Improvements in Bassoons and other Wood Wind Instruments of similar Fingering.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Apr., 1894
Complete Specification Left. 10th Jan. 1395-Accepted. 23rd Mar.. 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Bassoons and other Wood Wind Instruments of
similar Fingering.
I ROBERT STUART CAMPBELL of 13 Manor Place Paddington Green W.
Musician do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
In the bassoon as usually made there are four joints following the crook, known
respectively as the wing joint, the double joint, the long joint, & the bell.
On the double-joint there are eight holes, speaking the notes f, for gb, g, gor
ab, a, aor bb, b & c: of these the a. b. &'c holes are covered by the 3rd 2nd &
1st fingers respectively of the right hand, & the f hole is covered by the right
thumb. The other holes are covered by padded cups attached to levers or keys,
the fab, & bb being "closed" keys, & the key closing the g hole, & producing
the note f being an "open" key. In my improved instruinent I place an open key
over the Ahole, closed by the third finger right hand, the touch piece being so
placed that this finger can be used when necessary to close at the same time the
open" key over the g hole leaving the 4th finger free to work the g key. This
improvement permits of the execution of the passages f-ab: gb-ab, in both
octaves, which has been hitherto impossible.
My improvements on the double joint further comprise the covering of the f or
thumb hole with an "open" key worked by the thumb, & also held down by
the fkey when this is depressed by this means the passage from e to fis
greatly facilitated. To vent the f when the thumb hole is closed as above
described I make a special vent-hole covered by a pad which is opened by the
action of the fkey. And in connection with the lever working the cup over
the f thumb-hole, I fit another lever worked by the first finger right hand, in such
a way as to hold down the thumb hole cup when it is desired to give the shake
from e to f―This shake has hitherto been impracticable.
On the long joint as in present use there are six keys all worked by the left
thumb, & called respectively the Bb, Br, C, c, d & eb keys: the bb key carries
down the c & d keys with it, & the c key carries down the d key with it. The
distances between the keys make some passages extremely difficult, notably bb to d,
bb to eb, & cb to eb. Ou some bassoons there is a cup or thumb plate covering
the c key & attached to the b key, making what is called an open C, (i.e. a Č
vented by the bhole). I divide this thumb-plate, leaving one portion as now
attached to the b key, & fasten the other portion to the c key, permitting the usc
of either a closed or an open C: the bb key I bring partially round to the side &
over the c key in such a manner that it lies close to the end of the d key, (but still
to carry down the c & d keys) thus making the passages from bb to d & bb to eb
& vice versa, very easy & quite playable. The c key I attach to the c key in such
a manner as to carry down the c key with it, making with one key only, instead
of with two as before, permitting a closed & an open C, not obtained on other
instruments, & making the passage from to d & vice versa, which has hitherto
been very difficult, simple & playable.
On the old instruments the thumb moved in a circle of about two inches in
diameter & had to jump from one key to another in most instances; with my
improvements the diameter of the circle of thumb movement is reduced to one inch
& all movements may be made in a gliding manner.

page_text: Improvements in Bassoons and other Wood Wind Instruments of
similar Fingering.
I, ROBERT STUART CAMPBELL, of Frederick Mews, Stanhope Place,
Connaught Square, London, do hereby declare the nature of this invention an
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My invention is designed to provide for facilitating the fingering of bassoons
and similar wood wind instruments and to permit of the execution thereon of
passages and shakes which have hitherto been either impracticable or very
difficult.
One feature of my said invention consists in combining with the third or
A-natural hole a padded cup for closing the said hole, the said cup being provided
with a finger-plate and also, if desired, with a roller, so placed near the F key that
the closing of the third hole and the depression of the F key to close the Ġ hole
can be simultaneously effected at will by the 3rd finger of the right hand, leaving
the 4th or little finger at liberty to operate the A-flat key as usual.
Another feature of my said invention consists in combining with the back or
F-natural hole, which is usually closed by the thumb of the right hand, a padded
cup for closing the said hole and which can be operated either by the thumb, or by
means of a key acted upon by the bend of the 1st finger of the right hand, in which
case the thumb is left free for operating the back or key.
My said invention moreover comprises other improvements hereinafter described.
