IMPROVEMENTS IN MOUTH-PIECES FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for an Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MOUTH-PIECES FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS." A com-
munication from abroad by Peter Thomsen, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 7th June 1881.
Et
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent
Agents, Southampton Buildings, London. IMPROVEMENTS IN MOUTH-PIECES FOR
MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS." [A communication from abroad by Peter Thomsen, of
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America.]
This Invention relates to mouth pieces for musical wind instruments.
A mouth-piece made according to my said Invention has an air chamber which
is made adjustable in size or capacity, whereby the piece is adapted to the require-
ments of different instruments and the use of different performers.
It is well known to the manufacturers of and performers upon brass instruments
that great difficuly is experienced in securing mouth pieces which shall be suitable
both for the particular instruments upon which they are used, and for the size,.
shape, and other characteristics of the lips of the performer.
This Invention furnishes a mouth piece which may be applied to various
instruments, and adjusted to the requirements of each instrument and to different
performers thereon.
The essential feature of my Invention consists in so constructing the mouth piece
that the size of its interior space or air chamber may be increased or diminished.
This may be accomplished in many different ways or by many different forms
of construction, which will readily suggest themselves to the skilled mechanic
without departing from the limits of my Invention. It is preferred to construct
the said mouth piece of a telescopic character, the outer and end portion against
which the lips are placed being screwed over and around the body or main portion,

page_text: It is also proposed to provide the device with an index or scale by which to
determine the adjustment.
In carrying the said Invention into practice the body or main portion of the
mouth piece is constructed as usual with a tubular stem and a bell-shaped part,
the interior of the latter being commonly denominated an air chamber. The
adjustable part is of the form of a ring, band, or cylinder surrounding the bell
shaped part of the body telescopically and screwing thereupon, its forward end
being adapted to receive the lips of the player or performer; the inner space of
the said adjustable part communicates with and is continuous of the air chamber,
wherefore it is evident that by rotating said adjustable part the air chamber of the
mouth picco may be increased or decreased in capacity as required for the purposes
and character of the instrument, the nature of the lips of the performer, and tho
capacity of the latter. It is evident that tho screw threaded connection of tho
parts is not essential but desirable, as the adjustment of the mouth piece will be
better preserved by said connection.
In order to prevent displacement of the adjustable part from the body the former
has internally two shoulders, which engage with shoulders on the exterior of the
body; the first named shoulders are sufficiently separated to allow proper motion
of the adjustable part in either direction and yot limit or control said motions.
In order to guide the performer in adjusting the mouth piece the body has a
series of lines, marks, or characters outside of the adjustable part, the latter having
a mark or index, and said body having corresponding marks or characters; the
marks or characters assist and guide the performer as to the extent of rotation of
the adjustable part, and the consequent regulation or adjustment of the dimensions
of the air chamber.
Should the adjustable part B be connected to the body A without screw threads,
a thumb screw or other fastening may be employed for purposes of adjustment and
security of said adjustable part.
A single mouth piece, constructed as above described, may be successfully
applied to a great variety of instruments, and adjusted in such manner as to give
a perfect action in each case, and in this manner a musician accustomed to the use
of a certain mouth piece will be enabled to apply the same to various instruments
which he may be called upon to use. The adjustability of the mouth piece also
pormits any instrument upon which it may be used to be accurately and readily
adjusted to suit the peculiarities of a player as to the nature of his lips, ability to
perform, and the like.
It will be understood that the mouth piece may be varied in form and shape, as
desired, and that it is applicable to any and all classes or varieties of instruments
in which mouth pieces are employed.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Scal Patent Office on the
3rd December 1881.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patont
Agents, Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MOUTH-PIECES FOR
MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS." A communication from abroad by Peter Thomsen, of
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America.
This Invention relates to improvements in mouth-pieces for musical wind
instruments.
A mouth-piece constructed according to the said Invention has an air chamber
which is made adjustable in size or capacity, whereby the said mouth-piece is
adapted to the requirements of different instruments and the use of different
performers.
