Year: 1886

page_text: I, ENOCH ARMITAGE, of 489 Prescot Road, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
Band Master, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
:-
This invention relates to an arrangement of valves and valve chamber for
directing the wind through tubes for producing intermediate or valve notes in
wind musical instruments such as cornets-a-pistons.
Instead of using ordinary piston valves which are complicated in construction
and become more or less leaky after a time, or the valve arrangement described in
the specification of former Letters Patent granted to me No. 16,259 of 1884 with
a view to secure brilliant and clear tones with a simplified construction and less
liability to leakage I use a kind of double action valve working in a suitably
formed chamber as hereinafter described.
I will describe the nature of my invention as applied to a three valved cornet by
way of example. A valve chamber of rectangular form in transverse section is
provided having a supply inlet at one end near the bottom and an outlet at the
opposite end. The supply and outlet pipes and valve chamber form when the
valves are up, or in their released positions a continuous direct passage for
the wind.
The lower side of the valve chamber may conveniently be closed by a hinged lid
or cover secured in any convenient manner according to the shape of the instrument.
The upper side of the said chamber has formed in it a number of chambers or
passages opening into the top of the valve chamber, and to these chambers or
passages the inlet and outlet ends of the tuning slide pipes are connected.
Between each set of ports in the top of the valve chamber is an opening through
which extends that part of a double acting valve intended to close the direct
passage through the valve chamber; this part of the valve being made sufficiently
wide for the purpose.
Each of the double acting valves comprises a base long enough to close a set of
ports leading to one of the tuning slides, and provided with suitable packing such
as thin leather. Outside the upper part of the valve chamber provision is made
(as for example by bosses) for attachment of the spring box tubes.
From the above description it will be understood that if one of the valves
be depressed by the finger the wind passing in at one end of the valve chamber

page_text: instead of passing directly therethrough will travel upward through one of the
ports into a tuning slide, and.return into the valve chamber at the opposite side of
the depressed valve thence to the bell.
An instrument provided with my improved valve arrangement being air-tight
may be more easily blown and will not be so liable to stick or become deranged as
an instrument of ordinary construction.
By opening the lid and removing the fingering buttons from the ends of the
valve stems the valves may be easily withdrawn for inspection or cleaning.
Instruments according to my invention as above set forth may be constructed in
various forms.
W. LLOYD WISE,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: I ENOCH ARMITAGE, of 489 Prescot Road, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
Band Master, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an arrangement of valves and valve chamber for
directing the wind through tubes for producing intermediate, or valve notes, in
wind musical instruments such as Cornets-a-pistons.
Instead of using ordinary piston valves which are complicated in construction,
and become more or less leaky after a time, or the valve arrangement described in
the specification of former Letters Patent granted to me No. 16,259 of 1884, with
a view to secure brilliant and clear tones with a simplified construction and less
liability to leakage, I use a kind of double action valve with base part or lateral
extensions working in a suitably formed chamber as bereinafter described, the
arrangement being such that those parts of the valve which normally close the
ports leading from the valve chamber to a tuning slide are kept against their seats
by the action of the spring that holds up the valve.
I will describe the nature of my invention as applied to a three valved cornet by
way of example. A valve chamber of rectangular form in transverse section is
provided having an inlet with supply pipe at one end near the bottom, and an
outlet, with pipe at the opposite end.
From the supply pipe to the outlet pipe there is when the valves are in their
normal positions that is to say up, a continuous direct passage for the wind through
the valve chamber.
The lower side of the valve chamber may conveniently be closed by a hinged
lid or cover secured in any convenient manner according to the shape of the
instrument.
In the upper part of the said chamber are a number of chambers or passages
open at their lower ends which are situate some distance above the bottom of the
valve chamber, and to these chambers or passages the inlet and outlet ends of the
tuning slide pipes are connected.
Between the sets of ports in the valve chamber are openings, through each of
which extends that part of a double acting valve intended to close the direct
passage through the valve chamber, this part of the valve being made sufficiently
wide for the purpose.
Each of the double acting valves is a compound valve with a base part com-
prising two lateral extensions long enough to close a set of ports leading to one of
the tuning slides and provided with suitable packing such as thin leather or india
rubber. Outside the upper part of the valve chamber provision is made (as for
example by bosses) for attachment of the spring box tubes.
From the above description it will be understood that if one of the valves be
depressed by the finger, the wind passing in at one end of the valve chamber
instead of passing directly therethrough, will travel upward through one of the
ports into a tuning slide, and return into the valve chamber at the opposite side of
the depressed valve thence to the bell.

