IMPROVEMENTS IN CORNETS AND OTHER WIND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS."
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Davis, of No. 11, Burlington Cottages,
Queen's Road, Dalston, in the County of Middlesex, Professor of Music,.
. for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CORNETS AND OTHER WIND
MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Davis at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 22nd
February 1858.
I, JOHN DAVIS, of No. 11, Burlington Cottages, Queen's Road, Dalston,
in the County of Middlesex, Professor of Music, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CORNETS AND OTHER WIND MUSICAL
INSTRUMENTS," to be as follows:-
Firstly, I introduce into any convenient part of a wind instrument, one or
more additional valves, independent of those used in the ordinary way, by
which the performer is enabled to change the key of the instrument whilst
playing, and without the use of crooks.
Secondly, I construct one or more reservoirs in the first bend of the instru-
mient, so that the accumulating water from the condensed breath will pass off,
the instrument being kept perfectly air-tight at the same time. I perforate
that part of the instrument where, the water collects, and enclose-the perfora--

page_text: tions in a tube, which consists of an upper and lower chamber, the upper
compartment being filled with any absorbent substance sufficiently tight to
prevent the escape of air whilst it allows the water to pass off at pleasure.
Thirdly, I make a spiral conical spring of flat wire, which folds down flat
when compressed without making the least noise, two of which may be used to 5
each piston if desired.
And, fourthly, I use a graduated tuning slide, by which the performer can
tune his instrument whilst playing, and avoid the jerking of the slide.
Instead of drawing out and pushing in the tuning slide by hand to obtain
the required pitch, I use a screw and nut to work the slide, by which the 1
instrument can be tuned to the greatest nicety by the performer turning a nut
with his thumb and finger, and thus adjust the slide without jerking.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Davis in the Great Seal Patent Office. on the 24th
July 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
DAVIS, of No. 11, Burlington Cottages, Queen's Road, Dalston, in the County
of Middlesex, Professor of Music, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said John Davis, Her special licence that I, the said John Davis, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as 'I, the said John
Davis, 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 INSTRUMENTS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the-said John Davis, 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Davis, 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 (that
is to say):
Firstly, I construct and employ one or more reservoirs in any of the bends
or other suitable part of the instrument, so that the accumulating water from
the condensed breath will pass off, the instrument being kept perfectly air-tight
at the same time. I perforate that part of the instrument where the water
collects, and enclose the perforations in a tube or chamber, which is filled with
any absorbent substance, and which prevents the escape of air, whilst it allows
the water to pass off at pleasure; I also cover the aforesaid tube with a cap,
in order to keep the absorbent substance in its place.
Secondly, for the purpose of preventing noise I employ double conical
springs, made of any suitable metal or material. In some cases the pistons
may be made shorter and broader than those now in use. I do not confine
myself to the exact proportions of either the springs or pistons.
Thirdly, instead of the usual mode of drawing out and pushing in the
tuning slide by the pressure of the hand, in order to obtain the required pitch,
I use a graduated tuning slide, worked by a screw and nut, by which the
instrument can be tuned to the greatest nicety; the performer, by merely
turning the nut, can adjust the instrument to the exact pitch without jerking
the slide.
The manner in which the said improvements are to be performed, will be
clearly understood by reference to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings and
the letters of reference thereon, in which Fig. 1 is an external view of a cornet,
with my improvements attached; Fig. 2, a section of one of the reservoirs;
Fig. 3 is a section of the screw and nut of the graduated tuning slide; and
Fig. 4, a view of my improved double conical spring.
In Fig. 1, I shew two reservoirs, one on the first and the other on the second
bend of the instrument, both of them being covered with a cap or tube, and
the interior of one of the reservoirs will be clearly seen in Fig. 2, in which a
represents the perforations for the escape of water; b, the tube or chamber,
which is filled with the sponge c or other absorbent material; and d, the cap,
into which the water drops, preserving at the same time the instrument in a
perfectly air-tight condition.
In Figs. 1 and 3, I shew my improved mode of actuating the tuning slide.
To the slide I connect by a rod e a screw f, worked by the nut g attached to the
stationary part of the instrument and connected to the tuning slide; the screw
Laud nut are shewn detached at Fig. 3, which may be made.of.any desired size,

page_text: and of any number of threads, the exterior of the nut being milled for the
purpose of being more firmly held and easily turned.
My improved double conical spring is shewn at Fig. 4, although the fore-
going improvements are shewn as applied to cornets, they are equally adapted
to all kinds and sizes of other wind musical instruments; and I reserve to
myself the right of adapting such improvements accordingly, not confining
myself to any particular form or construction.
Having thus fully described the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be performed, I desire it to be distinctly
understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details herein set forth,
as such may be varied or modified without departing from the principle thereof;
but I claim as my Invention, and which to the best of my knowledge and
belief has not been hitherto used within the realm,-
Firstly, the reservoir or reservoirs to pass off the condensed breath.
Secondly, the improved double conical spring.
And, thirdly, the graduated tuning slide, as all such improvements are
herein described and illustrated in the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, shewn
as applied to cornets; but which said improvements or any modification thereof
are also applicable to other wind musical instruments.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Davis, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Fourteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.
JOHN DAVIS. (L.S.)
'Signed, sealed, and delivered by the within-
named John Davis, in the presence of
EDWARD THOMAS HUGHES,
Patent Agent,
123, Chancery Lane, London.