A NEW OR IMPROVED FOLDING AND TELESCOPIC MUSIC AND READING STAND
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Jeffery James Gilbert, of New Romney, in the County
of Kent, Violin Maker, for an Invention of "A NEW OR IMPROVED
FOLDING AND TELESCOPIC MUSIC AND READING STAND."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Jeffery James Gilbert at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 11th October 1881.
JEFFERY JAMES GILBERT, of New Romney, in the County of Kent, Violin
Maker. "A NEW OR IMPROVED FOLDING AND TELESCOPIC MUSIC AND READING
STAND."
The object of this Invention is to so construct music and reading stands that
they may be as portable as the musical instruments themselves with a minimum of
inconvenience to the performer, who can at all times have this necessary auxillary
with him, as by my Invention the stand is so compact and light that it can be
carried in the violin case or other receptacle in which any particular instrument is
carried, thus being a decided improvement upon and having advantages over the
ordinary kind of stand now in use, not only in the fact of each performer being
able to have a stand of his own, but also in the matter of being self adjusting to
suit any height required without having to be placed on any intermediate article
to elevate it. The Invention consists in making the stand in several parts in such
manner that they can be very readily placed together and form a complete or
perfect stand, and construct the foot or pedestal of brass or other suitable metal
or material with three or more arms or projections, which work or turn upon pivots
or screws, so that when the stand is required to be used the said arms are extended
or opened into position for maintaining the pillar of the stand, which I have formed
hollow, so that one or more other smaller tubes or slides can be telescopically fitted
therein in such manner as to require no screw to keep them in any desired position;
in the case of a stand being required of a fixed or permanent height I might then
dispense with the additional tubes or slides but employ the folding foot or pedestal
and central pillar, in manner described, with the same kind of "desk" for the top,

page_text: which "desk" I construct so that it folds into a neat and compact space, and with
a dovetail piece on the back so arranged that it fits into a groove or aperture made
in the top of the main pillar or one of the slides and is readily attached and
detached, as is also the main pillar, to the foot or pedestal. The action or
modus-operandi of setting the stand up is as follows:-The foot or pedestal arms
are opened into position, the main pillar attached thereto, and the desk, by its
dovetail piece being placed in the groove or aperture corresponding to it on the
slide or pillar, becomes firmly secured; the slide or slides are then drawn out
telescopically to the required or desired height, where it or they will remain until
pressed down again to the required length for conveniently placing in the case or
receptacle in which it is carried; the whole of the above movements may be
executed in under or less than fifteen seconds. It will be obvious that my
Invention, although designed for and chiefly employed as a music stand, is also
equally applicable as a reading stand or desk.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Jeffery James Gilbert in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
8th April 1882.
JEFFERY JAMES GILBERT, of New Romney, in the County of Kent, Violin
Maker. "A NEW OR IMPROVED FOLDING AND TELESCOPIC MUSIC AND READING
STAND."
In order that my Invention may be clearly understood I have hereunto annexed
one Sheet of Drawings illustrative of the same, and have marked it with Figs. and
letters of reference, the same letter referring to the same part in the various views
or Figs.
Fig. 1 represents one of my telescopic stands as complete or arranged ready for
use; A is the main pillar, which is formed hollow, so that the smaller pillar or
tube B may slide up and down therein at the will of the operator to any desired
height; the arrangement or means which I employ for the self sustaining or
adjusting of the tube B (and sometimes may employ more than one other tube
adjusted in a similar manner) is shown at Figs. 10 and 11, hereafter described;
Fig. 2 is a detail shewing main pillar A and smaller pillar or tube B in different
position from that shewn in Fig. 1, and as detached from the foot or pedestal D,
detail of which is shown at Fig. 4 in a closed position.
Fig. 3 shews the desk or stand E also detached from the other portions and
folded ready for conveniently placing together with the other parts of the stand in
a box or other receptacle; although I have not shewn the usual swivels or
bookholders on the desk I may employ them, as also a lamp or candle bracket if
required; at Figs. 5 and 6 I have shewn edge and front views of a modification of
the construction of the foot or pedestal D, which I may employ, and which consists
in forming it in two parts, as shewn, one to fit on the other, the screw d being for
the main pillar A to screw on to; at Fig. 7 I have shewn front and edge views of
the means or method I employ to attach the desk E to the tube or pillar B, and
which consists of a piece of metal F (brass preferred) or other suitable substance,
which may either be permanently attached to the top of the tube B or made, as
shewn, separate therefrom with a dove tail or other form of projecting piece F¹ to
fit into the top of the said tube B, which is suitably formed to receive it; at Fig. 8
I have shewn my arrangement of a plate G, which is attached to the back of the
desk, and it will be observed that studs H project from the face of it, and these
studs when it is required to attach the desk to the pillars A and B are placed in
the slots or openings J of the plate F, and dropping into the perpendicular
openings K the desk E is firmly held thereto in proper position; at Fig. 9 I have
shewn violin case and my stand in separate parts conveniently arranged therein,
which arrangement will at once be apparent to all who see it, that it completely
supplys a want long felt by that class of instrumentalists to whom portability of
a stand was desirable and necessary for their comfort.
At Figs. 10 and 11 I have shewn details of the means I employ to obtain that
nicety of adjustment which I have accomplished in the stands at Fig. 10; L is a
piece of metal tubing, which I fasten securely at or near the top of the main
pillar A in the inside, and this piece L has another piece M (or I may make it of
the same) fastened to it, which is tubular, and I cut portions of it away, as shewn,
and afterwards close them in a little, thus contracting the tubular space, so that
when the smaller tube B is placed therein wherever it is left it remains, being
clasped or held tightly by it; at Fig. 11 N is a piece of india rubber, or other
compressible material, which I place on the tube B, and by means of the screw
nuts O so compress the india rubber or other material until the required tightness

page_text: :-
or holding power of the tube B is obtained, and yet the same be moveable
telescopically up and down the pillar A, as by the arrangement shewn at
Fig. 10. The action or modus-operandi of setting the stand up is as follows:-
The foot or pedestal arms are opened or placed into position, the main pillar
attached thereto, and the desk by its dovetail piece or plate being placed in the
grove or aperture corresponding to it on the slide or pillar becomes firmly secured;
the slide or slides are then drawn out telescopically to the required or desired
height, where it or they will remain until pressed down again to the required
length for conveniently placing in the case or receptacle in which it is carried;
the whole of the above movements may be executed in under or less than fifteen
seconds.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and shewn by Drawings
how the same may be carried into practice, I would have it understood that I
do not confine myself to the precise details as herein shewn and described, for, as
shewn, modifications may be employed without departing from the main feature
of the Invention, but what I claim as my Invention, and believe to be
new is,―
The construction of music and reading stands telescopically with desk and foot
or pedestal arrangements, in manner and for purposes substantially as described,
and set forth by the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Jeffery James Gilbert, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Sixth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
Witness.
W. WHITEHEAD,
Patent Agent,
New Romney,
Kent.
JEFFERY JAMES GILBERT. (L.S.)