IMPROVED PORTABLE MUSIC DESK
Year: 1885

page_text: I THOMAS WILLIAM SNAGGE of 14 Courtfield Gardens, South Kensington,
London S.W. Judge of County Courts do hereby declare the nature of my
invention for AN IMPROVED PORTABLE MUSIC DESK to be as follows:-
The desk, when ready for use, is about 16 inches square, and is fitted with a
ledge about 1 inch broad. It is supported upon a telescopic pillar fitting into a
pyramidal foot or pedestal.
The desk is attached to the pillar by an arrangement which admits of the desk
being also used independently, if required, especially as an addition or appendage
to an ordinary violincello-case to which it could be attached instantaneously, the
case itself forming the pedestal.
"
When folded the desk alone with its ledge would fit inside the violincello-case in
an otherwise unoccupied space.
The desk with its foot or pedestal when folded up occupies no more space than
a volume of music, and can be placed in an ordinary music-portfolio.
The pillar may be of any convenient length and diameter. It can be carried in
the portfolio in the same manner as a pencil is carried in a pocket book.
A portfolio measuring about 17 x 9 inches would be a convenient size in which
to carry the desk and its pillar or pedestal in addition to a volume or pile of music
of ordinary size.
A pair of candlesticks can be added without increasing the stowage space.

page_text: "
I, THOMAS WILLIAM SNAGGE of 14 Courtfield Gardens, Kensington London S.W.
Judge of County Courts, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for AN
IMPROVED PORTABLE MUSIC-DESK " and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, and by reference to the drawings hereunto annexed that is to say :—
My invention is designed to provide a music desk which shall be portable, capable
of being adjusted to any convenient height easily erected, rigid when set up, and
which may be carried in a music portfolio together with one or more pieces or
volumes of music.
In the following description I have stated certain dimensions, such as would be
convenient having regard to the size of the sheets upon which music is usually
printed but I wish it to be understood that the dimensions may be varied to suit
requirements.
In carrying out my invention I construct two rectangular frames of any material
suitable for my purpose, but preferably of wood 14 inches wide and inch thick-.
the adjacent sides being 14 inches and 10 inches. respectively-the corners may
be mitred, halved, tenoned, or otherwise-these frames are hinged along one of
their longer sides, like a book, and they form the case or receptacle for other parts
of the desk when closed, and they form the base or foot of the desk when in usc.
They are shewn at a in Fig. 1-On the inside of the.shorter sides I form rabbets' b
for receiving the upper part of the desk hereinafter described and at the middle of
the jointed sides I form a novel contrivance for receiving the pillar. Out of the
contiguous sides of the base I cut a rectangular opening 'c and I attach by means
of hinges two flaps or pieces of wood cc inch thick, in such a manner that when
the base or foot of the desk is opened for use, as shewn in Fig. 1 these flaps.or
pieces will lie horizontally one over the other-In order that this may be nicely
accomplished it will be necessary to cut one opening a little deeper than the other
opening, and the piece of wood to fill the opening must of course be of a corre-
sponding size. The arrangement and proportion are shewn in cross section in
Fig. 2 and whilst in the position shewn in the Figure a hole d is cut through both
pieces into which the pillar is inserted as hereinafter described-As an alternative
arrangement I employ two metal flaps attached by hinges instead of the two pieces
of wood represented by c¹ and c² in Fig. 2.
I may here state that the sides a a of the base or foot when opened for use
should form as nearly as may be, the sides of an equilateral triangle and this should
be carefully attended to when the hole d is cut.
I construct the pillar of a convenient number of lengths of metal tube (say
3 lengths) so proportioned as to slide one within the other. I cut a screw thread
on the outside of each end g and i of the outer tube h fig. 3 and on one end which
I will call the lower end, I fix at the distance of about 1 inch from the end of the
tube a collar e and I also adapt a nut f, of convenient size having a milled rim, to

