Description

Device for didactic use mounted on trumpets or other wind instruments of the brass family

The present patent application relates to a device for didactic use mounted on trumpets or other wind instruments of the brass family.

The device of the invention, for which no antecedents are known, has been devised to train beginners to obtain the correct lip position on the mouthpiece of trumpets or other instruments of the brass family.

For a better illustration of the characteristics and advantages of the device of the invention, it must be noted that the mouthpiece of wind instruments must be positioned against the lips without excessive pressure.

In such a position, when air is blown in the mouthpiece, the lips are given an adequate vibration, thus acting as a double reed.

However, if we consider that the lips must be kept very close and that such a position is not natural for beginners, it appears evident that users tend to press their lips against the mouthpiece with excessive pressure in order to close them. Such a high pressure of the lips causes great inconveniences for the users.

Reference is made to the pain that is soon experienced by users in their lips and also to the incorrect blood circulation that can have negative effects both on lips and teeth. A careful examination of the aforementioned problems has led to the development of the didactic device of the invention, which is mounted between the mouthpiece of a trumpet (or other brass instrument) and the body of the instrument.

Before describing the structure and operation of the device of the invention, it must be noted that trumpets (or any other brass instruments) are characterised by a bore with standard parameters in terms of length and configuration.

This is because a different length or configuration of the bore would cause a variation in the sound tonality of the instrument.

The present invention is based on the fact that the instrument equipped with the device of the invention changes the sound tonality every time an excessive pressure is generated on the mouthpiece by the user.

In other words, the tonality change generated by the excessive pressure on the mouthpiece can be easily recognised by the user, thus acting as an "instantaneous acoustic signal" in order to recognise the excessive pressure of the lips against the mouthpiece. In view of the above, as soon as the user recognises an anomalous tonality change in the instrument, the user will be spontaneously induced to reduce the lip pressure on the mouthpiece, thus restoring the ideal conditions of use and typical tonality of the instrument.

In real terms, the device of the invention can be considered as a sort of coupling to be mounted between the body of the wind instrument and its mouthpiece.

The said device has a basically cylindrical shape, with internal cavity and open ends, in such a way that the back end is exactly housed in the main pipe of the instrument, and the front end is used to insert the traditional mouthpiece of the instrument.

The device of the invention can slide with respect to the main pipe of the instrument to increase or reduce the insertion depth of its lower end in the opening of the main pipe, thus changing the distance between the mouthpiece and the opening of the main pipe. The said distance is modified to change the total length of the instrument bore, thus changing the sound tonality of the instrument.

More exactly, an excessive pressure on the mouthpiece results in higher penetration of the back end of the device of the invention in the opening of the main pipe, thus reducing the total length of the pipe of the instrument provided with the said device.

Moreover, the device of the invention is provided with an elastic element designed to make it slide in the opposite direction, thus bringing it

back to its original position and restoring the "typical" length of the entire pipe. The length of the device has been accurately studied in relation to the length of the entire instrument, in order not to affect the total length of the instrument (from mouthpiece to conical bell for sound diffusion), as long as it is maintained in its natural position with maximum extension.

This is done in order to avoid that the installation of the said device between the body of the instrument and the mouthpiece causes tonality changes in the sound emitted by the instrument, regardless of the excessive pressure exercised by the user. Moreover, the device of the invention allows the user to change the preload of the said elastic element as desired to personalise the performance of the device of the invention according to the user's specific characteristics in terms of lip position on the mouthpiece.

In case of higher preload of the elastic element, the device of the invention will slide towards the pipe of the instrument only after an especially high pressure of the user's lips on the mouthpiece, while in case of a lower preload of the same elastic element, the device of the invention will slide with a rather light pressure of the lips on the mouthpiece.

For major clarity the description of the invention continues with reference to the enclosed drawings, which are supplied only as an explanatory and not limiting example, wherein:

- figure 1 is a view of the device of the invention mounted in the main pipe of a trumpet;

- figure 2 is a view of the device of the invention mounted in a special auxiliary pipe installed in a traditional trumpet;

- fig. 3 is a cross-section with an axial plane of the device of the invention;

- figure 4 is a longitudinal cross-section of the support tube of the device of fig. 3;

- figure 5 is a cross-section with plane V-V of the support tube of figure 3; - figure 6 is a cross-section with plane Vl-Vl of the support tube of figure 3;

- figure 7 is a cross-section with plane VII-VII of the support tube of figure 3;

- figure 8 is a top view of the ring used by the device of the invention;

- figure 9 is a cross-section of figure 8 with plane IX-IX.

