US2522424A - Offset auxiliary high f key for saxophones - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 12, 1950 J, ARNOLD 2,522,424

OFFSET AUXILIARY HIGH KEY FOR SAkOPHONES Filed Dec. 21, 1948 TL arr y A-NATURAL Jay Arno/a INVENTOR.

BY WWW/e; 15%

Patented Sept. 12, 1950 OFFSET AUXILIARY iirGnfFKEY'FoR SAXOPHONES' J ay Arnold',.Monroe,LVa. Application December 21, IQ ISQSeriaI No. 663513 5*Claims. Cla 84 --385 This invention relates to" an improvedkeywhich F? is expressly designed and made to take the" place ofthe auxiliary high F key currently employed on practically all makes of present-day" saxophones and which, as the title implies, is novel and distinctive in that the finger-piece thereon is laterally offset in respect to the main bank" of keys and valves, whereby it occupies anew position of vantage from which it is-susceptihleof adeptfingering and ever-read'y'usage by thesaxophonist.

Itis a matter of common knowledge that tones in the upper register of all saxophones' are dinicult of resolute production for all performers, even the skilled. Because of fingering difficulties;

2 whatfIihave-aptly achieved, it seems appropriate to make cross reference here to prior art constructions. Let us refer, for general guidance, to Paul Evettes auxiliary high-F adaptation disclosed in U. S. Patent 638,385 wherein he described hisnow abandoned key, to wit: 7

First, in the ordinary saxophone, the note high ll is obtained by the simultaneous use of three keys 2, 3, Figure 1, which are re iv the keys of D, ill-fiat, andE. The note obtained by the simultaneous use of the four keys the. now-standard three side keys (high D-natw ral', E-flat, and F-natural) operable by'the palm ofthe left hand, and a fourth side key (E natural), operable by the index finger of the right hand, cannot" be satisfactorily operated in unison and with requisite precision when executing certain stumping'passages. Therefore, thenow-existent auxiliary high-F'key, operable by the tip (also called' the ball") of the index finger ofthe left hand, is frequently resorted to'as'optionala-nd alternate fingering; It follows that the best makes of saxophonesare equipped'with' the stated (A) regular multiple four'keyfacilities and (B) the optional auxiliary single high-F key; which latter is used, often with reluctance (since in its commonly known form it is placed inconveniently and has a sluggish action), for making'high natural and high-F natural; The stated regju lar (A), group of upper register side keys has beenin use for years and. need'not, it is submitted, be described with particularity; Also; and

although most persons conversant with saxo" phones are familiar with the (B) single auxiliary high-F key, I deem it advisable to dwell upon same at this stage of'the instantmatter. However, and before doing so, I'would" point out that my improvedkey does not. in any way change or. interfere with the aforementioned regular side keys. As a matter of fact, and aswill' be clear later in the disclosure, my new key changes 'but little the auxiliary high-F'key and itsindependent linkage. On the other hand'; my'ln vention is such that" it affords certain new" and userul'results so significant and important that its presence on a saxophone transcendsiin" adapt ability. and functioning anything which'has heretofore been done in'this field of endeavor. Itsinrplifies fingering achievements with amazing" re sultfulness.

To enable the. reader to better comprehend 1, 2, 3, 4, which arerespectively the keys of D, E fiat, E, and F. Moreover, the plate 7, which serves to play the note C, must be closed to se cure'the note'high-F, There is no apparent reason for this; but it is aresult'of experience. The consequence of this is that there results a great difliculty'in playing these notes in the arpeggio's: My'newkey'fi, Fig. 1, avoids all these difficulties. This key ispivoted on a bearing 6, and its object is to lift the'l'ever' l whileit lowers at the same time the plate 7. The same effect may be pro-- duced by opening another hole F near the key 4- say 5' the"lever then the form shown bythe dotted lines, Fig. 1. The said lever does not operate the lever 4'. It uncovers simply the hole 5 and lowers the plate 7. In this azase'the result is the same? On a saxophone equipped with Evettes' key, designated by him askey 5, Fig. 1 in his patent drawing, and described in the above quotation, the-following fingerings, for the first time, became possible: High (F abovethe treble stafi) may be fingered thus: press octave key with left thumb, and press Evettes key with the ball of the left index finger, and with the ball of the left middlefin'ge'r, press the finger-piece designated as A-natural in my drawing, Figure 1. High F (F above the treble staff) may be fingered thus: Press the joctave'key, Evettes key (3! in my drawings), and finger-piece A-natural" as explained above, and in addition, with the hail of the left ring finger, press th'e finger-piece designated as G naturar in my drawing, Figure 1.

