US1805929A - Clarinet - Google Patents

Description

F. STEIN May 19, 1931.

CLARINET Filed OCL. 26. 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet l May 19, 1991. F. STEIN 1,805,929

CLARINET Filed oct. 2s. 1929' 4 sheets-sheet 2 FIC-21.5.

NVENTOR. FmEnRacHSTElN..

ATTORNEY.

May 19, 1931. F. STEIN CLARINET Filed oct. ze, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 May 19, 1931. F. STEIN 1,805,929

GLARINET- Filed om.y 2e', 1929 4 sheets-sheet 4 Patented May 19, 1931 UNITE@ Lriunimion s'rEIN, OFSAARBRUCKEN, GERMANY CLARINET Application led October 26, 1929, Serial No.

The invention relates to vclarinets, and is primarily concerned with simplifying the fingering so that lateral sliding movements of the fingers are entirely avoided or reduced to a minimum. A further object of the invention is to dispense with those note holes, which are usually situated so near the nozzle or mouthpiece that the tone is impaired. For this purpose I construct the instrument with 'l two tubes having note holes and valves limited in the aggregate to a single chromatic scale comprising a plurality of octaves distributed between them, with the holes disposed suiiicientlyfar from the mouthpiece to give full tonal quality to the twelfths as well as the fundamental notes. The two tubes communicate with the mouthpiece through a change-over valve of the kind used .in trumpets, so that the air stream may be directed to one or other of the tubes separately. Both tubes may be used alternately 4for executing the chromatic or any other scale `as required.. The lever for manipulating thechange-over valve forms part of the fingering mechanism and is operated in the same way as the other valves.

Clarinets having two tubes, which arealternately blown bymanipulating a changeover valve, are `already known. However, these are in fact double clarinets, each tube having a complete lchromatic scale of notes, whereas in my instruments the two tubes are complementary and requisite in combination to constitute a clarinet. In the previously known instruments the change-'over valve; serves only for changing the key or pitch of the instrument, say from the key of A to the key of B flat. The two tubes are not used in common for producing a single scale. i Thus both'tubes, which communicate with the same mouthpiece through a valve, have exactly the same Afingering and the same defects.

With clarinete, twelfths and not octaves of 1the fundamental notes are produced by overr blowing, andthe usual single tube instrument Athe trilling valve.

402,698, and in Germany November 3, 1928.

requires 'a large number of foot and head valves for executing the complete chromatic scale, some ofthe valves lying outside the normal range of the players fingers. The normal range of the fingers includes all lingering positions in which the fingers can be moved up and down without performing lateral sliding movements. Where it is necessary for the player to slide the finger it is difficult to operate the valve properly. These valves, which impair the fiuency, are used for the following notes at the lower end of a single tube clarinet Eb, F-c,.Fll,--cii, G-d, and for these notes at the upper end thereof gil-d'ft, ae, aiti. The lower notes are the fundament-al notes and the uppernotes are the twelfths produced by overblowing.

An important feature of the invention is that by using a second tube the complete chromatic scale can be executed without using valves outside the range of the fingers, except Valves outside the normal fingering range need not be entirely dispensed with, in fact they are necessary for the trilling or auxiliary valves, but no such valves are usedfin executing scales and other passages. Lateral movements required for operating'the trilling valves do not affect the fluency of playing.

Fingering positions for operating the valves of one tube are so co-ordinated with fingering positions of valves on the other tube that double fingering positionsare obtained, where two valves, one on each tube, are simultaneously operated by a normal finger movement with out lateral sliding. For this purpose one knob or lever may serve for two valves mounted on the same axis, the two valves being associatedvwith the two tubes respectively. Alternatively, the double fingering positions may be used for operating two valves, one for each tube, mounted on dilferent axes. In this case the knobs or levers for each pair of'fvalves are s o close to each other that a bipartite .fingering position is ill formed, whose parts l'orm a split knob or table which is depressed by one linger without lateral movement. rllhus two valves on different tubes are simultaneously operated.

