A NEW MECHANICAL APPLIANCE FOR TURNING THE LEAVES OF MUSIC, BEING APPLICABLE TO ALL KINDS OF MUSIC STANDS, WHETHER FOR PIANOS OR OTHERWISE.
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Louis Antoine Valette, 24, Faubourg Poissonnière,
Paris (France), for the Invention of "A NEW MECHANICAL APPLIANCE
FOR TURNING THE LEAVES OF MUSIC, BEING APPLICABLE TO ALL KINDS OF
MUSIC STANDS, WHETHER FOR PIANOS OR OTHERWISE.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Louis Antoine Valette
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,*
on the 30th June 1875.
"
'
I, LOUIS ANTOINE VALETTE, 24, Faubourg Poissonnière, Paris,
(France), do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "A
NEW MECHANICAL APPLIANCE FOR TURNING THE LEAVES OF MUSIC, BEING APPLI-
CABLE TO ALL KINDS OF MUSIC STANDS, WHETHER FOR PIANOS OR OTHERWISE," to be
as follows:-
This novel mechanical leaf turner for turning the leaves of music is
applicable to all the ordinary kinds of music stands or desks in lieu

page_text: of the wooden rest upon which the partitions, sheets, or books of music
are placed. It is composed of a rectangular box of any suitable metal
veneered with wood similar to that of the piano to which it is applied.
The top of this rectangular box forms shelf, and is pierced with six
openings or longitudinal slots for the passage of six metallic rods or
plates which they separate and guide. These rods or plates forming
dividers and turners are laid beforehand between each leaf of music;
they are about eight inches long, and are set upon a jointed foot notched
on one side to receive a small catch lever, and with the heel or opposite
side in connection with a spring barrel by means of a small flat steel
spring.
When pressure is brought on to the lever by means of a special nut
carried by a helical screw, to which is attached a catgut or chain fixed
at the other end to a pedal placed between the two ordinary pedals
(if for a piano), the catch at the end of the lever leaves the notch
in the foot of the turner, which then escaping is drawn towards
the barrel by means of the spring within it winding spirally round its
shaft. The turning rod or plate being drawn perpendicularly from
right to left brings with it the leaf of music behind which it was placed.
In this movement a small inner longitudinal iron or steel shaft furnished
with small copper leaf rests or hammers of a particular shape turns on
its axis, and the leaf rests or hammers part to give passage to the leaf
of music carried along by the turner. This turner having reached the
end of its journey the shaft which carries the leaf rests or hammer
comes back to its place, actuated by springs, and the hammers again
press upon the music or partition.
The movement is repeated in the same manner for the six plates or
turners, which are independent of each other, and each furnished with
a catch lever and a spring; this movement being always operated by
pressure of the foot upon the third pedal, causing the special nut to
press upon the catch levers.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Louis Antoine Valette in the Great Scal Patent
Office on the 29th December 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, LOUIS
ANTOINE VALETTE, 24, Faubourg Poissonnière, Paris, (France), send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of June, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the thirty-
ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Louis Antoine Valette, Her special
licence that I, the said Louis Antoine Valette, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Louis Antoine Valette,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with
and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during
the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "A
NEW MECHANICAL APPLIANCE FOR TURNING THE LEAVES OF MUSIC, BEING APPLI-
CABLE TO ALL KINDS OF MUSIC STANDS, WHETHER FOR PIANOS OR OTHERWISE," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Louis Antoine Valette, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Louis Antoine Valette, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement, reference being had to the accom-
panying Sheet of Drawing, and to the figures and letters of reference
marked thereon :-
The mechanical leaf turner, the subject of my Invention, is applicable
to all the ordinary kinds of music stands or desks, whether for pianos
or other musical instruments, or the orchestra, in lieu of the ordinary

