IMPROVEMENTS IN CORNETS AND OTHER WIND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Alfred Distin, of No. 31, Cranbourn Street,
Leicester Square, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN CORNETS AND OTHER WIND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.'
Sealed the 27th May 1856, and dated the 28th November 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Alfred Distin at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
28th November 1855.
I, WILLIAM ALFRED DISTIN, of No. 31, Cranbourn Street, Leicester Square,
in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CORNETS AND OTHER WIND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS'
to be as follows:-
My improvements consist in the means of giving a partly rotary action to
the pistons of cornets and other wind musical instruments, which may be
made of brass or other suitable material or materials, by the peculiar arrange-
ment and combination of parts, as shewn in the Drawings filed berewith, and
in each of which Drawings the same letters refer to the same parts.
No. 1 is a front view of the combined parts; No. 2, a side view thereof;
and No. 3 shews the several parts thereof separately. A is a rod, which may

page_text: be made more or less curved in the centre, and having a slot B formed
therein. C is a crank with a pin D at one end thereof, sufficiently projecting
at the back to slide and work in the slot B, and also to enter and work in
one of the holes in the perforated plate E; and at the other end of the crank
C there is a hole for the screw F, to fix and maintain one end or shaft of the
piston G, which has passages through it in the usual way, and which passes
at one end through the centre of the crank C, and also through the tube or
pipe in the centre of the ferule J, herein-after mentioned, and at the other
end through the bottom of the cylinder (which has passages) H in its required
position. The perforated plate E has a ferule I at the back thereof, which
slides over the pipe or tube of the ferule J, and there is also a small slot or
groove in such ferule I to confine one end of the spring K, which is coiled in
the said ferule J, and fixed at its other end in another groove L inside of the
outer rim of the ferule J. On the outside rim of this ferule there is a step or
projecting ring M, and the rim or edge of the cap N as it is screwed on to
the cylinder II is forced against the step or projecting ring, and maintains the
cylinder and ferule in their positions. The rod A is kept in its position by
means of the the bridges or supports O, fixed on the external rim of the ferule
by screws passing through holes perforated in such rim for the purpose.
When force is applied to the rod A the crank is depressed, and the piston by
the arrangements is made to revolve to the entent required. The elasticity
of the spring may be regulated by taking out the screw F and the crank C,
and then tightening or loosening the spring by turning the perforated plate
and with it the spring to the right or left, and afterwards fixing the crank pin
in one of the holes of the perforated plate as required for the purpose.
Although the Drawings and description shew a vertical movement, I do not
limit myself thereto, as my said improvements may be easily worked hori
zontally if required by altering the direction of the force accordingly. The
details of my improvements may be varied without any departure from the
nature and principle of my said Invention.
I claim as my Invention the peculiar combination herein-before described
with the right to make such variations as aforesaid, and not any of the part
taken separately.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the .conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Alfred Distin in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 28th May 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ALFRED DISTIN, of No. 31, Cranbourn Street, Leicester Square, in the County
of Middlesex, send greeting.
:
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the nineteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said William Alfred Distin, Her special licence that I, the said
William Alfred Distin, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said William Alfred Distin, 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 IMPROVEMENTS IN CORNETS AND OTHER WIND MUSICAL INSTRU-
MENTS, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Alfred
Distin, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my,
or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 William Alfred Distin, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, and by reference to the Sheet of Drawings filed
with my Provisional Specification of my said Invention, on the day and year.
aforesaid, and to the figures and letters marked thereon, and the figures and
letters herein-after mentioned refer to the figures and letters on the said Sheet
of Drawings, and in each of which Drawings the same letters refer to the
same parts.
No. 1 is a front view of the combined parts; No. 2, a side view thereof;
and No..3 shews the several parts thereof. separately. A is a rod, which may
be made.. more or less curved in the centre, and having a slot B formed:

page_text: therein. C is a crank with a pin D at one end thereof, sufficiently projecting
at the back to slide and work in the slot B, and also to enter and work in
one of the holes in the perforated plate E; and at the other end of the crank
C there is a hole into which the axle or shaft of the piston enters, and at the
other end of the crank C there is a hole for the screw F to fix and maintain
the craak on the axle or shaft of the piston G in its required position. The
piston G has passages through or around it in the usual way for the air or
breath. One end of the axle or shaft of the piston passes through the centre
of the crank C, and also through the tube or pipe in the centre of the ferule
J, herein-after mentioned, and at the other end through the bottom of the
cylinder which has also passages for air or 'breath in the usual way. The
perforated plate E has a ferule I at the back thereof, which..slides over
the pipe or tube of the ferule J, and there is also a small slot or groove.in the
ferule to confine one end of the steel spring K, which is coiled in the ferule
J, and fixed at its. other end in another groove L inside of the outer rim of
the ferule J.. On the outside rim of this ferule there is.a step or.projecting
ring M, and the rim or edge of the cap N as it is screwed on to the cylinder
His forced against the step or projecting ring, and maintains the cylinder.
and ferule in their required positions, or the same result may be attained. by
having the ring M so constructed that when it is screwed on it shall press
firmly on the ferule J. The rod A is kept in its position. by means of the
bridges or supports O, fixed on the external rim of the ferule by screws passing
through holes perforated in such rim for the purpose, and by means of the
guides above and below, or such pillars or bridges may be secured on the
piston case for the purpose. When force is applied to the rod A, the crank
is depressed, and a partly rotary action is given to the piston to the extent
required. The elasticity of the spring may be regulated by taking out the
screw F and the crank C, and then tightening or loosening the spring by
turning the perforated plate and with it the spring to the right or left, and
afterwards fixing the crank pin in one of the holes of the perforated plate'as
required for the purpose..
:
a
Although the Drawings referred to.and my'description explain my Invention
as applied to a vertical movement, do not limit myself: thereto, as my said
improvements: may be easily applied so as to work: horizontally if required.
My said improvements may be applied to cornets, flugel horns, and other
similar wind musical instruments.
:
[..
Having described the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is or may be performed, I wish it to be understood..that I do: not claim

page_text: ny of the parts shewn or described taken separately, but that I claim as my
nvention the peculiar combination of parts, as herein-before described, with
he right to make all such variations as may be required for the practical
pplication thereof without departing from the nature of my said Invention.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Alfred Distin, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of May, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
WILLIAM ALFRED DISTIN. (L.S.)
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the above-
named William Alfred Distin, in the
presence of
H. WICKENS, "Patent" Solicitor,
4, Tokenhouse Yard, Bank, London.