US1770965A - Saxophone mouthpiece - Google Patents

Description

July 22, 1930. P.` ARTHUR SAXOPHONE MOUTHPIECE original Filed May 17, 1922 Patented July 22, 1930 UNITED STATES PAUL ARTHUR,

PATENT OFFICE SAXOPHONE Mournrmcn Original application illed Bay 17, 1922, Serial No. 561,570. Divided and this application led April 2,

` 1923. Serial No. 629,237.

This application is a division of my appli` cation, Serial No. 561,570, filed May 17 A 1922, for saxophone mouthpieces and method of making same. The claims in said application are limitedto the method of Vmaking a saxophone mouthpiece.

l in two pieces and joined together so as to provide a. smooth interior passage through said pieces, and a binding'covering said inner pieces.

`A still further object is the provision of lo a mouthpiece for saxophones, andthe like,

having a metallic lining made up of parts which maybe die castings, or, one part may be formed as a die casting and the other part as an automatic turning machine product. f

Another obj ect is theprovision of a device of the character mentioned having a metallic lining and a phenolic condensate 'coverin such as that commercially manufacture under the trade name bakelite on said linlng.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

An embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, and in which- Fig. 1 is a side view of a mouthpiece embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through the device of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a top view of the device of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3 with they reed and ligature removed. v

In the kconstruction of mouthpieces for ui saxophones and other similar wind instru- I form the central metallic part of the 0F WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO FRANK BOLTON & C0., 0F kELKHOBN, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION 0F ILLINOIS f f' mouthpiece intwo pieces. Upon reference to Fig. 2 it will be apparent that the opening 5 through the mouthpiece is circular in cross;- section from the end 6 to a portion adjacent a line 7 near the4 central part of the mouthpiece. This being so I find a metallic part 8 can be formed on an automatic screwy or turning machine, not shown, but in general use invmachine shops. This part`8 ma also be a die casting. The opening 5 is gra ually taperingfrom the end 6 to a point adjacent line 7 and then flaring in somewhat partially spherical form.

The'wind passage of the other part 9 of the lining is not cylindrical in cross-section, except for a short distance adjacent line 7, and in View of this part 9 could not easily be made on an automatic screw or turning machine and is therefore preferably made by die casting. Any desirable metals may be used for these linings. I find that a nickel base white metal provides a suitable material for making the part 8 when turned. A suitable material for making the die castings is "a tin base metal because this will take a good nickel or silver polish which will remain clean because of the absence of oxidation, although any other desirable die casting metal may be used.

The parts 8 and 9 are preferably arranged so as to have a'threaded 'connection 10 between them for holding such parts in rigid condition with respect to each other. The joint 7 is arranged so that the adjacent shoulders of parts 8 and 9 iit tightly together so that when the parts have been put together and polished the surface is quite smooth across line 7. This makes a construction which operates equally as well as a solid piece construction. In a conventional construction the curved parts at both sides of line 7 must be cut out with hand tools and great care must be used to insure cutting these part-s so as to get the required tones in the instrument. lhere part 8 is formed on an automatic turning machine the parts will be duplicates of each other, and where the parts 8 and 9 are die cast they will also be duplicates and no hand finishing will be necessary to afford a proper wind passage through these parts when fitted together in the mouthpiece.

The part 8 is provided with a groove 11 and there is a small groove 12 between the outer parts of the parts 8 and 9 adjacent the threads 10. After the parts 8 and 9 have been screwed together so as to bring their shoulders at line 7 tight, a phenolic condensate, rubber, celluloid, or other material is moulded around said parts 8 and 9 with portions of said moulded parts entering into the annular grooves l0 and l1 so that the mouthpiece consisting of the parts 8 and 9 andV moulded covering 13 is in efect one solid integral mass. The parts 10 and 11 help to hold the covering 13 tightly in position on the parts 8 and 9.

In the drawing, I have indicated a band or ligature 14 having thumb screws 15 for clamping the latter' around the mouthpiece. This ligature 14 holds the reed 16 in proper position over the opening of the mouthpiece.

It will be apparent that the sizes and crosssections of t-he wind passage 5 extending through the mouthpiece may be varied to suit different instruments. An essential part of my improvement is the production of the metallic lining of the mouthpiece in such a manner that it can be produced at low cost and so that accuracy and uniformity of the product will always be had.

Bakelite, a. subst-ance now in general use provides a very eiiicient material for the covering material 13. It is easily moulded in proper position over the metallic lining and has very distinct advantages over hard rubber and many other substances used heretofore for similar covering material. Bakelite will not leave a taste in the players mouth in use. It will not warp with the changes of temperature and is very durable. It further possesses the advantages of not being easily broken, chipped or cracked.

Bakelite is described under its trade name bakelite in the Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry, volume 8, No. 1, of May, 1916, and in C. T. Kniggetts Chemical Encyclopedia, 3rd editionY` page 47. The

process of manufacture is described in detail in U. S. Patent No. 942,809.

It will be apparent from Figs. 4 and 5 that the metal lining part 9 has a plane side at opening 17 upon which the reed 16 is held by the ligature. The covering 13 has a plane portion also adjacent the plane portion of member 9, as clearly indicated in Fig. 5, upon which the rear end of the reed 16 engages, as clearly indicated in Figs. 2 and 5. The line 18 indicates approximately Where the plane part of the metal part 9 engages the plane part of covering 13, as just mentioned. In the form shown, the reed is of substantially the same width as the plane surfaces just mentioned, but it will be understood that the relative widths of the reed and these surfaces may be varied as desired. An important feature is that the plane surface cooperates with the ligature 14 to hold thc reed in proper position over opening 17 so that the desired musical tones can be produed.

