US1516983A - Device for turning over the leaves of music - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 25 1924- 1,516,983

E. PERKINS DEVICE FOR TURNING OVER THE LEAVES OF MUSIC Filed Jan. l,920 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 VI h '1 1 1 1 v-Orb w I -4 4 w Nov. 25, 1924. 1,516,983

E. PERKINS DEVICE FOR TURNING OVER THE LEAVES OF MUSIC Filed Jan. 5. 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 25, 1924.

UNITED STATES ELIJ'AH PERKINS, OF MANCHESTER, ENGLAND.

DEVICE FOR TURNING OVER THE LEAVES OF MUSIC.

Application filed January 5, 1920. Serial No. 349,533.

T 0 all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, ELIJAH PERKINS, subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, and resident of Manchester, in the county of Lancaster, England, have invented an Improved Device for Turning Over the Leaves of Music (for which I have filed an application in Great Brit-ain on Feb. 9, 1916, Patent No. 104,888), of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improved device for turning over the leaves of music, and whilst specially intended for use on pianofortes, organs and the like, it is nevertheless applicable to other situations whence its use would be advantageous.

It has reference to the type of device possessing a number of arms or fingers adapted to be engaged with the leaves of the music sheets, said arms being turned from right to left by various means actuated by the foot or hand of the player as playing proceeds and without the leaves or sheets being directly touched by the hands of the player.

My invention comprises an improved construction and arrangement of the arms to allow of their being readily engaged with or disengaged from the music sheets, improved means for turning said arms from right to left singly, improved means for preventing more than one arm being turned at a time, means for allowing the arms which have been turned to the left to be returned to the right position either singly or collectively, the combination with the improved features referred to of means for actuating the arms from the right to the left position by the action of the feet or hands of the player and improved means for clamping the music sheets at the binding.

My invention will be freely described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which,

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of thedevice.

Fig. 2 plan of same.

Fig. 3 part section of Fig. 1.

Fig. l sectional plan on line 12 of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 5, side elevation partly in section of the means for clamping the music sheets in the centre.

Fig. 6 is a perspective View of the means for operating the turning arms.

WVith the aforesaid objects in view my invention consists of a spindle a secured to a suitably-arranged bracket 1) adapted to be readily fixed to the front of a piano, organ or the like musical instrument.

The spindle a passes into an operating tube or casing g capable of being moved circun'iferentially about the spindle in opposition to a'spring it within the casing, in one direction, and of being retracted by the spring in the opposite direction and likewise of.having axial movement on the spin dle with the spring in one direction. and against the influence of the latter in the opposite direction. Upon the upper end of the spindle a I freely mount between collars i and against each. other any suitable number of bosses 7' each provided with an arm A: extending laterally, the free end of each arm having pivoted to it by a rule or other suitable joint m transversely of the arm Z: an upwardly extending arm n of thin metal or other suitable material to support a sheet or leaf of music. The last named arm when made of fiat material is preferably arranged edgewise to the music sheet at the back of the latter when in the right hand position. I have, however, indicated arms of circular cross section as I find these effective. Each arm n in the arrangement shown in the drawings is formed in two main parts the lower one a being secured to the arm 7c by the rule oint m referred to. This lower arm has two bearings 0 in which arm a may freely slide and between the lower bearing and a block 7) fixed on the lower end of arm n is a spring (1 which always tends to force block 12 against the arm 70 at 9 to exert sufficient friction to hold the arms a and n in any required position about the pivot pin of the joint.

. The upper end of each arm n has formed integrally with or attached to it a short arm 8 extending upwardly so as to leave a slit t to allow of the music sheet being passed between arms a and s, which is done by first pulling the combined arms forward about their pivotal joints, inserting each sheet and pushing each arm back to playing position singly, the sheets resting upon one another with the arms 11. between. The rule joints prevent the arms n being pushed too far back whilst holding them somewhat stifliy against the reverse movement when the arms are moved back from left to right.

