March 31, 1953 L. F. SUTTER 2,633,048 ‘ KEYING MECHANISM FOR Filed Dec. 15, 1951

IN VEN TOR.‘

ATTORNEYS. Patented Mar. 31, 1953 2,633,048

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,633,048 KEYING MECHANISM FOR CLARINETS Lewis F. Sutter, Hicksville, N. Y. Application December 15, 1951, Serial No. 261,858

2 Claims. (01. 84—382) ' 1 2 This invention is directed to an improvement tain circumstances also be controlled by any of in the key mechanism for musical instruments the B-E, C sharp-F sharp, or C-F keys. of the woodwind type; it is particularly directed A further object of my invention is to provide, to a mechanical improvement in woodwind in in a Boehm-system instrument, a novel mechani struments constructed in accordance with the cal linkage which permits actuation of the E . While my invention is especially ?at-A flat key to open its corresponding valve useful for, and is illustrated in connection with, when operated alone in the usual fashion but Boehm clarinets, it will be understood that 'the which leaves said valve free to close responsively invention may be used also with various other to actuation of any of certain other keys even types of woodwind instruments employing the 10 while the E ?at-A ?at key remains depressed. Boehm system of keying. The manner in which I accomplish the fore The Boehm keying mechanism, developed about going and other objects of my invention will ap ?fty years ago, has now replaced almost com pear clearly from the appended drawing and the pletely the older Albert construction. description thereof which follows. While the Boehm system represents great me In the drawing, I have, for illustrative pur chanical advancement over the Albert system, poses, shown one section of a clarinet constructed it still presents to the individual artist a serious in accordance with the Boehm system, as modi problem in playing passages in which the little ?ed according to my invention. Figure 1 shows ?ngers of both hands come into play. In many the clarinet section in plan view; Fig. 2 is a frag musical passages it is necessary for the per mentary side elevation view showing in consider former to execute rapid changes between the able detail the novel mechanical linkage which E ?at-A ?at key, which is key 4 in the appended characterizes my invention; Fig. 3 is a sectional drawing, and one or another of the B-E, C view taken along the lines 3--3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 sharp-F sharp, or C-F keys, respectively denoted is another sectional view, taken along the broken I, 3, and IS on the drawing. \ line 4—4 of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is an exploded perspec Key 4 is normally operated with the little ?n tive view which brings out in great detail the ger of the right hand, while keys I, 3, and I6 of construction of my invention; and Fig. 6 is a a Boehm instrument are actuated by the little fragmentary view, partly in section, taken along ?nger of the left hand. When execution of rapid the line 6-5 of Fig. 4. changes or alternations between key 4 and any Referring now to the drawing, it may be noted of the other enumerated keys is required, the that I have shown a clarinet section 20 and have performer’s little ?ngers are called upon to alter - for convenience designated the keys thereof with nate movements very rapidly and with extraor reference numerals. The E ?at-A ?at key is de dinary precision. If such a passage is to be noted key 4, and the valve which it operates is played properly, one little ?nger must be raised denoted 4a. Valve 4a is a normally closed valve, at the precise instant that its ‘counterpart on the and in the conventional Boehm clarinet it is other hand is depressed. Even the most accom joined to key 4 by a rigid lever. In such a con plished of performers ?nd such passages awk ventional instrument, therefore, valve 4a is al ward, and many players of ?rst-rate professional ways open whenever key 4 is depressed. ability never achieve the degree of muscle con Valves 2a and [4a are normally open valves. trol necessary to play such passages with cer Depression of either key 2 or key l6 will vclose tainty. valve 2a without affecting any of the other valves The present invention is directed to an im on the instrument. Actuation of either key 14 provement of the Boehm system which permits or key I will close valves 2a and Ma, leaving the a performer to execute rapid alternation between 45 other valves unaffected. Valve l5a, on the op the E ?at-A ?at key and any of the B-E, C posite side of the instrument from valves 2a and sharp-F sharp, or C-F keys without the neces Ma, is a normally closed valve. Actuationiof sity for precise coordinated movements of the either key 3 or key [5 will open valve 15a, at the little ?ngers. Achievement of that end is the same time closing valve 2a. ' , primary object of my invention. 