US2533388A - Water key for trombones and the like - Google Patents

Description

F. N. MEYERS Dec. 12, 1950 WATER KEY FOR TROMBONES AND THE LIKE Filed Dec. 13, 1947 INVENTOR.

FRED N. MEYERS ATTORIVEY Patented Dec. 12, 1950 WATER KEY FOR TROMBONES AND THE LIKE Fred N. Meyers, Andover, Ohio, assignor to The H. N. White poration of Ohio Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a cor- Application December 13, 1947, Serial No. 7 91,631

7 Claims.

This invention relates, as indicated, to a water key for trombones and the like.

I A primary object of the invention is to provide a water key which is so mounted and arranged on the trombone as to enable it and its mounting to be made of a fewer number of parts than in conventional practice, whereby the weight of the key and mounting is reduced to a minimum and the key is placed in a more accessible position in which it can be actuatedsomewhat more easily.

Another object of the invention is to provide a Water key and mounting having a spring member, the ends of which are concealed in such a manner as to avoid their bein caught on clothing and other extraneous objects.

- A further object of the invention is to provide a water key having means incorporated therein for limiting the movement of the key to an arc of predetermined length.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a water key and mountingwhich are so designed and arranged relatively to the trombone as to improve the styling, design and appearance of the instrument as a whole.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

' In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like the same,

Fig. 1 isa side elevational view of a trombone embodying the novel water key of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view, on approximately full-size scale, of a portion of the trombone shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a view of the parts shown in Fig. 2, as viewed in the direction indicated by the single arrow in Fig. 2; V v

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view, taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view, takenon the line-66 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a view, on an enlarged scale, of a portion of Fig. 3, but showing certain parts in section, and v Fig. 8 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 2. f

Referring, more particularly to the drawings, reference characters I and 2 designate the frame members of a. slide' trombone, which are conparts throughout nected together by a cross handle 3, these members havinginner slideway members (not shown) connected thereto, which are telescopically movable in tubular members 4 and 5. The members 4 and 5 are provided at their inner ends with sleeves 6 and l, which are connected by a cross handle 8, and are connected at their outer ends by a tubular slide bow or cross-loop 9.

The slide bow or cross-loops has a tubular valve seat member l0 soldered or otherwise secured thereto, which member communicates with the interior of the loop. The valve seat member ID, it may be noted, lies in substantially the same plane as the loop 9;-its axis intersecting the axis of the latter, as apparent from Fig. 8. The valve seat member in forms a conduit through which condensed moisture may be evacuated, as by shaking the trombone at intervals.

The valve seat member Hl is normally closed by a water key Ii, provided at one end with a valve or valve plate l2 in which a pad I3 is mounted, this pad bearing against the outer end of the valve seat member.

soldered or otherwise secured to the cross-loop 9, adjacent the valve seat It), is a boss-like mem ber I4, which is of generally-cylindrical formation, with its axis normal to a plane which is common to the members 4 and 5 and loop 9. The member M has an extension 45 of reduced diameter, the upper end of which is tubular and internally threaded for the reception of a screw l6. Extending upwardly from the shoulder or ledge H which is formed at the junction of the member M with its extension I5 is a stop pin l8,

the function of which will be presently explained.

The shoulder I! also has an opening l9 therein, whose function will also be presently explained.

The water key I I 'is mounted for pivotal movement about the extension l5, as clearly shown in Fig. 4, and is provided with a tubular extension 20 of reduced diameter, which bears against the shoulder II, the junction of the extension 20 with. the key forming a shoulder 21. The key N is maintained in the aforesaidposition by means of the head of the screw It. A portion of the lower end of the tubular extension 20 is removed to form a recess 22 having end walls 23 and 24. The stop pin l8 extends into this recess.

A coil spring 25 is disposed about the tubular extension 20 of the key ll, being interposed between the shoulder or ledge I 1 and the shoulder 2|. In assembling this spring with the other parts of the water key, oneend of the spring is inserted into the opening IS in the ledge l1, after which the key is positioned on the extension I! of the member l4 and is secured in place by the screw Hi. The spring is then placed under sufiicient tension to bringthe other end of the spring in front of the key, as shown in Fig. 7, after which this end of the spring is entered in an opening 26 in the key M. The tension of the spring thusmaintains the key'tl' inaitsxnormal or. closed position, as -shown in Figs.2 a-nd 3.

The water key H is provided with a fingerpiece i la, and when it is desired to open the keyto permit drainage of the moisture contentsof the trombone, this finger-piece is pressed? by: means of the index finger to cause the key to rotate in clockwise direction irom the position shown in Fig. 2, thereby withdrawing the pad 53 from the valve seat member 19. This action is performed against the tension: of, the spring 25,.

4 boss-like member extending from said instrument, a water key mounted on said member for rotation thereabout, and spring means coiled about the axis of rotation of said key and biasing said key to closed position, said spring means having the ends thereof concealed from view.

.2;. A musical, instrument, as defined in ,claim 1, in 'wliich one end' of said spriiig'is di'sposed within said member and the other end thereof is disposed within said key.

3. A musicalinstrument, as defined in claim 1, in which said spring means is a coil spring disposed about a portion. of said key, one end of said springbeing: disposed within an opening in said member and'the other end of said spring is disposed within an opening in said key.

so that when the finger-piece I 5a is released, the

water key H is automatically returned to its closed position.

Tnxordento prevent the key it from being rotatedthrough an excessively large angle, thereby placing: undue tension on the spring 25, the end;

wall 23 f the recess 22 is so positioned. the-tit comesflintc engagement with the stop-pin: l8. aftertliewater key has been rotated through an arc ofabout30 degrees.

- It should be notedthat the water key rotates about an axis which is substantially at right angles to the common plane of the parts 4, and

5' of "the trombone, in contra-distinction to con-- ventional practice, in which the water key rotates about an axis which lies in a plane parallel withthe planeof the aforesaid parts. This enablesthekeya'nd' itsmounting to be madeofa fewer number of parts, reducing the-weight'to aiminimum. It also brings the key to a more accessible position, in which it can be actuated somewhat m'oreeasily; Moreover, the arrangement'is such as to avoid exposed parts which might catch on other objects, and to improvethe styling; design and appearance of the instrument as a whole; By inserting the ends of the spring into openings provided therefor, the possibility of. such ends being caught'in clothing i entirely obviated;

Although the invention has been described with" particular reference to a trombone, it will be understood that it is applicable as well to other wind instruments, such, for example, as trumpets, cornets, etc.

It is to be understood that the form of my'invention, herewith shown and described, is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement, of parts may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of my invention, or the scope of the subjoined' claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. Ida musical instrument, of thewind'type, a"

41. Ina musical instrument of the wind type, a boss-like, member extending from said instrument, said member having an extension of reduced diameter, a water key mounted for rotation about said extension, and spring: means, coiled about said key and normally biasing the key to closed position, said springmeans havlng the ends thereof concealed from view.

5. An instrument, as defined inclaim 4pm;- which said member has a stop-pin extending therefrom, and said key has-a tubular extension provided with a recess to accommodate said pin; said recess having an end wall adapted toabut' said pin after the key has'rotatedthrough a pre determined arc. f

6. An instrument, as defined in claim 4; in, which ascrew is provided for attachment to said extension, said screw adapted to maintain said key in mounted position:

7. An instrument, as defined in claim 4, in which one end of'said spring isenclosed in said member and the other end is enclosed in-said-key.

I' TRED N. MEYERS;

REFERENCES CITED" The following referencesv are of 'recordim the, file of this patent Great Britain -1 Jan: 13, 1913

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