TRANSVERSE SPRING SLIDES FOR TRUMPETS, TROMBONES, FRENCH HORNS, BUGLES, AND EVERY OTHER MUSICAL INSTRUMENT OF THE LIKE NATURE
Year: 1824

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
SHAW, of Mill Town, in the Parish of Glossop, in the County of Derby,
Farmer, send greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King George the Fourth, by His
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at His
Palace at Westminster, the Seventh day of October, in the fifth year of His
reign, did, for Himself, His heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said John Shaw, His especial licence that I, the said John Shaw, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Shaw, my
executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times during the term of years therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within
England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and also within all
His Majesty's Colonies and Plantations abroad, my Invention of "TRANSVERSE
SPRING SLIDES FOR TRUMPETS, TROMBONES, FRENCH HORNS, BUGLES, AND EVERY
OTHER MUSICAL INSTRUMENT OF THE LIKE NATURE;" in which said Letters Patent
there is contained a proviso obliging me, the said John Shaw, by an instrument
in writing under my hand and seal, particularly to describe and ascertain the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, and to cause the same to be enrolled in His Majesty's High Court
of Chancery within two calendar months next and immediately after the date

page_text: of the said recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being
thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
John Shaw, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be performed, are described and ascertained in
the Plans or Drawings prefixed to these Presents and the following explanation
thereof, that is to say;-
My transverse spring slides for trumpets, trombones, French horns, bugles,
and every
other musical instrument of the like nature, are of two sorts, ono
sort by the pressure of which in the manner herein-after to be described the
key or tone of the instrument with which it is connected is raised or made
sharper. The other kind of slide, by being pressed in the manner hercin-after
to bo described, lowers or flattens the key or tone of the instrument with
which it is connected.
Figures 1 and 7 in the said Plans or Drawings are representations of these
two sorts of slides in the state in which they form the subject of my Patent.
In this state (as far as regards the forms of the several parts, and the pro-
portion which the parts bear in size to each other) they are equally applicable
to trumpets, trombones, French horns, bugles, and every other musical instru-
ment of the like nature; but the size of the whole transverse spring slide
must be varied according to the size of the tube with which it is intended
to be connected. Figures 1 and 7 are drawn the exact full size that the
-- articles they represent ought to be when intended for a trumpet. When they
are intended for any other instrument they (the slides) must bear the same
proportion in size to the tube with which they are intended to be connected as
Figures 1 and 7 bear to the tube of a trumpet crook.
Explanation of Figure 1 in the said Plans or Drawings.
Figure 1 is a representation of a transverse spring slide, by the pressure of
which in the manner herein-after to be described the key or tone of the
instrument with which it is connected is raised or made sharper. A, A, are
two round tubes. G, G, are holes bored through both sides of both the
tubes A, A. The tubes A, A, are soldered fast to the opposite sides of the
round tube F. The tube F is open at one end; the other end has the nut b
screwed in. There is a hole in the middle of the nut b, for the piston rod E
to work in. B, B, B, B, are two tubes nicely fitted to slide with oil within
the tubes A, A. a, a, are tubes, the outsides of which fit tight within the
tubes B, B, B, B. C, C, are tubes that fit within the tubes a, a, and are
fitted with mitre joints to the opposite ends of the round tube D. The tubes
B, B, B, B, a, a, C, C, and D, are all soldered firmly together, so that they

