Improvements in Music Leaf Turners.
Year: 1892

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Music Leaf Turners.
We MARTIN ALEXANDER MCMARTIN, Real Estate Agent, of Raton, Colfax
County, and Territory of New Mexico. JAMES ROBERT GIVENS, Contractor, also
of Raton aforesaid, JACOB SANDERS, Merchant, of Trinidad, Las Animas County,
State of Colorado and ABE MANSBACH, Merchant, also of Trinidad, aforesaid,
both in the United States of America, 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:-
Our invention relates to music leaf turners and its object is to produce a simple,
efficient and comparatively inexpensive music leaf turner which may be applied to
any music desk and by means of which the leaves of music may be nicely turned
and held in place so as to facilitate playing the instrument.
To this end our invention consists in certain features of construction, and com-
binations of parts, which will be hereinafter described and then pointed out in the
claims.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this
Specification, in which similar figures of reference indicate corresponding parts in all
the views.
Figure 1 is a front elevation of the music leaf turner;
and
Figure 2 is a vertical cross section of the same on the line 2-2 in Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a broken horizontal section on the line 3-3 in Figure 1 ;
Figures 4 and 5 are broken detail, sectional views of the catches for adjusting the
music loops, the view showing the catches in closed and open position.
The body of the device consists of a flat spring plate 10, which has on the upper
side and at the ends the arms 11, which extend upward and are bent rearwardly,
as shown at 12, so as to have their upper portions substantially parallel with the
plate, and these arms carry pads 13 on their under sides and near their free ends,
which pads are adapted to contact with the ledge of the music rack as shown by
dotted lines in Figure 2, and prevent the rack from being scarred.
On the upper side of the plate 10 and near the centre is another pad 14 which is
adapted to bear against the under side of the music rack ledge, and to place the
music leaf turner in position, the ends of the plate or body 10 are swung upward
and the upper ends 12 of the arms 11 pushed over the ledge of the music rack,
while the central pad 14 bears beneath the same, and the spring of the plate or
body will hold it in place.
At the extreme ends of the body or plate 10 and in front of the arms 11, are
spring catches 15, each having a back plate 17 with an elongated slot 18 near its
upper end and a front plate 19 similar to the plate 17, with the exception of the
slot, the two plates having inwardly bent ears 20 which are pivoted together, and
the plates are normally pressed by springs so as to throw their upper edges
together. Each plate 17 and 19 carries a spring wire loop 16 which projects upward,
as shown in Figures 1 and 2, and these loops are adapted to press upon the outer
edges of the music and hold it in place.
A block 21 is held between the upper ends of the plates 17 and 19, the block
being journalled in the front plate 19 and having at its outer end a milled wheel 22
which enables the block to be turned. The block is wider than it is thick, so that
when turned in one direction, it will project through the slot 18 and permit the
upper ends of the plates 17 and 19, as well as the spring loops 16 to come together,
but when turned at right angles to the slot, the block will overlap the same and
hold the plates and the spring loops apart, so that the sheets of music may be
nserted between the loops.

page_text: Near the centre of the body or plate 10 and on the under side of the same is a
case 23 having a removable bottom, and near the centre of this case is a small
vertical shaft 24 having a driving pinion 25, and projecting forward from this shaft
are arms 26 which are bent as shown in Figure 2, so as to swing in different
horizontal planes, and the arms terminate at their free ends in segmental gears 26"
which are adapted to engage the gears 27 which are mounted on the shaft 28 in
front of the case and turn in an opening in the case. These gears 27 are mounted
one above another and are separated by a washer 29, and the shaft 28 which supports
them is mounted in lugs 28 which project from the front of the plate 10 and from
the under side of the case 23.
The arms 26 are so arranged that one of them will engage one of the gears 27 in
advance of the other, so that the gears and the arms 30 connected therewith will be
turned one at a time. These arms 30 are formed integrally with the gears and are
adapted to swing in a plane substantially parallel with the body or plate 10, and
while there are but two of the arms shown in the drawings, it will be understood
that any desired number of them may be used.
The arms are provided at their free ends with vertical spring catches 15", which
are exactly like the catches 15 previously described, and these catches carry large
spring loops 31 which are adapted to engage the leaves of the music, and the leaves
may be inserted between each pair of arms so that when the arms are turned, the
leaves will be also turned. These loops 31 are made of small wire so that if they
extend over a page of music, they will not obscure the notes.
Extending through the bottom of the case 23 is a lever 33 which is pivoted on a
lug 32 on the under side of the case and which swings in a slot 33* in the case
bottom. This lever has its upper end bent forward and formed into a gear 34 which
meshes with the pinion 25 and which thus imparts motion to the arms 26 and to the
turning arms 30. The lower portion of the lever 33 is slotted longitudinally, as
shown at 35, so as to facilitate the adjustment of the handle 36 which is secured
thereto and which terminates at its lower end in a finger piece 37.
The handle is secured to the lever by a thumb screw 38 which extends through
the handle, through a clasp 39 which embraces the handle and lever 33, and
through a slide block 39 which is held to the slide in the slot 35. It will thus be
seen that by swinging the lever 33 by means of the handle 36, the pinion 25 and
arms 26 will be swung and the arms 30 may be caused to swing from side to side of
the music turner so as to properly turn the music leaves..
For ordinary music two arms 30 are sufficient and these are arranged so as to
operate two leaves of a piece of music, but if necessary, additional arms may be
provided so as to turn any desired number of leaves.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is,
1. A music leaf turner comprising a spring body having fastening devices at the
ends to secure it to an instrument, swinging arms pivoted beneath the body and
having leaf-turning loops at their free ends, and a depending handle geared to the
arms and adapted to swing beneath the body, substantially as described.
2. A music leaf turner, comprising a body having fastening devices to secure it
to an instrument, a case mounted on the under side of the body, outwardly swinging
arms pivoted in the case and having wire loops at their outer ends to hold the music
leaves and gears at their inner ends, diverging gear arms mounted within the case
and geared to the music-turning arms, and a depending lever pivoted on the case
and having a gear connection with the arms, substantially as described.
3. The combination with the turning arms, of the spring catches comprising
oppositely swinging spring-pressed plates pivoted together near the centre, and one of
them having a slot near one end, a swivel block mounted between the plates and
adapted to enter or overlap the slot, and music holding loops secured to the opposite
plates, substantially as described.

page_text: 4. A music leaf turner, comprising a spring body having end fastening devices to
secure it to an instrument, music holding loops mounted on the ends of the body and
provided with adjusting catches, a case mounted on the under side of the body,
outwardly swinging arms pivoted in the case and carrying music holding loops at
their free ends, diverging gear arms held to oscillate in the case and having their
free ends geared to the music-turning arms, and a swinging handle mounted on the
under side of the case and adapted to operate the gear arms, substantially as
described.
Dated this 23rd day of February 1892.
M. A. McMARTIN.
J. R. GIVENS.
J. SANDERS.
A. MANSBACH.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.