IMPROVE- MENTS IN CHROMATIC SLIDES FOR CORNETS, TRUMPETS, TROMBONES, AND OTHER SIMILAR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, AND IN DEVICES FOR OPERATING THE SAME.
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Ford, of Oakley Street, Chelsea, in the
County of Middlesex, Bankers' Clerk, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN CHROMATIC SLIDES FOR CORNETS, TRUMPETS, TROMBONES, AND OTHER
SIMILAR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, AND IN DEVICES FOR OPERATING THE SAME.'
"
Scaled the 11th January 1870, and dated the 1st November 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Ford at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
1st November 1869.
I, EDWARD FORD, of Oakley Street, Chelsea, in the County of Middle-
sex, Bankers' Clerk, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CHROMATIC SLIDES FOR CORNETS, TRUMPETS, TROMBONES,
AND OTHER SIMILAR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, AND IN DEVICES FOR OPERATING THE
BANE," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates mainly to means for effecting the extension
of the slide tubes of musical wind instruments, such as the trumpet, the

page_text: cornet, the trombone, and others which are commonly known as "brass,"
instruments, and consists chiefly in the novel construction of the slide,
and in the peculiar combination together and with the said slide of a
piston or driving rod and lever, and a sliding socket which connects
the said rod to the lever. The extension or sliding tubes are fitted
within or without fixed tubes at the side of which the piston is placed.
The said extending or sliding tubes are each connected by a rod or
link to the lever, which is fitted to turn freely on a pivot or fulcrum
projecting from the fixed tube in such a position that one end of the
lever extends across the lower end of the driving rod. On this end of
the said lever is placed the socket, which is so fitted thereon as to
slide freely without play or slackness. This socket has on one side
jaws which by a pin or bolt are jointed to the end of the rod in such a
manner that as the rod and lever change their relative positions the
socket may turn freely on the joint and work smoothly upon the lever.
'The piston or driving rod is depressed in the ordinary manner by the
performer, and by its depression through the medium of the lever and
links before mentioned the slides are extended. The driving rod is
provided with a spring arranged within the cylinder or guide, which
when the rod is released draws the same back, and contracts or draws
in the sliding tubes to their normal position.
On the cornet, the tuba, euphonium, bombardone, valve-trombone,
valve-French-horn, valve-trumpet, and other similar piston wind instru-
ments it is impossible to obtain what is known as a true chromatic
scale, because the pistons of such instruments always move a certain
distanco and have no means of adjustment whereby this distance could
be varied. By my Invention however all the above-named instruments
and other piston instruments are rendered capable of such variations as
are required to give the true chromatic scale, as the performer can
easily produce these variations by pressing the piston or driving rod
slightly more or less inward, a very slight movement only of the said
rod being required to make a perceptible difference of tone
In using
the above-named instruments it is frequently necessary to adjust the
parts to play in different keys, and this adjustment is effected by drawing
out the valve tubes, but in the instrument having my improved mecha-
nism I provide the cylinder or guide of the piston with a screw stop
or equivalent device, which may be set to stop the piston more or less
quickly so as to vary the extension of the sliding tubes, and thereby

page_text: change the pitch. In applying my improvements to a cornet I prefer
to employ three of the aforesaid slides and operative mechanism for the
purpose of lowering the instrument either half-tone, a tone, or a tone-and-
a-half, but if desired one or any other number of slides may be used.
These differences in tone are caused by the difference in the length to
which the slides are extended, the slide for producing the tone being
double the length of that for the half-tone, while that for the tone-and-
a-half is equal in length to the two others, but though the length of
extension of each slide is different to that of the others the pistons or
driving rods are all arranged to move the same distance, the difference
in the motion of the slides being obtained by making the levers longer
or shorter between the fulcrum and the points where the rods are con-
nected. It will be seen that my piston or driving rod is only a means
for operating the slides, and therefore need not be made air-tight in the
cylinder, and that I may substitute for such piston a rod or bar working
in open guides or otherwise conveniently arranged for manipulation by
the performer. I prefer that the slide shall be double, with the tubes
extending in opposite directions, although if desired I may use single
slides. I may also connect two or more sliding tubes together parallet
to each other to form one slide. I may also provide the instrument with
an ordinary tuning slide.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,.
filed by the said Edward Ford in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 30th April 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, P, EDWARD
FORD, of Oakley Street, Chelsea, in the County of Middlesex, Bankers'
Clerk, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the First day of November, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
third year of er reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Edward Ford, Her special licence that
I, the said Edward Ford, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Edward Ford, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,