I claim 1. A saxophone mouthpiece comprising two hollow inner portions rigidly connected together with a smooth wind passage therethrough, there being irregularities in the outer surfaces of said hollow inner portions, and a covering enclosing said hollow inner portions with parts of said covering extending into the irregularities of said surfaces.

2. A saxophone, and the like, mouthpiece comprising two hollow members with a wind passage therethrough and parts of the hollow members adjacent the wind passage fitting tightly together, there being portions at the outer sides of said hollow members spaced apart, and a moulded covering disposed around said hollow members with portions thereof extending in and fitting said space between the hollow members.

3. A saxophone mouthpiece comprising a hollow metallic portion having a bore therethrough with all cross-sections circular; and a separately formed metallic portion threaded to the first-mentioned metallic portion and having a passage therein communicating with the passage in the first-mentioned metallic portion with part of the passage in the second-mentioned metallic portion nonround in a transverse cross-section.

4. A saxophone mouthpiece having an inner lining comprising a hollow metallic portion having a bore therethrough with all cross-sections circular; a metallic portion threaded to the first-mentioned metallic portion and having a passage therein communieating with the passage in the first-mentioned metallic portion with part of the passage in the second-mentioned metallic portion nonround in a transverse cross-section; and a memberenclosing said metallic portions.

n 5. A saxophone mouthpiece embodying in its structure a metallic lining comprising an automatic turning machine product; and a die cast product ri idly attached to the automatic turning macineiroduct, said turning machine product and ie cast product having openings adapted to be aligned when united. f

6. A saxophone mouthpiece embodying in its structure a metallic lining comprising an automatic turning machine product; a die cast product rigidly attached to the automatic turning machine product; and a moulded covering around said lining securing the aforesaid mentioned parts together, said turning machine product and die cast product having openings adapted to be aligned when united.

7. A saxophone mouthpiece comprising an inner metal member having an opening therethrough, said opening being circular at all cross-sections, tapered from both ends to a point intermediate said ends; a Second metal member having an opening therein with an irregular'cross-section throughout the greater part of its length and said opening registering with the opening in the first-mentioned member; and a threaded connection between said members.

8. A saxophone mouthpiece comprising two members one having a portion telescoped into the portion of the other member; a threaded connection between said telesco ed portions securing said members toget er, there being a peripheral groove in one of the members at the adjacent end of the other member; and a moulded covering enclosing said v`members and disposed in said peripheral groove.

9. A saxophone mouthpiece embodying in its structure a metallic lining comprising two separately formed metallic parts attached together; and a covering of moulded material enclosing said parts.

10. A saxophone mouthpiece embodying in its structure a metallic lining comprising two separately formed metallic parts connected together and having a wind passage extending through both of said metallic parts, and a covering of a moulded phenolic compound enclosing said metallic parts and rigidly securing them together.

11. A mouthpiece for wind instruments comprising a hollow metal shelly and a covering for the exterior of said shell made of a phenolic condensate.

12. A mouthpiece for a musical wind instrument comprising a hollow metallic shell and a covering for the exterior of said shell comprising a phenolic condensate permanently moulded upon the outer surface of said metallic shell.

13. A mouthpiece for a musical wind instrument comprising a hollow metallic shell, the opening within said shell having an enlarged portion between the ends thereof and a covering for the exterior of said shell made of phenoliccondensate moulded upon the outer surface of said shell.

14. A mouthpiece for a musical wind instrument comprising a metallic shell having a wind-passage therethrough, provided with an opening at one end of said shell for connection with the instrument and a lateral opening adjacent the outer end of said shell for registration with a reed, said wind passage having an enlarged portion between said openings and a phenolic condensate covering on the outer surface of said shell.

.15. A mouth iece for a musical wind instrument comprising a metallic shell having a wind passage therethrough provided with a tubular portion at one end for engaging a wind instrument and a lateral opening adjacent the opposite end for registration with a reed, said wind passage being provided with an enlargement between the ends thereof, the wall of said enlargement havin a gradual taper joining the Wall of said tu ular portion to avoid abru t projections within said wind passage, an a covering of nonmetallic material on the outer face of said metallic shell.

16. A mouth piece for a musical wind instrument comprising a metallic shell having a wind passage therethrough provided with a tubular portion at one end thereof and a lateral Opening adjacent the opposite end thereof, said wind passage being enlarged between said tubular portion and said lateral opening, the walls of the enlarged portion of said passage being gradually tapered to avoid prominent projections and a covering of phenolic condensate permanently moulded on the outer surface of said metallic shell.

17. A mouthpiece for wind instruments comprising a hollow core member of metal, and an outer covering of non-metallic material fitted about said core member and adhered to the surface thereof, said core kmember having flanges thereon overlying the edges of said covering.

18. A mouthpiece for a wind instrument comprising a hollow core member of cast metal provided with a thickened portion forming a reed seat, and a phenolic condensate covering for said core member fitted upon, conforming and adhering to the outer surface thereof and having the edges abutting against the side edges of said reed seat.

19. A mouthpiece for wind instruments comprising a tubular lining of metal, said lining being bulged outwardly between the ends thereof, and a covering of non-metallic material formed about said lining and completely encircling a portion thereof.

20. A tubular metal lining for a wind instrument mouthpiece shaped to form a cavity Within the lining having an enlarged portion between the ends thereof, said lining having a laterally directed opening at one end Cil PAUL ARTHUR.

Images