A NEW OR IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR TURNING PAGES OF MUSIC BOOKS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Auguste Villaret, of Marvejols,, in the Department of
the Lozère, in the Republic of France, Gentleman, for the Invention of
"A NEW OR IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR TURNING PAGES OF MUSIC BOOKS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Auguste Villaret at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 29th August 1879.
AUGUSTE VILLARET, of Marvejols, in the Department of the Lozère, in the
Republic of France, Gentleman. "A NEW OR IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR TURNING
PAGES OF MUSIC BOOKS."
This Invention relates to improved apparatus for turning the pages or leaves of
music, whether at the music-stand or at the piano, by the pressure of the foot upon
a pedal or treadle.
On the accompanying Sheet of Drawing forming part of this my Provisional
Specification, Figure 1 is a plan view of a music stand with my apparatus applied;
Figure 2 is an elevation of same; Figure 3 shows details of part of the apparatus,
drawn half size, and Figure 4 is a section at a, b, Fig. 3.
A moveable support A (Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4,) working in a notch or recess made
in the right section of the plate S, keeps the catch F in a proper position.
The end B of the rod or stem of this catch is cone shaped (see Fig 4), and is
attached to the axle of the support around which it turns freely, forming a triangle
with it.
This cone is cut near the middle by a cross piece b intended to push the catch G
towards the centre. The point of the cone forms an angle of about 8 degrees
behind the rod or stem of the catch, and is attached by a cord to an indiarubber
or spiral spring n (Fig. 1). The action of this spring, combined with the pressure
of the cord o upon the crosspiece b of the cone, guides the catch in the whole of its
travel or journey and brings it back to take another leaf-turner. The spring should
have sufficient power to slightly advance the catch without impeding the action of the
cord upon the crosspiece 6, and to direct it towards the centre when the leaf-turner
or page-turner has come out of the stop notch; the spring then having less power
its cord bears upon the axle of the support.
:

page_text: The catch F, kept against the leaf-turners by the traction of the spring H, is set
in motion by a cord fixed to the axle of the support A. This cord pulled by the
treadle or pedal begins by advancing the catch F so that it may seize the leaf-
turner and disengage it from the stop notch f in which it is fixed; its pressure upon
the cross-piece then pushes the catch F towards the centre, where it is slightly
thrown forward by the advancement of the plate J in such a manner that the leaf-
turner seizes or takes hold of the leaf which is to be turned at a point slightly
distant from the centre of the music-book; it is then pushed back along the curve l
in the sloping groove m, where it remains fixed, held by the ring which keeps
it in its primitive position.
The fore part of the slide is lower than the back part, which permits the small
spring of the leaf-turners to unite with the friction of the ring and the slit
of the groove in securing them in the position in which the catch places them.
These leaf-turners fit on to the ring-screw V, (Figs. 1 and 2), by a ring carrying an
india rubber or other spring which permits them a suitable elongation.
A cord or brass wire follows the spring and carries at its end a piece of
iron wire t, having in the centre a ring which keeps it in the stop notches, and
being provided at the end with a head which keeps it in the catch during the
journey.
The cord o which draws or moves the catch winds on a pulley P, and is attached
to the shifting lever 1, moving round a catch a fixed to the upright or support of
the music stand or desk.
A cord or chain fixed to the lever p places it in communication with a pedal
or treadle fitted in the foot of the music-stand or by the side of the other pedals of
a piano.
The point on the lever at which the chain from the pedal is attached will vary
according to the stroke or travel to be given to it.
A small stein or rod M, forming spring, keeps the leaf or page open on the right
side without preventing the leaf-turner from lifting the page or leaf to carry it to
the left.
The plate J has stop-notches f which keep each leaf-turner in its proper
position; it has a projecting centre i sloping on both sides, serving to throw the
leaf-turners forward.
The two rods Y, Z, form a spring and keep against the stop pieces all the pages
or leaves of the music book which are not to be turned.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Auguste Villaret in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 24th
February 1880.
AUGUSTE VILLARET, of Marvejols, in the Department of the Lozère, in the
Republic of France; Gentleman: "A NEW OR IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR TURNING
PAGES OF Music Books."
This Invention relates to improved apparatus for turning the pages or leaves
of music, whether at the music stand or at the piano; by the pressure of the foot
upon a pedal or treadle.
On the accompanying Sheet of Drawing forming part of this Specification, Figure
1 is a plan view of a music stand with my apparatus applied; Figure 2 is an
elevation of the same; Figure 3 shows details of part of the apparatus, drawn
half size, and Figure 4 is a section a, b, Fig. 3.
