Background One way to adjust the basic settings when a woodwind instrument is to be intoned ("tuned"in everyday speech), is to displace the tubular members of the instrument in each other.

This is done by holding one hand around a tubular member, respectively, of the instrument whereby the tubular members by manual power are pushed/turned in or out of one another. In order not to change the set position between the tubular members during playing, the telescopic interfaces of the tubular members are snugly fitted to each other, whereby thus a certain friction exists when the tubular members shall be pushed in or out, which also is necessary in order to obtain a tight connection. In that respect it can be hard to exactly adjust the intonation. The intonation is altered during time due to inter alia variations in temperature and humidity. It is often found out during playing that the intonation has to be finely adjusted. The only way to do that without interrupting the playing, which often is desired, is to finely adjust the intonation by blowing varying amounts of air in the mouthpiece or to change the position of the mouth. However, that is difficult even for professional musicians. It is unsatisfactory not to be able to exactly adjust the intonation of the woodwind instrument during playing without needing to compensate by amount of air or position of the mouth.

Description of the invention Thus, one object according to the present invention is to simply be able to finely adjust the intonation of a woodwind

instrument during playing without needing to compensate the intonation by amount of air and position of the mouth.

This object is achieved by a device according to the present invention, where the woodwind instrument at least comprises a first tubing and a second tubing, which tubings are arranged telescopically displaceable to each other in a telescopic connection. Intonation of the instrument is carried out by displacing the tubings in relation to each other to a desired position. A tie rod is arranged alongside the tubings in the longitudinal direction of the tubings, where a first end portion of the said tie rod is fixedly arranged at the first tubing. At a second end portion of said tie rod is a finger support arranged. Intonation of the instrument can be done continuously during playing through a displacement of the finger that support influences the tie rods motion in the longitudinal direction of the instrument which displaces the first tubing in relation to the second tubing.

An advantage with this solution according to the present invention is that the intonation can be continuously adjusted during playing, without interruption in the playing itself.

Simultaneously as certain fingers influences keys on the instrument, one finger on the finger support can influence the tie rod to move forwards and backwards alongside the tubing body of the instrument, whereby the first and the second tubing are displaced in relation to each other such that the intonation is changed.

By the term"woodwind instrument"in this description is meant transverse flute, recorder, fagott, clarinet, saxophone and other occurring flutes and reed instruments in an orchestra.

By the term"tie rod"in this description is meant one or several arm portions, axle/axis, tie rod/rods or the similar, arranged to each other. Preferably, the"tie rod"is substantially parallel arranged along the outside in the longitudinal direction of the instrument.

The instrument may of course be made up of several tubing parts, which are arranged to each other.

The tie rod can suitably be supported by one or more supporting members along its longitudinal extension at the instrument body, between the finger support and where the tie rod is fixed at the first tubing. In or at these arm supports the tie rod can move freely, for example through an opening or a holder in the arm support.

The finger support is displaceably movable along the instrument. The finger support may be in fixed connection (however not stationary) with the instrument body but displaceable arranged, by a rail, groove or the similar in which the support is running. According to yet an embodiment, the finger support has fixed positions. Suitably the finger support may in that respect comprise first locking device which interacts and fits in corresponding second locking device at the tubing body of the instrument. First locking device/devices may comprise recesses and the second locking device may comprise bumps, or vice versa.

According to a preferred embodiment of the device in accordance with the present invention, the second tubing part, which is arranged to be displaceable outwardly, over the first tubing part, may at the telescopic connection comprise of elongated narrow tongue-supports at the end portion of the second tubing part. The tongue-supports are at one of their ends arranged and starting from the end of the second tubing part, and constitutes thus a direct extension of the second tubing, and the other outer ends, respectively, of the tongue-supports are free. The space between the adjacent tongue-supports, respectively, in the direction against the free ends of the tongue-supports, is open. A number of tongue-supports, preferably three pieces, extends suitably evenly spread around the end of the second tubing part. The tongue-supports rests against the first tubing part. At the free ends of the tongue-

supports may preferably wheels, rolls or alternatively plain bearings or the similar be arranged such that a low friction is provided at the displacement of the first tubing part in relation to the tongue-supports. Suitable material for wheels, rolls or plain bearings can be rubber or plastics, such as for example Delrin. The open space between the tongue-supports provides for that the tones from the instrument in minor extent is softened, which otherwise can be the case if there is a closely covered tube-formed telescopic connection instead of the preferred tongue-supports and the formed spaces there between according to this embodiment. The open space causes the oscillation of the tones to be permitted to freely oscillate without being muffled.