I hav -never heard any acoustician give an explanation ofwhy the above fingerings give these two'tenes; However, it is a -gnized fact that these fingerings give a satisfactory High]? and'High E.

With the'advent of'Evettes key, there came into being an easier means of passing from high-C to high-F, from high -C to high-E, from high-C- sharpto high E and from high ii -sharp high In playing the above four sequences of tones, us ing Evettes key, there is no use whatsoever made 3 of the regular side keys for D-natural, E-fiat, or F (shown in Fig. 1 of my drawing as [5, l6, and M respectively) nor is use made of the right hand key (not shown) that raises valve E-natural Evettes key, however, has the following drawbacks. Since the tones B, A, G-sharp, and G above the treble staff must each be fingered with the ball of the left index finger pressing and holding finger-plate B-natural, it is obviously quite impossible to pass smoothly from any one of these four notes directly to the high E or high F fingered with Evettes key, since'this would entail bodily lifting the ball portion of the left index finger from the B-natural finger-plate and subsequently placing the same portion of the same finger upon Evettes key, a feat which it is impossible to accomplish with sufficient rapidity to avoid the sounding of an intervening unwanted note. Thus, while Evettes key created a simplified means of fingering a few diflicult passages, its use is beset by severe and unfortunate limitations.

Years of experience, based on trial and error, and many other involved factors which I do not now recall, necessitated and brought about a needed change in the auxiliary high F linkage and leverage principles with the result that the form of design and construction now commonly in use corresponds to that shown in Fig. 1 of my drawings wherein the old key (in line with the main bank of valves and keys) appears in dotted lines and my novel and improved laterally displaced or so-called offset key presents itself in full lines. By comparison, it will be evident that a single lever of the first class (Patent 638,385) was redesigned to become a more practical linkage characterized essentially by a pair of complemental levers, as will be later described in detail.

A point to be stressed here is that the old finger-piece or key, the one appearing in dotted lines, is in approximate alignment with the main bank of keys and Valves, and in particular with the B-natural finger-plate and is so spaced from it that advocated use thereof is open to the objection already alluded to; that is, when one desires to open the high F-natural valve, the index finger of the left hand has to be (1) bodily lifted up and taken off of B-natural and (2) brought to bear on the dotted high F key. Thus, it is still inconvenient and unsatisfactor using presentday Saxophones, to clumsily pass back and forth from B, A, G-sharp, and G-natural above the treble staff to either high E or high F played with Evettes key. Consequently, there has been a long felt need for an improved and better adaptation capable of providing refinements and betterments. Hence, the advent of the present invention; one which aptly fufils expected prerequisites and wants of players and manufacturers alike.

In carrying out the principles of the present invention I have evolved and produced a construction wherein the free actuable end of the conventional finger-tripped lever is appreciably lengthened and then fashioned at its free actuable end a new point of termination) into an entirely new and systematically available offset auxiliary high F key. The latter resides in a new as well as unique off-center position on the horn; and is so shaped, balanced, and proportioned that it makes .possible a new and ideal fingering step which allows the ball of the left index finger to stay put on the B-natural key-piece; and. secondly, permits the second joint or phalange of 4 said index finger to be simultaneously pressed, with facility and case, on said new high F key that the latter may be operated with instantaneous skill and dexterity.

