US978043A - Music-leaf turner. - Google Patents

Description

P. G. LINDSAY.

MUSIG LEAF TURNFRa APPLICATION rum) 223.23, 1910.

978,043. Patented Dec.6,1910.

I: PITIRS c0, vusmncrcu, n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT oEEioE.

FRANKLIN G. LINDSAY, OF SCOTTDALE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO ISAAC F. OVERHOLT AND ONE-THIRD T -WILLIAM F. MORRISON, BOTH OF MOUNT PLEASANT, PENNSYLVANIA.

MUSIC-LEAF TURNER.

Application filed February 23, 1910.

Specification of Letters Patent.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANKLIN G. LIND- SAY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Scottdale, in the county of \Vestmoreland and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Music-Leaf Turners of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to supports for sheet music, and especially that type of such devices which are adapted to facilitate the turning of the music with the least expenditure of labor and time during the rendition of the selection.

The invention consists of certain specific novel features of construction hereinafter fully described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of the device; Fig. 2 is a top plan of the same, certain parts being in slightly different positions from those indicated in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional detail substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a transverse detail taken substantially on the line 4e-4 of Fig. 5, and Fig. 5 is a vertical tion on the line 55 of Fig. 4:.

'lhroughout the following description. and on the several figures of the drawings similar parts are referred to by like reference characters.

At is indicated a main frame, which may be of any desired size or configurationand which may be made of any suitable material consistent with the purposes in view. Said frame is designed primarily to rest loosely upon the usual music ledge of a piano or a similar musical instrument and to slightly incline against the front panel. thereof. It is to be understood however in this connection that the frame may constitute the main portion of an ordinary music rack or that it may be so arranged as to rest upon any other form of music support now in use. As herein illustrated the frame includes a forwardly extending ledge 11 upon which the stationary portions of leaves of the music may rest in a manner quite similar to the usual ledge or support of a piano. Any leaf or leaves of the music intended not to be turned may if desired be secured in place by means of spring clips 12 connected to the frame. The frame preferably is made large enough to receive sheet music of the maximum size and of course will then accommodate sheets of small size as Well.

A vertical rock shaft 13 is mounted substantially central of the frame and journalod in the upper and lower bars 10 and 10 of the frame. Mounted upon the upper end of the rock shaft are a pair of leaf supports. One of said supports includes an arm 14: adjustably connected to the upper end of the shaft by means of a clamp 15 and carrying adjustably near its outer end a snap 16. The snap is connected to a slotted arm 16 which is adjustable vertically with respect to the arm 14 by means of a set screw 17, while the slotted arm is adjustable along the arm 14 by means of a clamp 18 to which the set screw 17 is connected. The other music support consists of a short arm 19 having at its outer end a spring snap 20 and connected at its inner end to the rock shaft 13 in a peculiar manner as will be hereinafter fully described. A spool 21 is secured to the rock shaft 13 at any desired elevation by means of a set screw 21 which is seated below the surface of the spool. The arm 19 is split and is clamped around the surface of the spool 21 frictionally by means of a screw 19. hen the desired position has been determined for the arm 19 the spool will be securely clamped to the rock shaft so as to always turn therewith, but the frictional grip of the arm 19 upon the spool by virtue of the screw 19 will be such that the spool may turn independently of said arm under certain conditions.

Any suitable mechanism may be employed for rotating the rock shaft 13 and the leaf supporting devices carried thereby. As shown however the said rock shaft is provided near its lower end with a small pinion 22 with which meshes an arc-shaped rack 23 rigidly connected to a lever 24, said rack and lever being pivoted at 2st upon a bracket- 25 carried by the main frame. The lever 2 1 is of the first class and is adapted to be pushed by the thumb or finger of the performer applied to either end thereof and when swung in this way upon the pivot 2d the rack 23 will rotate the shaft 13 through approximately 180, swinging the arm 14 from one side of the frame to the other, and when thus swung the parts will remain stationary until the lever 24 is operated in a reverse direction by application of the thumb or finger to its other end.

The operation of the device is substantially as follows: A. sheet of music to be turned is fastened to the snaps 1G and 20, the inner edge of the sheet coinciding substantially with the central line of the frame. The sheet thus connected to the movable parts will ordinarily be at the right side of the frame at the beginning of the performance and the left end of the lever 21 will be substantially against the frame. llpon pressing the right end of the lever 2-1 the music will. be swung over upon the left side of the frame, such movement requiring a very slight pressure upon the lever and yet" being accomplished quickly and without any danger of disturbing the music. From the location of the rock shaft 13 with respect to the frame it will be observed that the short arm 19 will swing through a shorter arc than will the arm l t and its snap 16. The arm 19 or its snap 20 is intended to strike against the upper bar 10 of the frame or a plate 10 thereon shortly before the arm 1% completes its movement. The primary purpose for this construction is for the arm 19 and its peculiar frictional coir nection with the rock shaft 13 to constitute a buffer or checking means to check the impact of the sheet of music and the heavier and longer arm l-l against the frame or the instrument upon which the frame is resting. As noted in Fig. 2 the arm ll is presumed to be swinging in the direction indicated by the arrow and the arm 19 has practically reached the end of its throw and is about to strike the plate 10. The degree of friction between the arm 19 and the spool 21 will of course be determined in accordance with the personality of the performer and will be varied according to the amount of force employed in operating the lever 2t. A further advantage of the peculiar relationship between the music holders 14 and 19 and the means for swinging them is that, as above set forth, the support 19 carries with it the inner edge of the sheet in a plane in advance of the plane of the longer support 11-, whereby less resistance to the air is set up against the sheet of music tending to cause it to bag.

The entire device is intended to be constructed of such materials or colors as will harmonize with the instrument upon which it is to be used. The rear and lower portions of the frame which are likely to come into contact with the polished surface of the piano should be provided with strips of baize or felt 2G to prevent marring of the piano.

I claim 1. In a device of the character set forth, the combination of a main frame, an upright rock shaft journaled therein, music holders adjustably connected to the upper end of said rock shaft for the support of a single sheet of music, means to rotate the rock shaft to swing the music, one of said holders being shorter than the other and movable in a plane in advance of the longer holder, and means associated with the shorter holder to control the swinging movement thereof.

2. In a device of the character set forth, the combination of a stationary frame, a rock shaft journaled in the upper and lower portions thereof, an arm clamped to the upper end of said rock shaft, a music holding snap adjustable vertically and longitudinally along said arm, another arm connected to the rock shaft, a second music holding snap connected to the latter arm, the latter arm being movably held on the rock shaft by friction and controlled in its relation to the shaftby engagement with said frame, and means to rotate the rock shaft.

3. In a device of the character set forth, the combination of a frame having upper and lower horizontal bars, a rock shaft journaled in said bars, means connected to the lower bar for rotating said rock shaft, a spool clamped to the rock shaft above the upper bar, an arm frictionally connected to said spool and adapted to impinge against the said upper bar, and a second arm connected to the rock shaft and adapted to swing therewith through a greater angle than the first mentioned arm, both of said arms cooperating to support a single music sheet.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANKLIN G. LINDSAY.

\Vitnesses Gr. L. BEELER, HUGH M. STERLING.

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