Improvements in Musical Wind Instruments.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 9th July, 1889-Accepted, 10th Aug., 1889
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Musical Wind Instruments.
I, CHARLES GERARD CONN, Manufacturer of Band Instruments, residing at Elkhart,
in the county of Elkhart, and State of Indiana, in the United States of America, 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:-
To
Heretofore, in piston valve instruments, the valves have been arranged parallel with
the length of the piece, and usually vertical with the body of the instrument.
obviate the many difficulties of piston valves placed in this position, I have invented a
new style.
My invention, which is mainly applicable to large instruments intended to be
carried in front and across the body of the musician, relates to two improvements,
first, a new and more convenient disposition and arrangement of the piston valves and
keys, which inclines the bell of the instrument to the left, leaving the view
unobstructed for reading music or marching, and second, the forming of a direct and
nearly vertical passage from the mouth piece to the water key in the tuning slide, to
facilitate the easy passage and removal of water. The first of these objects is
accomplished by arranging the piston valves in planes nearly perpendicular to the
other tubes, and diagonally across the piece, and the second, by having the ports of
all the valve pistons opening upward, reference being had to the instrument in the
position it assumes while being played.
In order that the invention may be fully understood, I will proceed to describe the
same with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-
:-
Figure 1 represents a front view of an instrument, with my improvements attached,
in the position it assumes while being played. Figure 2 represents a detached
portion of the piece, broken away in part, showing the direct passage from the mouth
piece to the water key.
Like letters of reference in both the figures indicate the same parts.
a, b, c, and dare valve cases arranged in planes nearly perpendicular to the other
tubes and diagonally across the piece.
e is a tube leading from valve case d to tuning slide f, in which is a water
key g.
A is the mouth piece and B the tube leading from A to the first valve case a.
D is the tube extending from the tuning slide f to the bell E. Referring to
figure 2, it will be seen that the passage from the mouth piece A to the tuning
slide is very nearly vertical and very direct.
By the use of this new system I ain enabled to make a shorter and lighter piston,
because the tuning slide is placed so low in the tubing of the instrument, instead of
having it in the tubing before the valves are reached. Consequently the valves are
smaller in diameter and the instrument more regularly conic, as it should be.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what mannor the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A musical wind instrument having valves placed diagonally across the piece, for
the purpose set forth.
2. A musical wind instrument having a direct air passage from the mouth piece
through the diagonally arranged valves to the water key in the tuning slide, as and
for the purpose set forth.

page_text: 3. The combination of a musical wind instrument having valves placed diagonally
across the piece, with a direct air passage through said valves from the mouth piece
to the water key in the tuning slide, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 4th day of Tul., 1900
CHARLES GERARD CONN.
By Harris & Mills,
23, Southampton Buildings, Agents.