Improvements in Clips for Holding and Turning Over Music and for other purposes.
Year: 1899

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Clips for Holding and Turning Over Music and for
other purposes.
I, ARTHUR WILLTCOMBE DOWNS, of 18, Sleaford Road, Newark-on-Trent, in
the County of Nottingham, Professor of Music, do hereby declare the nature
of my said invention to be as follows:-
My invention has for its object improvements in clips for holding and turning
over music and for other purposes by which I am enabled to easily and rapidly
turn over the leaves of music without the nuisance of turning over more than
one leaf at a time which frequently occurs when rapidly turning over leaves.
In carrying my invention into practice I form my clip from sheet metal
either in one or two parts. When forming my clip in one piece the one half
is bent over flat onto the other half but when formed in two pieces the parts
are soldered or otherwise secured or fixed together at one end. Before the parts
are bent over or connected together I cut a slot in each and connect to each stud
or button the heads of which pass through these slots on either side in such a
manner that when pressed they force the loose ends or jaws of the clip open.
I then fix a spring at one end to each side of the clip the loose ends of which
pass through the slots in the clip and bear upon each side so that when the
jaws of the clip are opened these springs force them together. The inner surfaces
of the jaws are corrugated or roughed so as to grip better. One of these clips
are attached to each leaf of the music or other article one above the other so
as to enable the leaves to be rapidly turned over. In order to hold the leaves
in position in the cover when the music is not bound I provide a spring clip
preferably made of wire which clips the back or cover and the leaves together
in the centre preferably at the top. It will be evident that my clip may be
used for other purposes such as for holding a number of loose sheets or the like
and when nicely finished and plated forms a very neat article.
Datad his 27th day of Woho 1800

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Clips for Holding and Turning Over Music and for
other purposes.
I, ARTHUR WHITCOMBE DOWNS, of 18, Sleaford Road, Newark-on-Trent, in
the County of Nottingham, Professor of Music, 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:-
My invention has for its object improvements in clips for holding and turning
over music and for other purposes by which I am enabled to easily and rapidly
turn over the leaves of music without the nuisance of turning over more than
one leaf at a time which frequently occurs when rapidly turning over leaves.
In carrying my invention into practice I form my clip from sheet metal
either in one or two parts. When forming my clip in one piece the one half
is bent over flat onto the other half but when formed in two pieces the parts
are rivetted or otherwise secured or fixed together at one end. Before the parts
are bent over or connected together I cut a slot in each and connect to each a stud
or button the heads of which pass through these slots on either side in such a
manner that when pressed they force the loose ends or jaws of the clip open.
I then fix a spring at one end to each side of the clip the loose ends of which
pass through the slots in the clip and bear upon each side so that when the
jaws of the clip are opened these springs force them together. The inner surfaces
of the jaws are corrugated or roughed so as to grip better. One of these clips
is attached to each leaf of the music or other article one above the other so
as to enable the leaves to be rapidly turned over. In order to hold the leaves
in position in the cover when the music is not bound I provide a spring clip
preferably made of wire which clips the back or cover and the leaves together
in the centre preferably at the top. It will be evident that my clip may be
used for other purposes such as for holding a number of loose sheets or the like
and when nicely finished and plated forms a very neat article.
In order that my invention may be more clearly understood, and easily carried
into practical effect I have appended hereunto a double sized sheet of drawings
upon which I have illustrated examples of my clips.
Figure 1 is a view showing a portion of a piece of music or the like provided
with my clips.
Figure 2 is an enlarged view of one of my turnover clips complete.
Figure is a side view of Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a right hand end view of Figure 2 with springs removed.
Figure 5 is an inside plan view of one of the plates which form the jaws of
my clip.
Figure 6 is a plan view of one of the springs for operating or closing the jaws.
Figure is an enlarged view of a modified form of my turnover clip.
Figure 8 is a side view of Figure, 7.
:
Figure 9 is an inside plan view showing the jaws of the clip made in one piece.
Figure 10 is a front view of my clip for holding the leaves of the music or
the like together.
Figure 11 is a side view of Figure 10.
In carrying my invention into practice I form the plates or jaws a¹ and
of my clip A preferably from sheet metal by suitable tools with the slot a³ in
each. These slots which may be varied in shape are formed so as to allow the
springs and s2 and the heads of the studs or buttons at and to pass through
as clearly shewn at Figures 2 and 3. The stud at is rivetted or otherwise fixed
to the inner face of the plate a² the head passing through the slot in the plate a¹