page_text: this screw The hole & Fig. 2 should be just large enough to allow the end g (upon
which the thread is cut for a distance of about 1 inch from the end) to drop
through it-The tubes which slide within the tube h have each a collar xxl affixed
to one end to prevent them sliding too far into the tube h-the collars must be a
trifle smaller than the bottom of the screw thread on the upper end i of the tube h.
If necessary the upper end of the tube may be strengthened by a collar and the
screw thread may be cut upon such collar, see Fig. 4.-Near the upper end of the
outer tube as at o and through the collar x at o¹ a hole is drilled laterally and
tapped for a set screw so that when the tubes which slide within the tube h are
drawn out to the required distance they may there be held, or, clamped, by means
of set screws. I provide metal caps having internal screws to take on to the
screws g and i when. the pillar is not in use-These caps should if possible be
interchangeable.
In the centre of the closed end of each of these caps I fix screws k. k¹ the screws
corresponding to the tapped holes o and o¹. These constitute the set screws for
holding, or clamping, the pillar. The caps may be of solid metal turned out to the
size required; or, they may be made of metal tube with the closed end screwed,
brazed, or soldered on as may be most desirable and the central screw may be fixed
into the end of the cap in a similar manner.
The upper part of the desk upon which the music is placed when the apparatus
is in use, and which, for convenience I will call the slope, is constructed of two
pieces of wood of an inch thick and of a length and breadth as will exactly fill
the openings in the base, or foot, of the desk, when the ends are rabbetted to corre-
spond with the rabbets at each end of the openings of the base, or foot-These
pieces are also jointed or hinged, together similar to a book, or portfolio, but so
hinged as to open flat with a neat flush surface. When the desk is not in use the
slope is folded together and is placed in the recess formed in the base, or foot, when
the base, or foot, is folded together. The rabbets in the base and the rabbets on
the slope should be cut to a depth equal to half the thickness of the wood so as to
allow the base to close when the slope is placed inside it, and so that the outer
surfaces of the slope and of the base may be flush to each other. Should the
thickness of the base and the thickness of the slope be unequal, then the rabbets
must be gauged accordingly-and the outer surfaces planed flush. To keep the slope
flat when opened and in use I employ a metal clip, preferably of thin hard brass,
that is to say, a piece of hard sheet brass bent to forin three sides of a rectangular
tube so that it may spring on to the edge of the slope and be slid over the joint-
1 find one of these clips at the top of the slope is sufficient; but one may also be
used at the bottom if desired. To attach the slope to the pillar I have devised the
arrangement shewn in Fig. 5 which represents the under side of 'the slope-l is the
clip herein before referred to-m. m. are two jointed or hinged arms they are of
the form shewn in the figure and are jointed or hinged at n. the part p. being
firmly screwed to the slope; the whole being recessed, or let into the slope, so as
to be flush with the under side. The angle which the slope makes with the pillar
is determined by the length of the arms m. m. and the angles which the parts
represented by the lines q and r. make with each other and with the central line
or joint of the slope. Various inclinations may be found by experiment but I find
that 120° for the angle between the lines q and r. and 30° between r. and the
central line may be adopted. To fix the slope on the pillar the arms m. m. are
turned upon their hinges until their extremities meet, the points or tongues 8. 8. are
then dropped into the top of the pillar, slots being cut in the arins just sufficient to
admit the thickness of the collar x¹ and corresponding slots or grooves are cut in
the collar into which the slots of the tongues are dropped. The length of the
arms m. m. and the position of the hinge n. should be such that when the
tongues 8. 8. are in the top of the pillar they should be under the top edge of
the slope, this however is not imperative, but the arms and the back of the slope
may conveniently form an equilateral triangle, or, an obtuse angled isosceles triangle,
when fixed in nosition,

