Improvements in or appertaining to Apparatus for Teaching Music or other Matters by the Aid of Diagrams, Charts, Modulators, or the like.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 12th June, 1894
Complete Specification Left, 12th Mar., 1895-Accepted, 13th Apr., 1895
DIETOATEN.
Improvements in or appertaining to Apparatus for Teaching Music
or other Matters by the Aid of Diagrams, Charts, Modulators, or
the like.
I, EDWARD MC GUINNESS of 162 Harrowby Street in the City of Liverpool,
Certificate Teacher, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention has for its object an arrangement for teaching Curwin's modulator,
or other tabular or diagramatic charts to children. The great disadvantage in
using these charts is that the teacher has to stand with his back more or less to the
class and look at the chart, while he points to it.
Now my invention is designed to enable him to face the class while pointing to
the chart behind his back. It is done by placing on or near the modulator or other
chart, a series of indicators, pointers, or semaphores and arranging the chart or
modulator so that it can be moved horizontally when required. The various pointers
are connected by levers and wires with a key board in front of the teacher, the
wires being so arranged as not to intercept his view of the class. A second set of
keys can be used for moving the modulator or chart, or instead of this, moving the
range of pointers, so that a pointer or semaphore of a given key can be brought
in succession to any sign, note, figure, or the like, on its own horizontal line. It is
obvious however that the pointers could be arranged to take a vertical line, and
the movement of the chart be also vertical instead of horizontal, or there might be
an independent pointer to every note, figure, or word, on the chart.
The method of connecting the key-board with the pointers, semaphores or the
like, can be either by tensional wires, by stout rods, or even by pneumatic or
electric conductors, so long as by deflecting the key, the pointer connected with it
is brought into the right line, or in position. Preferably I prefer to have all the
pointers standing vertically upwards, or nearly so, with their points quite clear of
the chart when not pointing out, they being part of a simple or bell-crank lever
connected with the wire or pneumatic device. By means of the wire rod or
pneumatic device, the other end of the lever is pulled or pushed to the required
extent to bring the pointer horizontal. The chart or the range of pointers can be
arranged on a carriage travelling horizontally and worked by other keys. Or each
pointer can be shot out as required.
TL-
T1004
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in or appertaining to Apparatus for Teaching Music
or other Matters by the Ald of Diagrams, Charts, Modulators, or
the like.
I, EDWARD MC GUINNESS of 162 Harrowby Street, in the City of Liverpool
Certificated Teacher, 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 has for its object an arrangement for teaching Curwen's modulator

page_text: or other tabular or diagrammatic charts to children or others. The great
disadvantage in using these charts hitherto has been that the teacher has to stand
with his back more or less to the class and look at the chart while he points to it.
Now my invention is designed to enable him to face the class while pointing to
the chart. It is done by placing on or near the modulator or other chart, a series
of indicatore, pointers or semaphores and arranging the chart or modulator so that
it can be moved horizontally when required. The various pointers are connected
by levers and wires with a keyboard in front of the teacher, the wires being so
arranged as not to intercept his view of the class. Thus a pointer or semaphore
of a given key can be brought to any sign, note, figure or the like on the modulator.
The method of connecting the keyboard with the pointers, semaphores or the
like, can be either by tensional wires, by stout rods, or even by pneumatic or
electric conductors so long as by deflecting the key, the pointer connected with it
is brought into the right line or in position. I prefer to have all the pointers
standing vertically or nearly so with their points quite clear of the chart when not
pointing out, they being part of a simple or bell crank lever connected with the
wire or pneumatic device. By means of the wire, rod, or pneumatic device, the
other end of the lever is pulled or pushed to the required extent to bring the pointer
horizontally. The chart can be arranged on a carriage travelling horizontally.
The mauner in which I prefer to carry the invention into effect will be under-
stood from the following description reference being had to the accompanying
drawings in which
Figure 1 is a general view of an apparatus,
Figure 2 a sectional side elevation, and
Figure 3 a front elevation.
