24a. The end portion may be also shaped through a press working. The tubular member 24 thus shaped is coated or plated through a plating bath, and forms a part of a wind instrument as similar to the rear tubular member 14. As will be appreciated from the foregoing description, the tubular member according to the present invention is prevented from residual electrolyte confined during a plating bath without sacrifice of mechanical strength and smooth assembling. When the present invention appertains to a double tube member of, for example, a double horn, a trumpet or a trombone, the outer tube of the double tube member has an end portion similarly arranged to the coupling sub-portion 14b and merged into a straight tubular portion. Namely, the end portion of the outer tube has a boss portion radially outwardly projecting from the outer surface of the outer tube and a leading portion merged into the boss portion and radially inwardly rounding from the boss portion. The straight tubular portion is smaller in inner diameter than the rounding end portion, and a hollow space defined by the end portion is open at the inner space of the straight tubular portion. A length of the hollow space is less than the inner diameter of the straight tubular portion. However, the inner diameter of the straight tubular portion may be equal to the minimum inner diameter of the end portion. An inner tube is smoothly inserted into the outer tube as similar to the rear tubular member 14 and the rear change-over valve 13j, and the outer tube achieves all the advantages of the rear tubular member 14. Although particular embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. The present invention is applicable to any brass instrument such as a trumpet, a trombone, a tuba and a flute as well as to a wood-winds formed of metal and/or alloy.

Claims: A wind instrument having a wind passage for producing a sound comprising: a) a first tubular member (14) coated with a plating layer, and having a tubular portion (14a) for defining a first inner space (14d) and a coupling portion (14b) larger in inner diameter than said tubular portion; and b) a second tubular member (13j) having an end portion inserted through said coupling portion into said tubular portion for conducting a second inner space thereof to said first inner space, said first and second inner spaces forming parts of said wind passage, characterized in that said coupling portion (14b) is curled inwardly towards said first inner space from said tubular portion to form a hollow space (14c) which narrows to an opening open to said first inner space. The wind instrument as set forth in claim 1, in which said inner diameter (D2) of said coupling portion is greater than the outer diameter of said end portion of said second tubular member (13j). The wind instrument as set forth in claim 2, in which said coupling portion (14b) has a boss sub-portion which radially outwardly projects from an outer surface of said tubular portion (14a) and a leading end sub-portion merged into said boss sub-portion and radially inwardly winds from said boss sub-portion. The wind instrument as set forth in claim 2, in which the maximum cross-sectional dimension (D3) of said hollow space (13c) is less than the inner diameter (D1) of said tubular portion (14a). The wind instrument as set forth in claim 1, in which said first tubular member (14) is plated by dipping into electrolyte. A process of forming a tubular member incorporated in a wind instrument, comprising the steps of: a) preparing a tubular member (24) having an intermediate portion (24a) defining an inner space (14d) and an end portion (24b) merged into said intermediate portion; b) increasing the inner diameter of said end portion (24b); c) inwardly curling said end portion (24b) towards said first inner space to form a hollow space (14c) which narrows to an opening open to said inner space (14d) ; and d) plating said tubular member with a plating layer by dipping it into electrolyte.

Inventors: HAMANAGA SHINJI, HAMANAGA, SHINJI
Applicants: YAMAHA CORP, YAMAHA CORPORATION
Application year: 1993
Main classification: G10D7
IPC codes: G10D7, G10D9