Another objective is to maintain the now-conventional auxiliary high-F linkage and leverage system intact and, by adding a simple laterally offset key of new design, to introduce what, to me, constitutes an innovation worthy of unqualified adoption and use particularly, since it not only permits the index finger to remain fixedly oriented, but allows the left thumb to remain on the usual thumb rest button and the palm of the hand to arch over and clear the underlying upper register side keys, whereby to obviate the need of bodily canting the whole hand in preparation for shifting and jumping the index finger from high B-natural to the Evette-type auxiliary high F key.

What is more, my concept has to do not only with a new key per se, but one which lends itself to scientific location in close proximity to the B-natural finger-plate, and to reside in a plane which coincides with (minus obstruction or interference) th next adjacent regular high F key, whereby it may be said to be deployed for ingenious co-action with stock mechanism; a real achievement indeed. Then, too, novelty is predicated on the fact that the new key-piece itself carries a stop lug to bear and seat upon the valve which underlies it, and is sized and surface-shaped with requisite nicety to readily pilot, glide and seat the index finger, by natural and convenient manipulation, in readyto-operate position.

Furthermore, in the Evette-type auxiliary high F key construction, as it is seen in dotted lines in Figure l, the free end portion of the lever, which carries the key-piece, takes a rightangular bend and rests directly over the valve which covers the C-sharp tone hole, and the keypiece itself contacts the latter valve and also has to bridge over and bear simultaneously upon the next adjacent and lower valve (the one equipped with the B-natural key or plate). Therefore, the lift and shift of the index finger to high F means the entire weighty load of th combined valves and complemental linkages has to be contended with and overcome. Thus, the pressure which must be brought to bear upon the Evette-type" auxiliary high F key must be sufficient to (1) close the underlying valve covering the C-sharp tone hole and (2) close the valve equipped with the B-natural finger-plate and (3) actuate the auxiliary high F valve linkage. Now, with my new key the stated lever need not and, in fact, does not contact and bear upon the first named valve. Therefore, and since B-natural is already down and closesboth of said valves (through conventional linkage means not shown in detail in my drawings) the load only of the high F valve per seand its own linkage has to be handled. Consequently, it is an important object to thus cut out part of the linkage and attending load and cut in only the auxiliary high F linkage and thus to lessen the weight and render the new key capable of sensitive and responsive action merely .by lightly touching it with the second phalange or joint of the index finger.

Figure 1 is a fragmentary top plan or face elevational view of the upper portion of a conventional-type saxophone with my new offset auxiliary high F key shown in its normal up or open position;

Figure 2 15a cross section on the line 2-4 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of .thearr'ows wherein the appearing C-sharp valve is shown normally open; said auxiliar high F key being likewise in its normal up. position;

Figure 3 is a view, like Figure 2, with the C- sharp valve closed and the auxiliary high F key depressed;

Figure 4.- is a perspective view key per se;

Figure 5 is a cross section taken on the plane of the line 5-5 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows and showing the index finger of the left hand depressing the B-natural fingerplate and thus closing the underlying C-natural valve, with the thumb on the thumb rest button and the :hand archingover (not touching) the usual upper register side keys; Figure 6 is a view based. on Figure 5 showing the additional step wherein the second phalange or joint of the index finger functions to engage and depress the auxiliary high F key while the ball of said index finger remains on the B-natural finger-plate.

By wa of introduction to the detailed description, it is to be pointed out that I have not attempted to show or describe parts of a complete saxophone and the mechanism thereof since, so far as the present invention is concerned, they have no bearing on it. Therefore, I have shown only those elements which I deem necessary to illustrate the old parts in relation to my new auxiliary high F key and the manner in which it is situated midway between the B-natural keypiece and the median portion of the customary high-F valve lever. I I

In Figure l the tubular body, which is conventional, is denoted by the reference numeral 8, In the upper portion of the figure the high F tone hole is denoted by the numeral 9 and this is covered by a normally closed regular high F valve in. The valve is carried on the free end of a lever l I, the median portion of which arches over the E-flat lever mounting l2, said median portion being hingedly mounted on and between custoof theimproved mary bearing posts IE on said body 8, The finger-piece of lever l l, which is depressed to obtain the tone high F in the regular way, is denoted by the numeral 14. There are two other valve carrying levers (see legends D-natural and E-ilat) for controlling the complemental tone holes (not 1 shown) which need not be described in detail. It may be mentioned however, that the fingerpiece 15 is for obtaining the tone high D-natural and the next and intermediate finger-piece I6 is for obtaining the tone high E-fiat. hole I1 and associated valve l8 cooperate in producing the tone high E-natural and the operating details are omitted to simplify my drawings.

