Improvements in Fingering Flutes, Piccolos, and similar Instruments.
Year: 1893

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Fingering Flutes, Piccolos, and similar
Instruments.
I, DAVID STEWART DAWSON of 90 Newgate Street, London E.C. Watch
Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be porformed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
My invention is to carry out in conjunction with the already established system
of fingering of the Boehm flute, an interchangeable arrangement in an effective but
simple manner so as to create the five following improvements.
1. An interchangeable easy fingering for the F note from the fundamental
position of the first finger of the right hand as applicable to playing music written
in sharp keys.
2. An interchangeable fundamental fingering for the accidental notes Bb and Fr
that may occur when such fingering is used.
3. An interchangeable fingering for the accidental F note that may occur when
playing music written in natural keys.
4. An interchangeable fundamental fingering for the accidental notes B and F
that may occur when playing music written in flat keys.
5. When an open Dr key is used a fingering to close it and make C from the
fundamental position of the second finger of the right hand and where such
open D key is used, a lever actuated by the first finger of the right hand by
which the shakes CD, CD, CD, D Eb can bo mado.
In my invention the Boehm system of fingering is left intact in all the natural,
sharp and flat keys and by my improvements an instantaneous change can be
effected, so that an easy fingering for may be obtained for playing in sharp
keys from the same position of the first finger of the right hand, and in precisely
the same way as Fis made when playing in the natural key, and the accidental
notes Bb and that may occur with this change executed from fundamental
positions where necessary as horcafter described.
I apply the term fundamental positions to the fingers and left hand thumb
when they are all down on the keys and. placed in the positions as adopted by
Bochm.
I will now explain my interchangeable arrangement as applicable to the sharp,
flat and natural keys under their respective headings so that it will be readily
understood by flute players, manufacturers and musicians generally.
0
FLAT KEYS.
If the usual way of fingering the Bb note is adopted the thumb of the left hand
is partly removed from its fundamental position and the Bb note is obtained by
pressing down the key which makes B and the key which makes Bb at the same
time, but in so removing the thumb from its fundamental position, the fingerings
of the accidental B and top F notes are cancelled except by sliding the thumb
5 back into its fundamental position.

page_text: Now as none of the keys can be permanently used for closing the key which
makes B or will accomplish all that is required, various contrivances have been
adopted for closing it, particularly that by means of a lever actuated by the first
finger of the right hand. As this cannot be done whon the B note is required
before or after making For any note from F to the bottom Ch except by
sliding the first finger, such a method must be considered unsatisfactory for
fingering the B note, and altogether useless for fingering the top F. Now my
invention in so far as that referred to for the improvement of fingering in flat
keys, is to provide an interchangeablo fundamental fingering for the B and top F
notes (which will obviate all sliding) as also one by a lover if preferred, placed in 1
the lowest position on the fute in which it can be operated on and as further
described under the heading of interchanged easy Ft fingering,

