IMPROVED MEANS AND APPLIANCES TO BE AFFIXED TO FLUTES, CLARINETS, OBOES AND THE LIKE TO ALTER THE PITCH OR VOLUME OF SOUND AT THE WILL OF THE PERFORMER to bes
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVIDIONAL
DIECIFICATION.
I CARLO BINDA of 8 New Orchard Street in the city of Bath County of
Somerset Professor of Music do hereby declare the nature of my said invention
for "IMPROVED MEANS AND APPLIANCES TO BE AFFIXED TO FLUTES, CLARINETS,
OBOES AND THE LIKE TO ALTER THE PITCH OR VOLUME OF SOUND AT THE WILL
OF THE PERFORMER to be as follows:-
33°
The object of my invention is to so adapt flutes, clarinets oboes and like
instruments that by a pull out action of an appliance fitted thereto at desired
positions the performer can produce notes of a pitch lower tone than that of the
natural notes to which the instrument is set.
For the purpose of my invention I form two holes between the ordinary fingering
holes of an instrument on each half tube. Into these additional holes I. arrange
short pump like tubes with plungers which can be drawn outwards by any suitable
means preferably in pairs. The additional holes of each tube are close together and
a bar connecting the plungers or regulators can be operated at the same time.
propose to make two holes on the right hand side of the upper piece or tube of
the instrument and two holes on the left hand side of the lower piece or tube but
any other desired number of holes may be arranged into which the plungers can be
fitted.

page_text: "
I CARLO BINDA of 8 New Orchard Street in the City of Bath, County of
Somerset, Professor of Music, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention
for IMPROVED MEANS AND APPLIANCES TO BE AFFIXED TO FLUTES, CLARINETS,
OBOES. AND THE LIKE TO ALTER THE PITCH OR VOLUME OF SOUND AT THE WILL
OF THE PERFORMER," and in what manner the same is to be performed to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The object of my invention is to so adapt flutes, clarinets, oboes, and like
instruments that by a pull out action of an appliance fitted thereto at desired
positions, the performer can produce notes, of a tone pitch lower than that of the
natural notes to which the instrument is set.
For the purpose of my invention I form holes between the ordinary fingering
holes of an instrument on each half tube. Into these additional holes I arrange
short pump like tubes with plungers which can be drawn outwards by any suitable
means preferably in pairs. The additional holes of each tube are as close together
as possible and by a bar connecting the plungers or regulators can be operated at.
the same time.
Two holes may be arranged on the right hand side of the upper piece or tube of
the instrument and two holes on the left hand side of the lower piece or tube but
any desired number of holes may be suitably arranged into which the plungers or
pistons can be fitted.
.
My invention will be clearly understood by reference to the annexed drawings
which represent a clarionet improved according to my invention, thereby becoming
an instrument of two keys, thus when closed as at Figure 1 it would be
a Bb clarinet and when open as at Figure 2 an AC clarinet the same fingering
being preserved and this transposition effected readily and easily without loss of
tone or timbre.
:
A number of holes above the usual number are made in the instrument where
they will not interfere with the fingering or manipulation, and into each of these
holes is screwed or otherwise secured a light and preferably metallic tube a about
one and a half inches in length in which slides a short plunger or piston 6 simular
to those used in cornets, french horns, saxhorns, and other brass instruments, all
the pistons on each half of the instrument are connected together by a bar. These
bars c, d, are held in position by the hinges f, said hinges serving to prevent the
plungers being drawn out too far or irregularly.
If the bars c, d, be pulled right out, the pistons bbb slide in the tubes a a a and
alter all the distances between the fingering holes so that the pitch is lowered a
semitone, if the bars be pushed or pulled only part of the way, the pitch may be
lowered or raised a quarter tone or other fraction of a tone, and this gradually or
suddenly at the will of the player.
A similar arrangement of plungers or pistons and bars is applicable to flutes,
oboes, bassoons, and other wind instruments of the flageolet class. By connecting.
all the plungers to two bars in the manner shown in the drawing the player has
only two movements to make to alter the pitch of his instrument but the plungers
may be connected in any suitable manner.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is :-
1. The employment of pistons capable of being pushed in or drawn out by their
connecting bars to alter the pitch or key of flutes, clarinets, oboes and like
musical instruments as described and substantially as shown in the annexed
drawings.
2. The construction of improved clarinets and other wind instruments of tubular
form with plungers or pistons connected with bars to alter the pitch or key
thereof substantially as described and shown.
N
00.
T
1004
H. GARDNER,
166, Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the Applicant.