Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02631599 2008-05-20
COMBINATION PITCHED FLUTE
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a musical flute device, and more
particularly, relates to a
combination pitched musical flute, namely a flute with parts which allow it to
be adapted to play
in more than one pitch.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Flutes generally have a single pitch, and are commonly pitched in the key of
"D" (hereinafter
sometimes referred to as a "D pitched flute"); however, flutes are also being
produced pitched in
the key of "E-flat" (hereinafter sometimes referred to as an "E-flat pitched
flute"), and in other
keys, as is generally known.
The conventional Pratten-type flute has four main parts, namely a head joint,
a tuning slide with
a tenon and socket connection to a body or "center joint", which in turn has a
similar connection
to a foot joint; the connection between the head joint and the tuning slide
being adjustable for
tuning. This allows only fine tuning, and does not allow a change of a half
tone, e.g. from D to E
flat.
It is desirable to provide a musical flute apparatus having a combination of
parts which allow it
to be converted from a flute playing in one key to a flute playing in another
different key, to
allow the flute to be utilized more widely, and with a wider range of
accompanying instruments
and voices.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide a combination
of parts which can
be assembled into two forms of musical flute playable in two different keys.
This is achieved by
providing a flute having four main parts, including a replaceable tuning slide
between a head
joint and a center joint, and a replaceable foot joint, such that these parts
can be replaced by
longer parts with varied vent hole positioning which allow the pitch of the
flute to be changed by
an amount of at least a half tone.
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More specifically, there is provided a set of musical flute parts which can be
selectively
assembled into a first form of the flute tuned to a first key, the parts
comprising, a head joint, a
first tuning slide pitched for a first key and adapted to be slidingly engaged
with the distal end of
the head joint, a center joint adapted to being engaged with the tuning slide,
and a foot joint
pitched for the first key. With this combination of parts, a first musical
flute pitched for a first
key may be formed by connecting together the head joint, the tuning slide
pitched for the first
key, the center joint, and the foot joint pitched for the first key, and a
second musical flute
pitched for a second key may be formed by connecting together the head joint,
a second,
alternative tuning slide pitched for the second key, the center joint, and a
second, alternative the
foot joint pitched for the second key.
The present invention may also be seen as a combination of tuning slides and
foot joints that
may be connected with head joints and center joints to create a variety of
flutes capable of being
played in different keys.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
A preferred embodiment of the present invention is described below with
reference to the
accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a top view of the head joint, a D pitched tuning slide, an E-flat
pitched tuning
slide, a center joint, a D pitched foot joint and an E-flat pitched foot joint
of one
embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 2 is a longitudinal-sectional view of a head joint in one embodiment of
the present
invention;
Figure 3 is a longitudinal-sectional view of a D pitched tuning slide in one
embodiment
of the present invention;
Figure 4 is a longitudinal-sectional view of an E-flat pitched tuning slide in
one
embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 5 is a perspective view of a D pitched foot joint of one embodiment of
the present
invention;
Figure 6 is a longitudinal-sectional view of the D pitched foot joint
illustrated in Figure
5;and
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Figure 7 is a longitudinal-sectional view of the E-flat pitched foot joint of
one
embodiment of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
In the presently described embodiments of the present invention, "proximal" or
"the proximal
end" will refer to that end of the flute nearest the embouchure hole, and to
that general direction,
while "distal" or "the distal end" will refer to the other end of the flute,
and to that general
direction.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, as illustrated in Figure
1, a head joint 1, a D
pitched tuning slide 8, an E-flat pitched tuning slide 24, a body or center
joint 10, a D pitched
foot joint 14 and an E-flat pitched foot joint 20 are provided. The head joint
1, D pitched tuning
slide 8, center joint 10 and D pitched foot joint 14 can be assembled (as
illustrated by the arrows
30, 32 and 34) to form a D-pitched flute. Alternatively, the head joint 1, an
E-flat pitched tuning
slide 24, the center joint 10 and an E-flat pitched foot joint 20 can be
assembled (as illustrated by
the arrows 36, 37 and 38) to form an E-flat pitched flute.
In the case of a taper bored flute, the bore of the center joint 10 is tapered
in a manner known to
a person skilled in the art (and in a preferred embodiment, the bore of the
center joint has a
diameter of .747 inch at the proximal end, and a diameter of .546 inch at the
distal end), and, as
illustrated in Figure 1, the center joint 10 may have conventional keys 22 and
note holes 12. The
center joint provides a conventional upper tenon 33 on the proximal end
thereof, and a
conventional lower tenon 35 on the distal end thereof, allowing the connection
of the center joint
10 with the sockets of the slide joints described herein, and with the sockets
of the foot joints as
described herein.
As illustrated in Figures 1, 6 and 7, both the D pitched foot joint 14 and E-
flat pitched foot joint
20 have "C-sharp" and "C" vent holes, numbered 16A and 18A respectively in the
case of the D
pitched foot joint 14 and numbered 16B and 18B respectively in the case of the
E-flat pitched
foot joint 20.