According to yet another embodiment the telescopic connection between the tubing parts of the instrument may comprise fixed positions. A first locking device at one tubing part interacts and fits in corresponding second locking device at the other tubing parts of the instrument. First locking device/devices may comprise recesses and the second locking device may comprise bumps, or vice versa.

According to yet an embodiment of the device according to the present invention, the first and the second tubing parts of the instrument comprises one or more telescopic extension tubings which are arranged to the telescopic parts of the first tubing and/or to the second tubing. In this way, a longer telescopic portion is achieved for adjustment of the intonation, if so desired.

Preferably, the interfaces of the tubing parts should have a low friction in comparison to each other, that is, easily slide when displacing one tubing part in another.

The tie rod may suitably be arranged to the telescopic connection through a gear, such as e. g. a link arm system. An easier adjustability can be achieved by way of providing a gear between the tie rod and the telescopic connection. A relatively

large movement of the finger support may through the gear be transferred to a relatively small telescopic movement between the tubings.

The present invention also relates to a use of a device according to claim 1, for continuous adjustment of the intonation for a woodwind instrument during playing.

Description of the drawings The present invention will now be described in further detail in embodiments, with reference to the accompanying drawings, but the invention should not be given a restricted interpretation thereto, where fig. lA shows schematically a part of a transverse flute in a slanted perspective view from the rear, fig. lB shows a preferred embodiment of a transverse flute in a slanted perspective view from the rear, fig. 2A illustrates in an outlined slanted perspective view from above the side of a gear, fig. 2B shows in an outline the gear according to fig. 2A in a view straight from the side, and fig. 2C illustrates the gear according to figs. 2A-B arranged at a saxophone.

Detailed description of embodiments A rough outline of a part of a transverse flute 2 is shown in fig. 1A in a slanted perspective view from the rear, i. e. opposite side in comparison to the mouthpiece 3 and the majority of the keys 4. As evident from fig. 1A, the transverse flute 2 comprise a first tubing 5 and a second tubing 6, which tubings 5,6 are telescopically displaceable 8 (in the longitudinal direction of the tubings as evident from the arrow) arranged to each other in a telescopic connection 9. By way of displacing the tubings 5,6 in relation to each other to a desired position, the intonation of the instrument 2 is altered. A tie

rod 10 is arranged along the tubings in the longitudinal direction of the tubings, where a first end portion 12 of said tie rod 10 is fixed at the first tubing5, e. g. a heel-formed body 14 formed from the first tubing 5. At a second end portion 16 of said tie rod is formed a support 18 for a finger.

Intonation of the instrument can be made continuously during playing by way of influencing the tie rod movement in the longitudinal direction of the instrument by one finger on the support, which displaces the first tubing 5 in relation to the second tubing 6.

In fig. 1A a tie rod 10 is shown, but according to a not shown embodiment of the present invention it can also be one or more tie rod parts which are arranged to each other between the finger support 18 and the portion of the tie rod which is fixed at the first tubing 5. Depending on how long the tie rod/rods part 10 is/are, one or more arm-supporting members 20 can be arranged along the instrument for supporting the tie rod 10.

Fig. 1B shows a preferred embodiment (principally corresponding with fig. 1A) of the transverse flute in fig. 1A, where the end of the second tubing 6 at the telescopic connection 9, comprise from the end extending, elongated narrow tongue-supports 22, which are extending over the first tubing 5.