Reference being hadnow to the tone hole next in succession, this is denoted by the numeral l9 and emits the tone C-sharp and is therefore referred to as the C-sharp tone hole and is better shown in Figures 2 to 6 inclusive. The C-sharp valve 20 which seats on and closes tone hole i9 is mounted on a rocker arm 2! embodied. in a linkage means or mechanism generally referred to at 22 and valve 20, as usual, is normally open. The next and remaining tone hole to be referred to, which is the C-natural tone hole, is denoted by the numeral 23 and is seen in Figures and 6 only, and this is provided with a normally open complemental C-natural valve 24 carried by the rocker arm 25 which rocker arm is included in and operates simultaneously with the linkage means or mechanism 22. The plate or.,finger- The tone -l 6 piece 26 which is rigidly mounted on and made a part of the valve 24 is operated bythe index finger A of the left hand andthis key-plate is commonly referred to :as the B-natural key. or

finger-piece.

At this point I would explain that I am primarily concerned, as will be seen later, with three valves; the normally closed regular high F valve It, the normally open C-sharp and C- natural valves 20 and 24, the lever lifor valve [0, linkage 21 and the B-natural key-piece 26 on said valve 24. To those familiar with the saxophone construction and the manner of handling same it is obvious that the tones high D, high E-flat, high E-natural and high F-natural are produced by depressing, in predetermined order, the upper register side keys l4, l5 and I6 together with the right hand side key (not shown) that opens valve l8. Also, and as explained in the preceding portion of the description, it is perhaps unnecessary to go into detail to explain that depressing the finger-piece 15 produces high D, and depressing the same in conjunction with the finger-piece 16 produces high E-flat, that high E-n-atural is produced when the valve i8 is open in conjunction with the high D and high E-flat valves, and that high F natural is produced when all four valves are open. These valves are operated, three of them, with the palm of the left hand, and the high .E-natural valve with an independent side key (not shown) on the lower part of the body of the instrument, using the index finger of the right hand. However, as stated, I am not concerned with the manner of regularly producing these high tones. I am interested in and emphasize herein the improved auxiliary high F key means. This leads me to explain that in addition to the primary linkage means 22, there is a complemental or secondary auxiliary linkage means 2"! involved which is isolated and separate from linkage means 272 and includes an L-shaped rockable lever 28 one lateral end of which is engaged with the lever l l for opening the valve in and the other angular end of which is engaged beneath the so-called auxiliary high F lever 29. The latter lever is hingedly mounted in conjunction with linkage means 22, but has no actuating connection therewith. Ordinarily, the free end portion of lever 29 is formed with a right angle bend 353 which terminates above and rests directly on the valve 20 (as shown in dotted lines). End 30 is provided with a pearl button or finger-piece 3| which is of a diameter such that its perimeter portions straddle the respective underlying peripheral edges of the two valves 20 and i l, This structure which includes the L-shaped lever 29 and the finger-piece s: is commonly known in the trade and elsewhere as the auxiliary high F key and when it is depressed with the index finger of the left hand it sluggishly depresses and seats valves 20 and 24 and motivates linkage means 21, and, in particular, operates the lever '28 and opens the high F valve H).

In accordance with the principles of the present inventtion instead of terminating the lever 29 with the bond 30, I provide the lever with an extension 32 which is of appropriate length and is properly curved and arched and carries the new and improved offset auxiliary high F key 33, the essence of the instant invention.

