Improvements in Apparatus for Turning over Leaves of Books, Music, and the like.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 15th June, 1889-Accepted, 20th July, 1889
Improvements in Apparatus for Turning over Leaves of Books,
Music, and the like.
I, GEORG RÜDIGER, Engineer of Leipzig in the Kingdom of Saxony and German
Empire, 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 :-
The hereinafter described invention refers to an apparatus for automatically turning
over the leaves of books and the like by means of a lever arrangement, the levers
which turn on one turning point and lie side by side are laid behind the single
leaves to be turned and there held in tension by springs, or otherwise. From this
position the levers and with them the leaves are turned over consecutively through
the movement of a catch, the upper tooth of which releases the upper lever, while
simultaneously the lower tooth stops the next following lever.
The apparatus is
favourably distinguished, by exceedingly simple construction and certain action, from
similar appliances. It is represented in the accompanying drawings.
Fig. 1, shows the apparatus in plan, whilst fig. 2, is a back view; fig. 3, a view
from the left side; and fig. 4 a cross section on the line A-A, fig. 1. Figs. 5 and 6,
show, in longitudinal and side elevation respectively, another method of carrying out
the tension mechanism of the levers, in which a watch spring drum is provided for
this purpose. Fig. 7 shows a second modification, the ends of the levers being in the
form of watch springs. Fig. 8. shows a knee lever attachment for operating the
turning apparatus. Figs. 9 and 10 show the means of appling the apparatus to a
piano. The apparatus has the following arrangements: .
In the frame a an axle is fixed on which the rollers c, which are connected with
the levers d, turn. The lovers are so bent that they lie over each other, as shown at g
in one plane, and are at their free ends e bent at right angles. By the spiral springs,
which, on the one hand are connected with the frame a at g', and on the other
with the rollers c, at b, the levers or leaf turners are so held in tension that when
released, they spring to the left. At g the levers are enclosed in a slit which is only
slightly wider than the diameter of the levers. Beside the slit the catch i is
placed, which has double teeth k, l, which are of such dimensions that in case k is
moved back from the lever d, the catch moves upward, and so releases only a single
(namely, the nearest lying) lever d, while the others are held fast. The slit m between
the two teeth is of such dimensions that only one lever & can pass. By means of the
spring n, the catch is moved into such a position that the tooth k holds the outer
lever d. o is an inclined or it may be stepped plane at the other end of the appartus,
against which the levers, d, which have been turned over, rest.
The inclined or stepped plane o, by giving different heights to the levers d, renders
the laying aside of the leaves possible, prevents them being laid closely on the top of
each other, and enables a view to be had of the last, so that the last notes or words
can still be looked at. The frame a is lengthened to the back, and carries the
flaps p. preferably covered with cloth; further between and under these, a third
flap q, in which the clamping screw is capable of revolving, is arranged. The
screw has at the end turned to the flap, so riveted on it as to be capable of revolving
a plate or head which is covered with rubber 3, shown in dotted lines. The
arrangements for griping p, q, r, serve for fixing the apparatus to the desk or other
furniture. The revolving plate or head r¹ permits of a secure fastening without damag-
ing or scraping the desk. The frame a has fixed at the right hand end by a
screw sa gripping arrangement to catch the book or other cover. This consists of two
plate springs & which are bent out at & and there enclose a swivel which when
turned sideways, spreads the two springs asunder. The catch, pivotted at ¹, is
s

page_text: worked by means of a wire or cord t which is connected with one end of a two armed
lever t¹ (see fig. 8), the fulcrumed part 2 of which is again fixed under the desk or
other furniture in such manner that the free end ³ can be easily operated by pressure
of the knee. The spring * serves for the tension on the lever t.
Figs. 9 and 10 show the arrangement of the apparatus as applied to a piano. The
wire t is led between two keys, through the keyboard and through a suitable small
hole in the board under the keyboard, to which the fulcrum pieco t and lever t² are
also fixed. The apparatus so fitted necessitates no change or alteration in the con-
struction of the instrument.