50 All the foregoing operations are conventional Stated more speci?cally, the major object of in the Boehm-system clarinet and form nopart my invention may be described as providing in of the present invention. The actuating'mecha ' a Boehm-system instrument a modi?ed construc nism for valve 2a consists of a rigid lever 21 hav tion by which the valve normally under the sole ing key 2 integrally formed'therewith, lever 2| - control of ‘the E ?at-A ?at key can under cer being provided with a fulcrum-‘by being pivoted 2,633,048 3 4 on a rigid pin 22 extending between anchor posts In an instrument embodying my invention, 23 and 24.. The shank portion of key 2 is pro however, valve 4a does not necessarily remain vided with a pawl 25 extending therefrom at right open when key 4 is depressed, since manual actu angles on the opposite side of the instrument ation of key 2 or any of the other keys linked to from valve 2a. The purpose in the conventional key 2 will automatically close valve 4a. even clarinet of pawl 25 is to cooperate with a cam 25a though key 4 remains in its depressed position. controlled by key [6, to cause key 2 to be de This action results from the operation of the pressed whenever key IE is actuated. Pawl 25 lever 35. When key 4 has been depressed manu performs that function in the clarinet of the ally, spring 21 will open valve 4a., but when key 2 present invention but it also performs an im 1O is depressed, pawl 25 rises and carries with it one portant additional function to be more fully de end of lever 35. Lever 35 pivots on pin 34 and scribed hereinafter. thus forces valve 4a into closed position against In the present invention valve 4a is integrally the opposition of spring 21. Valve 4a will thus joined to a lever member 26 which is also pivoted remain in closed position so long as key 2 or any on pin 22. A spring 21 carried by a post 28 15 of its associated keys, that is keys I6, I, 3, I4, presses upwardly on the under side of lever 25 or 15, remain depressed. Key 4 does not inter and causes valve 4a to be urged toward its open fere in any way with this action of valve 4a, since position. pawl 39 lies above lever 26 and does not inhibit Key 4 in my invention is integrally joined with or interfere with the closing of valve 4a. a guide lever 29 having a pawl 3i! projecting at 20 In using an instrument embodying my inven right angles to the body of lever 29. Key 4 and tion, a performer can execute rapid changes be its associated ‘structure is pivoted onto pin 22 tween key 4 and any of the keys I, 3, or it merely immediately behind lever 26, the parts being in by depressing key 4 with his right little ?nger, terrelated so that pawl 35 overlies lever 26. On holding it depressed throughout the passage, and the under side of lever 29 a small spring seat 3| actuating the other key or keys in the conven is engaged by spring 32 carried on post 24. tional manner as the passage progresses. The Spring 32, pressing against spring seat 3!, causes automatic apparatus which characterizes my in key 4 to be urged normally upward and, cor vention will cause valve M to be opened during respondi'ngly, causes pawl 30 to be urged down the appropriate portions of the passage and to be ward. The force exerted by spring 32 is con 30 closed at all times when the (3-1? key, herein siderably greater than that exerted by spring 27, denoted key 2, is closed. The closure of the valve with the result that when key I! is not being en 55a, normally associated with the E flat-A flat key, - gaged by a performer’s ?nger, the force of spring occurs at the same instant that the C-F key is 32 overrides that of spring 21 and causes valve 4a depressed, exactly as it should be when a conven to be closed. tional instrument is played by a. performer having When a performer’s ?nger presses upon key a, extraordinary manual skill and dexterity in ef— pawl 30 is of course raised and valve 4a imme .fecting the alternation with ‘his little ?ngers. diately opens, responsively to the force of spring A particular feature vof my invention lies in the 21. fact that my invention in no Way interferes with ‘On the body of clarinet 23, between lever 26 40 the use of