US811993A

US811993A - Music-leaf turner.

Info

Publication number: US811993A
Application number: US25188905A
Authority: US
Inventors: Joseph Bahl; Joseph Christian Bahl
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1905-03-24
Filing date: 1905-03-24
Publication date: 1906-02-06
Anticipated expiration: 1923-02-06

Description

No. 811,993. PATENTED FEB. 6, 1906.

- J. & J. G. BAHL.

MUSIC LEAF TURNER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 24, 1905.

0% "1? 3% l 036 a 0 A! I]? 52) IO 5 z 7 I I I 0 I I 6 f mums 1;

H65 28 FIG] PATENTED FEB. 6, 1906.

J. & J. C. BAHL. MUSIC LEAF TURNER.

nrmourmn FILED run. 24, 1905.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

PATENTED FEB. 6, 1906.

J. & J. G. BAHL.

MUSIC LEAF TURNER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR24,1905.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Q7;%f iyhm Mr.

PATENTED FEB. 6, 1906.

J. & J. c. BAHLQ MUSIC LEAF TURNER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.24, 1905.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4 lViZ'Taemse: 1 9 %/@2/ v 3M6 m f al/wg M MW PATENTED FEB. 6, 1906. J. & J. G. BAHL.

MUSIC LEAF TURNER. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 24, 1905.

5 SHEETS-433E! 5.

" UNITED sTA Es PATENT ()FFIOE.

MUSIC-LEAF TURNER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 6, 1906.

Application filed March 24, 1905. Serial No. 251,889.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, J OSEPH BAHL and J os- EPH CHRISTIAN BAHL, citizens of the United States, and residents of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented an Improvement in Pianos and Or ans a Music-Leaf Turnerof which the fo lowing, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification.

Our invention is an apparatus for automatically turning the leaves of music. The musicleaf-turning mechanismbeing mounted on the front board of pianos and organs, the leaves of music are turned over by means of spring-actuated flat metal arms, all of which are secured to circular cups pivoted on a sin gle axle, said arms being successively released by means of an escapement which is operated by means of a finger-lever or a pneumatic releasing device, whichever is the most conven ient to the player, the escapement being provided with both releasing means, and is carried out as follows, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a front view of the music-leafturning mechanism. Fig. 2 is a to view of the same. Fig. 3 is a side view a clasp. Fig. 4is a side view of a hinged tooth in normal osition. Fig. 5 is a side view of a hingetoot bent to the rear. Fig. 6 is a front view of a finger-lever. same. Fi 8 is a rear view of the ratchetwheel of tie escapement and part of the levers with their awls. Fig. 9 is a front perspective view 0 the vise. Fig. 10 is a front perspective view of a circular cup containing a spring. Fig. 11 is a three-quarter view of the bellows and pedal. Fig. 12 is a threeuarter view of an equivalent escapement, t 1e first tooth being in normal position. Fig. 13 is the same, the first tooth being bent to the rear. Fig. 14 is a three-quarter view of an equivalent escapement. Fig. 15 is a threequarter view of an equivalent escapement. Fig. 16 is a front view of the arms when they are on the left side of the front board, showing the arrangement by which the arms disappear behind same. Fig. 17 is a top view of the same. Fig. 18 is a part of the front board of a piano or a piano-case organ, showing the arrangement 0 the various parts of the music-leaf turner with the exception of the bellows mounted thereon. Fig. 19 is the same, but showing a different disappearing arrangement. Fig. 20 is a front perspective view of Fig. 7 is a side view of the the rack portion of an organ, showing, with the exception of the bellows, the arrangement of the various parts of the music-leaf turner mounted thereon. Fig. 21 is the front board of a piano or a piano-case organ, showing the arrangement 0 the various parts of the music-leaf turner, with the exception of the bellows, mounted in a sunken panel. Said front board is only partly shown.

Similar letters and numerals refer to similar parts wherever they occur in the different parts of the drawings.

The complete music-leaf turner consists of the music-leaf-turning mechanism A, the vise B, the finger-lever C, the bellows D, and the flexible tube E.

