Procedure and care kit for maintaining a brass instrument and brass instrument

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for the maintenance of a brass instrument (1) comprising several brass tube sections (2), in which at least one of the tube sections (2) is coated on its inside (12) with a food-safe lacquer (11) by drawing a lacquer carrier (10) soaked with the lacquer (11) at least once through the respective tube section (2).

Description

The present invention relates to a method for maintaining a brass instrument, a brass instrument, and a maintenance kit for maintaining a brass instrument. Brass instruments, such as trumpets, trombones, tubas, and horns, consist of several brass tubes, which can be straight or curved and may also be detachable. Brass contains a varying amount of copper. When playing brass instruments, moisture in the player's breath can condense on the relatively cool surfaces of the tubes. Air, especially breath, can also contain acetic acid, so the condensation inside the instrument forms acetic acid. This can lead to the formation of verdigris, a copper acetate, specifically copper(II) acetate, on the inside of the respective tube. This formation and spread of verdigris inside the brass instrument is undesirable, as verdigris can irritate the skin, eyes, and mucous membranes. Removing verdigris from the inside of brass instruments is a specialized service and is relatively expensive. From DE 37 15 490 A1 it is known to clean a wind instrument by pulling a cleaning element, such as a foam rubber or a plastic foam, through the inside of the wind instrument by means of a flexible cord. From US patent 2022 / 0246118A1, it is known to clean a saxophone by pulling a cloth attached to a cord through the inside of the saxophone, the ends of the cord being able to be joined together to form a closed loop, so that the cloth can be easily pulled through the saxophone several times in succession. From JP 2003 345 347 A it is known to use a moisture-absorbing cloth to clean a wind instrument by means of a flexible rod to insert a moisture-absorbing cloth into the interior of the wind instrument, wherein the rod has a cloth guide element at the leading end that guides the rod and the cloth along curves of the wind instrument. The present invention addresses the problem of providing a way to reduce the maintenance costs of brass instruments. This problem is solved according to the invention by the subject matter of the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments are the subject matter of the dependent claims. The invention is based on the general concept of varnishing or thinly coating the inside of at least one of the detachable tubing sections of a brass instrument with a varnish, thereby preventing contact between the brass of the tubing section and the acidic condensate. Without contact with the acetic acid, verdigris cannot form on the tubing section. This significantly reduces the maintenance costs of the brass instrument. The varnish or coating is water-resistant and waterproof. The coating is durable, thus permanently preventing or at least significantly reducing the formation of verdigris. This also reduces the maintenance required for the brass instrument. Specifically, the invention proposes a method for the maintenance of a brass instrument comprising several sections of tubing, in which at least one of the tubing sections, preferably a detachable section, is coated on its inner surface with a food-safe lacquer by drawing a lacquer-impregnated carrier through the respective tubing section at least once. The use of a food-safe lacquer ensures that any direct or indirect contact with the coating is harmless to persons. The use of the lacquer-impregnated carrier allows for the application of the lacquer with an extremely thin layer. For example, the coating layer thickness can be less than 10 µm. In contrast, dip coating, spray coating, or brush coating result in significantly greater layer thicknesses of approximately 100 µm.As the lacquer carrier is pulled through the respective pipe section, the lacquer-impregnated carrier comes into direct contact with the inside of the pipe section to be lacquered, thus transferring the lacquer to the inside. The lacquer is applied so thinly that dripping and similar issues are avoided. Achieving such a thin lacquer layer is crucial to ensuring that the sound quality of the brass instrument is not impaired by the lacquer. The free cross-section within each pipe section is particularly important for the sound of the brass instrument. If the brass instrument has several tube sections, it is clear that two or more or all of the tube sections can be coated or varnished on their inside with this varnish. Preferably, removable pipe sections are coated with the lacquer. For this purpose, it can be advantageous to remove the respective pipe section from the brass instrument before lacquering, then carry out the lacquering process, and afterwards reattach the pipe section to the brass instrument. The section of tubing whose inner surface is coated or lacquered can be, in particular, a slide that is adjustable and removable on the respective brass instrument and can be adjusted to alter the sound. For example, a brass instrument can be tuned using such a slide. It is also possible to play intermediate notes or to balance individual notes using a slide. It has been shown that these types of slides are especially susceptible to verdigris formation. This may be due to the fact that the air is strongly deflected at these slides, resulting in a higher probability of condensation forming there. According to an advantageous embodiment, the coating may be a metal-adherent and / or solvent-free and / or carboxylic acid-resistant lacquer. This means that the coating produced with the lacquer, or the lacquer itself, adheres to metal in its dried and / or cured state and / or is solvent-free and / or resistant to carboxylic acids. The lacquer may, for