The mode of operating the apparatus is as follows:-
The book or the like is first fitted in a suitable position on the desk or other furni-
ture and its cover is fixed into and securely held by the gripping arrangement s.
The levers d being in their normal position lying against the inclined plane o at the
left hand side, are now turned over to the right hand, one by one, and the leaves laid
on them.
As each lever is turned over it is, by a slight pressure on it, secured
frou springing out. To facilitate the folding in of the levers d, the catch i is
furnished on its upper jaw with a point k¹. When all the levers are turned over the
apparatus is ready for work. It is then only necessary, by knee pressure, to lift
the lever that its free end t³ to cause the catch i to move downwards and thus cause the
tooth to rise and so release the uppermost lever d which then turns over a leaf;
at the same time the tooth risos and prevents the next lever d from springing out,
and in so springing out to turn over a second leaf. In consequence of the release
of the upperinost lever d, the others move forwards to the extent of the thickness of
one lever.
Instead of fixing a spring to each lever every two of them can be supplied with a
rubber band or the rollers c may be furnished inside with spiral springs as repre-
sented in Figs. 5 and 6 which give to the rollers and so to the levers d the tendency
to fly to the left. The springs u, are, at one end fixed to the axle 6 let into the
frame a, & at the other end to the interior of the rollers c. In the method shown at
fig. 7. the lower ends of the levers d are formed as spiral springs and also fixed to
the axle bl.
In order to turn over single leaves a cavity w is provided in which sits a tube w
capable of being easily revolved. In the tube w¹ a second tube x is fitted tele-
scopically. The tube. c is at its end provided with a spring ¹ and the tube 10¹ at its
lower end with a spring w². By sliding the tubes w and against each other,,
these tubes can be so placed that they are able to hold by the springs at the upper
and lower end, a single leaf Y. If now a leaf y is laid, in the manner described; the
apparatus set into the hole or cavity w; and the end é of one of the levers d placed
behind the leaf. The releasing of the lever d by the catch i causes the leaf y to turn
with the tubes w¹, and w and so to turn over.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I hereby declare that
what claim is:-
1. In apparatus for turning over leaves of books, music and the like, levers d,
turning on one turning point and lying side by side, laid behind the single leaves to
he turned and actuated by springs or otherwise, the levers being turned over con-
secutively through the movement of a catch i, the upper tooth of which releases
the uppermost lever whilst at the same time the lower tooth stops the next
following lever, substantially as hereinbefore described and shown on the drawings
annexed.
2. The arrangement, in apparatus for turning over leaves of books, music and the
like, of the sliding and revolving double or telescopic tube x, w³, in conjunction with
the lever d, for turning over single leaves, substantially as hereinbefore described and
shown on the drawings annexed.
3. The arrangement, in apparatus for turning over leaves of books, music and the
like, of the inclined or stepped plane o at the left hand side of the apparatus, to permit

page_text: of the laying aside of the turned over leaves and inspection of the previous words or
notes as also to prevent the leaves being laid on the top of each other, substantially as
hereinbefore described and shown on the drawings annexed.
4. In apparatus for turning over leaves of books, music and the like, the swivel
device for spreading out the gripping arrangement for holding fast the book cover
on the apparatus, substantially as hereinbefore described and shown on the drawings
annexed.
5. The connection of the turn-leaf mechanism with a lever t¹ (operated against the
action of a spring t by the knee of the player or otherwise) by means of a wire,
which, when the turn-leaf apparatus is applied to a piano or like instrument, is carried
between the keys and through the board underneath, substantially as herein before
described and shown on the drawings annexed.
6. The arrangement for fixing the turn-leaf apparatus to a piano board or desk
by means of the flaps p, covered with cloth, and the revolving plate or head r,
covered with rubber, and fitted in position on the clamping screw r, substantially
as hereinbefore described and shown on the drawings annexed.
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
70, Wellington Street, Glasgow, Agent.
Datou vinay or vu
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
70, Wellington Street, Glasgow, Agent.