A NEW CONSTRUCTION OF THE MUSICAL INSTRU- MENT
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Cornelius Ward, Musical Instrument Maker,
of Great Titchfield Street, Marylebone, in the County of Middlesex,
for the Invention of "A NEW CONSTRUCTION OF THE MUSICAL INSTRU-
MENT DER D
Sealed the 20th July 1858, and dated the 20th January 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Cornelius Ward at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 20th January 1853.
I, CORNELIUS WARD, of 36, Great Titchfield St., Marylebone,
Loudon, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "A NEW
CONSTRUCTION OF THE MUSICAL INSTRUMENT DESIGNATED THE BASSOON " to
be as follows:-
The ordinary bassoon is universally admitted to be a very defective
instrument. In the first place, arising from the fact that the apertures
in the instrument by means of which the notes are determined are mis-
placed to accommodate the limited range of the fingers, and at the same
time to meet this defect as much as possible an inconvenient stretch is
given to the fingers, thereby producing defective notes, as well as

page_text: :
increasing the difficulties of execution from the cramped position of the
fingers. Secondly, hitherto there has not been a sufficient number of
apertures in the instrument to form the fundimental notes of the scales,
using only seven apertures to correspond with the same number of
fingers, instead of eleven, the other four notes being produced by closing-
or opening various combinations of alternate apertures of these seven
apertures, producing the other 4 notes by what is termed cross
fingering, or as "made" notes, which notes are very defective in tone
and time, and very inconvenient in executing upon. the instrument,
increasing the defects arising from the erroneous position of the aper-
tures; it was expected that three apertures for the fingers of the left
hand, and four for the right hand, placed at the utmost stretch of the
fingers, and in the most.exaggerated manner-relative to the acoustical
laws of the tube of the instrument would produce a scale of notes by
opening or by closing them in various alternating combinations; and,
thirdly, a great defect in the quality of the tone of the instrument arises
-from the defective form of the bore or tube of the instrument and the
manner in which the different parts of the tubes are arranged, which is
well understood by bassoon players.
Firstly, by placing the apertures which determine the notes in their
proper positions consistantly with the portions of the tube of the instru-
ment demanded by the laws of acoustics to produce such notes properly,
and by having a separate aperture for each separate note of the fundi-
mental scale, tone and time are obtained.
And secondly, arranging the keys acting on these apertures, so as to
afford the means by which the fingers of the performer can command
and produce the notes within the compass of the instrument with
facility and in regular progression, and so to produce the scales of notes
by opening the apertures in progressive succession, as also the notes of
any harmonic interval or chord, conveniently and with facility, and thus
what is ordinarily termed "the fingering" is greatly simplified.
.
And, thirdly, my Invention relates to improving the general construc-
tion of the joints or various parts of the wooden tubes, (also of the
metal tubes when such are used,) which compose the instrument, by
which I obtain a proper continuation of the bore or tube at the doubling

page_text: of the instrument, and other advantages in the construction of the
instrument.
I now proceed to describe the manner in which I carry out my
improvements; the Drawing represents various views of the bassoon con-
structed according to my principle, near or about on a scale of one third
the size of a bassoon standing in F natural, which is the size most in
use. And, first, as to the tube of several joints as marked in the Drawings,
the first joint extending from the croak or metal tube to between the
C sharpe, and the C natural apertures. The second joint extends from
the termination of the first to the half circle cap joint which turns the
tube or bore into the larger branch of the instrument. The third joint
extends from the half circle cap piece to between the E flat, and the D
natural apertures. The fourth joint extends from the termination of the
latter joint to the bell joint. The fifth forms the bell joint which termi-
nates the large end of the tube. The sixth is the half circle piece which
reverses the direction of the tube. The metal tube or "croak" com-
mences the bore or tube of the instrument, and upon it the "reed" by
which the sound is produced is placed; and here I may remark that the
new constructed bassoon requires the same kind of reed as the ordinary
bassoon.
The bore or tube at its commencement in the crook is rather less
than one eighth of an inch in diameter, and it gradually enlarges in
diameter in equal progressive proportion throughout, until it becomes
one inch and one eighth at the termination of the bell joint. The bore
is continued in the half circle piece, as shown in section at the right-
hand end of Fig. III., the dotted lines shewing the interior.
Having thus obtained a tube for the bassoon with the apertures
placed consistantly with the portions of the tube naturally demanded for
each note, without regard to the stretch of the fingers, I proceed to
explain the mode in which apertures so situated are brought within the "
easy command of the hands, and a systematic "fingering" obtained.
Figs. I. and II., represents the bassoon with the keys removed.
Figs. III. and IV., represents the two opposite sides of a complete
bassoon.
The keys of Figs. I. and II., are placed at the sides of the instrument