With reference to Figure 2, the head joint has a main body 2 preferably made
of wood and
preferably having an overall length 52 of 6.250", preferably having a non-
tapered bore diameter
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of 0.747" and having an embouchure hole 4, a metal surfaced concavely shaped
stopper cork 44,
and a slide tube 40 extending from the distal end thereof , the slide tube 40
being alternatively
made of nickel, silver, brass or other material known to a person skilled in
the art, the slide tube
40 extending beyond the main body 2 and preferably having an outside diameter
of 0.789". The
slide tube 40 is preferably permanently and securely engaged with the inner
walls of the head
joint, and preferably extends a distance, indicated as 54, of 1.360" beyond
the distal end of the
main body 2. As illustrated in Figure 2, the inner wall of the head joint
preferably has a
counterbored recess 42 therein to receive a slide tube projecting from the
proximal end of one of
the tuning slides as hereinafter described, the bored recess 42 having a
diameter of 0.850" and a
preferable depth, shown at 50, of 0.875".
With reference to Figure 3, a D pitched tuning slide 8 is provided, having a
main body 9
preferably made of wood, and preferably having a length 62 of 2.900". The
slide 8 has a socket
60 at the distal end thereof to receive the upper tenon 33 of the center joint
as hereinafter
described, the socket 60 preferably having a diameter of 0.882" and a depth 64
of 1.063". The
tuning slide has a slide tube 56, which may be made of nickel, silver, brass
or other material
known to a person skilled in the art, and preferably extending a distance 70
of 0.870" beyond the
proximal end of the main body 9 and having a inner diameter so as to allow it
to snugly slide
over the outside of the slide tube 40 of the head joint, the tuning slide 8
being movable relative
to the head joint 1 to allow the flute to be tuned in a conventional manner.
It is to be noted that
the slide tube 56 may slide into the counterbored recess 42. A spacer ring 58,
preferably having
an outside diameter such that it fits securely within the slide tube 56, is
fitted at the distal end of
the slide tube 56, the spacer ring 58 having an inside diameter 66 of 0.747",
matching that of the
inside of slide tube 40 and a length 68 of 0.450". This spacer reduces
turbulent air flow through
the flute when the D pitched tuning slide 8 is positioned on the head joint 1
and when the tenon
33 of the center joint is positioned in the tuning slide.
With reference to Figure 4, an E-flat pitched tuning slide 24 is provided,
having a main body 25
preferably made of wood, and preferably having a length 78 of 2.450". A socket
72 at the distal
end thereof can receive the upper tenon 33 of the center joint 10 as herein
described, the socket
72 preferably having an internal diameter of 0.882" and a depth 76 of 1.063".
The tuning slide
has a slide tube 74, which may be made of nickel, silver, brass or other
material known to a
person skilled in the art, and preferably extends a distance 75 of 0.870"
beyond the proximal end
of the main body 25 having an inner diameter so as to allow it to snugly slide
over the outside of
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the slide tube 40 of the head joint 1, the tuning slide 24 being movable
relative to the head joint
to allow the flute to be tuned in a conventional manner. It is to be noted
that the slide tube 74
may slide into the bored recess 42.
With reference to Figure 6, a D pitch end foot 14 is provided, having a socket
80 at the proximal
end thereof for attachment to the lower tenon 35 of the center joint 10 in a
conventional manner,
a length of the bore of the end foot 14 extending the tapered bore of the
center joint 10,
preferably the tapered bore tapering from an opening 86 of 0.546 inch diameter
to .485" at 92
before opening up into a bell end 82, the bell end having a curve 99 of radius
of .125 inches. In a
preferred embodiment of the present invention, the centerline of the C-sharp
vent hole 16A is
positioned a distance 88 of 2.587" from the proximal end of the end foot, the
C-sharp vent hole
16A having a diameter at the top of 0.438 inches, the proximal side wall of
the C-sharp vent hole
16A being tapered 16C approximately 7 from vertical as illustrated in Figure
6 (the 7 angle of
the wall being transitioned from 7 to 0 from the proximal end of the hole to
the distal end of the
hole), providing the C-sharp vent hole 16A with a slightly enlarged diameter
at the bottom
thereof. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the centerline of
the C vent hole
18A is positioned a distance 90 of 3.791 " from the centerline of the C-sharp
vent hole 16A and
having a diameter of 0.420 inches.
With reference to Figure 7, an E-flat end foot 20 is also provided, having a
socket 80 at the top
end thereof for attachment to the lower tenon 35 of the center joint 10 in a
conventional manner,
a length of the bore of the end foot 20 extending the tapered bore of the
center joint 10,
preferably the tapered bore tapering from an opening 94 of 0.546" diameter to
0.490" at 100
before opening up into a bell end 92 having a diameter 102 of 0.507 inches. In
a preferred
embodiment of the present invention, the centerline of the C-sharp vent hole
16B is positioned a
distance 96 of 2.072" from the proximal end of the end foot, the C-sharp vent
hole 16B having a
diameter at the top of 0.438 inches, the proximal side wall of the C-sharp
vent hole 16B being
tapered 16C approximately 7 from vertical as illustrated in Figure 7,
providing the C-sharp vent
hole 16B with a slightly enlarged diameter at the bottom thereof. In a
preferred embodiment of
the present invention, the centerline of the C vent hole 18B is positioned a
distance 98 of 3.453"
from the centerline of the C-sharp vent hole 16B and having a diameter of
0.420 inches.
While the present invention has been described with reference to a flute
apparatus which may be
assembled into either a D pitch or E-flat pitch flute, it is understood that
with appropriate
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modifications thereto, the removable tuning slide and foot joint may be
replaced by similar parts
to assemble flutes adapted to play in any two pitches where the two pitches
are, for example,
more than one half tone apart.
The present invention has been described herein with regard to a preferred
embodiment.
However, it will be obvious to persons skilled in the art that a number of
variations and
modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as
described
herein.
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