IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR TURNING OVER LEAVES OF MUSIC OR BOOKS to be as follows
Year: 1884

page_text: I, EDWARD NEGRONI, of 32 Brunswick Square in the County of Middlesex,
Professor of Music, do hereby declare the nature of said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR TURNING OVER LEAVES OF MUSIC OR BOOKS
to be as follows :-
"
My Invention has for its object to provide a simple and effective apparatus by
which the leaves of music or leaves of books can be turned over without
necessitating the use of the hands for the purpose. An apparatus constructed
according to my Invention consists of a number of levers set upon an axis so that
they can have a motion of partial rotation imparted to them one after the other.
Each of the said levers carries a clip or device for engaging a sheet of music the
said levers being of different lengths so that the said clips or devices will lie in the
same or about the same plane, the said levers being situated one under the other
and kept at a certain distance apart by washers or the like mounted upon the axis.
Beneath the series of levers and capable of sliding longitudinally and also of
having a motion of about a semi-rotation upon the said axis is a piece carrying a
catch or tooth which engages behind the lever which is lowermost, the said catch
or tooth being caused by a spring or the like to always take up this position when
released. The leaves to be turned are put in due order between or engaged with
the clips or devices at the ends of the lovers the leaf to be first turned being
engaged with the clip or device of the lowermost lever, the next leaf being engaged
with the clip or device of the lever next above it and so on with as many levers as
may be used The catch or tooth lying as aforesaid at the back of the lowermost
lever, on a partial rotation being given to the piece carrying the said catch or tooth
by a cord or other suitable means it carries over the said lever and so turns the
first leaf of the music or book. The said piece carrying the catch or tooth then
automatically returns to its normal position and engages behind the next lever
which is now lowermost and this is similarly operated when the next leaf is to be
turned and so on until a number of leaves corresponding to the number of clips
and levers provided have been turned when the piece carrying the catch or tooth is
lowered and the said levers can then be turned back to their original position for
re-use.

page_text: "
I EDWARD NEGRONI of 32 Brunswick Square in the County of Middlesex
Professor of Music do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "Iм-
PROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR TURNING OVER LEAVES OF MUSIC OR BOOKS
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My Invention has for its object to provide a simple and effective apparatus by
which leaves of music or leaves of books can be turned over without necessitating
the use of the hands for the purpose. An apparatus constructed according to my
Invention consists of a number of levers set upon an axis so that they can have a
motion of partial rotation imparted to them one after the other. Each of the said
levers carries a clip or device for engaging a sheet of music the said levers being
of different lengths so that the said clips or devices will lie in the same or about
the same plane the said levers being situated one under the other and kept at a
certain distance apart by washers or the like mounted upon the axis. Beneath the
series of levers and capable of sliding longitudinally and also of having a motion
of about a semi rotation upon the said axis is a piece carrying a catch or tooth
which engages behind the lever which is lowermost the said catch or tooth being
Caused by a spring or the like to always take up this position when released. The
leaves to be turned are put in due order between or engaged with the clips or
devices at the ends of the levers the leaf to be first turned being engaged with the
clip or device of the lowermost lever the next leaf being engaged with the clip or
device of the lever next above it and so on with as many levers as may be used.
The catch or tooth, lying as aforesaid at the back of the lowermost lever, on a
partial rotation being given to the piece carrying the said catch or tooth by a cord
or other suitable means it carries over the said lever and so turns the first leaf of
the music or book. The said piece carrying the catch or tooth then automatically
returns to its normal position and engages behind the next lever which is now
lowermost and this is similarly operated when the next leaf is to be turned and so
on until a number of leaves corresponding to the number of clips and levers
provided have been turned when the piece carrying the catch or tooth is lowered
and the said levers can then be turned back to their original position for re use.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same and for that purpose shall refer to
the several figures of the annexed drawings the same letters of reference
indicating corresponding parts in all the figures.
Figure 1 is an elevation (with the case in section) Figure 2 is a transverse
section and Figure 3 is a plan (with the cover of the case removed) of an apparatus
constructed according to my Invention and Figures 4 and 5 are details drawn to a
larger scale. A number of levers a are set upon the axis b so that they can be
turned one after the other from the position shewn in figure 1 in full lines to that
shewn in respect to one of them in dotted lines. Each lever a carries a clip a³
between each of which one of the leaves of music or the like to be turned is placed
the leaf to be first turned being held by the Clip of the longest lever the next leaf
by the next shorter lever and. so on the last leaf to be turned being held by the
shortest of the levers. I prefer to set the clips at an angle as shewn in figure 1 so
as not to obstruct the music or printing or the like upon the leaves.
Figure 4 shews a construction of clip that may be used but I do not limit myself
to any particular construction of the said clip. As shewn in the drawings it
consists of a back piece a³ or projection from the lever to which is centred at a'

