IMPROVE- MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SUPPORTING OR HOLDING MUSIC AND OTHER BOOKS, AND FOR TURNING OVER THE LEAVES OF THE SAME
Year: 1867

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Thomas Porter at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 31st May
1867.
I, THOMAS PORTER, of Derby Street, Sunderland, in the County of
Durham, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SUPPORTING OR HOLDING MUSIC AND OTHER BOOKS, AND
FOR TURNING OVER THE LEAVES OF THE SAME," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to a peculiar construction and arrangement of desk
and apparatus connected therewith for supporting and holding music and
other books, and for turning over the leaves of the same without the necessity
for using the hands for that purpose.
According to my Invention I support the book and hold it in its proper
position by the aid of a simple contrivance which is inserted into the middle
of the desk at the lower part or supporting ledge thereof; this contrivance
consists of two parallel pins connected together at one end by a cross piece,
to which cross piece and between the two parallel pins I attach (at right
angles to the pins) an upright arm which lies in the fold of the book when
properly placed, and thus keeps the book in position on the desk laterally.
To one or both of the two parallel pins there is secured a spring rack, and in
the front of the desk two holes are made, into which the pins are inserted,
being slightly oblong to admit the spring rack or
racks as well as the pin. The rack affords facility for inserting the pins more
or less into the desk according to the thickness of the book which is supported
one or both of such holes

page_text: This con-
on the ledge situate on each side of the attachment referred to.
trivance is applicable to all ordinary book or music stands or desks as well
as to those provided with my improved apparatus for turning over the leaves of
books, and which consists as follows:-At the lower edge of the desk are
disposed a number of arms according to the number of leaves to be turned
over at one adjustment or setting of the apparatus, six or eight of such arms
will generally be found sufficient; these arms are arranged one under the
other, and carry at their outer ends two curved pieces of wire, the one being
longer than the other; these curved wires lie in the plane of the leaves of
the book, the longer one being placed behind or under the leaf, and the
shorter one above or on the surface thereof. By this means I avoid the
inconvenience of one leaf being turned over in company with another. The
opposite ends of these arms are situate in the centre of the desk or in the
plane of the fold of the book, and are there attached each to a separate and
independent torsional spiral spring, which has a tendency always to turn its
corresponding arm from the right over to the left of the desk; these springs
are by preference made of two or more strands of pianoforte wire twisted
together, they are contained in brackets fixed to the back of the centre
upright rail of the desk, with which they are parallel. The upper end of each
spring is secured to the top supporting bracket and the lower end to its
corresponding turning arm; on the right hand side of the desk there is a
stationary notched bar having as many notches in its face as there are armis
in the apparatus, and when the apparatus is set these arms are turned over
from the left side of the desk (the position in which they remain when in their
normal condition) to the right side, and are inserted each in its own notch,
such notches being like the arms disposed one above the other. In order to
keep the arms in their notches a vertical sliding bolt is drawn down in front
of the notched plate by a ring and wire, such sliding bolt being contained in
a case fixed to the desk. Supposing all the arms to be thus retained in their
notches and the curved wires on the ends of such arms to be properly inserted
between the leaves of the book or piece of music on the desk it is obvious
that on raising the bolt so as to release the arms one by one they will by the
torsional action of their springs turn over to the left hand side of the desk,
each arm turning over with it a leaf of the book or music. The successive
release of these arms is effected by the action of the foot in the following
manner A treadle at the foot of the music stand or desk is connected to a
cord which passes over a pulley on the top of the desk and then descends to
a vertical rod or spindle to which it is connected; this rod or spindle is con-
tained in a case or holder attached to the desk, and is constantly forced

page_text: downwards by a belical spring, its upward motion being derived from the
cord and treadle when the latter is depressed by the foot; a stop or check is
secured to the upper and lower portions of the spindle outside its case or
holder in order to limit the extent of its upward and downward movement.
To the side of this spindle there is secured a spring catch provided with a
hook at its lower free end, which hook is bevelled or inclined so as to move
freely in one direction, after the manner of a spring pall, over a vertical row
of pins fixed in the vertical sliding bolt herein-before referred to, the number
of such pins corresponding to the number of turning arms in the apparatus.
The stops or checks on the sliding spindle which carries the spring catch or
hook are so adjusted as to allow just sufficient movement of the spindle to
lift the sliding bolt one pin, and consequently release one of the arms; ou
removing the pressure from the treadle the helical spring in connection with
the sliding spindle forces that spindle downwards just sufficiently far to enable
the spring hook to engage under the next lower pin of the series in the bolt
so that when it is again drawn up by the treadle action the next succeeding
arm will be released by the lining of the bolt, and so on until all the arms
have been released and turned over. The spring catch or hook is then held
back or out of contact with the pins by drawing down a slide over it by the
aid of a ring and wire for that purpose, when the bolt with its pins will be
free to be drawn down again to its full extent so as to retain the several arms
which have in the mean time been readjusted into their several holding
notches. The spring catch is then released so as to allow it to engage
into the pins, and the apparatus is ready for use again as before described.