Pitch
Modifying Mouthpiece For Brass Wind Musical
Instruments
PATENT NUMBER
2273177
DOCUMENT ID
US 2273177 A
DATE PUBLISHED
1942-02-17
INVENTOR INFORMATION
NAME
CITY
STATE
ZIP CODE
COUNTRY
DOMENICK CALICCHIO
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
US CLASS CURRENT:
US CLASS ISSUED:
CPC CURRENT
TYPE
CPC
DATE
CPCI
2020-02-01
Description
UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE
(1) 2,2713,177
PITCH MODIFYING MOUTHPIECE
FOR
BRASS WVIND MUSICAL
INSTRUMENTS
(2) Domenick Caliechio, New
York, N. Y.
(3) Applica~tion April 4,
1940, 'Seial No. 327,838 9 Clairs. (Cl. 91-399) The present invention relates
to an improvement in mouth pieces for musical wind instruments of the non-reed
type, and is utilized on trombones, cornets, trumpets and horns.
(4) The main feature of the
present improvement is in the provision of means whereby, with a comparatively
simple construction, the tone or pitch of the instrument may be sharpened or
flatted as desired, by manually increasing or decreasing the volumetric
capacity of the resonance chamber formed in the mouth piece.
(5) The foregoing and other
features of the ium- provement will be apprehended as the herein description
proceeds, and it will be obvious that modifications may be made in the
structure herein, without departing from the spirit hereof or the scope of the
appended claims.
(6) In the drawing:
(7) Fig. 1 is a side view of
the mouth piece, shown separately, with portions broken away and sec- tioned,
to moZre fully disclose the construction;
(8) Fig. 2 is an end view of
the mouth piece, looking towards the left end of .Fig.
1;
(9) Fig. 3 is a side view of
the mouth piece, with the air cup and cup adjusting means removed;
(10) Fig. 4 is a sectional
view taken on line 4-4, Fig. 3, locking in the direction of the arrows;
(11) Fig. 5 is a reduced,
side view of the cup adjusting thimble or ferrule;
(12) Fig. 6 is en end view
of Fig. 5; and Fig. 7 is a side view of the air cup.
(13) As in Fig. 3, the main
portion of the present improvement comprises a hollow cylindrical stem
generally denoted by 1, the end portion of which is tapered, as usual to
receive the horn section, not shown. One end of the stem has a preferably
integral bell 4 thereon, the external perimeter thereof having an outstanding
lip 1 4, which merges with the surface of the bell portion 4 with a tapered fillet
15, which forms "a seat for a coacting adjusting thimble, as will later be
described.
(14) The stem 1, has a
threaded portion 6 which is located adjacent the bell portion 4, Fig. 3. The
bell portion 4, further, is provided with a cylindrical bore 2 inwardly of its
front face the bore terminating in a fiat seat 3, shown dotted in 1' ig.
(15) 3, said seat 3 being
joined by a central bore 8 which runs the length of the stem, from sea~t 3 to
the opposite end of said stem.
(16) The bell 4 is of
cylindrical formation and is provided with an angularly disposed threadlike
slot 5 in its wall, the length of said slot, which opens into bore 2, being
about ninety degrees of the circle of the bell 4, or about one quarter turn.
(17) Into the bores 2 and 8
of the stemn I is fitted, both rotatably and slidably, a wind cup, Figs. 1 and
7. Said cup comprises a cylindrical head 4'
(18) and an integral
elongate, cylindrical stem 20.
(19) The head 4' is bored to
form a concaved or cuplike depression 9 therein, w~hich terminates at the outer
cylindrical surface of 4' in a sharp edge 22.
(20) The wind cup is
provided with a central axial bore 21I, shown in Figs. 1 and 7, this bore
extending from the bottom of the cup 9, to the opposite end of the stem 20,
said bore being increasingly tapered throughout its length from the cup 9 to
the opposite end of the stem.
(21) The dimensions of the
wind cup and its stem 201 are such that it accurately fits the bores 2 and 8 of
stem I, with the sharp edge 22 normally well below the lip 14 of the mouth
piece, as 4' shown in Fig. 1.
(22) The outer cylindrical
surface 4' of the wind cup mounts a threaded removable camming screw 19, Figs.
1 and 7. In assembling the wind cup to the mouth piece, the screw 19 is first
removed, 2) and the wind cup is inerted into the mouth piece, as in Fig. 1, and
the screw 1 9 is then firmly entered into the cylindrical head 4' through the
slot 5 of the mouth piece, thus to form, as will later be described. a means
whereby the cup may be rotatably slid from its position in full lines, Fig. 1,
to the dotted position shown at 10, Fig. 1, or the reverse thereof.
(23) To accomplish the
desired relative movement :.between the wind cup and
mouth piece, a shouldered thimble 11I, Figs. 1, 5 and 6 is provided, w7,hich
rotatably fits over the cylindrical head 4, of the mouth piece, said thimble
being provided with a longitudinally located keyway 19, into which the exposed
head of ,crew NI is entered, when assembling. The thimble 11 is provided with
an inwardly extended shoulder or seat 12, which has a central bore 23, into
which the threaded portion 6 of the mouth piece extends k5 in a relatively
freely revoluble manner, the inside face of the thimble shoulder 12 being
relatively clear of contact with the rear wall of the mrouth piece cylinder 4,
and the threads 16, as 0seen in Fig. 1. Thae forward edge of the thim'ble 1 I
is chamfered to coincide with the an;;lcd fillet 15 on
the rim 14 of the mouth piece, thus to form a contact seat between the thimble
and mouth piece.
(24) As the thimble is
manually rotatable it is provided with a knurled band 16, to increase the
finger grip action, in manipulation.