page_text: •
"
I provide a ledge upon which to rest the sheets of music and I attach it to the
slope by means of T shaped pieces of metal, which enter T shaped recesses or slots
in the slope. When not in use the ledge is detached from the slope and is laid in
a recess a¹ Fig. 2 in the inside of the base or foot a. As an alternative arrangement
for a ledge I cut off about inch of the wood from the bottom edge of the two
leaves of the "slope" and hinge the parts so cut off back again in their places, the
hinges being in front or so arranged as to permit the reattached pieces to turn up
in front at a right angle to the "slope" as shewn in fig. 7. In order to hold the
ledge, when so turned up, firmly at that angle I employ at each end of the ledge a
small rectangular clamp (fig. 8.) made of rounded metal. I affix a small metal
plate on the outer edge of the slope and of the ledge, as shewn by the shaded lines
in fig. 7. In these plates respectively I bore holes corresponding in diameter to the
thickness of the metal clamp, and at such distances from each other that when the
clamp is inserted in the holes so cut (and which I bore for a suitable distance into
the wood) the ledge is held by the clamps at right angles to the slope. The clamps
when not so in use may be put away in similar holes cut in the sides of the slope
or ledge for that purpose. A similar clamp may be used to unite the two halves
of the ledge so formed and so keep them flush to each other. The metal plates
are not absolutely essential but are intended to prevent the holes from being worn
or injured.
I also provide sconces which are made in the manner shewn in figure 6. u. being
a cranked metal arm-t. the candle socket, and when in use the bent end v. is
inserted in a hole drilled at a suitable angle in the slope. When not in use the
cranked arms and sockets are laid in recesses in the base or foot.
From the foregoing description it will be readily understood how the several
parts are packed in the base, or foot, of the desk and I will now describe how the
desk is to be set up for use The base a. is opened and the several parts are taken
out, the cap j. is taken from the end of the pillar and the nut f. is also removed-
the base or foot is placed as shewn in fig. 2. with, the hinged pieces c¹ c² over-lapping
so that the holes d. coincide the end g. of the pillar is then passed down through
the holes and the nut f. is screwed home-this will make the base rigid-The cap
is then removed and the tubes within the tube h: are drawn out to the extent
required and retained or clamped by means of the set screws k¹ in the caps jj-
about 3 inches of tube should be left for clamping-The slope is next opened and
attached to the top of the pillar, as described above, and the ledge attached and the
desk is complete the sconces being added if required. Fig. 1 shews the desk ready
for use.
When I use the slope in conjunction with a violincello case, I attach to the under
side of it four arins m. Fig. 5. instead of two and at suitable distances from each
other and I attach eyes or sockets to the sides of the neck of the case to receive the
tongues s. When not in use the folded slope lies conveniently under the neck of
the instrument in its case.
One of the objects of my invention is to adapt the desk to a music portfolio and
in carrying out that object I make a pocket or box on the inside of one leaf of the
folio sufficiently large to take the base of the desk. I make the back of the folio
strong and in the back I make a long pocket to receive the pillar when shut up
and.at the open end of the pocket I place a flap, which may be secured with a
button and loop or other fastening. A series of loops may be used instead of
a long pocket-Inside flaps may be attached to the other leaf of the folio to
retain, and keep clean the sheets of music-An outside flap with a lock and
key or other suitable fastening and a handle for carrying the portfolio may also
be added.
When a desk for two performers is required I dispense with the arms on the
underside of the slope and also with the clip l. and I turn the jointed slope round
and allow each half to assume the position shewn in that part of Fig. 1. which
represents the base and I cut rectangular openings and attach hinged pieces as c¹ c²
in Fig. 2 and through these pieces I cut a hole d. I slightly enlarge the collar o¹

page_text: and I cut a screw thread upon it and fit a nut similar to f. Fig. 3.—when setting
up the desk I remove the nut and pass the screwed part of the collar z¹ through
the hole d. and then screw home the nut-If the desk is not liable to much
vibration the hole d. (in the case of a double slope)'may be made to slide tightly
onto a reduced part of the collar ¹, or a screw may be cut in the hole d. to correspond
with a screw upon the collar x¹.
In some cases where a double slope is required I make it an open frame, with or
without cross bars, similar to a. it is obvious that it need not be solid as shewn in
Fig. 5. An open frame is useful when a large double slope is required.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. A stand or desk composed of the several parts adapted to, and fitted to, each
other in the manner substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated.
2. The combination of a foot or base with a pillar in the manner substantially
as herein before described and illustrated.
6
3. The combination of a pillar with a single slope in the manner substantially as
hereinbefore described and illustrated.
4. The combination of a pillar with a double slope in the manner substantially as
hereinbefore described and illustrated.
5. The combination of set screws with caps so that they may be used indifferently
as set-screws or caps in the manner substantially as herein before described and
illustrated.
Dated this 3rd day of July One thousand eight hundred and eighty six