The device of the invention (1) is designed to be inserted in the front end of the main pipe (20) of a trumpet (T), as shown in fig. 1 , or in the front end of an especially provided auxiliary pipe (200), as shown in fig. 2. In order to allow cooperation between the device (1 ) and the relevant pipe (20, 200), a cylindrical coupling (10) is inserted and blocked in external position on the opening of the pipe (20, 200), ending in the back with an annular projection (10a) with external direction.

With reference to fig. 3, the device of the invention (1) is provided with a rectilinear section of a metal tube with variable external cross-section, acting as support element.

The short front section (2a) and the back section (2c) of the tube (2) have a circular cross-section that allows for the exact insertion of the back section (2c) in the opening of the pipe (200). Moreover, the tube (2) has an intermediate section (2b) in immediate downstream position with respect to the short front section (2a), having a cross-section with external flat sides (2d).

A circular collar (3) with internal cavity is inserted and fixed in the front section (2a) of the tube. The internal cavity (V) around the central bore is bordered by a wall

(3a) with orthogonal position with respect to the longitudinal axis of the tube (2), surrounded by a perimeter border (3b) in parallel position with respect to the longitudinal axis of the tube (2).

The second component of the device of the invention is a cylindrical short pipe (4) axially mounted in external position on the support tube (2) and provided with the possibility of making alternate rotations.

More precisely, the internal walls of the short pipe (4) are helicoidally coupled by means of mutual threads (4a, 5a) with the external walls of a ring

(5) that is exactly inserted into a suitably shaped hole (5d), with possibility of sliding alternatively in the intermediate section with flat sides (2b) of the support tube (2).

The front end of the short pipe (4) is engaged and held on the back of

the collar (3) inside the space (V) that also contains the ring (5) mounted in the short pipe (4) in internal position.

This function is provided by a special plug (6), which is composed of a ring (6a) inserted in external position on the short pipe (4), with a thin cylindrical wall (6b) projecting in perpendicular direction from the internal perimeter border.

The plug (6) is energetically pushed towards the collar (3), in such a way that the ring (6a) is brought against the back (3c) of the perimeter border of the collar (3). Consequently, the thin cylindrical wall (6b) is inserted in the space formed between the external surface of the short pipe (4) and the internal surface of the border (3b), until it is brought against the back of a suitable step (4b) provided around the opening of the shot pipe (4).

The same cylindrical wall (6b), which is practically rubbed against the internal surface of the border (3b) of the collar (3), frontally ends with a thin perimeter rib (6c) that is snapped inside a corresponding perimeter groove (3d) obtained on the internal surface of the border (3b).

The combination of the said rib (6c) and the relevant groove (3d) prevents the accidental uncoupling of the plug (6), thus stabilising the position of the upper end of the short pipe (4) in the space (V) of the collar (3).

As shown in fig. 3, the interference exercised by the cylindrical wall (6b) of the plug (6) is the only superficial interference suffered by the said end of the short pipe (4) inside the space (V).

The decision to avoid additional surface interferences on the front end of the short pipe (4) has been taken to minimise the friction that may impair the necessary free rotation of the short pipe (4).

The ring (5) is provided with a back space (V1 ) around the central hole, which is bordered by a wall (5b) with orthogonal direction with respect to the longitudinal axis of the tube (2) and surrounded by a perimeter border (5c) in parallel position with respect to the longitudinal axis of the tube (2).

The space (V1) receives the front end of an helicoidally spring (7) inserted in external position on the support tube (2), whose back end is

brought against a shoulder (10b) provided in internal position in the opening of the coupling (10) inserted in external position on the pipe (200).

As mentioned above, the preload of the spring (7) can be changed as desired by the user thanks to the rotator short pipe (4). Since the short pipe (4) is helicoidally coupled with the ring (5) and the ring (5) interferes with the upper end of the spring (7), the rotation of the short pipe (4) in one direction causes a sliding movement towards the back of the ring, with compression of the spring (7), while the rotation of the short pipe (4) in the opposite direction generates the opposite effects. While the short pipe (4) is dragged into rotation with one hand, the user must grab and hold the collar (3), together with the tube (2), with the other hand.

In view of the operation of the rotator short pipe (4), the ring (5) is provided with a square hole designed to match the corresponding shape with flat sides of the intermediate section (2b) of the support tube (2).