page_text: adjacent to the places they occupy upon the instrument and the metal
pillars or studs in which they act; the small lines connected with somė
of these pillars indicate the springs which open or close the keys as
may be.
The letters and figures which refer to the various parts correspond
throughout the Drawings.
When the instrument is held in the hands in the position for use, and
the fingers and thumbs are duly placed upon the keys, all the apertures
will be closed, excepting a very small one in the croak marked 23, in the
Drawing, the reason for which will be presently explained. When the
fingers are placed, as stated, in their respective positions the first finger
on the left hand on lever 19", Fig. III., second finger on the lever 17,
third finger on 16, and the little finger is held ready to act on lever 15,
or lever 3ª, and the thumb is placed on lever 1, (Fig. III.); and the
first finger of the right hand is placed upon the aperture 13, (Fig. IV.);
the second on lever 12³, third on lever 11*, leaving the little finger free
to act upon lever 10%, and the other two adjoining levers, and the thumb
on 7; thus all the apertures in the instrument will be closed (excepting
the small one 23, in the croak (Fig. III.),) and the lower Bb, may be
produced.
By releasing the lever 18, from the pressure of the left hand thumb
B natural may be produced; by releasing the lever 2, C natural may
be produced; by pressing the little finger of the left hand upon lever 3,
C sharp, aperture 3 is opened; by removing the pressure of the thumb
from key 4, D natural will be produced. It may be observed, that
when the key 4, is pressed down the lever 4", on the other side of the
rod of the key will press the lower end of the lever 5", up, which keeps
the apertures 5, and 6, closed; this arrangement is necessary from the
joint in the tube; by releasing the lever 5º, the E flat aperture 5, is opened;
by releasing 6ª, E natural aperture 6, is opened; by releasing 7*, from the
pressure of the right thumb F natural aperture 7 is opened; by releasing
8, F sharp aperture 8 is opened; apertures 8 and 9, may also be
closed or opened by the little finger of the right hand acting upon levers
8 and 9, Fig. IV., and also Fig. I.; by pressing the little finger upon
8", lever G natural aperture 9 is closed; by means of the lever 8°, Fig. I.,

page_text: and by it pressing on the lever 9%, aperture 8, F sharp is closed; by
pressing the little finger of the same hand upon lever 10ª, the G sharp
aperture 10 is opened; by releasing lever 11", from the pressure of the
third finger of the right hand A natural aperture 11 will be opened; by
releasing lever 12ª, from the pressue of the second finger the aperture
12 B flat is opened; by placing the third finger of the right hand
upon 14, and by raising the third finger from aperture 13, is opened for
B natural; by releasing the third finger from 14*, aperture 14, is opened
for C natural, and passing on to the left hand, Fig. IV., by pressing the
fourth finger of this hand upon lever 15", aperture 15 is opened for C
sharp; by raising the third finger from 16", lever aperture 16 is opened
for D natural; by raising the second finger from 17ª, lever aperture 17
is opened for D sharp, but at the same time the lever 14ª, must be
pressed upon by the third finger of the right hand; by raising the third
finger of the right hand from lever 14*, aperture 18 is opened for the
E natural, the lever 14ª, being connected with the key 18 by means of
the levers 14; by raising the first finger of the left hand from lever 19ª,
the aperture 19 is opened for F natural.
I have now described the manner of producing the series of fundi-
mental notes of the instrument from the low B flat, to the second F
natural inclusive.
The key 19", Fig. 1I., has a small aperture in the centre of it, and
its position is under the key 19 over the aperture 19; lever 18, at the
back of key 18, passes under the lever 19°, at the back of key 19";
when the refore the third finger of the right hand is pressed on lever
14, and the first finger of the left hand is raised from 19", lever the key
19, will rise up, while the key 19b, will held closed on the aperture 19,
by means of the lever 18ª, pressing up the lever 19°; the lever 17, also
passes under both the levers 18ª, and 29%, and therefore, when the second
finger of the left hand presses upon 17, the apertures 17, 18, and the
key 19b, will be closed.
Now by placing all the fingers and thumbs in their respective
positions, as originally described, and then by raising the first finger of
the left hand from lever 19", the key 19 will rise from the key 19%, and