As shown in Figure 4, where the improved lever and key are detailed, one end of the lever is provided with the customary sleeve or hinge tube 34 and cork tipped stop arm 35, which parts are mounted with the linkage mechanism 22 and which parts are common and well known. The new out-of-line or offset key 33 is formed integrally with the outercurvate extension 32 of the lever and, looking at it in top view, it is approximately triangular in shape, though this shape may be slightly varied if found necessary. Experimentation has shown that it appears to be the best shaped and sized key for the intended purpose. One corner portion is provided with an extension constituting a lug 36, having a cork buffer 31, which functions as a motion stopping device and rests upon the valve 24 when the key 33 is depressed. The recess or cavity 38 in the underside is there to provide accommodation and clearance for the bearing post means |3 shown in Figure 1. This recess permits the key to be depressed to the desired level without interferencefrom said bearing post means l3.

It is further to be pointed out that the upper surface of this new key is tapered and thinned and thus made convex as denoted at 33 in Figures 2 and 3. This formation and the contouring of the finger contacting surface renders the latter susceptible of pilotin and feeding the second joint or phalange B of the index finger A onto said key 33 when the latter is to be depressed.

It will be noted that the attenuation of the thus improved lever 29 is such that it positions and locates the new key-piece 33 close to the pivotal point of the high F lever Also, the key 33 is thus situated in close proximity to the B-natural key 25. Consequently, the new key 33 has an established position to the left of the B-natural key 26 and to the right of the median pivoted portion of the high-F lever when the horn is, as is obvious, being played.

I call attention to the fact, as brought out in the drawings, that the curvature of the lever 23 as improved by me is such that no portion of the lever 29, at any time either up or down, comes into direct contact with the underlying-valve 20. In the old arrangement, the upper portion of the underside of key-piece 3| rests directly upon the valve 20, and the lower portion of the underside of said key-piece 3| rests directly upon the valve 24. Ihus the key-piece 3| bridges the two valves 20 and 24. I have already established the fact that when the index finger ofthe left hand A is on the B-natural key-piece 26 and. it is desired to play high-F by means of depressing key-piece 3 I, it is essential to bodily lift the finger from the key-piece 26 and to place it on the keypiece 3|. Thus when key-piece 3| is depressed,

and this means carrying down the valves 2|) and 24, rocker arms 2| and 25 together with the rest of the linkage 22 as well as the auxiliary high-F linkage means 21, it obviously places quite a load on the index finger. Now then, with my improved arrangement a different and more advantageous result is obtainable. That is to say, it is not at all necessary to lift the index finger from the B-natural key-piece 28. Instead, the ball of the finger is constantly left in position on said key-piece 26, and when one desires to produce high F-natural via my new oifsetauxiliary high-F key arrangement, the finger is partially straightened out and bodily rolled, in somewhat of an axial twist, to one side so that the second joint or phalange B in Figure 6 is brought to bear upon the key 33. Thus in operating the new key 33, since it motivates only the linkage means 21, it is relieved of the extra load hereinbefore ex-' plained in conjunction with the description of mode of operation of the old auxiliary high I key-piece 3|,- and this means thatthe operation of key 33 is rendered light, precision-sensitive,- and quickly responsive.

Since the point of application of force to the new key, which is a lever (2nd class), is now farther from the point of fulcrum than it was in the old style auxiliary high F key 3|, the amount of force necessary to actuate the new key 33' is reduced, which fact contributes further to the lightness of action of said new key in compariso with that of the old key 3|. I

Also, in the case of the old arrangement, when it was necessary to use key 3| the entire left hand had to be shifted in order to bring the ball of the left index finger into position to press said key 3|. Under the new arrangement, the left hand as a whole need not be shifted at all. The fact that the new key arrangement does away with the necessity of bodily shifting the left hand is an added advantage.

With my new offset auxiliary high F key 33, high F and high E are fingered as follows: To produce high F (F above the treble staff), press octave key (not shown) with left thumb, press key 33 with the second joint of the left index finger, press the B-natural finger-piece 26 with the ball of the left index finger, and press the A-natural finger-piece with the ball of the left middle finger. To make high E (E above the treble staff), press the octave key, key 33, and the finger-pieces B-natural and A-natural as explained above, and in addition press the G-natural finger-piece with the ball of the left ring finger.