It is well known to the manufacturers of and performers upon brass instruments
that great difficulty is experienced in securing mouth-pieces which shall be suitable
both for the particular instruments upon which they are used, and for the size,
shape, and other characteristics of the lips of the performer.
This Invention furnishes a mouth-piece which may be applied to various instru-
ments, and adjusted to the requirements of each instrument and to different
performers thereon.
The essential feature in my Invention consists in so constructing a mouth-piece
that the size of its interior space or air-chamber may be increased or diminished.
This may be accomplished in many different ways or by many different forms of
construction, which will readily suggest themselves to a skilled mechanic without
departing from the principle of my Invention. It is preferred to construct the
said mouth-piece of a telescopic form, the outer and end portion against which the
lips are placed being screwed over and around the body or main portion. It is
also proposed to provide the device with an index or scale by which to determine
tho adjustment.
In the accompanying Drawing,
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the mouth-piece embodying the said Invention,
and
Figure 2 is a front end view of the same.
Figure 3 is a central longitudinal soction thereof drawn to an enlarged scalc.
Like letters indicate the same parts throughout the Drawing.
A represents the body or main portion of the mouth-piece constructed as usual
with a tubular stem a and a bell-shaped part b, the interior b¹ of the latter being
commonly denominated an air-chamber; B represents the adjustable part which is
of the form of a ring, band, or cylinder, surrounding the part 6 of the body A
telescopically and screwing thereupon, its forward end being adapted to receive tho
lips of the player or performer. It will be seen that the inner space of the said
part B communicates with and is a continuation of the air-chamber b¹, therefore it
is evident that by rotating the said part B the air-chamber of the mouth-picce
may be increased or decreased in capacity as required for the purposes and
character of the instrument, the nature of the lips of the performer, and tho
capacity of the latter. It is evident that the screw-threaded connection of the
parts A, B, is not essential, but it is desirable as the adjustment of the mouth-piece
will be better preserved by the said connection.
In order to prevent displacement of the part B from the body A the former has
internally two shoulders c, d, which engage with shoulders c, d, on the exterior

page_text: of the body A, the shoulders c, d, being sufficiently separated to allow a suitablo
motion of the part B in either direction and yet limit or control the said motion.
In order to guide the performer in adjusting the mouth piece the body A has a
series of lines, marks, or characters e outside of the part B, the latter having a
mark or index f, and the said body A having a corresponding mark or character g.
It will be evident that the marks or characters assist and guide the performer as
to the extent of rotation of the part B, and the consequent regulation or adjust-
ment of the dimensions of the air-chamber.
Should the part B be connected to the body A without screw threads, a thumb-
scrow or other fastening may be employed for purpose of adjustinent and security
of the said part B.
A single mouth-piece, constructed as above described, may be successfully applied
to a great variety of instruments, and adjusted in such manner as to give a perfect
action in each case, and in this manner a musician accustomed to the use of a
certain mouth-piece will be enabled to apply the same to various instruments
which he may be called upon to use. The adjustability of the mouth-picce also
permits any instrument upon which it may be used to be accurately and readily
adjusted to suit the peculiarities of a player as to the nature of his lips, ability
to perform, and the like.
It will be understood that the mouth-piece may be varied in form and shape, as
desired, and that it is applicable to any and all classes or varieties of instruments
in which mouth-pieces are employed.
Having thus fully described the said Invention, as communicated to me by
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim,-
First. A mouth-pieco for musical instruments whose air-chamber is adjustable
in size and capacity, substantially as above set forth and for the purposes
specified.
Second. A mouth-pieco for musical instruments consisting of a tubular body
with an air-chamber and an adjustable part applied to and forming a continuation
of the said chamber.
Third. A telescopic mouth-piece for musical instruments, substantially as and
for the purpose set forth.
Fourth. The mouth-piece consisting of the body A and the adjustable ring or
cylinder B screwed thereon, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Fifth. The body A in combination with the adjustable part B applied thereto
and provided with shoulders or stops to prevent displacement therefrom, as above
set forth.
Sixth. In a mouth-piece the adjustable part B and the body A provided with
marks or characters as a means of determining the position of the adjustable part,
as above set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Third day of December, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.