The holes associated with the double lingering positions emit notes which are separated preferably by .aninterval ol ka lilth or an octave. The modes el lingering lor the two arrangements, that is for the interval of a fifth or an octave, diller somewhat,

but are largely alike. y

The two tubes branching from the twol way valve may be straight o-r bent in various ways. rlhe positions of the valves and lingering positions depend on the particular system of lingering, and will also vary according to the manner in which the tubes are arranged. t is preferable to bend the larger tube in such a way that it meets the end of the short tube, the two tubes forming a Uvvhose limbs enter the two-way valve. Y I

Two examples ol clarinets according to the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figs. 1 to- 6 show a clarinet in which the associated holes in each tube .are separated by an interval of a lilith. Fig. 7 shows the arrangement olf the lingeringl for the clarinet illustrated in Figs. 1 to 6. Fig. 8 shows a clarinet in which the associated holes are separated by interval of an octave. i

Fig. 1 is a top plan view,

Fig. 2 a bottom plan view,

Fig. 3 is an elevation showingthe right hand side, and

Fig. 4 an elevation showing the left hand side,'but with the iront part and all but one valve omitted.

Fig. 5 is an elevation to a larger scale, partly in section, showing the vchange-over valve andthe mechanism for actuating it.

Fig. 6 is a section to a larger scale, showing the bells. f

Fig. y7 is a chart showing the lingering for the clarinet. The fundamental notes and their twelfths are given. rlhe tweliths are shown ascrotchets. The small notes .are the upper thirds and still higher notes. rlhe lingering for even higher notes up to 0 is omitted for lack of space, but they can also b'eblown. l

'Fig 8 shows a portion ci a clarinet in liront elevation, illustrating the distribution f oi' the not-e holes on the two tubes when they are separated by an octave.

The clarinet illustrated in Figs. 1 Vto 6, has a socket 10 in front ofthe change-over valve 11, adapted to receive a nozzle or mouthpiece for blowing the instrument. Vlien the thumb of the left hand, ywhich normally rests on the support 1, depresses the lever U in the directlon of the arrow 12 (Fig, 3), the joints 13 and 14 move downwards, while the joint 15 and the. rod 16 move upwards., lnthis way the joint 17 at the front end of the rod 16 turns through approximately 90 and rotates the valve stem 100, so that the valve 11 is rotated into the position for connecting the longer tube 19 to the air stream and shutting olf the shorttube. The valve is ol the kind used in trumpets. It is however novel to arrange the levers U, 20, 21 and 22 in such a way that a relatively small movement of the lever U causes a larger movement of the rod 16 and joint 17. Fluency is not impaired by having to move the thumb to a considerable extent for rotating the valve. A spring is provided for returning the valve to its original position, when the lever U is released, but is not shown as it is of the kind generally used in such valves. Alternatively, thevalve may be operated by depressing a lever U1. This is done by the little linger of the right hand. The double armed lever U1, 23 is moved in the direction of the arrow 24 causing the cable 25 to pull the joint 14. In this way the valve 11 is rotated in exactly the same way as if it had been done by depressing the lever U with the thumb of the left hand. Thus the valve can be operated from two positions U and U1 by dierent fingers. f,

The longer tube 19 has a speaker valve 26 for producing the twellths, while 27 represents the speaker valve on the yshort tube 18. Both speaker valves are opened by depressing the lever l orl1. The lever I (Fig. 2) is close to the rest 1 for the thumb of the leit handand close to the valve control lever U. Byy depressing the lever I' the valve 27 is lifted and the extension 28 ol:I the lever l acts on the lever 29 to open the valve 26. The speaker valves 26 and 27 may also be Operated by the thumb oi the right hand.` This thumb lies normally on the rest 11, to the left ol which is the knob or lever I1 (F ig. 2). By slightly bending the upper joint of the thumb of the right hand, the lever 30 acts on the lever v31 and opens both valves 26 and 27.V

Thus the speaker valves 26, 27 Vcan also be operated from two positions by dilierent thumbs.

The smaller tube 18 has eleven note holes 31- to 41. For closing these eleven holes there are not eleven lingering positions but, as in the known saxophone mechanism, only eight disregarding those. for the valve kand speaker holes. There are three simple lingering positions for thelelt hand, onelor the second or index linger, `one for the third or middle right hand, 31 for the middle linger of the right hand, the 41 and 51 for the fourth and little fingers respectively of the same hand. Fingering positions 5, 21, 31 and 41 are divided, `each being formed of two approximately` semicircular parts with a gap between them. The fingering position 51 undivided, but it acts as a double fingering position, because when depressed it collectively operates the valve 41 on the tube 18 and the valve 42 on the tube 19. The valve l40 on the tube 18 and the'valve 43 on the `position 48 which with valve 38 forms the double fingering position 21 is mounted on the same shaft as the valve 45. The fingering positions 46, 49 and 50 are mountedon one shaft and move together. Both parts of the fingering position 5 are collectively depressed by the little finger of the left hand to move the valves 36 and 47. For the sake of simplicity the holes are given the same reference numbers as their respective valves. The valves 38, 89 and 40 are coupled together and to the valve 37 on the short tube 18 in the same way as on lthe Bhm fluteor saxophone. The fingering positions 48, 49 and 50, for controlling holes or valves on the long tube, are so formed that the said valves imitate the movements of the valves on the short tube, with the diderence the notes produced b-y the holes in the long tube are alifth lower than tho-se produced by the correspond ing holes in the short tube.