Many otherwise clumsy passages are susceptibl of easy execution by way of my new key 33/ A few examples are (1) the E minor arpeggio played in ascending'sixteenth notes starting with the note E in the fourth space, treble staff, (2) G above the staff up to B up to E and back to B, (3) G above the staff up to B up to F and back to B, (4) A above the staff up to F down a perfect fourth to C and back to A, (5) B above the staff up to F back to B up to E, and so forth.

In the given passages, all high Fs andhigh Es may be played with fingerings employing the new offset auxiliary high F key and are very easy to execute. The stated passages of music and similar combinations of notes are extremely difficult to play on an instrument not equipped with my improved offset auxiliary high F key 33. Ihe use of the new key provides the one and only satisfactory and convenient way of passing chromatically or diatonically from the regular reg,- ister of the saxophone up into the newly explored top register (above high F) which consists of a series of harmonic cross fingerings; and, con.- versely, provides a way of passing chromatically or diatonically from the top register back down into the regular register, since the F-sharp and G (above high F) are both commonly fingered with the ball of the left index finger depressing the B-natural key-piece. This point of advantage will become increasingly apparent as time goes on and the use of the said top register becomes more commonplace.

The professional saxophonist and accomplished amateur will find that the new key opens up heretofore undreamed of possibilities in the field of technical execution in the highest portion of the regular saxophone register and in the extreme top register. They will realize that for the first time the use of said extreme top register has become thoroughly practical, thus giving the instrumenta range equal to that of the flute, greater than that of the oboe, and only a very little less than that of the clarinet and bassoon- The composer and the arranger for orchestra and band will be relieved of the extreme care heretofore necessary to avoid the writing of technically impractical parts in the upper regular register of the saxophone. Also, since the upward extension of the range of the saxophone is made practical for the first time with the advent of my new offset high F key, the instrument can no longer be criticised, as it has been so frequently in the past, as having too small a range to compare favorably as a solo instrument with the flute, oboe, clarinet and bassoon. Thus the'saxo phone will now have a much better chance of taking its rightful place in the eyes of composers and arrangers as a solo instrument of great importance.

The student or pupil will appreciate that since the use of the new offset auxiliary high F key makes comparatively easy the execution of certain technical passages that heretofore have been almost impossible, even for the virtuoso, the pupil is not so likely to become discouraged regarding his prospects of becoming a proficient performer. No doubt, this will make the difference between discarding the instrument on the one hand, to a continuation of progress leading to mastery of the instrument on the other hand. Probably there will be fewer pupils who purchase an instrument, study it for a few months, and then become discouraged because of seemingly insurmountable technical difficulties and give up their ambition to become accomplished instru mentalists.

The teacher will appreciate that the use of this new offset auxiliary high F key so simplifies the execution of certain heretofore difiicult passages that tedious practice on the part of the pupil is greatly reduced; therefore, the teacher is enabled to cover more ground in a given period of time, thus sustaining the pupils interest and bringing about superior results in the advancement of the pupil toward technical mastery of the instrument. The use of the so-called regular high F key I4, and of the high E key operated by the right hand to open valve [8 (both of which are inconvenient to manipulate) is almost entirely eliminated. The instrument as a whole thereby becomes easier to teach.

The manufacturer will appreciate that the change in design of keywork that would be necessitated in order to fit the offset high F key to saxophones as now manufactured could be made without a great deal of re-tooling, inasmuch as the linkage remains the same as in present saxophones, the change being only in the attenuated and arched lever 29, key 33 and its unique posi tion on the instrument.

A careful consideration of the foregoing description in conjunction with the invention as illustrated in the drawings will enable the reader to obtain a clear understanding and impression of the alleged features of merit and novelty sulficient to clarify the construction of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

Minor changes in shape, size, materials and rearrangement of parts may be resorted to in actual practice so long as no departure is madefrom the invention as claimed.