page_text: An instrument provided with my improved valve arrangement being air tight,
may be more easily blown, and will not be so liable to stick or become deranged
as an instrument of ordinary construction.
By opening the lid and removing the fingering buttons or keys from the ends of
the valve stems, the valves may be easily withdrawn for inspection or cleaning.
Referring to the accompanying two sheets of drawings Fig. 1 represents a cornet
provided with valve arrangements according to this invention. Fig. 2. is a longi-
tudinal section of part of the instrument, and shews the valve chamber with the
first valve removed, the second valve in its normal position, i.e. raised, and the
third valve pressed down. Fig. 3. is a transverse section taken on the line 7. 8.
Fig. 2. and with a valve partly in elevation. Fig. 4. is an inverted sectional plan
taken on the line 9. 10. Fig. 2. Figs. 5. and 6. are detailed views at right angles
to each other shewing a valve and its operating rod.
A. A. A. are double action valves working in a valve chamber B. This valve
chamber is rectangular in cross section as shewn in Fig. 3. and is provided with
an air inlet pipe C. at one end near its bottom, and an air outlet pipe D, near the
other end.
From the inlet pipe C. to the outlet pipe D. the lower part of the valve
chamber B. forms when the valves A. A. A. are in their normal positions, (that is
to say up,) a direct passage for wind, thus affording a continuous way through
both pipes and the said chamber.
The valve chamber B is closed at the bottom by a lid or cover B¹ that may be
hinged or be secured by screws to the chamber in any convenient manner
according to the class of instrument, the joint being made air tight by the use of
suitable packing such as leather or india rubber. In the upper part of the valve
chamber B. are arranged chambers or passages E. E' F. F' and G. G¹ each in the
form of a short bent pipe or tube. One end of each of these chambers or passages
opens as a port into the valve chamber B as shewn.
The ports are marked E³ E³ F² F³ G² G³.
The outer ends of these tubes or passages communicate with the inlet and outlet
ends of their respective tuning slides H. J. and K.
Through guide passages between the ports E² and E³, F2 and FS and G² and G³
respectively work the parts A. of the valve A. L. The base L of each, comprises
two lateral extensions, each large enough to cover one of a pair of ports. These
extensions are covered with suitable material such as leather or india rubber.
It is advantageous to make the base part L. separate from the part A. but to
screw or otherwise fasten it thereto so as to allow of slight play to ensure the
efficient closing of the lateral extensions against their seats. In such case the
covering of leather or the like may extend entirely around the base part L.
N. is a lid or cover on which are formed bosses N¹ N' N¹ to receive the spring
box tubes O. O. O.
P. P. are springs and Q. Q. fingering rods or keys of the usual construction.
Each spring P serves to raise its valve and keep the upper part of the base
portion thereof tightly closed over its respective pair of ports viz. E² E³ or F2 F³.
or G2 G3 as the case may be.
The fingering rods or keys Q are secured to the valve spindle A. by screwing.
the parts together or in any other convenient means.
From the above description it will be readily understood that if one of the
valves A say the one nearest the supply pipe C. be depressed by the finger, wind
passing in by the said pipe instead of travelling directly through the valve
chamber B. and into the outlet pipe D. will be deflected upwards and will pass
through port E through the tuning slide H. and through port Es at the opposite
side of the depressed valve into the valve chamber passing thence to the bell as
shown by arrows Fig. 2.
It will be understood from this explanation what will occur if either of the other
valves be depressed.

page_text: The valves may be taken out for cleaning or inspection by simply unscrewing
the fingering rods or keys Q. Q. from the valve spindles and removing the lower
lid or cover B₁ from the valve chamber B.
By the hereinabove described arrangement a short stroke and quick action of
valve is attained, and there will be less liability to leakage through wear or
carelessness than with valves as herein before ordinary employed.
It will be understood that the sizes, proportions, and arrangement of the various
parts will depend upon the requirements of particular applications of my invention.
The chambers or passages E. E¹ F. F¹ G. G¹ may be either formed with or
attached to the valve chamber.
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. In a wind musical instrument such as a cornet, the use of a compound valve
such as hereinabove described comprising a part A. which when the valve is
depressed will close the direct passage through the valve chamber, and lateral
extensions, the upper surfaces of which close ports situate at the respective sides of
the part A. and leading to a tuning slide, the arrangement being such that the
spring whereby the valve is kept up normally (that is depressed by the finger)
will act to keep the lateral elongations of the valve tightly closed over the said
ports substantially as described.
2. In a compound valve such as referred to in the preceeding claim providing
for slight play between the portion of the valve that serves normally to close the
ports leading to a tuning slide and the part which when the valve is depressed
closes the direct passage through the valve chamber substantially as described for
the purpose specified.
3. The improved compound double acting valve as described and shewn with
covering of leather or the like applied to its base or lateral extensions.
4. In a wind musical instrument such as a cornet the general arrangement of
valve box with compound valves substantially as hereinbefore described and
illustrated.
3333
Witness,
*OOOT TOMONLY TO FOR THE CITTA
F. M. C. SCOTT,
Patent Agent,
89, Victoria Street, Liverpool.
ENOCH ARMITAGE.