Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 10th May, 1887
Complete Left, 8th Feb., 1888
"Complete Accepted, 9th Mar., 1888
A communication from LOUIS MAAS, of Neuilly-sur-Seine, France.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex, M.I.M.E.
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The apparatus which forms the subject of the present invention has for its object
to enable the musician to turn the leaves of the music book during his performance
by a simple movement of the foot without the aid of the hands.
The music stand consists as usual of the pillar with a foot and the rest for the
book.
The pillar is hollow and in it slides a hollow bar provided with a rack with which
engages a spring catch the bar carrying at its upper end the book rest. By the
rack and catch arrangement the book rest may be adjusted at any desired height.
The mechanism for turning the leaves is fixed underneath the board which supports
the music book. This mechanism consists essentially in a movable arm fixed to
a hollow hub or centre grooved on its circumference and provided with a coiled spring
in its hollow interior; it is further provided with two radial pins. The arm secured
to the hollow hub is also hollow and preferably of square section and in it moves a
square rod so that the arm can be lengthened or shortened at will.
At its outer end which is bent up this rod is provided with a suction cup made of
indiarubber or any other suitable elastic material. The movable arm with its hub
is moved by a cord fixed in the groove of the hub by a screw.
This cord passes
partly round this hub rnd over two pulleys respectively fixed to the bottom and top
of the book rest and thence through the hollow rack bar which supports the book rest
and is preferably attached by a rod to a spring actuated pedal conveniently arranged
in the foot of the stand; or the rod may be dispensed with if desired.
When the performer presses this pedal the rod with the cord will be drawn down
and the movable arm will describe a half circle and press the suction cup against the

page_text: corner of the leaf to be turned. When the pedal is released the coiled spring in the
interior of the hub of the movable arm will return the arm quickly to its original
position and take the leaf with it by the action of the suction cup.
On each side of the grooved hub the board supporting the music book is provided
with a groove containing a spring actuated holder. The holder on the right consists
of one piece the middle part of which is hollow and contains a coiled spring which
constantly presses the upper end of the holder against the right side of the music
book. The object of this holder is to keep the leaves in their proper position so that
the suction cup may always apply itself to the desired part of the leaf.
The holder on the left of the hub has also a hollow centre containing a coiled spring
which holds the upper end of the holder against the music book but its lower part
forms a pawl rigid in one direction and movable in the other.
When the performer wishes to turn a leaf and presses the pedal down the movable
arm will describe its semicircle and one of the radial pins will deflect the holder
on the right hand side to a horizontal position so as to enable the leaf to pass it.
When the pedal is released this radial pin will release the holder which will return to
its position under the action of its coiled spring.
During the return of the movable arm the other radial pin will trip the holder
on the left hand side the pawl of said holder being rigid in this direction, so that the
leaf may pass. This holder has for its principle object to prevent the suction cup
returning the lea: to the other side when the next leaf is to be turned.
To prevent the suction cup turning more than one leaf at a time the book rest
is provided at its upper right hand corner with a spring actuated holder which presses
gently on the upper right hand corner of the music book. This holder is adjustable
in a slot so as to adjust it according to the size of the music book. For the same
object the outer end of the movable arm slides in the hollow part fixed to the hub.
To facilitate and assure the action of the suction cup it is preferable to fix a piece
of smooth and air tight i.e. non-porous paper to the corner of the leaves or to treat
them with a suitable varnish to fill the pores of the paper.
It is evident that the same mechanism may be adapted to pianos, organs and the
like without deviating from the spirit of the invention.
Dated this 10th day of M... 1007