page_text: from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CHROMATIC
SLIDES FOR CORNETS, TRUMPETS, TROMBONES, AND OTHER SIMILAR MUSICAL INSTRU-
MENTS, AND IN DEVICES FOR OPERATING THE SAME," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, tho said Edward Ford, my executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of
their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to
be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Edward Ford, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings forming a part of this Specification.
My Invention relates mainly to means for effecting the extension of
the slide tubes of musical wind instruments, such as the cornet, the
trumpet, the trombone, the French horn, and others commonly known
as "brass" instruments, and the said Invention consists chiefly in the
novel construction of the slide, and in the peculiar combination together
and with the said slide of a piston or driving rod, a lover, and a sliding
socket which connects the said rod to the lover. The extension or sliding
tubes are fitted to slide either within or without the fixed tubes at
the side of which the piston or driving rod is placed. The said ex-
tending or sliding tubes are each connected by a rod or link to onc
extremity of the lever which is fitted to turn freely on a pivot or fulcrum
secured upon the fixed tube mideway between the two ends of the same,
and in such a position that the lever turns in a plane central with the
driving rod. The socket or sleeve is fitted to slide freely upon the lever
without play or slackness thereon, and the lower end of the driving rod
is jointed to the said socket in such a manner that as the relative
positions of the rod and lever are changed by the turning of the latter
on its fulcrum the socket will turn on its joint and slide freely on tho
lever, so that the driving rod acts upon the lever without being sub-
jected to any lateral pressure.

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figures 1 and 2 show the said trumpet with the sliding tubes closed,
and Figure 3 shows them open; Figure 4 shows the said trombone with
the sliding tubes closed. Figure 5 shows the said trombone with the
sliding tubes opcu. Figures 6 is a longitudinal section of part of an
instrument having my improved mechanism; Figure 7 shows part of
the said mechanism detached. Figure 8 shows a modification of portions
of the said mechanism. Like letters indicate the same parts throughout
the Drawings.
a, a, are the fixed tubes; b, are the extension or sliding tubes; c
is the lever which is fitted to turn freely on the fulcrum pin o' secured
to and between the fixed tubes a of the instrument; d is the sliding
socket or sleeve, this sleeve is preferably formed with two projecting
studs or pins which fit so as to turn freely in the eyes or holes
of the jaws e, of the driving rod f. By referring to Figures 6 and 7
it will be seen that this rod works in a cylinder or tube g, and is
secured at its upper end to an inner tube f', which is fitted to slide
freely in the said cylinder, and which is acted upon by the finger of the
performer to depress the said rod. The spiral spring i which surrounds
the rod bears against the ends of the tubes g and f', and tends con-
tinually to force the latter and the rod upward, and thereby through
the action of the said rod upon the lever c to draw in the slides b, which
are connected to the lever by the rods or links j. In playing upon the
instrument the driving rod fis depressed by the performer in the same
manner as the ordinary pistons of such instruments, and by this depres-
sion the said rod acts through the medium of the lever c and links j to
extend or open the sliding tubes d, as shown in Figures 3 and 5, but as
soon as the finger of the performer is raised from the rod the spring i
forces the said rod up, and draws in the said sliding tubes to their
normal position, see Figures 1, 2, and 4.
On many piston wind instruments, such as the cornet-à-piston, the
tuba, the bombardone, the valve-trombone, the valve-French-horn, and
valve-trumpet as heretofore constructed, it is impossible to obtain what

