IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR TURNING OVER THE LEAVES OF MUSIC BOOKS, WHICH APPARATUS IS APPLICABLE TO PIANO-
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Herbert Crowther, of Leeds, in the County of
York, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR TURNING
OVER THE LEAVES OF MUSIC BOOKS, WHICH APPARATUS IS APPLICABLE TO PIANO-
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Herbert Crowther at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 2nd March 1870.
I, HERBERT CROWTHER, of Leeds, in the County of York, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
FOR TURNING OVER THE LEAVES OF MUSIC BOOKS, WHICH APPARATUS IS APPLICABLE
TO PIANOFORTES, ORGANS, HARMONIUMS, MUSIC STANDS, AND SIMILAR ARTICLES,"
to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in the construction of a case or box semi-
circular in plan and rectangular in elevation, having within its inner
circumference a projection all round the upper angle of the box, the

page_text: In
box itself being attached to the top or inside front of the piano.
front of the box a spindle is placed, free to turn on its axis and sup-
ported by projections on the case, one of the projections being hollow
and adapted to receive a spring which operates upon the spindle. The
upper part of the spindle has a slot in it through which an arm passes,
the said arm being allowed to rock in the slot upon a pivot passing
through it and the spindle. One end of the arm rests against the pro-
jection in the case, while the other is extended outward and terminates
in a double-pronged hook. This hook is so arranged by means of steps
on the projection and levers screwed into the side of the box, and over
which the short end of the arm_travels,_as_to_engage_in_a_loop_or_loops.
attached to an elastic string or strings passing across, above, and beneath
the page or pages, and fastened to the centre of the book or to the lower
part of the apparatus. A fixed hook is placed on each side of the front
of the piano or other suitable place to receive the loops before mentioned.
On the lower part of the spindle a pulley is fixed, and around or partially
round this pulley a cord is passed, one extremity being fastened thereto,
and the other to a pedal to be worked by the foot or knee of the player.
Upon the pedal being pressed down the cord causes the partial rotation
of the pulley and spindle, thereby giving motion to the arm, which by
means of the two-pronged fork seizes the loop and with it the clastic
string, lifts it off the fixed or delivery hook, and places it on the opposite
or reception hook; the sheet of paper or music carried by the elastic
string is consequently turned over. As soon as the arm has deposited
the loop just mentioned and the pedal is released, the spring before
described causes the arm to resume its former position ready to repeat
the operation at the will of the performer.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Herbert Crowther, in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 29th August 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HERBERT
CROWTHER, of Leeds, in the County of York, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date, the Second day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the
year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant

page_text: unto me, the said Herbert Crowther, Her special licence that I, the
said Herbert Crowther, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Herbert Crowther, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
FOR TURNING OVER THE LEAVES OF MUSIC BOOKS, WHICH APPARATUS IS APPLICABLE
TO PIANOFORTES, ORGANS, HARMONIUMS, MUSIC STANDS, AND SIMILAR ARTICLES,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Herbert Crowther,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my,
or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the
Great Scal Patent Office within six calendar months next and im-
mediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Herbert Crowther, 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, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings,
and to the letters marked thereon, that is to say :-
This Invention which in its entirety I call the "pedal voltante "
consists in the construction of a case or box of the form shown at A,
Fig. 1, having within its inner circumference a projection B all round
the upper angle of the box, the box itself being attached to the top or
inside front of the piano. In front of the box a spindle C is placed, free
to turn partially on its axis, and supported by bearings at D and E. In
front of the box and partially within it is a hollow cylinder F adapted
to receive a spring which operates upon the spindle before mentioned.
The upper part of the spindle has a slot in it through which an arm G
passes, the said arm being allowed to rock in the slot upon a pivot
passing through it and the spindle. One end of the arm rests against
the under side of the projection B. in the case, while the other end of
the arm is extended outward, and terminates in a double-pronged fork H,
the ends of which are turned up and form hooks. This fork is so
arranged that by means of steps, notches, or indentations I cut on the
under side of the projection B, and tumblers or short levers J [shown

