CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF FLUTES, FLAGEOLETS, HAUTBOYS, AND OTHER WIND INSTRUMENTS WHICH ARE MODULATED BY THE FINGERS, WHEREBY THEY RECEIVE GREATER TRUTH OF TONE, AND GIVE MORE FACILITY IN PLAYING THE FLAT AND SHARP NOTES, THAN IS PRODUCED BY SUCH INSTRUMENTS NOW IN USE
Year: 1808

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, the
Reverend FREDERICK NOLAN, of Stratford, near Colchester, in the County of
Essex, Clerk, send greeting.
WHEREAS the King's most Excellent Majesty, by Letters Patent under the
Great Seal of the United Kingdom, bearing date at Westminster, the Twenty-
sixth day of November, in the forty-ninth year of His reign, gave and granted
unto the said Frederick Nolan, his executors, administrators, and assigns,
and every of them, by himself or themselves, or by his or their deputy or
deputies, servants or agents, or such others as he, the said Frederick Nolan, his
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 ex-
pressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, his Invention of
"CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF FLUTES, FLAGEOLETS, HAUTBOYS,
AND OTHER WIND INSTRUMENTS WHICH ARE MODULATED BY THE FINGERS, WHEREBY
THEY RECEIVE GREATER TRUTH OF TONE, AND GIVE MORE FACILITY IN PLAYING THE
FLAT AND SHARP NOTES, THAN IS PRODUCED BY SUCH INSTRUMENTS NOW IN USE,"
within that part of Great Britain called England, the Dominion of Wales,
and Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed; in which said Letters Patent is con-
tained a proviso that if I, the said Frederick Nolan, should not particularly.
describe and ascertain the nature of my said improvements, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, by an instrument in writing under
my hand and seal, and cause the same to be enrolled in His Majesty's High

page_text: Court of Chancery within four calendar months next and immediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent, that the said Letters Patent, and all
liberties and advantages whatsoever thereby granted, should then utterly cease,
determine, and become void, as by the said Letters Patent, relation being
thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in pursuance of the said proviso, I, the said
Frederick Nolan, do hereby describe and ascertain the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, by the Plan
and description thereof hereunto annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederick Nolan, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and nine.
My improvements consist in constructing wind instruments, modulated by
the fingers, on the principle of bringing the semitones, which are generally
cross fingered or played by additional keys, under the modulation of the fingers
which play the regular diatonick notes, so as to simplify the fingering, and in
applying a mechanical contrivance to the holes of the instrument, in order to
tune them, particularly when the instrument is lengthened or shortened, for the
purpose of altering its pitch. And this may be performed or effected as
follows:-
I. In order to bring the grave semitone under the modulation of the finger
which plays the regular note, let a small tube (see Fig. 1, A) of ivory. wood,
metal, or other hard substance, of a bore considerably smaller than the hole (a),
sounding the regular note, and of a height not so elevated as to prevent the
finger from modulating on it with ease, be fitted into hole (a), so as to be
perfectly air-tight when its upper orifice (c) is covered; let the tone of the
hole thus fitted with the tube or stop (A) be tried by sounding the instrument,
all the holes being covered which lie above the hole (a); if the chromatic
note which will be thus produced be not the required semitone, it may be
rendered sharp, if too flat, by widening the bore and reducing the height of
the tube or stop; and, on the other hand, if it be too sharp, it may be pro-
duced properly in tune by inserting a longer tube and of a narrower bore into
the hole (a). The height of the stop should be, however, sufficiently reduced
to permit the finger to modulate on it, and sufficiently wide to produce a free
tone, to procure which it may be necessary to make the bore of the tube
rather more open in its lower extremity. This contrivance may be applied to