As the preferred form, the music-1eaf-turning mechanism A is mounted on the rear face of the front boards of pianos and organs, the leaf-turning arms 1 rojecting in front of the front face of said ront boards by passing through a slit thereon. Said music-leaf-turning mechanism consists of a plurality of flat metal music-leaf-turning arms 1, the outer ends of which terminate in spring-pressed clasps 2. Their inner ends are secured to circular cups 3, each arm being securedtoa cup. Said cups 3 .are all perforated in the center, through which passes the axle 4. All

the cups are pivoted on this axle 4. Inside of said cups are the coiled springs 5, which throw the arms 1 a half-revolution from the right to the left, one spring being in each cup. One end of said springs is fastened to the vertical groove 64 on the axle 4 and the other end is fastened to the inner walls of their respective cups. strengthening and wea ening the tension of the springs 5 within the cups 3, the axle 4 has fastened to it a ratchet-wheel 21, and a pawl To rovide' a means of' 22, engaging the teeth of said ratchetwheel,

is pivoted on the base-plate 23 of the case 15. Said pawl is yieldingly held against the teeth of said ratchet-wheel by the spring 24. To increase the tension of said springs 5, the axlev 4 is turned to the right. The arms 1 being held in check by the escapement 1 1 prevent the 'cups 3 from revolving, to whose inner walls one end of said springs is fastened, while the axle 4, to which the other ends are fastened, Winds up said springs. To weaken the tension of said springs, the awl 22 is disengaged from the said ratchet-w eel 21. This causes the axle 4 to revolve to the left, thus unwinding the said springs. The leaves of music are secured to the leaf-turning arms 1 by means of the clasps 2, consisting of two jaws 6 and 7. The jaw 6 is a continuation of the arm. The aw 7 is pivotally secured to the jaw 6 by the pin 8. Said pin supports the spring 9, which presses the two jaws together at their lower ends. The jaw 7 is provided with a loop 10 at its upper end, which extends a little higher than the jaw 6. When the aw 6 of the first arm and the jaw 7 of the last arm are pressed together by the player, the jaws 7 of all the clasps come in contact at their looped ends 10 and cause all the clasps to simultaneously open. In this way the leaves of music are simultaneously released from the clasps 2 when through with them. The inner surfaces of the jaws 6 and 7 are roughened by cross-lines. This prevents the leaves of music slipping out. The arms 1 are held on the right side of the front board of piano or organ against the tension of their springs 5 by the escapement 11. Said escapement successively releases said arms and consists of a shaft12, pivoted at 13 and 14 on the walls of the casing 15. Said shaft has mounted thereon a plurality of hinge-constructed teeth 16, said teeth projecting from said shaft in different directions and are situated in back of each other, so arranged that when the shaft 12 is partially revolved to the right the first tooth is removed from in front of the first arm, thus releasing same. Said partial revolving movement'causes the tooth immediately behind the first tooth to come in front of the second arm, thus holding in check all the rest of the arms. Another partial revolution in the same direction removes the second tooth from in front of the second arm, releasing same, and the tooth immediately behind the second tooth comes in front of the third arm, these partial revolutions being continued until the last tooth releases the last arm. The mo'veinent'which removes the last tooth from in front of the last arm does not replace it by another tooth. Another partial revolution completes one revolution of'the escapement and causes the first tooth to again project in the path of said arms 1. Said teeth 16 are all of hinge construction', consisting of two parts 17 and 18, which are pivotally connected by the pin 19. A spring 20, one end of which is secured to the part 17 and the other end to the part 18, normally holds said part 17 extended. When the pressure occasioned by returning all or one or twoof the arms, as the case may be, is brought to bear on any one of the teeth 16 which happen to project in the path of said arms, the part 17 yields to the rear, tensioning the springs 20. In this way the arms are brought within the escapement without the teeth 16 interfering. The part 17 yielding to the rear allows all arms to pass within the escapement. After the arms have passed the part 17 resumes its normal position, and

thus prevents the arms turning to the left until released, as described above.

