Improvements in Apparatus for Turning Music Sheets.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Aug., 1892
Complete Specification Left. 15th May. 1893-Accepted, 1st July, 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Turning Music Sheets.
1 FERDINAND MOREL of 9 Rue de la Prévoyance à Vincennes, Paris in the
Republic of France do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention consists generally in combining with a number of movable rods of
retaining means, and an escapement device whereby the rods may be conveniently
and positively operated by the performer to successively turn the leaves of the
music. The escapement device referred to may be operated either by the foot or
the hand through the medium of fluid transmission.
I also provide means whereby loose or disconnected sheets of music may be
temporarily bound for the purposes of my invention, said means being so devised
that when not required, they may be folded in a position out of the way. Other
details of construction are provided to improve the general purpose and operation
of the device.
In an apparatus constructed according to this invention a number of operating
rods are fastened at their inner ends to a series of discs mounted and turning on
a vertical shaft mounted on the base portion of the apparatus. A spring partly
embraces, and has one end secured to one of the discs, the other end of said spring
being attached to the base so as to normally exert a tension on the rods and spring
or throw them in the direction required. Each rod which is horizontal, carries a
slide, to which is pivotally attached a pair of vertical needles, one being of greater
length than the other, and both being adjustably maintained in their position by
incans of a spring bearing on their inuer ends within the said slide.
The base portion of the apparatus is provided with notches through one of which
the said needles extend. By having the slide as set forth, the said needles may be
adjusted to extend through either of the said notches, and thus provide for books
of greater or less width. The base portion is formed of two plates relatively
movable by means of rack teeth formed in one plate and engaged by pinions carried
by the second plate and operated by thumb knobs. This arrangement admits the
enlarging of the base portion to provide for music books of greater or less
thickness.
The escapement device before referred to is preferably suspended from a hook
carried by the base portion, the said escapement device being normally retained by
a pivot and spring in a definite position. In the position referred to the point of
the pivoted portion presses on a diaphragm pressing it against the bottom of a cap,
the hook portion confining all the rods, while the pivoted portion is normally free
of said rods. The beforementioned cap is provided with a tubular portion, with
which is connected a rubber tube the other end of which communicates with
pedal mechanism. This latter comprises a foot piece which is normally held in
A rubber sack is
an elevated position by springs resting on a suitable base.
connected with said foot piece, and has a lower valve so that the vibration of
the foot piece forces air through the said rubber tube to operate the diaphragm
and escapement device, the hook process of the lock releasing the foremost rod
and the pivotted portion locking the rest of the rods against release. The release
of the pressure on the foot piece causes air to again enter the beforementioned
sack and permits a relaxation of pressure on the escapement diaphragm, so that
the escapement device is restored to its normal position.
To provide for using the apparatus in connection with loose sheets or leaves of
music employ a temporary binder comprising a cylindrical shank, and acting as
a spring to force the leaves against a concave member, the said shank and member
being secured to a block pivotally secured by a pin to a bracket mounted on the

page_text: base portion of the apparatus. A spring maintains the temporary binder in either
a vertical or horizontal position, and enables the same to be folded parallel with the
base portion and out of the way when not in use.
Dated this 25th day of August 1892.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Turning Music Sheets.
I, FERDINAND MOREL of 9 Rue de la Prévayance à Vincennes, Paris in the
Republic of France, Mechanical Draughtsman, 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 :-
This invention for improvements in apparatus for turning music sheets consists
generally in combining with a number of movable rods of retaining means, and an
escapement device whereby the rods may be conveniently and positively operated
by the performer to successively turn the leaves of the music. The escapement
device referred to may be operated either by the foot or the hand through the
medium of fluid transmission, either gaseons, liquid or electric.
I also provide means whereby loose or disconnected sheets of music may be
temporarily bound for the purposes of my invention said means being so devised
that when not required they may be fulded in a position out of the way.
details of construction are provided to improve the general purpose and operation
of the device.
In the accompanying drawing forming part of this Specification-
Figure 1 is a plan view of music leaf turner embodying my improvements.
Figure 2 is a front elevation of the same.
Other
Figure 3 is a detail transverse sectional elevation taken on the line -a,
Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a detail view of the escapement device and its operating parts,
portions being shown in section to more clearly illustrate the construction and
operation of the same.
Figure 5 is a detail sectional view of the pedal mechanism for operating the
escapement device and
Figures 6 and 7 are detail sectional views illustrating the temporary binder.
My improved music leaf turner is shown as being used in connection with a
piano stand.
As shown in Figures 1 and 2 the rods A are fastened at their inner
ends to a series of discs a mounted and turning on the vertical shaft mounted on
the base portion B of the apparatus. A spring c partly embraces, and has one end
secured to one of the discs a, the other end of said spring being attached to the
base so as to normally exert a tension on its rod A and spring or throw it in the
direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 1.
Each rod A which is horizontal
carries a slide M to which is pivotally attached a pair of vertical needles kthe
latter being of greater length than the other, and both being adjustably maintained
in their position by means of the spring n bearing on their inner ends within the
slide M.
The base portion B is provided with notches T U through one of which
the needles extend. By having the slide M as set forth the said needles may be
adjusted to extend through either of the said notches and thus provide for books of
greater or less width. The base portion B is shown as being formed of two
plates, relatively movable by means of rack teeth V, V formed in the plate v
and engaged by pinions carried by the second plate and operated by thumb
knobs y y as shown in Figures 1 and 3. This arrangement admits the enlarging of
the base portion to provide for music books of greater or less thickness.
27