In the accompanying drawing I have shown how my said invention may be
conveniently carried into practice.
Figure 1 is a back view of a bassoon having my improvements applied thereto.
Figure 2 is a front view of the double joint of the said instrument, and
Figure 3 shows a portion of Figure 1 drawn to an enlarged scale.
In the bassoon as usually made there are four joints following the crook, known
respectively as the wing-joint a, the double joint b, the long or bass joint c, and the
bell d. On the double joint there are eight holes speaking the notes F, For
Gb, G, Gor Ab, A, A or Bb, B and C, of these, the A, B and C holes are
covered by the 3rd, 2nd and 1st fingers respectively of the right hand, and the
F hole is covered by the right thumb; the other holes are covered by padded cups
attached to levers or keys, the F, Ab and Bb being "closed" keys and the key
closing the G hole and producing the note F being an open key.
In my improved instrument I place an open key over the A-natural hole, which
is closed by the third finger of the right hand, the touch piece or finger-piece t
being so placed that this finger can be used when necessary to close at the same
time the "open" key over the G hole, leaving the 4th finger free to work the
G-sharp or A-flat key. This improvement permits of the execution of the
passages F to Ab, Gb to Ab, in both octaves, which has hitherto been
impossible.
My improvements on the double joint further comprise the covering of the F or
thumb hole with an "open" key w worked by the thumb and also held down by
the F-sharp key when this is depressed; by this means the passage from E to F
is greatly facilitated.
To vent-the Fwhen the thumb-hole is closed as above described, I make a
special vent-hole covered by a pad and which is opened by the action of the
Fkey. And in connection with the lever w working the cup over the For
thumb-hole, I fit another lever adapted to be worked by the first finger of the
right-hand, and in such a manner as to hold down the thumb-hole cup when

page_text: it is desired to give the shake from E to F; this shake has hitherto been
impracticable.
On the long joint as in present use there are six keys all' worked by the left
thumb and called respectively Bb, Br, C, C, D and Eb keys; the Bb key
carries down the C and D keys with it, and the C key carries down the D key
with it. The distances between these keys in the old instruments make the
playing of some passages extremely difficult, notably Bb to D, Bb to Eb, and Cb
to Eb. On some bassoons there is a cup or thumb plate covering the C key and
attached to the B key, making what is called an open C. (ie. a C vented by
the B hole). I substitute for this arrangement a partial overlapping of the
C key by the head of the B key and the affixing of a thumb plate to the C key
in such manner as to leave room for the extension of the B key and also for a
similar extension of the Bb key which latter key changes place with the B key
in such a manner that. it lies close to the end of the D key, it being so arranged
that it will still carry down the C and D keys with it, thus making the
passages from Bb to D and Bb to Eb and vice versa, very easy and quite playable.
The key I so combine with the C key that it will carry down the C key with
it and consequently also the D key, making C with one key only instead of with
two as before thus permitting a closed and an open C, not obtained on other
instruments, and making the passage from C to D and vice versa, which has
hitherto been very difficult, simple and playable.
On the old instruments the thumb moved in a circle of about two inches in
diameter and had to jump from one key to another in most instances; with my
improvements the diameter of the circle of the thumb movement is advantageously
reduced to one.inch and all movements may be made in a gliding manner.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what 1
claim is :-
First. The use, in combination with the A-natural hole, of a padded cup
provided with a finger-piece and adapted to be operated by the third finger of the
right hand to close the said hole, substantially as and for the purposes herein before
described.
Second. The use, in combination with the F or thumb-hole, of a padded cup
arranged to be operated either by the thumb of the right hand, or by the bend of
the 1st finger through the medium of a key, substantially as and for the purposes
hereinbefore described.
Third. The use of a special vent-hole covered by a pad and opened by the
action of the F-sharp key, substantially as and for the purpose herein before
described.
Fourth. The improvements in the construction and arrangement of the C, B
and B-flat keys, substantially as and for the purposes herein before described.
Fifth. The combination of the C-sharp key with the C-natural key in such a
manner that it will carry the same down with it, as and for the purpose set forth.
Sixth. A bassoon or similar wood wind musical instrument having my improve-
ments applied thereto substantially as described with reference to the accompanying
drawing.
Dated this 10th day of January 1895
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 & 12, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.