The opposite sides of the bosses j of the horizontal arms are provided with project ing heels to except the lowermost one,

To control the movement of the horizontal and vertical arms from right to left and vice versa, the tube or case g is extended upwardly in the form of a half tube n in plan with its open side at the front having at its rear side a circumferential rib 20 adapted to engage in a corresponding groove formed in an axially slidable part ring or half tube g also open at the front side fitting loosely between the rear of the half tube 1} and the inner side of a half tubular extension e in plan, forming part of the supporting bracket 1). The slide ring 3 is prevented from rotating by a projection 2 engaging a vertical slot 3 in the extension The slide ring g is also provided at the left hand front side with an inwardly extending catch 4 at its upper edge to engage successively with each heel u Figs. 2 and 4- on the bosses 7' referred to of arms is. A for ward projection or step 5 at the opposite right hand side on a successively comes in contact with the rear side of each horizontal arm I), the catch and projection 5 allowing only one arm 71' to be turned from right to left at a time. The extension 02 of ring 1) bears against the underside of each arm successively.

The tubular casing g and half tube n which are connected together effect the turning of music sheet arms a as required. Normally, the tube g is held in the lowest position axially with the internal spring 12, compressed, by a catch 6 engaging a part 7 of the fixed bracket 6 in which position the music arms a can be turned freely from right to left singly or collectively or vice versa, and forwardly or rearwarly whilst arranging the music sheets in the arms. On the other hand, to operate the arms a singly from right to left the catch 6 is disengaged by slightly turning the tube 5 to the left, which then brings the forward projection or step 5 on the tube 1: behind the lowermost horizontal arm 71-: and the catch t on ring 9/ in opposition to the heel of the second arm I: leaving the first arm free to be turned. It also brings the extension '0" of the half tube o against the underside of the lower arm Z: referred to. These actions are carried out by the extension and retraction of the spring It. By now rotat ing the tube 9 from right to left the first arm and sheet are turned, the second arm and sheet being held from turning by the catch 4 and heel it. When the first arm is is completely over to the left the tube 9 is retracted by the spring and the parts are put in position for operating the second arm and so on throughout the series required to be actuated. Vhen the whole of the required arms, to any number, have been operated they may be returned freely from left to right by sliding the tube back axially to normal position ready for action again.

vAfter each arm n has been moved from right to left it is held in position and prevented returning for the time being by a projecting arm 11, connected to the ring 2 rising with such ring successively in front of the arms is. This projection is moved to its lowermost position along with the tube 9 away from arms 7.: to enable the arms a to be returned freely to the right.

The tube 9 may be rotated in the forward direction each time an arm n is to be moved by means of a cord 9 attached to and passing round the tube, such cord. being led over guide pulleys such as g to an actuating pedal near the usual pedals of the piano.

The bracket Z) previously referred to comprises a base Z1 and an inverted hollow flanged plate 6 both being clamped to the usual music rest 0 or to a special rest fixed to the front of the piano by a screw o A further feature of my invention comprises means for clamping the music sheets at their binding. This is effected by means of a hollow vertical arm 8 fixed to the plate o by screws 6 In front of this plate is a wire arm 9 whose lower end is firmly fixed in a block 10 slidable between the inner faces of the base b and plate 2/11. The arm 9 passes through a slot 12 in the latter and is normally pressed towards the arm 8 by a spring 13 coiled round a fixed pin 14-, such spring having one arm 15 bearing against the flange of plate 6 and a second arm. 16 passing into a slot 17 in the block 10. The spring is so arranged that the arm 15 presses the block 10 and causes arm 9 to hold the music sheets between itself and arm 8 securely holding them. To enable the music sheets to be placed between or be removed from the arms 8 and 9 the block ll) is provided with a stem 18 and knob 19 by which it can be pulled forward against the influence of the spring.

lVhat I claim and desire to Letters Patent is 1. In a music leaf turner a stationary supporting bracket provided with a vertical spindle, an operating tube mounted to move longitudinally and circumferentially on the said spindle, a single helical spring arranged between the said spindle and tube and operating to move the tube in one direction both longitudinally and circumferentially, a series of arms for engaging the sheets of music pivoted on the upper part of the spindle between the said tube and bracket, the upper arms of the series being each provided with a projection, a vertically slidable ring guided by the said bracket and provided with a retaining catch projecting over secure by guide and holding a sheet of music against the first said turning member, and a spring pressing the lower end of the second turning member downwardly against a portion of the said turning arm.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

ELIJAH PERKINS. Witnesses l/VlLLIAM H. TAYLOR, MARGARET E. RAMSBOTTOM.

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