page_text: the middle finger holes of treble or bass instruments, e. g., flutes, fifcs, haut-
bois, clarinets, bassoons, serpents, &c., and will thus render them capable of
playing the flat keys with greater facility than the instruments now in usc.
This facility may be encreased by applying tubes to other holes, particularly in
treble instruments, where they are most required, to the third finger holes,
which may be generally done to such instruments as are inflated by a reed or
mouthpiece, as the force of intonation which they give will be likely to counter-
act the effect which placing a tube on two holes in succession will be likely
to have on the higher hole in rendering it rather confined in tone. The full
extent of its application to any instrument may be determined by any mechanick,
who possesses an ear for tuning a common instrument, on applying tubes to
those holes which require to be made grave or flat, in order to alter the key,
more particularly those which sound ƒ, c, b, c, a, da, &c., and of these
principally, by, a, e, where these holes, when fitted with a tube or stop,
do not produce fa, bb, ab, or eb, &c. sufficiently clear, more especially with
the assistance of uncovering the holes which sound their accidentals, f, b
a, e, &c., the tubes should not be retained.
II. In order to plug the accidentals to the grave not produced by the above
contrivance, and to its relative produced by the hole without a tube, so as not
to embarrass the fingering, 1º, Where the middle finger holes are furnished
with stops or tubes, and the thumbs disengaged, and the third finger holes
furnished with stops, and the little fingers disengaged, holes may be opened
for these last at the side of the instrument (Fig. 1, b, d), and put in unison
with their relative holes (e, f), which will be most effectually done by marking
them equal to their relative holes (e, f), and placing them at the same distance
from the top of the joint. They should be, however, placed in that part of
the circumference of the joint which is most within the reach of the thumb
or little finger which is to modulate them. Their place will be, of course,
easily determined on placing the instrument in the proper position for playing.
Hence, whether the stop is applied to the proper hole (e or f), or to the side
hole (6 or d), for it should always lie in either, the accidental will be easily
produced from the side hole by raising the finger which covers it. 2°. But
if there should be no spare thumb or finger to cover those side holes, let key
holes be bored, in the same manner as directed for the thumb holes and finger
holes already described. Let each (Fig. 11, a) of them be furnished with a
key (6), constructed so as to have its touch contiguous to the relative hole (c);
or (in order to preserve the simplicity of fingering still more) to the hole above
it (Fig. 12, d), but let the touch (e) be so placed as to admit the. fingers
covering the hole (c) contiguous to the touch, without pressing the latter,

page_text: and at the will of performer, enabling him to cover the former and press the
latter by extending his finger beyond its usual position, by which last process
the accidental will be produced. When it is necessary to apply a tube or
stop to the holes covered by such keys, it may be thrust wholly into the instru-
ment; but should it be thus thought to render the tone confined, it may be
only inserted a short way into the hole, and covered with a key (Fig. 9, H),
constructed with a valve (c) capable of being elevated or depressed by means
of a male screw (a) working in a female screw (6), whereby the valve may
be raised, when the tube or stop is transferred to the side hole, but lowered
when it is replaced in the relative hole, in either of which it should be placed
'always. A key of this kind may be likewise applied to the thumb and
finger holes. (Fig. 1, b, d) described above; if it be conceived that keeping these
holes (b, d) constantly covered is liable to cramp the execution, the accidental
will in this case be produced by pressing the key instead of raising the finger.
On the same principle of simplifying the fingering by bringing those semitones
which are generally executed by additional keys or cross fingering. under the
modulation of the fingers which play the regular diatonick notes, and executing
the accidentals by fingering at the side of the instrument, the following con-
trivances, among others, may be employed in improving the construction of
wind instruments beyond their present capabilities, to play the flat keys, with-
out deviating from the simple fingering, unless the music is transposed, and the
instrument made on a different scale from those of concert pitch. The grave
semitone may be brought under the modulation of the finger which plays the
regular note, according to the above principle, e. g., 1°, By making the instru
ment thicker (Fig. 2, a) in the place of the regular hole (a), and boring it
with a hole of the common size, or smaller, through the thick part; 2°, By
beveling a hole (Fig. 3, a) in the usual place, the instrument being supposed
sufficiently thick for such a process; 3º, By contracting the hole (Fig. 1, a)
by fitting into it a stopple, either perforated with a smaller hole (B), or cut
away at the side (C), so as to produce the required semitone, or boring the
instrument originally with a small hole (at a, Fig. 1) by itself, or accom-
panied with a second small hole, for the purpose of producing a full tone out
of both, and a semitone out of one (Fig. 4, a); 4°, By fitting double holes of
this kind or single holes (Fig. 7,. a) with a slide (c), which will occasionally
cover part of the hole (a), or one of the double holes (Fig. 5, a), sounding the
full tone. But these contrivances (3° & 4°) last mentioned are not likely
.to produce so clear or open a tone as those (1° & 2°) specified before. 5°, By
placing a holé (Fig. 5, 6) lower on the instrument than hole (a), but within
the reach of the finger which modulates hole (a), or by applying to a hole

