IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF FLUTES
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Clinton, of 35, Percy Street, Tottenham Court
Road, in the County of Middlesex, Professor of Music, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF FLUTES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Clinton at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 5th
March 1863.
I, JOHN CLINTON, of 35, Percy Street, Tottenham Court Road, in the
County of Middlesex, Professor of Music, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF FLUTES," to be as
follows:-
My Invention applies to flutes having either a cylindrical or conical bore,
and consists,―
Firstly, in having a lever level with and contiguous to the key which is acted
upon by the first finger of the right hand by which I can obtain an easy finger-
ing for F without altering the ordinary fingering of the note F# when taken
thus

page_text: This is effected by means of an arm from the G key which holds down the
clutch or stud in which is inserted the spring which shuts the G# key, but
although the G# key is kept closed for the upper Eit may be opened as
usual for the upper D or any other note for which it may be required.
Thirdly, in having an extra C hole opposite to the thumb key, or upon that
part of the flute nearest to the palm of the left hand when playing the instru-
ment; this extra C hole is covered with an open key which is kept closed by
means of an arm connected with the A key and allowed to open when the
third finger acts upon its key.
This extra C can be also closed by the second finger key of the left hand
or the first finger key of the right hand.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Joseph Clinton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
24th August 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
CLINTON, of 35, Percy Street, Tottenham Court Road, in the County of
Middlesex, Professor of Music, send greeting..
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-seventh year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said John Clinton, Her special licence that I, the said. John
Clinton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said John Clinton, my 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 CONSTRUCTION OF FLUTES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said John Clinton, my executors or ad-
ministrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their
hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the

page_text: This I have accomplished in the following manner :-The F #key 2, Fig. 1,
is fastened to the tube 1, and may be closed by the first finger of the right
hand depressing the semicircular key 4, either separately or simultaneously.
with the key 6; that action elevates the arms 5 and 8, and shuts the F# key,
by which means I obtain the note F with the fingering of F#, thus
Secondly, an arrangement of mechanism for the G# and A keys 4 & 5,
Fig. 2, by which the G# hole is kept-closed by the first finger of the right
hand acting upon 6 in conjunction with the other fingers employed for the
This is effected by an arm from the G key 1, which holds down the arm 2,
which is fastened upon the rod with a double clutch 7, in which is inserted
the G#spring, but this mechanism does not prevent the G# key being opened
for the upper E when fingered thus

page_text: I do not confine myself to this particular arrangement of the mechanism,
but I claim any plan by which the G# key can be kept closed by the first
finger of the right hand, while at the same time it may be opened for the
Upper E when fingered thus
Thirdly, in having an extra C hole opposite to the thumb key, or upon
that part of the flute nearest to the palm of the left hand when playing the
instrument. This extra C hole is acted upon by an open key 1, Fig. 3, and
is kept closed by means of a small arm 2, acting under arm 4 when the key 3
is open, and opens when the key 3 is depressed or closed. By this mechanism
I obtain the correct vent hole for the highest G when fingered thus
I have added a small arm 4, fastened on the tube which carries key 1, also an
arm 8, on the key 5, which latter arm is placed under the arm 4 so that
whenever 5 is depressed it elevates 4, and thus closes key 1. To close the
key 1 for the upper F# when fingered as above, I have put a small arm 9 to
key 7 which passes under the arm 6, fastened on the same tube as key 1, when
7 is depressed it acts upon 1 on the same principle as the action of the finger
upon 5 already explained.
I do not confine myself to the plan above described, but what I claim is,
any arrangement of mechanism by which the Chole_may be opened for the
highest Gwhen fingered thus

page_text: In witness whereof, I, the said John Clinton, have heretofore set my
hand and seal, this Twelfth day of August, One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-three.
(L.s.) J. CLINTON.