page_text: On each side of the flute as shown in Figs. 1. 2 and 4, I place a rod 9, supported
on pillars.
On each rod I place a movable socket o, having each three free ends r. The
two upper ends are placed so that the ends m' and come between them. On
the inside of the sockets are two points 9. Around the rods q, I place a coiled
spring, shewn in Figs. 1 and 2, which presses against these points g.
means the lovers m³, and u, are held in the positions shown in Fig. 1. 1 place a
lever p, (Figs. 1. 2 and 3) on the back of the flute, with two free ends p².
By this
When tho thumb of the right hand is placed on this lever by supporting the
flute in that position, the free ends p', are pressed against the under ends r, the
sockets are by this means moved along the rods g, bringing the levers m²,
and u
into the positions shewn in Fig. 2.
The end m', is by this means removed from under the finger plate, and brought
under the end o³, (Figs. 2 and 5), this fingerplates, then ceases to close the keys
which make Bb and making then F
Simultaneously with the above, the end u', is removed from under the end o³,
and the lever o, and key 2, cease to make B and F# and are thereby interchanged
to make the accidental notes Bb and F When the thumb is removed from
lever p, the positions shewn in Fig. 1 are instantaneously resumed.
When an open D key is desired, 1 use the same fingering to close it and
make C as in the "Carte" system except that employed for the first finger of the
right hand, but to obviate certain cross fingerings, I use a new fingering obtained
by placing a free end i, on the rod i, as shewn in Fig. 2 and before stated. When
the key y, is pressed down by the second finger of the right hand, C is produced
by closing the same keys as are closed by the third finger of the loft hand. This
practically controls the open D key and obviates any cross fingering likely to
occur. I can also make the C with the interchangeable lever o, and keys.
By placing a lever in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, I obtain from its
use, the shakes C D C D C† Dỵ, Dỵ Eb, in the following mannor. The
said lever is pinned to the rod m, which passes from pillar to pillar with a key a
pinned to same and pressed down by a spring in the usual way. I place another
key, with its socket moving on the rod m, and netunted by a weak spring tending
to open the said key. A clutch is placed on the socket of the key a, at n', which
presses against a stud on the lower side of the socket of the key ³, by this means
the key, is kept closed.
I place a clutch on the socket of the key which makes Cņat s', which pressos
against a stud on the lower side of the rod
7.
On the back of the socket of the key ³, is placed a stud t, below this stud is
another stud fixed to the rod q.
When the first finger of the left hand is pressed down on the koy which makes C
these studs are firmly pressed together so that the key, is also kept closed, by
this means, and when so held the shake C D is obtained.
The shake C D is obtained by pressing down the third finger of the left hand,
the other fingers and thumb of that band being removed.
The shake C D is obtained with the thumb of the left hand on its koy, the
other fingers of that hand being off the keys.
The shake D Eb, is obtained with all keys open.
In the positions named, the various shakes are, as already stated obtained by the
use of the said lever, actuated by the first finger of the right hand. The shakes
usually made by the first finger and thumb of the loft hand are available as
heretofore.
In the drawings above roferred to :—
Fig. 1. shews a plan view of my improved apparatus.
Fig. 2. shows a plan view of my improvements applied to the keys of a flute.

page_text: Fig. 6) ISO CO SHOW чле
Fig. 15 R cross section at the e
parts.
Fig. 5 is a cross section at the line 5-6 (Fig. 2) for showing the mechanisin seen
at this line.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what mauner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :
1. The use of the key ³, as placed in the position shewn in Fig. 2 and as
operated upon by the means described herein and set forth.
2. The use of the sliding lever m'. Its free ends and its various modes of
operating the work as described and set forth.
3. The use of the sliding lever 1. Its free ends and its various modes of
operating the work, as herein explained and set forth.
4. The use of the interchangeable lever o. Its free ends and the key z, for
operating a sliding lever which operates the keys and makes the B and notes
in the manner herein explained and set forth or otherwise.
5. The use of the interchangeable lever o. Its free ends and the key =, for
operating a sliding lever which operates the keys and makes the Bb and I notes
in the manner herein described aud set forth or otherwise.
6. The use of the koy, for operating on the lever o, as shewn in Figs. 1 and 2
or otherwise. The use of two ends, on the lover k, and the coupling e, on said
lever as herein explained and set forth.
7. The use of the lever v. Its attachment to the rod n. Its free ends and mode
of operating the koys which make Bỵ and F✡ us herein explained and set forth or
otherwise.
8. The use of the levor wo, placed in position as shewn in Figs. 1 and 2.
9. The use of the fingerplates for operating a sliding lever for closing the keys
which make Bb and F
10. The use of the key y, the lover it is pinned to for operating the key 4', in
the position shewn and in the manner herein explained and set forth.
11. The use of the rods, the springs 4ª the sliding sockets e, their free onds
and pillars holding them. Their mode of operating the sliding levers m³, and u, by
the means herein described and set forth or otherwise.
12. The use of the lover p and its free ends p² for operating the sliding sockets o
as herein explained and set forth or otherwise.
13. The use of the means by which the key, is kept closed as herein described
and the use of a weak spring tending to open the key ³, when the lever ³, is
pressed down.
14. The means by which the rod 2, is permauently operated upon by the first
finger of the left hand as herein explained or otherwise.
15. The use of the key y, and its lever and free end ♬³, for closing the open D
key as shown in Fig. 2 or otherwiso.
Dated this 28th day of January 1893.