page_text: (Fig. 6, a) of the same description as hole (b, Fig. 5,) a key (Fig. 6, c) having
its touch over or near the proper hole, or the place where it ought to be;
the accidental to all these contrivances may be taken by a side hole (Fig.
2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 6), similar to that directed above for forming hole (b, Fig. 1),.
And if these contrivances are
or by a double hole, similar to (Fig. 4, 6):
reversed, and holes (a, Fig. 2, 3) placed under the modulation of the thumb,.
and holes (b, b, Fig. 2. 3) placed under the modulation of the finger, or the
stopples (B, C) transferred from hole (a, Fig. 1), and inserted in the hole (b)
on the side of the instrument; if, also, the slide (Fig. 7) be moved, so as to.
uncover (a), sounding the semitone, and partially cover (6), sounding the full
tone, or to stop up one of the holes at (6, Fig. 4), leaving both holes at (a)
open, which may be also otherwise stopped or plugged up than by a slide; and
further, if by a swivel key (D), the valve of which shall be made to turn on a
pivot, hole (c) be covered, and hole (a) left open, the key (D) being fixed to
the instrument at (d, Fig. 5), then, while the proper holes sounding the
diatonick notes are fingered regularly, their accidentals may be taken at the
side of the instrument. But a fuller Specification of these contrivances, or.
particular application of them to more than the middle finger holes of wind
instruments, need not be undertaken here, as they attain but imperfectly what.
is effected by the tube or stop described above in a manner sufficiently perfect..
III. In order to bring the acute semitone under the modulation of the finger
which plays the regular diatonick note, let a perforated key (Fig. 10, I) be.
placed over a hole bored to produce the required semitone between the proper
hole and the hole next above it, of the following construction:-Let it be.
made of a proper length to cover both holes, viz', that sounding the full tone.
with its touch (e), and that sounding the semitone with its valve (c); let it be.
so bored through the touch (e) as to permit the full tone to pass freely through.
the perforation (e), or to be completely stopped by the finger which presses the
key down; let it have its hinge (6) behind the valve (c), its springs (d)
between the perforation and the valve, and let it be furnished with a projecting
tongue (a) behind the hinge, to prevent the spring from throwing the touch
too high. For the purposes of modulation there should be likewise a catch (f).
placed behind the touch, which, by turning on a pin or pivot, may fasten
down the key when it is fixed to the instrument (Fig. 1, g) in a box or ball
properly placed for the hinge. In place of this key a jointed key (Fig. 10,1)-
of the same kind as those used on the German flute and hautbois may
used when there is sufficient distance between the holes sounding the full tone.
and semitone, to admit of a double lever's being employed. This key should
be perforated, as well as the former, an occasionally fastened down by means.
be

page_text: of a catch. Hence, on loosing the catch, the acute semitone may be produced
by the same fingering as the full tone. The accidental of the former is pro-
duced by pressing the key towards the valve, and permitting the sound to
come through the perforation; the accidental to the latter is produced by touch-
ing back the catch, and allowing the key to spring up.
This contrivance is
principally of use in producing 9 on the flute and such instruments, and fon
the bassoon and clarinet, &c.; middle c# on the clarinet may be produced
more simply than at present by placing the touch of the key which produces
that note under the modulation of the fourth finger of the right. hand, so as
to enable the performer to cover the proper hole of that finger while he
presses the key, or the former being stopped or plugged up to modulate the
latter.
IV. In order to change the key without altering the fingering or departing
materially from its simplicity, this may be done by transferring the stop or
tube (A), or other contrivance (B, C), from the side hole (b) to its relative
hole (c), or contrivance from (c) to (d), following the same process with the
other holes, according to the number of flats found in the key, and, where per-
forated keys are used, by catching or uncatching them according to the number
of sharps occurring in the key. Where a more expeditious method. is is
required, as on the German flute and such like instruments, let a shift be con-
structed (Fig. 8, E), consisting of two curved arms (d b, e b), formed of brass
or other metal, filed to the circumference of the instrument; let them be
connected by a hinge (c), and made of a proper length to cover with two
small plates (b, b) annexed to their extremity, the hole (Fig. 13, c), and its
accidental (d); let-the-plates-be-bored-as-at-(9,-Fig.-8, E),_concentrically
with the holes which they cover, and be fitted with stops (a), as already
described, which must have their lower extremity passing through the plates
(b, b), so as to fit into the holes beneath them when applied to the instrument;
let the respective part of the hinge (c) be furnished with projecting eyes
(d, e), resembling the lower part of the hinge to which they are respectively
annexed, but smaller, and like them furnished, with a pin, by which they may
be fastened at (F; d), when the arm (db) is.bent back from: (c) to (b); and
the eyes brought together; these eyes should be applied to such a part of the
hinge as that when the whole shift is applied to the instrument by means of a
hinge (f), and fastened at the back by a pin run through the eyes, one of the
stops (Fig. 13, a) being pressed into the middle finger hole, the other (b)
will clear the side hole, so as to permit the thumb to modulate on it without
interruption. Hence the key may be changed by pressing (6) with the thumb and
assisting (a) with the middle finger;-the-arm-(db)-will-thus-turn on the hinge

