Abstract: An adjustable valve for a musical instrument, such as a trumpet, allows valve alignment to be adjusted without removing the valve from the instrument. The adjustable valve fits and looks like a standard valve. Rotation of a finger button of the valve causes an upper portion of an adjustable stem to rotate with respect to a lower portion of the adjustable stem that is threadably coupled to the upper portion, resulting in control over the length of the adjustable stem. Increasing or decreasing the length of the adjustable stem changes the alignment of the valve piston within the valve tube. Control over piston alignment is achieved by rotating the finger button, and thus is achieved without the need to remove the valve from the instrument.

Abstract: A musical instrument valve system is provided. The system includes a valve case having a main body, a top member and a bottom member. The main body includes at least one chamber. The top member includes at least one chamber corresponding to the inner chamber of the main body, the top member removably coupled to a top side of the main body. The bottom member includes a chamber corresponding to the chamber of the main body, the bottom member removably coupled to a bottom side of the main body. The system includes more than one valve operatively coupled to the top member and corresponding to the more than one chambers of the main body. The more than one valve is removed from the main body when removing the top member. The system also includes a quick release valve cap coupled to an existing valve casing of the musical instrument.

Abstract: The present invention provides a valve assembly designed to regulate air flow through a musical instrument and is designed to avoid bumps typically associated with valve construction that result in distortion and other harmful effects on vibrating columns of air that pass there-through. The valve assembly comprises: a cylindrical-shaped valve casing having openings formed therein that define at least one ingress and at least one egress through which vibrating columns of air pass; and a valve piston received within the valve casing and linearly displaceable therein, the valve piston comprising at least one passageway having a cross-section that is open and u-shaped, whereby other passageways formed in the valve piston are bump-free.

Abstract: A musical instrument piston valve receivable in a valve casing. The valve includes a valve stem, a valve barrel connected to the valve stem, and a valve guide slidably disposed with respect to the valve barrel. A spring is disposed in the valve barrel extending between the valve stem and the valve guide. A piston extends from the valve barrel and includes one or more ports. There are also various ways of adjusting the angular orientation of the piston in the valve casing. It is preferred that the piston and the valve barrel are monolithic in construction and the piston valve includes an adjustable valve guide.

Abstract: A coiled blank defines two elongated parallel bands and a parallel web separating the bands. Opposite ends of the web form diagonally opposed spacer strips arranged such that, when the blank is coiled to bring the ends of the web into juxtaposition, the opposed spacer strips define between themselves an open triangle having a base lying along an edge of one of the bands. Preferably the triangle base lies along the band of greater thickness in the coiled configuration. A second embodiment provides three parallel bands and two webs. When the second blank is coiled, the second web also forms an open triangle with exposed base between opposed diagonal end spacer strips at its juxtaposed opposite ends.

Abstract: An improved French horn includes a coiled tubular body having a bell end, a curved inlet end and a plurality of valves formed thereon between the bell end and the inlet end for controlling a flow of air through the French horn. A mouthpipe has a mouthpiece end, a curved outlet end and a substantially straight section between the mouthpiece end and the outlet end. A pipe detachably interconnects the inlet end of the coiled tubular body and the outlet end of the mouthpipe. The pipe is configured so that the interconnected mouthpipe may be situated at either one of two positions relative to the body, including a first position in which the substantially straight section of the mouthpipe is substantially tangential to the coiled tubular body, and a second position in which the substantially straight section of the mouthpipe is away from the first position and close to the valves of the coiled tubular body.

Abstract: The disclosure involves a valve for a brass instrument, e.g., a trombone, having an outer casing and a rotatable piston with first and second outer passages and a central passage between the outer passages. Two pairs of tubes are connected to the casing with each tube of a pair being coextensive with the other tube of that pair. At least one and preferably each outer passage is coextensive with a pair of tubes when the piston is in the switched position. The valve thereby affords "straight through" air flow during that valve position at which the trombone air column is longer or longest. Air flow resistance is thus reduced and the musician experiences a better "feel" when playing lower register notes, particularly when doing so at increased volume. A method for making the new valve, which is substantially hollow and lightweight, is also disclosed.

