A New or Improved Apparatus for Turning Over the Leaves of Music and the like.
Year: 1894

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Apparatus for Turning Over the Leaves of
Music and the like.
I, WILLIAM THOMAS HANCOCK LESTER of 48, The Grove, Hammersmith
Silver Chaser do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement :-
This invention relates to an apparatus to be used for turning over the leaves of
music, which can also be employed for books, newspapers, and the like and is
intended to provide a simple and efficient device which can be easily manipulated,
and is not likely to get out of order.
In carrying out my invention I fit a small box containing the mechanism, to the
lower side of the music or reading desk, clamps of any suitable description being
used for this purpose.
At the centre of this case a pivot is fitted, carrying a series of horizontal discs
or drums which can turn freely upon it. To each of these discs is connected an
arm, extending horizontally for some distance, and provided with a bent up end,
forked to receive the music or other sheet, and a chain or cord is also fitted to each
disc wound partly round it, and attached at its other end to a spring. The spring
and discs are adapted, when released, to turn the arms round for about half a circle
from the right side of the desk to the left, the arms being turned over to the right
and secured there by the means hereinafter described, being released one at a time,
and carrying the leaves with them. Each disc is formed with a notch or groove, and
a vertical bar is fitted to a small casing, and is adapted when slidden to its upper-
most position, to enter into the notches and prevent the discs turning. This bar is
turned by means of a rack and pinion motion, the spindle on which the pinion is
carried being provided with a ratchet wheel. A pawl operated by a small finger
piece engages with this rack, turning it a short distance when the finger piece is
pressed down. This lowers the vertical bar, causing it to release one of the discs,
permitting the arm connected to the said disc to turn, as above described. This is
repeated with each arm, until all have been operated.
In order that the invention may be more clearly understood, reference is had to
the accompanying sheet of drawings in which Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the
desk and. apparatus, Fig. 2 is a similar view of the apparatus with the cover
removed, Fig. 3 is an end view, Fig. 4 is a plan partly in section, shown on a large
scale, and Figs. 5.and 6 show a method of fitting the apparatus to the music or
reading desk.
A is the desk of ordinary construction having a ledge a at its lower end on which
the music or book rests. Below this ledge the apparatus is fitted by means of the
back piece or bar B, having a cover b on its face, which conceals part of the
mechanism. The apparatus is fitted to the desk by means of the clamps C at each
end, which grip the side bar of the desk as shown clearly in Figs. 5 & 6, but any
other form of fixing may be used if found desirable. To the centre of the bar B is
fitted the small casing D carrying the spindle E. On this spindle is fitted a set
of discs F, which can turn freely upon it, each disc being formed with the notch or
slot fat one side, the notches being in line with one another at the ends of the path
of the discs, so as to form a single groove. Each disc is provided with the arm G
having the bent up end g extending vertically for a short distance. This vertical
portion is forked or provided with a small metal strip g' on its face forming a
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page_text: to hold the leaves of the music or book. At the centre of the apparatus is fixed a
vertical rod H behind which the music or book is placed, this rod serving to hold
the sheets in position, and prevent them falling while being turned.
This rod is fitted to the casing D and projects through a small hole in the
ledge a. The disc and arms are turned by means of the small chains or cords J
which are attached to the arms or to the disc, and pass round the latter to the back
when they extend, as shown clearly in Fig. 2 horizontally for a short distance. To
the other ends are attached the rubber or other suitable strips j connected to the
pins fitted on the back of the apparatus. The cords or chains pass over the
pulleys at the back of the casing as shown in Fig. 4. Thus when the arms are
turned from left to right, the springs ; will be stretched, and will tend to pull the
arms back, so that when the sheets are placed in the clips they will be turned with
the arms.
To secure the arins and discs when turned to the right, the bar K is
provided, having the rack k on one side by means of which it is operated. When
this bar is in the uppermost position it rests in the groove formed by the notches f
which are turned to the back as shown in Fig. 4, the discs being thus secured in
the desired position. On moving this bar K down the discs will be released one
after the other as the extremity of the bar passes out of each notch successively.
The bar is moved by means of the pinion L carried by the spindle which when
turned moves the bar up or down. On one end of this spindle is carried the pulley
wheel M to which is attached the chain or cord m. This chain passes over the
pulley m and is attached at its end to the spring m³ fitted to the pin m³, the spring
serving to turn the wheel M and revolve the pinion L. This spring moves the
bar K in an upward direction so that when the arms and discs are turned to the
right moving the notches to the back of the apparatus, the bar will be caused
automatically to slide into the said notches and secure the disc. The pinion is
moved in the other direction by means of the ratchet wheel N on the spindle L.
With this ratchet wheel the pawl O engages, having a finger piece o by which it is
operated, and the spring of which raises the finger piece and pawl after cach
operation. Stops o' and o* are fitted to the casing D which limit the motion of the
said pawl.
On pressing the finger piece down the pawl will turn the ratchet
wheel N partly round, turning the spindle and pinion L and operating the sliding
bar K, moving it downwardly a distance equal to the depth of one of the discs F.
The extremity or bar is thus moved out of one of the notches fallowing the disc to
turn. The spring o' raises the finger piece to its uppermost position ready for
another operation.
The leaves can thus be turned one at a time by simply pressing the finger piece o,
no time being lost by the performer in turning over the music.
"
As used for reading desks, the apparatus is especially applicable for invalids.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
(1.) In an apparatus for turning over the leaves of music and the like, the
combination with a set of discs carrying arms engaging with the leaves, notches in
the said discs, and springs turning the discs and arms, of a sliding bar capable of
taking into the said notches, operated by a finger piece, and adapted to release the
discs one at a time, substantially as and for the purposes specified.
(2.) In an apparatus for turning over the leaves of music and the like, the
combination with a set of discs, arms, engaging with the leaves fitted to the said
discs and springs, for turning the arms, of a vertical sliding har adapted to enter
the said notches and retain the discs, a rack on the face of the bar, a pinion
engaging with the said rack carried on a spindle, and a ratchet wheel on the
said spindle operated by a pawl, and finger piece, substantially as described and
. for the purposes specified.
(3.) In an apparatus for turning over the leaves of music and the like, the
combination with a set of discs turning on a spindle, arms engaging with the

page_text: leaves, fitted to the said discs, and notches in the discs registering with each
other, of a vertical sliding bar adapted to enter the said notches, a rack on the
sliding bar, pinion engaging with the rack carried on a spindle, pulley wheel on
the end of the said spindle, and a spring turning the wheel and spindle, adapted
to raise the sliding bar automatically into the notches of the discs when the
latter are turned into proper position, substantially as and for the purposes
specified.
(4.) An improved apparatus for turning over the leaves of music and the like
fitted by clamps to the music or reading desk, having a central vertical rod
retaining the leaves in position, a set of notched discs carrying forked arms
engaging with the leaves, vertical sliding bar taking into the said notches, rack
and pinion motion operating the said bar, spring for automatically raising the
same, and ratchet wheel and pawl operated by a finger piece substantially as
described and shown in the drawings, and for the purposes specified.
December 1901
GEO. H. RAYNER,
37, Chancery Lane, London, Agent for the Applicant.