A New or Improved Candle-holder for Pianoforte or the like Uses.
Year: 1890

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Candle-holder for Pianoforte or the like Uses.
I ADALBERT HECKL, Choirmaster of Mannheim Grand Duchy of Baden 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
This invention relates to a piano sconce or bracket and has for its object to throw
the light issuing therefrom directly upon the music sheet or book and to preserve the
eyes from the rays of light while by its use the disagreeably smelling and inflammablo
petroleum etcetera can be dispensed with. For these reasons the arrangement of the
Sconce or bracket is such that when not in use it has the appearance of a holder
formed of a movable horizontal and rigid rod such as hitherto used while when it is
in use it assumes such a form that the light issuing therefrom is as deep as allowable
and consequently brilliantly illuminates the music sheet for the player. A holder of
this description takes consequently much less room when not in use than those
heretofore provided.
Every person playing the piano with the aid of an artificial light has gained the
unpleasant experience that the present modes of lighting are usually very deficient
especially with candles. The light is generally too high and only lights the top lines
while as a rule the lower lines are covered with a shadow. To this must be added
that the light dazzles the player by a flickering motion from right to left or left to
right. When gas light is used the same would be probably suspended in the middle
of the room and in most cases at such a height that it could not be said that the piano
is at all properly lighted.
Now my improved mode of lighting on the contrary has been designed to fully
remedy the above mentioned defects especially with the present construction of vertical
pianos.
In the accompanying drawings Figures 1 to 10 illustrate the invention. Figure 1
is the light holding device i.e. the holder and Figure 1ª is an ornamental plate for the
piano to carry the movable holder.
Figures 2 to 7 show details of the holder and Figures 8 and 9 show a shade for
preserving the eyesight. Figure 10 illustrates the holder carrying the candle and the
shade and connected to a standard.
My new piano lighting device consists essentially of three parts viz. the holder A
the shade B and the substance C (represented in the drawing by a candle see Figure 10)
by means of which the lighting is carried out.
The holder A (Figure 10) connected with the ornamental plate (Figure 1º) fixed to
the piano so as to be capable of moving at a consists chiefly of a bush or tube b of a
rod c and of an arm or carrier d as can be clearly seen in Figures 2, 2ª and 3.
с
Figure 2 is a section on line xx of Figure 2 the arm or carrier being shown
without a light. The rod C is of such a thickness as will allow it to slide in the
bush b and it is furnished with a pin f¹ capable of entering a groove of the bush.
The groove extends nearly from one end of the bush to the other end thereof and is.
of suitable length that the rod e can be fully drawn in and of the said sleeve or bush
being received in such a position by means of a set screw e.
The rod c is composed:
of two parts connected together by a pin c which enables them to turn in either
direction. These two parts consist of a front part g and a rear part fitting ono
within the other. The rear part f furnished with the pin f' is of such a length that
after the rod c has been drawn out until the pin f¹ comes to rest upon the front edge
of the groove b¹ the front part g is placed entirely outside the bush or tube b. and can
be easily turned upon the pin c so as to assume the position shown in Figure 7.
The front part of the rod c carries a pin c" which is surrounded by a longitudinal
sliding piece d' of the carrier or arm d. The latter is furnished moreover in close
Price Rd1