The following isan example of the mode of operating the valves. By depressing the double fingering position 21 with the second finger of the right hand the valves 38, 37, 45 and 46 are collectively operated. The valve 37 is closed by the coupling 52 of the valve 38, and in the same way the coupling 53 of the valve 45 on the long tube actuates the valve 46. As already mentioned, the arrangement on the long and short tubes, so far as the .fingering positions 51, 41, 31, 21 and 5 are concerned, is the same as on the Bhm li ute or saxo-phone. j However. it is new to interconnect two such valve mechanisms for separate tubes in such a way that they are collectively operated by means of double lingering positions and Vperform exactly similar movements.

The two lower groups of notes in 1 are blown with the long tube. The rthird group on the right of Fig.`1 is produced by the short tube. In each case the notes are shown at the level of the centre of the holes which produc-e them respectively.

If all the holes, with the exception of the ends of the two tubes, where a double bell is formed, are closed and the valve control lever U or U1 is vdepressed so that air enters the long tube, the lowest note C is emitted upon blowing. If the lever U or U1 is now released to cut-in the short tube l18,

the lowest note G of this tube ris produced,

see the notes at. the side 0f Fig; 1 and the lingering.

The following is an explanation of the lingering chart shown in Fig. 7. Where a number is inserted in the note spaces (columns) it means that the correspondingly numbered lingering position, or double fingering position, is to be depressed. Number 1 signifies that the thumb of the left hand is at rest on the support 1. The thumb of the right hand is always on its rest 11,-therefore number 11 is omitted in the chart. A player would easily understand from the chart how to play the new clarinet. It may however be mentionedthat with the fingering arranged forblowing the lowest note C of the long tube or the lowest note G of the short tube, by operating the speaker' key the long tube `produces a G, as shown bythe notes at the side of F 1,*and the'short tube produces a D. Bv

repeated overblowing on the upper thirds the` lowest note C of the long tube gives an E, and the lowest note G of the short tube gives a B. This means that, apart from operating the valve key and the speaker keys, the fingering from lower C to F sharp recurs six times, namely twice for the fundamental notes of both tubes, twice for, the twelfths of both tubes, and twice for the upper thirds of both tubes `but only in so'far as these notes are produced by means of the finger positions 51, l1, 31, 21 and 5.

Upon examining the top group of notes it will be seen that between the note fil and d seven chromatic notes are missing. These are produced as twelfths of the fundamental notesof the long tube, as shown by the notes at the sideof the lower part of the long tube. The usual single tube clarinets reach bottom E, whereas the clarinet shown in Figs. 1 to 4 reaches four semitones lower, namely E flat, D, D flat and C. H is an auxiliary lever for opening keys 41 and 42. This construction has thefollowing advantages. Sliding movements of the fingers are avoided, even in the `chromatic and diatonic scales. In trilling sliding movements areperformed where separately closed trilling keys are provided, however these sliding movements are unobjectionable. The notes of poor quality hitherto produced by holes, which are too close to the mouthpiece, are replaced by twelfths of good quality produced by the long tube. The speaker keys are no longer used for the fundamental note B flat, but are `only vused for overblowing the fundamental notes. As two speaker keys are provided, one for each tube, the twelfths are better harmonized than where one speaker key is used for all notes of the instrument. 1

The arrangement of the new double tube clarinet is applicable to all types of clarinets and even 'to those whose key-work must be freshly laid out. Instead of resembling the saxophone vthe fingering of the instrument may be similar to that of the Bhm clarinet, the Bhm flute with open or closed G sharp, the Barmann clarinet and the like. The invention is applicable to 'instruments of all keys, especially to bass clarinets.

Instead of the long tube giving only seven chromatic notes and the short one having the majority of note holes, the arrangement may be reversed. The closed trilling valves and auxiliary valves are omitted in thev drawings although they are essential. These valves y are fitted to the finished instrument, but are omitted in the drawings for clearness.

