A METHOD OP AND APPARATUS FOR TEACHING MUSIC AND ARITHMETIC
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Archibald Brooman, of 166, Fleet Street,
in the City of London, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "A METHOD
OP AND APPARATUS FOR TEACHING MUSIC AND ARITHMETIC."- A com-
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Archibald
Brooman at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 8th January 1858.
I, RICHARD ARCHIBALD BROOMAN, of 166, Fleet Street, in the City of
London, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "A METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR TEACHING MUSIC AND ARITHMETIC,"
communicated to me by Mademoiselle Fitton, of Paris, to be as follows:-
The Inventress states that hitherto the elements of music and arithmetic
have only been taught by theory, and this fact has led her to invent an
apparatus which would allow of the pupil handling the notes and changing
them at will from one line or space to another, to familiarise him or her with
the notes and the places they occupy according to the different musical keys.
This musical and, if required, arithmetical apparatus, or as it is termed by
the Inventress, "abcdaire," is intended-to impart to children, to, the blind, and
to others the first notions of music or of arithmetic. This result is obtained
by the handling of movable signs capable of being fitted into or between lines
i

page_text: or cases arranged for their reception. The apparatus may also be arranged to
produce sounds corresponding to the different positions of the movable signs,
a great advantage, which allows of the position of the note and the sound which
represents it being simultaneously imparted to the pupil.
The "abcdaire" or apparatus is in the form of an oblong box or case,
divided into three compartments. One receives the five musical lines and the
bars, which may be fixed or movable; another is an imitation of a key-
board which allows of the respective positions the notes occupy being shewn;
and the third is a reservoir for containing the movable signs, notes, &c.
The first of these compartments contains wires which represent the five
musical lines, and other wires the bars. There may be a space in the case
under these lines to receive a harmonica or other suitable sounding instru-
ment, by the agency of which a sound may be produced on its being touched
by the point or tail of the note corresponding to the sound of that note when
-placed in its proper position between the musical lines. Each note is formed
with a tail or tang to facilitate its insertion between the lines, and to act upon
the sounding instrument, as just stated. The apparatus may, however, be used
without any sounding instrument.
In order to teach the value of figures and numeration the foregoing
arrangements must be slightly changed, and figures must take the place of
notes.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Richard Archibald Brooman in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 8th July 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RICHARD
ARCHIBALD BROOMAN, of 166, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent
Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Richard Archibald Brooman, Her special licence that I, the said
Richard Archibald Brooman, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Richard Archibald Brooman, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein
:

page_text: 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 "A METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR TEACHING
MUSIC AND ARITHMETIC," (a communication from Mademoiselle Fitton; of
Paris,) upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Richard Archibald
Brooman, 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 Seal
Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said Letters Patent.
t
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Richard Archibald Brooman, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in. and by the
following statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto
annexed (that is to say) :-
The Inventress states that hitherto the elements of music and arithmetic
have only been taught by theory, and this fact has led her to invent an
apparatus which would allow of the pupil handling the notes and changing
them at will from one line or space to another, to familiarise him or her with
the notes and the places they occupy according to the different musical keys. :
This musical and, if required, arithmetical apparatus, or as it is termed by
the Inventress, "abcdaire," is intended to impart to children, to the blind, and
to others the first notions of music or of arithmetic. This result is obtained
by the handling of movable signs, capable of being fitted into or between lines
or cases arranged for their reception. The apparatus may also be arranged
to produce sounds corresponding to the different positions of the moveable signs,
a great advantage, which allows of the position of the note and the sound
which represents it being simultaneously imparted to the pupil.
"
The "abcdaire or apparatus is in the form of an oblong box or case
divided into three compartments. One receives the five musical lines and
the bars, which may be fixed or moveable; another is an imitation of a key-
board which allows of the respective positions the notes occupy being shewn ;
and the third is a reservoir for containing the movable signs, notes, &c...
The first of these compartments contains wires which represent the five
musical lines, and other wires the bars. There may be a space in the case
under these lines to receive a harmonica or other suitable sounding instrument,
by the agency of which a sound may be produced on its being touched by the
point or tail of the note corresponding to the sound of-that-note when placed

page_text: in its proper position between the musical lines. Each note is formed with a
tail or tang to facilitate its insertion between the lines, and to act upon the
sounding instrument, as just stated. The apparatus may, however, be used
without any sounding instrument.
In order to teach the value of figures and numeration the foregoing
arrangement must be slightly changed, and figures must take the place of
notes.
:
Figure of the Drawings hereunto annexed shews in plan, and Figure 2
in side elevation, an instrument constructed according to this Invention, and
intended for the use of those who can see; Figure 3 is a plan, and Figure 4
is a side elevation, of an instrument adapted to the teaching of the blind;
Figure 5 is a side view of one of the movable signs detached, shewing the pin
which holds it in the apparatus at the place the note, sign, or figure is required
to occupy on the lines or in the spaces...
The instrument is composed of a wooden box a divided into three com
partments A, B, C. The compartment A receives the musical lines and bars,
which can be made fixed or movable. The compartment marked B contains
a representation of a key-board, to shew the respective positions of the notes.
The other compartment C.contains a cushion to receive the spare movable
signs, notes, or figures, according to the nature and method of instruction
adopted. The first of these 'compartments A is formed with a cushion on
which the wires b are placed, forming the staves in music, and the bars c, also
made in metal or other suitable material. This case can be hollowed out at
its lower part to receive either a harmonica, bells, or other instruments
capable of producing sound, by 'the aid of which there can be given at each
depression of the movable figure a sound corresponding to the note on which
the figure is placed. The finger-boards can be made movable to produce the
sound. By these means the position of the note on the line and the sound
that note gives is ascertained. The apparatus may, however, be made with
only the position of the notes 'or figures marked, without the assistance of the
musical sounds. The pupil learning the notes and the positions they occupy,
according to the 'different keys placed at the 'commencement of the stave,
takes, for instance, one of the movable signs'd placed in the case C, and pricks
it into or places it in the cushion in the case A on the proper line 'or space
of the musical 'stave; he thus habituates 'himself. to the knowledge of the
notes; to the position they occupy, and also, as before explained, to their
respective sound.
To teach the blind to read or become acquainted with the notes the
following is the method adopted-On the apparatus shewn at Figure 4,

page_text: which is somewhat similar to that given at Figure 1, there is placed a sheet
of paper k slightly damped. This sheet (which is held at its ends by brackets
attached to the hinges or in any other suitable manner) is submitted to the
action of an elastic hand roller p made of caoutchouc or other analogous
material. This roller as it is passed along the damped paper causes it to take
an impression of the projecting notes on the key-board, and to give in relief
a representation of the music formed by the movable pins. The blind, by
simply passing the fingers over these raised marks or figures, may read or
become acquainted with the notes there represented.
The arrangement of the apparatus may be varied without departing from
the essential features of the Invention; for instance, the notes may be
replaced by figures, thus enabling the apparatus to be employed as a means
for affording instruction in arithmetic to children.
And having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim the method of
and apparatus for teaching music and arithmetic herein-before described and
illustrated in the Drawings hereunto annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Archibald Brooman, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Eighth day of July, One thousand
eight hundred and fifty-eight.