page_text: proximity to the sliding piece d with a screw thread d upon which turns the nut or
collar h.
Corresponding with the screw thread there is likewise formed upon the bush b
and close to the set screw e another screw thread 11 so that after the rod c is drawn
or forced into the bush or tube b and the set screw e has fixed the same in position
the collar or nut is turned upon the screw thread 611 and the sleeve or bush b rod e
and holder d form thereafter one continuous rigid piece as can be seen in Figure 2.
The arm or carrier d is connected to the cup shaped piece which carries the
candle Figures 1 and 10; the bush band carrier d may be provided with
ornamentations.
To secure the collar or nut in position the latter carries a small chain ¹ the free
end of which is furnished with a pin or bolt the latter being inserted after the
nut has been turned upon the screw thread in a corresponding slot of the bush b.
When required for use the end of the small chain his first withdrawn the set
screw e and the nut h are loosened and the rod c is partly drawn out of the bush &
while the longitudinal sliding pieco d¹ is turned upon the pin cl until the arm or
carrier d assumes a position at right angles to the rod c when the piece is drawn
back Figures 4, 5 and 7. The pin or bolt of the small chain is then inserted in
the opening of the piece d' which projects over and beyond the rod c and the front
part g of the rod c is entirely withdrawn from the bush and subsequently turned
upon the pin e¹ Figure 7.
In this manner is produced a candle holder which extends downwards to a suitable
distance in order to furnish a suitable light for piano players and the parts of which
although sliding within one another are so rigidly connected that none can be shifted
when in use.
The shade B has as shown in Figures 8 and 9 the form of a cylindrical screen, its
height is somewhat greater than that of the candle and it is provided the whole of its
height with a continuous slot or opening. When this shade is placed over the
candle C (Figure 10) it only allows of the light falling through the slot . By
setting i.e. turning the long slot of the cylinder B in a suitable manner the rays of
light issuing from the candle C can be so arranged as to be invisible to the eyes of
the player as he reads the music while they fully illuminate the said music or music
book so that the player sits almost in the dark and that whatever position or attitude
he may assume during his play he will not be troubled by the light.
The shade as well as the candle holder can be placed on the right as well as on the
left hand side of the piano the shade being advantageously made of brass or sheet
iron properly nickelled or silvered inside and coated with dark lac or bronze on the
outside. The nickelling produces a strong and still light for the music book.
The light itself may be advantageously obtained by making use of a candle made of
stearine or paraffine. The candles should have a length of about 120 /m and a
thickness of about 20 m/m-
The same should not flicker but burn quietly as any draught of air caused by
turning the music leaves is kept off or deflected by the shade B.
The candles should produce no smell as they burn.
The candle holder herein before described is particularly applicable for pianos of the
vertical or cottage type or it can be however connected with a standard as shown in
Figure 10 wherein the letter D indicates such standard and can be used for cottage,
grand and other pianos for organs harmoniums and the like as also for writing and
reading desks pulpits and the like or similar purposes.
The holder may be made of various sizes and shapes according to requirements and
of any metal or materials which may suit its manufacture.
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. A candle holding piano bracket having a holder capable of sliding up and down
and furnished with a shade substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

page_text: 2. A candle holding piano bracket consisting of a holder movable up and down
and carrying a candle or the like in combination with a shade surrounding the latter
for the purpose of providing a steady light illuminating the music book only the said
shade consisting of a screen or envelope provided with a slot extending from top to
bottom of same substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
3. In a candle holding piano or the like bracket a holder moving up and down and
consisting of a bush tube or sleeve b in which a rod c is arranged to slide such rod
being formed of two parts connected by a hinge or joint and capable of being drawn
out of the sleeve b such a distance that the hinge projects outside the latter and
the said rod connected at its free extremity by means of a longitudinal sliding piece
surrounding a pin with an arm or carrier d supporting the cup shaped piece holding
the candle as and for the purposes hereinbefore described and illustrated in the
drawings hereunto annexed.
4. In the holder claimed in claim 2 the arrangement of a small chain ¹ furnished
with a pin or bolt fixed to a nut / connecting the carrier d with the sleeve when
the holder is collapsed this chain ensuring the connection between the different parts
of the collapsed older by inserting its pin or bolt " in an opening of the sleeve on
the one hand and further ensuring the rigidity of the holder when extended for use
by inserting on the other hand the free end of the chain pin or bolt in the longitudinal
sliding piece of the carrier all substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore
described and illustrated in the drawings hereunto annexed.
5. The candle holding bracket arranged constructed and operating substantially as
and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 21st d
T.1 1900
TONGUE & BIRKBECK,
34, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Patentee.