page_text: a piece a against the lower flattened part of which bears a knife spring as which
retains the piece a³ in its closed position but allows it to be turned down as shewn
in dotted lines for placing the leaf between the parts a³ and a³. The bearing parts
are. preferably covered with India rubber or leather or the like to give a proper
grip upon the leaf. The levers a are kept at a sufficient distance apart to give
them a clearance by means of the washers c mounted upon the axis b. Beneath
the levers a and mounted upon the axis b so as to be capable of a motion of partial
rotation thereon and also of a longitudinal motion thereon is a piece D (shewn
more clearly in figure 5) having upon its upper part a catch or tooth d which
engages the lowermost of the levers a a spring & keeping the said piece D in its
raised position so that its said tooth d engages with whichever of the levers may
be the lowermost of those not turned over. The said piece D has a pulley d
formed upon it or attached to it, one end of a cord f or its equivalent being fixed
to the said pulley, the said cord being led over a pulley or guide or pulleys or guides
(as at f) to a pedal or other instrument by which a pull can be exerted upon it to
turn the said piece D in the direction for turning over the leaves. A. Cord g or its
equivalent is also attached at one end to the said pulley d the other end of the
said cord g being attached to a spring h so that when the said piece D is released
from the pull upon the cord f the said spring h and cord g returns it to its normal
position. is a lever by which the spring e can be lowered and with it the piece D
to allow of the levers a being turned back, when required, to their original
position. The apparatus is preferably enclosed in a casing as shown and attached
to this casing is the support K having a bar k behind which the music or the like
is passed, and by which it is held firmly at the part constituting the centre upon
which the leaves are to be turned. The said bar k may be hinged at the lower
part and secured at the upper part by a catch piece k of any suitable construction.
The side of the support K from which the leaves are turned has a clip piece / for
holding firmly the cover or next sheet to that to be last turned. This clip may be
of any suitable construction As shown in the drawing it consists of a lever
centered at A, and having a tail piece which when the catch is raised, passes
through a slot in the support. A piece can be slidden down behind this tail
piece when the clip is closed so as to hold the sheet or cover very firmly. I do
not however limit myself to any particular construction of the means by which
the music or book is secured to the support. When the apparatus is to be used
the music or the like is secured to the support K and the last page or cover is held
by the clip or its equivalent. The last leaf to be turned is secured between the
clip a of the shortest and uppermost lever a the next leaf by clip a³ of the next
lower lever a and so on the first leaf to be turned being secured between the clip a³
of the longest and lowermost lever a. The tooth d of the piece D lies behind the
lowermost lever as shewn in figure 2 and on exerting a pull upon the cord f the
said piece D has a motion of partial rotation upon the axis b given to it in the
direction of the arrows in figure 5, and the lowermost lever a is thereby turned
through about a half rotation upon the axis b so that it takes up the position
shewn in dotted lines in figure 1 taking the leaf over with it. A piece of India
rubber or other soft material is preferably provided at m to prevent noise. When
the pull on the cord f is released the springh pulls upon the cord g and causes the
piece D to be turned back to its original position, and as it is pressed upwards by
the spring e its tooth d (when the said piece D has reached the limit of its back
stroke) engages behind the next lever a to turn over that lever when another pull
is exerted upon the cord f, and so on with all the leaves to be turned. After all
the leaves have been turned the piece D is lowered by depressing the lever i and
the levers a can then be turned back to their original position for re-use. Although
I have shown four levers a it will be evident that any required or suitable number
can be similarly arranged. It will be evident that my Invention may be readily
applied to pianos or other like musical instruments, to music stands invalids book
rests and the like,

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is :-
First-In apparatus for turning over leaves of music or books the employment
of a series of levers provided with means for attaching the sheets to be turned, and
being capable of turning upon an axis upon which is also capable of turning a
device capable also of longitudinal movement upon the said axis, so that the said
device will when partially rotated, turn over one of the said levers and then
return and by a longitudinal movement on its axis take up a position to operate
upon the next lever all substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the
accompanying drawings.
Second: In apparatus for turning over the leaves of music or books the
combination of a support for holding the music or book, a series of levers for turning
the leaves thereof and a device by which a positive movement is given to the said
levers which device returns to its position for action automatically all substantially
as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Third In apparatus for turning over the leaves of music or books the
employment of the device shewn in detail in figure 5 of the accompanying drawings,
the said device being provided with means whereby a motion of partial rotation
can be given to it so as to turn over one leaf at a time, and with means for causing
it to automatically turn to its original position, but be brought by a longitudinal
movement to engage with or behind the next lever to be turned, substantially as
herein before described.
Fourth: The arrangement and combination of parts constituting the apparatus
for turning the leaves of music or books substantially as hereinbefore described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 20th day of November 1884.