page_text: The escapement device C before referred to is represented in Figure 4 and is
preferably suspended from a hook E carried by the base portion B, said escapement
device being normally retained by a pivot e and spring f in a definite position as
shown. In the position referred to, the point F of the pivotted portion presses on
a diaphragm pressing it against the bottom of a cap G: the hook portion h
confining all the rods A, while the portion is normally free of said rods. The
cap G is provided with a tubular portion with which is connected a rubber tube I,
the other end of which communicates with the pedal mechanism J. This latter
(Figure 5) comprises a foot piece which is normally held in an elevated position
by springs u resting on a suitable base. A rubber sack K is connected with said
foot piece t and has a lower valve Z so that the vibration of the foot piece will
force air through the tube I to operate the diaphragm and escapement device the
hook process of the lock releasing the foremost rod A, the portion locking the
rest of the rods against release. The release of the pressure on the foot piece t
causes air to again enter the sack K and permits a relaxation of pressure of the
diaphragm g so that the spring f can restore the escapement device to the position
shown.
Stop brackets d and C form abutments against which the rods A. rest in either
position and serve to sustain the same at their outer ends so as to distribute the
weight of the same.
To provide for using the apparatus in connection with loose sheets or leaves of
music employ a temporary binder R comprising a cylindrical shank, and acting
as a spring to force the leaves against a concave member p, the said shank and
member being secured to a block P pivotally secured by a pinto a bracket s
mounted on the base portion B. A spring s maintains the temporary binder in
either a vertical or horizontal position, and enables the same to be folded parallel
with the base portion and out of the way when not in use.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. In a music leaf turning apparatus, the combination with a base portion
carrying a series of pivotted rods A, a spring device for throwing them in the arc
of a circle, said rods having leaf engaging meaus, together with an escapement
device for successively releasing said rods, and means for controlling and operating
said escapement device, substantially as set forth.
2. The combination, in a music leaf turning apparatus, of a spring actuated leaf
turning rods A and an escapement device normally confining the same together.
with releasing mechanism including a diaphragm 7, pressure treadle and tubular
communication therewith, substantially as set forth.
3. In music leaf turning apparatus, the combination with a series of spring
actuated leaf turning rods, each having a slide m provided with leaf engaging
needles kl, as aud for the purpose specified.
4. In music leaf turning apparatus, the combination of a base portion consisting
of relatively adjustable plates; together with spring actuated leaf turning rods,
substantially as set forth.
5. The combination in music leaf turning apparatus of a series of spring actuated
leaf turning rods, an escapement device comprising a vibrating portion provided
with the opposite hooks hj located in different vertical planes and an operating
mechanism, substantially as set forth.
6. The combination in an apparatus for turning music leaves, of the spring
actuated leaf turning rods pivotted and successively released by an escapement
device the latter being controlled by a diaphragm vibrated by fluid pressure
imparted by the compression of a valved sack through the medium of a spring
bearing foot piece t substantially as set forth.
7. The combination with a music leaf turning apparatus, of a temporary binder R
comprising a tubular shank and concave member, both pivotally mounted and a

page_text: spring locking the same in either a horizontal or vertical position, substantially as
set forth.
8. The combination in a music leaf turning apparatus, of a shaft and series of
pulleys therein dependent of each other, and each carrying a leaf turning rod and
springs connected to said pulleys and to the base portion of the apparatus for
partially turning the same when the rods are released substantially as set forth.
Dated this 15th day of May 1893.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents