A keyed wind musical instrument (100, 101, 102) including an elongate tubular body (200) having a plurality of tone holes (201) extending through a surface of the elongate tubular body (200); at least one key member (202) attached to the elongate tubular body (200) adjacent at least one of said plurality of tone holes (201), the at least one key member (202) including: a closure portion (202B) movable between at least one of a closed configuration in which the closure portion (202B) substantially seals the tone hole (201), and, an opened configuration in which the closure portion (202B) is spaced apart from the tone hole (201) wherein the tone hole (201) is opened; and an attachment portion (202A) integrally formed with the closure portion (202B), the attachment portion (202A) being configured for attaching the key member (202) to the elongate tubular body (200); and wherein the integrally formed attachment portion (202A) and closure portion (202B) are configured to bias the closure portion (202B) towards the opened configuration.

A keyed wind musical instrument (100, 101, 102) including an elongate tubular body (200) having a plurality of tone holes (201) extending through a surface of the elongate tubular body (200); at least one key member (202) attached to the elongate tubular body (200) adjacent at least one of said plurality of tone holes (201), the at least one key member (202) including: a closure portion (202B) movable between at least one of a closed configuration in which the closure portion (202B) substantially seals the tone hole (201), and, an opened configuration in which the closure portion (202B) is spaced apart from the tone hole (201) wherein the tone hole (201) is opened; and an attachment portion (202A) integrally formed with the closure portion (202B), the attachment portion (202A) being configured for attaching the key member (202) to the elongate tubular body (200); and wherein the integrally formed attachment portion (202A) and closure portion (202B) are configured to bias the closure portion (202B) towards the opened configuration.

This invention relates to new designs of tubular body flutes both to facilitate more natural and more consistent placement and orientation of the flute player's hands and to enhance the flexibility of the player's lips so as to more perfectly play the flute by greatly increasing the stability of the flute in the player's hands by firmly connecting the flute to the player's finger (and/or thumb) by provision of a finger connecting part through which the flute player's left index finger is inserted, as like wearing a ring. It firmly fixes the flute to the player's left index finger (and/or thumb) so that the flute is stabilized without pressure on the player's mouth. Thus, it enhances the flexibility of the player's lips to more perfectly form the airstream sounding the flute while also more exactly and repeatedly locating the player's fingers on the flute by preventing inadvertent rotation of the flute. This is especially beneficial for the player's lower lip, which, under extant art, is forcibly pinned against the lower teeth and gums so as to stabilize the flute. This benefit is achieved by completely stabilizing the flute in the player's hands by firmly connecting the flute to the player's finger (and/or thumb) with a finger connecting means incorporating an opening in the invention through which the flute player's left index finger (and/or thumb) is inserted, as like wearing a ring.

In the preferred embodiment the finger connecting means is a ring-like structure built onto the flute and for economy this additional device is hereafter referred to as a ring. The use of a ring provides a firm connection between the player's fingers and the flute permitting the left index finger and right thumb to completely stabilize the instrument with no pressure on the player's lips whatsoever, while completely preventing inadvertent rotation of the flute.

A very substantial benefit of the instant invention over extant art is that it allows the flute to be safely played by growing children without disrupting the proper development of their gums and teeth. Many parents permit their children to start their music education only with a piano or a violin because wind instruments have a tendency to put severe stress and strain on the mouth, teeth and gums, which can distort their development. Because the instant invention permits, even encourages, the best use of the flute without strong, or even any, pressure on the teeth and gums, a flute so equipped can be used even by young children without orthodontial concerns.

Disclosed is a bass clarinet that enables even splitting of the harmonics without compromising the efficacy of the instrument, without increasing manufacturing costs, and without the requirement of a clarinettist relearning how to play the instrument. It is further an object of the disclosure to describe bass clarinets with the ability to change harmonics without requiring the player to compensate with embouchure and air pressure.

Systems for raising pads on musical instruments to enable drying of pads and increase air flow around the pad and a body of the musical instrument. A vent spanner device, including a positioning feature and a retention feature, is placed between a pad and its corresponding vent to create an air gap. A pad prop is placed against a key mechanism or between the key mechanism and/or the body to raise a pad from sealing its corresponding vent. A linkage feature connects one or more vent spanners, pad props, end pieces, key mechanisms, or the body, and provides storage.

A wind instrument includes a tube body; a tone hole tube that has an inner open end formed extending from the outer periphery of the tube body and opening to the inside of the tube body, and an outer open end opening to the outside of the tube body; and a finger pressing plate that, in the radial direction of the tone hole tube, extends from the outer open end of the tone hole tube to the outside of the tone hole tube.

The present invention discloses a solution for maintaining passenger-specific favorite floor lists in an elevator system, which comprises at least one elevator, call-giving devices for registering calls given by the passengers, a control system that is responsive to the aforementioned calls and memory means, in which is recorded at least one passenger-specific favorite floor list. A passenger is identified in connection with giving a call on the basis of the ID number of an identifier. The favorite floor list is updated on the basis of calls given by the passenger and/or a given updating criterion.

An apparatus having two levers working in tandem with each other such that when pressing one lever, triggers the other lever which closes the hole that needs to be closed. The length and the contact point of the lever may be variable. The diameter of the large and small straps is also variable. A combination of these variables allow this invention to close any hole on any woodwind device, regardless of its location or size. Moreover, the free finger or any lever working in conjunction with this lever, may be anywhere on the woodwind instrument which may overcome the variability in the length of fingers of different artists.

A piston for a wind instrument includes a one-piece body, the one-piece body defining a plurality of ports and one or more windways each connecting at least a subset of the plurality of ports. The plurality of ports and the one or more windways are formed by processing a single piece of a material to remove a portion of the material from the single piece. The single piece of the material can be a cylindrical rod of the material. The one-piece body can be made of aluminum, an aluminum alloy, brass, a nickel-copper alloy, or stainless steel. The surface of the piston can be hard coat anodized and/or polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) sealed.

A disk of a wind instrument includes an integral body made of a material which is in a solid state at a room temperature and in a malleable state at a predetermined temperature higher than the room temperature. The disk is configured to stabilise a pad assembly in a key cup for closure of a tone hole of the wind instrument.