page_text: is known as a true chromatic scale, because the movement of the piston
cannot be varied but must always be to the same distance, and thic pistons
of such instruments have no means of adjustment whereby this distance
could be increased or diminished. But by my Invention all of the above-
named instruments and other piston instruments are rendered capable
of such variations as will allow the true chromatic scale to be produced
by them. It will be obvious by referring to Figures 1 and 6 that a
very slight movement of the rod f will make a perceptible difference to
the position of the sliding tubes b and give a corresponding variation
of tone, and the performer can produce these variations by giving to
the driving rodf when the same is pressed down a slightly increased
or diminished pressure so that the same is slightly more or less depressed,
and with very little practice he will be able to produce with precision
the required variations of tone.
In using any of the above-named instruments it is frequently
necessary to change the key, and this change is effected with such
instruments as heretofore constructed by drawing out the valve tubes,
but when these instruments have my improved mechanism I provide
the guiding cylinder or tube g with an adjustable screw stop 4, whereby
I can limit the motion of the rod f so as to stop the sliding tubes at any
desired position, and thereby change the pitch of the instrument. A
stop (preferably a small collar ¹) is secured on the rod by a screw
³, as shewn in Figure 6, to stop the rod falways in the same position
when it is drawn back by the spring.
In adapting my improvements to a trumpet I prefer to employ two
slides or sets of the sliding tubes and operative mechanism.
In the trombone and cornet I prefer to use three sets, but if desired
one or any other number of sets of such tubes and mechanism may be
used with either instrument.
From the above description it will be readily understood that in an
instrument constructed according to my improvements the variations of
tone are caused by the differences in the extension of the sliding tubes,
the tubes for producing the tone having an extension double the length
of that for the half-tone, and those for producing the tone-and-a-half
having an extension equal to that of the other two combined. The
parts of the mechanism however are so constructed and arranged that
although the extension of each slide or set of tubes is different to that
of the others, the driving rods fof all of the slides have the same range

page_text: or distance of movement, the required difference in the motion of the
sliding tubes being obtained by making the levers c longer or shorter
between the fulcrums c¹ and the ends or points where the rods jare
connected to the said levers. It will be seen that my piston or driving
rod is only a means for transmitting the motion of the finger to the
levers, and therefore need not be made air-tight in the tube or cylinder g,
which is only a guide for the said rod, and it is obvious that I may
substitute for this driving rod and tube a rod working in open guides,
or may use any other suitable device conveniently arranged for manipu-
lation by the performer. I prefer to construct the rod with the sliding
tube to fit the cylinder g, the finger of the performer which is placed
on the flat end of the said tube limits the depression of the rod, and
by a more or less forcible pressure of the finger when the end
tube is down level with the top surface of the screw stop
variations in the sound may be produced, which will enable the performer
to obtain upon any of these instruments certain effects that can now
only be obtained with the trombone and slide trumpet. In some cases
however it may be desirable to have the end of the tube provided
with a collar, as shown in Figure 8, which by coming in contact with
the end of the screw stop prevents the further depression of the rod f.
When this collar is used I prefer to place on the neck of the screw stop /
a small india-rubber ring or cushion f* to form an elastic stop or check
for the tube, and allow slight variations in the depression of the
rod f.
k
of the
slight
In some cases I use a coiled spring m at the centre of the lever c to
draw in the sliding tubes. The said spring is secured at one end to the
fulcrum pin c', and at the other end to the interior of the boss or socket
of the lever c. This coiled spring may be used alone or in combination
with the spiral spring i.
I prefer that in all the instruments I have mentioned cach slide or
set of extending tubes shall be double, with its tubes placed end to end
and extending in opposite directions. If desired however each slide may
be single, that is to say, it may consist of a single tube. I may also
connect two or more sliding tubes together parallel to each other so as
to form one slide.
Each instrument constructed according to my improvements may have
an ordinary tuning slide.
Having now fully described my said Invention and show

page_text: same may be conveniently and advantageously adapted to the various
instruments for which the said Invention is more especially designed, I
wish it understood that I do not limit myself to the precise details of
construction of the parts illustrated in the accompanying Drawings, as
these may be varied in any manner which will not impair the action of 5
the mechanism, or its effect upon the instrument; neither do I limit
myself to or claim any peculiar construction of the instrument apart
from the slides and their operative mechanism but I claim,-
First. Constructing a trumpet, cornet, trombone, or other similar
musical wind instrument with double slides or sliding tubes operating
together substantially as described for the purpose specified.
Second. The driving rod fitted within a tube or other guide and sub-
jected to the action of a spring or springs, the sliding socket or sleeve,
the lever, and the rods or links which connect the said lever to the
sliding tubes combined and operating together and in combination with
the slides or sliding tubes substantially as described for the purposes
specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Ford, have hereunto set
my hand and scal, this Twenty-seventh day of April, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
EDW. FORD. (L.S.)
Witness,
J. TEARE,
Clerk to Messrs. Haseltinc, Lake, & Co.,
Southampton Buildings,
London.