page_text: the small aperture in the key 19b, will open alone, and the octave Bb,
may be produced; then by opening aperture 1, Fig. III., as before
described, the octave of B natural may be produced, and by opening
the apertures 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10, in regular succession, the
octaves of C natural, 6, sharp, D natural, D sharp, E natural, F nature,
F sharp, G natural, and G sharp, may be produced by simply raising
the finger from the lever 19ª, and so permitting the small aperture in
key 19, to open in conjunction with the opening of the apertures first
named.
To produce the third series of notes from the last-named G sharp to
the third F natural they must be fingered as their respective fundi-
mental notes, and then, by compressing the reed by the lips, as is well
understood by every bassoon player, but' the key 19 must be wholly
closed at the time of producing this series of notes.
And here I may remark that the very small aperture in the croak
shown at 23, in Fig. I., is placed there to facilitate the production of
these octaves, and, has it does not injure any of the notes below them, it
is allowed to remain open while they are made. The fourth series of
octaves from the last-named F natural are produced as twelfths from
the notes about to be named, by fingering so as to make the second B
natural, and raising the first finger, left hand, and so opening the small
aperture in key 19, the fourth F sharp will be produced as the twelfth
of the B natural, and in the same manner G natural is produced as the
twelfth of the C natural, and G sharp as the twelfth of the C sharp.
I now refer to the levers 17", and 19%, Fig. IV., and also to levers 21",
and 23*, Fig. III., where it may be seen that by the left-hand thumb
pressing upon lever 238, the very small aperture in the croak will be
closed; by placing this thumb upon the levers 21", and 23*, aperture 21
will be opened, and at the same time the small aperture 28 will be
closed, and also at the same time the 1st and 2nd fingers of the left hand
upon levers 19ª, and 17ª, respectively, apertures 17, 18, & 19 will be
wholly closed; and thus the fourth A natural may be produced by the
keeping of the fingers in the exact same position, with exception of the
releasing of lever 17, from the pressure of the second finger, 4th B

page_text: be
natural will be produced, and by pressing the lever 19*, as before, and
the lever 22, aperture 22 will open, and the fourth C natural may
produced. Music is very seldom written for the bassoon, which requires
the last two, three notes named, but there is no difficulty in obtaining
higher notes upon the new bassoon, for as the tube has the apertures
placed at the point of their due proportions during it's whole length any
high harmonic of any lower note can be fixed and produced by opening
aperture at the noches of the aliquots divisions of any fundimental note
which contains the harmonic or the note sought.
The F sharp, key 20, is used in turns and shakes, and is used by the
third finger of the left hand acting on lever 20*.
The bassoon ordinarily in use is termed a F natural bassoon, but
bassoons of much larger or of smaller size may be made upon the prin-
ciple of the new bassoon, and equally as perfect in tone and tune, and
quite as convenient for use, by merely constructing the rods upon which
the keys are fixed in proportion to the sizes of the instrument.
I have now described the manner in which I carry out my Invention
in the construction of the new bassoon, it's nature and intention, but I do
not confine myself to the precise method described, as some of the details
may be varied and the general preserved. But what I do claim is,
Firstly, placing the apertures which determine the notes of the
bassoon in such position as will give the due portion and quantity of
the tube of the instrument to form and produce each note of it's scale
consistantly with the laws of acoustics, and independant of any other
consideration, and by which means the notes are obtained agreeing in
power, purity and tunc.
Secondly, I claim the application of the machinery of keys I have
described and shewn, by means of which apertures placed as I have-
described may be freely and conveniently acted upon by an easy position
of the fingers of the performer, and whereby he is enabled to produce
the scales and notes of the bassoon in a correct and systematic manner.
Thirdly, I claim the arrangement of the parts, pieces, or joints of the
tube described and shewn, by means of which the "bore" of the bassoon
is uniformly continued throughout the whole length of the instrument.

