Improvements in Fingering Flutes, Piccolos, and similar Instruments.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Jan., 1891-Accepted, 22nd Aug., 1891
COMPLETE STEIFICATION.
Improvements in Fingering Flutes, Piccolos, and similar
Instruments.
I, DAVID STEWART DAWSON of 96 Newgate Street, London, E.C., Watch
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this 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 is designed to afford to players on flutes and similar instruments
greater convenience in the manipulation of the notes whereby difficult pieces of
music may be performed with greater accuracy and ease.
The following description of the alterations proposed to be made to the flutes
now in general use, the fingering of which is constructed on what is known as the
"Boehm or "Carte and Boehm" system will be readily understood by flute players
and manufacturers.
"
For convenience of reference I have divided the description into 10 paragraphs.
My chief objects are to create an arrangement whereby all the natural as well as
accidental notes in any key of music may be played from fundamental positions of
the fingers without changes, or sliding of the fingers from one key to another and
also to produce a flute whereby properly ventilated notes and shakes, in tones or
half tones, or the whole of the notes from the lower C upwards, may be effected,
also to obviate the use of closed keys or duplicate holes, except the duplicate C
hole as used on the Carte and Boehm system which I prefer to retain.
My improvements particularly refer to the fingering of the notes C C D D
F F Bb B in combination with other notes, and will be well understood by
reference to the accompanying drawing in which
Fig. 1 shews a plan view of the keys of a flute with my improvements added.
Fig. 2 shews a separate plan of the additional lever y, which is placed over the
levers m, o, as shewn in Fig. 3 in section.
Fig. 3 shews a cross-section of my improved flute and levers, and
Fig. 4 shews a section of the projecting lip pieces h, i, k, and the short lever n¹.
1. To the key covering the Ghole, I add a projecting lip piece h, so as to enable
this and the key covering the F hole to be closed with one finger.
2. I also add a similar lip i, to the key covering the F hole which enables me to
close the F and F holes with one finger. This enables me to control or close
three keys with two fingers, and thus produce the notes F F and Et with the aid
of the keys and levers for accidental notes hereafter described, but also permits of
either of the above named keys being closed without closing the other.
also add
a lip piece, to the key covering the Et hole, which enables me to bring the first
and second fingers of the right hand into a convenient position by which to accom-
plish the work described in the last two paragraphs. I also provide the D hole
with an open key actuated by the levers n, and thereafter described instead of
using a closed key as is usual.
3. I then provide three levers 7, m, n having one of their ends in communication
with the keys which cover the Fr, Et, and D holes, and the other ends in com-
These levers are
munication with the keys covering the Bb, A and Gholes.
actuated by pressing down the three former named keys with the second, third and
fourth fingers of the right hand.
This is done in such a manner as to enable me to close each of the last named
keys independently of the other, and this can be done without the use of the second,
third, and fourth fingers of the left hand, usually employed for this purpose, as
hereafter explained.

page_text: 4. I then provide to the key covering the lower C hole a lever o having two
free ends P and The former p, rests between the keys covering the D and Et
holes, the other over the key which covers the Ghole, so as to be pressed down
by the fourth finger of the left hand; the result of which is that I can close the C
hole at the bottom of the flute when desired, without using the fourth finger of the
right hand for this note as is usually done.
To enable me to use the 4th finger of left hand for this purpose, I close and can
keep closed, the key covering the Ghole by the 4th finger of the right hand, by
the means described in paragraph 3.
I
(5) I also provide another lever shaving two free ends, t, u, the former of which
rests between the keys covering the D and E holes, while the latter rests over
the key covering the A hole, so that by pressing it down I can close or keep closed
the A hole and simultaneously close the D hole near the bottom of the flute.
press down this lever at u, with the third finger of the left hand, instead of using as
is customary the fourth finger of the right hand. To enable me to use the third
finger of the left hand for this purpose I close and can keep closed the key covering
the A hole, by the third finger of the right hand, by the means described in
paragraph 3.
(6) I do not however entirely dispense with the use of the fourth finger of the
right hand for producing the lower CCD notes, but retain the option of using
it on the lever n', and also by means of the two alternate levers t and P at the right
hand of bar, one described in paragraph 4 and one in paragraph 5.
(7) With regard to the lever / from the key covering the F hole to the key
covering the Bb hole referred to in paragraph 3, I am enabled by it to produce
the note A without the use of the second finger of the left hand. I thus set this
finger at liberty and can therefore finger the note Bb by closing the key covering
the B hole, without the use of the thumb of the left hand.
I also place a lip piece on the key covering the B hole, which lip coming close
to the key covering the Bb hole, enables me to close both keys simultaneously if
desired, with the second finger of the left hand. But for the usual fingering of
the Bb note, that is to say the closing of the B hole to produce this note, I use a
lever placed alongside the C bole, on the side of the flute, which on being
pressed by the thumb of the left hand closes the B as aforesaid, this being the
usual system adopted on the Boehm flute. I also provide another lever l, referred
to in paragraph 2, to which I add a tail piece b, b, which projects over the shank of
the key which covers the Dhole. On pressing down the end of the lever lc, with
the second finger of the left hand, I am enabled to close the key covering the
Dhole and produce the note D without the use of the fourth finger of the right
hand.
(8) To the lever n already mentioned in paragraph 3 by which I close the
Ghole with the fourth finger of the right hand, I add also a free end x, Fig. 3 to
close the key covering the hole, by which as the key covering the B hole is
already connected to the key covering the F hole as arranged by Boehm, I can
close the two keys referred to simultaneously or separately as desired. This may
now be effected by either the first second or fourth finger of the right hand. I thus
also provide a new fingering by which to produce the note F from the fundamental
position of the fourth finger of the right hand when pressing down the key covering
the D hole.
(9) I use an open D key at the top of the flute as in the "Carte Boehm "
system, and to close the open key which covers the D hole, and also to close the
key covering the C hole, I use a lever y actuated direct from the key covering the
Ghole. I do this by pressing this said key with the first finger of the right hand,
in a similar manner to that adopted by Carte when he presses the end of a lever
and not the key itself; and as the key covering the E hole is already connected
by a lever to the key covering the G hole as adopted by Boehm, I am able to
close key covering the Ghole alone, or the keys covering the C and D holes at