A moveable support A (Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4) working in a notch or recess made in the
right section of the plate S keeps the catch F in a proper position.
The end B of the rod or stem of this catch is cone shaped (see Fig. 4) and is
attached to the axle of the support around which it turns freely forming a triangle
with it.
This cone is cut near the middle by a cross-piece intended to push the hook or
catch G towards the centre. The point of the cone forms au angle of about 8 degrees
behind the rod or stein of the catch, and is attached by a cord to an india rubber or
spiral spring n (Fig. 1). The action of this spring combined with the pressure of
the cordo upon the crosspiece b of the cone, guides the catch in the whole of its
travel or journey, and brings it back to take another leaf-turner. The spring should
have sufficient power to slightly advance the catch without impeding the action of the
cord upon the crosspiece b, and to direct it towards the centre when the leaf-
turner or page-turner has come out of the stop notch, the spring then having less
power its cord bears upon the axle of the support l.
The catch F, kept against the leaf-turners by the traction of the spring H, is set
in motion by a cord fixed to the axle of the support A. This cord pulled by the
treadle or pedal begins by advancing the catch F so that it may seize the leaf-
turner and disengage it from the stop notch f in which it is fixed; its pressure
upon the cross-piece then pushes the catch F towards the centre where it is slightly
thrown forward by the advancement of the plate J, in such a manner that the
leaf-turner seizes or takes hold of the leaf which is to be turned at a point slightly
distant from the centre of the music book; it is then pushed back along the curve
in the sloping groove m where it remains fixed, held by the ring which keeps it
in its primitive position.
The fore part of the slide is lower than the back part, which permits the small
spring of the leaf-turners to unite with the friction of the ring and the slit of the
groove in securing them in the position in which the catch places them.
These leaf-turners fit on to the ring-screw V (Figs. 1 and 2) by a ring carrying an
india rubber or other spring which permits them a suitable elongation.
A cord or brass wire follows the spring and carries at its end a piece of
iron wire t, having in the centre a ring which keeps it in the stop notches, and
being provided at the end with a head which keeps it in the catch during the
journey.
The cord o which draws or moves the catch winds on a pulley P and is attached
to the moveable lever 2, moving round a catch a fixed to the upright or support of
the music stand or desk.
A cord or chain fixed to the lever 2 places it in communication with a pedal or
treadle fitted in the foot of the music stand or by the side of the other pedals of a
niano.

page_text: The point on the lever at which the chain from the pedal is attached will vary
according to the stroke or travel to be given to it. **
A small stem or rod M, forming spring, keeps the leaf or page open on the right
side without preventing the leaf-turner from lifting the page or leaf to carry it to
the left.
The plate J has stop-notches which keep each leaf-turner in its proper position,
it has a projecting centre i sloping on both sides serving to throw the leaf-turners
forward.
The two rods Y, Z, form a spring, and keep against the stop pieces = all the
pages or leaves of the music book which are not to be turned.
To more easily obtain the necessary precision of the various movements,-
I may replace the cone which terminates the hook or catch G by a piece made in
the form shown, Figs. 5 and 6.
The cord o of the pedal is attached to the back ring a¹, placed about an inch from
the axis of the moveable support A (Figs. 1, 2, 3), it bears upon the axis b₁ of the
support, and upon the bent semicircular part c', which is itself about one fifth of
an inch from the axis when the hook or catch attacks the last leaf-turner within
the desk or stand.
The semi-circular bent part c¹ is intended to prevent the hook or catch from
throwing itself backward."
The cord of the spring is fixed to the front ring d¹ (Figs. 5 and 6), and is at a
distance of rather less than an inch from the axis of the moveable support b', upon
which it bears when the book or catch attacks. the first leaf-turner towards the
inside of the desk.
This combination facilitates the forward movement of the hook or catch to seize
the leaf-turner, and by this arrangement all the other movements are similarly
produced, as with the cone arrangement hereinbefore described.
The catch F should be rounded at the bottom (as shown Fig. 5) so that at
the end of its journey the rod e¹ may be parallel. with the slot m, Fig. 1.
The end of the catch may be turned over as at Fig. 5, in order that protuberence
may bear underneath the crosspiece of the bottom of the desk.
This combination by making the catch bear upon its end facilitates its
movement.
In witness whereof, I, the' said Auguste Villaret, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty sixth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty.
AUGUSTE VILLARET. (L.S.)