US1467422A - Tone modifier for wind instruments - Google Patents

Description

Patented S ept. 11,1923.

UNITED STATES PATIENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM ROMEO DALFONSO, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO UNIVERSAL TELESCOPE MUTE COMPANY, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION OF CALIFORNIA.

TONE MODIFIER FOR WIND INSTRIIMENTS.

Application filed August 1, 1921. Serial No. 489,144.

T all whom e't may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM R. DAL- FONSO, a citizen of the United States, residing at 6018 Colby St, Oakland, Alameda County, State of California, have invented a new and useful Tone Modifier for Wind Instruments Commonly Classified as of the Brass Family, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in mutes for cornets or any of the brass musical instrument family, and consists of the provision of a device of such character as can i be easily and quickly adjusted through novel means so as to effect the raising and the lowering of the tone.

.The main object of this preesnt invention is to provide means whereby the tone or pitch of a note played on anycornet or brass instrument, with the mute in place, can be modified and brought into perfect accord or pitch with the same note or tone played or produced on said cornet or member of the brass instrument family includ- 2 ing cornet, trumpet, alto, Fliigel horn, trom bone, baritone, tuba, French-horn, balladhorn, etc, when used open or without mute; which result can be obtained by the use of my improved mute.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved mute set in place, within the mouth of a comet (shown in. section) with its head at the highest limit. Figure 2 is a view at right angles to Fig. 1 showing the mute in vertical section and at its lowest limit.

Referring to the drawing, 1 designates the mute generally which consists of a frustoconical tube 2 provided with the usual cork spacers 17 to hold it firmly inside the bell of cornet A. Its upper end 3 is cylindrical and threaded as at 1 to receive the threaded end of a cylindrical tube 5 which near its lower end is slotted as at 6 in order to leave room, for a pinion to be described presently;

in front of said slot, sufliciently wide to cover it up and secured to the tube 5 by screws 8, is a bearing 7 through which passes a shaft 9 carrying at one end a milled disk 10 conveniently placed between the center and the edge of the bell of cornet A so that it may be rotated at will by the player.

On said shaft 9 and within a chamber 11 provided in the bearing 7 is secured a small pinion 12, meshing with a rack 18 fastened by screws 14 to a tube 15 telescoping within the stationary tube 5.

This tube 15 at its upper and supports an enlarged bell or head 16 it being welded or riveted to it, or if desired, made integral with it.

The tube 15 is made of such length as to come near the inner wall of tube 2, without touching it when brought to its lowest point; it is also provided with a longitudinal slot 18 of about the same dimensions as those of rack 13 thus allowing the teeth of said rack to protrude through it and come into mesh withpinion 12.

The operation of the mechanism is as follows :By turning the disk 10 in one di rection, tube 15 and head 16 will be raised, while by turning it in the opposite direction tube and head will be lowered; the amount of the turning depending upon the degree of pitch or difference in tonality detected by the ear of the player.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is,

1. A mute comprising hollow telescopic sections one of which is open at both ends and the other of which is open at one end and closed at the other and means for moving, one of said sections relative to the other to increase or decrease the volume within the sections, which means comprises a shaft mounted for rotation on one of said sections, a pinion on said shaft, a rack bar on the other section with which the pinion engages and a handle portion on said shaft.

2. A mute comprising a hollow frustoconical member adapted to fit into the mouth of a horn, a tubular portion carried by the outer end of said member, said tubular portion being enlarged and externally screw threaded, said frusto-conical member having internal screw threads for cooperation with the screw threads on the tubular portion, another tubular portion telescoping the 10 first named tubularportion and means for sliding said last named portion inwardly or outwardly, said sliding tubular portion adapted to extend into and out of said frusto-conical member.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto afiix my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

WILLIAM ROMEO DALFONSO. lVitnesses:

JOHN R. TYRRELL FRANK Rossr.

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