The successive partial revolving of the es capement 11, and thereby successively releasing the arms 1, is brought about by means of the finger-lever C or the pneumatic releasing device consisting of the bellows D, the flexible tube E, the metal tube 25, and the metal cap therefor 26, which fits over the tube 25. The finger-lever C is situated on the lower part of the front board of pianos and organs and is pivoted on a pin 28, the rear end 29 having connection with the rod 30. The front end 31 is the part upon which the player presses to release an arm. A spring 32 is tensioned whenever the part 31 is depressed and causes said part to regain its normal position. Vhen the pressure thereon is released, the rod 30 connects the finger-lever C to the lever 33, which is pivotallysecured to the shaft 12 on the one end and the other end makes the connection with the rod 30 by means of the slit 34. The player pressing on the part31 of the finger-lever Cthe part 29 is raised. This motion being imparted to the rod 30 causes an upward motion of the lever 33. Said lever 33 has pivoted thereon a pawl 37, which engages a ratchet-wheel 38, secured to the shaft 12 of the escapement 11. A spring 39 yieldingly holds the pawl 37 against the teeth of said ratchet-wheel. Said upward motion of the lever 33 causes the pawl 37 to partially revolve the escapement. When the pressure on the finger-ler er C is released, the lever 33 falls back in normal position by reason of the spring 40. The pawl 37 thenfalls back onthe following tooth of the ratchet wheel 38. This partial revolution of the escapement 11 releases one arm in the manner above described. The part 31 of the finger-lever C is pivotally secured to the part 29 by the pin 35, and when said finger-lever is not used it is folded upward into a recess the shape of the part 31. The players hands being both occupied, the leaf-turning arms 1 are released by means of thepneumatic releas ing device D E 25 26. A stud 41 on the metal cap 26 travels in the slot 34. Said cap 26 fits over a metal tube 25, and when air is forced in the metal tube 25 from without the cap 26 is lifted and causes an upward movement of the lever 33*. Said lever is provided with a pawl 37, a spring 39 for said pawl, and a spring 40. These parts operate in the same way as the parts of the lever hen an arm is released by means of the finger-lever C, the pneumatic releasing device D E 25 26 remains inactive and the pawl 37 serves to prevent the escapement from turning back in the wrong direction. When the pneumatic releasing device is used, the pawl 37 then serves this purpose, the lever 33 remaining inactive. The air-pressure is provided by means of a bellows D, operated by a pedal 42, which is situated at the lowerpart of the piano or organ next to the soft, loud, and other pedals now in use. The flexible tube E connects the bellows D with the metal tube 25. It being flexible, allows the free movement of the front board. The bellows D consists of an upper and a lower plate, 43 the upper and 44 t e lower. Said plates are pivotally connected b the pin 45, which also serves to secure the ellows to the inner side of the piano or organ case. Aleather portion 46, arranged in folds, is fastened to said

plates

43 and 44, so that the space between them is air-tight, with the exception of the two inlets 47 on the plate 43 and the flexible tube E. Said inlets are provided with flaps 48 on their inner sides, which open inward, caused by suction. When the plate 44 after having been raised by the players foot depressing the pedal 42 again resumes its normal position, the opening of said flaps allows air to pass within the bellows to replenish the exhausted supply of air, the plate 44 again resumes its normal position by reason of the spring 49, which is tensioned. Whenever the pedal 42 is depressed, the air-pressure within the bellows caused bv the upward movement of the plate 44 closes the flaps 48, so that the air is forced up through the flexible tube E, connected to the bellows. It is obvious that the construction and proportion of said bellows can be varied and that the inlets 48 can also be placed on the plate 44.

The vise B is mounted on a support 50, whichis pivotally secured in an openin of the front board, so that when the Inus1c-lea turner is not in use said sup ort 50 is reversed the face upon which t e vise is mounted is turned to the rear of the front board, and the rear face comes to the front. A latch 27 locks said su port 50, so that when in use it remains parallel to the surface of the front board. Said vise B consists of two

jaws

51 and 51, which are separated and closed by means of a thumb-screw 52, on one half of whose shaft the threading is turned opposite to the threading on the other half. This arrangement causes the

jaws

51 and 51" to separate when the thumb-screw 52 is turned in one direction and to close when turned in the opposite direction. The thumb-screw 52 is pivoted on the bearings 53. This vise serves to hold the leaves of music together, as in a bound book, keeps them in the center of the front board, and keeps the leaves of music within reach of the clasps 2. The aw 51 is provided with an indentation 54 and the jaw 51 with a projection 55, which fits into the indentation 54. The inner surfaces of said jaws are also roughened by cross-lines. The said indentation, projection, and cross-lines cause the leaves of music to be more firmly held.

