BE Patent: BE-1,051
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| Bass clarinet
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Patentee:
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| Adolphe Sax (exact or similar names) - Brussels, Belgium |
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Patent Dates:
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| Granted: |
Jun. 21, 1838 |
Espacenet patent
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Jeff Joslin
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Description: |
| This patent was a significant evolution of the bass clarinet. It also represents a milestone in Adolphe Sax's evolution as a designer of woodwind instruments. He was gradually realizing that the sound of a woodwind varies little due to the materials it is made of, and instead is determine by the exact shape of the mouthpiece, neck and bore. This understanding would culminate in his development of the saxophone (1846 French patent FR-3,226). As for this bass clarinet, the most important improvement is a second register-key tone-hole, a small opening high up on the brass neck, which considerably improved the instrument's responsiveness and tone in the upper register. After this patent was issued Sax continued to improve his bass clarinets and they became recognized as the best available, superior to those from his main competition, Buffet. According to a 2016 paper by Albert D. Rice on Sax's bass clarinets, there are 11 surviving examples. Although the patent drawing shows an upward-curved bell as an alternative configuration, it was several years later before Sax was able to make the required key mechanism work on a curved bell, so the early Sax bass clarinets had a straight bell. |
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