example, contain a resin, i.e., a curing plastic. The lacquer may contain a carboxylic acid ester, such as butyl acetate, which represents a rapidly evaporating solvent and enables rapid drying of the lacquer during application, and / or silicon dioxide (SiO2) to create a food-safe, carboxylic acid-resistant SiO2 coating on the inside. The solvent-free nature of the lacquer in its dried or cured state enhances its food safety.The varnish's resistance to carboxylic acids permanently prevents contact between the metal and the acidic condensate. According to an advantageous embodiment, the coating carrier can be a cloth, in particular a microfiber cloth, or a sponge or a brush. The coating carrier is configured to absorb and retain the coating and release it again upon contact. Furthermore, the coating carrier is dimensioned so that it is easily compressible when pulled through the respective pipe section, thus creating a pre-tensioned seal against the inside, which facilitates the application of the coating to the inside with a thin layer. In the present context, a “configuration” is synonymous with a “design” and / or “setup”, so that the phrase “configured so that” is synonymous with the phrase “designed so that” and / or “set up so that”. According to an advantageous embodiment, the paint carrier can be pulled through the respective pipe section by means of a pulling element. This allows even inaccessible areas of the respective pipe section, which can be designed as a pull, to be reached with the paint carrier in order to apply the paint or coating there as well. According to an advantageous embodiment, the pulling element can be a pull rope, chain, cord, or wire. Accordingly, the pulling element can be easily inserted through the respective pipe section at its leading or first end. The paint carrier can then be attached to the pulling element at its trailing or second end. By pulling on the first end, the paint carrier can then be pulled through the pipe section. At least the second end of the pulling element can be designed such that it can be easily connected to the paint carrier, allowing the paint carrier to be pulled through the pipe section with the aid of the pulling element. For example, the pulling element can have a hook or a clamp at its second end. The varnishing or coating of the inside of each pipe section serves to prevent the formation of verdigris. It is therefore advisable to apply this protective varnish to the inside of the pipe section only when verdigris is no longer present or has already disappeared. In particular, it is conceivable that the inside of each pipe section could be coated or varnished during the manufacturing process of the brass instrument. It is also conceivable that the pipe section might first need to be cleaned or freed of verdigris before being varnished and protected from its recurrence. According to an advantageous embodiment, the inside of the respective pipe section can be cleaned with an acid to remove verdigris before painting or coating. It has been shown that verdigris can be easily removed with an acid. Mechanical removal of the verdigris can be used to assist this process, for example, with a brush. A particularly advantageous configuration is one in which the inside of the respective pipe section is cleaned with both an acid and ultrasound to remove verdigris before painting or coating. For example, it is conceivable that the respective pipe section is placed in an ultrasonic bath, the bath being formed by the acid, which may then be more or less diluted with water. According to an advantageous embodiment, a carboxylic acid other than acetic acid can be used as the acid. An acid consisting exclusively of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen is particularly advantageous. The use of ascorbic acid and ascorbic acid derivatives has proven especially easy to handle. Ascorbic acid is easy to handle and is also suitable for use by laypersons. A brass instrument according to the invention comprises several brass tube sections, at least one of which is detachable and coated or lacquered on its inside with a food-safe lacquer. The brass instrument can be, for example, a trumpet, a horn, a tuba, a trombone, or a euphonium. The lacquer can be selected to create a food-safe coating on the respective tube section, which can also be waterproof and / or water-resistant and / or adherent to metal and / or solvent-free and / or resistant to carboxylic acids. According to an advantageous embodiment, at least one of the lacquer-coated tube sections can form a slide of the brass instrument. As described above, the slides of brass instruments are particularly susceptible to verdigris formation. Lacquering the inside of the slides effectively prevents verdigris formation. The invention further proposes a care set for maintaining a brass instrument comprising several sections of brass tubing, which includes a food-safe lacquer and a lacquer carrier, wherein the lacquer carrier is either impregnatable with the lacquer or already impregnated with the lacquer. Furthermore, the lacquer carrier is configured such that it can be pulled through the respective tubing section for lacquering the inner surface of at least one section. The coating carrier is designed to be flexible and / or elastic, allowing it to be easily compressed enough to be pulled through the pipe section and thereby making continuous contact with the inside of the pipe section in the circumferential direction. The coating carrier can be, for example, a cloth, a sponge, or a brush. It is essential that only soft materials are suitable for the coating carrier to avoid damaging the surface on the inside of the pipe section. The use of a cloth, preferably a microfiber cloth, has proven particularly advantageous. According to an advantageous embodiment, the care set may also include a pulling element configured for pulling the paint carrier through the respective tube section. The pulling element may be a pull