Patent ID: 7705228

Claim:
A shoulder marching tuba comprising: a first substantially U-shaped stationary tube having a first end and a second end; a first valve system in fluid communication with the second end of the first substantially U-shaped stationary tube, the first valve system comprising: a first valve; a slide assembly in fluid communication with the first valve, the slide assembly comprising: first and second substantially U-shaped slide tubes, each having first and second legs; third and fourth substantially U-shaped slide tubes, each having first and second legs; the first and second legs of the first and second substantially U-shaped slide tubes slidably engaging the first and second legs of the third and fourth substantially U- shaped slide tubes; wherein the first leg of the first substantially U-shaped slide tube slidably engages the first leg of the fourth substantially U-shaped slide tube; wherein the second leg of the first substantially U-shaped slide tube slidably engages the second leg of the third substantially U-shaped slide tube; wherein the first leg of the second substantially U-shaped slide tube slidably engages the first leg of the third substantially U-shaped slide tube; and wherein the second leg of the second substantially U-shaped slide tube slidably engages the second leg of the fourth substantially U-shaped slide tube; a second valve system in fluid communication with the first valve system, the second valve system comprising: a second valve; and a second substantially U-shaped stationary tube having first and second ends, both in fluid communication with the second valve; a third valve system in fluid communication with the second valve system, the third valve system comprising: a third valve; and a third substantially U-shaped stationary tube having first and second ends, both in fluid communication with the third valve; a fourth substantially U-shaped stationary tube having first and second ends, the second end in fluid communication with the first end of the first substantially U-shaped stationary tube; a mouth piece in fluid communication with the first end of the fourth substantially U-shaped stationary tube; a fifth substantially U-shaped stationary tube having first and second ends, the first end in fluid communication with the third valve; a sixth substantially U-shaped stationary tube having first and second ends, the first end in fluid communication with the second end of the fifth substantially U-shaped stationary tube; a seventh substantially U-shaped stationary tube having first and second ends, the first end in fluid communication with the second end of the sixth substantially U-shaped stationary tube; a eighth substantially U-shaped stationary tube having first and second ends, the first end in fluid communication with the second end of the seventh substantially U-shaped stationary tube; and a bell in fluid communication with the second end of the eighth substantially U-shaped stationary tube.