page_text: And, fourthly, as the "Cor Anglaise," and the "Oboe" are merely
"smaller" instruments of the bassoon kind, I claim the application of
the methods of construction I have described and shewn to them to the
extent of their scales of notes.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Cornelius Ward in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 20th July 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
CORNELIUS WARD, Musical Instrument Maker, of Great Titchfield
Street, Marylebone, in the County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of January, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the six-
teenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Cornelius Ward, Her special licence
that I, the said Cornelius Ward, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Cornelius Ward, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, 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 "A NEW CON-
STRUCTION OF THE MUSICAL INSTRUMENT DESIGNATED THE BASSOON," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Cornelius Ward, by an
instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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 Cornelius Ward, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the

page_text: is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement, that is to say:
That the bassoon hitherto in use is universally admitted to be a very
defective instrument, which defectiveness arises from the fact that the
bassoon originated a long time before the laws upon which its true con-
struction depends, were known; and also from its great disproportion
to the compass of the human hand, which induced a very erroneous
placing of the apertures in the instrument, by which the notes of it are
determined, and to compromise this defect as much as it is possible an
inconvenient stretch was given to the fingers, which added difficulty of
executing upon the instrument to its defective tones and intonation.
And a further defectiveness arises from the fact, that there were not a
sufficient number of apertures in the instrument to produce each of its
fundamental notes independent of each other, and therefrom the neces-
sity arose of using the same apertures for different notes by means of
closing apertures below the aperture of the note immediately above the
note required, which caused the difficulty of "fingering" and the defec-
tiveness of tone and intonation to be further increased.
Another cause
of deficiency of the tones of the old bassoon arises from the manner in
which the different parts or joints of the tube of the instrument are
arranged relative to each other, which causes imperfect continuity of the
bore throughout its length, and more particularly in what is termed the
"double piece" of it.
The instruments termed the fagotto, the tenorvon, and bassoons suited
to other keys or modes. in music, are, in fact, merely various sized smaller
modifications of the bassoon. They are all upon the same principle and
family to which my Invention applies to the extent of their scales
equally with the F bassoon, which is the root of the class, and to de-
scribe them would be a mere repetition of my statement. And by
means of my Invention bassoons of any pitch below or above the F
bassoon may be made equally perfect merely by extending or contract-
ing the rods of the keys which connect the action of the fingers with the
opening or closing of the apertures, which will be presently understood.
The object of my Invention is to correct the imperfections described

page_text: in the, old bassoon, and the method of doing so I now proceed to de-
scribe.
Firstly, by placing the apertures which determine the fundamental
notes of the instrument at the extremity of the portions of the tube de-
manded for each note by the laws of acoustics, the proportions of which
may be obtained from the acoustic instrument termed a "monochord,"
and by giving to each note one aperture independent of any other
fundamental note; and thus the upper series of notes of the scale
are perfected by thus being able to form them from the proper
aliquot divisions of the due length of tube which is thus given to the
fundamental notes.
Secondly, by so arranging the keys which act upon the apertures as to
afford the means by which the fingers of the performer can produce and
command the notes of the instrument in regular progression or in the
various intervals systematically and with facility, and without an incon-
venient distension of the fingers.
And, thirdly, my invention relates to the arrangement of the various
parts of the tube so as to obtain the proper position of the apertures,
and a proper continuation of the bore at the doubling of the parts which
compose the tube of the instrument.
I now refer to the Drawings, which represent various views of a
bassoon, and the different parts separated on a scale of one third the
size of the usual F bassoon; and, first, as to the tube, Figures I. and II.,
the first part is the bent metal tube or "crook," the larger end of which
slides, for the adjustment of pitch, into the first straight joint of the in-
strument, which extends from the "crook" to between the Cnatural
and the C sharp apertures; the second joint extends so as to just include
the G natural aperture. The curve joint or doubling piece forms the
tube between the G natural, and the G sharp apertures, connecting and
continuing the bore in the two branches of the instrument, the interior
of which is indicated by the dotted lines at A, Figure II. The third
joint extends from the curve piece to between the E flat, and tlie D
natural apertures. The fourth joint extends from the termination of the
third joint to the fifth or "bell" joint.