page_text: 1 ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, M.L.M.E.
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 apparatus which forms the subject of the present invention has for its object to
enable the musician to turn the leaves of the music book during his performance
by a simple movement of the foot without the aid of the hands.
In the accompanying drawings.
Figure 1 represents a front view of the upper part of the music stand.
Figure 2 is a side view of the same.
Figure 3 is a view of the underside of the board to which the mechanism is
fixed.
Figure 4 is a perspective view of the stand in the moment in which the movable
arm commences to turn a leaf.
Figure 5 is a longitudinal section of the movable arm.
Figure 6 is a plan view of the same.
Figure 7 is a section of the holder for holding the leaves already turned.
Figure 8 is a side view of the same.
Figure 9 represents the holder for holding the leaves that have not yet been
turned.
Figure 10 is a side view of the same.
The music stand consists as usual of the pillar with a foot and the rest for the
book.
The pillar A is bollow and in it slides a hollow bar B provided with a rack with
which engages a spring catch a the bar carrying at its upper end the book rest D.
By the rack and catch arrangement the book rest may be adjusted at any desired
height.
The mechanism for turning the leaves is fixed underneath the board (which
supports the music book. This mechanism consists essentially in a movable arm F F
(figures 5 and 6). The arm is fixed to a hollow hub or centre E grooved on
its circumference and provided with a coiled spring E' in its hollow interior; it
is further provided with two radial pins J and K. The arm F secured to the hollow
hub E is also hollow and preferably of square section and in it moves a square rod Fl
so that the arm can be lengthened or shortened at will.
At its outer end which is bent up this rod F is provided with a suction cup V
made of india rubber or any other suitable elastic material. The movable arm F F
with its hub E is moved by a cord G fixed in the groove of the hub by a screw I.
This cord G passes partly round this hub and over two pulleys H H₁ respectively
fixed to the bottom and top of the book rest and thence through the hollow rack bar B
which supports the book rest and is preferably attached by a rod I to a spring
actuated pedal conveniently arranged in the foot of the stand, or the rod may
be dispensed with if desired.
When the performer presses this pedal the rod I with the cord G will be drawn

page_text: V
down and the movable arm F F will describe a half circle and press the suction cup
against the corner of the leaf to be turned. When the pedal is released the coiled
spring in the interior of the hub E of the movable arm will return the arin quickly to
its original position and take the leaf with it by the action of the suction cup.
On each side of the grooved. hub E the board C supporting the music book is
provided with a groove containing a spring actuated holder. The holder N on the
right (figures 9 and 10) consists of one piece the middle part N' of which is hollow
and contains a coiled spring which constantly presses the upper end of the holder
against the right side of the music book.
The object of this holder is to keep the leaves in their proper position so that
the suction cup may always apply itself to the desired part of the leaf.
The holder M on the left of the hub E carrying the movable arm F F' has also a
hollow centre M¹ containing a coiled spring which holds the upper end of the holder
against the music book but its lower part M' forms a pawl rigid in one direction and
movable in the other.
When the performer wishes to turn a leaf and presses the pedal down the movable
arm F F will describe its semicircle and one of the radial pins K will deflect the
holder N on the right hand side to a horizontal position so as to enable the leaf to pass
it. When the pedal is released this radial pin K will release the holder which will
return to its position under the action of its coiled spring.
During the return of the movable arm the other radial pin J will trip the holder M
on the left hand side the pawl M² of said holder being rigid in this direction so that
the leaf may pass. This holder has for its principal object to prevent the suction cup
returning the leaf to the other side when the next leaf is to be turned.
To prevent the suction cup turning more than one leaf at a time the book rest D
is provided at its upper right hand corner with a spring actuated holder P which
presses gently on the upper right hand corner of the music book. This holder P is
adjustable in a slot O so as to adjust it according to the size of the music book. For
the same object the outer end F₁ of the movable arm slides in the hollow part F fixed
to the hub E.
To facilitate and assure the action of the suction cup it is preferable to fix a piece
of smooth and air-tight i.e. non-porous paper to the corner of the leaves or to treat
them with a suitable varnish to fill the pores of the paper.
It is evident that the same mechanism may be adapted to pianos, organs and the
like without deviating from the spirit of the invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent and in what manner
the same is to be performed I declare that what 1 claim is :-
1. In a pneumatic leaf turning mechanism the combination of the suction cup V
the movable arm F F the outer end F¹ of which slides adjustably in F the grooved
hub E the latter actuating a coiled spring E¹ and the cord G. attached to a pedal
by which cord the hub with the movable arm is turned substantially as and for-the
purpose specified.
2. In a pneumatic leaf turning mechanism the combination of the spring actuated
holders M N to the right and left of the hub E and the radial pins J and K fixed to
said hub substantially as and for the purpose specified.
3. In a pneumatic leaf turning mechanism the combination therewith of a spring
actuated holder P sliding adjustably in a slot O substantially as and for the purpose
specified.