page_text: form a staple which slides within the tubes A, A. This sliding staple is kept
in its present position by a spiral spring inclosed within the tube F; this
spring presses against a piston fixed on the piston rod E. The piston rod E
works through the tube F, and is connected with the sliding staple by the pin
e, passing through holes near the ends of the sliding staple, and through a
hole near the end of the piston rod, so that when the piston rod is moved
either by the pressure of the finger or by the pressure of the spring it (the
piston rod) takes the sliding staple along with it. The pin e is screwed fast
in it's place by the nut c, screwed on the end of the piston rod. When the
sliding staple is slided by the pressure of the finger, it is prevented from
sliding too far by the nut d, screwed on the piston rod, stopping against the
end of the tube F. If the nut c is unscrewed, and the pin e taken out, the
sliding staple B, B, B, B, may then be withdrawn from the tubes A, A.
Explanation of Figure 6 in the said Plans or Drawings.
Figure 6 is a representation of the sliding staple B, B, B, B, Figure 1,
when withdrawn from the tubes A, A, Figure 1. The only difference between
the two legs of this sliding staple is, that they are mitred to fit to the opposite
ends of the tube D, so that the holes H, H, may both face one way; there-
fore to prevent confusion, I shall only describe one of the legs. The reference
letters on the corresponding parts of each leg are the same, and the following
explanation will do for either leg. G is a hole bored through both sides of
the tube B. H is a hole bored only through one side of the tube B. The
tubes a and C both come down the inside of the tube B as far as the centre of
the hole H, and that side of the ends of the tube a and C which is next to
the hole H is cut out in a semicircular form to correspond with one half
of the hole II. A round plug to fit the inside of the tube B, with a hole
bored through the plug near to one end of the plug of the size of the hole G,
and the other end of the plug hollowed to correspond with one half
of the hole II, is pushed up the inside of the tube B till the round hole
bored through the plug is opposite to the hole G, and the hollowed
end of the plug corresponds with one half of the hole H. This perforated
plug (which is the name whereby I shall hereafter distinguish it) must be
soldered fast to the inside of the tube B, so that the air can have no passage
between the outside of the perforated plug and the inside of the tube B.
Explanation of Figure 4 in the said Plans or Drawings.-Figure 4 is n
representation of the tubes A, F, A, Figure 1, with the nut b, Figure 1, when
the sliding staple, the piston rod, and the spring are withdrawn.
Explanation of Figure 2 in the said Plans or Drawings.-Figure 2 is a
section of the transverse spring slide, represented by Figure 1. The shaded

page_text: parts A, A, are the perforated plugs described in the explanation of Figure 6.
B, the piston rod; a, the piston; c, c, c, the spiral spring; b, the perforated
nut through which the piston rod works; C, C, the holes G, G, Figure 1;
D, D, the holes H, H, Figure 6.
Explanation of Figure 3, in the said Plans or Drawings.-Figure 3 is a
cross section of of one of the tubes A, Figure 1, with one leg of the sliding
staple within it. The shaded part A, A, is the perforated plug; B is one of
the holes G, G, Figure 1; C is one of the holes H, H, Figure 6.
Explanation of Figure 7, in the said Plans or Drawings.-Figure 7 is a
representation of one of the transverse spring slides by the pressure of which
in the manner herein-after to be described the key or tone of the instrument
with which it is connected is lowered or made flatter. A, F, A, G, G, b, are
three tubes, two holes and a nut, exactly like those marked A, F, A, G, G, b,
Figure 1, and which are represented in a detached state by Figure 4. B, B,
a, a, C, C, D, are a sliding staple exactly like that marked B, B, B, D, a, a,
C, C, D, Figure 1, and which is represented in a detached state by Figure 6.
This sliding staple is kept in it's present position by a spiral spring within the
tube F. This spring presses against a piston fixed on the piston rod E. The
piston rod is connected with the sliding staple by the pin e, which passes
through holes near the ends of the sliding staple, and through a hole near the
end of the piston rod, so that when the piston rod is moved either way it takes
the sliding staple along with it. The piu e is kept in it's place by the nut c,
screwed on the end of the piston rod. d a nut screwed on the other end of the
piston rod. This nut, by stopping against the nut b, prevents the sliding staple
being slided too far by the power of the spring. In the state in which the
sliding staple is kept by the spring, the holes H, H, Figure 6, are over against
and correspond with the holes G, G, Figure 7, so that air blown in at one of
the holes G, Figure 7, will go round the inside of the sliding staple, and out
at the other hole G, Figure 7. When the piston rod and sliding staple are
slided by the pressure of the finger in the proper manner, which is till the pin
e stops against the ends of the tubes A, F, A, the holes G, G, Figure 6, will
then be over against and correspond with the holes G, G, Figure 7, so that
there is a free passage for the air across both the legs of the sliding staple and
the tubes A, A, Figure 7. The sliding of the sliding staple in Figure 1,
produces a contrary effect, that is to say, when untouched by the finger the
holes G, G, Figure 6, are over against and correspond with the holes G, G,
Figure 1, so as to form short tubes across the sliding staple and the tubes
A, A, Figure 1 (see B, Figure 3); but when the sliding staple is slided by
the pressure of the finger in the proper manuer (which is till the nut & stops

