IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND FORMATION OF VALVE MUSICAL. INSTRUMENTS
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Metzler, of the firm of Metzler & Co.,
Musical Instrument Makers, Great Marlborough Street, and James
Waddell, of Brompton, all in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Metzler and James
Waddell at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 12th August 1858.
We, GEORGE METZLER, of the firm of Metzler & Co., Musical Instrument
Makers, Great Marlborough Street, and JAMES WADDELL, of Brompton, all in
the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND FORMATION OF VALVE MUSICAL.
INSTRUMENTS," to be as follows:-
"Firstly," we make all valve musical instruments circular, by which
means the tone of the instrument is greatly improved..
"Secondly," by a novel application of the valves, the note and half of tubing
attached to the 3d valve is made a part of the "pitch" tubing of the intru-
ment, the valve being made so as to allow the current of air to pass through
this, note and half of tubing in all the "open notes," instead.of its being cut off

page_text: as in the ordinary valve instruments. In shutting down the valve, the note
and half of small tubing is entirely cut off, thereby raising the "pitch" of the
instrument one note and half, by which plan all the small tubing belonging to
the 3d valve under the old system is dispensed with, consequently a greater
sonorousness of tone is produced through the current of air having to pass
through a less quantity of small tubing.
"Thirdly," we turn the bell of the instrument in the same direction as those
of trumpets, trombones, &c., which tends to the amalgamation of the sound
in general.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Metzler and James. Waddell, in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 12th February 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, GEORGE
METZLER, of the firm of Metzler and Company, Musical Instrument Makers,
Great Marlborough Street, and JAMES WADDELL, of Brompton, all in the
County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-second year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the
said George Metzler and James Waddell, Her special license that we, the
said George Metzler and James Waddell, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as we, the said George Metzler and James Waddell,
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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON-
STRUCTION AND FORMATION OF VALVE MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that we, the-said-George-Metzler-and-James-Waddell,
our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said George Metzler and James Waddell,
do hereby declare the nature of our 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) :-
-
Our said Invention consists, firstly, in an improved arrangement of the
tubing of valve musical instruments, which may be applied on an uniform
circular system, to all such instruments, large as well as small, thereby effecting
with peculiar ease and facility a great improvement in the quality, and increase
in the quantity of the tone, as the easy forms of the curves of the instruments
offer less impediment to the passage of the air than in those having acute
bends as at present employed, and at the same time our improved arrange-
ment of tubing in connexion with our improved bells, as herein-after described,
enables the various performers to blend the tones of their instruments more
fully and harmoniously together, as they are emitted in similar, instead of
being emitted in various and opposite directions, as is the case with valve
instruments constructed on the old system. The arrangement of tubing we
have adopted we term the circular arrangement, in contradistinction to the
old arrangement, wherein the instruments are of various forms, in some parts
more or less straight, in others more or less abruptly or acutely curved, as in
ophicleides, trombones, sax horns, and other instruments Our circular
arrangement may, when it is found more convenient, be employed in a flattened
or more or less illiptical form, or the circular form may be more or less con-
tracted, so as to become spiral, but in all these cases the improved uniform
system is applied, and the proper easy curve is given to tubing of large as well
as of small diameter.
Secondly, in an improved arrangement of the valves in which the note and
half tubing attached to the third valve is made a part of the "pitch" tubing of
the instrument, the valve being made so as to allow the current of air to pass
through this note and half tubing in all the open notes, instead of its being cut
off as in the ordinary valve instruments. In shutting down the valve the note
and half of tubing is entirely cut off, thereby raising the "pitch" of the instru
ment one note and half, by which plan all the small tubing belonging to the
third valve under the old system is dispensed with, and consequently a greater
sonorousness and equalization of the intonation are obtained. By this
improved system a tone and a half tone only are required to flatten the instru-
ment, the third valve will sharpen it a tone and a half, and the first and
second valves will give the tone and half tone upon the third valve, in the
same manner as they have formerly done upon the tubing of the instrument
itself, thus equalizing the tone and half tone as regards the length of the tube.