page_text: The bore of the small end of the "crook" is one eighth and a thirty-
second of an inch in diameter, and the bore at its termination in the
"bell" joint is one inch and one quarter of an inch in diameter, and its
entire length is ninety-two inches, and is perfectly tapered from the
large end to the small end.
The "reed" or mouth piece of the new bassoon is of the same size
and character as that used with the old bassoon, and therefore it is not
necessary to further describe it.
Figures 1., and II. represent the opposite sides of the same bassoon
with the keys on complete. Figures III. and IV. shew the opposite
sides of a bassoon with the keys off, and placed near to their respective
positions upon the instrument. The same figures and letters of reference
corresponding throughout the Drawing, and the apertures are named
from the note emitted when they are open. The keys of apertures 3, 9,
15, 20, 21, and 22 remain closed, and all the others remain open when
the hands are off the instrument, by the force of their respective springs,
which springs are indicated by the lines proceeding from the pillars on
which the keys work.
When the thumbs and fingers of the performer are placed in their re
spective positions, that is, the first finger of the left hand upon the lever
19", Figure I., second finger upon the lever 17ª, the third finger upon
lever 16, and the little finger is held ready to act upon lever 15", and
the aperture 15, which remains closed, as before stated, and is also ready
to act upon lever 8, and the thumb of the same hand is placed upon
lever 1, Figure II., and the first finger of the right hand on the aper-
ture 13, second finger on lever 12ª, third finger on lever 11*, leaving the
little finger free to act on lever 10", and the other two adjoining levers,
and the thumb of the same hand on lever 7°, Figure II., thus all the
apertures, excepting aperture 23, in the "crook" will be closed, and the
lowest note of the instrument, B flat, may be produced; by releasing
the lever 1, Figure II., from the pressure of the left hand thumb, the
aperture 1, will open, and B natural may be produced; by releasing
lever 2, from the pressure of the same thumb aperture 2, will
open, and C natural may be produced: By pressing the little
finger of the left hand upon lever 3ª, aperture 3, will open, and

page_text: C sharp may be producod. By removing the pressure of same thumb
from key 4, D natural may be produced. It may be observed that when
4, is pressed down, the lever 4", will press up the lever 5*, which keeps
closed the apertures 5, and 6, by means of the levers, as shewn in the
drawing.
By releasing lever 5", from the pressure of the left-hand thumb, the
E flat aperture 5, is opened; by releasing 6º, from the pressure of the
same thumb E natural aperture is opened. By releasing lever 7ª, from
the pressure of the right-hand thumb the F natural aperture 7, is
opened. By releasing lever 8ª, from the pressure of the same thumb
F sharp aperture 8, is opened. By releasing lever 9³, from the pres-
sure of the same thumb the G natural aperture 9, is opened. By
pressing the little finger of the right hand upon lever 9%, Figure I., the
G natural aperture 9, is closed. By pressing the same finger upon
lever 8b, the F sharp aperture 8, is closed. When levers 8, and 9b, are
pressed down by the little finger levers 8, and 9º, are pressed up to
close aperture 8, and 9.
•
By pressing the little finger of the right hand upon lever 10ª, the G
sharp aperture 10, is opened. By releasing lever 11, Figure I. from
the pressure of the third finger, the A natural aperture 11, is opened.
By releasing the lever 12ª, from the pressure of the second finger the
B flat aperture 12, is opened. By raising the first finger from the
aperture 13, B natural may be produced; but, first, previous to raising
the first finger from aperture 18, the third finger must be placed upon
lever 14; and after B natural is produced, if the third be raised from
lever 14*, the C natural aperture 14, will open. By pressing the little
finger of the left hand upon lever 15", the C sharp aperture 15, will
open. By raising the third finger from lever 16, the D natural aper-
ture 16, will open. By raising the second finger of the left hand from
lever 17, the D sharp aperture 17, will open; but at the same time the
lever 14ª, must be pressed upon by the third finger of the right hand,
and by raising this finger from pressing upon lever 14*, the E natural
aperture 18, will open, the lever 14°, being connected with the key 18,
by the lever 14", at the joining of the first and second joint. By raising
the first finger from lever 19ª, the F natural aperture 19, will open.