The purpose is to avoid that, because of the action of the short pipe (4) coupled to it, the ring (5) idles around the support tube (2), as it could easily happen if the hole of the ring (5) had a circular shape and was connected with a corresponding circular section of the support tube (2). In order to prevent the accidental uncoupling of the device (1 ) from the pipe (200), also due to the action of the spring (7), the lower end of the short pipe (4) is internally provided with a stop ring (8) that reduces the cross- section and interferes against the back surface of the annular projection (10a) provided on the bottom of the coupling (10). To illustrate the operation of the device of the invention, it must be said that the user must insert the mouthpiece of the instrument into the front opening (I) of the instrument and use the rotary short pipe (4) to set the desired preload level of the spring (7), which determines the higher or lower resistance of the device to the pressure exercised by the user's lips on the mouthpiece.

Then the user can start playing, being evident that if the pressure exercised against the mouthpiece is maintained under levels compatible with

the preload values of the spring (7), the device (1) will remain in its natural position and the typical tonality of the instrument (T) will not be altered.

As soon as the pressure exercised by the user increases and overcomes the preload of the spring (7), the device (1 ) will slide backwards, thus reducing the distance between the front end and the opening of the pipe

(20, 200) on which it is mounted.

In this step, the spring (7) will progressively tend to compress and the back end (2c) of the support tube (2) will progressively tend to penetrate the pipe (20, 200). The backward sliding of the device (1 ) determines a reduction of the total length of the bore (of which it is an integral part) of the instrument (T), with consequent alteration of the sound tonality.

As mentioned above, the user will immediately recognise the tonality change and consequently reduce the pressure exercised on the mouthpiece; in this way the spring (7) will bring back the device to its natural condition, restoring the ideal length and consequently the typical tonality of the instrument.

In case of absolute beginners, that is to say users playing trumpets or other brass instruments for the first time, who usually tend to exercise a very strong pressure against the mouthpiece, the spring (7) must be given high or very high preload values.

In this way, the device of the invention (1) will acquire high resistance against the severe stress induced by absolute beginners, thus avoiding frequent changes of sound tonality. When beginners become familiar with the instrument and learn how to exercise the correct pressure on the mouthpiece, the preload of the spring (7) can be progressively reduced, increasing the sensitivity of the device (1) according to the minimum levels of excessive pressure exercised on the mouthpiece. Finally, it must be noted that the device (1) of the invention can be mounted on special practise instruments provided with a traditional configuration, but characterised by the shorter length of the main pipe (20)

where the device of the invention is mounted.

In such a case, the main pipe (20) must be reduced in length by a value that is basically equal to the length of the device of the invention (1 ) in the maximum extension. In lack of the said reduction in length of the main pipe (20), the insertion of the device of the invention (1) can excessively increase the total length of the instrument (calculated from the mouthpiece to the conical bell for sound diffusion), thus altering the sound tonality from the beginning.

An alternative solution allows to mount the device of the invention also with traditional configuration, as shown in fig. 2.

In such a case, the device (1) is directly mounted in a single rectilinear section of pipe (200) having the same typical characteristics of the main pipe of the instrument (T), although with lower length.

More precisely, the difference between the length of the "auxiliary" pipe (200) provided with the device (1) and the length of a typical main pipe of a trumpet is basically equal to the length of the said device.

This means that the device of the invention (1) and the auxiliary pipe (200) have a total length basically equal to the typical main pipe of a trumpet.

Moreover, it must be noted that the auxiliary pipe (200) is provided with clamps (201 ) used to mount it next to the main pipe (20) of the trumpet (T).

Once the device has been mounted, the user must insert the coulisse with basically semi-circular profile (202) in the back end of the said "independent" pipe that acts as connection between the main pipe (20) and the horizontal pipe (203) in traditional trumpets. Therefore, the said auxiliary pipe (200) becomes an integral part of the bore of the trumpet (T), by-passing the relevant main pipe (20).

The fact that the auxiliary pipe (200) and the device of the invention (1) have a total length equal to the length of the typical main pipe of a trumpet

(T) ensures that the use of these two specific components does not alter the sound tonality (until the device of the invention is compressed - thus reducing the length - due to the excessive pressure exercised by non-expert users).

The "configuration" of a traditional trumpet (T) can be maintained until

absolute beginners become familiar with the instrument, in terms of correct lip pressure on the mouthpiece; it being evident that the instrument can be given its natural configuration by removing the device of the invention (1 ) and relevant auxiliary pipe (200), as soon as no longer necessary for didactic purposes.