The arms 1 have each pivotally secured to them a small plate 56, which serves to mark the arms that are to be re-turned whenever a piece of music has a passage which is of the sllding bar 60.

to be repeated. This plate 56 when not in use is in parallel position to the arms 1, and when a piece of music is to be repeated the arm upon which it is secured" is marked, so as face of the front board by removing a slide 58 from in front of an opening 62, which is large enough to admit the clasps 2. The arms 1 are held close to the rear face of the front board by the projection 59 on the inner end Said sliding bar asses through the front board and ends in a handle 61. To cause the arms 1 to project in front of the front board, the sliding bar 60 is pulled out, bringing the said arms with it, as the dotted lines show. moved over the opening 62, and thus prevents the said arms returning to the inside. A flap covers up the long slit 62 when the musicleaf turner is not in use and is secured by hinges to the front board above said. slit. The said flap is swung upward when it is desired touse the music-leaf turner.

An equivalent escapement, Figs. 12 and 13,

consists of a shaft 66, having two teeth 67 and 68 situated on the front end thereof. The tooth 67 is situated a short distance to the rear of the tooth 68, said'teeth projecting from said shaft, so tion the tooth 68 projects in the path of the leaf-turning arms and the tooth 67 projects just outside of the path of said arms, so that when the shaft 66 is partially revolved the tooth 68 is removed from the path of the first arm, thus releasing same. The tooth 67 with the same movement comes in front of the second arm'before the first arm is released, thus holding all the following arms in check. As the shaft 66 again revolves back to its normal position, the tooth 67 is removed from in that in normal posifront of the second arm, while the same move.

ment causes the tooth 68 to again project in the path of the remaining arms and prevents ayer desires to turn them turning until the p v The tooth 68 is it being pivoted on a over the next leaf of music. of hinge construction,

in 69, and bends to the rear when pressure is brought to bear upon it from the front. This allows the arms to be readjusted for operation in the manner described of the escapement 11. The tooth 68 .is normally held extended by the spring 70, which is tensioned when the said tooth is bent to the rear. Said escapement is operated by the same means as the escapement 11. The sipring-retracted

levers

93 and 93 are fastene to the escapement.

apart. When not in use, the arms. 1 are l a lowed to entirely disappear from the front The slide 58 is then i IIO Another equivalent escapement, Fig. 14, consists of a plurality of tooth-carrying members 71, pivoted on an axle 72, and a successive depressing device 74. Each tooth-carrying member has pivotally secured to it one of the teeth 73. Said teeth normally project downward from their tooth-carrying members, but yield to the rear when pressure is brought to bear upon them from the front for the purpose given in the description of the teeth 16 in the above. The one end of the springs 75, one on each tooth, is tensioned when the teeth 73 are bent to the rear and cause them to resume their normal positions. A projection 76, one on each tooth, prevents their respective teeth from bending to the front. The other ends of the springs are coiled in circular recesses 77, one on each tooth-carrying member, and are fastened to a groove 78 on the axle 72. These other ends of the springs normally hold the toothcarrying members 71 in a slightly-upward position at approximately fifteen degrees from horizontal. The successive depressing device 74 consists of a shaft 79, having mounted thereon a plurality of projections 80, one of them for each tooth-carrying member. Said depressing device 74 revolves in the same way as the escapement 11 and is caused by the same means. These projections successively come in contact with their respective tooth-carrying members and cause same to be depressed, so that the teeth 73 successively project in the path of the leafturning arms. The coiled ends of the springs 75 inthe circular depressions 77 cause their respective tooth-carrying members to regain their normal positions when the respective projections 80 have revolved so far as to cease being in contact with said tooth-carrying members. A tooth-carrying member regaining its normal position in this manner removes itsrespective tooth from in front of the arm it held and the said arm is then released.