page_text: the same time; that is, I may do so by either the first or third finger of the right
hand. I thus obtain a new fingering by which to produce the note B by the use
of the third finger of the right hand, when pressing down the key covering the
Et hole.
can also close the keys covering the C and D holes in the usual way
when desirable, by using the first finger or first finger and thumb of the left
hand.
(10) In order to provide an alternative method of closing the keys covering
the G and F holes which is necessary and most convenient in playing certain
passages of music, where there are in combination with other notes, rapid and
frequent alterations from F to For vice versa; and in order to produce these
accidental or natural notes in changes or otherwise, but also without changing
the position of the first finger of the right hand, and with the whole of the holes
on the flute below the said notes quite open; I provide two levers z and a a,
the free ends of which I place by the side of the key covering the Chole
on the side of the flute, with their other ends in communication with the
said keys which cover the G and F holes. By pressing down either
of these keys with the thumb, I am enabled to close the corresponding key
connected to it and produce the F and F notes, and as the alternate levers
from these keys close the keys covering the C and B holes the thumb of
left hand still controls the keys of its fundamental position when it assumes the
said position by which it closes the keys covering the GE and F holes.
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 use of three additional levers l, m, n, by means of which when pressing
down the keys covering the Ft E and D holes with the second, third,
and fourth fingers of the right hand or otherwise I can close the keys covering
the Bb A and G holes, without using the three left hand fingers usually
employed, as herein described and set forth.
2. The use of an additional lever o, by means of which when closing the key
covering the Chole at bottom of flute, by pressing down the fourth finger of
the left hand at q, or otherwise, I can also close or keep closed the key covering
the Ghole. This claim applies only to the simultaneous closing or keeping
closed these two keys, as herein described and set forth.
3. The use of an additional lever s, by means of which when pressing it down
at u, and keeping closed with the third finger of the left hand or otherwise,
the key covering the A hole, I can close the D hole near the bottom of the
flute, as herein described and set forth.
4. The use of the lever n, by means of which when pressing it down and closing
the key covering the D hole with the fourth finger of the right hand or otherwise,
I can also close the keys covering the F and B holes simultaneously, as herein
described and set forth.
5. The use of an additional lever m, by means of which when pressing down the
key covering the Et hole, with the third finger of the right hand or otherwise, as
used in the Boehm system for closing the key covering the G hole, I can also
close the keys covering the C and D holes, as herein described and set forth.
6. The use of the lever by means of which when pressing it down with the
second finger of left hand or otherwise, I can close the key covering the D hole,
I also close and can keep closed the key covering the Bb hole, as herein described
and set forth.
7. The use of two additional levers z, and a a, see Figs. 1 and 3, by means of
which when pressing them down with the thumb of the left hand or otherwise, I
can close the keys covering the G and F holes as herein described and set
forth.

page_text: 8. The use of lip pieces i and k, to the keys covering the F and Et holes as
herein described and set forth.
Dated this 17th day of January 1891.
S. S. BROMHEAD,
97, Newgate Street, London, E.C., Agent for Applicant.