Having described the invention, what claimed as new is:

1. In a saxophone, a tapered tubular body ineludin a high F tone hole, a C-sharp tone hole, and a C-natural tone hole, a side high F lever pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on said body, a valve carried by said lever and normally closing said first named tone hole, a rocker arm pivoted on said body and carrying a normally open valve registrable with said C-sharp tone hole, a second rocker arm pivoted on said body and carrying a normally open'valve registrable for closing said C-natural tone hole, linkage means mechanically joining said second and third valves for operation in unison, a B-natural key-piece fixed on said third named valve, a normally up finger-depressed auxiliary high F lever mounted in conjunction with said linkage means and arching over the second named valve and free of contact with the latter valve at all times, an operating connection between said auxiliary high F lever and side high F lever, the

free actuable end portion of said auxiliary high lever 'extendin laterally beyond said second and third named tone holes and terminating adjacont to the intermediate portion of said side high F lever, and an auxiliary high key-piece carried by the free actuable end portion of said auxiliary high F lever and located in a position substantially mid-way between the left side of said B-natural key-piece and right side of the intermediate portion of said side high F lever and lying in an even plane in relation thereto so that the portion of the index finger bridging the space between the B-natural key-piece and the intermediate portion of said side high F lever is in the path of movement of said auxiliary key, whereby to, permit the ball of said finger to remain in operating position on the B-natural key-piece and said mid-portion of said finger to i all naturally and without restraint on said auxiliary high F key.

As a new article of manufacture, an offsettyp auxiliary high F key for Saxophones comprismg a longitudinally arched lever having a bearing at one end, having its opposite end arouately formed into a reverse bend and terminating in an integral finger-piece, the latter being substantialy triangular in shape and being provided in its underside with an obstruction clearance cavity.

3. As a new article of manufacture, an oifsettype auxiliary high F key for saxophones comprising a longitudinally :bowed lever having a bearing at one end, having its opposite end arouately formed into a return bend and terminating in an integral finger-piece, the latter being 5 substantially triangular in shape, the finger contacting surface thereof being cambered and slightly canted and thus adapted to permit the finger which operates said key to contact and depress the key with the maximum of comfort, convenience, effectiveness, and economy of motion.

4. In a saxophone, a tapered tubular body including a high F tone hole, a C-sharp tone hole, and a C-natural tone hole, a side high F lever pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on said body, a. valve carried by said lever and normally closing said first named tone hole, a rocker arm pivoted on said body and carrying a normally open valve registrable vith said C-sharp tone hole, a second rocker arm pivoted on said body and carrying a normally open valve registrable for closing said C-natural tone hole, linkage means joining said second and third valves for operation in unison, a B-natural key-piece fixed on said third named valve, a normally up finger-depressed auxiliary high F lever mounted in conjunction with said linkagemeans and. overlying the second named valve and free of contact with the latter valve at all times, an operating connection between said auxiliary high F lever and side high F lever, the free actuable end portion of said auxiliary high F lever terminating adjacent to the intermediate portion of said first named side high F lever, and a laterally offset auxiliary high F key of general triangular shape carried by said free end portion and laterally ofiset with respect to the center points of said C-sharp and C-natural tone holes and disposed in close proximity to said B-natural keypiece, the finger contacting surface of said auxiliary key being slightly convex and canted toward the B-natural key-piece and lying in a plane so that that portion of the index finger bridging the space between the B-natural keypiece and the intermediat portion of the side high F lever is in the path of movement of said auxiliary key, whereby to permit the ball of said finger to remain in operating position on the B-natural key-piece and said mid-portion of said finger to fall naturally and without restraint on said auxiliary high F key.

5. As a 'newarticletof manufacture; an' oil'-' set-type auxiliary highF key for Saxophones comprising longitudinally arched lever of a length appreciably greater than the diametral crosssection of that portion of the tubular body on which it is adapted to be mounted, having a bearing at one end, having its opposite end arouately bent and terminating in an integral fingerpiece, the latter being substantially triangular in plan view, on marginal edge being a continua; tion of the arc of said arcuately bent end, another edge being at approximate right angles to said are at the point of intersection of the first and second named edges, and the remaining edge being oblique to the longitudinal axis of said lever,

' r JAY ARNOLD.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Evette Dec. 5, 1889 Number

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