In these, A, is the modulator or chart hereinafter called the modulator, preferably
suspended from a horizontal rod a, by eyes, hooks or the like, so that it can be
moved horizontally when required, B the key-board, B¹ keys pivoted at b which
may be of any suitable form and C wires attached to the ends of the keys or to
levers C' actuated by the keys. The wires C extend upwards inside the column D
and are respectively coupled to the short arm E of a bell crank lever, the long
arm of which forms the pointers E. To economize space the wires C converge as
shown, and then pass up inside the column or casing D in rows one behind the
other. This clustering of the wires into a small space prevents the teacher's view
as he faces the class being intercepted. On depressing one of the keys, the
wire attached to the end of that key will be pulled downwards thereby turning
the bell-crank lever to which it is attached on its pivot e and bringing the long arm
or pointer E into the horizontal position or at right angles to the vertical
column D, and in a line with any predetermined note, on the modulator. Figure 1
shows one pointer in this position. F is a miniature modulator fixed in front of the
teacher when seated at the keyboard, on which may be displayed the same
indications as on the large chart A.
The mode of action of the apparatus forming the object of this invention is as
follows:-
:-
The apparatus having been placed so that the modulator, and the pointers when
pointing out are in full view of the class, the teacher stands or sits in front of the
keyboard B and facing the class. He then depresses the keys B' (which may be
marked if desired with the same characters as those on the modulator A and
miniature modulator F) and the pointers E' will immediately fly out into the
horizontal position and point to the note or figure or other character marked on
the modulator or chart corresponding to the key depressed. Of course it will be
understood that the back of the modulator A is toward the teacher. The ends of
the pointers may be weighted as shown so that they will fall down by gravity into
a vertical position inside the column D, on the pressure being taken off the keys,
or if desired the pointers may be arranged to fall, instead of being raised into the
horizontal position in order to point to the notes and be brought back to their
vertical position by means of springs, or even the weight of the wires C. By

page_text: hanging the modulator in the manner indicated a pointer of a given key can be
made to point in succession to any sign, note, figure or the like in its own horizontal
line, by simply adjusting the position of the modulator on the horizontal rod.
I have described one way in which this invention can be carried out, but it will
be evident that it may take other forms, for, instance, for some purposes it may be
more convenient to arrange the column and the chart horizontally instead of
vertically, and moreover although the apparatus has been designed principally
for teaching children the tonic-sol-fa notation from Curwen's modulator, it is also
applicable for teaching the old or staff notation, or for other purposes where it is
required to use a pointer and where it is desirable that the person pointing should
face the class.
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. The improvement in or relating to apparatus for teaching music or other
matters by the aid of diagrams, charts, modulators or the like, which consists in
arranging in close proximity to such modulator or chart, a series of movable
pointers, semaphores or their equivalent, and connecting the said pointers with a
keyboard in such a manner that on the deflection of any key, a pointer connected
with that key will be brought into a position pointing to the character on the
modulator or chart corresponding to the character represented by the key deflected
substantially as described.
2. In an apparatus for teaching music or other matters, the combination with a
modulator or other tabular or diagrammatic chart, of an arrangement of movable
or swinging pointers, semaphores, or the like, mounted in a column or casing, a
series of keys forming a keyboard, and mechanism for connecting each individual
key of said keyboard with a given pointer, whereby the teacher by depressing a
given key, will cause a given note or character on the modulator or chart to be
pointed out to the audience, substantially as described.
3. In an apparatus of the kind set forth, the arrangement consisting of weights
applied to the swinging semaphores or pointers, or springs, whereby the said
pointers are returned to their normal position within the column or casing when
pressure is taken off the keys substantially as described.
4. In an apparatus for teaching music or other matters of the kind set forth, the
arrangement for hanging the modulator or chart so that it can be moved horizontally
when required substantially as described, whereby a pointer or semaphore of a
given key can be made to point in succession to any sign, note, figure or the like on
the chart on its own horizontal line.
5. The general combined arrangement and construction of parts forming my
improved apparatus for teaching music or other matters by the aid of diagrams,
charts, modulators or the like, substantially as described.
L100
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, and London, Patent Agents.