Fig. 8 shows in front elevation a portion of a clarinet Vwith the holes so arranged that the long tube 56 produces twelve chromatic fundamental notes, and the short tube 57 produces seveny thereof. The associated valves or holes 'produce notes separated by an interval of an octave. anism of the long tube, apart from size and position, resembles that of a Bhm yflute with a'closed G sharp. Reference numbers l, 2, 3 and 4 denote simple fingering positions, which are merely finger plates and not valves, and have not note holes beneath them. The holes which these plates control are further down on the righthand side of the long tube. The double fingering positions are denoted vby numbers 5, 21, 31, 41 and 51. Depressing the fingering position 51 actuates the valves 58 and 59. By depressing 41 the valves 60 and 61 are closed, the valves 62 and 63 being also closed as the semi-circular members 64, 65 and 66 are connected to same socket as the valve 63. By depressing 31 the valves 67, 68, 62 and 63 are closed, and 21 closes the valves 69, 70, 62 and 63. By depressing the double fingering position 5 the valves 7l and 7 2 are opened since t-he armv 7 3'mounted on the same shaft as the lever 5 acts on the valve 72. The valve 7 8 is mounted on the same sleeve' as the plate 4, and the valve 74 is on the same shaft as the plate 3. Similarly the valves and 76 move with the plates .l and 2 respectively. The lingering positions l to 4 in Fig. 6 are not double ones as there are no holes beneath the plates l to 4, which each control only one valve. p

The notes on the right and left hand sides of the lower part of the long tube as far as the double bar line 77 are blown on the long tube, and the notes in the upper part on the right hand side are blown on vthe smalll tube. The valve, itslever and the speaker keys are omitted in the drawings, and may be the same as shown in Figs. l to 4. The lingering chart in Fig. 7 is obviously not applicable to the clarinet shown in Fig. 8, the differences 'beingthat in the latter the doubly controlled note holes on different tubes are separated by intervals of an octave, and that the long tube produces twelve chromatic notes and the short one only seven, which is the opposite in the clarinet according to Figs. l

Thus the mech- 'to 6. In the modification according to Fig.

8, the compass of the instrument is increased in the bass without reducing the upper regis-k ter. By means of the tube 56, which is very thin in comparison with its great length, the

upper thirds and other notes can be 0ver` In the construction shown in Fig. 8, the

advantage of an extended compass in the bass and the series of fundamental notes and twelfth overtones produced by the long tube is separated from the corresponding notes obtained with the short tube by an interval of an octave, which should appeal to flute players who desire to play the clarinet.

lVhat I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States 1s 1. Ina clarinet the combination of two tubes and a change-over valve enabling the said tubes to be used alternatively, the said tubes having note holes and valves limited in the aggregate to a single chromatic scale comprising a plurality of octaves distributed befingering without substantial lateral shift-` ing of the players hands.

2. In a clarinet the combination of two tubes and a changeover valve enabling the said tubes to be used alternatively, the said tubes having note holes and valves for a continuous chromatic scale distributed between them, all within a range for fingering without substantial lateral shifting of the players hands, the twelfths of the notes obtained with the holes in one of said tubes being those notes, lacking in the scale, which are not obtainable by overblowing with the holes in the other tube.` i f 3. In a clarinet the combination of two tubes and a change-over valve enabling the said tubes to be used alternatively, the said tubes having note holes and valves for a continuous chromatic scale distributed between them, all within a range for lingering without substantial lateral shifting of the players hands, the ngering positions for some of the valves of one of said tubes being so located in relation to the fingering positions for valves of the other tube that associated'valves are depressed together.

5. In a clarinet the combination of two tubes, a changeover valve enabling the said tube to be used alternatively, and mechanism enabling said chan ge-over valve to be actuated alternatively by the left thumb or the little iinger of the players right hand, the said tubes having note holes and valves Jfor a continuous chromatic scale distributed between them, all within a range for fingering without substantial lateral shifting' of the players hands.

6. In a clarinet the combination of two tubes, a change-over valve enabling said tubes to be used alternatively, the said tubes having note-holes and valves for a continuous chromatic scale distributed between them, all within a range for fingering without substantial lateral movement of the players hands, and two speaker keys, one on each of said tube, actuatable by the players lett thumb and right thumb respectively.

7. In a clarinet the combination claimed in claim 1,' one of the tubes being shorter than the other, the shorter tube having note l holes for seven chromatic notes and the longer tube having note holes for twelve chromatic notes.

8. In a clarinet the combination claimed in claim l, one of the tubes being straight and shorter than the other, and the other tube having a U-bend, with limbs of different lengths, the shorter limb being in alignment withthe shorter tube.

DIPL. ENG. F. STEIN.

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