IMPROVEMENTS IN MOUTH-PIECES FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills, of the Firm
of Harris and Mills, of 23, Southampton Buildings, in the County
of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MOUTH-PIECES FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS."--A communication from
abroad by Charles G. Conn, of Elkhart, in the County of Elkhart,
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Benjamin Joseph
Barnard Mills at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
his Petition, on the 3rd March 1875.
I, BENJAMIN JOSEPH BARNARD MILLS, of the Firm of Harris and
Mills, of 23, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MOUTH-PIECES FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS," a communi-
cation to me from abroad by Charles G. Conn, of Elkhart, in the County
of Elkhart, and State of Indiana, in the United States of America, to be
as follows:
This Invention consists in constructing the mouth-piece or embouchure

page_text: of wind instruments with an elastic face where the mouth-piece comes
in contact with the lips, the object being to prevent fatigue and injury
to the lips, and enable the performer to play with much greater ease
and certainty than is possible with the rigid mouth-pieces now in use.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, t
filed by the said Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 3rd September 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, BENJAMIN
JOSEPH BARNARD MILLS, of the Firm of Harris and Mills, of 23,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Third day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the thirty-eighth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give ]
and grant unto me, the said Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills, Her
special license that I, the said Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to g
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 MOUTH-PIECES FOR
MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS,” a communication to me from abroad by Charles 2
G. Conu, of Elkhart, in the County of Elkhart, and State of Indiana,
in the United States of America, upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills, 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 3
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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills, do
hereby declare the nature of the 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, that is to say :-
The Invention consists in constructing the mouth-piece or embouchure
of wind instruments with an elastic face where the mouth-piece comes
in contact with the lips, the object being to prevent fatigue and injury
to the lips, and enable the performer to play with much greater ease
and certainty than is possible with the rigid mouth-pieces now in use.
And in order that the said Invention may be more clearly understood
and readily carried into effect, I will proceed, aided by the accompanying
Drawings, more fully to describe the same.

page_text: constructed or provided with an elastic or flexible face or cushion, sub-
stantially as herein set forth.
Secondly. The annular cushion C of elastic material applied to the
face of a mouth-piece B of common form, substantially as herein
specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills,
have hereunto set my hand and seal, this First day of September,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
five.