The tongue-supports 22 are at one of their ends arranged and starting from the end 24 of the second tubing, and constitutes thus a direct extension of the second tubing part 6. The tongue- supports 22 are at the other outer ends 26 freely arranged. A space 28 between the adjacent tongue-supports 22, respectively, in the direction against the free ends 26, is open. As is shown in fig. 1B, three tongue-support pieces, of which one is hidden behind the instrument body, extends evenly spread around the end 24 of the second tubepart 6. The tongue-supports rests against the first tubing part 5. At the free ends 26, may preferably wheels, rolls or alternatively plain bearings or the similar be arranged at the tongue-supports such that a low friction is

provided at the displacement of the first tubing part 5 in relation to the tongue-supports 22. The other reference numerals are evident from the description above in connection to fig. 1A above.

In fig. 2A and 2B is shown a gear 50 intended to be arranged between two telescopically displaceable 51 tubings of a woodwind instrument. In fig. 2C is shown an example where the gear according to figs. 2A-B are arranged at a saxophone 52. The gear is arranged in the telescopic connection 53 between the upper short tubing 54 for the mouthpiece and the lower long tubing 56 with keys etc.. In similar way, the gear can be arranged in telescopic connections for other woodwind instruments, for example in the connection 9 of the transverse flute according to fig 1.

The gear in fig. 2A-C comprise a first pair of linkarms 58, 60 arranged to a second pair of linkarms 62,64 in joint 66 which forms an axis of rotation around which the second linkarm pair 62,64 rotates in relation to the first pair of linkarms.

Linkarms 58-64, which forms a linkarm system, can be arranged directly to the existing tubings 54,56 ; 5,6 of the instrument 52; 2. The gear can also, as shown in fig. 2A-B comprise a first tubepart body 68 and a second tubepart body 70 to which the linkarms 58-64 are arranged, which tubepart bodies are telescopically displaceable arranged to each other. The tubepart bodies 68,70 have internally substantially the-same throughout widening as tubeparts of the instrument. The first tubepart body 68 outer tube end 69 is arranged to a tube end of the instrument and the other tubepart body outer tube end 71 to another end of the instrument. Accordingly, the tubepart bodies 68,70 serves as an extension of the original telescopic connection 53; 9. It is advantageous that the gear comprises tubepart bodies since the gear can be obtained as a separate unit which can be easily mounted at the tube ends respectively of the instrument. The second linkarm pair 62,64 can contain a connection arm 74 such

that the second linkarm pair 62,64 forms a U-shaped coherent unit. The second linkarm pair 62,64 is, at second linkarm 62, 64 lower portion, rotatably arranged in a joint 76 at the other tubepart body 70, or at the tube of the instrument 6, 56 if the linkarms 68-74 are arranged directly on the instrument. First linkarm 58,60 respectively, is at one outer end 78 arranged with a fastening means 80 to the first tubepart body 68. In similar way as shown in fig. 1, an outer end 81 of a tie rod 82 (illustrated in fig. 2C with a broken line) arranged to the second pair of linkarms 62,64 of the gear 50, suitably to the connection arm 74. At a second end portion 83 of said tie rod 82 is formed a finger support (not shown), which is movably displaceable along the instrument, at the portion 84 of the saxophone 52 where a hookformed member 85 for a finger usually exists. Intonation of the instrument can be made continuously during playing by way of influencing the arm movement in the longitudinal direction with one finger on the support, which displaces the upper tubing 54 in relation to the lower tubing 56.

By way of having a gear between the finger support and the arm, an easier adjustment can be obtained. A relatively large movement of the finger support can through the gear be transferred to a relatively small telescopic movement between the tubings. The gearing can be in the range of from about 1: 2 up to about 1: 10, suitably 1: 4-1: 8. However, the linkarms in the gear can be arranged such that the gearing is 1: 1, i. e. a movement of the linkarms 62,64 influences an equally large movement of the linkarms 58,60, which displaces 51 the first tubepart body 68 a corresponding distance. According to a not- shown embodiment the gear has fixed positions. In that respect, the first tubepart body of the gear can suitably contain a first locking member which interacts and fits in corresponding second locking member at the second tubepart body. First locking member/members can comprise recesses and the second locking member can contain bumps, or vice versa.