GB1004311A - Improvements in and relating to wood-wind instruments - Google Patents

Abstract

1,004,311. Wind musical instruments. A. MARRIOTT, and J. H. ALLEN. Aug. 29, 1961 [June 2, 1960], No. 19545/60. Heading G5J. A keyboard for a wood-wind instrument such as a flute, a clarinet, an oboe or a bassoon is mounted on the body of the instrument and is linked to the note hole covers by electrical circuits including a selector box which may be carried in the player's pocket or rested on a table. Note keys are provided for only one octave range. The octave is selected by further switches. Note hole covers, Fig. 4.-A cover 80 over note hole 82 carries a ceramic ring magnet 86 positioned below the winding 88 of a solenoid. The cover may normally be attracted to the core of the solenoid and may be repelled to close the hole. Alternatively, the cover may normally close the hole and may be lifted by the solenoid. Keyboard, Fig. 1.-Left-hand key L1 normally feeds battery from lead 2 to lead 46. When the key is pressed, battery is transferred to lead 58. When depressed, a single key such as L4 connects the leads 46, 58 to two control leads such as 14, 16, only one of which is effective since battery is connected to only one of leads 46, 58. The keys shown, L1 to L4 and R2 to R4, control a single octave. Keys L5, R5 extend battery to leads 88 and 888 for playing in second and third octaves. Key R1 is used to produce a shake. Selector box, Figs. 2, 3.-A selector box comprises a semi-cylindrical former 30 for each octave. Each former carries an electromagnetic switch 31 for each note of the octave. Depression of keys L1, R4 together extends battery over lead 26 to operate switch 31 for note RA. The switch controls a number of hole covers over contact leads 32, 34, 36, 38 to produce the note RA. Shakes.-The key R1, Fig. 1, reverses battery supply to lead 2. Some switches 31 connect different sets of contact leads 32, 34 &c. when operated with opposite polarities. Repeat operation of key R1 then produces a shake.