page_text: against the end of the tube F) the holes II, H, Figure 6, will then be over
against and correspond with the holes G, G, Figure 1, so that air blown in
at one of the holes G, Figure 1, will go round the inside of the sliding
staple, and out at the other hole G, Figure 1.
Explanation of Figure 8 in the said Plans or Drawings.-Figure 8 is a
section of the transverse spring slide represented by Figure 7. The shaded
parts A, A, are the perforated plugs; B, the piston rod; C, C, the holes
H, H, Figure 6, and likewise the holes G, G, Figure 7; D, D, the holes
G, G, Figure 6; a, the piston; b, the perforated nut 6, Figure 7 ; c, c, c, the
spiral spring.
Explanation of Figure 9 in the said Plans or Drawings.-Figure 9 is a
cross section of one leg of the sliding staple Figure 7, with one of the tubes
A, Figure 7, upon it. The shaded parts A, A, are the perforated plug;
B is the hole G, Figure 6; C, the hole H, Figure 6, and likewise one of the
holes G, Figure 7.
Explanation of Figure 10 in the said Plans or Drawings.-Figure 10 is a
representation in a detached state of the tubes a, a, C, C, D, Figure 6. A, A,
are the hollows that are cut on one side of the ends of the tubes to correspond
with one half of the holes H, H, Figure 6.
Explanation of Figure 11 in the said Plans or Drawings.-Figure 11 is a
representation of a trumpet with four transverse spring slides connected with
it. A, B, C, are transverse spring slides of the kind represented by Figure !.
D is a transverse spring slide of the kind represented by Figure 7. The holes
II, II, Figure 6, in each of the sliding staples, must face towards the mouth-
piece of the trumpet. a, a, a, b, b, b, are tubes of the size of the tube of a
trumpet crook. These tubes must be hollowed at the ends so as to fit against
the outer tubes of the slides. The hollowed ends of the tubes a, a, a, b, b, b, are
soldered firm to the outer tubes of the slides, so as to cover the holos from the
view, but the solder must be kept from going into the inside of the tubes.
c, c, a piece of the same size of tube as a, a, a, b, b, b, bent into the form of a
staple. The ends of the staple are hollowed and soldered to the outer tubes
of the slide D, in the same manner as the tubes a, a, a, b, b, b, are hollowed and
soldered. d is a staple made of the same size of tube as the staple c, c, but not
bent so narrow. One end of this staple is hollowed and soldered to the out-
side of the outer tube of the slide A, so as to cover the hole therein; the other
end of the staple is inade to fit into the end of the trumpet after the manner
of a crook. e a piece of tube of the same size as the tubes a, a, a, b, b, b, onu
end of which is hollowed and soldered to the outer tube of the other side of
the slide A in such a manner as to correspond with and cover the hole therein;