page_text: shelf upon which the partitions, sheets, or books of music are placed.
It is composed of a small rectangular box of the length of the ordinary
shelf or stand, and may be covered with a veneer of wood similar to
that of the piano. The top of this box is pierced with six or more
longitudinal openings or slots for the passage of the rods, plates, or
dividers L which turn the leaves; it has also an inner rod A carrying
the copper leaf rests, leaf holders, or hammers F.
The leaf turning apparatus shown on the accompanying Sheet of
Drawing is composed of only six plates or leaf turners L made of any
suitable metal, and jointed at their lower end by a riveting, forming a
hinge at to permit them to be closed, as shown, Fig. 4, which is the
form of leaf turner to which I give preference. These leaf turners L
are about 8 inches in length, and have an independent foot P, a
small shoulder m which prevents their leaving the inner longitudinal
grooves in which they slide. To the heel of this foot piece is fixed at m
a small steel band spring, the other end of which is fixed in a spring
barrel B where it winds round the arbor a.
Each leaf turner is provided with its spring and independent spring
barrel B, as shown, Fig. 2. These spring barrels are all carried on the
same spindle or arbor a, and are placed at the left end of the stand,
that is to say, the side to which the sheets are turned. The foot P
has on its other face a notch H intended to receive a small catch T on
the end of the lever D which pivots at i, as may be seen at Fig. 3. A
nut E with wings o of a particular form (see Fig. 6) carried by the
helical screw V serves to bring pressure upon the end of the lever D,
which then takes the position shewn in red, T', D'; the leaf turner L
being then no longer held by the catch T is drawn forward by the
spring X, which immediately winds spirally in its barrel B and takes
the position L' (shewn in red, Fig. 3).
The lower rod A carrying the leaf holders or hammers F is carried
in bearings formed by holes in the partitions or inner supports C, C,
and at each end of the box. The axles of this rod A are held in
position as shewn at Fig. 3; that is to say, with the leaf holders or
hammers against the music by means of the small spring barrels d, d,
d³, d³, which have a spring suitably arranged for the purpose.
When it is desired to arrest these leaf holders or hammers during a
certain time it is done by means of a longitudinal slide bolt set for this

page_text: purpose within the box and near the rod A similar to those of a
"boîte de compas," and working like them.
The spring barrels d, d, are provided with a small endless chain
carrying a spindle f, upon which rests and presses the helical screw V,
the other end of which is carried by another barrel b, also having an
inner spring which permits its shifting, but always brings it back to its
normal position. 26 is a small wheel carrying a cam to keep the helical
screw V from turning when being wound up like a watch by means
of a knob or handle fitting on to the square end c to bring back the
wing nut E into the position shown, Fig. 2, that is to say, at the
beginning of the screw V, and bearing on the first lever D corresponding
with the first leaf turner L.
Around a groove or recess at each end of the screw V outside the
screw thread is a small chain, the ends of which unite through holes
made in the box for this purpose. I connect this small chain by means
of a cord of catgut or otherwise, with a pedal placed (assuming the
apparatus is applied to a piano) between the two other pedals, a hole
for the passage of this cord having first been pierced in the finger
board between the 47th and 48th key corresponding with the axis of the
pedal.
When my improved leaf turning apparatus is required to work the
leaf turners L are brought near the helical screw V, where they are
arrested and held in position by the small catch levers D; they are then
placed between each leaf of the partition or piece of music laid on the
lid G of the longitudinal box enclosing the apparatus and forming shelf
or desk for the music. To facilitate this preliminary operation the leaf
holders or hammers F are kept back by a longitudinal slide bolt suitably
placed for this purpose within the box and near the rod or bar A
which carries the leaf holders or hammers F. The placing of the leaf
turners between the sheets being completed the slide bolt is drawn and
the leaf holders or hammers, actuated by the spring barrels fixed to
the rod A, immediately come and press against the sheet of music.
Pressure upon the pedal lowers the helical screw V, the wing nut E
of which then presses on the end of the first lever D, causing it to
pivot at, thereby permitting the escape of the foot P carrying the
first leaf turner L, which drawn forward by the winding of its spring X
around the arbor a in the first barrel B carries with it the first sheet

page_text: before described, to form a leaf turner applicable to all kinds of music
stands whether for pianos or otherwise.
In witness whereof, I, the said Louis Antoine Valette, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of December,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
five.
Witness,
ED. D'AUBRÉVILLE,
Ingénieur Civil.
VALETTE. (L.S.)