The equivalent escapement, Fig. 15, consists of a plurality of tooth-carrying members 81, each carrying. a pivotally-mounted tooth 82. Said tooth-carrying members are pivoted on an axle 83 and are normally held downward in approximately fifteen degrees from vertical by the upper part of the coiled springs 84, which are contained in the circular recesses 85 of the said tooth-carrying members. The upper ends of the springs 84 are fastened to the axle 83 in the groove 86. The other ends of the said springs are secured to the teeth 82 and normally keep them projecting downward. Said teeth are adapted to bend to the rear, for the same purpose as the teeth 16 of the escapement 11. Said tooth-carrying members 81 are successively deflected from their normal positions and cause the teeth 82 to successively project in the path of the arms by the deflecting device 87, constructed and operated the same as the depressing device 74 of the escapement, Fig. 14.

In the music-leaf turner, Fig. 19, the music-leaf-turning mechanism A is mounted upon the front face of a pivotally-mounted panel 88 in an opening on the front board of pianos and organs. The vise B and the finger-lever C are also mounted on the said panel 88. The finger-lever C is not provided with the recess 36, as is the finger-lever C. It is unnecessary here. The flexible tube E is connected to a metal tube 89. Said metal tube fits over the end of a metal tube 90, which is connected to the metal tube 25 of the music-leaf-turning mechanism A, and also serves as a point of ivot for the panel 88. In this way the bel ows D always has communication with the metal tube 25 of the music-leaf-turning mechanism A regardless of the position of the panel 88 in relation to the front board. The panel 88 is shown partly reversed. The tube 90 and the rod 30 are placed inside the thickness of the panel 88, so that its rear face has no projecting parts. When the music-leaf turner is not in use, the panel 88 is reversed, so that its empty rear face comes to the front. The latch 91 serves to hold the panel 88 parallel to the front board.

Themusic-leaf turner, with the exception of the bellows D, is shown mounted on a stationary music-leaf rack of an organ, Fig. 20. The music-leaf-turning mechanism A together with vise B and the finger-lever C are mounted on the front face of the said rack. Said parts operate as already above described.

The music-leaf turner, with the exception of the bellows D, is shown, Fig. 21, mounted in a sunken panel on the front board of a piano or organ. The music-leaf-turning mechanism A together with the vise B and the finger-lever 0 are mounted on the front face of said panel. Two sliding

doors

92 and 92 cover these parts when not in use.

What we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a music-leaf turner, in combination, a series'of independently-swinging arms having means to engage the leaves, and an escapement mechanism comprising a shaft having a series of hinged teeth arranged to engage said arms respectively and to release the same by rotation of the shaft.

2. In a music-leaf turner, in combination, a series of independently-swinging arms having means to engage the leaves, and an escapement mechanism comprising a shaft having thereon a series of hinged teeth projecting from the shaft in different directions and engageable with the arms, and means to turn the shaft intermittently, to release the arms successively.

3. In a music-leaf turner, in combination, a

series of swinging leaf-carrying arms, and an escapement mechanism comprising a shaft having thereon a ratchet and a series of teeth engaging the arms respectively, and a manually-operated pawl engageable with the ratchet to turn the shaft.

4. In a music-leaf turner, in combination, a series of swinging leaf-carrying arms, an es. cagement mechanism having a shaft provi ed with teeth engaging the arms, and pneumatically-actuated means to turn the shaft intermittently, to release the arms successively.

5. The combination with a music-board having a reversible section, of a music-leaf turner 0n the board,'and a music-holding clamp on said reversible section, arranged to hold music-sheets at the fold when they are engaged by the turner.

6. The combination with a music-board having a slot therein, of a music-leaf turner having a series of arms which may be advanced or retracted throu h the slot, and a flap arranged to cover the s ot when the arms are retracted.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 21st day of JOSEPH BAHL. JOSEPH CHRISTIAN BAHL. Witnesses:

AUG. M. PETERSEN, EUGENE BURNITZ.