rope, chain, cord, or wire. Additionally or alternatively, the care kit may also include an acid and / or an ultrasonic generator for cleaning the respective pipe section before painting to remove verdigris. The acid may be a carboxylic acid other than acetic acid. The acid may consist solely of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. The acid may be ascorbic acid or an ascorbic acid derivative. Further important features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the dependent claims, the drawings and the associated description of the figures based on the drawings. It is understood that the features mentioned above and those to be explained below can be used not only in the combinations specified, but also in other combinations or individually, without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the claims. Components of a higher-level unit, such as a device, apparatus, or arrangement, mentioned above and those to be mentioned below, which are designated separately, can form separate parts or components of this unit or be integral areas or sections of this unit, even if this is depicted differently in the drawings. Preferred embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings and are explained in more detail in the following description, wherein identical reference numerals refer to identical or similar or functionally identical components. Figure 1 shows a simplified side view of a brass instrument, Figure 2 a highly simplified side view of a section of tubing of the brass instrument during varnishing, and Figure 3 a simplified view of a care kit. As shown in Fig. 1, a brass instrument 1, here represented purely as a trumpet, comprises several brass tube sections 2, some of which are designed as slides 3. The brass instrument 1 also has a mouthpiece 4, a bell 5, and several valves 6, which can be operated by keys 7. Furthermore, a finger hook 8 and two water keys 9 are visible. At least the tube sections 2 designed as slides 3 can be detached or removed for cleaning or maintenance of the brass instrument 1. Figure 2 shows a single detachable tube section 2, designed as a slide 3 and separated from the rest of the brass instrument 1. Figure 2 shows the tube section 2 during maintenance. For this purpose, a lacquer carrier 10, which is provided with, and in particular impregnated with, a food-safe lacquer 11, is drawn through the respective tube section 2 at least once. An inner surface 12 of the tube section 2 comes into contact with the lacquer carrier 10, thereby applying a very thin layer of lacquer 11 to the inner surface 12. In this way, the inner surface 12 is coated with the lacquer 11 to create a lacquer 28 or coating 28 on the inner surface 12. The lacquer 11 is advantageously a lacquer 11 that, in its dried or hardened state, is waterproof, water-resistant, adheres to metal, is solvent-free, and resistant to carboxylic acids.Accordingly, the coating 28 is also waterproof, water-resistant, adheres to metal, is solvent-free, and resistant to carboxylic acids. The lacquer 11 can be formed from a synthetic resin. The lacquer 11 is in an uncured or undried state on the lacquer carrier 10, so that it can be applied to the metallic surface on the inside 12 of the respective pipe section 2. After application, the lacquer 11 dries or hardens and forms the desired solvent-free and carboxylic acid-resistant coating 28 on the inside 12 of the metal. In the example shown in Fig. 2, the coating carrier 10 is designed as a cloth 13, preferably a microfiber cloth. Fig. 3 shows, in addition to the cloth 13 configuration, a sponge 14 configuration and a brush 15 configuration, both as examples. The coating carrier 10 is configured to receive the coating 11 and, upon contact with a surface, here the inner surface 12 of the respective tube section 2, transfer it to that surface. Furthermore, the coating carrier 10 is elastic or flexible and, in particular, compressible, so that it can be compressed to pass through the tube section 2 and can be pulled through the respective tube section 2 in its compressed state. The compression of the coating carrier 10 causes it to bear against the inner surface 12 of the tube section 2 with a certain preload, particularly in the circumferential direction, and thus transfer the coating 11 to the inner surface 12.Furthermore, the lacquer carrier 10 is soft or consists of a soft material to avoid damage to the pipe section 2 on the inside 12. Figures 2 and 3 show a pulling element 16, which allows the coating carrier 10 to be pulled through the respective tube section 2. In the examples shown here, the pulling element 16 is configured as a pulling wire 17. In other embodiments, the pulling element 16 can also be designed as a pulling rope, chain, or cord. To pull the coating carrier 10 through the respective tube section 2 using the pulling element 16, a leading or first end 18 of the pulling element 16 is inserted through the tube section 2. The coating carrier 10 is attached to a subsequent or second end 19 of the pulling element 16. By applying a pulling force 20 at the first end 18, indicated by an arrow in Figure 2, the coating carrier 10 can be pulled into and through the tube section 2. The lacquer carrier 10, which was previously soaked with the lacquer 11, can then transfer the lacquer 11 to the inside 12.This coating or painting process can be repeated several times if necessary. While the coating 28 or varnishing 28 of the inner surface 12 of the respective tube section 2 of a new brass instrument 11 can be carried out during manufacturing, this is done during maintenance of used brass instruments 1, ideally only once. It may be necessary to first remove verdigris from the respective tube section 2, which can form on the inner surface 12 during the use of the brass instrument 1. To clean the inner surface 12, particularly of verdigris, the inner surface 12 of the respective tube section 2 can be cleaned with an acid 25, as indicated in Fig. 3, before