page_text: the other end of the tube receives the mouth-piece. When the trumpet is blown
with the slides untouched, the air going in at the mouth-piece will go down
the inside of the tubes e, b, b, 6, and straight across one leg of each of tho
slides A, B, C, as far as the slide D, which it enters by one of the holes C,
Figure 8, and goes round the inside of the sliding staple, and out at the other
hole C, Figure 8; it then comes through the tubes a, a, a, straight across
the slides C, B, A, round the staple d, and forward as in common trumpets.
If the slide D is pressed by the finger in the manner herein-before described,
the air will have a free passage across the legs of the slide D and round the
staple c, c. If any of the slides A, B, C, be pressed with the finger as bef.re
described, the air will go in at one of the holes II, H, Figure 6, in the
sliding staple so pressed, and out at the other hole H, Figure 6. The slides
A, B, C, D, must be at the distance of half a tone from each other, that is to
say, the connecting tubes a, a, a, b, b, b, and the staples c, c, must be of such
lengths that when the slide D is pressed in the manner described above the
key of the trumpet will be half a tone lower than when the slides are un-
touched, that when the slide C is pressed the key of the trumpet will be half
a tone higher than it was when the slides were all untouched, that when the
slide B is pressed the key of the trumpet will be a tone higher than it was
when the slides were untouched, and that when the slide A is pressed the
key of the trumpet will be a tone and a half higher than it was when
the slides were all untouched. The bugle must have six transverse spring
slides connected with tubes and a staple at each end; five of the slides must
be of the kind represented by Figure 1, and one of the kind represented by
Figure 7. Here, to save some repetition, I shall observe, that no instrument
must have more than one of the slides last mentioned fixed to it, and that one
must be the farthest from the mouth-piece, or next to the staple c, c, Figure 11.
Whatever instrument the transverse spring slides are fixed on, they must bo
at the distance of half a tone from each other, as described above. Instruments
on which the greatest interval of sound is a fourth will only require four
transverse spring slides fixing to them; but instruments on which the greatest
interval of sound is a fifth will require six transverse spring slides fixing to
them. For the French horn the transverse spring slides may be connected
with curved tubes in the manner represented by Figure 12 in the said Plans
or Drawings. A, B, C, D, Figure 12, are those parts of four transverso spring
slides, of one of which Figure 4 is a representation.
Figure 13 in the said Plans or Drawings is a representation of a trombone
with six transverso spring slides connected with it. When the transverse
spring slides are near enough to each other, as in the trumpet and bugle, they

page_text: may be slided by pressing with the finger upon a handle screwed on the end of
the piston rod in the manner represented by Figure 5, in the said Plans or
Drawings; but when the number and distance of the slides, as on the trom-
bone, renders it impossible to reach them all at the same time with the fingers,
the pressure of the fingers must be communicated to some of the slides by
means of small levers or keys in the manner represented by Figure 13, in tho
said Plans or Drawings.
In order to keep the oil on better, and to render the slides more com-
pletely air-tight, the inner edges of the ends of the outer tubes A, A, Figures
1 and 7, the inner edges of the holes in these tubes A, A, Figures 1 and 7,
and the outer edges of the holes in the sliding staples, must all be sloped or
bevelled off in the manner shewn in the sections Figures 2, 8, 8, and 9.
Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 are all drawn to the same scale; but as
the transverse spring slides are applicable to every size or length of trumpet,
trombone, French horn, or bugle, Figures 11, 12, and 13 are on that account
not drawn to a scale. The transverse spring slides may be made entirely
of brass, except the solder and the springs. The springs may be made of
what is commonly called steel wire. The legs of the sliding staple, Figure 6,
may either be connected by mitre joints, as described above, or by a curved
tube, as shewn by the dotted limes, Figure 6.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Shaw, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, the Thirtieth day of October, in the year of our Lord Ono
thousand eight hundred and twenty-four
JOHN SHAW. (L.S.)
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the same Thirtieth day of October, in
the year above mentioned, the aforesaid John Shaw came before our Lord the
King in His Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification aforesaid, and
all and every thing therein contained, in form above written. And also
the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to the tenor of the Statute
in that case made and provided.
Inrolled the First day of November in the year shove written