Abstract: A valve assembly including at least one valve body designed to be mounted on a musical instrument, such as but not limited to a trombone or like “brass” instrument and adapted to regulate air flow through the instrument, between at least a first path of air flow and a second path of air flow each having significantly different lengths, wherein a musician is capable of selectively directing air from the mouth piece or air inlet of the instrument to the air outlet or bell of the instrument along an extended length flow path of the instrument, thereby extending the lower range of the instrument and generating a change in pitch and tonal quality of the musical sound generated.

Abstract: A trombone has a rotary valve unit inserted between two parts of a main tube and further connected to a bypass tube, and a player manipulates the rotary valve unit for changing the length of vibrating air column, wherein the rotary valve unit has a cylindrical casing connected at both end surfaces thereof to the parts of the main tube, a first pair of ports formed on the side surface thereof and connected to both ends of the bypass tube and a second pair of ports, a short tube connected between the ports of the second pair and a rotor rotatable inside the cylindrical casing and having two air passages spaced from one another in the direction of the rotational axis thereof and connecting one of the parts of the main tube through the short tube to the other part at a first angular position and one of the parts through the bypass tube to the other part so that the rotary valve unit is compact.

Abstract: A rotary valve is provided for a brass instrument to produce brass sounds of different pitches by changing over a tube length of a resonance tube. Herein, a rotor is inserted in a valve casing. The valve casing has a cylindrical shape whose both ends are openings, wherein ports are formed on a periphery, while the rotor has a cylindrical shape whose outer diameter is slightly smaller than that of the valve casing, wherein two shaft portions respectively project from the end faces of the rotor as its integral parts, and change-over paths are formed on a periphery. An implantation bottom covers one opening of the valve casing, while an implantation upper cover covers another opening of the valve casing. The shaft portions of the rotor are rotatably supported by radial ball bearings respectively. A depression member is inserted between the implantation bottom and radial ball bearing to depress the rotor in its axial direction. An upper cover setscrew fixes the implantation upper cover to the valve casing.

Abstract: A rotary valve (10) for a brass wind instrument includes a rotor (12) rotatably disposed in a casing (30). Four tube connecters (50) are connected to the casing in fluid-tight connections. Each tube connecter (50) has a passageway (52) therethrough having a constant, circular cross section. The rotar (12) has two ducts (14, 16) therethrough, each having a constant, circular cross section with a diameter (18) equal to the diameter of the passageways (52) through the tube connecters (50). The rotor (12) is selectively rotatable between an unactuated position and an actuated position. When the rotor (12) is in the unactuated position, a single soundpath (70) is formed through the valve. The single soundpath (70) has limited curvature and has a constant diameter. When the rotor (12) is in the actuated position, two soundpaths (72, 74) are formed through the valve (10). The first of the two soundpaths (72) subjects the sound to only a single 45 degree turn through the valve.

Abstract: A full-double French horn comprises a mouth piece, a front tube member, an intermediate tube network associated with valves, a rear tube member and a bell for defining a vibrative column of air, and the inner diameter of the intermediate tube network affects fortissimo sounds and low-pitched sounds, wherein the inner diameter of the intermediate tube network ranges from 12.8 millimeters to 13.5 millimeters so as to improve the fortissimo and low-pitched sounds without sacrifice of timbre and a good feeling in the blowing.

Abstract: French horns with four finger valves and one change horn valve, instead of the standard three finger valves and one change horn valve enable play in twelve keys, as well as twelve tones. Point and dimple connections between key levers and rotary valve string bars provide smooth translation of the string bars and smooth rotation of the rotary valve hubs. Screw-on mouthpieces and mouthpipes have smooth identical inner diameters to avoid the airstream disrupting steps of conventional push-in mouthpieces. Cork block mountings between the tubes, valves and slides instead of the standard soldered metal mountings avoid transmission of vibrations between the tubes. Hand straps steady the French horns instead of the usual finger hooks.

Abstract: Improved apparatus for providing a chromatic scale with accurate intonation for valved brass instruments is disclosed. Two embodimeents of the invention that compensate for the deficiencies of the valve systems of the prior art are described for both four and five valve systems. For four valves systems, a master valve is used to lower the pitch of the instrument by two tones, and for five valve systems, a master valve lowers the pitch by two and one-half tones. The invention, therefore, makes possible complete compensation over the range of the instrument and improved tone quality.