page_text: in Fig. 3] working on axes fastened to the side of the case immediately
under the notches, and over which the short end of the arm travels, as
to engage in a loop or loops K attached to an elastic string or strings L
[one of which only is shown in the Drawing] passing across, above, and
beneath the page or pages, and fastened at the other extremity to the
centre of the book or to the under side of the music desk or other
support for the book at M. The support for the sake of economy of
space in the Drawing is shown much nearer in proportion to the top
of the piano than it would be in reality. Two fixed hooks N and O are
placed one on each side of the piano or other suitable place to receive
the loops K_before_mentioned.-On-the-lower-part-of-the-spindle-Ca
pulley P is fixed, and around or partially round this pulley a cord or
chain Q is passed, one end being attached thereto, while the other is led
over guide pulleys R and S and fastened to the quadrant lever T, which
is operated upon by the pedal U in the manner exhibited in the Drawing.
Upon the pedal being depressed the cord thereby causes the partial
rotation of the pulley P and the spindle C, thus giving motion to the
arm G, which by means of the two-pronged fork H seizes the loop K,
and with it the elastic string, lifts it off the delivery hook N, and
places it on the opposite or reception hook O, the sheet of paper or
music carried by the elastic string L is consequently turned over. As
soon as the arm has deposited the loop just mentioned and the pedal is
released the spring [shown at V, Fig. 2,] causes the arm to resume its
former position ready to repeat the operation at the will of the performer.
The same letters though attached to different Figures relate to the same
parts of the apparatus.
In Fig. 1, and also in Fig. 3, the front plates and shield around the
spindle are removed in order to exhibit the internal construction. In
Figs. 2 and 3 the top is removed for the same purpose.
If necessary the notches or recesses I and the two stop studs W may
be covered with india-rubber, for the purpose of letting the short end of
the arm drop noiselessly. For the sake of neutralizing the weight of the
fork and loop at the long end of the arm a spiral spring may be attached
from the short end of the arm to the spindle, and thus reduce its friction
on the under side of the projection B. The joint X at the end of the
arm with the fork may be made either with a joint or spring, or with
a short piece of spring steel, one end of which would be rivetted to the
end of the arm, and the other to that of the fork. In the latter case the

page_text: piece of flexible steel will combine both joint and spring. The strings L
may be made of elastic or of wire with a short spiral spring formed
immediately under the loop. The ledge on which the bottom of the
book rests is divided in the centre so as to allow the strings to pass
between the leaves of the book, and let the book stand on the ledge.
The ends of the strings are collected together in a split link, which slips
into a small eye bolt fixed under the division in the book ledge.
The principal parts of the apparatus is by preference made of metal,
but where admissable ivory, vulcanite, ebonite, or any other suitable
material may be employed. The apparatus may also be embellished by
appropriate ornaments, and partially covered by a case of wood, as is
shown at Y, Fig. 1, where the top of the apparatus is made to serve as
support for a timepiece or metronome.
It will be understood that Fig. 1 is a front elevation and Fig. 2 a
plan of the apparatus, while Fig. 3 is another Drawing of the case A
with some of the parts removed in order that the recesses I and arrange-
ment of the short levers or tumblers J may be more clearly exhibited;
Z. Fig. 1, is supposed to represent the exterior case of the piano.
Having now described and particularly set forth the nature of this
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or
carried into effect, I would observe, in conclusion, that I do not confine
or restrict myself to the precise details or arrangements which I have
described or referred to, as variations may be made therefrom without
deviating from the principles or main features of this Invention, but
what I consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the
Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters
Patent is, the construction of apparatus for turning over the leaves of
music books, sheets of paper, or similar purposes, substantially as herein
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Herbert Crowther, have here.
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of August,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
HERBERT CROWTHER. (L.S.)