US1556729A - Adjustable mouthpiece - Google Patents

Description

Oet- 13, 1925- S. s. SMITH ADJUSTABLE MOUTHPIECE Filed latch 17, 1923 Patented Oct. 13, 1925.

UNITED STATES SIDNEY S. SMITH, 0F GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN.

ADJUSTABLE HOUTHPIECE.

Application filed March 17, 1923.

To all whom` t may cm1-cern.'

Be it known that I, SIDNEY S. SMrrH, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Grand Ra ids, in the county of Kent and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Adjustable Mouthpieces; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to an adjustable mouth piece for wind instruments such as cornets, trombones, various types of horns and the like. It is a primary object and purpose of the present invention to make a mouth piece wherein the lip engaging portion thereof may be adjusted to any desired position with respect to the remainder ot the said mouth piece, and either secured in said adjusted position or left free to move so that the erformer may change position as desired uring the performance of the selection played. To this end I have made the constructions illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which,

Fig. l is a longitudinal section centrally of a preferred construction of mouth piece made in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a like View of a modified form of construction of mouth piece, and

Fig. 3 is a somewhat reduced side elevation of the mouth piece shown in Fig. 1.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the different figures of the drawing.

In the construction of the preferred form, shown in Fig. 1, an elongated member 1 of suitable metal is used, at one end being enlarged, as indicated at 2 and formed adjacent its end with curved surfaces 3, said surfaces bein(r curved substantially in arcs of a sphere. Through the member 1 a longitudinal opening 4 is made which is tapering and reduces in size from what may be termed the inner end of the member to the head or enlargement 2 thereof, thence flaring outwardly and enlarging in the end of the enlarged portion 2, as shown at 5.

A ring 6 of metal is formed on its inner sides with curved surfaces 7 conforming to the surfaces 3 heretofore described so that the ring 6 may have a universal angular movement with respect to the longitudinal axis of the member 1 and may be adjusted to an indefinite number of positions on the enlarged head 2 thereof. If desired, the ring Serial No. 625,691.

may be secured in any preferred position to which adjusted, a screw 8 being threaded through an opening in the ring 6 so that its inner end may be brought to bear against the surface at 3 to secure the parts against relative movement. This securing of the ring against movement is not necessary unless desired as the screw 8 may be left in inoperative position if desired.

lith this construction, it is evident that the ring 6 with which the lips engage may be adjusted for the particular performer and with the screw S left in inoperative position, the position of the lip engaging ring may be changed as may be desired during the operation of the instrument with which the mouth piece is used. This dispenses with the absolute rigidity present in solid non-adjustable mouth pieces and is of value in ease of operation and automatic correction of the mouth piece to the lips during the operation without detriment to the quality of music produced.

ln Fig. 2, a modilied form of structure is shown, the elongated member 9 having a somewhat enlarged end 10 on the inner sides of which a socket 11 is made having surfaces of arcs of a sphere. The regular form of mouth piece now almost universally used, indicated at 12, is equipped with a member 13 having surfaces which conform to the inner surfaces of the socket 11 whereby a universal movement of the immediate mouthpiece member 12 with respect to the member 9 is permitted, there being in eifect a ball and socket joint made. A projection 14 at the inner side of the member 13 has an opening therethrough which communicates with the enlargement made to it the lips on the inner sides of the member 12. A flexible member 15 of rubber or like material is attached at one end to the projection 14 and lies within and lengthwise of the member 9, as shown, being connected thereto. The opening made lengthwise through member 15 is tapered, enlarging from the point of connection to the projection 111 to the end of the member.

T his modified construction is also adjustable in that the lip engaging member 12 may be turned to any desired angle. The set screw S is not shown in the structure illustrated in Fig. 2, but it is obvious that it may be added if desired. This structure while not preferred, is capable of the desired adjustment, as is evident. It will be noted that an annular recess is formed where the curved surface 7 of the ring 6 overhangs the outer end of the member 1. This has been found to add to the tonal qualities of the mouth piece. Other modifications in structure may be made Without changing the in vention, and all such as come within the scope of the appended claims defining the invention are to be considered as comprehended by the invention.

I claim:

l. In adevice of the class described, an elongated member having a passage therethrough, and a member mounted thereon for angular adjustment with respect to the longitudinal axis of said member, said member being sha ed for engagement by the lips, subst-antia ly as described.

2. In a device of the class described, an elongated member having a passage therethrough, and a member mounted at one end thereof for universal angular adjustment with respect to the longitudinal axis of said member, said member being shaped at its free end for engagement by the lips, substantially as described.

3. A mouth piece, comprising an elongated stem having a passage longitudinally therethrough, and a member mounted at one end of the stem for universal angular movement with respect to the longitudinal axis of the said elongated member, said member-being sha ed :tits freelend for engagement by the ips andY means idr securing said member in any position to which it is ad'usted.

4. mouthpiece, comprising an elon @d stem having a passage longitudinally erethrough and formed with an enlargement at one end, the openin being enlarged at said end of the stem, an said enlar ment curved at its outer side in t e arc a sphere, and a ring connected to thesaine 'x having its inner sides curved to conf to the said enlar ement at the end o stem so as to universally adju thereon. l "i mi".

5. In a mouthpiece, a stem with a lo" tudinal opening therethrough, and a i; ber adapted to be engaged b the lips ad f ably mounted at one end 'o the stem just to different positions substantially il described. v

6. A mouth piece for wind instrnmjcomprising an elongated member haviT 'fa Q5 longitudinal openin herethrongh, theo ,v i end of said membergl'iaiingacurvedsuil and a lip engagingmemberhaving-an curved surface to embrace the curved su A of the elongated member, said lip en o member overhanging said elongatedy mem r to form an annular recess. L

In testimony whereof I allix my signature..

SIDNEY S. SMITH. A

Images