(25) In order to hold the
assembly above described in operative and locked condition, a cylindrical
locknut 13 is provided, which is threadedly engaged with the threads 6 of the
mouth piece 4, said locknut being shown partially in section, in Fig. 1. As
this nut is also manually operated, it is also provided with knurling 25 on its
outcr cylindrical surface. In its operative locking position the nut 13 jambs
the shoulder 12, of the thimble 11, and thus forces or wedges the chamfered
edge 17 of the thimble against the angled fillet 15 of the mouth piece.
(26) The device, as above
described, permits of ad- justability of the wind cup while playing upon the
instrument, so that the pitch of the instrument may be raised or lowered, while
blowing upon the mouth piece, by raising or lowering the wind cup. This is
accomplished with one hand, the nut 13 being released by turning it to free it,
with the fingers, after which the freed thimble Iis rotated in either
direction, to raise or lower the cup within the mouth piece, such rotation as
is permitted being to an extent of at least one- quarter of a turn, to the
limits of the length of the slot 5. The cup, through manipulation of the
thimble, is thus simultaneously partially rotated and reciprocated in bore 2.
After setting the pitch of the mouth piece, the lock nut is again jammed
against shoulder 12 of the thimble.
(27) From the foregoing it will be seen that the pitch adjusting means and
lock nut are externally mounted upon the mouth piece for easy and convenient
hand manipulation, without tools.
(28) Having thus described
the invention, what is claimed is:
(29) 1. A pitch adjusting
mouth piece for brass musical instruments comprising an apertured mouth piece
portion having an elongated stem, an apertured concaved bell portion mounted in
said apertured mouth piece portion for slidable and rotative movement therein,
rotative means externally mounted on said mouth piece portion and connected to
said bell portion for adjustably causing the movements of said bell portion and
means externally mounted on said mouth piece portion for locking all of said
relatively moving portions in adjusted operative positions.
(30) 2. A pitch adjusting
mouth piece as set forth in claim 1, in which the rotative bell adjusting means
comprises a thimble which is threadedly mounted upon said mouth piece portion
for reciprocal movement thereon, the thimble having a longitudinal keyway in
its interior, the mouth piece portion having an elongated thread slot in its
wall and a cam screw threadedly connected to the bell portion, said screw
projecting through said elongated slot into the said thimble key- way, said
locking means comprising a ferrule threadedly connected to said mouth piece
portion.
(31) 3. In a mouth piece as
set forth in claim 1, in which the mouth piece portion is in a single piece and
comprises a cylindrical lipped bell, and has a cylindrical elongate bored stem
integral therewith the stem having a threaded portion a wind cup receiving bore
in said bell and an elongate angularly disposed cam thread slot in the wall of
said bell.
(32) 4. In a mouth piece as
set forth in claim 1, in which the concaved bell portion comprises a
cylindrical head having an elongate stemn thereon said head portion being bored
to form said concave portion, said stem having a bore therein r= said bore connecting
with the bore in said head portion and being progressively tapering outwardly
from said head bore to the outer end of said stem, and a camoming screw mounted
on the exterior of cylindrical head.
(33) l0) 5. In a mouth piece
as set forth in claim 1 in which the mouth piece has an angular fillet between
its bell portion and the elongate stem and the rotative means comprises a
flanged and apertured thimble threadedly connected to said 7stem one edge of
said thimble having an edge in contact with said fillet, said edge being champ-
fered edge conforming to the angle of said fillet.
(34) 6. A mouth piece as set
forth in claim 1, in which the stemi is provided with a horn fitting iLu taper.
(35) 7. In combination, a
mouthpiece member comprising a stem and a cylindrical bell axially integral
therewith, the wall of said bell being provided with a cam slot; a wind-cup
portion ro- Statably and slidably mounted in said mouthpiece member and
including a tubular shank and a head; a thimble member rotary on said mouthpiece
member; one of said members being provided with a cam groove; a projection
mounted ~o on said head and engaging in said grooves.
(36) 8. In combination, a
mouthpiece portion comprising a stem and a cylindrical bell axially integral
therewith, the wall of said bell being provided with a helical cam slot; a
wind-cup por- ,,,; tion rotatably and slidably mounted in said mouthpiece
portion; said wind cup portion including a shank and a head and integral
therewith; said wind-cup portion being provided with an axial bore extending
therethrough; a thimble provided with an interior longitudinal groove and
rotatively mounted over said bell; a cam member mounted on said head and
projecting through said cam slot and engaging said groove;
(37) and a lock nut for said
thimble threaded on said stem.
(38) 9. In combination, a
mouthpiece portion comprising a hollow stem; a cylindrical bell on the other
end of said stem and provided with a cylindrical bore terminating in a flat
seat, and Ct provided with an outstanding lip at the open end provided with a~n
angular fillet at the uinder face thereof, the wall of said bell being provided
with an helical cam slot extending about a quarter turn around the wall; the
portion of the stem adjacent to the bell being provided with outstanding
threads; a wind cup portio~n slidable and rotary in said mouthpiece portion;
said head being provided with a cuplike depression terminating at the outer
cylindrical surface of Ssaid head in a sharp edge; said wind cup portion being
provided with a stem having an axial bore extending from the bottom of said
depression through said shank; a screw mounted on said head and projecting
through said cam slot; a Scylindrical thimble rotatively mounted on said bell
and provided with an interior longitudinal groove and with an inwardly
extending shoulde~r;
(39) the screw projecting
through said cam slot engaging said groove, said shoulder extending in- p
wardly over the rim of the bell; the outer rim of said thimble being champfered
and engaging the under face of said outstanding lip.
(40) IJOMIHNICK CALICCHIO.
Claims