page_text: By pressing the third finger, left hand, upon lever 20, the F aperture
20, will open.
I have now described the manner of producing the series of fun-
damental notes from the first B flat to the second F sharp; and I now
proceed to describe the manner of producing the series of notes of the
scale of the instrument above the last-named F sharp.
The key 23, acts upon the very small aperture in the "crook;" this
aperture is in all bassoons, and it is found to facilitate the production of
the octaves and twelfths of the fundamental notes by assisting the lip
action then necessary upon the "reed," which is well understood by
bassoon players, and as it does not damage the tone and intonation of
the fundamental notes, it is allowed to remain open while they are pro-
duced, but at certain notes of the upper series it must be closed, which
will presently be shewn.
The key 19, shewn in Figure III., has a small hole in the centre of
the valve of it, and the position of this key is directly under the key 19,
over the aperture 19. At the back of the rod of 19h, there will be seen
a small lever attached 19, which overlays a similar lever 18, at the
back of key 18. When, therefore, the first finger of the left hand is
raised from 19, and the third finger of the right hand is pressed upon
the lever 14, the key 19, will rise; while the key 19b, will be closed upon
aperture 19, by means of the lever 18", pressing up the lever 19%, the
lever 17b, under 18", and consequently also under 19°; and therefore
when the second finger of the left hand presses upon the lever 17ª, the
apertures 17, 18, and the key 19b, will be closed, and the small hole in
the valve of 19b, will be open. This small aperture in 19", forms part
of the new constructing of the bassoon.
I have previously described the manner of producing the fundamental
notes of the scale up to the second F sharp, and I now proceed to the
next series of notes. By placing all the fingers of both hands and the
thumb of the right hand upon the levers before assigned to them, and so
leaving apertures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, open, producing the first F
natural 7, as before described; and then by raising the first finger of
the left hand from the lever 19%, the small aperture in 19b, will open,

page_text: and the second F natural may be produced as the octave of the fir
and by allowing apertures 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12, to open in succession,
before described, and at the same time letting the small aperture
19', remain open, the octaves of F sharp, G natural, G sharp, A natur
A sharp, and B natural may be produced.
The apertures 21, 22, and 23, are acted upon by the thumb of the l
hand pressing upon levers 21, 22*, and 23%, shewn in Figures ]
and IV.
When certain apertures are closed in the order they are indicated
the following table, in which the numbers refer to the apertures in t
Drawing, the notes which are named against each set of numbers m
be produced :-
10, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, and 22, the third C natural.
10, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, and 22, the third C sharp.
10, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, and 22, the third D natural.
10, 15, 18, 19, 20, 21, and 22, the third D sharp.
10, 15, 19, 20, 21, and 22, the third E natural.
10, 15, 20, 21, and 22, the third F natural.
10, 15, 21, and 22, the third F sharp.
10, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, and 28, the third G natural.
10, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, and 23, the third G sharp.
10, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20, 22, and 23, the third A natural.
10, 15, 18, 19, 20, 22, and 23, the fourth B flat.
10, 15, 18, 19, 20, 21, and 23, the fourth B natural.
10, 15, 19, 20, 21, and 23, the fourth C natural.
10, 15, 20, 21, and 28, the fourth C sharp.
12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, and 22, the fourth D natural,
18, 14, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, and 22, the fourth D sharp.
10, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 21, and 22, the fourth E natural.
I have now described the manner of carrying out my Invention
the construction of the new bassoon, its nature and intention. But
do not confine myself to the precise details of the description, as some
the details may be varied, and the general principle of construction pr
served. What I claim is,-
Firstly, placing the apertures which determine the notes of the basso

page_text: in such position as will give the due portion and quantity of the tube of
the instrument naturally demanded to form each note of its scale.
Secondly, I claim the application of the machinery of keys which I
have described and shewn to instruments of the bassoon class, by means
of which apertures placed as I have described may be freely and con-
veniently acted upon by the fingers of the performer.
And, thirdly, I claim the manner and arrangement of the joints, or
several parts of the tubing of the bassoon, whereby the "double piece" of
the old bassoon is dispensed with, and in lieu thereof the bore continued
by the curve joint as described and shewn.
In witness whereof, I, the said Cornelius Ward, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of July, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
CORNELIUS WARD. (L.S.)