page_text: In the old system of valves the third valve flattens the whole instrument a tone
and a half, the first and second valves, turned as they are to the instrument,
being therefore sharp for the third valve. The performer gets rid of this
sharpness by lessening the current of air and consequently the volume of
sound. By our new system, in which the action of the valves is reversed, the
third valve cuts off a tone and a half, that is a minor third, and thereby
sharpens the whole instrument a tone and a half; for instance, if the pitch is
C, by using the third valve the pitch will become a minor third sharper,
that is, in the pitch of E flat, the first and second valves tuned. as by the old
principle to the instrument itself, being therefore flat for the third valve, the
performer must rectify this flatness by increasing the current of air, and this
necessarily renders the instruments more equal and sonorous. Thus it will be
perceived that instead of employing the valves for causing flatness, we employ
one of them for giving sharpness, we also, when desired, change the positions
of the valves, both in the old, and also in our improved system, by placing
them on each side of the instrument, which arrangement enables the performer
to use both hands, thus acting more quickly, and exercising greater control
over the valves.
Thirdly in connection with the improved arrangement of tubing herein-before
described, we apply a similar principle of uniformity to the position of the bells
of our improved instrument, by turning them to the front in the same
direction as cornets, trumpets, trombones, &c., so that the instruments are
placed or held across or parallel with the body of the performer, instead of
projecting from him as in the instruments hitherto employed, and by bringing
the weight nearer the performer our instruments are much more portable
and cause less fatigue, and also enable the larger instruments to be used on
horseback with greater ease and facility, at the same time the tones being
emitted in the same direction, blend fully and harmoniously together.
The manner in which our said Invention is to be performed will be clearly
understood by reference to the accompanying four Sheets of Drawings, in
which are shewn a few instruments to which our improved arrangement of
'tubing is applied.
Eig.-L.represents a side elevation of a tenor_Eb; Fig. 2 represents a front
vertical elevation of the same; and Fig. 3 a front view of the bell detached.
Fig. 4 a side elevation of a baritone Bb; Fig. 5 a front vertical elevation of
'the same; and Fig. 6 a detached view of the bell; Figs. 7 and 8 are front views
of part of a similar instrument, shewing the bell in different positions; Fig. 9
represents side elevation of a bass or cuphonian Bb; Fig. 10 a front vertical
elevation of the same; and Fig. 11 a detached view of the bell; Fig, 12 a side

page_text: elevation of a bass Bb, having the bell in the centre of the instrument; and
Fig. 13 a front vertical elevation of the same; Fig. 14 a side elevation of a
cornet; and Fig. 15 a front elevation of the same; Fig. 16 is a side elevation
of a contra bass Eb; Fig. 17 a front vertical elevation of the same; and
Fig. 18 the bell detached; Fig. 19 is a side elevation of a bombardon or B Bb;
and Fig. 20 a front inclined elevation of the same. In all the foregoing
instruments it will be seen an uniform system of arrangement is employed, and
that the mouthpiece a is connected to the tubing b, which is turned or bent, so
as to allow the entire instrument to be brought near the body of the performer,
and when required to be supported by a strap passing over the shoulder. The
tubing forming the body of the instrument is constructed of a circular form,
which, contracting in diameter, approaches the spiral form, so as to give every
facility for the passage of the air. The bell C is placed opening to the front,
in order to give a more perfect amalgamation or blending of the sounds of the
various instruments, and produce a greater effect. It will also be seen in the side
elevations that the body of each instrument is slightly inclined, and that the
aperture of the bell is at right angles with the upright position of the performer
and parallel with the floor upon which he stands. The detached views of the
bell shew the true circular form as it appears when in use, and the front
vertical elevations represent the oval appearance of the bell when the instru-
ments are placed in that position. In Figs. 7 and 8 the bell is placed
outside the tubing or body of the instruments, but in different positions to the
other Figures, and in Figs. 12 and 13 the bell is placed in the centre; but as
our improvements consist in bringing the bell to the front, and connecting it
with our improved arrangement of tubing placed across the body of the '
performer, it is evident that the bell may be placed not only in the centre, but
at any part of the circle, so as to adapt the instruments to any sizes or require-
In Figs. 16 and 17 we represent the valves placed on each side of
the instrument so as to enable the performer to use both hands.
ments.
In this instrument we shew only three valves, but when required we use
four or more, and divide the valves to both sides of the instrument whatever
their number may be.
Having thus fully described the nature and particulars of our said Invention,
we desire it to be distinctly understood that we do not confine ourselves to the
exact details herein set forth, as such may be varied or modified without
departing from the principle thereof. We are aware that for certain valve
instruments with tubing of small diameter, the circular shape has been
employed, and we make no claim thereto as heretofore used; but what we do
claim is, the construction of valve wind instruments as herein described and

page_text: shewn in the Drawings, having an arrangement of tubing in a parallel position
or across the body of the performer, which may be applied to all valve wind
instruments even when of large diameters, on an uniform circular system; and
in connexion therewith the arrangement of the bells as described and shewn,
and also the improved system and arrangement of valves and tubing connected
therewith, as herein described.
In witness whereof, we, the said George Metzler and James Waddell,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Seventh day of February,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
MEIZLE
JAMES WADDELL.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the within-
named George Metzler and James Waddell,
in the presence of
EDWARD THOMAS HUGHES. Patent Agent.
(L.S.)
(L S.)