the instrument in the usual way. and vpawl 25, I have provided a post 33 provided While 1' have in this speci?cation described for with a bifurcated ‘upper portion adapted to re purposes of illustration aparticular embodiment ceive a small pin 34 which "serves as a pivot or of my invention, as applied to a clarinet, it will fulcrum vfor lever 35. be understood that numerous changes and modi _One end of lever 35 fits rather loosely ‘within ?cations in the illustrated structure can be made a ‘recess ‘36 cut into the upper surface of member by persons skilled in the art Without departing 26, while the other end is received within a recess from the spirit of my invention. It is accord 31 in pawl 25. Recess 3‘! is somewhat larger ingly my desire that the scope ‘of the invention be than the end of lever 35, so as to provide a limited determined primarily with reference to the ap degree'of‘play for lever 35 therewithin. If de 50 pended claims. irsfi‘re'd, the end of lever 35 which cooperates with I claim: . ‘pawl 25 maybe formed in the shape of a balland l. A Boehm-system mod recess 31 may be given a spherical inner surface. i?ed to provide a yieldable coupling between the It will be understood, however, that such ‘con E ?at-A ?at valve and its ‘corresponding manual 'struction constitutes an ‘optional re?nement. 55 key, in combination with a pivoted C-F key hav Entirely successful operation is achieved merely ing 1a pawl extending therefrom on the same side vby ‘giving the top and bottom walls of recess 3'! of the instrument as the E: ?at-A ?at valve, said a slight taper so as 'to leave lever 35 a small pawl de?ning therein a‘socket facing said valve, amount of freedom to rotate in the vertical plane a pivot post mounted on said instrument between around ‘pin 34 as'a pivot. 60 said E‘ ?at-A flat ‘valve and said ‘pawl, ‘a lever The depth'of recess '36 is'so chosen that, when pivoted thereon, one ‘end of said lever being seated valveaa is closed, the recess will permit lever 35 in said socket and the other end overlyingsaid to move vertically to the extent required by actu E ?at-A ?at valve and adapted to engage the ation'of key 2. Recess'iib is ‘so proportioned that same in closed position when said C-F key is when valve 401. is closed, the end of lever '35 just 65 manually actuated, said lever being raised out of touches the ?oor of recess 35 when key 2 has been ‘engagement with said "E. ?at-A ?at ‘valve in both fully" depressed. the'open and closed ‘positions of said valve when From the foregoing description of the structure said C-F key is not being manually actuated. of my invention, it will be seen thatin my in 2. A'Boehm-systemwoodwind instrument mod strument valvedla is normally closed and may be 70 i?ed to provide an independently pivoted E! ?at-A vopened by manually depressing key a, just as in flat valve, spring means for said valve urging the 1a conventional Boehm instrument. Similarly, same ‘toward its open position,an independently valve 2a is normally open and may be closed by pivoted E3 ?at-A ?at key having a pawl overlying manually'depressing key 2, just as in the conven said E?at-A flat valve, spring means for said key tional instrument. 75 normally urging said pawl againstsaid valve to 2,688,048 6 hold it in closed position, said last-mentioned lever being raised out of engagement with said spring means being strong enough to override said E ?at-A ?at valve in both the open and closed ?rst-mentioned spring means, manual actuation positions of said valve when said C-F key is not of said key being operative to raise said pawl and being manually actuated but causing said E1 ?at-A allow said valve to open under the force of said 5 ?at valve to be closed at all times when said C-F ?rst spring means, a pivoted C-F key having a key is being manually actuated, regardless of the pawl extending therefrom on the same side of the position of said E flat-A ?at key. instrument as said E ?at-A ?at valve, said last LEWIS F. SUTTE‘R. mentioned pawl de?ning therein a socket facing said valve, a pivot post mounted on said instru 10 REFERENCES CKTED ment between said E ?at-A ?at valve and said The following references are of record in the last-mentioned pawl, a lever pivoted thereon, one file of this ‘patent: end of said lever being seated in said socket and the other end overlying said E flat-A ?at valve UNITED STATES PATENTS and adapted to engage the same in closed position 15 Number Name Date when said C-F key is manually actuated, said 1,926,1l89 Leblanc ______Sept. 12, 1933