page_text: until stop (6) falls into the thumb hole, the other stop (a) being by the same
motion extricated from the middle finger hole, and contrariwise by pressing (a) in
the same manner, and assisting (C), the former will recover its place in its proper
hole. To prevent the lower extremity of the tubes from shooting too far over
their respective holes, they should be made as short as possible, and be bevelled
towards the lower extremity. With shifts of this kind all the holes may be
furnished which require stops when there are spare fingers to modulate them
at the side of the instrument, but where the arms of the shift will require to
be made short, or keys instead of the side holes are used to play the acci
dentals, it seems most adviseable to change the key without employing shifts,
viz., by playing the chromatick notes by which it is altered as accidentals.
It seems almost superfluous to add that the key may be changed in addition
to the usual modes of altering the fingering, or using a larger or smaller instru-
ment to play transposed musick, by boring an instrument according to the
above contrivances (Fig. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6), among others, with holes at the side
to play the relative keys, which holes must be turned round and brought under
the modulation of the fingers when the key is to be changed, the other holes
being stopped up, which may be done by a copper slide placed at the inside of
that part of the instrument to which the holes not wanted in the key are
turned; and further, this slide may be bored with holes corresponding to those
holes on the instrument which become accidentals in the key that is executed,
which may be covered occasionally by the thumb and little finger, so as to
play the accidentals when the instrument or any of its joints is changed. This
method appears more simple as well as more adapted to execution than that of
changing a joint or the whole instrument for others bored in different keys, by
which expedients the key may be changed without altering the fingering or
transposing the musick, and using a longer or shorter instrument.
V. In order to bring the holes more truly in tune when the instrument is
drawn out or shortened, for the purpose of altering the pitch, let the instrument,
which should be properly tuned in concert pitch, be put into what is termed
the sharp or flat pitch (e. g., the former), by elongating or contracting it by
means of an additional piece fitted to the head or otherwise; let the tone of
every hole be then tried in the same manner as when it was tuned in concert
pitch, and let every hole which is found out of tune be widened so as to admit
plugs or stopples of metal, ivory, or other hard substance (inserted into them
and fitted pretty tight) to be bored with a hole somewhat larger than originally..
It will be in general sufficient to widen the above-mentioned holes somewhat,
more than th of an inch, and to make them thus wide about th of an inch-
deep; let the holes thus widened be fitted with stopples, as before described,
so as to be perfectly air-tight, and let the instrument be bored properly in tune

page_text: through these stopples. Let these stopples be taken out, the instrument be put
in the flat pitch, and furnished with other stopples, as before described, and let
it be bored again through the new stopples, and so put properly in tune; in a
word, let the same process be observed with the concert pitch; and if it is
necessary to employ an intermediate pitch between those already mentioned,
let the same process be observed with respect to them also, but let each set of
stopples be furnished with a mark corresponding to the different length of pitch
joint, or sliding tube wherewith they are to be used. Finally, the holes which
remain in tune in every pitch (if there are any such) may be bushed with
metal or ivory to make them uniform with the other holes. By means of those
stopples or false holes the instrument may be of course tuned when its pitch is
altered. The false holes may be all made of the same width if their length is
encreased or diminished, according to the different degrees of gravity or acute-
ness requisite to put the holes in tune, consequently the same stopples may be
preserved for every length of the instrument, if they can be adjusted to different
lengths by a very minute screw, which will render them capable of being
drawn out when the hole requires to be flattened, or shortened when it requires
to be sharpened. The same effect may be obtained by a slide (among other
contrivances), which may be employ'd to reduce the aperture of the holes
when made sufficiently wide for the instrument in any pitch. In order to tune
the holes fitted with stops, these contrivances should be formed as (G) of two
parts, viz., (a) the head, and (b) the socket, the former working in the latter
by means of a male screw fitted to a female screw cut in the latter, so as that
the stop at its shortest length will produce the most acute sound requisite to
tune the hole, and at its greatest length the gravest sound necessary to tune
the hole; there will be no necessity of adjusting this stop with a screw if it is
furnished with different heads, according to the different lengths of tube neces-
sary to put the instrument in tune, but the former seems the more preferable
method from its simplicity-If-instruments_are_furnished with stops of this
description, to be used merely as additional keys; and fixed for this purpose
in the side of the instrument, the temperament of the instrument may be
varied by them at the will of the performer, so as to bring the chromatick
notes such as b, ab, which become occasionally a, g, more truly in tune
than on instruments where they are played as the same note; stops of this kind
may, instead of being inserted into a hole, be fitted into the instrument more
accurately by turning the lower part of them, like the false holes already
described for tuning the instrument, and by sinking this extremity into a hole,
widened as directed for the stopples or false holes described above.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the same Twenty-fifth day of
March, in the year above mentioned, the aforesaid Frederick Nolan 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.
T
.