IMPROVEMENTS IN CLARIONETS, FLUTES, BASSOONS, SAXHO- PHONES, SARRUSOPHONES, AND OTHER KEYED WIND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS." PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Smyth, of 59, Wood Street, Woolwich, in
the County of Kent, and Samuel Kirby, of Harpur Place, Bedford, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CLARIONETS, FLUTES, BASSOONS, SAXHO-
PHONES, SARRUSOPHONES, AND OTHER KEYED WIND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Smyth and Samuel
Kirby at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their Petition,
on the 29th October 1867.
We, JAMES SMYTH, of 59, Wood Street, Woolwich, in the County of
Kent, and SAMUEL KIRBY, of Harpur Place, Bedford, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CLARIONETS, FLUTES,
BASSOONS, SAXHOPHONES, SARRUSOPHONES, AND OTHER KEYED WIND MUSICAL INSTRU-
MENTS," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists of,-
Firstly. A new double-movement key with two levers or handles, one over
the other, opening lengthways, and stopping or unstopping but one hole.
The object of the double lever is to permit the action that raises the whole key
and unstops the hole, viz., the ring over third finger hole of left-hand joint of
clarionet can be used without opening the double lever key unless at the free
option of the performer and at the precise time and instant it is wanting to
produce the notes G sharp, D, and any others on the upper or lower joint,
thus giving those notes from new positions with an entirely new description of

page_text: key, and with a facility never hitherto obtained on the clarionet, flute, bassoon,
and similar instruments. This key with two levers can be applied to any part
of the clarionet, or any wind instrument upon which keys are used for
unstopping holes or stopping open holes for the production of notes and
sounds.
Secondly. Single-movement keys to the clarionet to produce and perfect
the notes on the upper or left-hand joints, such as F natural, F sharp, and
others, without the use of right hand to keys on left-hand joints.
Thirdly. New single-movement keys to clarionet for new fingering of notes
E flat and others on right-hand joint.
Fourthly. New single movement keys to clarionet for C sharp, low F sharp,
and others on right-hand joint..
Fifthly. New single-movement keys to clarionet for B natural, low E natural,
and others on right-hand joint.
And, sixthly. New double-movement key for making D sharp with first
finger of right hand on lower joint.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by the said James Smyth and Samuel Kirby in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 29th April 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we,. JAMES
SMYTH, of 59, Wood Street, Woolwich, in the County of Kent, and SAMUEL
KIRBY, of Harpur Place, Bedford, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us,
the said James Smyth and Samuel Kirby, Her special licence that we,
the said James Smyth and Samuel Kirby, our executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as we, the said James Smyth and Samuel
Kirby, our 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN CLARIONETS, FLUTES, BASSOONS, SAXOPHONES, SARRUSOPHONES, AND OTHER
KEYED WIND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS," upon the condition (amongst others)

page_text: that we, the said James Smyth and Samuel Kirby, our executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under our, or one of our 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 James Smyth, on behalf of myself and
the said Samuel Kirby, 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: -
This Invention consists of,-
Firstly. A new double-movement key with two levers or handles, one over
the other, opening lengthways, and stopping or unstopping but one hole.
The object of the double lever is to permit the action that raises the whole
key and unstops the hole, viz., the ring over the third finger hole of the left-
hand joint of the clarionet can be used without opening the double-lever key,
unless at the free option of the performer and at the precise time and instant
it is wanting to produce the notes G sharp, D, and any others on the upper
or lower joint, thus giving those notes from new positions with an entirely new
description of key, and with a facility never hitherto obtained on the clarionet,
flute, bassoon; and similar instruments. This key with two levers can be
applied to any part of the clarionet, or to any kind of instrument upon which
keys are used for unstopping holes or stopping open holes for the production
of notes or sounds.
Secondly. Single-movement keys to the clarionet to produce and perfect*
the notes on the upper or left-hand joints, such as F natural, F sharp, and
others, without the use of right hand to keys on left-hand joints.
Thirdly. New single-movement keys to clarionet for new fingering of notes
E flat and others on right-hand joint.
Fourthly. New single-movement keys to clarionet for C sharp, low F sharp,
and others on right-hand joint.
Fifthly. New single-movement keys to clarionet for B natural, low E natural,
and others on right-hand joint.
And, sixtbly. New double-movement key, the same as on upper joint, for
making D sharp with first finger of right hand on lower joint, and G sharp on
upper joint.
The preceding may be more fully explained by reference to the accompanying
Drawings..
Figs. 1 and 2 represent views of a clarionet. A shews the position of the

page_text: new-double lever key on upper joint to produce the notes G sharp, D, and
others; B, the new key attached to the same action as A for making the
notes F natural, F sharp, and others without use of the right hand; C, new
mechanism by which the keys A, B, are moved; D, new single-lever key for
new fingering of E flat and others on right-hand joint; E, new single-lever
key for new fingering of C sharp and low F sharp, and others on right-hand
joint; F, new single-lever key for new fingering of B natural, low E natural,
and others on right-hand joint.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Smyth, on behalf of myself and
the said Samuel Kirby, have hereunto set my hand and seal, this
Twenty-ninth day of April, in the year of our Lord'One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-eight.
JAMES SMYTH. (L.S.)