page_text: and the stud a³ is riveted or otherwise fixed to the plate at the head passing through
the slot in the plate a as clearly shewn at Figure 4. The plates or jaws a¹
and are then fixed together at their rounded ends either by riveting brazing
or otherwise. Or these plates may be fixed together at their ends by the same
rivet that secures the springs sand in position. The spring s¹ is fixed at one
end to the outer face of the plate a¹ and is bent or formed so as to pass through
the slots a the other end bearing against the end of the plate and the spring s
which is fixed to the outer face of the plate a² also passes through the slots a³
the other end bearing against the end of the plate a as clearly shewn at
Figure 3 by which means the ends of the jaws are firmly pressed together. To
open the jaws so as to admit the leaf of a piece of music or the like for facili-
tating the turning over of each leaf the buttons and or their equivalents are
pressed together with the finger and thumb which action opens or forces the jaws
apart thus enabling the paper to pass between but immediately the pressure on
the buttons is released the springs and force them together again thus firmly
gripping the leaf. It will be evident that any number of these clips may be
used that is to say one is attached to each leaf by which means mistakes such
as turning over two leaves at a time which frequently occurs are avoided.
At Figures 7, 8 and 9 I have shewn a modified form of constructing any
clip. In this case I form the clip A out of one piece of metal, preferably sheet
metal by suitable tools as shewn at Figure 9. This plate is then folded at the
centre so as to form the jaws a¹ and a². The spring which presses or holds
these jaws together is also made out of one piece of flat spring steel bent to the
required shape and first threaded through the holes or slots a and then each end
is afterwards threaded through the slots in a similar manner as previously
described. If desired I may use a spring made from one piece of metal where
the jaws of the clip are made in two parts or separate springs may be used when.
the jaws are made in one piece. The edges on the inner face of the jaws are
serated or otherwise roughed as shewn at Figures 5 and 9 so as to enable them
to obtain a better grip. In some cases I may also form the studs or buttons a
and a or their equivalents out of the same piece of metal as the jaws by utilizing
the portions cut or pierced in forming the holes or slots ³.
At Figures 10 and 11 I have shown my clip B for holding the loose or
unbound leaves of a piece of music or the like together as shewn at Figure 1.
This clip is preferably formed from spring wire one end of which is bent over
sideways and fastened at the upper end so as to form the back portion the
lower end being preferably bent outwards and the other end is bent downwards
and inwards and finishes with a rounded or curled end as clearly shewn at
Figure 11. When fitting this clip in position the leaves are inserted between
the parts and 62 and as the lower portion of the part is bent inwards it clips
the leaves thus holding them in position. In some cases I may flatten the wire
of the back portion of the clip if desired.
It will be evident that either of my clips A and B may be used independently
of one another and for a variety of purposes.
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
CLAIMS.
First The improvements in clips for holding and turning over leaves of
music and for other purposes consisting essentially of a clip such as B bent so
as to hold the leaves of the music or the like together and the clip such as A the
jaws of which are made either in one or two parts and having slots cut or formed
Therein through which a spring or springs are laced for holding the jaws together
and through which studs or buttons or their equivalents pass for opening the
jaws in the manner and for the purpose substantially as herein set forth and as
shewn upon the accompanying sheet of drawings.

page_text: Second A clip such as A consisting essentially of the jaws or plates a
and either made in one or two parts and having slots or holes cut or formed
therein through which a spring or springs are laced the ends of which bear
upon the ends of the jaws for holding them in a closed position with studs or
buttons such as a or their equivalents either fixed to or formed out of the
plates or jaws for operating or opening the said jaws in the manner and for
the purpose substantially as herein set forth and as shewn upon the accompany-
ing sheet of drawings by Figures 1 to 9 inclusive.
Third: A clip such as B formed of spring wire or the like one end being
bent over sideways as at the other end 62 being bent downwards and inwards
and finishing with a curve or curl in the manner and for the purpose substantially
as herein set forth and as shewn upon the accompanying sheet of drawings by
Figures 10 and 11.
Fourth Operating or opening the jaws of a clip by studs or buttons or their
equivalents passing in opposite directions through slots in the manner sub-
stantially as herein set forth and as shewn upon the drawings.
Fifth-Facilitating the turning over of the leaves of a piece of music or the
like by attaching to each leaf a clip such as A in the manner substantially as
herein set forth and as shewn by Figure 1.
Sixth-Holding together the leaves of a piece of music or the like by a
clip such as B or its equivalent in the manner substantially as herein set forth
and as shewn by Figure 1.
Dalad this 6th day of Jun 1900
ARTHUR WHITCOMBE DOWNS.
By George Barker,
Fellow of The Chartered Institute of Patent Agents,
Agent for Applicant,
77, Colmore Row, Birmingham.