Abstract: A brass instrument such as a trombone has a main tube member formed with a main air passage, a plurality of bypassing tube members respectively formed with bypassing air passages, and a plurality of valve units selectively coupling the main air passage to the bypassing air passages for variation in pitch of the sound produced therein, and each of the valve units is provided with two three port valve assemblies linked with each other for simultaneously being shifted between two positions, in which each of the valve assemblies has three ports angularly paced apart from one another by angles of about 120 degrees, so that the valve assemblies are less causative of resistance to the vibratile air column, thereby providing a comfortable feeling to the player.

Abstract: A musical wind instrument, comprising a cylindrical barrel having an inlet hole (3) communicating with the mouthpiece (1) of the instrument, an outlet hole (5) communicating with the bell (12), a branch hole (6), a return hole (7), the branch hole (6) communicating with the return hole (7) via a circuit (13) for changing of tonality, and means (15, 16) for putting of the inlet hole (3) into communication selectively with the outlet hole (5) or with the branch hole (6), wherein the inlet hole (3) and the outlet hole (5) are at different levels along the axis (X,X') of the barrel.

Abstract: A rotary valve assembly incorporated in a brass instrument for changing a pitch of a tone comprises a rotary valve housed in a valve casing having two groups of aeroports, and the rotary valve is provided with two air passages, one of which interconnects the aeroports in the first group and the other of which interconnects one aeroport of the first group and one aeroport of the second group, so that various arrangements are possible for the aeroports.

Abstract: An acoustical impedance inducing device is created for axial insertion into the longitudinal air column of a wind musical instrument. The device includes a first annular band of first predetermined thickness and a second annular band of approximately twice the thickness of the first band. A first web interconnects the first and second bands and maintains the bands at a predetermined axial spacing. The web is formed of strips diagonally disposed between the first and second bands and defining a triangle shaped aperture between adjacent bands, with the base of the triangle being colinear with an edge of one of the first and second bands. A third annular band, twice the thickness of the second, may be separated from the second band by a second web; or the device may be placed in a tubular portion of the instrument at a location where an end of the tubular portion is spaced from the second band by the axial width of the web.

Abstract: In construction of a valve shifting mechanism for a brass instrument in which tube length is changed by selectively moving a piston tube in a valve casing against a spring, a valve guide made of synthetic resin is fixed, in sliding engagement with the valve casing, to a valve rod seat fixed to the piston tube by means of a piston rod screwed at one end into the piston rod seat for reduced generation of harsh noises when the valve is shifted and to simplify assemblage of the valve. An elongated slot is formed in the valve guide extending in the radial direction of the piston tube so as to permit a fixed size valve guide to be used with valve casings of different sizes.

Abstract: In construction of a single valve unit for a brass musical instrument having blow-in and blow-out tubes, and multiple resonant tubes, rotation and axial displacement of a piston in a cylinder switches communication between the blow-in and blow-out tubes and the resonant tubes. Compared with prior art double valve units, the present signal valve unit simplifies valve construction, avoids the need for phase adjustment, between two valves and reduces fatigue on the operator.

Abstract: An improved piston valve construction for valved wind instruments such as trumpets, bugles, and the like is provided having portions of varying diameter which may be employed in conventional piston valve casings. Such improved valve construction comprises a ported lower piston portion of non-metallic composition selected from certain thermoplastic and thermosetting polymeric compositions. In one aspect a non-lubricated piston valve assembly for valved wind instruments is provided. Preferred polymeric compositions include lubrous, hydrophobic, non-swelling polymers, especially high density polyethylene, polypropylene, impact-resistant styrene-butadiene copolymers, acetal resins, and the like.

Abstract: A piston valve type instrument has mechanical means for continuous adjustment of the upstroke and downstroke of the valves which provides for improved playing response. In addition, a method of improving the response utilizing such continuous adjustment includes deliberately introducing a misalignment of the valve ports if the playing response so indicates.

Abstract: A piston valved brass-wind musical instrument having a plurality of elliptically constricted apertures and of displacements of bore, for example six such apertures and five displacements of bore, in the valves section of its air column. Each of the valves, usually three in number, is offset a precise amount so that a discontinuity is created between the valve bore and the valve casing port. The exact ratio of the offset distance is, from the third valve to the first valve of a three valved instrument, 4:2:1, or 1:2:4.