varnishing or coating. For example, the respective tube section 2 can be immersed in an acid bath, in which it can also be subjected to ultrasound. The ultrasonic treatment of the tube section 2 in the acid bath dissolves or removes the verdigris.Removes the verdigris from the inside 12. A carboxylic acid other than acetic acid can be used as acid 25. In particular, an acid consisting exclusively of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen can be used. Preferably, ascorbic acid or an ascorbic acid derivative is used as acid 25. The carboxylic acid-resistant lacquer 11 used for painting or coating the inside 12, or the coating 28 produced therewith, is particularly resistant to fruit acids and preferably to acetic acid. After the respective pipe section 2 has been treated, its inner surface 12 has the desired coating 28 or lacquer 28 made of the lacquer 11 with a very thin layer thickness and can be reattached to the brass instrument 1. The brass instrument 1 then has at least one pipe section 2 whose inner surface 12 is coated with the food-safe lacquer 11 and has the food-safe coating 28. Figure 3 shows a care kit 21 comprising at least the food-grade lacquer 11 and at least one lacquer carrier 10. A configuration of the care kit 21 is conceivable in which the lacquer carrier 10 is already impregnated with the lacquer 11. For example, the care kit 21 can then consist of the care carrier 10 already impregnated with the lacquer 11. In particular, the care kit 21 can then comprise several lacquer carriers 10 impregnated with the lacquer 11, preferably in the form of wipes 13. In another configuration, the lacquer 11 can be provided within the care kit 21 in a suitable lacquer container 22. The respective lacquer carrier 10 is then advantageously not yet impregnated with the lacquer 11, which simplifies the handling, storage, and logistics of the care kit 21.As previously explained, each coating carrier 10 is configured to be impregnated with the coating 11 and to be pulled through the respective tube section 2 for coating the inside 12 of the respective tube section 2. Accordingly, the coating carrier 10 possesses the necessary deformability, elasticity, and flexibility. The maintenance set 21 can also be equipped with the pulling element 16, which allows the respective coating carrier 10 to be pulled through the respective tube section 2. Advantageously, the pulling element 16 and the respective coating carrier 10 can be configured so that they can be easily attached to one another. For example, the respective coating carrier 10 can have a tab 23 or eyelet 23 as shown in Fig. 3, while a hook 24 matching the respective tab 23 or eyelet 23 can be formed at the second end 19 of the pulling element 16.Furthermore, the care set 21 can include the acid 25 mentioned above, preferably in a suitable acid container 26. The care set 21 can also be equipped with an ultrasonic generator 27, which can be used to create an ultrasonic bath for the respective pipe section 2 in the acid 25 in order to clean the remaining pipe section 2, for example, of verdigris.

Claims

Method for the maintenance of a brass instrument (1) comprising several brass tube sections (2), in which at least one of the tube sections (2) is coated on its inside (12) with a food-safe lacquer (11) by drawing a lacquer carrier (10) soaked with the lacquer (11) at least once through the respective tube section (2). Method according to claim 1, characterized in that a solvent-free, carboxylic acid-resistant lacquer (11) that adheres to metal is used as the lacquer (11). Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the paint carrier (10) is a cloth (13) or a sponge (14) or a brush (15). Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the paint carrier (10) is pulled through the respective tube section (2) by means of a pulling element (16). Method according to claim 4, characterized in that the pulling element (16) is a pulling rope or a pulling chain or a pulling cord or a pulling wire (17). Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the inside (12) of the respective tube section (2) is cleaned before painting by means of an acid (25) to remove verdigris. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the inside (12) of the respective pipe section (2) is cleaned before painting by means of an acid (25) and by means of ultrasound to remove verdigris. Method according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that a carboxylic acid other than acetic acid is used as the acid (25). Method according to claim 8, characterized in that the acid (25) consists exclusively of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. Method according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that ascorbic acid or an ascorbic acid derivative is used as the acid (25). Brass instrument (1),- with several tube sections (2) made of brass,- wherein at least one of the tube sections (2) is coated on its inside (12) with a food-safe lacquer (11). Brass instrument (1) according to claim 11, characterized in that at least one of the tube sections (2) coated with the lacquer (11) forms a section (3) of the brass instrument (1). Care set (21) for the care of a brass instrument (1) comprising several brass tube sections (2),- with a food-safe lacquer (11),- with at least one lacquer carrier (10) which is impregnatable or impregnated with the lacquer (11) and which is configured to be pulled through the respective tube section (2) for lacquering an inside (12) of at least one tube section (2). Care set (21) according to claim 13, characterized in that the care set (21) also has a pulling element (16) configured to pull the paint carrier (10) through the respective tube section (2). Care set according to claim 13 or 14, characterized in that the care set (21) also includes an acid (25) and / or an ultrasonic generator (27) for cleaning the respective pipe section (2) before painting.

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